The B-Roll #26

My life currently revolves around volleyball but more on that next time

This is the twenty-sixth edition of my weekly(ish) newsletter, The B-Roll. Thank you for coming along for the ride. If you think someone in your life might also enjoy these letters, please share this with them.

Hey friend,Change has been on my mind a lot lately. 

Well, not change, exactly, but evolution.

Because change is inevitable. Whether we like it or not, change happens, and it’s safe to say that a lot has changed in the past five years.

My challenge has been to evolve to keep up with these changes without changing the fundamentals of how I present myself in the world.

I am a storyteller.

I am a writer.

I am an Amplifier.

I write. I connect. I ramble. 

I get comfortable, mainly in how I show up in this space we call the internet.

I can keep up with the evolution of technology with the best of them, but how do I connect with those around me when it comes to my writing?

Man, I am fucked.

Because I got comfortable. I’ve been blogging forever, and then one day, the blog communities disappeared because “personal blogging” changed, so I stopped. By then, I had Twitter, so I could keep building community. 

I tried Patreon. I tried Substack. I tried different blogs. I tried LinkedIn. I tried Mailchimp once, left for Substack, and here I am again. 

Side note: If this is the first edition of my newsletter you’re receiving after signing up and you’ve made it this far, please bear with me and don’t unsubscribe until you’ve read the next edition. You just happened to catch me mid-evolution, and you’re getting a look inside the gooey part of the metamorphosis.

But I was comfortable because I had my Twitter community, and no matter where my writing showed up, I didn’t have to become a digital creator.

And then, poof. 

Here we are again.

I simply want to write, but I’m also a professional marketer who knows how to play the game. 

I also lost my writing mojo for a long time, so it didn’t matter that I didn’t have a “home” because I didn’t have much writing to share, and that’s changing again.

So, I’ve been thinking about evolving to keep up with the changes in a way that doesn’t force me to become a digital creator. When it comes to connecting with you through my writing, I don’t want to play the algorithm game. I save that for my clients.

“Alright, Berrak, get to the point.”

The point. 

The point is that some changes are happening because I’m once again overcome with the drive for multiple projects, but my ADHD meds are helping me plan, sort of.

The short answer is that nothing will change for you as far as this newsletter is concerned. It will still be sent out weekly(ish) in its current format.

Long answer: I’m moving to a new platform where the idea of The B-Roll will evolve into something I haven’t quite figured out yet, and the next time you get this newsletter, it might come from a different email platform. But the subject line will always be “The B-Roll #:[title]”

I want to write, but I also began writing online at 16. Nearly two decades later, it’s time for another phase in my evolution, as if I’m a fucking Pokemon. And apparently, my masters are the internet and the attention economy. 

Bottom line: Fuck the algorithm but fuck if I’m going to let it keep me from connecting with the people who matter the most, like you.

SHARING CORNER: Just a sample of links from my browser history

• Do you love romance books, discovering new authors, and helping save lives? Then have I got a deal for you.  

• My new three-syllable writing mantra(via Ann Handley's newsletter, which you should definitely subscribe to)

• Looking for book recommendations? Polygon has a list of 25 must-reads for this summer. Have you read any of them?

Staying connected and a tiny ask for help

Making the choice to leave Twitter has been difficult for me. My account is still active but I am no longer posting or engaging there. If you’ve done the same or you’re also active on any of the following platforms, let’s please get connect:

• Threads - This is where I’m the most active 

• Mastodon - Second most active (or getting back into it after a few months)

• Bluesky - Starting to really explore this one

I also left Substack, so my venues for sharing and growing this newsletter have shrunk significantly. If you do enjoy it and know someone else who would, please share with them.

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Thanks for reading this far, friend. As with everything in life, this is a continuous work-in-progress and you can always hit "Reply" to give me feedback, commentary, or your thoughts on the topic of the letter.Until next time, I wish you a sane and healthy week.With love,