Is this an awkward Christmas letter?

I am not sure what I'm doing and this is why I've avoided a regular newsletter.

Two things I said I’d never do: Start a podcast and start a Substack.

Never say never.

I don't have anything against Substack itself; the platform is fine, and I subscribe to and read many other Substack newsletters. I was a little worried that there were too many of them, but my main hesitation is that I am not a fan of newsletters, thanks to the dreaded Christmas letter.

Buddy, my trusty rescue and personal therapy dog (against his will)

Stay with me.

When my husband and I were first married in 2004 and had our baby (very soon!) on the way, we received our first set of combined Christmas cards since we were now “The Paulsons” and not Kale and Emily living at different addresses. I put my swollen cankles up and read Christmas letter after Christmas letter and thought, “What the hell? This is WEIRD.” It was either way too much information for someone who was a casual friend or distant relative (please don’t tell me about your rat problem or your psoriasis and WHO the hell is Dan?) or information I already knew ad nauseum because they were someone I knew quite well. My thoughts: If you have to send a Christmas letter, people are either not close enough to keep up to date on your life, or they are so close that it’s information they already know. That, of course, was before social media, and we all know what happened from there: everyone in our business 24/7 and Facebook albums filled. The Christmas letter appeared to have become a thing of the past, and good riddance! I can't recall the last time I received one.

Fast Forward: I created a mailing list with my ‘business’ (you all know it wasn’t a business, but whatever) and then became an author, and then started a sobriety community, and through it all, I bounced around from Mailchimp to Flodesk to Kajabi back to Mailchimp and then Convert Kit, taking a growing mailing list with me, emailing about books or offers or events, yet never writing about what I REALLY wanted. I would end up sending a ‘personal’ update once a year, maybe twice. I was unsure how to balance work and personal life, what was repetitive, and what was too private, so I completely avoided it, for fear of being someone’s annoying Christmas letter. I mainly stuck to using Instagram and just hoped for the best. But now I’m navigating not wanting to be on social media AT ALL while still desiring an outlet to share and connect. Substack keeps coming up as a suggestion.

So, I finally said f*ck it. Here it is: The Outsider Scoop.

I will explain more about the name "The Outsider Scoop" at some point, but for now, the first and most important question you're probably asking yourself is:

Q: Do I need to pay for this?

A: Currently, No.

To receive newsletters at the same cadence and with the same updates that you received before, do nothing. If you received this, you were already on my mailing list, and everything will stay the same for you, free, no strings attached.

BUT - I may do paid features in the future, like a behind the scenes or AMA, in addition to this newsletter. I will also likely keep my archives paywalled.

Q: What are you going to write about?

A: Great Question.

Here’s what I will likely share in this substack:

1. My path to publishing my first novel. I finished a first draft, and have another in the works. I don’t know which one will see the light of day first, but I’ll be sure to not shut up about it.

2. The (weird) process of adapting a book to screen. Yes, my second book is being shopped as a documentary, and the process is…well, you’ll find out.

3. My thoughts on the coaching industry as both a consumer and a coach, and a former MLM bossbabe. I have a lot to say about this, and have been waiting for the right time and forum.¹

4. Changing directions, careers, plots, roles, and stages of life. Not because I know what I’m doing but because I don’t, and I need to talk about it.

5. Probably menopause because WHAT THE F@CK, RIGHT?

6. Sobriety, maybe? The farther I get down the sober path, the less I feel the need to talk about it, but it will probably come up.

7. What I’m reading, watching, eating, or anything else I enjoy and like, maybe a bit about what I dislike.

8. Whatever you want to hear from me. I love crowdsourcing content and answering people’s questions. I’m an open book.²

9. My dog, Buddy, and possibly my old, grouchy cat, Cheddar.

10. TBD: we will find out together! Let me know what you’d like to hear:

Here’s what I WILL NOT be sharing:

1. Personal info about my kids. Other than in vague ‘we went on this vacation, wow parenting is tiring, or someone graduated, yay them,’ I won’t share about their personal lives or share pictures of them without their express permission or interest. They are their own people. I have very strong opinions about exploiting children for content (which I’ve done in the past!), and that’s a full stop for me. As for Kale (my husband and also the vegetable if I make food content for some reason), he might make an appearance but again, only in content that I run by him that he’s ok with.

2. Links or blurbs or suggestions for things that I don’t actually like or use myself. I won’t spam you with outfits, skincare, newsletters, or other products or communities that I don’t absolutely use and love myself. I’m not a beauty or fashion blogger, but if you like a dress or a shade of lipstick you see me wearing, ask, and I’ll share. I don’t plan on using affiliate links with the possible exception of Amazon books (which gives me, like, ten cents), but I will be sure to reference any and all affiliate links if I do use them.

Q: Are there any other ways I can support you?

A: Absolutely! You can share my publication or recommend it on your own substack! And, of course, you can buy my books, share them, and leave reviews for them.

That’s it, I guess! Thanks for being here.

I know you have many substacks to choose from, so I appreciate you reading mine. I promise that I will make every attempt to avoid being the awkward Christmas letter in your inbox, but if I am, you are free to unsubscribe at any point.

xo Emily

P.S. I’m still VERY CERTAIN I’m never starting a podcast.

1. This is an example of something that might be behind a paywall.

2. Other than my “what I won’t share” list above.