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Late but good
Hey Reader,
is it too late to say Happy New Year? 🥂
After catching a cold right before Christmas, I needed some extra time to review 2023 and set my yearly intentions, so here goes the first edition of the Write • Build • Scale newsletter - slightly later than planned. 👋
I have exciting things to share today, but I want to start on a personal note: One of the many exercises I do to prepare for a new year is to pick a yearly word/theme.
After countless hours of reflection and goal-setting, I decided that 2024 is my year of courage:
For me, being courageous means saying no to opportunities that don't feel right, so I can say hell yeah to the ones that get me excited.
It means listening to my gut feeling, letting things be easy, and taking one more extra step when I feel like giving up.
Here's a simple guide on setting your own yearly theme if you're sick and tired of unrealistic New Year's Resolutions and want to try something new this year.
📨 Start your newsletter with ease
If you want to:
- 🎉 Build an audience
- 🌎 Share your passion with the world
- 💰 And make a living by creating content online, you need an email list.
Email lists are the most powerful yet underrated tool to build a loyal and profitable audience online.
Yet I know exactly how intimidating starting your first newsletter can feel like.
It's scary because it feels like a huge project - right?
If you're creating content online, I want you to be courageous and start your newsletter as soon as possible this year.
I wrote an in-depth guide to help you start your newsletter without wasting any time 👇
| Read Now |
If you already have a newsletter and want to grow your list faster, check out how I gain 30% more subscribers each month thanks to free recommendations. 🚀
📝 Your best writing year
My friend Nick Wolny is hosting a brilliant video series (and a live workshop!) that'll help you turn 2024 into your best writing year.
When you sign up, you'll get access to 3 videos starting next week:
- 🎥 How to Reach Your Goals with Writing
- 🎥 How to Edit Your Writing
- 🎥 How to Organize Your Writing
| Turn 2024 into your best writing year |
I've been following Nick's work for years, learned a ton from his resources, and am proud to be an affiliate partner.
✨ This is great
Here's one more of my 2024 intentions: I want to be the person who takes tiny pauses throughout the day to recognize and appreciate the beautiful moments in life.
When I'm having a glass of wine with friends, I want to pause and say, this is great. 🍷
When I'm working out, I want to pause and appreciate my healthy body. 🏋️♀️
While sipping coffee, I want to pause and appreciate the warmth of my cup. ☕️
2023 was an incredibly challenging year for me personally, but as it is - challenges help us learn and grow. They help us see what really matters.
When my mum got diagnosed with gastric cancer in March, I instantly gave up my yearly goals to spend the year helping her through surgeries and chemotherapy.
Looking back, I'm grateful for my past self, who was courageous enough to start writing online in 2018 because my writing allowed me to be with my family without worrying about my career or finances last year.
I started writing online because I wanted to travel, make passive income, and enjoy life.
And I was able to do all those things, but being able to support my mum through dozens of doctor's appointments for almost a year was much more valuable than all the trips I've taken.
While 2023 was my year of healing, 2024 is all about (re)discovering my courage, so I can show up for the goals I care about.
One of those goals is to support even more (aspiring) writers to share their message, knowledge, and passion with the world.
I genuinely believe the world would be a better place if more people could do what they love for a living.
No matter which goals you're pursuing or what your word of the year is, I hope you'll find the courage to show up for yourself and the dreams you can't let go of.
My fiancé and business partner Philip thinks my newsletters are too long, so I'll stop here. (Let me know if you disagree - I love to prove him wrong!)
I'll be back in your inbox next Tuesday with more resources & ideas that'll help you build a (writing) business and life you genuinely love.
Take care, Reader. ❤️
Big love from my screen to yours,
Sinem
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Write • Build • Scale with Sinem Günel
I help you write confidently, build your audience, and scale your income. Subscribe for first-hand insights and actionable strategies to turn your ideas and knowledge into a thriving digital business, so you can make money doing what you love.
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