So, after a few months of playing small, it’s time to introduce you to one of my favourite things to do lately – Inspired conversations, my weekly newsletter. I started thinking about this about a year ago, and then a few things led into another ones, and in September 2021 I started writing to my audience every Monday in a free weekly newsletter, named Inspired conversations. How it all happened, what it is, how it looks like and where I’m going this, I’d love to share with you in this blog post. Let’s dive in.
Note: This blog post contains audio version at the very bottom of this post. Narrated by: yours truly. Enjoy the ride.
Let’s start from the beginning
Since I started going after my vision a few years back, there was no source or piece of content that I got my hands and eyes on that didn’t speak about newsletters. Among everything else that you need to do for your creative business, newsletters were always mentioning as must have – the most important thing and so on, and I did explain why is so in this article, Newsletters – the first thing to create for your creative business, so make sure to check it out if you want to learn more.
So, obviously, I started a newsletter. I created some lead magnets or freebies, and started having people coming my way. The thing is, at the very beginning, when I was just clearing the land for cultivation and with no clear strategy and with zero products or services to offer (yup, I did it that way), I didn’t know what to do with it. I mean, I did, I knew I had to interact with people, but wasn’t ready to put my bets on either of the strategies I have previously seen, and I still haven’t found a way that I felt good with.
One thing led to another. I started my brand photography project, I launched my website, re-vamped my blog, left Instagram and launched The Thriving Creator, my signature program. Things were happening, I was starting to realise my ideas, plans and goals, and things were shifting.
Newsletter: Inspired conversations – coming up
While doing all this, I started coming more and more to myself, understanding where I am, which direction I want to take, and I also wanted to express more as who I truly am. And that wasn’t in a fast paced, short form and short lifespan content I was giving on Instagram, that was full of distractions for myself and for others. For me, that was like consuming fast food, and I’m here to live a mindful life, tailored as it pleases me. I don’t feel like fitting in is my way. To do that, I started becoming even more aware of what I consume and what I create, and I went deep into what is it that I really want to create and how I want to show up.
One of the things I realised I love more than I was ready to admit was writing. Writing blog posts, Instagram posts, newsletters, emails, questions for Interviews, but also answers to the interviews I was invited to. I loved creating my free Create your online business brand guide, and I loved creating The Thriving Creator. Thing is, I loved writing everything I was passionate about, and I loved writing as I felt, not as I was expected or accustomed to. I was still to find my voice.
At some point, it all clicked together, and I figured out I will gather my community around my newsletter that I will be sending out every week. It doesn’t matter the numbers, it doesn’t matter the replies, it doesn’t matter the likes. It is my place, everybody who feels drawn is invited, and everybody who doesn’t feel aligned with what I write about is very welcomed to leave. And come back if they change their mind. You all know where to find me. 🙂 And this newsletter that I send to a beautiful group of creative people opening up to the possibility of making a change and creating a life they love and desire is what I truly enjoy doing.
Inspired conversations: what is it there for you?
What I was going for is a more intimate space where I get to share my thoughts on the world, wrapped around what I was creating. I was going for people wanting to take time and read carefully each time I pop into their private space, and this is the tone I was trying to set from the beginning. I wanted to gather a community of like minded people who are ready to make a change in their lives and go for their dreams.
This is what Inspired conversations newsletter is. My weekly thoughts and insights, experience and everything else that floats around me regarding creative living. There is a lot of personal growth, there is business experience, there are ideas and things to keep in mind. Food for thoughts, the healthy kind.
If you would love to be a part of my journey of building a life and business I once dared to envision and get inspired and motivated to do the same, you can join my weekly newsletters down below or by clicking here.
Take a peek at how it looks like:
A little bit about the process of creating the newsletter
Inspired conversations newsletter has had it’s flow so far, and lately I am playing with thing a little bit. For fun and for play, for inspiration and creativity, for new perspectives and for growth.
I have created a logo made of my existing of brand fonts created by my dear Kath some time ago, and placed it on a few images of mine that will be used as a header.
Once thing I missed having in my newsletters were images. I only had one image in the header so far, and I was changing it every week. Now I would love to add visuals into the newsletter itself – although it does affect the open rate – believe it or not – because of the size. But, you know what? I really like it pretty. 🙂
So, I’ve put some visual content inside the newsletter, and structured the text to be more visually appealing. I used quotes and paragraphs to make the text stand out and bring a sense of interest when reading.
My aim is to write in a storytelling way, to bring you both the story and the outcome, packed as an inspired short read to help you do your thing in the week ahead.
Marina Ćosić, Inspired conversations
If you’re in, make sure to read a desktop version, for a better experience. Make a ritual maybe. Take 10 minutes out of day, maybe a break in-between different tasks and obligations, and have a calm moments to gather your thoughts, and get some inspiration.
Something new coming up
Soon or not, depending when I shall find the next best possible solution around tech, I figured a way to widen the story around newsletters and helping creatives on their own journey of living a life they desire, and I am very excited about the time when it’s ready to launch.
This is what creative life is all about. It is a journey of play, understanding, learning and growing over your old self. It is about solving problems, your own and of others, about patience and consistent action towards your goals.
Marina Ćosić, Inspired conversations
And isn’t this winter a beautiful time to nurture the seeds that will soon be sown, the seeds that have been created in your mind some time ago. If you’re waiting for the right time, it never comes. Do what you gotta do, start small, start today, start somehow.
Dreams are not only possible; they already exist in a simultaneous reality that you need to adjust yourself into.
Dream big, act small & join my Inspired conversations newsletter. The one newsletter that you will actually read. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Until next time sending good vibes your way,
Marina,
