I don't want to do this.

I love writing and I hate sharing it. Welcome to my newsletter.

I’m really nervous to be writing here. That’s weird, right?

Chances are you know who I am if you’re here at this newsletter’s foundational stage.

In case you don’t, I’m Emma and I was a writer at Mamamia, Australia’s largest women’s media network, for 3ish years. Long enough to not be scared to be doing this, you’d think.

Writing for Mamamia, I made it to a stage in my career — fairly quickly at that — where I didn’t feel an ounce of nerves about writing or publishing an article.

Writing for a company felt comfortable. My tone, while certainly my own was a part of something bigger. There’s an established audience that comes with writing for someone else. Something else.

It’s fairly low stakes when you have an editor approve your pitches and check your work. Out here on my own, I am very conscious that I am rambling about things that aren’t interesting enough already, and oh my god it’s the fifth par how will I ever get through this.

I’ve never been great at self-promotion either. Writing for Mamamia meant I could share an Instagram story of something I wrote, sure - if I felt really proud of it, but the success of my articles weren’t wholly down to me. In fact, there was no shame on me if a story of mine didn’t do too well because it wasn’t my personal brand at stake.

God this makes me sound like a really shit employee. Hear me out please, I promise this is a case of imposter syndrome not a lack of care for my earlier work.

All of that being said, starting my own writing space felt very daunting. So why am I putting myself through the agony of writer’s block, self-doubt, and sharing a very intimate part of myself with whoever chooses to read whether they like me or not?

Great question, me.

The things that I loved about writing for a company are also the things that kept me from sharing all the unfiltered, ridiculous thoughts that may be of value to some.

It’s great, having parameters to write for a brand. It makes writing easier. It narrows the range in which I can explore. The vulgar language I can (cannot) use. The topics I can or can’t write about. Knowing the exact audience I’m writing for.

But that’s not the point of writing here. It’s just for me + you. Yay.

…Oh, and did I mention? Very recently (just this week in fact) I’ve left the media industry, so if I wanted to keep writing this really seemed like the only logical step. More on that in my next newsletter.

So let me introduce you to my newsletter: The Entitled Gen Z.

Here, I’ll write about things serious, funny, silly, pointy… I think, I’m not fully sure just yet.

Is this a really fucked sales pitch?

I will get over my innate fear of judgement and tall poppy syndrome to speak my mind to you.

And I’ll also share the books, podcasts, shows, articles, recipes, things I've been loving. Because lord knows we need more to consume.

I’d love if you left me a comment or sent me a DM to let me know if you’re happy to find me here - or if you have anything you’d specifically like to hear from me!

That’s all done now? Cool. Catch ya on the flip. 😎

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Before you go: here’s some starter recommendations.

• The article I can’t stop thinking about: Art Should Be a Habit, Not a Luxury by Arthur C. Brooks (I love everything he writes.)

• The book that will get you out of your reading rut: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jenette McCurdy.

• The podcast that made me take the substack leap:

  Chat soon xxxx