You have the pleasure of reading the first ever J’Nae Writes newsletter, created by yours truly J’Nae Phillips. To get the latest editions delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe here.
Thats me on the left, the one with the big forehead and mischievous grin. Not much has changed.
Everyones gotta start somewhere right…
As I write this, I’m sitting at my desk in my pyjamas sipping on a cup of green tea. My hair isn’t brushed yet and I’m just about waking up properly, I could also do with a shower. That may be too much information for you to handle, and I hope the mental image isn’t too frightening, but there you have it. This newsletter will be real, open, and honest. I think that's a pretty good place to begin, don’t you?
I let the fear of my writing being criticised and judged stop me from starting this newsletter. After seeing so many writers I admire create some brilliant newsletters of their own during lockdown, I plucked up the courage and decided it was time I jumped on the bandwagon - figuratively not literally of course.
I started this newsletter for a few reasons. One of the main reasons being I’ve signed up to many great newsletters during lockdown, so naturally I wanted a slice of the pie. Having a weekly newsletter delivered straight to my inbox from people who write about the things they’re passionate about and believe in feels intimate, it feels more personal than reading an IG caption or replying to a tweet. That's a feeling I hope to recreate with my subscribers and my newsletter. Another reason I started this newsletter is that it's a great place for me to write about what I care about and react to things in real time, with other writing work it can be scheduled and edited but there won’t be any of that here. This newsletter is all me, and I’m just fine with that. I hope you will be too. Lastly, but certainly not least, I’m starting this newsletter as a way to connect with people. A way to spark interesting and thoughtful conversations, frank and open (but respectful) discussions, and a way to have more meaningful discourse around a variety of subjects. This newsletter may seem small, but I’m hoping that it can one day become something that's bigger than myself. There are a ton of other reasons why I want to do this newsletter, but I won’t bore you with them for now.
My career trajectory hasn’t been straightforward or easy. How I got to where I am today is a mystery to me, but I’m still here and I’m still standing. I’ve had many different jobs, some I loved and some I loathed, some where I made great friends and some where I just want to forget everything that happened. As it stands currently, I’d label myself as a Content Creator/Writer/Creative. Those roles can mean a range of different things and span many industries, something that definitely appeals to me. Having to ‘fit into a box’ has never really been my style, and over the years I’ve come to embrace that. More recently, I’ve rediscovered my passion for reading and writing. I started writing as a side hustle a few years ago, and it's something I’ve come to love more and more and want to immerse myself in. However, I don’t have any formal writing qualifications or training so this has proven rather tricky. That's why I’m here. I’m starting this newsletter as a place where I can write freely, and hopefully without too much criticism (feedback/comments from readers will always be appreciated - but be gentle please!).
Here on J’Nae Writes, I’ll be discussing lots of different things. I don’t want to limit this newsletter, and I don’t want it to become repetitive or pigeonholed. Each week you’ll get a personal essay or an op-ed delivered straight to your inbox once you subscribe, and fingers crossed for some cool interviews in the near future. I’ll also try to share each week what I’ve been reading, what I’ve been watching, what I’ve been listening to, and what's caught my eye. On top of all of that, I’ll throw in some posts directly from my blog. My blog has been running for a few years now and has some great content (I may be biased), so it's always worth heading there for some inspiration and further reading.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter to see more of what I’m up to, and I’ll see you same time same place next week!
Catch you soon,
J’Nae
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING:
- I started and finished reading Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams in a day, I repeat a day. This book had me laughing out loud, whilst also being enlightening and painfully honest at times. A book 20-something women like me can definitely sink their teeth into, and a book many WOC can probably relate too (in one way or another).
WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING:
- Most recently I binged watched (with my parents) the Lenox Hill documentary series on Netflix. Following the lives of four doctors stationed at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, we follow them as they balance their personal lives with that of their intense work. Netflix also recently released a special pandemic episode, I urge you all to watch this series now.
WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO:
- The Hear to Slay podcast by Roxane Gay and Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom has me hooked. High brow, low brow, and all the in-between goodness told from a black feminist perspective. The compelling conversations in this podcast make you stop, think, and listen. And the guests they interview are major, definitely worth downloading now.
WHATS CAUGHT MY EYE:
- A new Instagram account I recently followed @dailyoverview posts the most incredible shots showing places from around the world from a birds eye view. Check them out.
ON MY BLOG:
- One of my favourite lockdown activities I did was ‘Tie-Dyeing At Home’. You can see the full post over on my blog by following the link, it was definitely worth all the effort as I’m really pleased with the final outcome! I know I’ll get lots of wear out of the pieces I created, even better they’ll have sentimental value too.
What a beautiful introduction to your newsletter. I look forward to reading more