Hello 👋
I’m launching an experiment.
For the next six months, I’m going to learn and work in public while I finish my book manuscript.
Here’s what that means:
I’ll share brutally honest updates here and on social media. They’ll cover my writing progress and struggles, my reflections on making a book for the first time, my marketing attempts and their results, and anything else I deem interesting enough to highlight.
I’ll invite you to more virtual get-togethers. The plan is to 1) organise some regular Zoom coworking sprints and 2) launch a recurring audio event on Clubhouse, likely focused on the future of work and in collaboration with my pal Sharon O’Dea.
I hope that by sharing more—and making a public commitment to doing so—I’ll be able to demystify book writing in a useful way and offer practical insights into the life and work of a full-time creator.
What do you think of this idea? I’d love for you to let me know:
-Lauren
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✍️💻 Why I’m Writing a Book About the Work From Anywhere Movement (Medium)
I wrote about my forthcoming book and my decision to work with an indie publisher. This post tells the story behind the book, including my struggles with writer’s block, the journey towards finding my audience, and the new urgency the pandemic brought to my work.
🏙️👑 Superstar Cities Are in Big Trouble (The Atlantic)
Why move to a big metropolis, overspend on a tiny apartment, and commute to an office each day? People have begun to reassess their relationship with place this past year, and that lifestyle is no longer so appealing. The future looks bleak for the world’s major cities as a result.
🏜️🛂 UAE Offers New Routes to Citizenship for Investors and Specialist Talent (LinkedIn)
The United Arab Emirates will now grant passports to foreign investors and specialised migrant talent, including scientists, doctors, engineers, artists, and authors. They’re even allowing people to keep their existing citizenship. It’s a clear signal that the government sees knowledge work as a key driver for the country going forward.
🏘️💰 Getaway, a Startup Building Tiny Cabins, Raises $41.7M (TechCrunch)
Fancy spending a week switching off in an idyllic rural location? Getaway wants to help Americans do just that. Their tiny cabins have no WiFi and a lockable box for your phone. Unsurprisingly, the concept proved popular during the shit-show that was 2020. Now, the startup is expanding fast.
🎨☕ Coffee Shops Really Do Make You More Creative (BBC Worklife)
Ever notice how taking your laptop to a cafe and nursing an overpriced latte helps you sail through your to-do list? It turns out there's something to this. Researchers believe coffee shops offer the perfect level of distraction—noise, crowds, visual variety—to put us at our sharpest and most creative.
🎬🤩 The Toxic World of Self Help (James Jani)
James Jani makes a distinctive style of video essay that I can’t get enough of lately. He fuses memorable clips from popular TV and movies with narrative voiceover and straight-to-camera segments. The result is persuasive, well-argued docu-films that revel in critiquing cultural norms and calling bullshit on entire industries. Nice.
☕ If you enjoy what I do, consider buying me a virtual coffee from time-to-time. I know it seems small, but it really helps.
📚 Support the creation of my first book, Global Natives: The New Frontiers of Work, Travel & Innovation, by pre-ordering the digital edition today.
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