I Asked, You Answered. This Is What Is Changing Around Here

Results from last week's survey

Apr 07, 2023

First, thank you to everyone who took part in my little survey last week. I had plenty of feedback about what you like about Simple and Straightforward, what could be better, and ideas for the future. It’s been enlightening!

Whilst I’m still mulling over it all - and will continue to do so for a while yet - there are some immediate things I want to implement based on the feedback:

Essays and commentary won the popularity contest

It seems y’all enjoy my essays which is great because I love writing them. It’s fun to get into the weeds of simple living every week. Essays are here to stay, especially on Fridays.

42% of you also said you enjoy practical how-to guides. I hear ya.

I actually wrote some in-depth courses for paid subscribers last year which are available for anyone with a paid sub (both now and in the future). These include:

De-junk yourself - a decluttering course.
“Sleep well at night” finances - a course to help you whip your finances into shape.

I’m strategizing right now about how to create courses for the future - watch this space

Simple and Straightforward doesn’t happen without its paying subscribers. Consider upgrading today for $3.50/mo or $35/yr (offer open until the end of April). This gives you three newsletters a week plus access to a huge archive of essays, flexible recipes, and courses. Not only that, you’re keeping this project - and an indie writer - going!

Upgrade to paid

You want more simple living and minimalism content

There are no surprises there, most of you probably discovered this Substack based on my simple living and minimalism content elsewhere on the internet.

The subject will remain the meat and bones of S+S, in whatever shape or form it comes.

Dear Charlie…

I’m super happy 72% of you like the idea of an advice column because I’d really like to do one!

I’m starting this soon - likely in a couple of weeks.

Here’s how it will work:

Once a month I will answer 2-3 questions from you. To submit your questions, just ping me an email at charliebrownwriter@gmail.com and I will put them on the list. They can be about anything, from something you’re struggling with when it comes to simple living or minimalism to recommendations to finances to, well, anything.

I will let everyone - both paid and free subscribers - see the answer to the first question. The next one or two on the list will be a paid subscriber perk. BUT if you were the one that asked the question, you will always get the answer from me, regardless of if you are a paid or free subscriber.

Send your questions in!

Once, twice, three times a week

It looks like three times a week for paid subscribers is the sweet spot for the majority of you.

For now, I intend to continue posting three times a week.

I do, however, want to mix up the Tuesday email a little bit. I received feedback that would be nice to have some more visual posts which I’m very happy to do. I’m mulling over how that might look as we speak.

Also, a small tip for you - if you are someone who thinks three mailouts a week is too much and you’re not bothered about The Capsule Pantry, did you know you can unsubscribe separately from that section? That would mean you only receive the Tuesday and Friday emails.

Of course, I’d love to have you receive all emails, but I want you to be happy with the frequency too - and the content. There is information on how to unsubscribe from a section here.

Let’s talk about The Capsule Pantry

Boy, you had a lot to say about this section! Which is great - The Capsule Pantry is a work in progress and I want to refine it to make sure it works for you as much as possible.

I received feedback about weaving dietary requirements into the recipes. With that in mind, from now on I’m going to try and ensure a vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free variation on every recipe.

The only time this might not happen is if I concentrate on a particular ingredient. For instance, I want to do Chicken Week soon.

BUT whenever I focus on an ingredient like that, I will always counter it with a focus the next week on a less dietary-restrictive ingredient, like this week’s asparagus recipes.

I also received feedback that it would be good to learn more about the rules of cooking and how to be more flexible in the kitchen, regardless of what your pantry ingredients look like. I’m going to start doing this very shortly which I think will also help with learning how to swap out ingredients from the base recipe based on your own dietary requirements, whatever they may be.

I’m also going to refine the original capsule pantry ingredients to be more dietary-restriction-friendly, to help you build your own small but incredibly flexible pantry based on your own preferences and requirements.

For those of you who are interested in upgrading to The Capsule Pantry but want to get a peek into how it might look, keep your eyes peeled in the next couple of weeks for the new-look TCP - the first week will be free for everyone.

Upgrade to receive TCP

Phew! I think that’s it.

Thank you again for your responses. It’s been eye-opening and extremely helpful in shaping S+S going forward.

As it’s Good Friday and I’m off to see my in-law family for the first time since December, I’m not writing an essay today, but see below for some of my recent Medium essays (paywall-free) to keep you entertained this Easter.

And here is another quick reminder that there is a sale on paid subscriptions for S+S right now - $3.50 a month or $35 a year. This offer ends on 30th April. With all this new and improved content going into S+S, it’s a great time to join.

Upgrade to paid

Happy Easter you lovely lot!