The design of the book cover feels less welcoming to me than the title. It looks like every generic business-bro make-a-profit book on Amazon that I know I don’t want to read as soon as I look at it. They all have that same look/feel.
That said, “world-class” does definitely make me think you’re talking to someone who isn’t me—someone who is all about that same business-bro mentality, not someone who is coming from a place of creative discovery and sharing.
If it weren’t for this post, I would assume you’re talking to someone else with this project, not me.
This is exactly why I felt it was important as close friends who use Substack have also told me the 'title' put them off... because we all have a different relationship with the words 'world class'.
Do I need or want to be the best in the world? No not at all but it's such a subjective thing and I wanted the title to help folks feel confident in Russell and my teaching.
My relationship with 'world class culture' was a twenty year journey and one I'm incredibly proud of.
The one on the book is an invitation to take up space to co-create with your readers, to own your wisdom, you work, your world here on Substack and to set 'audacious' goals if and when it serves you to do so.
As for the cover for me it was about clarity of communication for people who haven't heard of Substack and/ or people who are new here. Russell is very good at clear communications. If left to me, I probably would have just put a fairy and a laptop on there or comissioned an artist to do something spirally lol but that would have put his audience off and confused them.
So I needed to go with the cover and trust the process and hope that my audience could see themselves in something that is way deeper than a title and cover of a book. More an invitation to a journey.
I've published at least three books worth of content on here on Sparkle so in all honestly the book is more an 'affordable' 'nice to have' and a way to have the information in the palm of your hand with new takes and our timelines and stories woven through it.
It's a gift of service from Russell and I to help simplify the process of what you need to do to step up and grow here if that's your goal. Lovely to meet you here. I enjoyed thinking about this further ... ✨ 📖✨
Sorry you feel that way. Not every book will be designed for every person. I’m biased since I designed it, but I think it is appropriately designed for its purpose. I guess to go off Claire’s post, is your visceral reaction because you don’t feel comfortable thinking about what you’re creating as world-class?
I wonder how you expected me to respond to this comment, Russell. It seems designed to push my buttons rather than to elicit a meaningful response--especially your question, which not only ignores the answer I'd already provided in the comment you replied to, but also projects a wild assumption onto me with no basis in fact. I will not dignify it with further comment.
Okay. I am legitimately interested in why you had a negative reaction to the word world class. You are the person who said it "definitely make me think you’re talking to someone who isn’t me". I wasn't trying to throw shade. Admittedly, I had a viscerally negative reaction to you calling the book I spent a year researching and designing, and the cover I constructed "generic business-bro make-a-profit book on Amazon". I guess I expected on you to self-reflect on what it was about the word "world class" that made you react that way. I know nothing about you, and when I have a question, I don't play the troll game. If I ask a question, I am genuinely curious. I do not expect you to respond to this, but if somebody else reads it, I want them to know I wasn't trying to get a rise out of you, even if it did.
also 'he' isn't doing anything, the book is co written by a man and a woman. the details are in the original piece, it's a kickstarter but I believe the e-book is about 10 dollars
I use that word intentionally in the title, but that doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.
Maybe you think “World Class” means making the most money. I don’t, personally.
To me having a world class publication means having the ability to connect on the deepest level with the most readers who resonate deeply with your message in a way that compels them to fall in love with your work.
That is a worldclass skill. If you are striving for at least that, you then will resonate with our book.
Branding, audience growth, monetization, and all that other stuff revolves around becoming a world class writer, and a world class writer means developing the skill to find and connect with your ideal readers on the deepest level.
If your ideal reader can come to your page, immediately know they are “home”, and have a visceral positive reaction to your work within seconds, then you have a world class publication. The rest of it is all semantics.
We couldn’t have called the book; how to faff around on Substack for a year or how to build a half arsed Substack - no one would have bought it but those things probably will happen and they are ALL part of the process. ------ omg thiiiiiiis! so grateful to hear honesty and floundering is also part of the process until you find your groove and flow
I think world class is always going to be a tad provocative but I think that is also useful! to me, world class is aspirational, and I am always that and therefore it appeals to me. I think of myself as world class because I think LOTS of people are - I feel it means that wherever I go, geographically or otherwise, I can and will be appreciated by the right people for me, because I am good enough. I am world class :)
For a great example of how world class might be understood, listen to ten minutes of 1:09 to 1:19 of the podcast url above. Claire and Russell—I think you’ll both enjoy it.
