Dear Reader,
Today marks the last day you’ll receive an email from me via Substack—a sentence I never imagined I’d write when I shifted here three years ago!
The best part? You don’t have to do a thing to keep reading. Seriously! If that’s all you need to know, feel free to close this email and go enjoy some fresh air. 🌿
But if you’d like a bit more context, read on:
What’s Happening
All free and paid subscriptions have been seamlessly transitioned to a new email sending service, Buttondown. Starting Monday December 30, you’ll receive my newsletters just as you always have :
Free Subscribers: Monday Monday (Essay + Paying Attention) emails every week.
Paid Subscribers: My monthly Yes Yes Advice Column, Behind the Scenes of Business, along with all free content
Seasonal offerings will continue to appear as they always have—those aren’t going anywhere. A book club here and there, a special zoom event, a monthly creative challenge perhaps?
If you want to double check anything you can make a Buttondown account and check your subscription details here.
Otherwise everything has been migrated and should be all set to go and nothing for you to do.
The Archive
The entire archive has been moved to this link.
What’s Changing
The biggest shift is that Monday Monday will return to its roots: A simple, email-only newsletter with the same paid elements many of you have enjoyed over the last few years.
For those of you who loved the community aspect of Substack, I encourage you to join Landscapes, where I’m active and engaged in the comments most days.
Why I’m Leaving
I’m stepping away from Substack for two main reasons:
Social Media-Like Features: Substack has increasingly adopted social media elements (likes, metrics, Notes), which just don’t align with how I want to engage.
Alignment with Values: Some of Substack’s recent decisions as a company don’t reflect my values.
What I want is simple, functional tech—a platform where I can send my newsletter and advice column, keep it accessible, and focus on the work itself. I am looking forward to starting the year getting back to work and not spending so much time talking about the work.
Why Buttondown?
Buttondown on the back end is simple and easy to use. As a company they are not interested in becoming anything other than a tool for email sending. Their customer service on this migration was impeccable. I cannot say enough good things about my experience.
And best of all, there are no Notes. No reshares, no likes, and no orange check marks to “validate” success. No network effects.
It is also a solid and reliable way to stay connected with YOU.
Will your Substack account still exist?
No. I will be deleting my Substack account and reading my subscriptions in my email inbox.
Why upgrade to a paid subscription?
Free subscribers can upgrade to a paid subscription by clicking here
The Yes Yes Advice Column will continue to be my deep dive into creative business, personal life, and offering advice that’s tailored to the needs of artists and writers. I can’t wait to keep that conversation going with you.
Paying for a subscription allows me to be a working writer and produce my weekly podcast, Common Shapes. Paid subscribers get so much behind the scenes goodness of my business practices, most intimate essays, and more.
Common Shapes will no longer get its own email on Wednesdays but Season Three will continue on January 8 with a new episode! Make sure to follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to continue getting new interviews and my ideas each week. The links are a little wonky right now in the transition but if you want to listen they all exist right here safely :)
Thank You
I know many of you may not think much about these logistics and are simply happy to keep receiving my emails every Monday—and that makes my heart full. Others may miss certain features of Substack, and I honor that too.
I also want to acknowledge how many of you are here as publishers because of Newsletter Class or my Skillshare Course specifically on Substack.
It’s been incredible to see so many of you start newsletters, whether on Substack or elsewhere. I’ve been so grateful to share this space with you over the years and understand you may enjoy the simplicity of reading Monday Monday in the Substack app, my hope is that you’ll still read along in your email inbox. This email isn’t just about me telling you I am moving tech, but about continuing the journey we’ve started together (some of you since 2012!)
Thank you for being part of my digital ecosystem, wherever it takes us next. I’m excited for this new chapter and grateful to have you here.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the transition. I’m here for it! And please remember I am a one guy show and will be handling this transition (with the support of Buttondown!) on my own. Another amazing detail - if anything happens like you get charged twice or there is a migration glitch, Buttondown will cover it.
If you have to unsubscribe twice, I am sorry. If you have to re-up your subscription, my sincere apologies. Transitions are hard. But I have done a few pivots in my life and they have always been worth it.
Here’s to being hard to find
Wildly available to the mystery
In solidarity and gratitude
info@codycookparrott.com
PO Box 252 Cedar, MI 49621
P.S A note to other writers who dream of leaving Substack but are afraid to lose all their money : This process took so much work and patience and strategizing, but it was possible. Take a look at my Creative Advising Offerings and see if one is right for you. I’d love to support you being in radical alignment with your business in 2025.