Hiya 🌊! I’m Lucy from Hype Yourself. Pop your email in to receive a selection of posts from the 52 PR Tips challenge, personal essays and other good things on self-promotion and creative living.
WELCOME TO THE 52 PR TIPS CHALLENGE - TASK 16
GET PERSONAL:
What is unique to your personality? What can you talk about that isn’t just your business? This could be interesting hobbies, family life or your living circumstances.
If you are new here (Welcome!) you can view all the previous prompt cards to help give you some promotional ideas here.
As a little Summer gift, I wanted to do a quick exercise for everyone this week.
Stay with me.
Don’t mistake being personal or showing a bit of ankle for having to overshare your private life.
It is about helping us distinguish you from others who talk, write, or sell a similar product or service.
I want to help you hype yourself so that you can increase your connection with your audience and have memorability.
I encourage you to think like a magazine; for this week, what would be your equivalent of the horoscope, recipe, Sudoku and gardening pages at the back?
Specifically, what other topics of interest do you like talking about?
What could you talk about with zero preparation?
This is an excellent exercise if you struggle with promotional content and selling. Why not try instead to share stories around your favourite topics but include a call to action about your product or service at the bottom?
Don’t forget to revisit this prompt for more ideas on how to find your story.
I love all of these! We had some recently get an article about doing a life swap abroad once a year. So many of these could work brilliantly for press articles. Just number 1 alone you could carve that up for business pubs, culture newsletters, productivity newsletters! So many ideas. And also the fact that you have not been on here because of travel also makes a great intro to a post before you gave us some tips! Thank you for sharing.
Jillian! Doing me proud, so many great topics here almost with a headline for each. These are PERFECT for pitching out elsewhere? Have you used these in your PR at all?
Think of these subjects as headlines and relook through the collaboration corner directory under this lense? Maybe this gives you new opportunities to pitch. Maybe even a Jess/ Metro pitch
Such a great selection! Thank you for joining in Lauren. Step 2. Try and put a headline against these. E.g. the worst bit / best bit / surprising bit about being Welsh for example.
Me too Francesca! And yes absolutely (I think hooha is a good a spelling as any!) - I hope they'll address it when the show starts back, and address these concerns and issues without losing the "magic".
Haha you can defo see what a weird upbringing I had from this list 😂😂will defo think about how I could link to content. Jessica Fletcher teaches a lot 😂
I bought a Tarot deck and would like to get a new one --- there are mispellings! I have found it interesting to learn how to read Tarot, but I've got much to learn. I like to pull cards, then journal on them after I read what it means.
Yes! I can be similar on that too. We often only see it when people are at the advanced stages of reading so actually stories from a beginner could be a refreshing read.
Ooh, I sometimes watch big engineering project videos on YouTube as a mental switch-off (as it’s totally different to anything I ever think about for work). I watched one last week about a six month live-in project in the Antarctic and my imagination went wild with “What would that be like?”. I’d deffo be interested to hear/read about that!
Permission granted to Hype Yourself over here! I will always encourage you to share a link to articles. Make it super easy for people to read your bits, especially if they have already given a nudge to say they are interested in what you talk about. Many people are scanning on their phones so you are actually doing them a favour sharing a link to your writing. ❤️
Thank you Lucy. No I've never tried pitching on Geneva tips – only on jewellery design and my own brand ! My questions are: isn't there enough journalists writing on this topic? Why would they feature my name anyway? In fact, I'm not sure what angle to use when pitching about food in Geneva.
Great question 🙋🏻♀️ so I don’t necessarily mean pitching as like a travel journalist more as a ‘My Geneva - from perspective as jewellery designer’ for example. Or perhaps you giving tips on a podcast. Or maybe you are even writing about it in a newsletter to your own audience.
I’ve written about travelling with kids for a fitness / lifestyle online publication in the past. It was just a chance to reach and connect with a new audience that might want to read my book. And gives me something to talk about to connect with my audience. Perhaps there is an expat or travel Substack publication that looks at top ten list type pieces that you could contribute too? Just throwing ideas around to help people get out of only talk about their business as a way to make connections and promote themselves but open them up to a wider audience.
Hi Minh! I live above Nyon! I’m in my Spanish house at the moment, near Girona, but I’m happy to find another person in Geneva on here. Where’s the best coffee then?!
My Top 5 topics I could talk about without any preparation:
1. Fragrance. I am infatuated by every aspect. I write about it for my substack, but I don't get paid, so it isn't really work and really doesn't feel like it.
2. Fashion. Both consumer and business side of things. Which creative director is moving where? When is London Fashion Week and why should I care? Which shoes are going to rock my world over and over again? etc. etc.
3. Self-optimisation. It makes me feel a bit bilious writing that, but I really do believe that we all deserve to improve our lives and find ways to expand ourselves to become better. That could be softening how you talk to yourself, whipping your ass into gear, taking on a creative hobby that makes your heart sing, or eating more greens.
4. London. The city is endless, whether looking back through history or looking at the present day.
5. Champagne and English sparkling wine. The producers, the products, the flavour profiles. I find it all fascinating and have been told I am quite receptive in recognising qualities and notes, which made me all the more happy about my increasing interests. There are English sparkling wines that are genuinely exceptional, and I am more than happy to be shouting about them
*in addition to point 3, I could talk all day about how past struggles do not define us, and how right now, we can take steps shape beautiful futures. It takes work and self-belief, but it is something we can all achieve.
I love these - for bonus points can you tell me about types of book? A particular lesson from marketing, life as an immigrant from which country to another?
I can talk about fiction forever😅. Marketing for me is like art; you can be as creative as an artist, create a brand that resonates with its target audience, and become a part of their lives. Isn’t that amazing? I moved from Tehran to London two years ago, and I have loads of insights about my life to talk about.
That’s good, I have a memoir in progress. I don’t feel much like a creative entrepreneur, really. Just a writer, back to being freelance. I’ve done nearly 30 years of teaching and mentoring and no longer want to spend time on that.
Well that’s true enough, I guess. I don’t have any doubts about being A Creative. As creative as they come. But I don’t relate to ‘creative entrepreneur’ at all. I’d obviously like to get much better at getting people to know about me and my books, though, or I wouldn’t be here :-). Thanks, Lucy.
