Sam Julien Profile picture
24 Feb, 15 tweets, 10 min read
Crossed a big milestone recently: 1000 subscribers to Developer Microskills 🎉

A few people have asked me about my process for writing & marketing the newsletter & how I repurpose issues into blog articles. Here's a thread full of images and resources to help!
I rely on Newsletter OS in @NotionHQ by @JanelSGM to track everything. First I create a new issue in the Newsletter Issues db. I use properties to keep track of issue status (more on this later). I don't put notes or outlines here but do add links I may want to use.
I draft every issue in MD using @draftsapp -- it's fast and I can export it anywhere. I tried to do this in Notion but it's just too slow because of the processing it runs on the text.
Once I'm ready to go, I create a new broadcast in @ConvertKit. I have a tag that gets added whether someone signs up at the landing page or my site.
I create a social card (og image) in @figmadesign using a community template. I can re-use this image for the RSS feed, my blog, or Twitter threads. (Yes that's @domitriusclark hiding in the template 👀)

The template is free: figma.com/community/file…
I have a specific template I use for the newsletter that has little touches I've added over time. e.g. the special tag lets people unsub from the newsletter without completely opting out and the archive url lets people share the issue w/friends.
Drafts has an action lets me copy the MD as HTML, which I can then paste into the legacy editor of @ConvertKit (doesn't work with the new editor).

I learned this trick from @jhooks: joelhooks.com/use-markdown-e…
Once I've proofread the issue, I schedule the broadcast in @ConvertKit for 5 am PST on Friday. I've debated about changing the day of the week because a lot of people don't open it until Monday, but so far my open rate is still pretty good (usually 40%+ by Monday).
After I schedule the week's issue, I head back to Newsletter OS and make sure I've updated the previous week's analytics & issue properties like the issue's public URL or an article or thread I've created from it. Also have checkboxes for cross-posting to places like @hashnode.
To create a blog post, I have a script to create a folder & MD file in my repo & set up the frontmatter. Thanks @robconery for teaching me this in Imposter's Handbook. It's hooked up to Keyboard Maestro so I can trigger it with a shortcut & UI.

github.com/samjulien/samj…
I can then just copy and paste the MD from Drafts, edit it to be more like a blog article, and copy the social image I already created. The script uses a naming convention for slugs and images. Once I publish a commit it deploys with @netlify.
The following week I also create a Twitter thread w/ @chirrapp based on the issue. This has proven exceptionally good at driving sign-ups. You can see here in @useFathom that most of the newsletter landing page traffic is coming from Twitter.
What makes a good thread (so meta)? I've found:

- Value from the 1st tweet
- Each has an image, diagram, or link
- Use real numbers
- <10 tweets, 6-8 is the sweet spot
- Only CTA is in the last tweet, asking to sign up (learned from @GoodMarketingHQ)

ex:
This writing & publishing process has been working pretty well, though I still need to automate a few things to speed it up. Let me know if this has been helpful and if you have any automation advice!

To see the results of this process, check out developermicroskills.com
If you're on @IndieHackers and prefer a non-thread format, I've created a post version of this: indiehackers.com/post/my-newsle…

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More from @samjulien

23 Feb
⌨️ A thread of useful keyboard shortcuts I've learned lately out of necessity - feel free to add yours!

Slack, Gmail, and Twitter have been the biggest game-changers.

(Mac listed but there are Windows equivalents)
😺 Slack

cmd + t = jump somewhere (most useful)
cmd + . = toggle right pane
cmd + shift + d = toggle sidebar
cmd + [ = back in history
cmd + ] = forward in history
cmd + shift + y = set status

slack.com/help/articles/…
✉️ Gmail

? = show shortcuts
g + i = go to inbox
u = back to conversation list
# = delete
* + n = deselect all
x = select
e = archive
o = open

Cheatsheet: boomeranggmail.com/l/gmail-shortc…
Read 7 tweets
21 Jan
Moving from dev to #DevRel is tough - there's no doubt about it! 😬

Even though it's a very fun job, the day-to-day is totally different than the usual sprints & tickets you're used to.

Here is a thread 🧵 on some strategies I've learned to ease the transition: Image
1️⃣ Embrace the fact that #DevRel is a new set of skills you can learn.

The big shock moving to dev rel is the dizzying # of required skills: content, marketing, speaking, community-building, & more.

Don't resist it: you're a newbie again & it will take time. That's okay!
2️⃣ Focus on shipping and improving instead of waiting for perfection.

At any given time, you could be doing a zillion different things. Instead of haphazardly bouncing between projects, try to focus on finishing things, no matter how small. More:
Read 9 tweets
20 Jan
😫 If you're feeling discouraged or like you're not making any progress, it might mean you're not scoping your projects correctly.

Whether it's #DevRel, side projects, or learning a new coding skill, knowing how to properly scope a project can feel like a superpower. 🧵 Image
1️⃣ Ask yourself: "What's the smallest deliverable I can make that pushes me further towards my goal or dream?"

This could be a short blog post, a 30 second screencast, a small command line app, or part of a new app feature. It needs to be easy to know if it's finished or not.
2️⃣ Adjust the size of that deliverable according to what you can get done in roughly a few days of work.

This isn't a hard & fast rule, but the goal is to keep it under a week so you can build momentum.
Read 9 tweets
28 Dec 20
We've all been here:

1. Get amazing idea
2. Buy sweet new domain
3. Tweet about awesome new project
4. `git init`
5. Um...uh...do some planning?
6. You know what, I'm really busy right now.
8. (Secretly abandons dreams)

Here's a framework to help you finish what you start 🧵
💡 First, sort your ideas:

1. Drop it: Seemed like a good idea at the time, but isn't.
2. Defer it: Maybe a good idea, but no time/resources right now. Archive for now.
3. Do it: Good idea that has the potential for $$/impact/career growth.

Not all ideas need to be executed!
🎯 JPS

Can't decide between equally good ideas? Try the JPS method: Just Pick Something. Also known as "Pin the Tail on the Idea" 🐴.

You'll either:

1. Hate it and move on.
2. Learn from it (whether or not you stick with it).
3. Love it and go deeper.
Read 7 tweets

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