Greetings from Amsterdam!
I've made it over to the Netherlands and, honestly, I couldn't be happier. So it feels about time to end my hiatus and start writing to you again.
Sadly, I encountered some email delivery issues with Ghost last month and found it doesn't offer any analytics or useful ways to manage subscriber lists yet. So this message comes to you via MailerLite instead—simple, email-focused software made by a distributed company.
My website laurenrazavi.com is still hosted on Ghost and I'm happy to be paying to support the team's good work, but the platform's email offer just isn't quite there yet. Maybe in future.
Anyway, this newsletter will arrive in your inbox every two weeks going forward. Each edition will feature a piece of original writing from me and a curated list of my favourite internet finds, all with a focus on work, creativity and global living.
As always, hit reply to share your feedback, ask a question or say hello. I'd love to hear what's happening in your world.
-Lauren
On being sold to
I've been chatting with live speaking agents about representation lately. I know, I know—there's a pandemic going on and the global events industry is in serious trouble. This isn't the time to get involved with all that. Only, I think it is. The chaos of this decade will define humanity's forward trajectory. Now is absolutely the right moment to share our best ideas, connect with like-minded people, and do our part to build the future.
After working hard to promote other people's ideas in previous versions of my professional life, I decided to spend time refining and putting out some of my own in 2020. I've done a lot of gigs over the years, but speaking has always taken a backseat to writing. Scaling it up feels like a natural way to spread interesting ideas further and master the craft of storytelling in a new format alongside my book.
But, here's the thing: a couple of the agents I've spoken to have tried to sell me courses or coaching on how to create a personal brand or become a top speaker after an introductory call. The fact that the company founders were available to chat in the first place should probably have been a warning sign, but it wasn't until I received these "exclusive offers" after the calls that I realised how off it all felt.
I'm totally open to learning and development opportunities in new areas and industries, but the comms these folks sent are so god-awful that I can't possibly imagine working with them. One email arrived in the legendary Comic Sans font, made generous use of red text in all caps, and repeated the same call-to-action—DON'T DELAY: BUY NOW—five times in 200 words.
Am I really meant to take branding advice from someone who thinks it's OK to send cringe-worthy sales copy to a prospective client? What if they sent a terrible email like that about me and my work to someone else? If a straightforward follow up message is this bad, how terrible would the webinars or coaching sessions be? These folks are clearly not internet citizens or digital makers.
I'm in touch with these contacts because I know folks who have won new opportunities and income through them. Despite my impressions, they have track records of getting the job done—at least in the offline world and before the Covid crisis.
But there are good and bad ways to sell stuff, especially in online spaces. The team I build around my work has to know the difference. Otherwise, the relationships won't be authentic, and that means they won't work. I'd rather choose my own teachers and call on my community than encourage "pay-to-play" models with dodgy players who are clearly struggling to navigate the transition to distributed work.
Handpicked for you
🎬 The artist behind Radiohead's album covers
Does anybody else default to Radiohead when they run out of stuff to watch on YouTube? This video introduces the graphic designer, artist and writer Stanley Donwood, who has produced all of Radiohead's album art since 1994. He also writes books, including the graphic novel Bad Island (Penguin, 2020).
🗣️ Kickstart your freelance writing career
I've teamed up with the troublemakers at London Writers' Salon to offer an in-depth masterclass for those looking to launch a career or sideline as a freelance writer. It's happening this Thursday 17th September via Zoom and it's limited to an intimate 15 places. We only have a handful of tickets left, so get in quick if you fancy it.
🗞️ What does the future influencer look like?
From micro-influencers to social media activists, Raconteur outlines four possible scenarios for the future of influencer marketing. This piece is full of interesting insights about how brands and advertisers are thinking about the value of their relationships with influencers, and how things might evolve.
💡 Want to pitch stories to Wired? Here's how
If you've ever dreamt of seeing your name in Wired, I have some good news. The team has published this handy guide for freelance writers hoping to land a commission or two. On the other side, if you work in editorial, life becomes so much easier when you create contributor's guidelines like these. Make the time to do it.
Support Counterflows
In this newsletter, I share stories, ideas, tools and resources for curious people all over the world. All the content featured in these emails and on my website laurenrazavi.com is available for free to everyone.
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Thanks for reading 🙏
-Lauren