Our first SmallTalk community discussion brought out your very best recommendations for great publications you love. Today’s SmallTalk is all about you!
Tell us about your publication name.
Is there a story behind why you chose it? Have you changed it since you first started creating? Let us hear all about it! If you happen to have a post with all these details and more, please leave a link here for us to explore it. This might be an origin story, or it could even be a link to your “about” page. If you can’t think of any past posts that do your name justice, this can be your chance to write one!
The rules…
This discussion is designed to benefit smaller publications, so please only post links to yours if you have 1,000 or fewer subscribers.
Tell us your publication name.
Explain why or how you selected that name.
Include a link to a post you feel best embodies your name choice.
When you create a comment, check the “Also share a note” box below it so that others will see if you tag them and their publication.
Comments on this thread close on Friday, July 19.Due to the incredible engagement on this discussion, we will be keeping comments open through the weekend!
Take a look at all the creative names in the comments, and find some great new content to subscribe to! Don’t hesitate to ask questions or enjoy conversations with new friends. That’s what SmallTalk is all about! If you know a publication with an interesting name and would like to hear their story, restack this thread with a note and @ the writer with an explanation for your curiosity. Please make it clear if you are reaching out to a publication with more than 1,000 subscribers that this thread is for those with less, but there’s no harm in joining the fun and sharing their story independently on notes!
And if you enjoyed SmallTalk this week, tune in soon to see our next community conversation on July 30.
I named my newsletter The Real Rachel BS since my essays are from such a broad spectrum of life experiences like cancer and organ donation, volunteerism, etc, preventing me from narrowing it down to something identifiable as a topic or theme. And since there is only one person with my name, all of my essays are attributable to me, the Real Rachel BS. 🤙🏼
I've changed my publication name a couple of times, but landed on Just One More Turn (https://ingamescientist.substack.com) for that feeling you get when playing a really addictive turn-based game. I wanted to replicate that feeling with the publication, where I share news and summaries about research using video games.
Many things in life matter and I write about the ones I'm familiar with: relationships, addiction, codependency, and learning how self reflection can change one's life for the better. I decided that 'Life Matters' was a good fit and you can find it here: https://lifematters.substack.com
Jul 21Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
This is such a lovely list of names! (And reasons for said names)
My publication is called Wild Quiet Folk.
It started as The Quiet Things - to celebrate the little, often overlooked moments in life, often out in nature, that are full of wonder.
I changed it to reflect the wildness of nature, which is in every one of my posts, my wild swimming, and the folklore and tradition which often sneaks into my adventures. 😊
What a lovely name and concept, Bonnie! I grew up in one of those wild, quiet places, and the yearning for it will never leave my bones. I enjoyed seeing your pictures as much as reading your words. Thank you for sharing!
Jul 21·edited Jul 21Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
I recently started a Substack called A Place In Both Worlds! My aim is to help us get through shifts with more ease, less stress and even a bit of humor. I chose that name for two reasons. One: transitions are about navigating beginnings and endings and multiple physical and psychological spaces at once. Two: I read the phrase "a place in both worlds" in Hua Hsu’s beautiful, Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Stay True. It’s a more positive take on a phrase I grew up with: ni de aquí, ni de allá, which roughly translates to “you’re from nowhere,” a kind of rootless soul. This can be a source of pain and shame, until you realize that being of and from multiple different places (or cultures, languages, professions, ethnicities, etc) is something to be celebrated. It make us stronger, more resilient, and empathetic. We are each a multiverse of our collective experiences. https://aplaceinbothworlds.substack.com/
Oh, this is so needed! I often feel like I am perpetually occupying liminal spaces, transitioning from one way of being to the next. I'm go glad you're helping guide others through this work, Daniela.
Jul 21Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
Hello, this is such an exciting post! Thanks for the shoutout to many many new publications to further read and be acquainted with through the comments
Name Explanation = CP is the name of the creative collective I founded in 2022 with some fellow LGBTQ+ creative friends. While the others have moved on to other projects, I continue to create and curate under the banner. Collide Press now includes a Shop, a Substack, a couple YouTube channels, and several social media accounts (that I’m not always great about updating). Collide is my last name. And I chose Press because I wanted to create work that imPRESSed. Yes, I’m THAT guy. Press also sounds artisanal and bespoke, so even better imo.
Link That Best Embodies Name Choice = Since the focus of the collective has evolved from the group creating original art and design collaboratively to me curating art and photos and making videos independently, I think this post best embodies the subjects I’m most passionate about working on: LGBTQ+ Creativity and Queer History.
Jul 21Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
What a great idea, Robin! And thank you for extending the comments through the weekend when I have time to read about the other great SmallStacks out there and prepare my own comment.
I write Observations Afoot which is hopefully just what it sounds like, a quiet corner to luxuriate in the details of experiences afoot throughout the world. I love to hike because it allows me to experience a place slowly - usually at 2-3 mph - and be close to the earth - sometimes on feet, knees, elbows, and hands on steep climbs. In my writing, I try to share the wonder and intimacy of a variety of moments whether I bought a hat on a Greek island or watched an elk graze near our house. (https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahsavage/p/the-eye-of-an-elk?r=t9d0y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web)
Jul 21·edited Jul 21Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
Hi SmallStack community! What an amazing opportunity to learn about so many wonderful ‘Stacks (is that a thing? If not, I’m making it a thing!) and to share a bit about mine. So, hi! I’m Kaia, and I write “With Love From My Kitchen Table.”
My Substack started out as “Making and Momming” because I am a writer/artist and a mom, but as huge as those two identities are, I started to feel a bit hemmed in by them—I am so many things. I’m a writer and a mom, yes, but I’m a also a hobby baker figuring out sourdough; I’m a budding birder; I’m a weight lifter, avid reader, and I absolutely love music. I sing more than I speak. I needed to create a space on Substack that could be fluid and expansive, and I wanted it to be a space that felt like me.
Pretty much everything I’ve written, from my first book to a recent thank you note, has been written at my kitchen table. It’s a place of sustenance, of ever changing bounty, of conversation and laughter and love. I want you to feel like you’re sitting down and having a cup of coffee with me when you receive my newsletter in your inbox.
A recent post I wrote that I feel shows who I am and what my ‘Stack (I’m making it a thing!!) is about is called “Chosen Chaos.” It’s all about my family’s decision to get a puppy when our son was nine months old. https://lovefromkitchentable.substack.com/p/chosen-chaos
I hope you enjoy! I cannot WAIT to subscribe to many of your newsletters and hope that you feel so, so welcome to have a seat at my kitchen table if you feel so moved.
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
Oh, this is tremendous! Thank you, SmallStack, for providing this opportunity to introduce ourselves!
My publication is 'A Second Cup of Coffee' and I'm sharing my every day creative adventures: what I'm noticing, thinking, and doing, and inviting readers to explore what it means to live authentic, creative lives.
This SmallStack post prompted me to revisit my 'About' blurb, which now includes this bit that explains why 'A Second Cup of Coffee':
"A second cup of coffee gives you a little extra boost as well as more time to settle in.
With a second cup of coffee, you can read through all the articles of your newspaper, without feeling the pressure to just skim through them. You can read through the comics and finish the crossword puzzle.
It lets you add color and flourishes to your drawings and let the ink dry before adding your signature.
It lets you lean in for a closer look or invite longer conversations.
You can sit a while to finish sewing the bindings on your quilts.
You can exhale deeply, once, twice, three times. Refocus, then return.
With a second cup of coffee, you can explore longer trains of thought and work on saying what you’ve wanted to say, how you’ve hoped to say it.
I want to explore creativity in ways that inspire and enrich … and build a community of support while returning to a regular practice of writing and sharing.
I run, draw, paint, craft, think, help others, eat peanutbutter straight from the jar, and, of course, am always up for a second cup."
A recent post that will give you an idea of what I'm doing and sharing:
Wendee, it's like your Substack was made just for me! I also love a second cup of coffee and eating peanut butter straight from the jar. And I love the way you're using this idea as encouragement to slow down and go deeper. It's such a nice antidote to the constant pressure to go, go, go, and it's absolutely necessary for deepening our creative practices.
Jul 21·edited Jul 21Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her)
Oh, gosh, the peanutbutter! I'm glad this all resonates with you. Looking forward to reading your 'Stack, too, and getting to know and support each other better. Cheers!
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
Cicada Song
I just published my first piece where I dive deeper into why I called my publication Cicada Song with some fun facts about the folklore of Cicadas! Think of my publication as a cicada song; a cacophony of scattered thoughts and experiences about traveling, navigating multiple jobs, fairytales and music. Filled with brief but hopefully fun and cathartic writings about my curiosities, grievances, experiences, and reflections. 🤍
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
My newsletter is named Talk About Money. I'm a semi-retired behavioral scientist and financial coach; I chose the name because I wanted to write about personal finance and encourage readers to start having conversations about money. It's still a taboo topic for many of us, and there's a lot of profoundly unhelpful financial advice going around these days on social media. I encourage readers to submit their personal finance questions, as a way to offer freely available, non-shaming coaching in a way that is sustainable for me as an individual. I also offer a paid subscription where I share my personal investing journey. This post gives a little more background and embodies my name choice: https://marthamenard.substack.com/p/lets-talk-about-money
This is such an important topic, Martha! I really, really love that your guidance feels helpful and doable for regular, messy people. Far too much financial advice comes loaded with sides of shame, judgment, and shoulds. Thank you for breaking that mold!
Your articles contain so much that I agree with. I'm surprised more people haven't read them.
I was interested to see your volunteering work too.
FYI Here in the UK Martin Lewis has set up a curriculum for schools and general public about Financial skills - I've always wondered why these kinds of life skills are not essential subjects at school...things are changing.
Lovely to meet you, Victoria! Your work and the resources you are making available is so badly needed. I was in private practice as a massage therapist for many years, and witnessed many of my older clients struggle with caregiving issues. I'd say it's a life skill too, one that all of us will face. I'd love to have a conversation with you sometime about the economics of caregiving.
Thanks, Martha. I appreciate the offer but I need to reserve live time for my business clients (as time is at a high premium these days!). You can catch me on DMs. I wouldn't be looking for financial coaching for myself - (see my LinkedIn). I'm very aware of many Carers here in the UK who struggle - see my articles in The CAPE section of Carer Mentor.
