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Also pro tip - I invite you to read the journal entry in the header image. Some thoughts from my sixteen-year-old self...🤯

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Beautiful share Rae, and a good reminder to get the material out there. I have so much, and also often labor for weeks and months over pieces. It is indeed one of the great things about the ‘net that it provides a place so ready for marking up with our words.

I am also a writer and my Jack was... funny, not the same Jack, although my Jack has a similar list of what comprises B.S. “My” Jack is Jack Grapes, legendary teacher of his own Method Writing method, and author of the craft book of the same name. I recommend him wholeheartedly to anyone interested in learning and practicing the craft of writing → jackgrapes.com

As a fellow writer, I am similarly gratified to find real community here, especially after many years of searching for it elsewhere, and even making a business out of trying to create it, as I discussed here recently:

https://open.substack.com/pub/bowendwelle/p/the-keys-to-building-real-community

Love your work Rae, glad to see you growing, going, and glowing!

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I use a desktop app called Later to schedule Instagram posts and don’t have Instagram on my phone and those two things make it palatable to participate a little but not a lot on IG for me.

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Instagram is ..... a lot. I have had varying relationships with it for over a decade, and now I use it solely to promote my newsletter and have conversations via Stories with people I have grown to know there. My growth there completely died once Reels started and I refused to join the trend. My advice would be to keep it off your phone and view it as a tool not a platform! It’s the place time and self-confidence go to die. Also, I love the B.S. guidance!

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As a subscriber who discovered you through the Substack feature, I appreciate this update and am happy for another internet stranger! My “Jack” was the IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice) practitioners on LinkedIn who were unafraid to voice their thoughts about how workplaces ought to be when the platform was still “this is a professional space/I am glad to announce [achievement]” stuffy. They - and people who showed up in the comments and events - gave me the courage to write publicly.

That said, the step to publishing a Substack wasn’t as easy to make. I wondered if anybody would care about someone else changing their minds, saying something wrong, etc.; concerns you shared, I relate to too. But I see it as a way of documenting my journey now, the same way I’m reminiscing old times by looking at my LI and Instagram posts.

I will follow you on Insta! No advice for success there, pretty dead and a “lurker” myself. Going in with low stakes images is great! I believe when you enjoy the process and have fun, the outcome will work itself out :)

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Mar 15, 2023Liked by Rachel Katz

There is so much I love in this reflection. 'Wandering inconclusiveness' was a lovely way to describe the open conversations and unfinished thoughts I love on the internet too. I relate to you not being sold on social media, that you're still scared... and don't know how to feel about Instagram (I go back and forward on it all the time) - I have a lot of the same feelings and thoughts... and that every essay feels like a new start. I also love how it all tied in with the journaling exercise from Jack.

Your writing is great, looking forward to reading more!

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LET'S GO, RAE! There's never a finer time to go sailing <3

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Love your work. At the end of a week where I missed my SS posting deadline because my piece just wouldn't come together, I've had to let go, be kind to myself and re-group for next week. It's comforting to hear about other writers' journeys. Thanks.

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"Every essay is new start. Sitting down at a blank page to begin the next one, all the previous ones don’t matter."

Might stick this on my wall.

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aww I just saw this omg thank u for that kind shoutout and lemme just say I speak for all of substack (I was just voted president of the substck neighborhood association so I can do this) that this place is MUCH better off with you in it.

also this is the best 'why did u get started' I've ever read: I was never a big social media user, mostly due to personal awkwardness, but I had gone full bore elimination at the beginning of my infertility journey in 2019, because, obviously, fuck all those baby photos and ultrasound photos and pregnant belly photos and positive pregnancy test photos.

love u rach rae rachel - this is, without a doubt, the party

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I love your work Rae. The way you make your works expository and sprinkle some vocabularies here and there really makes it great. I love reading from you.

I'm not a writer, but would really love to hone the skills, and would continue to do that by dropping my one or two cents on topics that aligns with my interest. I have taken your recommendations and those from the amazing friends here. Feels good to be part of the community

It would be remiss if I don't acknowledge refind.com for shuffling me a link to one of your articles that led me to a whole lot of other interesting discussions of yours.

The first article I read from you, I had to share to my friends.

https://raekatz.substack.com/?utm_medium=web. Great work

I hope to continue to enjoy your works. Thumbs up to you.

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