This is interesting! Maybe it's a term I use too much for my members, I see all the writers, authors, speakers, artists, photographers, service providers as creative entrepreneurs. And I probably have bracketed podcasts or newsletters in that group so it's really interesting to me as maybe you are not alone with not connecting with that title. We are here to help champion you, your books and your next chapter!
I haven't before - but I recently applied for something where I'd be able to talk about journalling and stationery and pull it into the context of my work as well, so I have my fingers crossed for that!
Oh now I wonder what cheeses are banned. I'm a fellow cheese snob but it's possible we are snob about different cheeses 😅.
Also please what's a TV show that was cancelled in a devastating place? I'll be thinking about this all night now but I have a terrible memory for endings so it's already bugging me.
Well, for a start, all things blue are absolutely verboten in my book! Get that stink off my cheeseboard, if you please.
My personal least favourite was FlashForward - they did a cliffhanger and then got cancelled immediately, v embarassing for everyone. More recently, 1899, although I read what the writers had planned so I've more or less recovered. Classic examples would be Farscape (the main characters are both apparently dead! Surely they will explain this in the next season opener! ope - there is no next season opener) and Firefly, but both have had TV specials or movies to finally tie things off, so those aren't as frustrating as they could have been. See - I can talk about this all day 😂
Oh noooo. Not blue cheese. Now I need to fight you because I love blue cheese and come from a blue cheese region of France. My personal verboten cheese is those fake hamburger cheese slices wrapped in individual plastic. That's just not cheese. Also roquefort is the one blue cheese I will not touch.
And thanks for the example of shows with dramatic cancellations. I shall never start those shows to avoid heartbreak. I also managed to remember 2 of my fav shows that never got an ending: Pushing Daisies and GLOW. Both great shows that ended too soon 😢.
Bah... You will at this stage perhaps not be surprised to hear that I love the plastic cheese. Precisely because it is cheap and tacky and fake and awful, haha. Sometimes you just want trash.
Haha I love that we have different snobbiness. That's also exactly what my partner tells me about the plastic cheese when I argue that it's not cheese and shouldn't be anywhere near our kitchen 😂
I thought we were going to get into cheese wars - love the respectful agree to disagree on what is / isn't acceptable cheese. I feel a cheese debate podcast coming on...
1. The clubbing and electronic music scene in London over the past 25 years
2. Ibiza
3. Veganism
4. Altered states of consciousness
5. Functional fitness exercise
I once put a load of clubbing stuff on my Stories on my work Instagram, thinking I was on my personal account…. and got a very cool client who said “I knew I’d get on with you when I saw what music you’re into”!
IBIZA! My romcom is set in Ibiza!!! It's one of my favourite places in the world. And I love electronic music, all the Café del Mars, and loads of other Ibiza-ish music from the past 30 years or so. I'm going to follow you!
I just scanned through the titles of your articles on Substack and look forward to having a read! I had a spiritual epiphany on the terrace at Space Ibiza at 7am on a Monday morning in 2002, after being on the island less than 48 hours, and have loved it ever since…
This is such an eclectic mix I love this. Sounds to me like these could be carved up to create some broader PR pitches outside of leadership. For example, you could talk about relocation and then give a plug to the book but the main theme is lessons learnt from that?
Oooh, I love coat of arms. I often refer to it as ‘showing a bit of ankle’.
And yes, reading these lists makes me feel like I know everyone just that little bit better, and it’s been a joy watching people connect with each other in the comments.
Isn’t that the joy of the art journal though… you can play around and make the “worst” art (if there is such a Thing) and then close it up for no one else to see!! Have a good day!!
We kept them as pets for nine years! They all have their little personalities. We had chicks in the pandemic - it was a blast but it’s mucky work too! Fresh eggs have been lovely!! ❤️
Majestic clifftops, dreamy waves at Godrevy, pasties from St Agnes bakery, tapas at Porthmeor beach cafe (I have a LOT of food related faves, haha), bbqs on the beach, sunset swims at Perranporth, driving the coastal route to Sennen, SENNEN...I could keep going and going. LOVE 🥰
Not an expert but can talk about them in depth. My husband has a TGA and was one of the first children to have the LeComte manoeuvre (this was his doctor in fact) and my second child has a coarctation of the aorta, truncus arteriosus and stenosis of the RPA, my third has just a small teeny issue biscupid aorta valve - but barely. Quite the collection
Certainly! I’ve condensed my memoir on moving to Mexico and posting a chapter every other week on my Substack. Titled: Where the Sky is Born—Living in the Land of the Maya. And nice I can post a link. This is to my latest post-- Why the Ancient Maya Remained Steeped in Mystery. https://mexicosoul.substack.com/p/why-the-ancient-maya-remained-steeped
Over here permission always granted to Hype Yourself. Always feel like you can share a link to your work. Makes it easier for the person on the other side to find your writing.
I'm a first time visitor to your site and this is the first post I clicked in to read. So many interesting topics from all over, so I'm gonna spend some time here.
Couldn't help but jump in with my own 5 topics:
1. Stuff about Singapore, especially the food and the language (we call it Singlish)
2. What's real and ridiculous working in a law firm
3. Fashion accessories, especially earrings
4. Breaking out of comfort zone
5. Romance novels, self-help books, chinese songs (and lots of random stuff)
Hey @Moon Arica welcome welcome! Lovely to meet you. I LOVE your five. Very unique and some great topics for podcasts and guest articles. Look forward to seeing more.
Lucy, you are a genius! Here I was thinking my 5 are very diverse and disconnected and you suggested a podcast. I would not have thought about it. It’ll be a big step for me though as I write better than I speak. Thanks for this, I’ll be following you closely to emulate and learn.
Thanks Lucy, really great to see what other people are hyping and topics that they can talk about without prep. Going to do this and try not to think too hard:
1) My postgrad dissertation about women and strength training
This was such a good exercise! My first thought was immediately “umm, I don’t think I even have five things?” Ha! And then, as I realized, I most definitely do.
