Now

This page was updated March 2026. I’m inspired by Derek Sivers.

On 2026 so far

This year I’m tackling two big concepts: audacity and community. I know this sounds kinda at odds with each other, but I want to feel grounded and connected while I reach for larger goals.

I am pushing myself to try new things. I’m pitching publications I haven’t worked with. I’m pitching brands partnership ideas. I’ve stayed away from podcasts in the past, but I’ll appear on my first one this year. I’m feeling that itch to try something new.

Newslettering

People sometimes ask me to sell the newsletter, and I’m just not interested in that. I’m in it for the next 10 years and I’m thinking as a media entrepreneur now. What does a YouTube channel look like for this project? What kind of reporting and resources do people need? What are people struggling with? Smart business and career reporting is always needed. My newsletter is pretty great for anyone building their own indie careers, but I see so much more to improve.

Unapologetic

I’m also hard at work building my indie publication about romance novels. It would also be super cool to build out a print magazine with this one day, but for now it’s a newsletter/website. The loose long-term plan is to pay independent writers to write about romance, but where is that money going to come from?

I think the road to monetization for a books publication will be longer, but the continued decimation of books coverage infuriates me. The publications paying writers to cover books aren’t paying much, and we’re losing important voices. At the same time, romance authors have both held up the publishing industry and pushed for progressive causes even as we live in a time when the current administration clamps down on arts funding and leans into book banning. More authors are publishing independently, and I think it’s interesting to dig into the economics and businesses they’re running. Book reviews and reporting on publishing are important, especially as you need to be able to get recommendations from humans outside of an algorithm.

But I do think that this can become a financially viable publication. Books publications can benefit from reader revenue, sponsorships, and affiliate links. I already have subscribers from the Big 5, indie authors, and dedicated readers.

The website’s a mess. I’m working on writing an AI policy, pitch guide, and web pages. I wish beehiiv’s web builder functioned like WordPress.

I’ve never been more broke, but I’m excited by the work I do, which feels better than when I was grinding myself into the ground working on client projects.