FIVE YEARS OF WSG!

& a Crapping, and what is success?

WOW.

Can you imagine I’ve been at this since November 2020? Every Sunday for five years….that’s about 260 posts.

Looking at that first post (see

Claire Messud

below), and I haven’t in a few years, I see what I was going for and where I am and I am generally satisfied. I had an idea that stemmed from a problem, a cough that lasted years, but it (the blog) has evolved into something else.

I used to get sick a LOT. It took years to figure out my health (allergy shots at 52 saved me). I thought, “I wish I had a place to ask questions of women my age, that weren’t weird and I could trust”. Maybe I’d have saved a few years of struggle if I had stumbled upon the right person? I’ll bet I am not alone. Lots of women must have health issues they want to ask sane people about that aren’t doctors so they think as people not practitioners. So began Women’s Survival Guide.

But, how to engage people? Eventually I stole the idea of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. A ditty about life, recommendations and a recipe. I added an interview with a woman that is doing something interesting and some questions I ask every interviewee.

Someday I thought I would start Men’s Survival Guide and Kid’s Survival Guide, too. In the end, I found my experience with midlife women and writing about our collective experiences, and my own, more interesting than talking about health.

As I am also a painter, a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, on a few non profit boards, like to travel, and have trouble focussing sometimes, Women’s Survival Guide doesn’t always get my undivided attention. I fall in and out of love with the process of reading Notes and other people’s writing, of finding people to interview, etc. It’s key to success on Substack, but what is that success? What is success as a blogger (lord I despise that word…it’s so ugly sounding)?

What is success?

In some ways this blog is a total failure. I am not at the 10,000 readers I hoped to have but this point. I did not create the beehive-busy culture of women that I wanted. I never thought about the financial aspect much, so, good news is I am right on target for low profits. I do love my Premium Squad, though. Clearly, they know a good thing when they see it.

But.

I have had many, many meaningful interactions with the women I interview and the women (and men), I correspond with in Notes and comments. WSG is growing! And there is a beehive slowly getting built. I love to make people laugh so when my writing “hits” it feels good (anything “crapping”). Most of the people I approach to be interviewed say “yes,”. I am amazed at how easy it is to get people to spend time talking to me with absolutely no upside for them. I don’t pay and my following isn’t enough to make a huge difference and yet, there they are!

My first interview was my first ask, Claire Messud. Claire is the mom of one of my daughter’s best buds from kindergarten through high school. Someone I knew who was doing something interesting, working as an English professor at Harvard and publishing novels (regularly). She said “yes,” to my ask despite the Holidays lurking so close and I was off to the races, destination unknown with no finish line.

After a lot of bugging I got to

margery eagan

who is a veteran reporter of the coolest kind and has had a beloved NPR (WGBH Boston) program for seventeen years with Jim Braude. I’ve interviewed Elizabeth Mayhew, queen of cakes and The Today Show, Melissa Fetter, creator of a magical bookstore that has become a community touchstone and internet darling. Cindy Sterling who has tried it all in skincare and gives huge discounts on products, and Rose Prieto a skincare Maven and practitioner. Midlife pivot Internet comedienne sensation Colleen Landry, author

Jeanne Blasberg

a midlife pivot to writing three novels and become a farmer, and on and on.

I hope you’ll scroll through the archive posts, because all of these women have started something new in midlife, even if it’s adjacent or completely out there. One thing they have in common? They took risk. Another thing they all have in common? They said “yes” to being interviewed by a woman with no journalistic experience, no track record, an art history major, a mom, a wife, a failed careerist, for no pay and no idea how many people would see their work. They were happy to be a part of something that focussed on midlife women!

What’s next?

This year I began the Maven5Q, which I love. I ask the same five questions of women post fifty. Any woman over fifty. Readers have been engaged and chatty with this new experiment! PS…email womenssurvivalguide@gmail.com me or DM and I’ll send them to you!

I also began doing a vlog a year ago or so. When I do a Maven interview I also do a video and create a podcast and clips, which are fun!

I want to make my Instagram more interesting. A friend told me I should spend more time videoing and less time intellectualizing …make Insta my friend. What do you think?

I thought about renaming the blog, Happy Women Over 50…what do you think? If you’re unhappy and over fifty you will know where to come to get inspired. Same content…Or, should I follow Gwyneth and stick “OO” in my name…WOOSOOG?

I’d like to collaborate with some younger female bloggers. We can prep them for the future and learn something from them, too.

I’d like to start a book club but, I don’t like most “chic lit.” Anyone out there like Irish or Japanese fiction? WWll historical fiction? I do.

I’d like to try live events on Substack.

I plan to start in person events again! I used to do a monthly coffee. I’d also like to travel so if you are in another place and want to get your local ‘Guiders together…let’s go!

THE VERY FIRST WSG POST!

Originally posted December 15, 2020. COVID. I moved my first six posts from a basic web site to Substack at the advice of a friend, thanks you,

Stuart Levinson

!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I am reposting this because I think it is funny and it’s the right time of year to reread it!

ICYMI

That’s all for now and thank you for being a part of Women’s Survival Guide!!