The Monthly RED FERN 🌿 | August Edition
Recommendations, reads & my own goals & projects from August for ALL to read. Includes bonus content from my writing business (earning an income from my writing & videos) for paid subscribers.
Hello and welcome to the August edition of The Monthly Red Fern 🌿.
This is the sixth in my series of monthly articles which brings you not just the books, podcasts and videos I’ve been reading, listening to or watching over the past month but also my goals and the progress or struggles with my writing and writing business. The latter is for paid subscribers only. If you’re interested in my writing journey (which this month details how I’m breaking my bigger goals up into mini-goals and how I’m focusing on writing and videos to earn an income) then upgrade your subscription below.
Books
The Success Myth by Emma Gannon. I’m reading this as part of the non-fiction book club here on THE RED FERN 🌿. I have to say it feels a bit odd to be reading the book when I’m focusing on how I can be more successful with my writing, with growing my reach and how I can earn an income from it - I talk more about this in the My Writing Business section below.
It’s giving me lots of thoughts that I cannot quite pull together yet. Hopefully, I’ll be able to in time for next week’s essay about it.
Television
At Home With the Furys on Netflix. Well, I know nothing about boxing. I’d barely heard of Tyson Fury. But it turns out he’s a British heavyweight boxer and recently retired after achieving everything he could in the heavyweight boxing arena. This fly-on-the-wall documentary follows him as he navigates retirement and discovers he no longer has a life purpose. It was this aspect, and how it so badly affected his mental health, that I found so fascinating. (I had a big breakthrough a few years ago when I discovered my purpose and it really helped my mental health.) You can watch the trailer here.
The Kardashians. Okay, love ‘em or hate them there is something so compelling about the Kardashian family. I’ve just finished season three of their new programme on Disney+/Hulu. Season four comes out at the end of September. There’s an episode where Kim talks about simply working hard when asked for her advice for people who want to be successful…and Emma Gannon mentioned this in The Success Myth. How much of it is working hard, how much is luck? Why are we glorifying overwork? Again, fascinating, I love it when threads join together - I’ll be mulling on this when I go through the book for book club.
Only Murders in the Building on Disney+. I mentioned this is last month’s summary and I’ve just finished watching episode five. I personally think it’s a little slower than the previous two seasons. But it still has me guessing and is throwing lots of herrings, red or otherwise at us.
YouTube
Alexis Eldridge: if I were starting a YouTube channel in 2023…EVERYTHING you need to know about YouTube. You may, or may not have noticed but I’ve returned to YouTube in the last few weeks. Most of what Alexis talks about in her video I already knew but it was handy to have the reminder. If you’re thinking of starting a YouTube channel (and I know there are a few of you who’d love to give it a go but are a bit scared) then this video shares everything you need to know.
Also, I’ll be writing more about my own YouTube (and Medium) journey later this month as part of my paid subscribers offering.
My Own Writing & Content
August was a slower month for me as I processed my ideas, ambitions, projects and goals. This actually took up most of my writing thoughts and I wrote three pieces here on Substack where I realised I was offering courses, masterclasses and live sessions because I didn’t think my writing was enough on its own.
Do you feel your writing is enough? This is free to read until 15th September (before going behind the paywall.)
Believing that my writing is enough. Free to read until 22nd September.
Planning my writing projects in line with my goals. Available until 27th September.
I also published two videos:
My burnout story is a video essay about my burnout.
And I shared my brainstorming and planning process in this video (I also talked more about how I didn’t think my writing was enough).
My latest video (below) was published in September so strictly speaking shouldn’t feature here. But it took me over twelve blimmin’ hours to create so I’m going to promote it as much as possible. (Twelve hours!! Yikes.)
My Writing Business
So, where do I go next with my writing and creativity during September, October and beyond?
Well, I have goals. Big ones. But also lots and lots of mini-goals. I’ve realised that just like I divide my projects up into tiny tasks to make them more achievable and to provide momentum and motivation, I’m also going to do the same with my goals. This is for my books, this Substack, Medium and YouTube. I don’t understand why I didn’t do this before.
And that’s where I go behind a paywall because what I’m going to talk about next is both vulnerable (I talk about earning money from my writing and videos and it makes me feel a bit sick to do so) but also goes into detail about my writing and creative strategies.