I then realized this is a big hang up for me, as I keep putting off diving into my own Substack because I can’t figure out if I have one pub that’s “business/brand/marketing” related, and another that’s “life, thoughts, personal essays/lessons etc.” I cannot figure out how these topics all work together. Anyways! Is it clear yet that I can go on and on? 😂
What I could talk about to no end /
1.) The constant daily intersection where deep grief meets deep joy (learned the hard way from numerous close family deaths, infertility, and now my wild and miraculous and very loud three bebes)
2.) Offline is where it’s at, especially for media/online business owners/entrepreneurs, and both how much we miss of our lives and can glean from putting our phones away… in the same (ish?) breath, a life first business, or a life first work environment
3.) Lessons and observations from mamahood
4.) Purposeful marketing / brands that hit you in the heart… more heartbeat type marketing/copy/the brand experience as a whole… vs trendy algorithmic ploys at marketing
5.) Other big feeling creatives and how they’ll save this world from imploding… their art, stories, photos, routines, homes, bags, etc
6.) Bonus, of course! Color and the importance of leaving sad beige behind
Now then, I'm definitely a fan of one-size-fits-no-one, particularly when it comes to advice about anything BUT I will see that if your audience is the same then I would keep it on the same publication. You could always do the more personal essays as a separate section that people can opt out of. e.g. like with a newspaper you choose to read sport, news, food, lifestyle etc (except I would always unsubscribe from sport) so your publication can be the same.
I however went for a everyone gets everything and actually I find it gives me a deeper connection with my paid subscribers as I essentially keep the most personal back for them.
I grew up in Idaho. The mountains are where I feel the most at home. I will move back eventually. My dad died there and his home is there - another reason I feel more at home there. It is so beautiful and peaceful back in my small hometown on the river, nestled in the hills of Custer County. As far as walking queen... well, I made it up because I walk SO much and tend to record a lot of my talking heads while walking, and often talk about the health benefit of walking. Maybe I will have a tank top made with #walkingqueen on it.
Oh gosh, my Colorado daughter moved back to NY and I have another one in Florida sooooo... hard to take the plunge to move that far from them. Can't they just follow me to Idaho!!?? I've been saying I will move in 2 years for the last 10 years... I've lost my dad and a sister since. That right there makes me want to get back West where much of my family lives. I think when it feels right, we will know.
Thank you so much for sharing! My next note would be can we drill down in these a bit. What specifically about house decor and gardening for example? Do it on a budget? Do it with a friend? For beginners? Advanced?
I'm really interested in learning about budget-friendly home decor, particularly through DIY projects and thrifting. I want to find tips on refreshing my space without spending too much, and I'm also curious about eco-friendly options like upcycling and using sustainable materials.
For gardening, I'd love to learn how to start a garden on a budget and make the most of small spaces, like balconies or indoor areas. I'm also drawn to sustainable gardening practices, such as organic gardening and water conservation. These topics are both practical and inspiring, offering a mix of creativity and environmental consciousness.
Goodness what are my nerdy topics on which I can keep talking?!
1. Peggy Guggenheim (art collector: did my PhD on her)
2. Doctor Who (old and new)
3. Emmy Bridgwater (Birmingham UK surrealist artist: did my undergraduate project on her)
4. John Lennon and the Beatles (Lennon's assassination happened at a formative point in my teen years)
5. Books (we had just over 5900 earlier this year; truthfully we'll have broken 6000 by now 🤣)
I'm a slow runner (parkrun is gold!), a slow sewer, a decent knitter and a moderate crocheter. I'm not (yet) an author on Substack though I've toyed with the idea.
There are SO MANY great topics of passionate interest here from you all!
Diving in to also make myself accountable. Ironically my 5 are heavily linked to travel which is the main reason I haven’t been on here for a while:
1. Travel, travel for business, hotel tips, packing tips etc
2. Living in Paris & Monza - life as an expat
3. Fitness, running & runs around the world
4. Time out / mental heath - my annual Thailand trip
5. 90s nostalgia
I love all of these! We had some recently get an article about doing a life swap abroad once a year. So many of these could work brilliantly for press articles. Just number 1 alone you could carve that up for business pubs, culture newsletters, productivity newsletters! So many ideas. And also the fact that you have not been on here because of travel also makes a great intro to a post before you gave us some tips! Thank you for sharing.
Ahh the 90s!
I feel a. 90s thread / dedicated Substack could do well
Hold my coffee! LOL
😂
You'd have at least one subscriber! 🙋♂️
I am there with you on the 90s nostalgia!
It's been a surprising winner.
LOVE your 5!
Thank you! I’m feeling inspired to get promoting now!
WHOOP! This is exactly what we want to happen. Hurrah! Keep me posted.
My Top 5 topics I could talk about without any preparation:
1. Cooking- everything from knife skills to pairing flavors to no-recipe recipes. I love it.
2. Mindfulness- I’ve been meditating for 8 years and could blab the benefits all day.
3. Stress management- trading escapism for what really works.
4. Books!
5. Toddler mom-ing and navigating big feelings
Jillian! Doing me proud, so many great topics here almost with a headline for each. These are PERFECT for pitching out elsewhere? Have you used these in your PR at all?
I haven’t! Trying to think of what that might look like. Any tips?
Think of these subjects as headlines and relook through the collaboration corner directory under this lense? Maybe this gives you new opportunities to pitch. Maybe even a Jess/ Metro pitch
ohhhh I like your take on stress management!
Thanks! It took years to realize that a lot of wellness industry things sold as “stress relief” don’t really make the positive impact we want.
That is another great title for a piece too! You are spitting them out now Jillian!
Thanks Lucy! ❤️
Can I invite myself back to your podcast so we can talk books? Pleeeeeeease 🙏
Maybe this is your sign that it’s time to start your own and have me on 😬
Deal. Once I figure out how to use my microphone 😂
Loving reading everyone's topics here and on notes today, and it's really got me thinking!
Here goes ....
1. Books, any, but perhaps specifically Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Quartet
2. Coffee and cake
3. Strictly Come Dancing
4. The gut-brain axis
5. Being Welsh
Such a great selection! Thank you for joining in Lauren. Step 2. Try and put a headline against these. E.g. the worst bit / best bit / surprising bit about being Welsh for example.
