12 things for 12 months

Celebrating a whole year on Substack.

A year ago today, I hit publish on my first-ever Substack post. My stomach flooded with butterflies, and I felt like Andy must have done when she first walked through the doors of Runway in Devil Wears Prada. We had nothing but a notebook, a chunky knit, and a writing dream.

I had no idea what was to come. Fortunately, what followed wasn’t bitchy, cliquey women (though I wouldn’t mind Meryl Streep being here). Instead, I’ve had a magical 12 months of creating, growing, and meeting wonderful, intelligent, interesting people. My life has become exponentially better since I began publishing on Substack, and I can’t quite believe it’s been a year already.

Here are 12 very random things I’ve noticed/learned over the past 12 months as a mini happy birthday post to The Quiet 20s.

1. Every single person has a story worth telling or thoughts worth sharing. I never fail to be amazed by the uniqueness or wonder of other people’s experiences and how they write about them.

2. Creativity does, and will, come in waves. I’m hopefully on the way out of a “writing lull” right now, after feeling like my brain is completely void of ideas for the past couple of months. At other times, it’s like I could write for 72 hours on the bounce and not have said or written enough.

3. Getting the words out feels a million times better than keeping them in.

4. That collection of cosy-loving, creative bookworms I’d been dreaming of resides right here on this platform. You will find your people here.

5. Subscribers really mattered at the beginning and now they matter in a different way - the numbers don’t bother me so much, instead the connections I’ve made mean the most.

6. Carrie Bradshaw will pop up on the Notes feed at least once a week.

7. The posts that bear your soul typically do the best, but it’s emotionally exhausting writing these regularly.

8. Do not try and be someone you’re not on here - it’s noticeable in your writing. I’m speaking from experience.

9. That random idea you think will make a decent Substack post - write it.

10. You might not have come here with the intention of building a community, but you’ll soon find yourself there.

11. The best ideas come at the worst times. If I had a pound for every time I’ve asked Siri to make a note of a Substack post while I’m driving or in the shower, I’d be a very wealthy woman.

12. The feeling of having actual, real-life people read and enjoy my words will never, ever get old. It’s something I’ll forever be grateful for.

So thank you, thank you, thank you.

Whether you’ve been here from the very start or only stumbled across me from this post; you’re a regular commenter or enjoy reading my pieces from afar; however you’ve interacted with my wee Substack over the past 365 days, you have no idea how much it means to me. You’ve made a little writer’s dreams come true ❤️

Pinterest. Though there will be cake this evening.