The Subtext

Let go of the pressure to immediately turn on “work mode.” Instead, challenge yourself to break out of your typical routine. Take a morning side quest or brush up on a forgotten hobby, and you may notice your creative gears turning a little faster once you’re back at your desk. 🌟🌱 Words of wisdom from Betsy Dickerson ⬇️

#gigalert 💡

To put it mildly (or not so mildly), LinkedIn can feel like a wasteland of performative posturing–especially when you’re on the job hunt. Here’s Andrew Boulton to the rescue, with a guide for keeping your sanity and scrolling in check. Is it just us, or is it getting kinda meta in here? https://lnkd.in/gsg9WqdS

If you’re hungry for inspiration without endlessly scrolling, start with our new newsletter, Marginalia. Think moodboards, hot takes, snarky copy commentary, brand spotlights and more. Subscribers, check your inbox to read our first edition. If you’re just now joining us, you can subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gcDtvNqk

Brand writers can wear many titles: content designer, verbal specialist, verbal designer or plain ‘ol copywriter.  Is it reductive to say that we only write, especially when titles like “content designer” can seem more dynamic? At Duolingo, Mary van Ogtrop's team moved  from “content design” to centering writing at the core of what they do: https://lnkd.in/g5VwjPxU

Ever feel like your sources of inspiration are falling flat, or that every brand is kinda looking the same these days? 🤔 In her interview with The Subtext, Nihilo co-founder Margaret Kerr-Jarrett has some powerful advice: “Look to culture, history, art, and literature as your inspiration, not other brands. Stop trying to impress other people; impress yourself.” https://lnkd.in/gWiJBTxS

Snapshots from our Better Together Buzz event with AIGA Atlanta last week. It was an inspiring evening of collaboration, creativity and community building! 🤝✨ Huge thanks to Gregory Castel for capturing the night so perfectly and Wild Heaven Beer for keeping us hydrated. 😉🍻 We also want to extend a big thank you to Ampersand for allowing us to use your wonderful space for the event. Were you there? Drop a comment with your favorite bingo box ⬇️

Some of us are natural writers, some of us stumbled into it. However you got here, waking up every day and choosing to commit to writing requires a deeper motivation. We all have our unique “why” that keeps us coming back, powering through blank screens and blocks, typing away. So, we’re curious. Why do you write?

If you’re feeling fatigued by the constant cycle of less-than-inspiring online inspiration, you’re not alone. 📖 🔍 Contributing writer Emily Coyle suggests four books that take us back to a time when inspiration could be found in the woods and online gurus were unheard of. Check out In the Margins Pt. 3: https://lnkd.in/gQUzaB-y

Show your work! 📣Turns out the way you work out your ideas is just as important as the final answer–in both math and writing. 📝✨Read Contributing Writer Dan Steiner’s take on how the journey of problem-solving and sharing your process can impact your writing: https://lnkd.in/gyQw_-Sa