DMs are great. I meant literally a conversation about the bigger issue of care work being underpaid/less valued in society, how that intersects with gender and race, and what we do about that as individuals. Thanks for the recommendations.
Ohhh yes, I could go on for hours - I think you'll appreciate Emily Kenway's 'Who cares?' The Hidden Crisis of Caregiving and how we solve it, Or Prof Tronto's work
You're very welcome Martha, catch you on a DM sometime, or in comments ;-)
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
Hi everyone! I'm a bit late to the party but holy cow! 922 comments on this post!! 😲😲
I'm Mere and I write From Mere's Desk.
The name came to me because most of my posts are either handwritten at my desk (my diary entries) or typed up on my laptop. My substack is one filled with photographs, books, Poetry, creative writing, the past, and life.
Here is my most recent diary entry. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
I debated what to call my account here and couldn't land on anything that felt right so I just went with my own name. Which is fine but I'm now also listed as 'Sarah Frison by Sarah Frison' in the FoodStack library which is slightly hilarious and a bit random 😂. Not sure which one would describe my own name best so I just went with my latest post https://sarahfrison.substack.com/p/whats-that-cream?r=1ywt9 .
Hi Sarah, ummm perhaps because I speak french my glance at your name was 'Frisson'...then I read your about page...'Belgian pastry chef and chocolatier'!!!
Frisson?? Ahhh Choux pastry, Belgian Waffles...if there was teleportation I'd take a slice of the strawberry tarte please ;-)
Haha, no, just one 's' 😂. Not sure if giving people chills is the right vibe for a food publication 🤔. But yes to all those things. Choux in particular, yum. And hey, if you're able to and join in, you could be making that strawberry tart yourself 😉. And thank you!
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
I call my 'Stack Scribbler--the Golden Years. I added "the Golden Years" because I discovered there were two other sites using Scribbler. Since I'm retired, and these are my so-called "Golden Years", I added it. I don't really like it, but I can't think of anything better, so I'll keep it and try to grow into it, like an old pair of pants. All I do is scribble out stories, so I thought, what the heck.
Sometimes it takes a little time for the right name to materialize... or to realize the name we have is actually right all along (speaking from experience, I hated my first name growing up, but now I can't imagine going by any other name 😊). The important thing is that you're here and showing up.
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
I’ve tried to read through every single post on this thread before posting my own origin story.
I realized as I was trying to click the heart button on everything I’d read (and it wasn’t working, and un-hearting every time and I would keep pressing the heart until it stuck, so here we are three hours later) and I realized that no one cares that I’m a completionist except me.
I came to Substack because I’d been writing daily on social media for 22 years (I started with a Livejournal), and I’d accidentally accumulated nearly 5000 readers. They were reading my very personal life, watching my children grow up, and I had vetted each and every one of them.
But it felt like managing a village. I was responding to comments like it was my job.
Up until last year I was running a strange little brick and mortar space that prioritized kindness and curiosity, and was (again accidentally) built for neurodivergent queer humans who were creative, gentle, and often disabled/chronically ill…because I was building a space for me.
I was also parenting. Trying to be a good partner, co-parent, friend. Running events. Managing online storytelling shows.
I was exhausted. (I had a lateral medullary stroke in June 2021 and after recovering…I kept at all the things…but I knew something had to change)
So in October 2023, when we moved to an entirely different local…I got off social media and the entire internet for a full month. I wanted to finish writing my novel. And to sink into my new town.
Except I would get these newsletters in my inbox. Just three of them. And I would read them voraciously because I was missing interacting. I love reading them. But I was missing writing.
So I decided to start my own publication. For the people who wanted to write with me. To let myself write unencumbered. To keep the small few people who loved me and really wanted to know what was going on…updated.
*sigh*
I am a writer who loves a pre-amble.
My newsletter is called Whimsical Writing with Wake (because I love the letter W, and alliteration, and because my heart name is Wake and it took me all these years to start using it with conviction).
In the beginning it was daily sorting of my life, and writing on some whimsical prompt that I made up on Wednesdays (because W). Every day. I wrote daily for six months.
Now I write when I want. And this week I started a podcast that is really me reading my novel (a strange paranormal queer book about death, love, friendship, family and the art of obituary writing) in progress, which is twenty pages from being complete.
I loved reading everyone’s raison d’être, and I love that Smallstack introduces me to new writers, and fascinating humans.
I had to giggle at the heart'ing and Completionist comments, Wake! So much heart! Thank you for sharing your 'origin story' and drawing us in - I can see how and why readers read your work! It felt liberating reading how you instigated the change. It's great to meet you!
Oh! Victoria! I have so loved watching you interact with the people in these threads. Your kindness and interest in other people is so evident.
I’m also glad that my self-awareness at my inner completionist’s agenda inspired a giggle! I believe heartily in a well developed sense of humour, and am so happy that that you took the time to write down here, at the bottom of the comments! (I’m off to subscribe to your newsletter, because I am confident that it’s absolutely something I want to read!)
Awww, Wake - you'll start waterworks off with those kinds of lovely words! THANK YOU..
P.S. My trick is that I always refresh the page and filter the comments to 'Newest first' ;-) I'm too impatient to scroll for ages and 'load more'...so you were right up at the top ;-) xo
I hope something in Carer Mentor resonates - The Mentoring Section is for 'personal self-development' How To's to (the inspiration piece) to support the sitting in empathy in the Resonance Section for caregivers... I get a bit feisty in The Cape, and tell my story in The Carer Mentor Journey xo
Wake, all of this is just so damn beautiful. I feel like I've gotten to know you better just from hearing where your writing started and where it is now. SmallStack brought us together, and I am so grateful.
I’m so glad to have found your writing, and then because of you Smallstack! These giant wondrous threads of writers/creatives/humans connecting with one another are something I’m really loving. It feels like walking into a town square and gently popping into fascinating conversations.
I’m grateful to you and the Smallstack crew for building a genuine community through asking thoughtful questions to which the answers are engrossing and meaningful.
Wow, I tried to read as many as I could but will get back to when it when more time allows. I’m going now to read up on you. Thank you for sharing this!!
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
I’ve had too many websites that I’ve named that didn’t get enough traction after a few years. I’ve even done a podcast. So, when I came here I decided to just go with my name mostly because I don’t want to be boxed into a niche anymore, but also thought that if I just went with my name that it would be my forever place finally.
I, like many others have many interests. Health, mental wellness, telling my story, raising a teen as a single older mom, menopause, abuse advocating, helping others succeed, introversion, food sensitive recipes, Human Design, and life.
I’ve always been better at promoting and helping others succeed. That’s why I incorporated a Selected Stacks Section where we can review our favorite Substack artists who writes mostly short posts. I’ve just not been able to successfully get that out there enough to have others do a short review on their favorite yet.
Here’s my latest post on selected stacks and if you want to send a short review of someone, please let me know.
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him)
Alters and Altars
I have (an actual clinical diagnosis of) Dissociative Identity Disorder. It permeates my writing because it's who I am. I am we, and we are me. I'd deeply spiritual, essentially I'm a medieval Franciscan mystic, and spirituality is the most important part of my life.
My writing is predominantly creative nonfiction, and so I'm writing my unusual life stories. They are often extreme stories, and I love sharing them as I think they are important.
We have figured out some oddities about sharing throughout this process, that is for sure!
I think we will be able to provide some more specifics on the next thread to help, but for now the easiest method is to either use the 'Share' option and share as a note, or click the 3 dots and copy the link and paste it into a note.
Either way, thank you for sharing with us, your publication sounds fascinating! 💖
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
Hi SmallStack community! I write Zestful Zen. I actually chose the name for my business last year, before I decided to start writing on Substack. The name sums up how I like my life to be - full of zest and energy, complemented by a zen, calm mind - and zestful zen is where I help my clients get to as well (I'm a coach and mindfulness practitioner).
I'm new to the platform and still have lots to learn so any feedback would be welcome from this wonderful community! Have a fabulous weekend everyone 😃
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
Prajna O’Hara aka The Salty Crone
I am fairly new to Substack and I am posting late for this wonderful opportunity to share my publication name and how it came about.
I broke my leg two years ago when I was 64. This meant I had to re-teach myself to walk and navigate a household with three of us using wheelchairs. I have twins with disabilities that are 27.
While I was teaching myself to walk, I was also unlearning and Learning many things about myself.
I grew up in a very large, Irish Catholic alcoholic family, and became a breadwinner alongside my mama at a very early age. I have always played the role of peacemaker, healer, Caregiver, Mother, acquiescence to the needs of others.
It’s taken me a very long time to acknowledge my needs, learn how to get them met and follow through on my desires.
Prior to joining Substack rather than facilitating a retreat, I was a participant. Throughout the retreat, I was named over over again the salty crone by a wise council of women.
At first, I didn’t know how to respond, but it grew on me as I realize they recognized my wit, humor, spunky, wild saltiness
Lovely to see you here, Prajna! Thanks for your support in our Carer Mentor Community. I see you ;-) There is so much life experience, within and between, each of these lines.
Heading over to your publication to read more about Abby - I saved your article but not read it yet. xo
That slipped away. I did write something on my about page. In a nutshell it is my time to do whatever the fuck I want, earned my wrinkles, hard won lived wisdom, with stories to unleash.
Thank you ☺️ and the name may change I’m just getting started - calling all crones-I love our elders.
My publication is called ‘Conservation Tails’. Conservation tails is new to substack but I’ve had the name, along with its blog and instagram account since 2018. I’m a PhD researcher and primatologist/conservationist from the UK, living in Canada and working in Madagascar (with lemurs).
The name for my publication came about from the fact that I am very interested and passionate about conservation and I work with primates (hence the tails!). I wanted a place to share my thoughts and feelings as I stumbled my way through the conservation and academia world, so I started conservation tails!
I talk a bit more about my publication in this post:
Hello, all you awesome Small Stackers! My stack is Nature :: Spirit, with the double colon in the middle. And it really IS trying to say something! :-D Here's the gist:
Most people think about nature and spirit as two separate things. In this culture we draw a sharp line between things we can see and things we can't. We think nature is about the things we can see, and spirit is about something else, something invisible.
