Good stuff, Michael! I myself recently learned to embrace "the churn." I've been calling it "culling the herd" -- because that's how I am -- and it is liberating. Write the best stuff you can come up with and the right audience will eventually find you. This post is proof.
It's a thrill to collaborate with you and Dennard. The creative energy is rocket fuel for the spirit. My only question is: when's the next one? 😁
I’m a little late to the party, but I’m thankful I subscribed to your newsletter. I appreciate how you put everything into perspective and shared some truths about going viral. I especially love the Geoffrey Golden “feel the churn” bit. I struggled for a while when losing subscribers (almost went into existential crisis a time or two), but it has gotten easier since I’ve changed my mindset: no hard feelings, they’re not my audience. Moving forward, from here on out, I’m 100 percent going to think of “the churn” and what you said in your post. (I have to give Geoffrey a shout out here. He is an awesome guy, and one of the first subscribers I ever had at my Substack. He is a source of positivity and encouragement, and has been from day one!)
Keep up the great work, Michael! I can’t wait to see what you come up with moving forward.
For the love of God and all his elves, send this information to every company I worked for since high school. The Quixotic tilt to be chosen by forced they didn’t understand would be tragic if I wasn’t laughing. In the meeting. While pointing at them.
Congratulations! Such good news and well deserved! This was such a fascinating post right from the confidence to the going viral (16,644 visits!!) to the first-day-of-school energy/anxiety to loving the churn (the secret to success and sanity) to the Ship of Theseus. I loved every word! And thanks for the shoutout! Awfully glad we're on the same team!
Grabbed a coffee and read this post twice. Great stuff. You’re a good couple of years ahead of me so it’s great to see how you reached your milestones.
The churn is a great concept and one that I will hold close in those difficult moments. To be honest, I’ve turned off the in unsubscribe email notification! Too bad for me.
The other thing I’ve been grappling with is the dreaded plateau. I can imagine we’ve all been there where we get only a trickle of subscribers over a few weeks and think we’ve done something wrong?
Michael, I've enjoyed your stories for years, not only because you are a superbly clever and funny writer, but because of the relatable vulnerability at the core of each story. Today was no different, and I thank you for sharing the ups and downs of going viral. Congrats on hitting your milestone! You have worked so hard for this. :)
Hey, man. I’m really enjoying this. And I live near lots of the locations in NSFW so if you need tour organizers def hit me up!! I also think any “film” program (esp internships) taught at Chatsworth High should be regarded with suspicion. Rock on, Michael.
Good stuff, Michael! I myself recently learned to embrace "the churn." I've been calling it "culling the herd" -- because that's how I am -- and it is liberating. Write the best stuff you can come up with and the right audience will eventually find you. This post is proof.
It's a thrill to collaborate with you and Dennard. The creative energy is rocket fuel for the spirit. My only question is: when's the next one? 😁
A great read. Thank you!
I am nearly at your potential - I have 14 subscribers and I am on the way to big things! (Keep it positive)
Keep up the great work.
Lee
This caught me just as I was setting a goal of 1,000 subscribers. I have read closely what you have written. Thanks for the insight.
Fantastic read, Michael, thank you!
I’m a little late to the party, but I’m thankful I subscribed to your newsletter. I appreciate how you put everything into perspective and shared some truths about going viral. I especially love the Geoffrey Golden “feel the churn” bit. I struggled for a while when losing subscribers (almost went into existential crisis a time or two), but it has gotten easier since I’ve changed my mindset: no hard feelings, they’re not my audience. Moving forward, from here on out, I’m 100 percent going to think of “the churn” and what you said in your post. (I have to give Geoffrey a shout out here. He is an awesome guy, and one of the first subscribers I ever had at my Substack. He is a source of positivity and encouragement, and has been from day one!)
Keep up the great work, Michael! I can’t wait to see what you come up with moving forward.
“Answer: You don’t.”
For the love of God and all his elves, send this information to every company I worked for since high school. The Quixotic tilt to be chosen by forced they didn’t understand would be tragic if I wasn’t laughing. In the meeting. While pointing at them.
I was a great employee.
Good stuff!
Congrats on 2k, pal. :)
PS: You're an intimidatingly good writer.
Thank you for sharing your journey!
Congratulations! Such good news and well deserved! This was such a fascinating post right from the confidence to the going viral (16,644 visits!!) to the first-day-of-school energy/anxiety to loving the churn (the secret to success and sanity) to the Ship of Theseus. I loved every word! And thanks for the shoutout! Awfully glad we're on the same team!
Grabbed a coffee and read this post twice. Great stuff. You’re a good couple of years ahead of me so it’s great to see how you reached your milestones.
The churn is a great concept and one that I will hold close in those difficult moments. To be honest, I’ve turned off the in unsubscribe email notification! Too bad for me.
The other thing I’ve been grappling with is the dreaded plateau. I can imagine we’ve all been there where we get only a trickle of subscribers over a few weeks and think we’ve done something wrong?
Tough but pushing through is all we can do.
This is inspiring. Thank you for this!
Theseus' ship? What aout the ever evolving new improved version? Is Christina the model for the figurehead a the prow of your ship?
The fact that you printed your listed rather than using cursive is indicative of the rot that's destroying our civilization.
Michael, I've enjoyed your stories for years, not only because you are a superbly clever and funny writer, but because of the relatable vulnerability at the core of each story. Today was no different, and I thank you for sharing the ups and downs of going viral. Congrats on hitting your milestone! You have worked so hard for this. :)
Welp, i need to start dropping "ship of theseus" into my daily conversation now cus its wonderful. Congrats Michael on your milestone!
Hey, man. I’m really enjoying this. And I live near lots of the locations in NSFW so if you need tour organizers def hit me up!! I also think any “film” program (esp internships) taught at Chatsworth High should be regarded with suspicion. Rock on, Michael.