An ode to the writers waiting in my promotions tab

thot #1: on reading (and on) newsletters; this one and all the brilliant others

8/24, 10:02 PM] Kaav: lol sorri I missed your text, was reading 
[8/24, 10:02 PM] Person: whateva :/ which book?
[8/24, 10:02 PM] Kaav: OH, TOO MANYY!

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thot of the week

I love newsletters. I am the person I am today because of the scores of newsletters I have had the chance to read this past year and god knows I've never been a reader. Screw reading, I can barely sit myself through half an OTT film. It's safe to say I truly, literally have the attention span of a goldfish, nay — Gen-Z.

smart is a feeling

I'm not a reader but, between the fall and winter of last year — I read 17 books. I read 17 books because, in the emotional abyss on a lonely night in the middle of a pandemic, I had an epiphany - I AIN’T SMART ENOUGH!! I probably wasn’t not. But I wasn’t feeling it you know - the smart in me. And it made sense. The reason the only inhabitable planet in this universe so far was smothering inside, under the grip of a ghastly contagious viral noose was because — I, a 21 y/o woman in the capital of an almost third world country, did not care enough to be smart.

How goddamn callous!!?

MOVE, I've got an entire world to save

I’ve got to be smart.

And what do you do when you want to be smart? You pick a book.

One, after the other, after the other, after the other.

Until you can look at yourself in the mirror and feel ‘not dumb trash’; but mostly, until you can feel deserving of getting a job. Because to be honest, during the time I was trying so hard to be smart, I was actually just trying to be employed.

But wild surprise: reading books doesn’t get you jobs, industry insights do.

Insights — hand picked, sorted, processed, packaged and shipped (you know where I’m going with this now) AS NEWSLETTERS HELL YEAH!

For every book and research paper out there, there is a writer who is straining that cumbersome information and packaging it out as packets of knowledge blogs. There is a newsletter for EVERYTHING in the market these days. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Marketing, design, poetry, finance, music, philosophy, vaginas, fuckboys - you name it, and THERE’S A NEWSLETTER FOR IT.

There are people out there who are doing our jobs for us and so many times we don’t even know they exist. These people read so we don’t have to. They fail, so we can fail better. They talk to a thousand stupid guys so they can introduce us to that one smart one. There is so much content out there that is created exclusively for the purpose of enriching us and it’s out there for free.

How unfair would it be for us as content consumers to not acknowledge the deftness and efforts of some of these extraordinary creators who have mastered the knack of chugging down the WORLD'S information — to barf it out into one condensed, precise, gift wrapped email -  and serve to us in a buffet platter that is SO rich yet digestible.

And how unfair to ourselves to deprive us of free buffet treats!? 😕

to the point now

I think it’s important I clarify that I have nothing against books. Books stretch my reading appetite and to help me feel things. But while reading a book drills doors in my mind where there once were walls; reading a newsletter feels like reading a thousand books.

So before I pilot my own newsletter today, I want to give out ONE LOUD CHEER to anyone who writes a newsletter or blog because you, ma'am/ser/non binary royalty, are doing an upstanding service to society.

(social media managers, SIT DOWN FOR A MINUTE)

Today, I write for all the writers who write to wait. For the ones who never hear back on all the lives they hold the potential to change. Writers who make it out to Primary and the ones still gasping under the pile of mails. To the writers waiting patiently in the promotions tab of my email, I hope you get found soon. And while you do, I can’t wait to join the que behind you.

welcome to thots by kaav!

I am Kaavyya and this is the first edition of my newsletter. I do not know how to do this but GODDAMN AM I ABSOLUTELY STOKED ABOUT IT!

To the 64 of you who subscribed to my newsletter last week- thank you, I shall remember you.

64 of you read my IG story, went to the link in my bio, took the effort to type your email and voluntarily chose to subscribe to this substack.

64 of you consented to consume this content and to give me a place in your inbox every once a week.

64 of you decided you have the mental space for me and my thots; or that you could make some (or not if you wish to), at a time of your leisure and choice.