But this is only one way to understand the world. Many other cultures do not slice things up so neatly. It is also possible to see reality as one integrated whole, and that's what my stack title tries to do. Nature-spirit-nature-spirit—it's all wrapped up together, I'm trying to say. Not two halves of reality, just one whole.
So when we're looking at a tree, for example, we don't need to look "behind" the tree to see the spirit of it, as if the spirit is hidden or invisible. The tree IS tree-spirit. Look at a tree, we're seeing tree-being. Look at a rock, we're seeing rock-being. Everything in nature has its own kind of aliveness, its own way of being. Its own spirit. Including us.
Hi all! I write The Mestiza. The name comes from the philosophy of Gloria Anzaldua, who was a poet, philosopher, and Chicana lesbian feminist thinker. In her book Borderlands/ La Frontera, she explains that Mestiza Consciousness is the ability to use your identity as a bridge and to hold multiple truths at once. It is to inhabit the oppressor and oppressed at the same time.
Hello, all you awesome Small Stackers! My stack is Nature :: Spirit, with the double colon in the middle. And it really IS trying to say something! :-D Here's the gist:
Most people think about nature and spirit as two separate things. In this culture we draw a sharp line between things we can see and things we can't. We think nature is about the things we can see, and spirit is about something else, something invisible.
But this is only one way to understand the world. Many other cultures do not slice things up so neatly. It is also possible to see reality as one integrated whole, and that's what my stack title tries to do. Nature-spirit-nature-spirit—it's all wrapped up together, I'm trying to say. Not two halves of reality, just one whole.
So when we're looking at a tree, for example, we don't need to look "behind" the tree to see the spirit of it, as if the spirit is hidden or invisible. The tree IS tree-spirit. Look at a tree, we're seeing tree-being. Look at a rock, we're seeing rock-being. Everything in nature has its own kind of aliveness, its own way of being. Its own spirit. Including us.
I've been a working artist for more years than I ever thought I it was possible I would be around. About 15 years ago, I added making comics and writing to what I do. It has led me to some very interesting places. It seems like I am always searching for the why, as well of the how of what I do...finding what makes me tick, what makes me me. Because what triggered my leap into making comics was...pandas.
I went to art school in the 70's, and in those days you were expected to follow a pretty narrow path. If you were a painter, you didn't take these side trips into printmaking or illustration. It took me more than 20 years to figure out that was all BS. In the mid 90's I started doing printmaking, and then in the late 00's came the comics and writing.
My inner panda... it's what drives my thoughts, my creativity. Like a panda, my creative impulse is sometimes elusive but when I catch a glimpse of it, it is thrilling. Sometimes my inner panda wants to rant. Sometimes it wants to share my fine art, sometimes it wants to share panda 'toons.
excellent! He should enjoy the panda chronicles because my sense of humor is basically stolen from an 11 year old. The political ones may or may not go over his head, but could be an educational opportunity. Ha ha!
We need all the panda fans we can get. I’m always happy to answer panda related questions if I can.
There are archives of the ‘toons going back to around 2011, if he wants to do a deep dive into panda satire.
Like People, Like Pets is my home for those thoughts and beliefs that have emerged from years of fostering cats and dogs, parenting pet and kids, and volunteering with brilliant, passionate souls. The name comes from my belief that we see ourselves more completely when we are reflected in those around us. My About page sums it up https://cindyojczyk.substack.com/about
I’ve enjoyed the connection with like minded writers and those who have challenged me to expand my beliefs. I look forward to connecting.
Thanks for reaching out on IG! Are you a Michigander? I lived in St Joseph and Stevensville area about 4 years many moons ago. Still one of my favorite places.
I changed my title, my description in post: (Hi…It’s Me) and bio today. I am testing the waters and learning each day. Looking at the post I made today will best describe why I did what I did but mostly I’m trying to become more comfortable with myself by writing and sharing about what I know and have learned up to now about life in general. Wanted to allow people to know me a bit more before I delve into my history. I want to share true events, my imaginative fiction, my poetry. Some recipes with true stories of their history attached. Some craft art I create for family & friends when I’m imprisoned in my home. And eventually, like so many others, my trials and tribulations in my memoir. Hope you fight my sight worth looking at. Thank you for this opportunity.
My Substack is called Up the Garden Path. That’s where my Gran always said she was going when she needed to think, or some space and fresh air. My grandparents’ garden was long and narrow: a small decorative garden with a couple sheds behind it, then the vegetable garden and beyond that a small orchard. Plenty of thinking space.
You think so eloquently Julie! I read your origin piece and then went back for more. Such beautiful descriptions! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your writing coming into my inbox in the future.
I love the idea of Substack as a place to think; I'm using it that way, too. So much loveliness around the idea of air and space, in a physical space, as well as this online space.
I started out with naming my substack "Henrikś Substack" - It was boring. Just my name. But I thought it should be recognizable to Medium. I was wrong. I changed the name. I am a Dane. I want to see my self as an entrepreneur - someone how digs in the ground and creates big stuff. Nothing wrong with my self-esteme! And I then joined the two - Dane and Entrepreneur to The Danepreneur.
I hope it will be good for the future of my writing. I am not in a niche, sometimes political, sometime a poet, a fiction writer or memoires-writer. With almost 60 years of age, I have a lot to remember.
I have also a Danish Stack and a German stack and a videostack. They do not have many members. And I haven't really been so active on the videostack.
My main profile is The Danepreneur. As Substack isn't that visible in Denmark and Germany, I do not have many followers there. The Videostack's title is playing with www - I know - posibibly too overthought.
I do not charge any paid-subscriber fees. I might some day, if I start growing. I just reached 100 subscribers, and about 200 followring my substack. I don't really know, why we do not just subscribe to a profile instead of just follow. In my case it is free, so you might just make me happy, if you subscribe.
Henrik thank you for sharing your origin story with us! I also just reached 100 subs, woo hoo! In the grand scheme of things it is small, but personally I find it to be super exciting :) Your home page is extremely well laid out by the way, such a good example for others to use (and I love your images, well done!). I hope you will keep writing... day by day, we got this!
I am photo based artist and writer sharing my personal work, my thoughts on art, creativity, connection, and what it means to be human.
The title for this publication is taken from a song of the same name UNDONE, written and composed by one of my favorite artists, Olafur Arnalds. When I listened to the lyrics, spoken at the beginning of the song, for the first time, it struck me how closely connected they are to two events in my life that happened within one year - events that changed my whole outlook on the world, and put me on the path of becoming the person and artist that I am today: the death of my brother and the birth of my first son.While these lyrics are about the process of growing in the womb and being born, when I listen to them, I feel comforted, as if someone is gently but firmly touching my shoulders saying “Pain and joy are always closely connected”.
I have come to believe this to be true. One doesn’t always happen without the other. We wouldn’t experience intense grief over the end of a life without experiencing immense love.
The deep joy and overwhelming love for a new life never comes without the experience of extreme pain. And maybe we will all be surprised that both - birth and death - are only beginnings.
I know that my personal experience with death and birth, and experiencing conflicting and coexisting emotions around those two events, is the reason I became an artist. Or, maybe not the initial reason, but it unleashed the necessary courage and catapulted me on to a new path that I maybe wouldn’t have had the courage to take without it. I know that these experiences are my main motivation for my photography work. My creative practice is driven by a continuous desire to explore the beauty that comes out of suffering, an experience that I believe connects all of us, whether we like to talk about it or not.
This is why I chose the title UNDONE.
I feel that the word is appropriate, not only because of the song lyrics and what they mean to me, but of how we all move through the motions of life emerging from our experiences only to start something new and unexpected, only to continue to grow and learn.
Naming anything has never been my strong suit. I even had trouble coming up with names for each of my five children! So when it came time for me to name a publication, I was completely stumped. One day I sat down and wrote down a list of threads or strands of stories that were woven into the texture of my life experiences. Out of the fragments of story that I listed, I saw the title emerge: Strands of Silver.
SoS, or Strands of Silver is where I write about and share the strands of the story of my life, both the memoir type stories, and the stories I am now living. By writing, I seek to create a tapestry made up of many strands that are woven together to make a complete story. Here is the creation story behind this publication. Skip to the part that says, “How Strands of Silver began.
I love the title of your newsletter and how much meaning is stored within it. I’m excited to read the things you write as I think I need to burn some of the dross I’ve collected and do some refining.
I had launched the riley rock index, a reference site for music critics, a long time ago, and it slowly faded. But when substack looked like a good venue, I switched it to the riley rock report to cover a range of things: rock history, classical, non-fiction, and how a culture expresses itself in popular terms. Enjoy how this space has turned into a center for rock buffs: a recent Kinks column celebrating Ray Davies at 80 outperformed many others posts…
My publication name is Coddiwompling, a word that means “to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.” Our family has always loved traveling and we’ve just recently relocated to a new country where we are exploring new sights often.
My goal is to share bits about our travels and also what it’s like living in a new country. And maybe other odds and ends along the way.
I love the name of your Substack, Lani. Both the way the word sounds and its definition drew me to explore your posts, but your writing is what convinced me to subscribe immediately. I look forward to getting caught up on all your posts!
Since I don't travel to far these days, I look forward to reading about the adventures of you and your family. P.S if you venture to Switzerland i have tons of fave spots to share since I lived in Basel and Zug and love the French part.
My substack is called “Sober, Introvert, Slave to a Chihuahua.” I think the name kind of says it all! I post my artwork and a combination of personal essay, microfiction and self-help. I’m just figuring it out one post at a time.
There are a many ways to travel. You can be a vacationer never stepping outside the resort. You can be a backpacker only going to party hostels and expat owned establishments you read about online, but for me I have decided to live amongst and get to know the people in the places I visit and build relationships with them. I find out the ugly side of traveling and globalization and neocolonialism. I call this conscious traveling.
Here is a link to some of my favorite work I have put out so far. If you have time to read and enjoy what you have read, maybe give another one a read too. If you like those perhaps you give me a follow.
