Things I'm Reading: 8/20-8/27
A New Perk for Paid Subscribers
They say that in order to be a great writer, you need to read voraciously.
As someone who loves reading but is simultaneously working full-time, planning a wedding, leading a healthy social life, trying to get an adequate amount of sleep while fighting a disgusting and embarrassing addiction to social media…..I don’t read as much as I should.
If I ever want to create or break a habit, I have to be incredibly intentional about how I structure my time and goals. So, in order to kickstart my love of exploring what people much smarter than me think or feel, I’m bringing back my weekly “What I’m reading” posts.
These lists are a paid subscriber perk, so if you’re interested in reading my thoughts on writers I admire, consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
I’ll always share an article or two from my fellow Iowa Writers Collaborative columnists above the paywall. Today, that’s a new installment of “Sh*t Richard Says” from Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck.
Richard writes about his experiences as former Iowa Governor Robert D. Ray’s Press Secretary. I learned about Robert Ray’s impact in Iowa for the first time this year, and I’m continually fascinated in the complete shift in the Republican party since he helped so many refugees and immigrants in our state.
The many faces of Scooter Braun
Scooter Braun, a prolific music manager, has been the subject of much scrutiny over the years and especially the last week, as many of his most famous clients are rumored to be cutting ties with him. If you enjoy pop culture, this piece gives an interesting look into the man that’s manufactured many of the biggest stars in the last two decades. If you like fascinating journalism, this piece takes an interesting approach to reporting on a man that many people fear and therefore, refuse to speak on the record about.
The Contentment Newsletter
This Workweek newsletter from Tracey Wallace has excellent advice on content strategy in marketing. I’m learning so much from Tracey that I’m able to apply in my day job.
Heather Cox Richardson’s “Letters from an American”
I know I’m late to the game here, but Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter, which takes the news of the day and contextualizes it with historical references, is my favorite Substack recently. She distills this information in such a smart yet digestible way. She’s brilliant, and probably one of the first Substack’s I’m going to pay for once I’m done paying for my wedding.
Brandon Tyler’s “sweater weather”
I will never stop talking about how smart I think Brandon Taylor is. He is helping me develop a more nuanced, independent critical brain when it comes to art. He’s also an excellent fiction writer in his own merit and one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter.
Parker Molloy’s “The Present Age”
Parker Molloy writes about the effects virality has on a “regular” person’s life in the context of the “Crazy Plane Lady” video that circulated last month. She pinpointed exactly why it makes me deeply uncomfortable how often we are filming people in every day life.
The Midwest Creative is a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Please consider a subscription to my colleagues’ work to support storytelling across the state of Iowa. All of these authors provide content for free, with paid subscription options. Pick one or more, and help sustain this movement.