Issue #144 | November 13, 2026 | Previous issues​

Hey Reader,

One of the most frequently asked questions when you're meeting someone for the first time is: What do you do?

It's an innocent question and a great conversation starter.

Except, my brain literally freaks out at that question.

First of all, I'm a writer. Getting words on a page is my work. I wrestle with words and meanings and construct sentences.

But verbally?

I fumble.

Second of all, I do so many things and have so many interests, where do I even start?

I'm worse than a squirrel in a nut field.

My attention is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Everything (well almost everything) is fascinating to me.

I love learning and exploring.

Just for the sake of it.

You can imagine what it does for my focus.

Not much!

This week, I was at the library investigating a new writer's group called Writer's Accountability.

I showed up as my nervous little writer self, aka the new kid on the block.

And the first question came.

What do you write?

That's easy.

I write poetry. Short stories. Novels. Flash fiction. I journal every day. And I'm committed to writing a weekly newsletter.

Then came the problem question: What's your newsletter about?

[INSERT HUGE VERBAL FUMBLE.]

I said something like personal development, stories, inner person, coaching through writing, generosity...literally a hodgepodge of words that probably told them very little about what I actually write about.

So, I need your help.

Human help. Because although I love ChatGPT, it's not the same as getting YOUR answer.

(ChatGPT's reaction to that: "Hahahaha. I appreciate being publicly demoted. 😂")

So what would you say this newsletter is about?

I’m not convinced I’m the best person to answer this question.

Seriously.

What am I doing in your inbox every week?

Why do you keep reading?

I'm genuinely curious because I know what I'm trying to do when I sit down to write. But I have no idea what happens on the other side of the screen.

Maybe you see something in my writing that I can't see myself.

And I wonder if that's true of other areas of our lives, too.

We don't always see ourselves clearly, do we?

Sometimes it takes a friend, a spouse, a child, or even a coworker to point out something we've overlooked.

Maybe it's a strength we don't recognize. Or a blind spot we'd rather not acknowledge.

Of course, asking for an honest perspective takes courage. We might not like what we hear.

But what good is surrounding ourselves with people who only tell us what we want to hear?

Their perspective might not be the whole truth, but it could reveal something worth considering.

And isn't that how we grow?

So, tell me.

If someone asked you what this newsletter is about, what would you say?

And if you haven't got a clue either, well, at least we're in good company. 🤣

Let me know either way.

With love and curiosity,

Anna

P.S. Just hit reply. One sentence or two is plenty. I promise I won't make you explain what YOU do for a living. 🤣

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