Afleveringen
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As part of my job as a freelance memoir ghostwriter, I was recently flown out to Vienna, Austria by my client as part of the book writing and researching process. Glamorous? You bet. It’s one of the reasons why I love my work, and why I also teach other writers how to kickstart their own freelancing careers
While I can’t discuss any of the work I did for my client, I can talk about the days I spent as a solo traveler exploring the city of Vienna and my recommendations for what to eat, where to stay, and what to do in Vienna, Austria for digital nomads, remote workers, and other travelers coming to visit this gem of a European city.
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Imagine working remotely from an island where lush forests meet dramatic coastlines, where you can swim in natural saltwater pools during your lunch break, and where the produce is so fresh it might as well have been picked that morning.
Welcome to Madeira, a Portuguese island that's quickly becoming a digital nomad hotspot!
Kyle and I picked Madeira because we wanted to have a combination of both adventure and quiet deep work and creating time. During my time on the island, I met several other writers who had also picked Madeira for the “writing retreat” element inherent in its peaceful but stunning atmosphere.
I ended up leaving the island a week earlier than planned for a writing trip, but I’d still recommend you spend a month on the island so that you can really unwind and enjoy a surreal daily existence of ocean swims, foggy hikes, and endless waterfalls.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In this post you’ll learn…
✍️ The mindset shift that unlocked so much for me
📚 How limiting beliefs hold us back
✨ Plus: a free webinar on memoir ghostwriting this Monday!
✍️ Free Webinar on Monday About Memoir Ghostwriting [Mon, September 23rd at 3pm ET]
Marion Roach so kindly invited me as a guest on her “Let Me Introduce You” series to chat about all things memoir ghostwriting.
You can register at the link below — it’s free to join!
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
📖 3-Minute Story: The 1 Limiting Belief Holding You Back
In my early 20s, I thought that the world “owed” me something.
I thought that if I showed up in the way that society told me to, I’d be deserving of the outcome I was told I’d get.
They tell us to follow the formula:
Climb the ladder > get the promised prize > live happily ever after.
But because you’re reading this Substack that I’m typing to you beachside from Madeira, Portugal, you know that my journey was much better when I took my fate into my own hands.
Most writers — and people — are plagued by a victim mentality. Bad things happen to us, so we operate from a place of fear and scarcity. We fall into patterns thinking “this is just how things are” while stewing on how badly we’ve been treated or how deeply we’ve been wronged.
In 2021, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. As someone who has struggled with fairly unfounded medical anxiety most of my life, this was my greatest fear.
But after my diagnosis, I felt fairly calm. Steady. I didn’t feel like a victim: I felt like I was being given a unique test. A challenge that would help me grow.
So, I faced it as that. Days later, I found a nutritionist to help me, I was doing my own research about the type of diet and lifestyle changes I needed to make, and I went against “common sense” and started traveling the world.
Three years later, I’m in remission — something I don’t think could have happened had I fallen into a “woe is me” victim mentality. There are a lot of factors that helped me heal, but they all were built on the foundation of this mindset shift: I am not a victim. I am responsible for my life and I can change it.
Radical responsibility gives us agency. If we take responsibility and “own” where we’re at in life, we’re suddenly in a position where we can change everything. From this new vantage point, depression and anxiety and anger fall away, and a path forward is illuminated.
In what ways in your own life have you fallen into the victim mentality?
Enjoyed today’s post? Please give it a “heart” ❤️ and share or restack it.
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ Products I’ve Loved This Week…
Each week, I highlight 2 of my favorite picks in the categories of travel gadgets, clean beauty, fashion, and more.
Here is this week’s list:
* SafetyWing Travel Insurance.* I recommend using SafetyWing if you’re a digital nomad or a traveler. Having this insurance saved me quite a bit of money last year, and it’s one of those things that helps with peace of mind!
* Ororo Heated Jacket.* I’m obsessed with this heated jacket and recently posted a TikTok from the foggy forest in Portugal about why I love it.
*Affiliate links.
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Working Remotely in Spitalfields, London, England (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Edinburgh, UK (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Krakow, Poland (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: Dragon Tail Hike in Madeira, Portugal
The hiking in Madeira is unreal. Full travel guide coming soon for this gorgeous island :)
Follow me on Substack Notes and Instagram for more!
Sending creativity and good writing vibes your way,
-Amy
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
When you wander through the streets of Spitalfields, you're immediately struck by the perfect blend of historic charm and modern urban energy. This vibrant neighborhood in East London, reborn from its dark “Jack The Ripper” past is nestled between the financial district and the trendy Shoreditch area and offers a unique experience for digital nomads looking for a dynamic place to work and explore.
From the bustling Spitalfields Market with its array of artisanal goods and diverse food options to the eclectic mix of vintage shops and street art along Brick Lane, there's always something new to discover. As a hub for creatives and entrepreneurs, Spitalfields provides an inspiring backdrop for remote work, with plenty of cafes, boba shops, and interesting things to do to keep you motivated and engaged.
During our stay, we indulged in some of the best cuisine London has to offer, from authentic Neapolitan pizza to mouthwatering Indian breakfast wraps. We explored the area's rich history, enjoyed its vibrant art scene, and even ventured out for a day trip to Cambridge. Whether you're looking for a quiet corner to work or a lively atmosphere to network, Spitalfields has it all.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
In this post you’ll read about…
✍️ What a week in a sleepy village in Madeira looks like
📚 How I spend my time as a freelance memoir ghostwriter, creator, and fiction author
✨ How I balance fiction writing with all of my other projects
📖 3-Minute Story: A Week in a Writer's Life Working Remotely in Madeira, Portugal
Note: this post contains affiliate links*, which help support my newsletter at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my writing!
