Sparkle on Substack

I'm not thinking about my neighbour down the street, but here on Substack, because of how it's designed, you do think about those type of things. And at the moment, I think that the balance has maybe tipped because Substack has obviously got to sell itself and what’s ‘working’. But it's like, ok let’s figure out, how I can be here and make this work for me? Natalie LueIt was a joy to reconnect with Natalie Lue for the podcast. Natalie is a BRILLIANT writer and writes On Knowing Yourself here on Substack. Natalie and I met in 2019 at a brilliant event called Make and Mend Festival. I’m linking here and the lovely Clare Albans has a hand in organising if you want to connect in with their work. Natalie’s career has been one of dedication and determination. She’s not afraid to tackle the tough stuff. A ‘blogger’ for over 20 years and has gone down research rabbit holes many of us would be scared to even peek down. Natalie has brought new and important light to the tougher subjects. She’s a published author, artist and podcaster and an all round amazing human. I’m honoured she made the time to impart some of her wisdom here… I’m really looking forward to your thoughts on our chat. Her podcast The Baggage Reclaim Sessions saw Natalie record 278 podcasts. Listening to her depth of understanding of how the online world ‘works’ brought deep comfort to me. "I'll be frank and I'll be honest, but I do it with compassion and with boundaries in the sense of I'm not going to tell a story and make myself out to be the hero, certainly not intentionally."Natalie Lue Places to connect with Natalie online;* https://natalielue.com/* https://www.instagram.com/natlue/* https://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/the-baggage-reclaim-sessions-podcast/If you’d like to watch our conversation with captions feel free to do that here;00:00 Helping people reclaim themselves from emotional baggage.09:30 Pride in past work and personal growth.12:31 Revelations about personal life and boundaries.18:06 Acknowledging vulnerability, shame, and overcoming judgment.23:14 Acknowledge natural storytelling, intention, and resonance online.28:50 Excitement about writing platform and valuing creativity.37:32 Challenges with paid subscriptions, improved discoverability.38:38 Substack community shift leads to online work.43:49 Scheduling content to reduce mental strain.54:02 Substack's design may not suit everyone.58:16 Self-published author found success but wanted more.01:04:03 Navigating creativity, self-expression, and publishing challenges.01:11:09 Recognize the value in sharing creative work.01:12:33 Substack encourages paywalls, sparks creative reflections.✨I’ll leave you with a quote Natalie opened with; “Who are the people you are seeking to serve and what is the change you’re seeking to make?” Seth Goodin This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

Hi allI’m delighted to drop in two BRAND new PODCAST episodes… This is my brief intro to the season celebrating two years on Substack and 7k subscribers. 🤩 ✨To celebrate the podcast re-launch I’m offering 35% off when you join us a paid subscriber (member) for one year.In this episode I recap on how my Substack publications have shaped and evolved over time. I also hone in on the recent trend of overwhelm and the move toward clarity on this platform. I talk about ‘calls to action’ and creating posts and honing a publication that’s right for us. Watch the podcast here so you can see me walk through the three publications I host here… Links/ spaces I mention;* Creatively Conscious on Substack* Sparkle on Substack * Company of Two on Substack* Culture Northumberland on Substack* The Sound Circle by Laura Oldfield * Money Mindset on Substack * Join us this month in the Sparkle on Substack membership. Thanks so much to Kerry Hinns for the super edits! ✨ My first guest episode with Natalie Lue drops TOMORROW afternoon. It’s a smasher! ✨How lovely it is that we can write a poem... about the feelings we have about this sparkly space... online... together... making it all up as we go along. ✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt.Hi all,WELCOME if you’re new here. I’m Claire and I write Creatively Conscious , co-host theCompany of Two community and teach Substack here at Sparkle on Substack. I live on the Northumberland Coast with my husband, two children and 5 pet chickens. As the ground is warming up outside, I’m planting new seeds and observing those that have self seeded from our work over the past eight years here. A reminder that our creative projects can take time and that in other cases, some colourful bursts are gone as quickly as they arrived. 