I'm grateful for you, this year

Here's to 2025!

2025 has changed my life.

I tried to think of a less corny way to say that but couldn’t find the words. Ultimately, my life is different because of everyone reading this post, and I’m so proud of that.

I’ve been freelancing on and off for around eight years now, with mixed results. But thanks to Substack (a now two-year process for me), and your support, this year has been the best by far. And I don’t just mean ‘earnings’, though I’m grateful that this has also been a strength for me this year.

Being able to grow the Freelance Writing Network to 16,000 subscribers, reach 1,000+ paid subscribers in November, place one spot below THE Margaret Atwood on the literature board, and engage in such a welcoming and thoughtful community throughout the year has been humbling.

So here’s to more of the same next year, right?

What will I be focusing on in 2026?

Consolidation and diversification.

I anticipate that 2026 will be busy for me, with a potential house purchase, 300 miles away from my current home, on the horizon.

With this in mind, I want to build deeper, more intentional foundations with what I’ve already created. That means I’ll be doubling down on areas that work, and focusing on increasing readership of my newsletters. 2025 was a little wild for me, and not everything I tried came off, so I want to be a little more mindful about the steps I take.

The aim is for every experiment, every collaboration, and every new project to ladder up to a clearer, more coherent vision of what Freelance Writing Network and Grow Your Newsletter are here to do.

Diversification will mean expanding within a clearer structure, most likely focusing on new revenue streams and partnerships that align with the core mission instead of pulling away from it.

These systems we work from are so incredibly fragile that I refuse to be held hostage to the whims of ‘tech bros’. The people at Substack seem smarter than most, but since this is now my primary livelihood, there isn’t a rat’s chance in hell that I’m trusting anyone but me to look after myself.

So I’ll be consolidating what works, and diversifying where necessary to reduce reliance on any single platform. And I can’t wait to get started.

What will you be focusing on?

I’d love to know what you’re working on in 2026.

Is it growing your audience? Writing with a more consistent cadence? Experimenting with new content formats or monetisation strategies? Or perhaps it's something completely different: simplifying your workload, honing your niche or taking more creative risks.

Whatever it is, I want to hear about it. So leave a comment and let me know!

And last of all, please have a lovely New Year celebration.

I hope the holiday period has been peaceful and has allowed you to take time to rest and reflect. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2026!

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P.S. It’s the last day for tax write-offs in the US…

I offer private, 1-2-1 coaching for newsletter writers at any stage in the process, whether you’re launching, stuck or scaling. I’ll audit your current newsletter and we’ll work together to fix what’s not working, then build a clear plan for growth.

Sessions are tailored to exactly what you need: launch planning, content strategy, monetisation, audience building, or a full deep-dive into your setup.

And it’s a good time to note that today, December 31, is the last day to write off business expenses if you’re in the US. Book a coaching session today and you can claim it on this year’s taxes while setting yourself up for growth in 2026!

Reply to this email or book here to get started.