Some Great News and a Black Friday Request

(credit: Jun // Getty)

[For those who want to listen to this on-the-go, the audio version should be up on Apple’s podcast website soon. You can also listen here.]

Good morning, folks!

I know you’re busy today shopping and working and packing and eating leftovers, so I’m gonna make this quick.

I formally launched Charlotte’s Web Thoughts (CWT) in July after signing a development deal with Substack, and I’ve been blown away by the attention this little blog has received in the past five months.

An early example was when Wired senior editor and writer Angela Watercutter prominently featured The Lasso Test (from this CWT essay) in a piece about conversations on mental health in pop culture. A more recent example, from this week, is when Times Union sports columnist Joyce Bassett featured a CWT essay I wrote about trans kids in her annual piece on how to support women and girls in sports.

A few days ago, I received news that W. W. Norton & Company, the famous publisher best known for its literature anthologies, has selected my CWT essay “They Called Me a Girl Before Anyone Else Did” for a forthcoming textbook meant to instruct students on writing. As the nerdy kid who loved Norton anthologies growing up, I had to pinch myself when seeing this. The thought that students will formally learn how to write by reading one of my essays is honestly surreal.

Because of CWT’s growing popularity, I was invited to moderate a panel next month for The Wrap’s annual Power Women Summit called “Breaking Barriers: Redefining the Status Quo of Your Industry”, featuring fashion designer Mimi G., Olympic gymnast Peng Peng Lee, and actor Zyra Gorecki.

You all have helped build this, and I can’t thank you enough for it. Your support and enthusiasm for my writing is what made this happen. You are the reason this is a success. It’s hard to believe I’m finally realizing my dream of writing for a living, and it’s because of you.

Substack has been urging its writers to take advantage of Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, by asking free e-mail subscribers to consider a paid subscription, and despite my reluctance to make such a direct request, I figured it wouldn’t hurt given that your inboxes are full of similar requests. I’m just another email today!

Although Charlotte’s Web Thoughts will always be free to read, this is also my primary source of income and my passion project. I am absolutely grateful for free email subscribers because they help get the word out, but if you’re willing to either buy a subscription or gift a subscription to friends, family, and colleagues, it would mean so much to me.

And if you wish to stick with the free email subscription, just know I’m grateful for your readership and always will be!

Get some great rest this weekend, y’all.

And Happy Holidays!

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Hi, I’m Charlotte Clymer, and this is Charlotte’s Web Thoughts, my Substack. It’s completely free to access and read, but if you feel so moved to support my writing, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription: just $7/month or save money with the $70/annual sub. You can also go way above and beyond by becoming a Founding Member at $210.

You can also follow my work on Twitter