🌱I wanted to record a podcast episode for you to wrap up SEASON ONE of Sparkle on Substack the podcast. I’ve been on a steep learning curve with podcasting. I LOVE it as an art form and I’m so excited that it’s had way over 12k downloads… 🤩This episode is an honest share of my ‘test and adjust’ strategy for growing my membership here. I feel slightly wobbly about it but my moto is;If I can support and inspire just one person I’m doing a good job.I am DELIGHTED to have you all here whether you’ve subscribed and share my work or if you’re a member of the Sparkle Gang. Doing this work with you is pure joy! I hope this episode is of service to you and I’d love to discuss it further in the comments. if you have questions. Season Two of the podcast will launch next month and I’m so delighted to share new guests and some solo episodes with you. The rest of the episodes are here if you missed any. You can also listen on Apple Podcasts and leave me rating and review there if you’ve enjoyed listening. Thank you to you all for your support and to all of my guests in season one - it’s been a TOTAL delight.💕Leonie Dawson, Sarah Raad, Cait Flanders , Sarah Fay, writer, Tamzin, Annie Ridout, Laura Oldfield ,Kat River, Susannah Conway, Russell Nohelty and Gabrielle Treanor 💕You can read the transcript of this podcast here or watch my YouTube video below… Timestamped overview… 00:00 Trusting co-creation, offering opportunities, balancing needs.04:40 Substack process was clunky but a learning experience.07:54 Free online courses adapted to evolving platforms.11:21 Non-time-sensitive offer, experiment with free trials.15:47 Raised prices for community access…18:34 Goal of 250 members reached, aiming now for 1000 in a soulful, sustainable way.21:10 Paid posts for members, separate from subscribers.23:53 Membership benefits and sales strategies discussed.✨Remember - if you’re keen to grow a membership/ your paid subs here I have a suite of focussed resources which is already helping people to do that work. It’s on SPECIAL offer here until the end of March. Substack works SO hard to help us grow in the background. I can’t stress enough how easeful the journey feels when you are in congruence with your creative voice here. Substack is a a new engine for culture, all creatives are welcome! We are making it work on our terms and transforming our working lives and income streams in the process. Sending sparkles to you all and thanks again for listening, it means the world to me. Claire ✨PS - If you are still trying to figure out your Substack publication and your home here, I have a page with lots of FREE helpful links for beginners.I’m also hosting a LIVE masterclass ‘Get Creative on Substack’ on 15 March at 12noon GMT (replay available) which you can purchase here or simply join as a paid member to access it live or on replay for free. It’s for people who are new to Substack or want to step out of overwhelm and are excited to try a renewed creative way to be here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"If you take off 8 hours for the recommended amount of sleep we're supposed to have, 1% of your waking day is ten minutes. And so the book is filled with experiments of ideas of how you can take care of your well being and your mental and emotional well being in just ten minutes a day to make it as doable as possible."Morning Everyone!I’m back with episode 12 of the Sparkle on Substack podcast. I can’t quite believe I’ve recorded 12 episodes in 6 months but here we are. I have two more to share and the season is complete. This whole podcast season has been an experiment. Originally, I wanted to record 12 episodes, I wanted to learn about the whole process of podcasting, dance with it’s needs and wants, I wanted to model it for you. If you are considering using audio on Substack, this one’s for you. I’d also really recommend tuning into Laura Oldfield’s work she’s the podcast QUEEN!✨Leaning into wellness… A few week back, I spoke with Gabrielle Treanor who has a BEAUTIFUL book out in the world. Gabrielle’s book is called ‘The 1% Wellness Experiment’ and it published just before Christmas here in the UK. It’s on pre-order in the US and and Canada and will be out end of Feb ‘24. Gabrielle has shown up on Substack for a whole month in Substack Notes to promote her book. I was super keen to find out from her how it’s all felt and is feeling heading towards the USA launch. I loved re-connecting with Gabrielle and I got all the juice on HOW she got her book deal. I know this topic crops up a lot and so I’ll give you a sneak that for those of you convincing yourself it’s to do with huge online followings you’ll be pleasantly surprised. ✨Sharing generosity in it all is so important to me. Please know if you are in financial hardship and need a subscription to Sparkle on Substack it’s yours - no questions asked. The exchange; belief that my work can hold you to make a change for yourself and impact others positively in the world and a promise to pay it forward