This post felt very timely for me! Not sure if you or Russell have any religious affiliations, but as a Christian I've been thinking a lot about how I can reflect God into the world. Using my Substack to do that is becoming more and more a thing I want to do. World class feels synonymous with a reflection of Jesus to me. (Not for everyone, of course, but since "world class" is subjective I feel okay in saying this here). So I'm excited to read your book and do more to make that a reality.
I wear my crucifix every day Lindsay and I am glad to find your words here. My work is in service to creatives and I am guided to do it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your heart with us. ✨💕✨
SUCH a wonderful pep talk for a Monday morning - and totally captures the vibe I always get from Sparkle on Substack. Thank you for sharing Claire: you've totally connected with my 'why' for lots of what I did in my old professional life!
YES! I have a class on this which focuses on moving our instagram content over to Substack and if you head into your welcome email there's also a free one called 'Just Write and Send a Newsletter in Substack' - that would be a great start. Myself and a mother artist called Sarah Shotts did a year long creative project called The Magic Mundane - you might fancy a look - https://www.sarahshotts.com/the-magic-mundane - we were just at home for the most part and it was about capturing something magic in the mundane in the life we had with our little ones. xx
The design of the book cover feels less welcoming to me than the title. It looks like every generic business-bro make-a-profit book on Amazon that I know I don’t want to read as soon as I look at it. They all have that same look/feel.
That said, “world-class” does definitely make me think you’re talking to someone who isn’t me—someone who is all about that same business-bro mentality, not someone who is coming from a place of creative discovery and sharing.
If it weren’t for this post, I would assume you’re talking to someone else with this project, not me.
Thank you for sharing that Nancy!
This is exactly why I felt it was important as close friends who use Substack have also told me the 'title' put them off... because we all have a different relationship with the words 'world class'.
Do I need or want to be the best in the world? No not at all but it's such a subjective thing and I wanted the title to help folks feel confident in Russell and my teaching.
My relationship with 'world class culture' was a twenty year journey and one I'm incredibly proud of.
The one on the book is an invitation to take up space to co-create with your readers, to own your wisdom, you work, your world here on Substack and to set 'audacious' goals if and when it serves you to do so.
As for the cover for me it was about clarity of communication for people who haven't heard of Substack and/ or people who are new here. Russell is very good at clear communications. If left to me, I probably would have just put a fairy and a laptop on there or comissioned an artist to do something spirally lol but that would have put his audience off and confused them.
So I needed to go with the cover and trust the process and hope that my audience could see themselves in something that is way deeper than a title and cover of a book. More an invitation to a journey.
I've published at least three books worth of content on here on Sparkle so in all honestly the book is more an 'affordable' 'nice to have' and a way to have the information in the palm of your hand with new takes and our timelines and stories woven through it.
It's a gift of service from Russell and I to help simplify the process of what you need to do to step up and grow here if that's your goal. Lovely to meet you here. I enjoyed thinking about this further ... ✨ 📖✨
Sorry you feel that way. Not every book will be designed for every person. I’m biased since I designed it, but I think it is appropriately designed for its purpose. I guess to go off Claire’s post, is your visceral reaction because you don’t feel comfortable thinking about what you’re creating as world-class?
I wonder how you expected me to respond to this comment, Russell. It seems designed to push my buttons rather than to elicit a meaningful response--especially your question, which not only ignores the answer I'd already provided in the comment you replied to, but also projects a wild assumption onto me with no basis in fact. I will not dignify it with further comment.
Okay. I am legitimately interested in why you had a negative reaction to the word world class. You are the person who said it "definitely make me think you’re talking to someone who isn’t me". I wasn't trying to throw shade. Admittedly, I had a viscerally negative reaction to you calling the book I spent a year researching and designing, and the cover I constructed "generic business-bro make-a-profit book on Amazon". I guess I expected on you to self-reflect on what it was about the word "world class" that made you react that way. I know nothing about you, and when I have a question, I don't play the troll game. If I ask a question, I am genuinely curious. I do not expect you to respond to this, but if somebody else reads it, I want them to know I wasn't trying to get a rise out of you, even if it did.
maybe that's the point? Why can't we aspire to be world class, what is stopping us?
Hi, Sarah.
That wasn't my point.
Nothing should stop you aspiring to anything.
My point is that the book title indicates the authors claim they can help you build a World Class Substack.
Nothing to do with your aspirations.
But, that is a massive claim, because I am sure you will agree a World Class Substack is a rarity - not commonplace.
Examples of World Class Newsletters - The Hustle. Milk Road, and Morning Brew are worth $millions.
So, I would expect the book to cost - a - lot of $s.
Hope that explains what I meant better.