The fact that I am not shoving this content down your throat through an algorithmically manipulated feed that's designed to serve what serves itself under the garb of what it thinks would serve you — is EXACTLY why I love newsletters, my frens.

So thank you for being here, and liberating me from this guilt of attention that has so often accompanied my expression.

This is going to be a wild rave.

school of thot

How did you even imagine I’d let you go without throwing in some of my MOST patronized newsletters.

• If you’re startup curious, AJVC breaks down startup concepts while The Signal, The Gyst and Filter Coffee give you tea on them fundings

• IF YOU’RE STILL NOT READING FINSHOTS, THEN BESTIE I will not shame you. It’s okay, start now!

• Dine with Data features one cool new startup every day and Failory dissects the ones that failed

• James Clear for wisdom and Fred Wilson for daily knowledge nuggets

• The Hard Copy if you’re a Branding and Design geek and UX collective if you want to learn Product Design and User Experience

• Garbage Day for all things internet and pop culture

• The Vulva Gallery for everything down female vajajays and awards for good boys for dating, life, politics, art and humour

• I read Brain Pickings my Maria Papova only on Sundays because I can’t afford to have feelings during work hours

Okay I’m coming to my favs now *mild rush*

Guys, Splainer! Okay, I’m not overselling right now but reading Splainer has. changed. my. life. At a time when I was tossing between trying to stay relevant and completely shutting myself out of global news to spare myself the anxiety — the spectacular, funny, INGENIUS women at Splainer came to my rescue. This is the only newsletter I pay for and I swear to god it is worth every penny.

Lastly, it would be unfair if I did not give the most endearing mention to Rega Jha and her newsletter Small Scenes. Rega and her writing holds a special place in my heart. Her newsletter is testament to what big impact ripples some words sent to a few people’s email inboxes, can make. Rega is not only my MOST favorite writer on the internet, she is the reason I have the courage and drive to share with you, my thots today.

thots fired

so you can be employed 🥰

Ay yes, this is your job manifestation corner✨

A lot of my friends are building a lot of cool things and they’re constantly on the lookout to hire some cool folks to join their teams. And who cooler than ya’ll my thotties (yes OFC I’ve been itching to call y’all that, I’m sorry)

In any case, there’s an opportunity

• for a copywriter, designer and community manager at Mesha, a very cool social investing and financial community

• for a digital media intern in a creator agency space here

• and :drumrolls: to illustrate and design the theme to thots by Kaav (yasss!)

I’m very designfully challenged and there’s a very vague but oddly specific pitch I have in mind. So if you think you can deal with a client as nasty and difficult as me, hit me up at work@kaavyya.in with your work samples. Let’s do this!

shoot your thot

That’s all I had for you guys in my thot #1 and on my love for newsletters.

Also, needed clarification: ofc I’m not reading all these newsletters everyday, nor should you expect yourself to. It’s a rabbit hole I pile up on, to go down, on the weekends mostly; a very superior replacement to accidental reels binges, in my opinion.

The list I’ve shared above is definitely not exhaustive and there are so many other publications I wish I had the space to share. In case you did not find the type and genre of newsletter you were looking for in the list above, please reply to this email and I will do my BEST to scout one for you.

If you guys have more newsletter recommendations, I obviously want it!

I will also be experimenting with different sections and items on this newsletter every week and I’d be more than happy to give a space and shoutout to your art, startup, music, newsletter, blog, community, meme, hiring calls, rants, achievements, feelings and thots.

Also it would be hella ironic if my ode to writers in the promotions tab got left behind in the promotions tab, so PLEASE do not forget to pull me out to your Primary Inbox.

Let your email know I’m glam not spam! 😤🥰

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Lastly, I’m a sucker for feedback so please feel free reply to this email with your suggestions and thots on my thots. For those too lazy to type,

• if you liked reading this thot, please reply to this email with a kishmish (raisin) and,

• in case you see clear room for improvement, please send me an akhrot (walnut) so I can put more brain into it

Looking forward to many of your kishmishes and akhrots 🌰 🍒

Thank you for reading