Writing about popular culture through a criminological lens, I opted for FRAMED. I liked how it can refer to setting an innocent person up to take the fall for a crime. It also refers to how topics are presented to us in the media, which is essentially what I try to breakdown in many of my posts (I also write about shows that I like and release quarterly crime mixtapes). Here is a link to a post I wrote I on a popular Netflix docuseries: https://open.substack.com/pub/dawnkcecil/p/unlocked?r=1sc35y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I spent most of my life as a hairstylist/haircolorist, helping clients discover their inner beauty, strength, and confidence and allowing them to speak their truth and be heard. Beauty From the Inside Out started by teaching them proper nutrition and self-care for the health of their hair, skin, and nails. Now, as a women's empowerment coach, I guide them on a journey to heal their inner child and past wounds and traumas so they can empower themselves to achieve their dreams of optimum health, wealth, and love. Link to a previous article: https://sandyevenson.substack.com/p/hello-beauty
Sandy the last time I had my hair done I cried and told the stylist that I'd felt a decade older than I actually am since my hysterectomy in fall 2023 and that she had helped me feel just a little more like myself. This was the most personal example I've ever had of how work that seems 'external' at first glance, is actually SO much more. Thank you for devoting so much of your life to caring for women, inside and out! 💖
My publication, Intentional Wisdom, has 273 subscribers. I selected the name because I try to stay intentional, following my internal yearnings, knowing where I want to go and how I want to be in the world. As a woman in my 70s, I have attained several decades of wisdom and self-knowledge. I enjoy sharing what I learn with others. Enjoy this article for a taste of what I share: https://substack.com/home/post/p-145916383.
This is not perhaps the origin story but a growth story? I just changed the title of my Substack. It had been Mindful Mom in the Mud since I started here in October. And now it is A Wonderful Mess. I have written a post for this Monday on the reasons for the change but in a nutshell my newsletter is about navigating the mess of parenthood with humor, compassion and common sense. It's got a mix of things to offer like laughter (hopefully), practical mindfulness tools, tools from psychology and personal essays from my own messy parenthood. I shifted the name to be more inclusive of just not "mindful moms"--all parents and all mindful and non-mindful are welcome but the parenthood stuff remains a mess full of ups and downs.
Tagline: There’s nothing wrong with you and there never was.
My Instagram, linktr.ee, and TikTok (kellyblogtok) are @kellyblog so I used it as a place holder for now.
Thinking of changing to:
There’s Nothjng Wrong With You
Kelly Thompson writes about how to recover, find your badass, kick ass, and align with your true self.
That’s it. That’s my lane. I’m editor for Voices on Addiction at The Rumpus, admin/founding member of a memoirist FB page with 5k members, and a published writer and LCSW.
One of the hardest parts I’ve found about losing someone close to you, as a daughter with personal experience and a doctor with professional experience, is that life goes on without them. You continue to live and learn, laugh and cry, hurt and grow, but you can’t share any of it with them.
My Substack is a series of letters to my Dad who died in 2019, where I reflect on moments that have touched my heart and share the valuable lessons I have gained from them – things I would talk to Dad about if he were alive today. This is where the pub name comes from. It is my way of keeping my relationship with him alive even after he is gone.
While these letters are deeply personal, they explore topics that are universal and timeless – love, hope, loss, healing, family, what it means to live fully, and more. What I have learnt from my lived experience caring for and losing someone I loved to terminal illness, my professional work as a primary care physician, and my daily life as a writer and mum of three is how important it is to live fully, love deeply, laugh often, and make the most of the time we are given — a message I am passionate about sharing with others.
Here is a link to my first newsletter posted 2 weeks ago which explains the why behind my Substack and pub name. I truly hope that something in my words and story connects with you, you life, and your story.
Heartfelt condolences, Ruhie and hugs. I think we could chat for a long time...
My dad passed in Jan 2020, and I care for my Mum. Both my parents were consultant physicians here in the UK. We cared for Dad he had RA, CHF, bladder cancer (2xTURBTS), AFib, subrenal aortic aneurism and Vasc dementia)..so I have big empathy and hear you with loud resonance. xo
Hi Victoria, thank you for reaching out! I'm so sorry for your loss too - it sounds like a lot to deal with. Caring for and losing a loved one is certainly a life-changing experience. I would love to connect with you. How great is Substack and SmallStack that it brings people like us and others together!
My Substack name is Tales From York Cottage. You may find that name prosaic; however, it holds much meaning for me. First off, York Cottage: I was born in Yorkshire, U.K. and, as every Yorkie knows, York is the centre of the Universe. I grew up on a coal mining estate and dreamed of living in the country, in a cottage with roses around the door and a pony in the paddock. Secondly, I am a writer of historical fiction infused with magic realism so I can make magic whenever I so choose. Thirdly. Can one say thirdly? I tell Tales, many tales: tales of time travel to different eras, my own travels and falling down the rabbit hole of research.
Because I'm writing mainly about the plants, animals and people at Lonely Worm Farm, a start up ecological art farm geared towards adults with disabilities. The project is wildly utopian. And wayward. What will happen as the monsoons hit, the neighbor sends yet another agency after us, and the goats jump the fence? Only time will tell.
Jul 20Liked by Robin Cangie (she/her), Robin Taylor (he/him), Rose G.
I'm starting to see through Small Stack that those of us who actually have interesting things to write about have less subscribers. Perhaps because it's easier to just read fluff or stuff that doesn't challenge a person to think. I like to sign up for personal writing rather than posts about how to make money on Substack.
My publication is currently called The Source (I'm in process of perhaps changing it)
I feel very drawn to the idea of space - creating space in our day for ourselves and the space between two points in our lives- so initially I had developed a model to explore this for a program I run using the letters SPACE - so Source came out of that as the starting point.
It sounds a but convoluted now I write it down :)
That said, I believe knowing our true selves rather than the version we become as life gets in the way is important. I had lobular breast cancer 4 years ago in the middle of COVID so I've been on the proverbial journey and in the process found out a lot I had forgotten about myself or never knew! My child also came out as transgender shortly after this so being yourself holds even greater meaning for me now.
This is one of my favourite essays to date so I hope you like it :)
I named my newsletter The Real Rachel BS since my essays are from such a broad spectrum of life experiences like cancer and organ donation, volunteerism, etc, preventing me from narrowing it down to something identifiable as a topic or theme. And since there is only one person with my name, all of my essays are attributable to me, the Real Rachel BS. 🤙🏼
https://open.substack.com/pub/rachelbs/p/the-origins-of-the-real-rachel-bs?r=2kxjyf&utm_medium=ios
I've changed my publication name a couple of times, but landed on Just One More Turn (https://ingamescientist.substack.com) for that feeling you get when playing a really addictive turn-based game. I wanted to replicate that feeling with the publication, where I share news and summaries about research using video games.
Many things in life matter and I write about the ones I'm familiar with: relationships, addiction, codependency, and learning how self reflection can change one's life for the better. I decided that 'Life Matters' was a good fit and you can find it here: https://lifematters.substack.com
My publication is named after the speech/essay by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire.
Here is the link to my post on it: https://open.substack.com/pub/readingthisworld/p/who-am-i?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=a56q6
Hey y’all! I’m a tattooer in Savannah, and write full time. I live the day the best I can and write about it, trying to find some good in the day.
My publication is called Never A Dull Moment and the title speaks for itself. Thanks everyone! And thanks Smallstack!
https://substack.com/home/post/p-146510976
This is such a lovely list of names! (And reasons for said names)
My publication is called Wild Quiet Folk.
It started as The Quiet Things - to celebrate the little, often overlooked moments in life, often out in nature, that are full of wonder.
I changed it to reflect the wildness of nature, which is in every one of my posts, my wild swimming, and the folklore and tradition which often sneaks into my adventures. 😊
https://bradcliffe.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
I love your letters Bonnie!
Thanks so much Jes, that makes me happy!
What a lovely name and concept, Bonnie! I grew up in one of those wild, quiet places, and the yearning for it will never leave my bones. I enjoyed seeing your pictures as much as reading your words. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much Robin! I’m not always sure what I’m offering is what people come to Substack for, so if makes me so happy when someone enjoys it!
I recently started a Substack called A Place In Both Worlds! My aim is to help us get through shifts with more ease, less stress and even a bit of humor. I chose that name for two reasons. One: transitions are about navigating beginnings and endings and multiple physical and psychological spaces at once. Two: I read the phrase "a place in both worlds" in Hua Hsu’s beautiful, Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Stay True. It’s a more positive take on a phrase I grew up with: ni de aquí, ni de allá, which roughly translates to “you’re from nowhere,” a kind of rootless soul. This can be a source of pain and shame, until you realize that being of and from multiple different places (or cultures, languages, professions, ethnicities, etc) is something to be celebrated. It make us stronger, more resilient, and empathetic. We are each a multiverse of our collective experiences. https://aplaceinbothworlds.substack.com/
Oh, this is so needed! I often feel like I am perpetually occupying liminal spaces, transitioning from one way of being to the next. I'm go glad you're helping guide others through this work, Daniela.
Thank you! Maybe we can talk offline? Would love to know more!
Hello, this is such an exciting post! Thanks for the shoutout to many many new publications to further read and be acquainted with through the comments
I'm a very new writer, and my publication is called 'Looking for Words'. I just wrote about it here: https://doeljaikishen.substack.com/p/why-i-write
Welcome, Doel! May you find the words you seek and so many, many more!
The comments/stories are giving me LIFE...thank you!
Publication Name = Collide Press
https://collidepress.substack.com/
Name Explanation = CP is the name of the creative collective I founded in 2022 with some fellow LGBTQ+ creative friends. While the others have moved on to other projects, I continue to create and curate under the banner. Collide Press now includes a Shop, a Substack, a couple YouTube channels, and several social media accounts (that I’m not always great about updating). Collide is my last name. And I chose Press because I wanted to create work that imPRESSed. Yes, I’m THAT guy. Press also sounds artisanal and bespoke, so even better imo.
Link That Best Embodies Name Choice = Since the focus of the collective has evolved from the group creating original art and design collaboratively to me curating art and photos and making videos independently, I think this post best embodies the subjects I’m most passionate about working on: LGBTQ+ Creativity and Queer History.
https://collidepress.substack.com/p/if-nostalgia-were-a-sport
What a great idea, Robin! And thank you for extending the comments through the weekend when I have time to read about the other great SmallStacks out there and prepare my own comment.
