I’ve wrestled with how to properly profess my love for Read & Trust. The network of writers, technologists, thinkers and doers has captured my imagination and fascination ever since Aaron Mahnke decided to unleash his vision upon the web.

I’d been reading some of the writers before the network took shape but I was introduced to others as I eagerly added them to my RSS feed and followed them on Twitter.

As soon as the newsletter was launched I signed up immediately since I wanted to do my small part to support the fine work this team was putting together. It was the recent post Thoughts on Paying Writers that pushed me to finish this love letter and hit publish.

This is my small ode to the first ten newsletter that were published. Each excerpt is from a much longer piece but I feel these parts captured the essence of what the writer wanted to convey.

Since the newsletter began, I’ve eagerly awaited each new issue hitting my inbox. Each month the writer’s are given a theme to write about. With such themes as Heros, Resolutions and What’s on my Bookshelf, the writer’s words, stories and views are diverse and interesting every month.

Without further adieu, here is a small taste of what these fine writers offer up to the world from the beginning of the Read & Trust network.

1

I rush back home. Every step working against me. For me, any time between the writing and the typing is a detriment. The fear of losing it in the spaces between my synapses, and the time it may take to recover it, leave me breathless. Trembling. Closer to a jog than a walk now.

Not this time though. This time I make it. This time, I sit. I type. I read. I edit. I publish.
— Patrick Rhone

2

How do I know when a piece is done? It’s done when the outline is fully fleshed out, when I’ve edited it without draining it of life and color, and when Im as close to satisfied as I can be — or when the deadline comes along, whichever comes first. That’s when it’s done.
— Randy Murray

3

Creating things –books, blog posts, paintings, original origami, whatever– requires that you allow your idea to take shape over time. It’s quite probable that your finished product will be a whole lot different from how you envisioned it in line at the Orange Julius, but if you can let the concept percolate, morph and shape-shift along the way, you’ll probably realize that was what you’d wanted to create all along.
— Brett Kelly

4

The best thing you can do, of course, is sit in the chair and get to it. Every day, even when you don’t feel like it, even when you have nothing to say. Like a pianist performing his scales countless times, the more you write the better you’ll get. Set some time aside, find a spot that you love and simply begin. That’s often the hardest part. Just start.
— Dave Caolo

5

Expect it, because it’s going to happen. Often. More often than not. Even when you think you’ve nailed it, there’s a chance you haven’t. When you fully understand that what you’re about to try might not work, you’re more likely to try anything. In other words, don’t let a fear of failure hinder your efforts and stifle your creativity.
— Dave Caolo

6

Being creative is more than just coffee shop poetry and garage bands, it’s about putting your own spin on the everyday things in life. Putting your creative touch on the simple things in life can not only act as your creative outlet, they can potentially lift the spirits of others.
— Christian Ross

7

I became tired from the driving, emotionally drained from the hospital visits, upset at what I knew was about to come. It was difficult to concentrate. It was tough to be creative. It was hard to really care.
And yet I ploughed on.
— Iain Broome

8

So my resolution is this: stop chasing digital saccharin. We can’t experience it deeply enough to find revelation. We’ve got to go into the real world among imperfect places, hurting/hurtful people, stupid logic and awful situations. We must flounder, stretch, breathe, argue, and absorb. It may not be pleasant. In fact, if we’re really getting out there, it definitely won’t be entirely pleasant. But then, and only then, will you have the raw fuel needed to create something really worthwhile — and more than that — to live a life worth your while.
— Adam King

9

Forget about being creative, and just try to make whatever it is you’re working on as good as you possibly can.
— Kyle Baxter

10

I, for one, never cease to amaze myself at my inability to find the words I am looking for. And when I can’t find them, which is often, I have no choice but to use the less-exciting words which have come to mind rather than those perfect ones which always seem to escape me.

It is in those moments where I remember that quantity leads to quality. Or, put another way, I’ve become comfortable with falling short of my own lofty expectations.
— Shawn Blanc