Now live: Strive for Five on Substack

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ginabeewell
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:30 am

Now live: Strive for Five on Substack

Postby ginabeewell » Wed Aug 31, 2022 11:06 pm

I'm live with Strive for Five on Substack - and we are ready for subscribers!

https://ginajacobson.substack.com

For those who don't know Substack - it was new to me - it is a platform for writers intended to put them directly in touch with readers via emailed newsletters - basically it is a blog you never have to visit. : )

Over the course of the next year, I'll be sharing an accelerated and authentic look back at my four-year journey as I try to make my way to the five year survival date. At least once weekly, I will share my old Facebook status updates along with behind-the-scenes of what REALLY happened and/or reflections from today.

Especially across the first few months, I hope it will be something that might be of value for newly diagnosed patients - especially since at the beginning, we didn't share much between the diagnosis and my first chemo; and what I did share wasn't quite as honest as I became as treatment wore me down. ; )

I know most of you are familiar with a ton of my story here; but I would welcome you to join me there - or even better, share the link with someone who might be earlier in their journey and who might benefit. (Many people use the platform to monetize their writing; but this will all be free, and I don't see that changing, so you can share without fear of hitting a paywall.)

Thanks to so many of you for helping me to make this happen, as well as joining me there - you are all making me feel a lot safer taking this jump!
: )
49 YO mom of twins (11) lucky stepmom of 16/19 year olds
9/17/18 DX stage 4 CRC w inoperable liver mets CEA 931
Currently NED!

Join me on a lookback of my journey via my Strive for Five on Substack here:
https://ginajacobson.substack.com

All treatment details here:
https://www.weareallmadeofstars.net/col ... nt-journey

My favorite posts here:
https://weareallmadeofstars.net/favorite-posts

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Peregrine
Posts: 255
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2022 1:18 am

Re: Now live: Strive for Five on Substack

Postby Peregrine » Fri Sep 09, 2022 1:16 am

ginabeewell wrote:... Especially across the first few months, I hope it [my substack] will be something that might be of value for newly diagnosed patients - especially since at the beginning, we didn't share much between the diagnosis and my first chemo; and what I did share wasn't quite as honest as I became as treatment wore me down.

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ginabeewell
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:30 am

Re: Now live: Strive for Five on Substack

Postby ginabeewell » Fri Sep 09, 2022 12:00 pm

Peregrine wrote:
ginabeewell wrote:... Especially across the first few months, I hope it [my substack] will be something that might be of value for newly diagnosed patients - especially since at the beginning, we didn't share much between the diagnosis and my first chemo; and what I did share wasn't quite as honest as I became as treatment wore me down.


Thanks for reminding me you had started to work on this - did it ever turn into something tangible - e.g. a playbook of some sort? The Substack is really a storytelling platform more than anything else - but if we have something that could be shared as a resource, I would love to provide a link on my blog or maybe in one of the newsletters?
49 YO mom of twins (11) lucky stepmom of 16/19 year olds
9/17/18 DX stage 4 CRC w inoperable liver mets CEA 931
Currently NED!

Join me on a lookback of my journey via my Strive for Five on Substack here:
https://ginajacobson.substack.com

All treatment details here:
https://www.weareallmadeofstars.net/col ... nt-journey

My favorite posts here:
https://weareallmadeofstars.net/favorite-posts

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Peregrine
Posts: 255
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2022 1:18 am

Re: Now live: Strive for Five on Substack

Postby Peregrine » Sun Oct 09, 2022 4:23 am

It has been one month since you announced the launch of your "Strive for Five" initiative.

How is it going now? Are you happy with the response do far?

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ginabeewell
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:30 am

Re: Now live: Strive for Five on Substack

Postby ginabeewell » Fri Oct 14, 2022 9:52 am

Peregrine wrote:It has been one month since you announced the launch of your "Strive for Five" initiative.

How is it going now? Are you happy with the response do far?


It's been a fascinating experience, if I am honest.

It scaled pretty quickly - there are about 750 readers right now - but it has not attracted as many cancer patients as I expected (or to be honest, maybe it has but I don't know because they are not as vocal on the platform). It's very different from "blogging" in a Facebook group, as it is a publishing platform vs a social support group - so there is almost no "feedback loop."

As a result, I am not getting as much insight into what content is helpful / intriguing / etc.

I did it in part to help get me writing / researching for a memoir, and what is definitely apparent is something I learned in my memoir class - stories/scenes with dialogue and action are more engaging versus essays. But they also take more time and posting twice a week is a LOT of writing while I'm engaged in a full time job and a high profile cancer-related work project on top of that which has been requiring 60-70 hours a week.

Which is about to change. A few weeks ago, I gave up my C-level title to focus on the internal project exclusively. My CEO felt my focus on one was compromising the other, and I've known for a long time that he would probably prefer to bring in his own person for my role - this gives him the air cover to do that. I've spent 27 years at my company, so it's bittersweet to leave, but also know it's the right thing to do. At the end of the day, our visions for the company are just not aligned; and I've learned via this cancer journey how important it is for me to live authentically.

My future will find me, somehow - I just have to be ready to receive!
49 YO mom of twins (11) lucky stepmom of 16/19 year olds
9/17/18 DX stage 4 CRC w inoperable liver mets CEA 931
Currently NED!

Join me on a lookback of my journey via my Strive for Five on Substack here:
https://ginajacobson.substack.com

All treatment details here:
https://www.weareallmadeofstars.net/col ... nt-journey

My favorite posts here:
https://weareallmadeofstars.net/favorite-posts

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Jacques
Posts: 678
Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2014 10:38 am
Location: Occitanie

Re: Now live: Strive for Five on Substack

Postby Jacques » Fri Oct 14, 2022 7:52 pm

ginabeewell wrote:... As a result, I am not getting as much insight into what content is helpful / intriguing / etc. ...

How about trying to focus on content related to "recovery"? We are all faced with the problem of recovering from one thing or another...

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Cancer recovery diagrams
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