I write Observations Afoot which is hopefully just what it sounds like, a quiet corner to luxuriate in the details of experiences afoot throughout the world. I love to hike because it allows me to experience a place slowly - usually at 2-3 mph - and be close to the earth - sometimes on feet, knees, elbows, and hands on steep climbs. In my writing, I try to share the wonder and intimacy of a variety of moments whether I bought a hat on a Greek island or watched an elk graze near our house. (https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahsavage/p/the-eye-of-an-elk?r=t9d0y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web)
You can also find my About page here: https://sarahsavage.substack.com/about
I’m a fan of alliteration! Great name!
In the short time I’ve seen your work, you appear to be innovating! I really like your idea to provide short reviews! Will do!
Hi SmallStack community! What an amazing opportunity to learn about so many wonderful ‘Stacks (is that a thing? If not, I’m making it a thing!) and to share a bit about mine. So, hi! I’m Kaia, and I write “With Love From My Kitchen Table.”
My Substack started out as “Making and Momming” because I am a writer/artist and a mom, but as huge as those two identities are, I started to feel a bit hemmed in by them—I am so many things. I’m a writer and a mom, yes, but I’m a also a hobby baker figuring out sourdough; I’m a budding birder; I’m a weight lifter, avid reader, and I absolutely love music. I sing more than I speak. I needed to create a space on Substack that could be fluid and expansive, and I wanted it to be a space that felt like me.
Pretty much everything I’ve written, from my first book to a recent thank you note, has been written at my kitchen table. It’s a place of sustenance, of ever changing bounty, of conversation and laughter and love. I want you to feel like you’re sitting down and having a cup of coffee with me when you receive my newsletter in your inbox.
A recent post I wrote that I feel shows who I am and what my ‘Stack (I’m making it a thing!!) is about is called “Chosen Chaos.” It’s all about my family’s decision to get a puppy when our son was nine months old. https://lovefromkitchentable.substack.com/p/chosen-chaos
I hope you enjoy! I cannot WAIT to subscribe to many of your newsletters and hope that you feel so, so welcome to have a seat at my kitchen table if you feel so moved.
Hi Kaia, if you love music I hope you've connected to e.g. songletter - https://songletter.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
Oh, this is tremendous! Thank you, SmallStack, for providing this opportunity to introduce ourselves!
My publication is 'A Second Cup of Coffee' and I'm sharing my every day creative adventures: what I'm noticing, thinking, and doing, and inviting readers to explore what it means to live authentic, creative lives.
This SmallStack post prompted me to revisit my 'About' blurb, which now includes this bit that explains why 'A Second Cup of Coffee':
"A second cup of coffee gives you a little extra boost as well as more time to settle in.
With a second cup of coffee, you can read through all the articles of your newspaper, without feeling the pressure to just skim through them. You can read through the comics and finish the crossword puzzle.
It lets you add color and flourishes to your drawings and let the ink dry before adding your signature.
It lets you lean in for a closer look or invite longer conversations.
You can sit a while to finish sewing the bindings on your quilts.
You can exhale deeply, once, twice, three times. Refocus, then return.
With a second cup of coffee, you can explore longer trains of thought and work on saying what you’ve wanted to say, how you’ve hoped to say it.
I want to explore creativity in ways that inspire and enrich … and build a community of support while returning to a regular practice of writing and sharing.
I run, draw, paint, craft, think, help others, eat peanutbutter straight from the jar, and, of course, am always up for a second cup."
A recent post that will give you an idea of what I'm doing and sharing:
https://hiwendee.substack.com/p/masking-tape-and-writing
Wendee, it's like your Substack was made just for me! I also love a second cup of coffee and eating peanut butter straight from the jar. And I love the way you're using this idea as encouragement to slow down and go deeper. It's such a nice antidote to the constant pressure to go, go, go, and it's absolutely necessary for deepening our creative practices.
Oh, gosh, the peanutbutter! I'm glad this all resonates with you. Looking forward to reading your 'Stack, too, and getting to know and support each other better. Cheers!
Cicada Song
I just published my first piece where I dive deeper into why I called my publication Cicada Song with some fun facts about the folklore of Cicadas! Think of my publication as a cicada song; a cacophony of scattered thoughts and experiences about traveling, navigating multiple jobs, fairytales and music. Filled with brief but hopefully fun and cathartic writings about my curiosities, grievances, experiences, and reflections. 🤍
https://open.substack.com/pub/tsummer/p/welcome-to-cicada-song?r=2jv5hy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
My newsletter is named Talk About Money. I'm a semi-retired behavioral scientist and financial coach; I chose the name because I wanted to write about personal finance and encourage readers to start having conversations about money. It's still a taboo topic for many of us, and there's a lot of profoundly unhelpful financial advice going around these days on social media. I encourage readers to submit their personal finance questions, as a way to offer freely available, non-shaming coaching in a way that is sustainable for me as an individual. I also offer a paid subscription where I share my personal investing journey. This post gives a little more background and embodies my name choice: https://marthamenard.substack.com/p/lets-talk-about-money
This is such an important topic, Martha! I really, really love that your guidance feels helpful and doable for regular, messy people. Far too much financial advice comes loaded with sides of shame, judgment, and shoulds. Thank you for breaking that mold!
Hi Martha, I just followed you on LinkedIn. It's great to meet you.
This is me: https://smallstack.substack.com/p/smalltalk-2-origin-stories/comment/62227841?utm_campaign=comment-list-share-cta&utm_medium=web&comments=true&commentId=62227841&utm_source=substack
Your articles contain so much that I agree with. I'm surprised more people haven't read them.
I was interested to see your volunteering work too.
FYI Here in the UK Martin Lewis has set up a curriculum for schools and general public about Financial skills - I've always wondered why these kinds of life skills are not essential subjects at school...things are changing.
Lovely to meet you, Victoria! Your work and the resources you are making available is so badly needed. I was in private practice as a massage therapist for many years, and witnessed many of my older clients struggle with caregiving issues. I'd say it's a life skill too, one that all of us will face. I'd love to have a conversation with you sometime about the economics of caregiving.
Thanks, Martha. I appreciate the offer but I need to reserve live time for my business clients (as time is at a high premium these days!). You can catch me on DMs. I wouldn't be looking for financial coaching for myself - (see my LinkedIn). I'm very aware of many Carers here in the UK who struggle - see my articles in The CAPE section of Carer Mentor.
Can I suggest connecting with Denise Brown, who offers resources and support to Caregivers in the US here's her most recent article: https://denisebrown.substack.com/p/assessing-the-family-caregiver-assessments
DMs are great. I meant literally a conversation about the bigger issue of care work being underpaid/less valued in society, how that intersects with gender and race, and what we do about that as individuals. Thanks for the recommendations.
Ohhh yes, I could go on for hours - I think you'll appreciate Emily Kenway's 'Who cares?' The Hidden Crisis of Caregiving and how we solve it, Or Prof Tronto's work
You're very welcome Martha, catch you on a DM sometime, or in comments ;-)
Hi everyone! I'm a bit late to the party but holy cow! 922 comments on this post!! 😲😲
I'm Mere and I write From Mere's Desk.
The name came to me because most of my posts are either handwritten at my desk (my diary entries) or typed up on my laptop. My substack is one filled with photographs, books, Poetry, creative writing, the past, and life.
Here is my most recent diary entry. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
https://open.substack.com/pub/merebenson/p/diary-july-17th?r=2us0w0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Welcome, Mere! You aren't late at all. You're right on time! Your Substack looks every bit as adventurous as your desk. 🙂
Love the diary entry style of your posts. It feels like a window into your life, and I'm hooked (and subscribed)!
Thank you so much! I just subscribed to yours! I read your most recent post and you write so beautifully with your imagery. 🤎🤎
Thank you Mere. You made my day with this comment!
Mere, your desk sounds like it holds so many adventures!
Only enough before my introverted self has to take a mental break! 😅
I debated what to call my account here and couldn't land on anything that felt right so I just went with my own name. Which is fine but I'm now also listed as 'Sarah Frison by Sarah Frison' in the FoodStack library which is slightly hilarious and a bit random 😂. Not sure which one would describe my own name best so I just went with my latest post https://sarahfrison.substack.com/p/whats-that-cream?r=1ywt9 .
Hi Sarah, ummm perhaps because I speak french my glance at your name was 'Frisson'...then I read your about page...'Belgian pastry chef and chocolatier'!!!
Frisson?? Ahhh Choux pastry, Belgian Waffles...if there was teleportation I'd take a slice of the strawberry tarte please ;-)
Haha, no, just one 's' 😂. Not sure if giving people chills is the right vibe for a food publication 🤔. But yes to all those things. Choux in particular, yum. And hey, if you're able to and join in, you could be making that strawberry tart yourself 😉. And thank you!
Thank you for this thread - it got me thinking about names and prompted me to commit to one that actually describes what I'm interested in.
So I have just changed my substack's name to "In pursuit of the past" based on a phrase in Hilary Mantel's Reith lectures on historical fiction - more notes here: https://open.substack.com/pub/inpursuitofthepast/p/in-pursuit-of-the-past
That's so inspiring, Nikki! I'm glad you're here and glad this thread helped you settle on a name that feels right.
I call my 'Stack Scribbler--the Golden Years. I added "the Golden Years" because I discovered there were two other sites using Scribbler. Since I'm retired, and these are my so-called "Golden Years", I added it. I don't really like it, but I can't think of anything better, so I'll keep it and try to grow into it, like an old pair of pants. All I do is scribble out stories, so I thought, what the heck.
Sometimes it takes a little time for the right name to materialize... or to realize the name we have is actually right all along (speaking from experience, I hated my first name growing up, but now I can't imagine going by any other name 😊). The important thing is that you're here and showing up.
I’ve tried to read through every single post on this thread before posting my own origin story.
I realized as I was trying to click the heart button on everything I’d read (and it wasn’t working, and un-hearting every time and I would keep pressing the heart until it stuck, so here we are three hours later) and I realized that no one cares that I’m a completionist except me.
I came to Substack because I’d been writing daily on social media for 22 years (I started with a Livejournal), and I’d accidentally accumulated nearly 5000 readers. They were reading my very personal life, watching my children grow up, and I had vetted each and every one of them.