when you can. Meet Gabrielle Gabrielle says;I help overthinking, overdoing women who always put everyone else first and themselves last. They've had enough of feeling stressed, exhausted, unappreciated, resentful and guilty for feeling that way.I help you feel like you can breathe again, to get back your spark, to have time and space, healthier relationships and more fun. I create a compassionate, non-judgemental space (as described by my clients) to gently explore what’s keeping you stuck in this place and how to move forward, along with practical tools and actions to live the calmer, happier, more peaceful life you dream of.Here’s your timestamped podcast overview;00:00 Claire Venus welcomes Gabrielle to talk about books.03:33 Internet empowerment, new creativity and well-being.07:33 Book: "The 1% Wellness Experiment" - 10-minute daily well-being practices.11:55 Excitement for book release and individual wellness.15:15 Embrace ten minutes of mind wandering freely.19:56 Fear of unknown thoughts, but embrace them.24:03 Repetitive crafting soothes mind, brings peace.26:12 Embracing daily walks for mental well-being.32:35 Joined Substack, a compelling platform for writing.33:15 Substack: Hosting newsletters and reaching new audience.37:34 Book published, daily posts on Instagram notes.42:43 Wellness is crucial for creatives and life.44:07 Contacted by editors on Instagram, offered book deal.48:33 Embracing new experiences for personal and creative growth.52:14 Balancing commitment to Substack with current capacity.56:18 Well-researched, sophisticated content that promotes calm.58:42 Creating a haven for people is important."So a few years ago, I was contacted by two different commissioning editors around the same time on Instagram, through Instagram, in that that's where they had found me, first of all."Other links* Make and Mend Festival * Watch our convo on Youtube (with captions).* Read the transcript. * Follow Gabrielle on instagram. * Buy her book I’d love you to pop back and let Gabrielle Treanor and I know what this conversation sparked for you. We’ll meet you in the comments? Thanks as always for being here and supporting my work here at Sparkle on Substack. Claire ✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"I would like to say that like if you were to imagine social media being completely neutral, it's not good, it's not bad, it's not right, it's not wrong, it's not overwhelming, it's not draining, it's not super exciting, it's nothing right, it's just completely neutral."Kat River Hi all,How’s your day going? ✨I’m so delighted I’ve found a new podcast editor - yay!! I want to model what is going on for me in real time in throwing perfectionism out of the window and bringing a podcast to life. It’s our conversation live and the way it was and I’m SO cool with it. I have two more episodes coming to wrap up Season One of Sparkle on Substack! Do other people do 14 episode seasons? I’m not sure but that’s what’s felt GOOD and right for me! 🍯 💖 In January I interviewed Kat River with a live audience. I wanted to talk to Kat about her thoughts on seemingly effortless blend of using Substack Notes and Instagram to promote her writing work here on Substack. We dive into mindset, some practical tips and some of our personal experiences. Kat has grown an Instagram profile of 45k followers, is a Substack ‘bestseller’ and a beautifully generous community space holder. There is success woven in between the public posts and that looks like life wholeheartedly conscious with our families offline.This is our values connect. Our conversation might polarise your thoughts and we’re here for it - it has to feel good and true for you. One thing we know is ONLY good things happen if you bring your best and most generous authentic self to the human to human connection possible via the portals of the socials. But yes it’s a conscious game and one we can play by our own unique rules within a vortex of invitations! My point is we CHOOSE when to pick it up and when to put it down. 📱✨My ai software gave me a tonne of questions I could pose with this podcast episode - I loved these four and so I’m sharing those with you… * How do our beliefs about social media platforms shape our experiences and behaviours online?* How has Substack changed the game for creators and writers who are looking for a more fulfilling platform for genuine connections and in-depth content?* Kat suggests unique ways to engage with subscribers on Substack. How important is interactivity in building a loyal readership, and what strategies can be employed to boost it?* Can you lean into the dichotomy of online persona versus real-life interactions? What role does authenticity play in effective personal branding and audience engagement?