The Hustler Dairies Part 4: Launch a Newsletter

I’d been thinking about launching a newsletter for a while, but I hadn’t done it. Now is the right time to do the thing that you’ve long thought about doing. If not now, then when? You could use the time you’ve spent thinking about not having done the thing to actually do the thing. It will be easier than you think to get it done. At least, that’s what I found when I sat down to do some research and launched my newsletter.

Do what’s easy

Let’s not make things any more complicated than they should be, shall we? After all, perfect is the enemy of good. From the outset, I figured I’d probably use Mailchimp or Substack. I was generally aware of the former, which I think is maybe better if you are a business, and I’d been reading more about the latter lately, which I think is maybe better if you are a writer. I decided to go with Substack because: it looked easy to use, it had a straightforward subscriber model, it was initially free while I was working out the kinks. From what I read, it seemed like the best thing to do was to have it be free to subscribers for at least the first 90 days. Then you can make some of it or all of it for paying subscribers. The overhead is zero.

Do something, anything

I decided to call my newsletter “The Valley.” The tagline is: “Reports from the epicenter of the universe.” You can sign up here. It’s about Los Angeles, the Valley (where I live), and my life as a writer. TBH, I’m not entirely sure what it’s going to be about. So I left myself a lot of latitude to figure it out as I went along. The first one was supposed to be an introduction, “Welcome to the Valley,” but it came out sort of a hot mess. I wrote a draft of it, then butchered that, and it has kind of a Frankenstein feel. Maybe a less hearty soul would’ve given up at this point, but I’ve been a writer so long that I’ve come to expect that not everything will be perfect. Then I hit the publish button. Off I went! I was doing the thing I hadn’t been doing.

Do like a peacock

After that, I shared the link on my various social media accounts, and my buddy gave me a nice shout out, and people started signing up. What a fine thing, the internet is. One day, you are doing no newsletter. A couple hours later, you are doing a newsletter. I intend to publish them once a week, probably on Fridays. BTW, I was very inspired by photographer Noah Kalina’s newsletter, which is awesome, so sign up for his.

Susannah has long been one of the most incisive writers and cultural observers I know. Highly recommend subscribing! https://t.co/7jk4lV3b0m

— Clayton Cubitt (@claytoncubitt) April 26, 2020

Want to hire me? Learn more here or email me here. Subscribe to my newsletter. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Read The Hustler Diaries here.

The Hustler Diaries Part 3: Sell Your Story

It’s easy to have a lot of ideas about things you want to sell, and a lot harder to turn those ideas into a products. Oftentimes, what you’re selling is your story. Whether it’s the story of your company, the story of your product, or the story of your brand, it’s still a story. Stories are important because people love stories. Stories make people feel something. And when people feel something, it makes them want to be engaged with the thing that made them feel. (Your company / your product / your brand.)

Here’s one story I sold:

Make it something you love

A wrote a short story called “The Tumor.” It’s about a bad man, a malignant wife, and an anthropomorphic tumor. I wrote it relatively quickly, and then it lived in a .doc. I really like this story, so I decided to sell it.

Make it beautiful

To sell it, I recruited several people to turn the story into something beautiful. People like beautiful things. Beauty makes people feel a certain way: wonder, awe, excitement. I worked with a copy editor, an artist, and a designer to turn my story into a beautifully designed thing. It went from being a story to being a Story.

Make it easy

To sell it, I turned to Gumroad. I believe this was a recommendation from my photographer friend Clayton Cubitt. Gumroad is incredibly easy to use, and they pay you out in a very easy way. It’s just, well … effortless. I also used Pay What You Want pricing, which means people pay at least $1 for it, but can pay more.

To date, I’ve sold 159 copies of “The Tumor” for a total of $867.50.

Not bad for a story that once lived inside my head.

Want to hire me? Learn more here or email me here. Subscribe to my newsletter. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Read The Hustler Diaries here.

The Hustler Diaries Part 2: Stay in Your Lane

One thing I’ve learned through being self-employed, especially as a writer, is to stay in your lane. When you wander too far out of your lane, or try to occupy to many lanes, you get lost. Here’s how my role as a now senior contributor to Forbes has evolved over time, and how I recently redefined my lane.

Make it real

When I first started blogging for the Forbes website, each blog had a name. Mine was “Pink Slipped.” I’d been downsized, and I focused on the gig economy. The blog was quite popular because I wrote about what was going with my gig career, as it was happening. That sense of urgency and unexpectedness gave it juice. My blog with that angle was quite popular, and it was cited by Katie Couric and others.

Keep it fresh

Sometime in 2018, the editor of the Lifestyle section of the Forbes site reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to be the editor of a new section that would cover Vices. I refocused my own blog to fit that niche. So my blog focused on the business of vice, including gambling, sex, firearms, cannabis, food, and alcohol. That pushed me out of my comfort zone. But at times it felt like a very, very wide lane.