Thank you for the prompt Lucy! I'll get thinking around that this week 😊
Oh I love Strictly! So sad though about the recent hooha about it. Not sure how to spell hooha 🤔
Me too Francesca! And yes absolutely (I think hooha is a good a spelling as any!) - I hope they'll address it when the show starts back, and address these concerns and issues without losing the "magic".
Yes! I hope so too.
Hit brain axis is a great one to have. Love this.
Thanks Jon! It'd be even better if I could put that knowledge into practice more often 😄
Hard to whittle down to five things…
1. Murder, She Wrote
2. Dirty Dancing
3. Agatha Christie books (and TV / film adaptations)
4. Carry On films
5. The Beatles / David Bowie / 90s music (I know technically three categories but I couldn’t choose!)
Haha - I will let you off. So. Many. Questions.
Can we link / apply these to content. What Agatha Christie taught me about XX sort of vibes?
Haha you can defo see what a weird upbringing I had from this list 😂😂will defo think about how I could link to content. Jessica Fletcher teaches a lot 😂
Jessica Fletcher gifs are a vibe! Special edition podcast episode incoming? 🤣
On it 😂
An all rounder. Love these, great list.
Love MSW! It's like a comfort watch even with all of the murder...
Have you come across Murder, She Cooked here on Substack?
What?! No I haven’t!! Thanks for the flag. Yes, it’s a definite comfort watch. I’ve even got the husband into it 😂
Such a cool idea. Diving into my 5 before I overthink it:
1. Knitting
2. Clinical Biochemistry & Diagnostics
3. Tarot & crystals
4. Walking in the Lake District
5. Bullet journaling & productivity
This is quite the collection! I love it. 😍
I bought a Tarot deck and would like to get a new one --- there are mispellings! I have found it interesting to learn how to read Tarot, but I've got much to learn. I like to pull cards, then journal on them after I read what it means.
Yes! I can be similar on that too. We often only see it when people are at the advanced stages of reading so actually stories from a beginner could be a refreshing read.
Such a fun exercise!
1. Having spent 6 months living in a remote settlement in the Arctic (including learning how to shoot a rifle for polar bear protection)
2. MMOGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games) - yep, hidden nerd inside
3. Hunter Gatherer knowledge
4. Functional & digestive health
5. The fun of being a highly sensitive creature
Ooh, I sometimes watch big engineering project videos on YouTube as a mental switch-off (as it’s totally different to anything I ever think about for work). I watched one last week about a six month live-in project in the Antarctic and my imagination went wild with “What would that be like?”. I’d deffo be interested to hear/read about that!
You can read about it in my publication section "Postcards from the Arctic" and I plan a few more posts in the future, too!
Permission granted to Hype Yourself over here! I will always encourage you to share a link to articles. Make it super easy for people to read your bits, especially if they have already given a nudge to say they are interested in what you talk about. Many people are scanning on their phones so you are actually doing them a favour sharing a link to your writing. ❤️
Aye aye, Ma‘am 🫡 Thanks 😅😃
Good job x
And here’s the section link to my postcards from the Arctic ☺️ https://hejfabienne.substack.com/t/postcards-from-the-arctic
#1 is fascinating!
It was a unique experience!
Oh this is a really fun idea! I think maybe mine would be:
1. Sustainability and minimalism (people rarely ask me about this haha)
2. The science and psychology of friendship relationships
3. Books I've read/ fantasy fiction in general
4. Gardening and complementary plants (this is starting to get towards my work but I swear it's tangential!!!)
5. Guinea pigs guinea pigs guinea pigs :) :)
Haha - I love the guinea pigs, guinea pigs, guinea pigs. Now, have you pitched talking about these to any other substack newsletters or podcasts?
LOVING the enthusiasm that comes through in number 5!
Me too! It was infectious huh!
What a FUNNNN list!
Super fun!
Oh my goodness I can talk about Drag Race all day and never get sick of it. What a great show. Anyways I think mine would be:
- drag race
- Asian immigrant story
- mental health
- working in start ups/small business
- moving from Australia to Denmark alone with no job or friends
We might need to swap notes on drag race, specifically, do you think Ru watched the Paris Olympics opening ceremony and felt proud of his gals...
So many topics here that I think would work great for podcast topics or press articles.
He's so proud of his girls! it's crazy how he made men dressed as women mainstream haha
Ooo yeah great ideas! ♥️
I mean historically it was mainstream, all the old aristocrats were wearing wigs, heals and make up back in the day.
Great challenge! My 5 are:
* Bass guitar playing
* Grammar rules
* Sighthounds
* Music and mindfulness
* Fishkeeping
It's fabulous to read everyone else's 5 things!
🤩
Fantastic selection. Fishkeeping is a new one! Love it 🥰
My top 5 topics:
1. Yoga
2. Burn-out
3. Eating out in Geneva
4. Best coffee in Geneva
5. The life of a HPI in a standardized world
Love these and thank you for sharing! Have you pitched the Geneva tips to any local Geneva pubs or travel pubs?
Thank you Lucy. No I've never tried pitching on Geneva tips – only on jewellery design and my own brand ! My questions are: isn't there enough journalists writing on this topic? Why would they feature my name anyway? In fact, I'm not sure what angle to use when pitching about food in Geneva.
Great question 🙋🏻♀️ so I don’t necessarily mean pitching as like a travel journalist more as a ‘My Geneva - from perspective as jewellery designer’ for example. Or perhaps you giving tips on a podcast. Or maybe you are even writing about it in a newsletter to your own audience.
I’ve written about travelling with kids for a fitness / lifestyle online publication in the past. It was just a chance to reach and connect with a new audience that might want to read my book. And gives me something to talk about to connect with my audience. Perhaps there is an expat or travel Substack publication that looks at top ten list type pieces that you could contribute too? Just throwing ideas around to help people get out of only talk about their business as a way to make connections and promote themselves but open them up to a wider audience.
Hi Minh! I live above Nyon! I’m in my Spanish house at the moment, near Girona, but I’m happy to find another person in Geneva on here. Where’s the best coffee then?!
I love this connection - maybe you two can start the Substack Geneva coffee parties!
I think we might have to. Plus I ended my coffee ban yesterday since not drinking it doesn’t make any difference to my issues apparently!
I went right to eating and coffee!
I love to see what we connect on. It's so fascinating.
