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I find the idea of a newsletter compelling. But I never read any of the newsletters that I signed up for. So to me it feels like even if I did have people sign

I find the idea of a newsletter compelling. But I never read any of the newsletters that I signed up for. So to me it feels like even if I did have people sign up for a newsletter that I’d write, most of the recipients would not be reading it either. Like 98.8% of this hypothetical audience of mine probably would not read the letters I feel like.

alex_g 6y ago
Do you find the idea of writing a newsletter compelling, or the idea of having a successful newsletter compelling? I started my newsletter because I recognized I was constantly thinking/analyzing a specific topic, but not really doing much with that knowledge, and could not find an existing community focused on that topic. I started writing to put into words what I was thinking, and found I really enjoyed writing with an audience in mind, even though I had none. If someone signs up for a newsletter of yours, that is pitched as some sort of original writing, there's a very high chance they're going to read it. If they stop reading, or unsubscribe, you can ask them why, and get valuable feedback so you can improve your writing. You end up with someone interested, or feedback. I see it as a win win. The bigger problem is finding the hypothetical audience!
- comeonseriously 6y ago
  > Do you find the idea of writing a newsletter compelling, or the idea of having a successful newsletter compelling? Slightly OT, but I often ask people I know, when they're struggling with things like this, "Do you want to be an <x>, or do you want to have been an <x>?", because they're two completely different things.
cm2012 6y ago
My newsletter (only 100 people) has a 60% open rate, so it can be read.
Wistar 6y ago
I, too, have signed up for a few newsletter subscriptions——just in the last few months——that I never seem to read. Is there an email-newsletter equivalent for "tsundoku?"
- alex_g 6y ago
  Ha! I love that there's a word for that.
  - Wistar 6y ago
    I learned that word, tsundoku, right here at HN, from user Xophmeister.
- itronitron 6y ago
  For scientific research the rule used to be that if you printed out a research paper then you don't have to read it. Now that also applies if you just download the pdf.
- codethief 6y ago
  > I, too, have signed up for a few newsletter subscriptions——just in the last few months——that I never seem to read. Me to. I wonder why that is, though. Is it the fact that I have little time? Is it my email client's user interface where an entire folder of unread newsletter emails always looks particularly intimidating? Or maybe I'm just associating unread emails with yet-to-do tasks and, thus, with stress? I think, (for me) it might be the latter two points. I mean, I listen to podcasts on Spotify, too, and am able to make time for them. But with the Spotify UI I never get the feeling that I have to listen to each podcast or that I have unfinished business to take care of. I can listen to a couple podcasts in a row and then not touch that podcast for a couple months and Spotify won't nag me about it.

alex_g 6y ago

Do you find the idea of writing a newsletter compelling, or the idea of having a successful newsletter compelling? I started my newsletter because I recognized I was constantly thinking/analyzing a specific topic, but not really doing much with that knowledge, and could not find an existing community focused on that topic. I started writing to put into words what I was thinking, and found I really enjoyed writing with an audience in mind, even though I had none. If someone signs up for a newsletter of yours, that is pitched as some sort of original writing, there's a very high chance they're going to read it. If they stop reading, or unsubscribe, you can ask them why, and get valuable feedback so you can improve your writing. You end up with someone interested, or feedback. I see it as a win win. The bigger problem is finding the hypothetical audience!

comeonseriously 6y ago
> Do you find the idea of writing a newsletter compelling, or the idea of having a successful newsletter compelling? Slightly OT, but I often ask people I know, when they're struggling with things like this, "Do you want to be an <x>, or do you want to have been an <x>?", because they're two completely different things.

cm2012 6y ago

My newsletter (only 100 people) has a 60% open rate, so it can be read.

Wistar 6y ago

I, too, have signed up for a few newsletter subscriptions——just in the last few months——that I never seem to read. Is there an email-newsletter equivalent for "tsundoku?"

alex_g 6y ago
Ha! I love that there's a word for that.
- Wistar 6y ago
  I learned that word, tsundoku, right here at HN, from user Xophmeister.
itronitron 6y ago
For scientific research the rule used to be that if you printed out a research paper then you don't have to read it. Now that also applies if you just download the pdf.
codethief 6y ago
> I, too, have signed up for a few newsletter subscriptions——just in the last few months——that I never seem to read. Me to. I wonder why that is, though. Is it the fact that I have little time? Is it my email client's user interface where an entire folder of unread newsletter emails always looks particularly intimidating? Or maybe I'm just associating unread emails with yet-to-do tasks and, thus, with stress? I think, (for me) it might be the latter two points. I mean, I listen to podcasts on Spotify, too, and am able to make time for them. But with the Spotify UI I never get the feeling that I have to listen to each podcast or that I have unfinished business to take care of. I can listen to a couple podcasts in a row and then not touch that podcast for a couple months and Spotify won't nag me about it.