Do what you know

Today, I’m no longer editing the Vices section, but I still blog on the site. For me, something had become less fresh about trying to cover so many topics. So this week I asked my editor if it would be OK if I covered just one beat: the business of sex. I’ve been covering this beat for many years as a journalist, so this is my comfort zone. Of course, I can write about other things on other platforms, but it felt like it would be clarifying for me to just—well, pick a lane and stay in it, at least in that venue. So keep an eye out for more to come here.

Want to hire me? Learn more here or email me here. Subscribe to my newsletter. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Read The Hustler Diaries here.

The Hustler Diaries Part 1: And Now We Begin

👀 #burbank

Susannah Breslin shared a post on Instagram: "👀 #burbank" * Follow their account to see 5,291 posts.

I’ve spent the last 20 years working for myself and mostly working from home. So, in my case, the pandemic work situation isn’t exactly outside of my wheelhouse. In fact, I know this wheelhouse very well. Here’s my first post in “The Hustler Diaries,” where I’ll be sharing my expertise. Today, I share how I’ve spent my time so far, why you really should do that thing you’ve been putting off forever, and the key to creating a strategic plan that will work for the unicorn that is you.

Do something you love

I spent the first chunk of my self-isolation time revising a nonfiction book proposal. That was completed a few days ago. Then I sent it to my agent at CAA. If you are an INFP, like me, this stage of self-isolation will cause you no problems, and you will probably say things to people like: “I was born to do this!”

Take care of what you’ve been putting off forever

Because a scammer jacked susannahbreslin.com, I didn’t own it. For years, I’d been hosting my website on susannahbreslin.net, which is not a good look. Last December, I bought susannahbreslin.com. But I hadn’t transferred my site to that new URL. In addition, I was having a problem with my site’s security certificate. Luckily, I connected with Jo of Brent & Jo Studio. She fixed my problem at a reasonable price, easily and quickly. (She’s great!) Now you are reading me on susannahbreslin.com, and that pesky security certificate issue has been resolved. Sometimes when you find yourself unable to avoid certain things, that’s the perfect time to do whatever you’ve been avoiding forever.

Launch your strategic plan

Yesterday, I published this post: “Hire Me.” I’m a writer, an editor, and an executive coach. That post was the first step of my strategic plan. Historically, I’ve found that when I’ve faced the biggest challenges, I’ve made the most progress. The key is ignoring a lot of the advice that others will impart to you. Instead, the trick is doing what you think you should do. Everybody else’s strategic plan is worthless. Your strategic plan, should you chose to follow it, is a goldmine.

Want to hire me? Learn more here or email me here. Subscribe to my newsletter. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Read The Hustler Diaries here.

[Image via my Instagram feed]

Hire Me

“A Swiss Army knife.” That’s how one client described me. I’ve done a lot of things. I’m a writer, an editor, and an executive coach. I have over 20 years of experience helping global companies grow their revenue, launch brand campaigns, and increase digital engagement. And, as a c-suite consultant, I’ve worked with corporate executives as a force multiplier for their strategic initiatives.

Here’s what I do:

I’m a writer

I’ve written for Forbes, The Atlantic, Harper’s Bazaar, The Daily Beast, Slate, Salon, and Newsweek, among many other print and digital publications. I’ve covered the Great Recession’s impact on the adult industry, Paul Manafort’s $15,000 ostrich jacket, and a $350 dinner at Grant Achatz’s Chicago restaurant Next featuring canard à la presse. I’ve done investigative journalism, personal essays, and cultural criticism. In 2008, TIME named my blog one of the year’s best, and I’ve been called a “rare commodity online.” As a copywriter, I’ve worked with Publicis Groupe’s MSLGROUP and Weber Shandwick, creating content and commercials for some of the world’s biggest brands—among them: Scope, Oscar Mayer, and Crest; ghost-tweeting for celebrities; and voicing Pepto-Bismol on Facebook, where I increased social media engagement by 500% as market share rose 11%.

I’m an editor

From 2018 to 2019, I was the editor of Forbes Vices. I helped build out the digital vertical, recruiting, editing, and managing a global team of contributors who cover the business of vice, including gambling, sex, cannabis, drugs, guns, alcohol, and food. From 2008 to 2011, I was an editor for Time Warner’s The Frisky, a digital vertical for 18-to-34-year-old women, where I managed contributors, wrote nearly 1,400 posts, and created and directed the online outreach program, growing the site from startup to 4M unique visitors and 22M page views a month.

I’m an executive coach

As an executive coach, I help corporate leaders create strategic plans that drive revenue and increase profits. My expertise includes branding, media relations, strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. The majority of my clients are c-suite executives leading global companies with revenues in excess of $50M.

Want to hire me? Learn more here or email me here. Subscribe to my newsletter. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Read The Hustler Diaries here.

[Photo credit: Clayton Cubitt]

Tripping

From Dangerous Minds: “[A]t best they suggest that the reader could possibly get a contact high with just a flick through their pages.” Research for the book I’m writing. Filed under Pulp / Fiction / Covers / LSD. Found here.

What to Watch

If you haven’t seen “Wormwood,” watch it. Errol Morris. Netflix. The CIA.