This was a fabulous prompt to get people chatting and smiling!
I think I might need to do it annually!
Picking 5 is hard! But voila:
1) Ibiza
2) Dressage and horses
3) Ricky Martin
4) Pilates
5) Chronic illness (I have IBD)
There just has to be a ‘my fandom of Ricky Martin led to my work turned into a film script’ type storyline somewhere
I think there is 😂
My Top 5 topics I could talk about without any preparation:
1. Fragrance. I am infatuated by every aspect. I write about it for my substack, but I don't get paid, so it isn't really work and really doesn't feel like it.
2. Fashion. Both consumer and business side of things. Which creative director is moving where? When is London Fashion Week and why should I care? Which shoes are going to rock my world over and over again? etc. etc.
3. Self-optimisation. It makes me feel a bit bilious writing that, but I really do believe that we all deserve to improve our lives and find ways to expand ourselves to become better. That could be softening how you talk to yourself, whipping your ass into gear, taking on a creative hobby that makes your heart sing, or eating more greens.
4. London. The city is endless, whether looking back through history or looking at the present day.
5. Champagne and English sparkling wine. The producers, the products, the flavour profiles. I find it all fascinating and have been told I am quite receptive in recognising qualities and notes, which made me all the more happy about my increasing interests. There are English sparkling wines that are genuinely exceptional, and I am more than happy to be shouting about them
*in addition to point 3, I could talk all day about how past struggles do not define us, and how right now, we can take steps shape beautiful futures. It takes work and self-belief, but it is something we can all achieve.
My 5 Topics would be:
1. Books
2. Coffee
3. Cats
4. Marketing
5. Life as an immigrant
I love these - for bonus points can you tell me about types of book? A particular lesson from marketing, life as an immigrant from which country to another?
I can talk about fiction forever😅. Marketing for me is like art; you can be as creative as an artist, create a brand that resonates with its target audience, and become a part of their lives. Isn’t that amazing? I moved from Tehran to London two years ago, and I have loads of insights about my life to talk about.
Perfection. Love all of these extensions. Can't wait to see more!
1. Christopher Marlowe
2. DIY/woodworking
3. Growing up with nudists
4. Beekeeping
5. Swimming
Damn, just saw Deborah’s & should have added home education!
I will let you add it posthumously.
Growing up with nudists sounds like a Guardian article to promote a memoir.
I feel like beekeeping / DIY woodworking could be flipped into a great headline for creative entrepreneur publications.
That’s good, I have a memoir in progress. I don’t feel much like a creative entrepreneur, really. Just a writer, back to being freelance. I’ve done nearly 30 years of teaching and mentoring and no longer want to spend time on that.
I think being a write puts you in the creative bracket AND we all have to be a bit entreprenurial when it comes to getting our books out. 😉
Well that’s true enough, I guess. I don’t have any doubts about being A Creative. As creative as they come. But I don’t relate to ‘creative entrepreneur’ at all. I’d obviously like to get much better at getting people to know about me and my books, though, or I wouldn’t be here :-). Thanks, Lucy.
This is interesting! Maybe it's a term I use too much for my members, I see all the writers, authors, speakers, artists, photographers, service providers as creative entrepreneurs. And I probably have bracketed podcasts or newsletters in that group so it's really interesting to me as maybe you are not alone with not connecting with that title. We are here to help champion you, your books and your next chapter!
Alright, let's see...
1. Chronic illness
2. TV shows that were cancelled in really devastating places
3. Embroidery and beadwork
4. Stationery
5. Bullet journalling and collage
I wanted to put cheese down also but I am a cheese snob and can only talk about *some cheeses*; the other branches of the cheese family are dead to me
haha. I am into the idea of a 'some branches of the cheese family are dead to me' vibes.
Such a wide range of topics here, have you ever tried these for guest articles / podcast topics?
I haven't before - but I recently applied for something where I'd be able to talk about journalling and stationery and pull it into the context of my work as well, so I have my fingers crossed for that!
That sounds great. Keep us posted. And whilst you wait, maybe you could do a few other pitches?
Ahh bullet journalling I must do that again!
I absolutely swear by it!
Oh now I wonder what cheeses are banned. I'm a fellow cheese snob but it's possible we are snob about different cheeses 😅.
Also please what's a TV show that was cancelled in a devastating place? I'll be thinking about this all night now but I have a terrible memory for endings so it's already bugging me.
Well, for a start, all things blue are absolutely verboten in my book! Get that stink off my cheeseboard, if you please.
My personal least favourite was FlashForward - they did a cliffhanger and then got cancelled immediately, v embarassing for everyone. More recently, 1899, although I read what the writers had planned so I've more or less recovered. Classic examples would be Farscape (the main characters are both apparently dead! Surely they will explain this in the next season opener! ope - there is no next season opener) and Firefly, but both have had TV specials or movies to finally tie things off, so those aren't as frustrating as they could have been. See - I can talk about this all day 😂
I LOVE this.
Oh noooo. Not blue cheese. Now I need to fight you because I love blue cheese and come from a blue cheese region of France. My personal verboten cheese is those fake hamburger cheese slices wrapped in individual plastic. That's just not cheese. Also roquefort is the one blue cheese I will not touch.
And thanks for the example of shows with dramatic cancellations. I shall never start those shows to avoid heartbreak. I also managed to remember 2 of my fav shows that never got an ending: Pushing Daisies and GLOW. Both great shows that ended too soon 😢.
GLOW!!! Oh my god. It was heartbreaking.
Bah... You will at this stage perhaps not be surprised to hear that I love the plastic cheese. Precisely because it is cheap and tacky and fake and awful, haha. Sometimes you just want trash.
Haha I love that we have different snobbiness. That's also exactly what my partner tells me about the plastic cheese when I argue that it's not cheese and shouldn't be anywhere near our kitchen 😂
I thought we were going to get into cheese wars - love the respectful agree to disagree on what is / isn't acceptable cheese. I feel a cheese debate podcast coming on...
I’m intrigued by the TV show cancelling! And the cheese-snobbery!
I was as well! I feel like I could get sucked into this whole new world...
