Forward-Looking Statements
Today I’m going to write several hundred words about email newsletters. Next week, I’m going to do the same thing, and the weeks to follow as well. As the weeks go by, I intend to forge a mutually beneficial relationship with you, Dear Reader. What has begun as a buffalo-sauced beta test will (hopefully) bloom into a long-running, bi-directional exchange of opinion and information about how people communicate today.
It’s my belief that publishing on a regular schedule to an audience that has proactively subscribed to your work yields a deeper connection than other methods. Together, we’re going to see if that’s true.
While in beta, I’ll be twerking the form and tone, but you can expect one brief “think piece” (can we get a better name for that?) and a few news items. Thanks, in advance, for your time and attention.
Changing Horses Mid-Stream
Last month, Alexis Madrigal wrote a fantastic piece for The Atlantic titled 2013: The Year ‘the Stream’ Crested. In it, Madrigal makes the compelling argument that the real-time, never-ending nature of the web has exhausted it’s most enthusiastic participants. Instead, we are seeing a shift towards content with natural boundaries that allows for completion and, ideally, reflection. While I, for one, welcome our new #longform overlords, the real appeal is in a hybrid approach: get the broad strokes of the latest issues from the stream, then let someone like Dave Pell sift through the noise to find the definitive take in his always excellent NextDraft.
The Magazine: The Book, The Kickstarter
Glenn Fleishman is no stranger to regularly scheduled content. The publisher of the biweekly iOS newsstand app The Magazine, freelance journalist for The Economist and prolific podcaster (among many other things) recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign to collect the best works from the first year of The Magazine into a hard bound volume. Hear that story on the latest episode of his show, The New Disruptors. Oh, did I mention he recently started an email newsletter?
Steamy Newsletter Gossip
Today in Tabs, a snarky, link-heavy list of hatereads that got swallowed up by Newsweek (of all places) recently got dragged into the middle of some sort of drama scene. Turns out calling “dibs” doesn’t actually do anything in the internet? As with everything best suited for the E! Network, the Gawker recap is the only link you need.
Bye For Now
Thanks again, Dear Reader. Look for Periodically on Tuesday mornings. If you have any feedback or suggestions of newsletters for me to follow, just reply to this email.
Periodically yours,
Bob Sherron
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