Week in Review

This week, I:

1. Had a Skype audition with a reality TV casting director

2. Posted more pandemic fictions

3. Updated this blog daily

4. Wrote a short story and submitted it to an online publication, which rejected it

5. Was approached by a producer to create a pitch for a podcast episode, which was rejected

6. Was rejected for a national fellowship I applied to months ago

7. Continued reading Jerry Saltz’s How to be an Artist

8. Started doing yoga again

9. Posted a series of freelance writing tips to LinkedIn

10. Worked on a book and a podcast that I can’t talk about yet

Support what I do! Buy a copy of my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

The Umbrella

Recently, the Getty Museum put out a call for people to select their favorite artwork from the collection and recreate it with three items found around the house. I chose Robert Mapplethorpe’s 1980 portrait of Lisa Lyon.

Me, 2020, Susannah Breslin

Want to support what I do? Buy a copy of my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

An Important Lesson

Several months ago, I applied for a prestigious national fellowship for a journalism project I’m working on. Earlier this week, I found out that I didn’t get it. This is the second time I’ve applied to this particular fellowship, and the second time I haven’t gotten it. Of course, there’s an important lesson to be learned here. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And sometimes when you try again, you will also fail again.

Want to support what I do? Buy a copy of my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

The Reality Show

Today I had an interview with a casting director for a reality show. It was a little strange. It was on Skype, and part of the process is condensing your life into a series of soundbites. If you want to turn your life story from something that happened into a commodity, leave out the nuances. It’s all about the brand.

Want to support what I do? Buy a copy of my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

A Pandemic Love Story

From my Pandemic Fictions series with animated versions on Twitter / Instagram.

Want to support what I do? Buy a copy of my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

What to Watch

Over on my Forbes blog, I wrote about nine movies that offer the opposite of social distancing: intimacy. From hustling strippers to star-crossed lovers, it’s a list that provides a refreshing alternative to the six-foot rule. I hadn’t posted on my Forbes blog in a while, but I’ll be doing so more regularly moving forward. If circumstances change, the best strategy is sometimes a shotgun approach: Just aim and fire.

The Operation (1995)

Arguably the best explicit film ever made, “The Operation” is truly unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Essentially, it’s a porn movie shot with an infrared camera. The effect is haunting and otherworldly. Starring Otto Wrek and Gina Velour and directed by Jacob Pander, this is just about the most interesting thing you’ll see while isolated.

Want to support what I do? Buy a copy of my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

Me Dot Com

😀

4 Likes, 0 Comments - Susannah Breslin (@susannahbreslin) on Instagram: "😀"

For some reason, I never bought susannahbreslin.com. Then, at a certain point, someone else bought it. Eventually, it ended up in the hands of a company that sells URLs. Not long ago, I bought it. During this same time, I’d been having some issues with my Squarespace site that needed to be fixed. I asked around for a reference for someone who could help me resolve those issues. Then I found Brent & Jo Studio. They were great. Jo helped me set up my new domain and resolve my tech issues. I highly recommend Jo and her team. They’re fast, knowledgeable, and friendly. And now this site, at long last, resides on my name dot com.

[Image via my Instagram feed]

Want to support what I do? Buy a copy of my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

Sex Work Pandemic

If you’ve not seen it yet, check out my Pandemic Fictions series. You can also see animated versions of some of them on Twitter and Instagram.

Like what I do? Support my work! Buy my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

Second Act

Next week, I have a remote audition for an upcoming reality television series. They’re looking for women of a certain age who are ready to pursue their second act. Here’s to hoping they pick me to join the second act-ers.

Like what I do? Support my work! Buy my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

Saint Lucy

After buying a few necklaces from Cartography, I suggested that they do a Saint Lucy necklace. Saint Lucy is the patron saint of writers, among other things. As it turned out, they made one, which you can buy now. It’s seen here with my Warrior Woman / Joan of Arc necklace, also by Cartography.

Like what I do? Support my work! Buy my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

In the Tub

My photographer friend Nikola Tamindzic remotely photographed me for his “I Am Here, and You Are Where You Are” series. As he puts it: It’s “a series of portraits of people all over the world during the coronavirus pandemic, most of whom I have never met in ‘real life.’ I am shooting these portraits remotely: me in my apartment in New York City, them out there in the world, using whatever technology we can.”

Like what I do? Support my work! Buy my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

The Plague Fables

I highly recommend reading Jill Lepore’s latest for The New Yorker: “What Our Contagion Fables Are Really About.” If you’ve not read Lepore before, now would be a great time to read Joe Gould’s Teeth.

Like what I do? Support my work! Buy my digital short story: THE TUMOR.

Today

Today I went outside for the first time since last Monday. The air appeared to be fresher, and the smell of blooming flowers in a neighboring house seemed more pungent. There were a few cars driving a few blocks away, and there were a few people walking around, but not many. As I was walking back, I saw a man walking towards me. He was about a half a block away. As soon as he saw me, he crossed to the other side of the street. I guess you could say he was a Pandemic Gentleman.

Like what I do? Support my work! Buy my digital short story: THE TUMOR.