⧉ Experiments in context
Welcome to the eighth issue of OVERLAP ⧉
Experiments in context
I love content experiments, and I’m fascinated by the idea of bending stories and experiences to fit different media shapes. So when Craig Mod announced a new publishing experiment to share daily photos and captions via SMS, I signed up immediately. I don’t know Craig personally, but I’ve been following his writing for years. And I was excited to see someone explore more thoughtful approaches to social publishing.
The texts (and photos) started arriving in mid-April. Even though it‘s clearly a pilot and not a refined mechanism, everything seems to work as intended. But nearly three weeks in, receiving what’s essentially a short blog or social media post via iMessage is still a bit unsettling. More than once, I’ve looked at my notifications and felt … disappointed. Usually those blue and green bubbles are intimate notes from friends and family, not “content” from a stranger. As Jia Tolentino noted in a recent New Yorker article, “group texts are effectively the last noncommercialized social spaces on many millennials’ phones.” Even for a Gen Xer, inviting a publication into that space is no small thing.
Craig Mod’s experiment is a limited run, and I don’t plan to unsubscribe; the photos and captions are interesting, and I want to continue following his journey. Each transmission is a reminder that context matters — and that spaces for personal communication are more sacred than ever.
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This very newsletter is an experiment of sorts — an excuse to explore email as a context for personal publishing. At first, I knew almost everyone on the small list of recipients. But a couple weeks ago, a tweet from a dear friend resulted in dozens of new subscribers. If you’re new here, I should probably let you know that this isn’t a typical newsletter. I’m writing for people I know personally, and I’m not particularly interested in viral growth or influencer status. (If we haven’t been introduced before, I’d love to get to know you.)
Regardless of when you subscribed, I’m interested in hearing what made you sign up and/or what makes you stick around — reply to this email or send a note through my website. You can also forward this to a friend or two and invite them to subscribe. All the archives are online, if you’ve missed any previous transmissions.
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Auntie Jess recommends:
Electric Eel. MCD Books’ email newsletter explores “the possibilities of storytelling.” And sometimes they send snail mail treats.
Draft No. 4. I’ve been reading this book about nonfiction writing by John McPhee, partly for my own enjoyment and partly to steal ideas for a workshop I’m planning. It’s a delightful compilation of his “Writing Life” series in the New Yorker.
Balcony sunsets. The view never gets old.
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Thanks for reading. I’d love to hear from you — hit reply to share your favorite literary essays, rainy-day accessories, sunset photos, or anything else that’s on your mind.
Until next time,
Jessica
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