James
Not really but thanks anyway.
also 'he' isn't doing anything, the book is co written by a man and a woman. the details are in the original piece, it's a kickstarter but I believe the e-book is about 10 dollars
I use that word intentionally in the title, but that doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.
Maybe you think “World Class” means making the most money. I don’t, personally.
To me having a world class publication means having the ability to connect on the deepest level with the most readers who resonate deeply with your message in a way that compels them to fall in love with your work.
That is a worldclass skill. If you are striving for at least that, you then will resonate with our book.
Branding, audience growth, monetization, and all that other stuff revolves around becoming a world class writer, and a world class writer means developing the skill to find and connect with your ideal readers on the deepest level.
If your ideal reader can come to your page, immediately know they are “home”, and have a visceral positive reaction to your work within seconds, then you have a world class publication. The rest of it is all semantics.
Deep.
That's the word.
Lot of work for me to do.
Thank you for this insight!
✨
It’s a great title and I love how you’ve articulated it here ✨
Thanks Trudi. 💖
I think the title works. It straddles that line of familiar without dipping into cliche.
I'm very excited to read it and up my Substack game.
✨✨ no cliches here! PROUD of our partnership and our originality!
We couldn’t have called the book; how to faff around on Substack for a year or how to build a half arsed Substack - no one would have bought it but those things probably will happen and they are ALL part of the process. ------ omg thiiiiiiis! so grateful to hear honesty and floundering is also part of the process until you find your groove and flow
Totally - honestly I had a good faff with a word mark just this morning then abandoned it as 'done enough' in favour of writing lol xx
Love it Claire 😀 thanks for the endless inspiration and enthusiasm 😍
You are welcome always Petal - this felt a firey one!
I can't wait to have the book in hand! Congrats. I so enjoy your writing!!
Oh that’s so beautiful of you to say Caroline. ✨✨✨💕✨✨✨
I think world class is always going to be a tad provocative but I think that is also useful! to me, world class is aspirational, and I am always that and therefore it appeals to me. I think of myself as world class because I think LOTS of people are - I feel it means that wherever I go, geographically or otherwise, I can and will be appreciated by the right people for me, because I am good enough. I am world class :)
There's a global playing field and we're right here playing on it grasshopper lol xxx
We are coach :) I love our interchangeable coach/ grasshopper roles 😂
Thank goodness for us and our voice notes on all things life, work and holistic wellbeing and creativity! ✨🫖✨
So happy for you Claire! The enthusiasm is palpable and delicious!
Thanks my love - appreciate you being here xx
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/id863897795?i=1000662032124
For a great example of how world class might be understood, listen to ten minutes of 1:09 to 1:19 of the podcast url above. Claire and Russell—I think you’ll both enjoy it.
Thanks Dan! I do love this show! ✨
This post felt very timely for me! Not sure if you or Russell have any religious affiliations, but as a Christian I've been thinking a lot about how I can reflect God into the world. Using my Substack to do that is becoming more and more a thing I want to do. World class feels synonymous with a reflection of Jesus to me. (Not for everyone, of course, but since "world class" is subjective I feel okay in saying this here). So I'm excited to read your book and do more to make that a reality.
I wear my crucifix every day Lindsay and I am glad to find your words here. My work is in service to creatives and I am guided to do it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your heart with us. ✨💕✨
Leaning into your calling just feels so good! Thank you for saying “yes.”
✨🙌🏻✨
If you do fly over to LA for book signings, I'll definitely be driving up from SD to meet you both!
I mean...I'll be in San Diego this week for Comic-Con, so this can legitimately happen.
Dates? I’m putting on my calendar
Oh my!! Yay!! We/ mainly me ok it’s all me was thinking smoothies and substack meet up?
SUCH a wonderful pep talk for a Monday morning - and totally captures the vibe I always get from Sparkle on Substack. Thank you for sharing Claire: you've totally connected with my 'why' for lots of what I did in my old professional life!
Oh really!? I'm fascninated... tell me more?
I shared a little more in this Note… https://substack.com/@hollyabrown/note/c-62872679 🥰
YES! I have a class on this which focuses on moving our instagram content over to Substack and if you head into your welcome email there's also a free one called 'Just Write and Send a Newsletter in Substack' - that would be a great start. Myself and a mother artist called Sarah Shotts did a year long creative project called The Magic Mundane - you might fancy a look - https://www.sarahshotts.com/the-magic-mundane - we were just at home for the most part and it was about capturing something magic in the mundane in the life we had with our little ones. xx
There is also a chapter in the book about turning your blog into a book.
YES! Love this approach!