Oooh I like this! Restacked with my five:
1. The clubbing and electronic music scene in London over the past 25 years
2. Ibiza
3. Veganism
4. Altered states of consciousness
5. Functional fitness exercise
I once put a load of clubbing stuff on my Stories on my work Instagram, thinking I was on my personal account…. and got a very cool client who said “I knew I’d get on with you when I saw what music you’re into”!
Commented on your restack and you may now pass GO and collect your virtual Hype Bonus Points 😂
IBIZA! My romcom is set in Ibiza!!! It's one of my favourite places in the world. And I love electronic music, all the Café del Mars, and loads of other Ibiza-ish music from the past 30 years or so. I'm going to follow you!
I love this! Perfect example as well of what I was saying, by sharing a bit of personal it helps us all to connect without sharing our private life.
I just scanned through the titles of your articles on Substack and look forward to having a read! I had a spiritual epiphany on the terrace at Space Ibiza at 7am on a Monday morning in 2002, after being on the island less than 48 hours, and have loved it ever since…
I had a spiritual epiphany on the terrace at Space Ibiza at 7am on a Monday morning in 2002
What a headline! I would read that / listen to that podcast episode.
I love that too. We should do a podcast together!
1. Coping with the busyness of being a mum
2. My feelings about writing and launching a book
3. Getting ready to go on holiday and how I’ll switch off from work
4. Running the local youth club and local community events I get involved in
5. Moving to Somerset from London
I love this - have you pitched to your local pubs about the local youth club and commuity events that you do and link as being local author?
What about a marketing / book-ish publication to talk about your feelings on the writing / launching a book?
Partenting pub / podcast / newsletter for how to switch off from work / coping with busyness of being a Mum.
Even though they are not directly to your book, you could use these angles to pitch and then get your 'new book' mentioned as part of the story?
THanks for these ideas! It'll be a year of running the youth club in sept so could do a link with that !
Perfect - 'local author and youth club founder'...
Could you invite local mayor / person of interest / do soemthing to mark the occasion with a picture story / invite broadcast down?
In a sign of how much I have work on the brain I went with work first, attempt two...
1. Growing up in the Isle of Man
2. Invisible illness - my experience of ME/CFS
3. Cheerleading
4. Giving up alcohol
5. Couch25k and babies
This is fun!!
1. Moving from Welsh Valleys to London
2. Reflexology
3. Japan the place and Japanese the language
4. Wales the place and Welsh the language
5. Cars
This is such an eclectic mix I love this. Sounds to me like these could be carved up to create some broader PR pitches outside of leadership. For example, you could talk about relocation and then give a plug to the book but the main theme is lessons learnt from that?
This is cool! I always forget the easiest things are usually what people relate to the most. Some of us call it a "Coat of Arms."
Mine are:
1) Slow travel
2) Photography
3) Healing or energy work
4) Books I'm reading - what I'm reading in general
5) Conversations with friends
Oooh, I love coat of arms. I often refer to it as ‘showing a bit of ankle’.
And yes, reading these lists makes me feel like I know everyone just that little bit better, and it’s been a joy watching people connect with each other in the comments.
1. Home decor
2. Art journaling
3. Beach
4. Getting into exercising
5. Knitting
Soo fun to see how we all are wired so differently!! Love this!b. Xoxo
I've seen a few knit types - surely we have an knitting interview series somewhere on Substack?
I personally LOVE art journaling. I'm terrible at art but I find it great.
Isn’t that the joy of the art journal though… you can play around and make the “worst” art (if there is such a Thing) and then close it up for no one else to see!! Have a good day!!
Yes! Quite right. It's my most private place apart from my family who see it when we do it together!
1. Keeping Chickens
2. Coastal living
3. Creativity
4. Lady Gaga
5. Coffee
Lady Gaga at the Olympic opening ceremony.
On creativity - can we drill it down, creativity for beginners? What creativity did for you? How you harness it?
Coffee - how to make a great one? Where the love affair started? Give me more..
OMG - started watching but I need to google what time she's on as there was so much chat I was falling asleep.
Creativity for wellbeing, staying creative on Substack, using creativity to bust out of old paradigms.
Coffee = survival mate. I could say more but you know! 🌝
Chickens! I need to know more 😀
We kept them as pets for nine years! They all have their little personalities. We had chicks in the pandemic - it was a blast but it’s mucky work too! Fresh eggs have been lovely!! ❤️
Ahhh that's a dream of mine!
Wing chun
Animation
Detective Fiction
Cal Newport
Huey Lewis and the News
Loved doing this it was so mind opening
I LOVE your selection; what an eclectic five. I feel like there are so many possibilities here for further writing!
For shizzle, you are right there.
Huey Lewis is underrated. His cameo on The Blacklist was great.
I agree. The man can sure pen a pop song too. He was great in the film Duets too. His back catalogue is astounding really.
Ah this is such a fun one! I found it hard to whittle down but here are my 5:
1. Music (bands I love, songwriting, playing guitar)
2. PCOS (the frustrating symptoms and things that have helped me)
3. Cornwall (my absolute favourite place to be)
4. Surfing (fave spots, my love of the ocean, learning in California)
5. Food (all of it, ha).
I could rewatch your bts of making kids birthday cake ups and downs for forever.
Haha, I took your advice and wrote a blog post, which also went out to my email subscribers 😁
https://www.leylaalexander.com/blog/freelance-lessons-from-sweet-mistakes
YES! Will dig into this when not drowning in babies and children
Cornwall! ❤️ I’m (a Texan) married to a good old Cornish boy and we dream every day of Cornwall (especially when it’s sunny 😂).
LOVE seeing these connections. What are our favourite Cornish things I'm wondering..
Majestic clifftops, dreamy waves at Godrevy, pasties from St Agnes bakery, tapas at Porthmeor beach cafe (I have a LOT of food related faves, haha), bbqs on the beach, sunset swims at Perranporth, driving the coastal route to Sennen, SENNEN...I could keep going and going. LOVE 🥰
Aw, yay! I'm always dreaming of Cornwall. Just been down from Manchester for a long weekend and had the best time.
1. Sex over 60
2. Dirty blues from 1939s-40s
3. Online dating tips
4. Being a digital nomad
5. Making money from affiliate marketing
I love these Suzanne. Remind me, Have you already written / been featured in media quite a bit for number 1?