✨About Kat Kat is multidimensional woman with a thousand faces, passions, secret interests and not so secret interests. Though more practically, an Australian creative, living in the Noosa Hinterland of QLD Australia with her husband Tully, and her two littles… and six chickens. Hattie, Elma, Daisy, Maple, Orange and FluffyMello.Here’s what she says on the invitation to her work;Over at Kat River, you’re invited to join our thriving symposium for the Mothers, the Mystics and the Makers.We explore soulful business, creativity, motherhood, philosophy and more as we find our rhythm between mothering and making. Your lap of luxury in the form of weekly essays, A delicious interview series, recommendation and celebration posts, guest posts, soon to be online workshops and more.Read this if you want to feel into being in this space; "An open letter to mother creatives"I write with a flavour of curiosity, exploration and dancing with you into optimism.✨On understanding Instagram's True Nature: "Most people think Instagram is a community app. And then when they go there and they don't immediately get the community, they're wondering what's wrong. It's a marketing app, first and foremost."Here’s the transcript from our live podcast recording ‘Social Media Rules Don’t Apply’ - I’m so sorry about the Welsh though? 🤷🏽‍♀️ Substack any clue? You can read and subscribe to Kat’s Substack community here;Ready to get your sparkle on? Social Media - you blinding prism of a topic - let's go! Come back and chat here when you’ve listened? Claire xPS - If you enjoy the episode please leave me a 5star review on Apple Podcasts so others can find my podcast there too. 💖. (this one is just for members but will be out to the wider world SOON!) PPS - Oh and I wanted my members to be the first to know my zoom 1-2-1s are BACK for a limited time - I’m booking 11 clients ONLY between April - June and that’s it this year. To secure a spot head here. This is a new and unique offer to write an online strategy with me which includes your Substack. Payment plans are available and this offer isn’t available on my website or any where else. I’ve turned 9 people away in my email this month alone because I wanted to offer my slots here first with LOVE. If you’re ready to work together 1-2-1 head over and book your space. ✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"And now I realise that that was the best education I ever could have got in how to write and how to be a writer."Tamzin Merivale Morning Everyone!Oh wow you guys are in for SUCH a treat with this podcast. 🍬I’ve had a go another go at editing and decided it’s not for me - it’s fine but I’d rather not do it so although a good experiment, I’m so relieved to have found someone who loves the work I do here and can edit podcasts - yay! ✨ This whole podcast has been an experiment; I wanted to record 12 episodes, I wanted to learn about the whole process of podcasting, dance with it’s needs and wants, I wanted to model it for you. If you are considering using audio on Substack, this one’s for you;✨Onwards… Back in November ‘23, I spoke with Tamzin about art, taking our time and intuitive writing and art work… We chatted about the new dimension Substack has enabled in her work, visuals that stop us in our tracks, monetising and hosting membership here. We talk about giving our work space and time to thrive and how deflating that has felt over on IG. Creative breath and our life forceI realised as I recorded with Tamzin that I felt tired. Not tired of conversations like this one, no this was wholly energising. No - I’m tired of plugging into a sector that asks us to burn ourselves out in the name of art and participatory delivery. That’s why I pivoted my work from real life to online.Sitting with Tamsin gave me so much insight into the world of her gentle and soulful creativity it felt like sweet medicine to me. Re-listening to this conversation 8 weeks later has spurred me on to keep doing the work to support as many creatives as I can through this platform. It’s my driver but in that I need more down time because the online world is WILD. Just yesterday someone sent me a ridiculous email I deleted after wondering if I should reply… guys I’m not used to it! 