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hello!! I loved your article. My husband and I are leaving the hustle culture and so many times it seems like that culture wants us back. and all our friends and family are still in that culture. It's hard to stay out of it. We currently live in a motorhome and are touring Europe. I am a textile artist and I try to manage my creative business while making it compatible with a slow life and trying not to be influenced too much by clients' tastes. It is art, not design. and it's hard for people like me. We are a global tribe who sometimes wonder if we are in the wrong world. For the same reason, I would like to apply for the interview you mentioned. There are many like me.

Mi email: hola@claudiawool.com

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Aw Hi Claudia! Lovely to hear from you. I've paused interviews until next year but here's the google form if you want to fill it in. I'll be in touch in April - https://forms.gle/SHfAiT5m9TmMW4K28 - enjoy Europe - sounds magical! We have a camper van too - my alter ego has already sold the house and is travelling with the kids! 😉

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I already answered the form. Have a fantastic week! 🤩

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Perfect!! I’ll be in touch. ✨✨🙏

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Love this post, Claire! There must be a new series of interior design masters coming soon? And I also can’t wait to catch up with you in the new year and hear how your studio plans are coming along! 😊

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Nov 21, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

"I want to consistently show up for a community who I share values with whether that’s online or in person!

I am 41 and I’m SO bored of vacuous conversations.

I want to connect with people right here or on the other side of the world that have time for conversations around creativity, wellbeing, neuro-diversity, empowerment, our planet, permaculture and the slow lived life. "

I really appreciate this sentiment. I find myself ditching all of the regular social media and searching for places like your Substack. Thank you for this look behind the scenes.

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May 15, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Wow Claire, I resonated with your slow conscious free flow writing so much. You give me inspiration that what I am doing with my newly started newsletter is aligned.

I have written profusely on my Instagram, but it hasn't made me feel as calm and happy as Substack. Instagram makes me want to compare myself to their creators a lot. It's not good cause I am an anxious person.

And THANK YOU so much for writing about $, money, earning from Substack.

I do intend to start earning from Substack.

I've experienced the "hustle" culture in Los Angeles, it is very unhealthy. It didn't stick well to me.

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Hi Claire. There is so much I want to respond to here, but first, WordPress.

I had a WP blog, and used the Substack function to import it all into Substack. It was remarkably easy, and it brought all the images across too. I have it all here as an archive publication and can refer to posts if I need to.

I'll be back to respond to more 😊

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Thanks so much Debs and that’s what I ended up doing. I locked all the posts so only my paid subs have access with the intent of slowly going through and editing/ updating. I’ve done one so far!

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Oh, that's good. It's a marvellous option isn't it? And what a good idea to lock the content for paid subscribers - I'm still cogitating how to make that aspect of Substack work for my values. 😊

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It took me nearly a year to fathom out what my paid for offer was here. There’s always time isn’t there and I didn’t want to rush because I’d found such a precious space to write and express myself. I turned on paid from the off but didn’t offer anything other than I was growing into it. People still paid - it was beautiful. What are you writing about here Debs? ⭕️✨🏷️

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In the past my blog was called the Delight Diaries (that's the archived one from WP). My new one is called Take a Moodle with Me and is about taking a slow amble through a well being art project and how it relates to my own well being practices. It's still in the early days, but I have so many, many ideas!

Thanks for sharing how you turned on your paid aspect, it's interesting to hear how others with similar life approaches do it.

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Oh I adore those titles. ❤️🙌🏻✨✉️🙏

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Hi Claire, thanks for sharing thins!

I’m new on Substack and one of my main questions is how I can drive traffic to my newsletter without a social media platform.

At the moment I’m considering using Pinterest. But I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Do you consider we need social media to drive traffic to our Substack?

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I LOVE this question Paloma and I think it's different for all of us in honesty. I have 3000 followers on instagram but very few of them have signed up here. I know some of them will have been on my mailing list already and I moved that here. I think it would be great to try pinterest and here on substack they are very good at showing you where your subs come from. The majority of mine come through recommendations and the substack app. I was pulling my posts through to twitter but twitter starting blocking substack so I've not bothered doing that this last few weeks. I occasionally share a post on linked in but I don't have 'engaged' contacts there so very few see it. Does this help? I have more articles on this topic if you click here - https://creativelyconscious.substack.com/s/slow-lived-growth-on-substack Cx

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Yes, thank you 🙏

I felt a little blind sided starting out 😅

I love this platform and community but didn’t know how to bring traffic to my newsletters since I’m not on social media - and didn’t have tons of followers when I was on it either 😂.

Thanks for being transparent, that means a lot to me.

I write in Spanish since I’m from Puerto Rico and is my first language. So I’m not sure if language can be part of it at the moment.