Oooh I’m finding this hard. So much is related to my work….
1. Books I love
2. Swimming and its benefits
3. ADHD
4. Pygmy hedgehogs
5. Forensic science
That isn't necessarily a bad thing as you can easily make the link between the passion point article and the work.
Books you love are broadly from which genre?
How did you get into swimming / what are the lessons learnt from this?
When was the pygmy hedgehog moment?
How do you juxtaposition gardening v's forensic size?
OK, here goes
1. Why vitamin k is essential for bone health
2. Lace knitting v. Knitted lace
3. Mindfulness
4. Three meals I can make from scratch in under 20 mins
5. The technical rules of pole vault
I thought of you and our last chat when I set this task. Immediately, you have some great topics for podcasts and other newsletters. I love it.
I’ve been pondering how to implement your suggestions! This challenge actually is really helpful
I am so pleased. It can be hard sometimes just in written comments to pull out the stories but hopefully you can see just how many you have!
Hello! I’m wondering why you are an expert in congenital heart diseases- I hope you know about them in a good way?
Not an expert but can talk about them in depth. My husband has a TGA and was one of the first children to have the LeComte manoeuvre (this was his doctor in fact) and my second child has a coarctation of the aorta, truncus arteriosus and stenosis of the RPA, my third has just a small teeny issue biscupid aorta valve - but barely. Quite the collection
OH wow!! Definitely an expert- what a series of defects. So good to know everyone is thriving :)
Sounds fun! My 5 topics I could talk about without any preparation are:
1. Mindfulness
2. Art of Bullshitting
3. Biopsychology of a healthy life
4. Medical hypnosis
5. The absurdity of the contemporary world
I love the juxtaposition of 1 and 2.
Congenital heart defects, too! Now I want to connect with you more. I am just meeting you:).
Aww - it’s a lot. Sending love.
Following this task and comments as it's a topic I find really difficult! At the moment I've got three...
1) Procrastination and productivity
2) My campervan/travels (a 'Covid made me do it' life change - pre-Covid you would not find me anywhere near a campsite!)
3) Books / searching for 'free libraries' eg converted phone boxes/bus stops!
Wow. What a great 3 though. Could we do a map or a listicle of the best free libraries and where they are?
Hi, and thanks for the prompt!
1. Moving to the Mexican Caribbean and building a house there.
2. Opening a bi-lingual bookstore in a fishing village in Mexico.
3. Living in Hawaii.
4. Traveling in Central and South America.
5. Being a reporter on a small town newspaper.
Great topics. Thank you for sharing. I want to know about all of these!
Certainly! I’ve condensed my memoir on moving to Mexico and posting a chapter every other week on my Substack. Titled: Where the Sky is Born—Living in the Land of the Maya. And nice I can post a link. This is to my latest post-- Why the Ancient Maya Remained Steeped in Mystery. https://mexicosoul.substack.com/p/why-the-ancient-maya-remained-steeped
Over here permission always granted to Hype Yourself. Always feel like you can share a link to your work. Makes it easier for the person on the other side to find your writing.
Ooh I love this!
1. Perimenopause
2. RHONJ
3. Step parenting
4. Food
5. New York City
Hello Lucy,
I'm a first time visitor to your site and this is the first post I clicked in to read. So many interesting topics from all over, so I'm gonna spend some time here.
Couldn't help but jump in with my own 5 topics:
1. Stuff about Singapore, especially the food and the language (we call it Singlish)
2. What's real and ridiculous working in a law firm
3. Fashion accessories, especially earrings
4. Breaking out of comfort zone
5. Romance novels, self-help books, chinese songs (and lots of random stuff)
Hey @Moon Arica welcome welcome! Lovely to meet you. I LOVE your five. Very unique and some great topics for podcasts and guest articles. Look forward to seeing more.
Lucy, you are a genius! Here I was thinking my 5 are very diverse and disconnected and you suggested a podcast. I would not have thought about it. It’ll be a big step for me though as I write better than I speak. Thanks for this, I’ll be following you closely to emulate and learn.
In picking my five things, I wanted to focus on topics that not everyone can talk about. These are all discussable facts about me and my experiences.
1. Becoming pregnant (2020) and a parent (2021) during the Pandemic.
2. Later in life motherhood. I'm a Gen X Mom to a Gen Alpha toddler.
3. Returneeism. After having my son, I moved back to my hometown.
4. Raising a Coronial and how that may be different.
5. Being a product of the Portuguese diaspora and what it's like being third gen born here.
Thank you for sharing @Beth Ann Gallagher - this is such a lovely insight into your world. Excellent!
Lovin this post
1. Being on the road (campers and a 5th wheel)
2. Being a serial Sabbatical taker
3. Playing in the Canadian Rockies - my 10 year adventure
4. Year round sea swimming (in a swimsuit)
5. Raving in the 90s 😝
Serial sabbatical taker is a GREAT title! I would be pitching that.
Thanks Lucy, really great to see what other people are hyping and topics that they can talk about without prep. Going to do this and try not to think too hard:
1) My postgrad dissertation about women and strength training
2) My mum's lasagne
3) Strangely, UK politics (weird politics geek)
4) Being a classroom teacher
5) Can I also borrow Fiona's 90s nostalgia?
You can always borrow of course. Love this list. I hear a good story coming up with your Mum's lasagne.
Haha I think there could be, although the angle might be that I have never been able to make it as good as her
This was such a good exercise! My first thought was immediately “umm, I don’t think I even have five things?” Ha! And then, as I realized, I most definitely do.
I then realized this is a big hang up for me, as I keep putting off diving into my own Substack because I can’t figure out if I have one pub that’s “business/brand/marketing” related, and another that’s “life, thoughts, personal essays/lessons etc.” I cannot figure out how these topics all work together. Anyways! Is it clear yet that I can go on and on? 😂
What I could talk about to no end /
1.) The constant daily intersection where deep grief meets deep joy (learned the hard way from numerous close family deaths, infertility, and now my wild and miraculous and very loud three bebes)
2.) Offline is where it’s at, especially for media/online business owners/entrepreneurs, and both how much we miss of our lives and can glean from putting our phones away… in the same (ish?) breath, a life first business, or a life first work environment
3.) Lessons and observations from mamahood
4.) Purposeful marketing / brands that hit you in the heart… more heartbeat type marketing/copy/the brand experience as a whole… vs trendy algorithmic ploys at marketing
5.) Other big feeling creatives and how they’ll save this world from imploding… their art, stories, photos, routines, homes, bags, etc
6.) Bonus, of course! Color and the importance of leaving sad beige behind
I'm totally with you on colour!
