Hey Reader,

I’m in Mexico, where I spoke yesterday at a retreat for Erika Bryant’s group, The Network.

In my presentation, Paid to Be You, I talked about the importance of visibility, and its two prongs — being well known, and widely known.

You know what widely known means: lots of people know who you are. As in, dang — you famous!

“Well known” usually exists as a synonym for that but I mean it differently. To me, well known is when people in your orbit and audience know you well.

That happens when you share the details of your life: your habits, quirks, pet peeves, passions, favorite foods, and favorite movies/shows/songs; what time you get up and go to sleep; your fears, triumphs, and flops; the shoes you live for, the ones you gave away after one wearing because they ripped your heels to bloody shreds.

Those details create an insider culture around you. Your people feel special and included for knowing all this trivia and getting your callbacks, spotting your Easter eggs. (Especially in email, but whichever is your channel of choice. Wherever Readers are sold.)

For example, I said, my subscribers know I eat watermelon chunks for breakfast. Now, they not only nod in recognition if I bring up watermelon chunks…

They think of me when they see them.

Case in point:

At lunch today, one attendee here, a lovely young woman who goes by V, came over to my table and placed a plate of watermelon chunks in front of me. She’d obviously seen them at the buffet and been inspired to bring them to me.

It wasn’t “I know you wanted these” (their watermelon here is weirdly not great, though the kiwi is bangin’) so much as a gesture of “I know you, I see you, I paid attention to your talk.”

What a tribute to exactly what I was saying about being well known. I love when shit gets meta.

If you’ve spent any time in the Shrimperverse, you know not just about the watermelon chunks but also about my love for writing with detail.

If you want to master that skill, and wonder:
​How do I come up with details?
Which do I share, and what do I leave out?
How do I include them without getting too long?
How do I make the details relevant to what I’m saying and interesting to my reader, not just a useless ramble?

…That’s a huge chunk (wow, I really do like chunks) of what we’ll cover at my upcoming NYC writing retreat, Bingeworthy Live.

I have a few spots left, and if you want to come write your ass off with the coolest group of Shrimpers, I’d love one of them to be yours.

​See the details and claim your spot here.

Hope you’ll remember me when you’re highly well known!

xoLaura

PS - I haven't had the heart to tell you: I barely get watermelon chunks anymore. I’d like to say it’s because of the single-use plastic they come in, but really it’s because they’re nearly always disappointing, even when they’re in season. I actually had an argument with the store manager about how half of them are rind-adjacent. I know they make more profit when they cut up the entire watermelon, but I’d rather they just give me the good part and charge more.

Instead, I’ve been on a croissant kick for the past half year. Not the healthiest tradeoff, unless you consult our new food pyramid. I think butter is now considered an essential nutrition staple.

But I still identify as a chunks lover, so don’t worry — you don’t have to change your whole image of me.

Want more help with copywriting, storytelling, writing emails that make money, and/or generally getting paid to be you? ​ Great! Start here to browse on-demand courses. 💡FREE CLASS: Emails That Sell (Get it here)​ 💡60-Minute Makeovers Copywriting Mini-Course (Get it here)​ 💡Book Launch Hero (Grab it here)​ 💡The Copy Cure (a collaboration with Marie Forleo) (Check for availability)​ 💡My national bestselling book, TOUGH TITTIES! (Your new favorite read - w bonus trainings)​ Binge my YouTube Channel (Watch now)

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