✍️ Desk of Amy Suto: How to Achieve Immortality With Your Book
Why we write, and some musings on my new book's impact so far after arriving in London.
In this post you’ll read about…
✨ How writing connects us to our past — and future
✍️ The importance of telling your story
⚡️ Musings from a summer day in Shoreditch
📖 3-Minute Story: How to Achieve Immortality With Your Book
"To experience time travel, read.
To achieve immortality, write."
—James Clear
It’s a sunny day in London. My partner Kyle and I have just escaped the frigid Edinburgh “summer” (read: lots of wind and moody rainstorms) and have spent our morning wandering around Shoreditch.
We buy fresh fruits and track down our favorite chai latte at Chai Baba above the Brick Lane vintage market.
I’ve tempted fates with this caffeine splurge (I’ve been almost entirely caffeine-free for the past month!) and get mildly jittery but it passes as we continue our stroll down Brick Lane.
It’s seventy degrees and sunny: a soft breeze tosses my hair as we dip in and out of cute shops and I finally find the perfect corduroy tote bag I’ve been on the hunt for since my last bag I bought a year ago in Athens fell apart at the seams. Kyle buys it for me like the thoughtful partner he is, and we round out the rest of our groceries and pick up smoothies on the way back to our sun-drenched flat.
As we head home, my phone pings with a message: one of my nomad friends has just shared my new book The Nomad Detective: Volume I with our Costa Rica group chat:
A super sweet comment — and something that, as a writer, I love to hear.
(Especially as the book just came out — it can be so terrifying waiting to hear what people think once your work of fiction starts being read by wider audiences!)
As many of you know, the first book in The Nomad Detective series is (very loosely) inspired by my travels as a digital nomad.
While the book is a work of fiction with made-up characters, I still wanted to transport my readers into this globetrotting mystery as Detective Violet Chase solves cases while trying to find her missing sister.
It’s my hope that this book helps people travel — even if they never board a plane to any of the places I write about. And that’s one of the many unexpected benefits of fiction — and of being an author.
That’s why being a writer, as author James Clear so eloquently puts it, helps you achieve “immortality.”
If your work is good enough, it will line bookshelves for decades (and sometimes, centuries) after your death.
But in order to achieve this immortality, you have to put pen to paper. (Or hire a ghostwriter or editor to help you.)
And then — sometimes the scariest part — you have to hit “publish” in some form. (You can read my free guide on how to publish your book on Amazon here!)
So what are you writing today?
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ 2 Things I’ve Loved This Week…
I’m changing this section and rounding out my favorite clean beauty products, travel gadgets, and other faves each week. Here’s the list:
Clean beauty pick: this biorock deodorant* is my new favorite nontoxic product that I picked up while working remotely in Istanbul a few months ago (and it’s done wonders in the European heatwaves I’ve been in lately!) It’s a crystal-based deodorant that kills odor causing bacteria, and you use it by putting water on it before applying. What I love about this nontoxic deodorant is that it doesn’t stain your clothes or have an artificial fragrance. These things supposedly last a year, which also makes it budgetcore.
Clothing/travel gadget pick: my heated jacket* came in clutch in Edinburgh “summer.” Everyone always asks me about this jacket when I’m out and about, and it’s easily the best gift I’ve ever been given. (Shoutout to Kyle for finding this!) If you get cold easily or need a jacket that’s perfect for multiple temperatures, this is an absolute gamechanger. It’s changed my life as a digital nomad (and freed up so much space in my carry-on!)
*These are affiliate links, FYI! I earn a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to purchase. Thanks for supporting this newsletter!
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
Your Immortal Words. If you could share one message with the world that would outlive you for generations, what would it be?
Feel free to share anything that came up for you in the comments:
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
Working Remotely in Krakow, Poland (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
Working Remotely in Istanbul, Turkey (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: ReadingCore ❤️
I’ve been spending a lot of time in bookstores, reading, and writing my next book! Looking forward to sharing more with you soon ❤️
Follow me on Substack Notes and Instagram for more!
Sending creativity and good writing vibes your way,
-Amy
p.s. I create my newsletter voiceovers and my podcast episodes using the tool Wondercraft AI, a text-to-speech tool that speaks in YOUR voice. 🎙 Use my code SUTO50 or this link* to get started on Wondercraft! (paid/affiliate link)
Amazing newsletter, as always! That jacket is officially on my Amazon must-buy list! It gets so cold here in Germany during the winter, so my husband got me heated gloves and now this jacket will be the perfect finishing touch!
💛💛💛