Now then, I'm definitely a fan of one-size-fits-no-one, particularly when it comes to advice about anything BUT I will see that if your audience is the same then I would keep it on the same publication. You could always do the more personal essays as a separate section that people can opt out of. e.g. like with a newspaper you choose to read sport, news, food, lifestyle etc (except I would always unsubscribe from sport) so your publication can be the same.
I however went for a everyone gets everything and actually I find it gives me a deeper connection with my paid subscribers as I essentially keep the most personal back for them.
I hope that helps!
I have been thinking about adding something like this. Thank you for this invitation.
1. clothing & what I love to wear
2. emotions
2. cryptocurrency -- it's a hard left, but I'm fascinated and think it's going to change the world
3. supporting people through divorce
4. shopping second hand
5. learning how to co-evolve with a brilliant husband who has severe ADHD
Great topics here. I am interested in learning more on all of these and I think it would help your audience to connect with you too!
Love this!
1. George Michael- how he’s made me a more open theatre artist
2. Moving to country Derbyshire and away from all Theatre infrastructure
3. ADHD- how it impacts me as a mother and theatre artist
4. Perimenopause and raising a 4 year old
5. Female friendships and how we need them in our 40’s as much as our 20’s, if not more!
Amanda - so many great topics here.
Many of which I think would make great guest articles / audio notes / mini vids.
I think there is something about moving and refinding female friendships too!
Thanks, I really need to get proactive with seeking out guest spots
1. permaculture and veggie gardening
2. scuba diving
3. triathlons
4. dog training - why yes I just got a puppy and am doing the talking-dog buttons
5. Mandarin Chinese & Hong Kong
Haha - congrats on the new puppy.
I know NOTHING about permaculture gardening. Great intro.
Ohhhh this is fun!
1. Idaho: my always home
2. Day trips: planning, places to go, where to eat, etc.
3. Food, cooking and nutrition - I can't help it
4. Joy: how to cultivate more joy in life and stress less
5. Fitness and walking (I dubbed myself the #walkingqueen)
Ooooh - this is RICH. I want to know why Idaho is your always home AND what makes you the #walkingqueen - is there a soundtrack, a routine, an outfit?
I grew up in Idaho. The mountains are where I feel the most at home. I will move back eventually. My dad died there and his home is there - another reason I feel more at home there. It is so beautiful and peaceful back in my small hometown on the river, nestled in the hills of Custer County. As far as walking queen... well, I made it up because I walk SO much and tend to record a lot of my talking heads while walking, and often talk about the health benefit of walking. Maybe I will have a tank top made with #walkingqueen on it.
Just wondering what stops you from moving back now? Or do you have a plan / timeframe to get back there?
The merch sounds great!
Oh gosh, my Colorado daughter moved back to NY and I have another one in Florida sooooo... hard to take the plunge to move that far from them. Can't they just follow me to Idaho!!?? I've been saying I will move in 2 years for the last 10 years... I've lost my dad and a sister since. That right there makes me want to get back West where much of my family lives. I think when it feels right, we will know.
Maybe it will just catch you unawares sometime?
Love this Lucy.
I could talk about:
Musical Theatre
Rediscovering raving in my mid 40's
My love of tartan noir detective novels
The month long workation I take every summer
Running a business with no bs.
These are fabulous - I think so many of these would make great first-person /real-life interview pieces!
I can talk about this all day long....
1. Cooking, love to try new variations and combinations.
2. House decor and gardening.
3. Exercising and healthy habits.
4. Traveling and sight-seeing.
5. Mindfulness and meditation.
Thank you so much for sharing! My next note would be can we drill down in these a bit. What specifically about house decor and gardening for example? Do it on a budget? Do it with a friend? For beginners? Advanced?
I'm really interested in learning about budget-friendly home decor, particularly through DIY projects and thrifting. I want to find tips on refreshing my space without spending too much, and I'm also curious about eco-friendly options like upcycling and using sustainable materials.
For gardening, I'd love to learn how to start a garden on a budget and make the most of small spaces, like balconies or indoor areas. I'm also drawn to sustainable gardening practices, such as organic gardening and water conservation. These topics are both practical and inspiring, offering a mix of creativity and environmental consciousness.
Yes! The eco-friendly options I think are fascinating particularly in the types of materials used!
We have a great gardening expert in here called Kendall, you should connect with her, maybe there is a collab... https://adventureswithflowers.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
Thank you, Lucy. I will definitely connect with her. So exciting!!!
This is a great post! It made me dig deep, to so much life experience I’d forgotten about. Thank you!
Home schooling
Religion, the Bible and cults
Gardening
How to make stone patios and walls
Meditation and breathing
Oh this is fun and it should be a thing on dating apps.
Here are my 5:
* A lot of TV shows! Even if I haven't seen the show I probably can still talk about it 🤣
* Horizon Zero Dawn & Forbidden West games
* My dog and dog training stuff
* Ice cream
* Lesbian romance novels
Goodness what are my nerdy topics on which I can keep talking?!
1. Peggy Guggenheim (art collector: did my PhD on her)
2. Doctor Who (old and new)
3. Emmy Bridgwater (Birmingham UK surrealist artist: did my undergraduate project on her)
4. John Lennon and the Beatles (Lennon's assassination happened at a formative point in my teen years)
5. Books (we had just over 5900 earlier this year; truthfully we'll have broken 6000 by now 🤣)
I'm a slow runner (parkrun is gold!), a slow sewer, a decent knitter and a moderate crocheter. I'm not (yet) an author on Substack though I've toyed with the idea.
There are SO MANY great topics of passionate interest here from you all!
Topics I could talk about (excluding adversity & rare disease since they're a key part of my newsletter already)
1. The writing life
2. Basketball
3. US History
4. European History
5. Boston
I need to know about the snacks! Tell me more.