😳 To diversify our income using Substack as perhaps our first step (?) into entrepreneurial work is a bold choice. One we’re all at the vanguard of and modelling to each other generously in real time. Sharing generosity in it all is so important to me. Please know if you are in financial hardship and need a subscription to Sparkle on Substack it’s yours - no questions asked. The exchange; belief that my work can hold you to make a change for yourself and impact others positively in the world and a promise to pay it forward when you can. Meet TamzinTamzin Merivale is an intuitive artist, writer and creative mentor. In creating her unique Soul Sign Energy Portraits, Tamzin guides her clients through an immersive experience to unearth their powerful selves, their incomparable light, their impact and their strength. Her writing gives readers tools and insights to release their struggles and live a life that feels expansive, free and aligned. Tamzin's mission is to hold space for greater empathy and understanding, as these are the true enemies of prejudice, judgment and discrimination.Follow Tamzin on instagram. Read more about her soul portraits Transitioning from the squares of instagram to the expansive canvas of Substack"And that can feel really awkward that we have to keep repeating it and say it again and say, this is who I am. This is what I offer, this is what I do. But I think that's one trap I see with people on Substack is that they're just writing and writing and writing and writing and writing, and that's great, go for it. But I think publishing, especially if you don't have a huge following anyway, publishing 20 to 30 minutes reads, people aren't going to engage with that."Here’s your timestamped overview;00:00 Unique portrait work captures women's inner power.03:27 Cherishing personal stories, especially from resilient women.07:08 Excitement for Instagram faded, switched to Substack.10:14 Substack community fosters collaboration and appreciation.13:15 Substack offers freedom for authentic expression, creatively.16:17 Artists struggle with defining success on social media.20:08 Disappointed by losing swipe up feature.25:26 Substack writing on well-being and psychology exploration.28:14 Substack writing process leads to creative growth.31:56 Letting go of weights and floating up.35:15 Discovering passion through soul portraits and sales.37:43 Finding inspiration, exploring shadows, staying connected.41:32 Emotionally moving digital capture project about friendship.45:43 Embracing energy, simplicity, and client focus.46:55 Offering workshops, free posts, and paid content.51:10 Continuous journey of growth and self-awareness.53:17 Embrace refining work and avoiding overwriting.* Read the transcript (except I’m sorry about the Welsh) 👀* Watch our convo on YoutubeI’d love you to pop back and let Tamzin and I know what this conversation sparked for you. We’ll meet you in the comments. Thanks as always for being here and supporting my work here at Sparkle on Substack. Claire ✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"Substack is such an incredible model for writers. I started putting out my Wednesday personal essay on here as well as a Monday kind of business coachy email. And then I launched a podcast called Home..."Annie RidoutHi all,Good morning! ✨I’m back with another jam packed episode of Sparkle on Substack and I will be straight up with you that I’m between podcast editors and I can’t get to grips with the hyper focus I need for garage band so I’m just putting this one out and revisiting all that editing space with a fresh take in Spring.🍯 💖Introducing ✨ Annie Ridout. Annie is a London based author of three books, journalist, ghostwriter, poet, life coach. She’s passionate about Substack and work/ life balance. She’s ambitious and grounded. I know you are going to be super interested in her journey. Annie holds space for people to gather. Forced out of work in early motherhood, she set up a wildly successful platform for parents called ‘The Early Hour’I adored the conversation with Annie and I was delighted she made the time to speak with me. We explored managing energy online, boundaries, opportunities, the evolving publishing landscape and balancing free/ paid for content here.As authors and writers, it can be challenging to navigate the industry and find opportunities and it was brilliant to hear Annie share her experience of securing a book deal and the unique journeys to get there with each book.You can read and subscribe to Annie’s Substack here;* The Freelance Mum* Shy* Raise your SQSubstack offers immediate publishing opportunities and there’s magic in that and so so much opportunity for us, for all of us no matter where we are in our journey.https://annieridout.substack.com/https://annieridout.com/https://www.instagram.com/annieridout/Ready to get your sparkle on?Let's go! Come back and chat here when you’ve listened? I’d love to know what you think and what chimes for you in service, opportunity and creativity?ClairePS - If you enjoy the episode please leave me a 5star review on Apple Podcasts so others can find my podcast there too. 💖✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