I mainly read a lot of newsletters in English here. And that can also might be contributing to the recommendation section on Substack? Is all new to me so I would definitely have to explore and play around.

But I’m so glad we all have this platform. I’ve been waiting for this a long time 😅😂

Sending you a hug,

Paloma.

P.S. I would check out the articles! 🙏

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Apr 20, 2023·edited Apr 20, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Desirable it’d be extended to some other creators, not just writing, like me

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Apr 20, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

I can see why this was a popular post. It is so well thought through. Yep, with you. Not really thinking about it as a side hustle or main hustle or any of those words. My paid community seems to be growing which is such a compliment. Trying to enjoy it as a creative safe space while it remains as such! (And yes, i would be up for a collaborate of some sort :) )

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That’s so beautiful Nelly!! Yes such a safe and happy space to show up in - I totally get that. Cx

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Apr 20, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

I also wouldn't call it a side hustle but I have almost completely ditched Instagram since coming here. It just doesn't feel worth it, years of posting on Instagram didn't really make me feel good or lead to many clients or sales. Substack on the other hand led to clients in no time. I'm still not sure how that even happened, or how my subscribers keep ticking up every day. I just know that I like this space, I love writing my posts, I love the people who are reading them. Long may it continue, at least for now!

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I hear you so I’m trialing going on Instagram Mon, Tues & Fri and that’s it.

I’ve had similar results to you here - it just feels like we’re so so ready to slow down, read, connect and engage?

✨🗝️

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Apr 13, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

This post might've just been the push I needed to come over an properly join. Thanks for your honesty!

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Yay!! Let me know if you need more support! I have an online Masterclass and Course on Substack and I’m genuinely geeky about it so happy to help! ✨🧚‍♂️🤓

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Ah thanks, I'll have a dig around 🙌🏼

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Mar 29, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

So good to find you Claire and yes to all of these questions and more haha glad to know you still love interiors though ;) I found out about substack a year ago and sort of brushed it off as another "job" or app to keep track of, but I have found writing here (albeit just one so far) very liberating and freeing. Nostalgic - more like journal writing. I love that I have a space for the whole of me to be shared with an 'audience'. Saying that word makes me shudder slightly - as you say there is more vulnerability here too. Which I think is what makes it so special. Vulnerability allows us to connect at a much deeper level, something I have been craving for a while now. I liken it to how I felt in high school when I would spend all my breaks in the art rooms, creating with freedom, and the only people looking in are the ones that truely get me (very unlike the girls at school at the time!). Look forward to reading through your content and getting to know you better, slow by the sea sounds lovely - Lis x

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Ahh the art rooms! I’m not amazing at art technically but I opted to do a GCSE in art alongside my a Levels as I just wanted to be in that space - it’s so like that isn’t it. Ahh Lisa you’ve taken me right back - so glad to have found you and your writing here! ✨🌾

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Mar 29, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

So glad it sparked a happy memory for you Claire x

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Mar 27, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

It is sidehustle for me right now. But I already learned since long time ago, the money is in the list and it is to get serious about it

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Oh cool - good for you! What do you mean the money is in the list?

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Mar 24, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

I feel like for me its a place to escape all of the noise, as someone who frequently writes about American politics (not for everyone, but I do review books... from time to time) Substack is a place to get into the weeds of the system and to cut out the noise of our daily political circus... NickSones.substack.com

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Ahh yes hear you! Much more spacious here.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Great read and poignant to my current ask of fellow Substackers!

I’m taking my shot and asking fellow Substackers like you support a goal to be featured on the platform after 2 years of posting, please support, I love you all!

https://tumbleweedwords.substack.com/p/its-my-second-birthday-on-substack

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Mar 14, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

A terrific post, Claire. I'll definitely recommend you on my StarStyle® Empowerment. Keep growing!

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Oh thanks Cynthia! That’s so kind of you. I appreciate that! ✨💕💫

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Feb 14, 2023Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

A lot of people commenting about the dilemma of how to maintain the integrity of their writing, or the creative roots of their passion, whilst monetising.

In a conversation about free spirited creativity it’s unusual to frame it as a quantity issue...but I think it might just be the crux of the issue.

I think, perhaps paradoxically. that quality is born out of quantity. We might just need to show up...especially on the days we don’t want to.

Jerry Seinfeld knew if he wrote everyday he’d eventually create something so refined that could stand up by itself in the world.

I think if we show up for long enough the question of who you’re writing for will become moot. The writing itself will figure that out.

Happy (and sad and all the other emotions) writing everyone! ✍️❤️

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✨💜✨Here’s to showing up! For ourselves and then embracing what that means afterwards.... 💫⚖️

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