But it felt like managing a village. I was responding to comments like it was my job.
Up until last year I was running a strange little brick and mortar space that prioritized kindness and curiosity, and was (again accidentally) built for neurodivergent queer humans who were creative, gentle, and often disabled/chronically ill…because I was building a space for me.
I was also parenting. Trying to be a good partner, co-parent, friend. Running events. Managing online storytelling shows.
I was exhausted. (I had a lateral medullary stroke in June 2021 and after recovering…I kept at all the things…but I knew something had to change)
So in October 2023, when we moved to an entirely different local…I got off social media and the entire internet for a full month. I wanted to finish writing my novel. And to sink into my new town.
Except I would get these newsletters in my inbox. Just three of them. And I would read them voraciously because I was missing interacting. I love reading them. But I was missing writing.
So I decided to start my own publication. For the people who wanted to write with me. To let myself write unencumbered. To keep the small few people who loved me and really wanted to know what was going on…updated.
*sigh*
I am a writer who loves a pre-amble.
My newsletter is called Whimsical Writing with Wake (because I love the letter W, and alliteration, and because my heart name is Wake and it took me all these years to start using it with conviction).
In the beginning it was daily sorting of my life, and writing on some whimsical prompt that I made up on Wednesdays (because W). Every day. I wrote daily for six months.
Now I write when I want. And this week I started a podcast that is really me reading my novel (a strange paranormal queer book about death, love, friendship, family and the art of obituary writing) in progress, which is twenty pages from being complete.
I loved reading everyone’s raison d’être, and I love that Smallstack introduces me to new writers, and fascinating humans.
I’m just happy to be here.
I had to giggle at the heart'ing and Completionist comments, Wake! So much heart! Thank you for sharing your 'origin story' and drawing us in - I can see how and why readers read your work! It felt liberating reading how you instigated the change. It's great to meet you!
Oh! Victoria! I have so loved watching you interact with the people in these threads. Your kindness and interest in other people is so evident.
I’m also glad that my self-awareness at my inner completionist’s agenda inspired a giggle! I believe heartily in a well developed sense of humour, and am so happy that that you took the time to write down here, at the bottom of the comments! (I’m off to subscribe to your newsletter, because I am confident that it’s absolutely something I want to read!)
Awww, Wake - you'll start waterworks off with those kinds of lovely words! THANK YOU..
P.S. My trick is that I always refresh the page and filter the comments to 'Newest first' ;-) I'm too impatient to scroll for ages and 'load more'...so you were right up at the top ;-) xo
I hope something in Carer Mentor resonates - The Mentoring Section is for 'personal self-development' How To's to (the inspiration piece) to support the sitting in empathy in the Resonance Section for caregivers... I get a bit feisty in The Cape, and tell my story in The Carer Mentor Journey xo
Ooh! That is a handy trick, and I may employ it next giant thread!
I’m very much looking forward to reading your origin story, and checking out The Cape. A bit of feistiness is always welcome and refreshing!
(I really loved the extensive and specific growing list for Carers. What a helpful resource! Thank you for doing what you do.)
Thanks, Wake xo
Wake, all of this is just so damn beautiful. I feel like I've gotten to know you better just from hearing where your writing started and where it is now. SmallStack brought us together, and I am so grateful.
I’m so glad to have found your writing, and then because of you Smallstack! These giant wondrous threads of writers/creatives/humans connecting with one another are something I’m really loving. It feels like walking into a town square and gently popping into fascinating conversations.
I’m grateful to you and the Smallstack crew for building a genuine community through asking thoughtful questions to which the answers are engrossing and meaningful.
Wow, I tried to read as many as I could but will get back to when it when more time allows. I’m going now to read up on you. Thank you for sharing this!!
I appreciate you! And I’m excited to read your newsletter! Thank you for the kind commentary!
I’ve had too many websites that I’ve named that didn’t get enough traction after a few years. I’ve even done a podcast. So, when I came here I decided to just go with my name mostly because I don’t want to be boxed into a niche anymore, but also thought that if I just went with my name that it would be my forever place finally.
I, like many others have many interests. Health, mental wellness, telling my story, raising a teen as a single older mom, menopause, abuse advocating, helping others succeed, introversion, food sensitive recipes, Human Design, and life.
I’ve always been better at promoting and helping others succeed. That’s why I incorporated a Selected Stacks Section where we can review our favorite Substack artists who writes mostly short posts. I’ve just not been able to successfully get that out there enough to have others do a short review on their favorite yet.
Here’s my latest post on selected stacks and if you want to send a short review of someone, please let me know.
https://open.substack.com/pub/loriktoday/p/pauls-visual-arts-by-paul-caloca?r=dz68h&utm_medium=ios
Your name has power, Lori! I love that you're owning it. And I love that you're lifting as you climb by helping others get exposure, too.
Thank you so much for your feedback, means a lot to me and I appreciate you!
Alters and Altars
I have (an actual clinical diagnosis of) Dissociative Identity Disorder. It permeates my writing because it's who I am. I am we, and we are me. I'd deeply spiritual, essentially I'm a medieval Franciscan mystic, and spirituality is the most important part of my life.
My writing is predominantly creative nonfiction, and so I'm writing my unusual life stories. They are often extreme stories, and I love sharing them as I think they are important.
https://open.substack.com/pub/maryclarestfrancis/p/we-are-one-but-we-are-many-2c8?r=1ntyil&utm_medium=ios
It didn't let me share this as a note like that wasn't one of the options so I'm not sure what I did wrong.
Hi MaryClare!
We have figured out some oddities about sharing throughout this process, that is for sure!
I think we will be able to provide some more specifics on the next thread to help, but for now the easiest method is to either use the 'Share' option and share as a note, or click the 3 dots and copy the link and paste it into a note.
Either way, thank you for sharing with us, your publication sounds fascinating! 💖
Hi SmallStack community! I write Zestful Zen. I actually chose the name for my business last year, before I decided to start writing on Substack. The name sums up how I like my life to be - full of zest and energy, complemented by a zen, calm mind - and zestful zen is where I help my clients get to as well (I'm a coach and mindfulness practitioner).
I'm just getting started on Substack, so only have 3 posts so far! But my latest one on how exercise can bring zest and zen to your life probably embodies the name well: https://zestfulzenwellbeing.substack.com/p/unbridled-jubilation-the-zestful
I'm new to the platform and still have lots to learn so any feedback would be welcome from this wonderful community! Have a fabulous weekend everyone 😃
Prajna O’Hara aka The Salty Crone
I am fairly new to Substack and I am posting late for this wonderful opportunity to share my publication name and how it came about.
I broke my leg two years ago when I was 64. This meant I had to re-teach myself to walk and navigate a household with three of us using wheelchairs. I have twins with disabilities that are 27.
While I was teaching myself to walk, I was also unlearning and Learning many things about myself.
I grew up in a very large, Irish Catholic alcoholic family, and became a breadwinner alongside my mama at a very early age. I have always played the role of peacemaker, healer, Caregiver, Mother, acquiescence to the needs of others.
It’s taken me a very long time to acknowledge my needs, learn how to get them met and follow through on my desires.
Prior to joining Substack rather than facilitating a retreat, I was a participant. Throughout the retreat, I was named over over again the salty crone by a wise council of women.
At first, I didn’t know how to respond, but it grew on me as I realize they recognized my wit, humor, spunky, wild saltiness
Lovely to see you here, Prajna! Thanks for your support in our Carer Mentor Community. I see you ;-) There is so much life experience, within and between, each of these lines.
Heading over to your publication to read more about Abby - I saved your article but not read it yet. xo
Thank you Victoria
That means a ton
I hope we connect more!
Hugs
Oh we will…xo Hugs back!
thank you!
That slipped away. I did write something on my about page. In a nutshell it is my time to do whatever the fuck I want, earned my wrinkles, hard won lived wisdom, with stories to unleash.
Thank you ☺️ and the name may change I’m just getting started - calling all crones-I love our elders.
Prajna, this is a fantastic name and an even more fantastic mindset. I hope you stir shit up in the best possible way.
Hi Robin, Thank you for your stir the pot encouragement — yes, let's do this. I appreciate you very much!
I have a post in my que about getting to the crone age. Lol can’t wait, I’m still in the menopause stage. 🙌
Thank you Lori
Let’s live it up! With our words and wisdom
Hi fellow small stackers!
My publication is called ‘Conservation Tails’. Conservation tails is new to substack but I’ve had the name, along with its blog and instagram account since 2018. I’m a PhD researcher and primatologist/conservationist from the UK, living in Canada and working in Madagascar (with lemurs).
The name for my publication came about from the fact that I am very interested and passionate about conservation and I work with primates (hence the tails!). I wanted a place to share my thoughts and feelings as I stumbled my way through the conservation and academia world, so I started conservation tails!
I talk a bit more about my publication in this post:
https://open.substack.com/pub/coralchell/p/hello-and-welcome-to-conservation?r=3lp9kq&utm_medium=ios
I hope you can join me on my journey ☺️🐒
You are the first I’ve read about on SS with a passion for primates! Wonderful
This sounds interesting!
Hello, all you awesome Small Stackers! My stack is Nature :: Spirit, with the double colon in the middle. And it really IS trying to say something! :-D Here's the gist:
Most people think about nature and spirit as two separate things. In this culture we draw a sharp line between things we can see and things we can't. We think nature is about the things we can see, and spirit is about something else, something invisible.
But this is only one way to understand the world. Many other cultures do not slice things up so neatly. It is also possible to see reality as one integrated whole, and that's what my stack title tries to do. Nature-spirit-nature-spirit—it's all wrapped up together, I'm trying to say. Not two halves of reality, just one whole.
So when we're looking at a tree, for example, we don't need to look "behind" the tree to see the spirit of it, as if the spirit is hidden or invisible. The tree IS tree-spirit. Look at a tree, we're seeing tree-being. Look at a rock, we're seeing rock-being. Everything in nature has its own kind of aliveness, its own way of being. Its own spirit. Including us.