WELCOME back to Sparkle on Substack. After a slight hiatus, I’m bring some more episodes of the podcast back. These episodes aren’t edited - they are a more casual affair. Hope you enjoy! I’ve got a couple of episodes planned but let me know who you’d like to hear from on the pod this year? I’d love to know - I love chatting with folks about their Substack journey.✨In episode 9, I’m joined for an epic chat by Russell Nohelty. I am a HUGE fan of Russell’s work. I met him on Substack notes and I joked (but it’s true) I need to print his writing out and grab my pink highlighter to digest all the good stuff.He’s truly a wizard when it comes to the business of being an author and is doing great things here on Substack. There are 40 ish hours to go to back his latest kickstarter campaign… 💨Russell Nohelty is a seasoned creative entrepreneur His work has continuously evolved to help authors not just thrive financially but also fortify their careers on rock-solid foundations. His journey in nurturing creative talent began in earnest with the launch of his project, The Complete Creative, which ran from 2016 to 2020. Featuring a 200-episode podcast, this venture offered insights and resources for burgeoning creatives.Russell carried forward the wisdom garnered from the Complete Creative into his subsequent endeavour; The Author Stack. Here, he meticulously curated his extensive knowledge on author growth, aiming to provide a structured blueprint for success in the literary world.Central to Russell's philosophy are the five pillars of building a creative career: * crafting exceptional work* mastering sales techniques* growing a dedicated audience* excelling at live events* and launching products with efficacy. He believes these pillars are indispensable for any author wishing to leave a lasting imprint in the industry.In collaboration with Monica Leonelle, his business partner and a fellow advocate for author empowerment, they have crafted 'Direct Sales Mastery for Authors,' a comprehensive guide now premiering on Kickstarter (2 days left to support), encapsulating proven strategies and actionable advice for authors eager to take control of their sales and elevate their careers. This initiative is yet another testament to Russell Nohelty's unwavering commitment to fostering a vibrant, self-sustaining community of successful authors.You can find Russell Nohelty right here on Substack! ✨ Russell's Top Tips for Creators:* The art of branding: Learn to attract and grow your audience with intentional branding decisions.* The significance of being "recommendable" - understand the pivotal role of share-ability in your work's success.* Finding balance with paywalls: Insider advice on what content stays free and what goes behind a paywall.🧙‍♀️Have a question about how we use Substack?We’l love to know what you thought of this episode; let me know in the comments?Do hop over to our shared FAQ on Substack post which is the partner post for this episode. The comments are still open and there’s a wealth of information there. If you’d like to watch the video of this recording it’s here.Sending sparkles for your day ahead and thanks for listening!Claire ✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"My Substack; The Unraveled Heart is not a standalone business. This is an extra piece of my entire ecosystem. My main job is teaching creative courses online. That’s my number one job. So my Substack at the moment is supporting that a little bit, but I almost want to nurture that as an integral piece of the ecosystem."Hi all,How’s your Saturday going? ✨I’m back with another jam packed episode of Sparkle on Substack and I will be straight up with you that I have run out of time and patience scheduling space for edits and I just needed this one out in the world!! 🍯 💖Podcasting ProcessI want to model what is going on for me in real time in bringing a podcast to life.I can’t dance with perfectionism when it comes to creativity. Well I could, but he’s a mesmerising type and I’m not hear for Greek Mythology.I’m here to be of service SO this episode is without music and an intro/ out-tro. It’s our conversation as it was and I’m SO cool with it. Some of my YouTube subs got a sneak peak this week and of course my members here on Sparkle get everything first but I don’t want to hide anything away for too long. It’s all about balance and this one is such a CRACKER! I adored the conversation with Susannah and I was delighted she booked herself into my calendar for this chat. I was nervous to meet her (hello online biz newbie)! but I needn’t have been, she instantly put me at ease and I just adored getting to know her more. Introducing SusannahSusannah Conway – author, business owner, teacher, writer, Substacker, and an all-around creative powerhouse turning the internet into her canvas since 2006. You can read and subscribe to her Substack here;Susannah has just launched her Unravel your Year journalling workbook. She’s been making these and putting them out in the world for over a decade. I wanted to give you guys the head’s up because it’s SUCH a powerful and beautiful end of year practise. I just got mine printed with doxdirect. You can also join her in two end of the year workshops. Susannah joined me to spill the tea on why she didn't move her HUGE 30k+ email family over to Substack, preferring instead to cultivate a fresh and intimate circle of (4,592) subscribers and counting. 