Oh, I haven't been writing on this blog for more than a month!
I actually made a pact with myself to post something here at least once a month but looks like it's probably gonna be once in every 2 months instead, LOL.
Well, I had been doing something great (at least for me) for the past 2 months. The main reason of why I'm not blogging regularly is because...
I have a weekly newsletter called 'Saturdays with Sarah'!
It's a weekly e-newsletter sent to my readers/subscribers every Saturday, hence it's Saturday with Sarah.
To date, I had been consistently posting 9 letters for 9 consecutive Saturday, alhamdulillah!
Tomorrow is going to be my 10th letter, insya Allah.
I had always been inspired by Aida Azlin for her Tuesday Love Letters, and I'm always looking forward towards receiving her letters every Tuesday. Her letters uplift my heart!
Deep inside me, I wanted to write something like what she had written. But something that comes from my heart, with my own way of writing and thinking. Something that comes out of my own opinions and reflections. But alas, I put the idea away, thinking it was too difficult, and I would probably have an endless battle with writer's block anyway. So, forget it!
Also, I have this problem with consistency. In 2021, I made a pact that I would write a blog post every week, on my new wordpress website (which I paid quite a hefty amount of money for). But it only lasted for about 4 letters? 4 weeks? I can't remember. I do know that I didn't really enjoy writing it, LOL.
I must admit that I really want people to read what I had written. Although writing is an act of joy for me, I would like to be validated as a writer. Meaning, I wanted to have readers, who occasionally respond to what I had written. It could boost my morale and motivation to write more and more.
That did not happen with blog posts. Nowadays, nobody really reads blogs anymore. This isn't like in the 2000s' till early 2010s'. We had moved past 2020, ladies and gentlemen!
But I have so much to talk about, so many things to share, I don't want to put my talent to waste. Okay, I would like to acknowledge that I indeed, have a talent in putting words into writing.
So how can I combine my love for writing, my passion and desire to become a writer and gets validated from what I had written- aka actually having readers?
I didn't have any answer for that, and besides, I had too much on my plate already.
Until....I came across two books written by Nurliyana Rahmat, titled 'Healing Careful-liy' and 'Love, Liy'. Her books are a compilation of weekly letters she had written over several years and I am in love with her writings, and the idea of curating a weekly newsletter.
The back of 'Love Liy' states that the letters serve as a safe space for her to share her reflections, be vulnerable and able to express herself freely. The letters are written like journal entries for her to bridge connections with her readers.
And at the end of the book, the writer urges the readers to start writing letters of their owns.
That's it! That's the answer to my question.
So I DM-ed Nurliyana Rahmat and asked her what platform she had used for her letters, and she said that she had been using mailchimp, which is free.
I was nervous at first, but it was a now or never moment! I set up my own template, sent test emails to some of my friends, and alas, I let my intention known to my followers on IG and asked them to leave their emails if they wish to subscribe to my weekly newsletters.
Alhamdulillah, the response was overwhelming! I thought I'd get at most 10 subscribers, LOL, but turns out much more than that. I like the idea of being vulnerable through my letters, as opposed towards being vulnerable on my blog posts or on IG/Stories, where everyone could have free access to my thoughts hahaha.
Only those who care enough to subscribe to my newsletters are the people I can be vulnerable with, because they are so supportive! This small action of subscribing to my letters means so much to me, and I am thankful for their presence in my life.
Thank you , my subscribers!
Some had DM-ed me, saying how they love reading my letters, how my letters resonate with their current states, and so on. Masya Allah, alhamdulillah, I am glad that my letters are beneficial to them.
I write those letters for myself, and I need to share the reflections from the going-ons in my life, which includes my experiences, circumstances, books I read, places I had been to, with the intention to make them feel better. To uplift their spirits. To make them come closer to Allah.
I would like to think of it as a form of dakwah, done in my own way.
Writing these letters had become a weekly routine for me and I feel so much joy in writing them. Sometimes I got an idea of what to write and the words just flow out smoothly. Sometimes I felt like tearing my hair out as I had no idea what to write even when it's already Friday!
But that's the thing. I learn to always show up to write these letters even when I don't feel like it. I have my own subscribers and I must not let them down! I'm not sure how long will I continue to write it, but I would like to write at least 40 letters, insya Allah.
I would consistently pray to Allah after every solat for Him to grant me the ideas of writing the best letters ever, and for Him to help me to write those letters in the best possible way.
On a last note, if you wish to subscribe to my weekly newsletter, just leave your email at the small subscription form on the right panel of this blog.
Please pray that I could write more letters and these letters serve as my legacy, my source of good deeds even after I'm no longer here on this world. Aameen.