This view of reality grounds all of the episodes of Nature :: Spirit, and here's one where I talk about it plainly: https://priscillastuckey.substack.com/p/44-youre-the-fish
I love this name, mesa
And your name as well
It could be called let the gifts fall out as what I received from your words
Beautiful
Hi all! I write The Mestiza. The name comes from the philosophy of Gloria Anzaldua, who was a poet, philosopher, and Chicana lesbian feminist thinker. In her book Borderlands/ La Frontera, she explains that Mestiza Consciousness is the ability to use your identity as a bridge and to hold multiple truths at once. It is to inhabit the oppressor and oppressed at the same time.
You can find more about the name here: https://open.substack.com/pub/clareashcraft/p/welcome-to-the-mestiza?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=hfgvs
This is absolutely fascinating. I’m going to check it out. I have experience with the mestizo people, I’m curious. Thank you.
Hello, all you awesome Small Stackers! My stack is Nature :: Spirit, with the double colon in the middle. And it really IS trying to say something! :-D Here's the gist:
Most people think about nature and spirit as two separate things. In this culture we draw a sharp line between things we can see and things we can't. We think nature is about the things we can see, and spirit is about something else, something invisible.
But this is only one way to understand the world. Many other cultures do not slice things up so neatly. It is also possible to see reality as one integrated whole, and that's what my stack title tries to do. Nature-spirit-nature-spirit—it's all wrapped up together, I'm trying to say. Not two halves of reality, just one whole.
So when we're looking at a tree, for example, we don't need to look "behind" the tree to see the spirit of it, as if the spirit is hidden or invisible. The tree IS tree-spirit. Look at a tree, we're seeing tree-being. Look at a rock, we're seeing rock-being. Everything in nature has its own kind of aliveness, its own way of being. Its own spirit. Including us.
This view of reality grounds all of the episodes of Nature :: Spirit, and here's one where I talk about it plainly: https://priscillastuckey.substack.com/p/44-youre-the-fish
Finding My Inner Panda (204 subscribers strong!)
I've been a working artist for more years than I ever thought I it was possible I would be around. About 15 years ago, I added making comics and writing to what I do. It has led me to some very interesting places. It seems like I am always searching for the why, as well of the how of what I do...finding what makes me tick, what makes me me. Because what triggered my leap into making comics was...pandas.
I went to art school in the 70's, and in those days you were expected to follow a pretty narrow path. If you were a painter, you didn't take these side trips into printmaking or illustration. It took me more than 20 years to figure out that was all BS. In the mid 90's I started doing printmaking, and then in the late 00's came the comics and writing.
My inner panda... it's what drives my thoughts, my creativity. Like a panda, my creative impulse is sometimes elusive but when I catch a glimpse of it, it is thrilling. Sometimes my inner panda wants to rant. Sometimes it wants to share my fine art, sometimes it wants to share panda 'toons.
One of my favorite posts celebrates the connectivity of pandas: https://open.substack.com/pub/pandachronicle/p/tales-of-the-sisterhood-of-the-traveling?r=1qr722&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
And if you want to learn more about panda satire, you can visit my off Substack home, The Panda Chronicles. https://www.yourbrainonpandas.com
Thanks for creating this forum for discovering the Small Stacks!
I read your pub name to my 11-year-old last night. He loves pandas so dearly. They are his favorite animal. You've got a ready-made fan over here!
excellent! He should enjoy the panda chronicles because my sense of humor is basically stolen from an 11 year old. The political ones may or may not go over his head, but could be an educational opportunity. Ha ha!
We need all the panda fans we can get. I’m always happy to answer panda related questions if I can.
There are archives of the ‘toons going back to around 2011, if he wants to do a deep dive into panda satire.
*Note: Pinky is NOT a good role model.
Like People, Like Pets is my home for those thoughts and beliefs that have emerged from years of fostering cats and dogs, parenting pet and kids, and volunteering with brilliant, passionate souls. The name comes from my belief that we see ourselves more completely when we are reflected in those around us. My About page sums it up https://cindyojczyk.substack.com/about
I’ve enjoyed the connection with like minded writers and those who have challenged me to expand my beliefs. I look forward to connecting.
Love this, going to check you out!! I love pets and will be an empty nester in 4 years. 🙌
Thanks for reaching out on IG! Are you a Michigander? I lived in St Joseph and Stevensville area about 4 years many moons ago. Still one of my favorite places.
Yes, I moved here for the first time 2 years ago so my child wouldn’t have to travel to see each parent. I’m north of Traverse City.
TRUTH, CREATIONS & ALL KATHY’S LIFE’S JOURNEY
I changed my title, my description in post: (Hi…It’s Me) and bio today. I am testing the waters and learning each day. Looking at the post I made today will best describe why I did what I did but mostly I’m trying to become more comfortable with myself by writing and sharing about what I know and have learned up to now about life in general. Wanted to allow people to know me a bit more before I delve into my history. I want to share true events, my imaginative fiction, my poetry. Some recipes with true stories of their history attached. Some craft art I create for family & friends when I’m imprisoned in my home. And eventually, like so many others, my trials and tribulations in my memoir. Hope you fight my sight worth looking at. Thank you for this opportunity.
Kathy
My Substack is called Up the Garden Path. That’s where my Gran always said she was going when she needed to think, or some space and fresh air. My grandparents’ garden was long and narrow: a small decorative garden with a couple sheds behind it, then the vegetable garden and beyond that a small orchard. Plenty of thinking space.
My Substack is my thinking space.
I wrote an origin piece recently https://open.substack.com/pub/juliebabis/p/origins?r=379e7b&utm_medium=ios
You think so eloquently Julie! I read your origin piece and then went back for more. Such beautiful descriptions! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your writing coming into my inbox in the future.
Thank you, there is more coming, I will be in my garden physically and metaphorically
I love the idea of Substack as a place to think; I'm using it that way, too. So much loveliness around the idea of air and space, in a physical space, as well as this online space.
A metaphorical garden works almost as well as a real one for contemplating in
Julie, I love this imagery. But I'm also a sucker for gardens!
Thank you! Gardens are great places to lose oneself in, aren’t they?
The Danepreneur
I started out with naming my substack "Henrikś Substack" - It was boring. Just my name. But I thought it should be recognizable to Medium. I was wrong. I changed the name. I am a Dane. I want to see my self as an entrepreneur - someone how digs in the ground and creates big stuff. Nothing wrong with my self-esteme! And I then joined the two - Dane and Entrepreneur to The Danepreneur.
I hope it will be good for the future of my writing. I am not in a niche, sometimes political, sometime a poet, a fiction writer or memoires-writer. With almost 60 years of age, I have a lot to remember.
I have also a Danish Stack and a German stack and a videostack. They do not have many members. And I haven't really been so active on the videostack.
The Danepreneur : https://henrikhageland.substack.com/
Det Danske Hjørne : https://detdanskehjoerne.substack.com/
Die Deutsche Ecke : https://diedeutscheecke.substack.com/
WildVideoViking's Videostack : https://wildvideoviking.substack.com/
My main profile is The Danepreneur. As Substack isn't that visible in Denmark and Germany, I do not have many followers there. The Videostack's title is playing with www - I know - posibibly too overthought.
I do not charge any paid-subscriber fees. I might some day, if I start growing. I just reached 100 subscribers, and about 200 followring my substack. I don't really know, why we do not just subscribe to a profile instead of just follow. In my case it is free, so you might just make me happy, if you subscribe.
Henrik thank you for sharing your origin story with us! I also just reached 100 subs, woo hoo! In the grand scheme of things it is small, but personally I find it to be super exciting :) Your home page is extremely well laid out by the way, such a good example for others to use (and I love your images, well done!). I hope you will keep writing... day by day, we got this!
Thank you Rose, I surely will! And I'm glad you like my page and pictures, I like the artistic detail in what ever I make.
UNDONE
I am photo based artist and writer sharing my personal work, my thoughts on art, creativity, connection, and what it means to be human.
The title for this publication is taken from a song of the same name UNDONE, written and composed by one of my favorite artists, Olafur Arnalds. When I listened to the lyrics, spoken at the beginning of the song, for the first time, it struck me how closely connected they are to two events in my life that happened within one year - events that changed my whole outlook on the world, and put me on the path of becoming the person and artist that I am today: the death of my brother and the birth of my first son.While these lyrics are about the process of growing in the womb and being born, when I listen to them, I feel comforted, as if someone is gently but firmly touching my shoulders saying “Pain and joy are always closely connected”.
I have come to believe this to be true. One doesn’t always happen without the other. We wouldn’t experience intense grief over the end of a life without experiencing immense love.
The deep joy and overwhelming love for a new life never comes without the experience of extreme pain. And maybe we will all be surprised that both - birth and death - are only beginnings.
I know that my personal experience with death and birth, and experiencing conflicting and coexisting emotions around those two events, is the reason I became an artist. Or, maybe not the initial reason, but it unleashed the necessary courage and catapulted me on to a new path that I maybe wouldn’t have had the courage to take without it. I know that these experiences are my main motivation for my photography work. My creative practice is driven by a continuous desire to explore the beauty that comes out of suffering, an experience that I believe connects all of us, whether we like to talk about it or not.
This is why I chose the title UNDONE.
I feel that the word is appropriate, not only because of the song lyrics and what they mean to me, but of how we all move through the motions of life emerging from our experiences only to start something new and unexpected, only to continue to grow and learn.
https://open.substack.com/pub/manuelathamesundone/p/an-ode-to-early-mornings?r=1wyvxy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you for sharing your heart. You’re an amazing storyteller, photographer, and I appreciate how you incorporate music.
Thank you so much for reading!
Strands of Silver
Naming anything has never been my strong suit. I even had trouble coming up with names for each of my five children! So when it came time for me to name a publication, I was completely stumped. One day I sat down and wrote down a list of threads or strands of stories that were woven into the texture of my life experiences. Out of the fragments of story that I listed, I saw the title emerge: Strands of Silver.
SoS, or Strands of Silver is where I write about and share the strands of the story of my life, both the memoir type stories, and the stories I am now living. By writing, I seek to create a tapestry made up of many strands that are woven together to make a complete story. Here is the creation story behind this publication. Skip to the part that says, “How Strands of Silver began.
https://sallywessely.substack.com/p/the-new-yeara-time-of-exordium-a?utm_source=publication-search Strands of Silver is a place where I hope you, the reader, will find connection, rest, peace, and a sense of calm and joy that gives you the strength and the courage to sort through the broken parts of life as you allow the dross to be burned away as you walk through a refiner’s fire.