🫖🎙️"If I say, right, every month, I'm going to make you a podcast, and then that next month, I don't want to do it for whatever reason that traps me. And then I either can't do it, won't do it, feel resentful about it, all these feelings that I shouldn't have about making a quick audio."She's fiercely open-hearted about her work. We'll get the lowdown on her love for photography, the ins and outs of navigating the perimenopause galaxy, and how sprinkling a little design magic can totally transform your work and hold your readers here on Substack. It’s such a vibrant world of creative living, getting bold and raw about midlife adventures, and diving deep into the twists and turns of neurodivergence.Susannah Conway, my online muse who is reshaping how we think about creative work, connection, and well, just doing you in an expansive online world we’re all invited to share in.Ready to get your sparkle on? Let's go! Come back and chat here when you’ve listened? Claire xPS - If you enjoy the episode please leave me a 5star review on Apple Podcasts so others can find my podcast there too. 💖✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

Hi all,I’m bringing you another ‘Stay Creative on Substack’ post. There are a couple of others here in my Substack Growth Tips tag if you fancy a read. I ran out of head space to write them because Substack moves SO quickly so there’ll be more seasonal now I think. I’m testing the inbuilt video feature today. There’s also a transcript for this video if you’d prefer to read?I’ve had the video function for a while but didn’t use it as it was too tricky to set previews. I currently don’t share any video in-front of the paywall. I set that creative boundary for myself so I could feel more relaxed here. Make of that what you will… 🙉This video was recorded on zoom because I trust it 98% and when you run your business in school hours trust on tech is important. So many times I’ve been wrapping up a video when my husband David Venus is headed back from the school run. Little footsteps skip up the stairs, I press upload to youtube and we’re done! Once I have my videos saved in zoom I pop them into YouTube as unlisted links so I can share with my guests more easily. YouTube also plugs in captions. Substack does not. If you want to watch this video with captions, email me and I’ll send you the link. Today, I also uploaded my zoom video into the Substack video player/ editor as a test for you! The video uploaded FAST and I also switched on the transcript button so you can read our chat if you prefer. Video - it’s not new, what’s the fuss?There have been some fair and tricky chats in Notes about video and how we all feel regarding Substack’s announcement of video. Some conversations about why we feel the way we do, our nervous systems and permission. Some conversations about the broader intention of Substack… growth and style. I’m going to link a couple here if you want to join in… the concern is (mainly) about autoplay. And one lovely one for balance from the lovely guys at Feasts and Fables My thoughts are nuanced. I will say; I do not do well with autoplay and it is BAD for the environment, it’s bad for our nervous systems and it changes our user experience. Long term, we’ve gone from being able to sit with words in our own space and at our own pace to being utterly bombarded with video across multiple platforms. Remember we are still inherently tribal, we just want to connect.Here on Substack we got chance to remember what it was like to be able to sit with words again. Have thoughts, join gentle conversations round the camp fire.The choice we make to use Substack is one of our own and I hope you will make space to consider what’s right for you when it comes to video and not be influenced by what others are doing.So to our video test!I recorded with my friend and podcast host over at Company of Two Laura. You can head to Laura’s Substack over at Destination: Balance? We delve into Laura’s decision to rebrand and re-title her Substack, her content overview, ideas for going paid and providing paid for content and her new podcast. It’s very exciting. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Here are the options the video editor gave me.NB you can opt out of pulling your video through your RSS podcast feed. Thanks Sarah Fay for confirming how; it’s just before you hit post! I can’t remember who was asking but there you go… ✨✨✨So video, what do you think? Will you use it? Do you think it will bring more creators over?I’d love to chat to you about it.Claire x ✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe