Matt’s Mix Tape, Vol. 149
Hi, I’m Matt Tillotson, and this is Matt’s Mix Tape. Honestly, this newsletter changes as my world changes. So I don’t have a pithy line to tell you it’s theme right now. We’ll get there.
This week’s Mix:
The greatest thing about making friends online?
Is this the most honest way to write?
LinkedIn posts and learnings
This week’s (not) Florida photo
The greatest thing about making friends online?
Removing the Internet from the equation.
Despite being associated with Write of Passage since 2019, I had never met a single student or employee in person.
Until this week.
On a short trip to Austin, I met founder David Perell. And Jessica. And Tommy. And had coffee with Cam: an alum, a writing group buddy, and a friend.
The Internet changed the way we make friends.
Unencumbered by geography, we can find like-minded people excited about the same things we are—no matter where they are.
Real bonds form.
But: there’s an in-person imprint to relationships that cannot be forged online. A bonding step that requires all five senses—and some spiritual energy, also.
Turns out, the best thing about the Write of Passage online community is taking it offline.
Here’s to many more Write of Passage meetups in 3D.
Is this the most honest way to write?
Hiding your identity might be the key to sharing your most revealing writing.
My friend Charlie Bleecker writes under a pseudonym. It gives her the freedom to speak freely about family, friends, and personal issues.
Working with Michael Dean in The Writing Studio, she created an essay called “The Pseudonymous Cape:”
When I decided to write under a pseudonym over two years ago it was because I wanted the freedom to express myself. I wrote about taking MDMA, stealing adderall from my best friend, and getting fired for drinking on the job. At first I worried I would be judged, but the opposite happened. Strangers called me brave. They wrote heartfelt emails that encouraged me to dig even deeper and keep sharing my stories.
Writing under a pseudonym looks like hiding.
But actually it’s a great way to show more of yourself in your work.
LinkedIn learnings and posts
Learnings:
LinkedIn posts have a longer shelf life than Tweets. The content you create on Twitter flashes on and off the scene, lost in a constant race of new content creation.
LinkedIn users don’t spending hours a day on the site—or even visit daily. So the feedback loop is longer. Likes and comments on posts trickle in for days—even a week—after publishing.
I’m adding followers. But LinkedIn doesn’t seem to share follower growth over time. Just a current total. I’ll need to track that manually.
Posts:
This week’s (not) Florida photo
On an early morning run along the river in Austin:
Hello to 15 new subscribers!
Whatever you’re working on or working through: keep showing up.
If you liked this edition, would you mind giving the heart a click? Thank you.
That Austin photo is gold! Also, love the photos of you and the rest of the woppers.
You’re 100% right about the energy of meeting people in person deepening relationships.
Love the photo, thanks for sharing!