I love the title of your newsletter and how much meaning is stored within it. I’m excited to read the things you write as I think I need to burn some of the dross I’ve collected and do some refining.
Thank you for reading!
I had launched the riley rock index, a reference site for music critics, a long time ago, and it slowly faded. But when substack looked like a good venue, I switched it to the riley rock report to cover a range of things: rock history, classical, non-fiction, and how a culture expresses itself in popular terms. Enjoy how this space has turned into a center for rock buffs: a recent Kinks column celebrating Ray Davies at 80 outperformed many others posts…
https://rileyrockreport.substack.com
My publication name is Coddiwompling, a word that means “to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.” Our family has always loved traveling and we’ve just recently relocated to a new country where we are exploring new sights often.
My goal is to share bits about our travels and also what it’s like living in a new country. And maybe other odds and ends along the way.
Here’s a post that sums it up: https://open.substack.com/pub/lpokrana/p/odds-and-ends?r=2k34vr&utm_medium=ios
I love the name of your Substack, Lani. Both the way the word sounds and its definition drew me to explore your posts, but your writing is what convinced me to subscribe immediately. I look forward to getting caught up on all your posts!
Thank you so much, Sarah. I appreciate the kind words.
Lani - I couldn't resist subscribing because you have Paris in there and Bruges. If you take a Thalys from Paris you can sample to Brussels: https://www.carermentor.com/p/brussels-the-sixth-and-sixteenth-f4b?r=a9y7d&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Since I don't travel to far these days, I look forward to reading about the adventures of you and your family. P.S if you venture to Switzerland i have tons of fave spots to share since I lived in Basel and Zug and love the French part.
P.S I just restacked your Paris article ;-)
Thank you so much, Victoria!
My substack is called “Sober, Introvert, Slave to a Chihuahua.” I think the name kind of says it all! I post my artwork and a combination of personal essay, microfiction and self-help. I’m just figuring it out one post at a time.
Check me out at https://jennifertrainor.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
Jennifer you win 😂😂 - what an amazing publication name!!! 🐕 Thanks for stopping in to share so we can see your unique perspective, love it! 💗
Thank you so much Rose! It’s all true lol!
The Conscious Traveler:
There are a many ways to travel. You can be a vacationer never stepping outside the resort. You can be a backpacker only going to party hostels and expat owned establishments you read about online, but for me I have decided to live amongst and get to know the people in the places I visit and build relationships with them. I find out the ugly side of traveling and globalization and neocolonialism. I call this conscious traveling.
Here is a link to some of my favorite work I have put out so far. If you have time to read and enjoy what you have read, maybe give another one a read too. If you like those perhaps you give me a follow.
https://open.substack.com/pub/jamesluckey/p/the-conscious-traveler-haiti?r=k8x0n&utm_medium=ios
Writing about popular culture through a criminological lens, I opted for FRAMED. I liked how it can refer to setting an innocent person up to take the fall for a crime. It also refers to how topics are presented to us in the media, which is essentially what I try to breakdown in many of my posts (I also write about shows that I like and release quarterly crime mixtapes). Here is a link to a post I wrote I on a popular Netflix docuseries: https://open.substack.com/pub/dawnkcecil/p/unlocked?r=1sc35y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Dawn, this is such a powerful name choice! I love it!
Beauty From The Inside Out
I spent most of my life as a hairstylist/haircolorist, helping clients discover their inner beauty, strength, and confidence and allowing them to speak their truth and be heard. Beauty From the Inside Out started by teaching them proper nutrition and self-care for the health of their hair, skin, and nails. Now, as a women's empowerment coach, I guide them on a journey to heal their inner child and past wounds and traumas so they can empower themselves to achieve their dreams of optimum health, wealth, and love. Link to a previous article: https://sandyevenson.substack.com/p/hello-beauty
and the link to the About page: https://sandyevenson.substack.com/p/meet-sandy
Sandy the last time I had my hair done I cried and told the stylist that I'd felt a decade older than I actually am since my hysterectomy in fall 2023 and that she had helped me feel just a little more like myself. This was the most personal example I've ever had of how work that seems 'external' at first glance, is actually SO much more. Thank you for devoting so much of your life to caring for women, inside and out! 💖
My publication, Intentional Wisdom, has 273 subscribers. I selected the name because I try to stay intentional, following my internal yearnings, knowing where I want to go and how I want to be in the world. As a woman in my 70s, I have attained several decades of wisdom and self-knowledge. I enjoy sharing what I learn with others. Enjoy this article for a taste of what I share: https://substack.com/home/post/p-145916383.
This is not perhaps the origin story but a growth story? I just changed the title of my Substack. It had been Mindful Mom in the Mud since I started here in October. And now it is A Wonderful Mess. I have written a post for this Monday on the reasons for the change but in a nutshell my newsletter is about navigating the mess of parenthood with humor, compassion and common sense. It's got a mix of things to offer like laughter (hopefully), practical mindfulness tools, tools from psychology and personal essays from my own messy parenthood. I shifted the name to be more inclusive of just not "mindful moms"--all parents and all mindful and non-mindful are welcome but the parenthood stuff remains a mess full of ups and downs.
Kathryn, what a great story of growth and change! As a dad, I do appreciate being seen and acknowledged as a "messy parent of messy kids."
Kellyblog (my first name)
Tagline: There’s nothing wrong with you and there never was.
My Instagram, linktr.ee, and TikTok (kellyblogtok) are @kellyblog so I used it as a place holder for now.
Thinking of changing to:
There’s Nothjng Wrong With You
Kelly Thompson writes about how to recover, find your badass, kick ass, and align with your true self.
That’s it. That’s my lane. I’m editor for Voices on Addiction at The Rumpus, admin/founding member of a memoirist FB page with 5k members, and a published writer and LCSW.
https://open.substack.com/pub/thompsonk?r=1fhxt&utm_medium=ios
“From the Heart to Beyond”
One of the hardest parts I’ve found about losing someone close to you, as a daughter with personal experience and a doctor with professional experience, is that life goes on without them. You continue to live and learn, laugh and cry, hurt and grow, but you can’t share any of it with them.
My Substack is a series of letters to my Dad who died in 2019, where I reflect on moments that have touched my heart and share the valuable lessons I have gained from them – things I would talk to Dad about if he were alive today. This is where the pub name comes from. It is my way of keeping my relationship with him alive even after he is gone.
While these letters are deeply personal, they explore topics that are universal and timeless – love, hope, loss, healing, family, what it means to live fully, and more. What I have learnt from my lived experience caring for and losing someone I loved to terminal illness, my professional work as a primary care physician, and my daily life as a writer and mum of three is how important it is to live fully, love deeply, laugh often, and make the most of the time we are given — a message I am passionate about sharing with others.
Here is a link to my first newsletter posted 2 weeks ago which explains the why behind my Substack and pub name. I truly hope that something in my words and story connects with you, you life, and your story.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ruhievaidya/p/words-to-live-by?r=27c77i&utm_medium=ios
What a great premise here at Small Talk! I can’t wait to read about other publications featured here and connect with fellow writers.
Heartfelt condolences, Ruhie and hugs. I think we could chat for a long time...
My dad passed in Jan 2020, and I care for my Mum. Both my parents were consultant physicians here in the UK. We cared for Dad he had RA, CHF, bladder cancer (2xTURBTS), AFib, subrenal aortic aneurism and Vasc dementia)..so I have big empathy and hear you with loud resonance. xo
Hi Victoria, thank you for reaching out! I'm so sorry for your loss too - it sounds like a lot to deal with. Caring for and losing a loved one is certainly a life-changing experience. I would love to connect with you. How great is Substack and SmallStack that it brings people like us and others together!
YES!!! Thanks, Ruhie! Have a look around the different Carer Mentor articles and you'll see others to connect to ;-)
My Substack name is Tales From York Cottage. You may find that name prosaic; however, it holds much meaning for me. First off, York Cottage: I was born in Yorkshire, U.K. and, as every Yorkie knows, York is the centre of the Universe. I grew up on a coal mining estate and dreamed of living in the country, in a cottage with roses around the door and a pony in the paddock. Secondly, I am a writer of historical fiction infused with magic realism so I can make magic whenever I so choose. Thirdly. Can one say thirdly? I tell Tales, many tales: tales of time travel to different eras, my own travels and falling down the rabbit hole of research.
I thought Fremont, just on the north end of Seattle, was the center of the Universe, but now I see I was probably wrong!!
Sadly, yes.
Wayward Utopias.
Because I'm writing mainly about the plants, animals and people at Lonely Worm Farm, a start up ecological art farm geared towards adults with disabilities. The project is wildly utopian. And wayward. What will happen as the monsoons hit, the neighbor sends yet another agency after us, and the goats jump the fence? Only time will tell.
https://elizafactor.substack.com/p/wayward-utopias
Sounds interesting, I'm in!
Thanks! Alters & Altars speaks to me, too. I just signed up!
I'm starting to see through Small Stack that those of us who actually have interesting things to write about have less subscribers. Perhaps because it's easier to just read fluff or stuff that doesn't challenge a person to think. I like to sign up for personal writing rather than posts about how to make money on Substack.
Mary Clare, you might just be onto something there.
Hi there!
My publication is currently called The Source (I'm in process of perhaps changing it)
I feel very drawn to the idea of space - creating space in our day for ourselves and the space between two points in our lives- so initially I had developed a model to explore this for a program I run using the letters SPACE - so Source came out of that as the starting point.
It sounds a but convoluted now I write it down :)
That said, I believe knowing our true selves rather than the version we become as life gets in the way is important. I had lobular breast cancer 4 years ago in the middle of COVID so I've been on the proverbial journey and in the process found out a lot I had forgotten about myself or never knew! My child also came out as transgender shortly after this so being yourself holds even greater meaning for me now.
This is one of my favourite essays to date so I hope you like it :)
https://open.substack.com/pub/jacquisonelife/p/cultural-ripples?r=supd8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web