Why Start A Newsletter?

I've always been hesitant to start something like this.

It's because I've never been excited about raw self expression. And I’ve wondered, Is it possible for a creator to create things without the drama?

There are three things that pushed me over the edge. A podcast called Stories Are Soul Food, the movie The Fabelmans, and a book by Austin Kleon called Show Your Work.

From Stories Are Soul Food, I learned that art is food. The artist or creator isn’t trying to express himself. He is making a meal for his audience.

The Fabelmans played that idea out. The movie shows that art as self expression tears you apart, but art as food leads to more and more beauty, truth, and goodness.

After being convinced that art as food was the approach I wanted to take, Show Your Work gave me the how. Building on Kleon’s show your work metaphor, I’ve met people who are “answer key” people. They know the right answer and they give it to you, but they don’t show their work.

And I’ve met “show your work” people, and I find I’m often more edified by a “show your work” person. Even if they get the wrong answer, seeing their work is sometimes more helpful to me than just learning the answer.

So why start a newsletter?

I want to show you my work, get feedback, and grow from that feedback.

And maybe that process will also edify others.

What do you think?
Joseph