This is very interesting. During the pandemic I had started an "email friendship" group based on the very premise that people nowadays are pressured into answering texts right away, and if they go unanswered for days for God knows what reason, you are immediately deemed a bad friend. But life gets busy, and sometimes it's nice to be caught off guard by good narratives.. so good job!
I’ve wanted to try this for a while and I’m glad to see substack embracing it. The short-form, rapid-fire “debate” format of Twitter, etc. has not advanced our discourse, but ruined it. It’s time for respectful, thoughtful, considered conversations, and this seems a good place to start.
Nov 22, 2022·edited Nov 22, 2022Liked by Clyde Rathbone
Interesting! I know politics are popular, but I can see this going in quite a few different directions. For people writing in the music space, it could be fun to debate the merits (or lack thereof) of a specific artist/song/album. Same story with book and/or authors.
Great idea. Wish we could augment this with a pen and quill or fountain pen experience. There’s something magical about leaving marks on parchment or paper.
I like the letter writing genre! It'd be rad if there were automated tools for navigating / linking back-and-forth between entries. For example, in this one you used as an example...
...I had to visit the second author's Substack to see if he responded. If the first author's post automatically linked to the second entry, because it was part of the chain, I think that'd be pretty cool.
Excellent advice! I can always express any thought or position better in written form, including expressing congratulations, thanks, love and sympathy. Positing an opinion without the burden of controlling emotions (via live discussions) is so much better. Although I do enjoy direct conversations, opinions are easier to express if one isn’t struggling to control associated emotions. Thank you!
What an excellent idea! I'm going to bring this to the attention of some of my fellow SubStackers.
I'd spent many an hour immersed in the words of Jawaharlal Nehru - his letters from jail (gaol) to his daughter Indira Gandhi. Such a magical form of expression.
Thank you. One remark, though: I couldn't find a direct way to read the correspondence in order, linking from the end of letter 1 to the beginning of letter 2 and so on. Must we go back and forth between the substacks of the writers, searching for the next letter? A promising new feature like this one can be accompanied by a small tweak to the reading experience, allowing for a fluent read.
Hope you'll consider this and thank you for your creativity and work!
This is an intriguing idea! I’ll be very interested to see how other non-politically focused substacks use this feature. I’d be more than happy to try it out.
This is very interesting. During the pandemic I had started an "email friendship" group based on the very premise that people nowadays are pressured into answering texts right away, and if they go unanswered for days for God knows what reason, you are immediately deemed a bad friend. But life gets busy, and sometimes it's nice to be caught off guard by good narratives.. so good job!
Seems like a genuinely good thing for discourse. Excited to see how people use it.
Edit: I’m already coming up with ideas for my own publication. If anyone here is interested in correspondence, let me know!
It’s christmas every week when you’re on substack. A gift almost every week!
I’ve wanted to try this for a while and I’m glad to see substack embracing it. The short-form, rapid-fire “debate” format of Twitter, etc. has not advanced our discourse, but ruined it. It’s time for respectful, thoughtful, considered conversations, and this seems a good place to start.
Steadfastly attempting to revive it over here too. https://news.lettersofnote.com
Interesting! I know politics are popular, but I can see this going in quite a few different directions. For people writing in the music space, it could be fun to debate the merits (or lack thereof) of a specific artist/song/album. Same story with book and/or authors.
Fantastic way to connect writers. Genius. You guys are on fire at the moment. In a good way. Twitter is on fire in the other not good way.
Great initiative - I'm off to find someone I disagree with
Great idea. Wish we could augment this with a pen and quill or fountain pen experience. There’s something magical about leaving marks on parchment or paper.
Such a wonderful edition to the platform. Y’all are killing it
Really love this idea 💕
I like the letter writing genre! It'd be rad if there were automated tools for navigating / linking back-and-forth between entries. For example, in this one you used as an example...
https://adamd.substack.com/p/letter-1-cancel-culture-is-a-myth
...I had to visit the second author's Substack to see if he responded. If the first author's post automatically linked to the second entry, because it was part of the chain, I think that'd be pretty cool.
Excellent advice! I can always express any thought or position better in written form, including expressing congratulations, thanks, love and sympathy. Positing an opinion without the burden of controlling emotions (via live discussions) is so much better. Although I do enjoy direct conversations, opinions are easier to express if one isn’t struggling to control associated emotions. Thank you!
What an excellent idea! I'm going to bring this to the attention of some of my fellow SubStackers.
I'd spent many an hour immersed in the words of Jawaharlal Nehru - his letters from jail (gaol) to his daughter Indira Gandhi. Such a magical form of expression.
Thank you. One remark, though: I couldn't find a direct way to read the correspondence in order, linking from the end of letter 1 to the beginning of letter 2 and so on. Must we go back and forth between the substacks of the writers, searching for the next letter? A promising new feature like this one can be accompanied by a small tweak to the reading experience, allowing for a fluent read.
Hope you'll consider this and thank you for your creativity and work!
This is an intriguing idea! I’ll be very interested to see how other non-politically focused substacks use this feature. I’d be more than happy to try it out.