This month, we’re staying in a co-living digital nomad hotel known as Outsite*, and their Ponta Do Sol, Madeira location has been my favorite so far.
While Kyle and I have been running around the island and visiting the foggy forest and some gorgeous hikes on the island, I also wanted to share a “realistic” deep work week in my life here in our quaint little village.
Sunday | My Sunday Reset Routine
10am: Dip in the Ocean and Breakfast. My partner Kyle and I wake up, swim in the ocean, and then make eggs for breakfast. We meet some new people who have checked into the house — always a nice perk of the digital nomad life.
11:30am: My Sunday Reset Rituals. My focus is on my weekly Sunday Reset rituals, such as journaling, getting to inbox zero, and writing my Substack posts for the upcoming week or two. Kyle and I didn’t sleep super well as there was a local festival going on, so we spend a few hours working before calling it a day and meal prep some vegetable soup for the week.
Monday | Deep Work & Meeting Day
10am: Breakfast and Deep Work. I skip the ocean swim today because I have some exciting projects to kick off! I spend my morning doing some less-than-fun admin work, but I feel so much satisfaction when the hard boring parts of running a business are completed and taken care of.
2pm-6pm: Client Kickoff Calls and Discovery Calls. It’s a big meeting day today, so I’ve got a little less than 4 hours of calls with some wonderful new clients and potential clients who are interested in having my help with their book projects. I’ve been really enjoying my work as a book ghostwriter and editor for the past 8 years, and the kickoff calls today were so much fun. I love supporting other authors with their books. This process is hard, and writing and publishing a book is more of a team sport than people realize!
6pm-7pm: Post-Call Follow-Ups. After my calls, I do some wrap-up work such as sending off contracts and invoices. Then, I eat some dinner with my partner Kyle. There aren’t many great restaurants in our part of the island, so we’ve been cooking in the gigantic kitchen in the Outsite for most of our meals, which is a nice change of pace.
Tuesday | Deep Work, Social Posts, Podcast Interview
9:30am-noon: Breakfast and Social Media Post Editing. I’m up a little earlier than normal because I’ve got a lot I want to accomplish today, starting with some short-form video editing. Last week, Kyle and I shot some short TikTok videos in the Madeira foggy forest to promote my favorite travel gadget ever — the Ororo Heated Jacket, which is discounted on TikTok shop or you can grab it from my Amazon shop here.* I take some time to edit the footage, and I’m thrilled to share it with y’all as I genuinely believe this is the secret to staying warm everywhere I travel, and it allows me to be a minimalist who travels full-time with just a carry-on suitcase with a wardrobe that works great with all 4 seasons. Ororo was kind enough to offer to ship me one of their new jackets to try out and review, so I’ll keep you posted on what I think of their latest jacket whenever I’m able to get back to the States for long enough to receive mail. 😊
Noon-4pm: Deep Work. I spend the rest of my deep work time doing writing work, filming Substack audits for two amazing writers, and staying on top of my inbox (which sometimes feels like its own full-time job!)
4pm-5pm: Podcast Interview. I wrap up my work for the day by doing a podcast interview to promote my new fiction book, The Nomad Detective: Volume I which has been getting glowing reviews. I’ve been working on the stories for Volume II, so can’t wait to share those with you in early 2025!
5pm-11pm: Dinner, Waterfall Hike, and Fiction Writing. After work is done for the day, my partner Kyle and I grab some dinner from a local restaurant (Kyle gets a burger, I get a cauliflower steak) and then we embark on a waterfall hike as the sun sets. When we get back, I still have some energy, so I spend a few hours writing my new romantasy novel that is inspired by the setting of Madeira.
Wednesday | Deep Work & Fiction Writing Day
10am-noon: Breakfast and Emails. We start the day with some breakfast, and I make my morning hot chocolate with cacao and some oat milk. I’m still caffeine-free and feeling great (no coffee, no chai, no matcha, no caffeinated tea!) but I’m a sucker for a sweet treat so my little hot chocolate in the morning is my gift to myself for crushing my inbox each day. (Also, I don’t believe chocolate counts as caffeine. Fight me in the comments if you disagree!)
Noon-5pm: Deep Work and Cooking Green Curry. Kyle and I spend the day doing the “boring” part of this lifestyle that never hits the ‘gram. We spend the day working, cooking some epic green curry with whatever vegetables we find left in our fridge shelf, and do some laundry. Perks of being able to work from “home” is being able to throw laundry into the wash in-between emails.
5pm-midnight: Reading, Waterfall Hike, and Fiction Writing. After dinner, we go on a waterfall hike at sunset again, stopping by a local self-serve banana farm on our way. When we get back, I finish reading Quicksilver, and despite immediately falling into a reading slump and trying to find my next book hit, I get some great inspiration for the romantasy novel I’m working on. I spend the rest of the evening working on my book!
Thursday | Deep Work & Podcast Interview
10am-5pm: Breakfast, Deep Work, Fiction Writing, Admin Work. Today is another eclectic work day because there’s been so much client activity and new projects lately. I juggle my client work with my fiction writing and admin work, and take stock of what I want to finish before the end of the year — and what I want for 2025. The best time to plan for the new year? It’s not on December 31st. It’s at the start of Q3.
5pm: Podcast Interview. I wrap up my day with a podcast interview — more promotion for my book! — and then it’s time to cook dinner and turn in early as I’ve had some late nights lately.
Friday | Last Work & Beach Days
9am-3pm: Emails, Breakfast, Client Work, Admin Stuff. I’m up earlier than normal today because our room is getting cleaned, so Kyle and I start our workday down in the co-working space. I’ve got a lot of “admin” tasks this week because new clients are starting, so the initial invoices and contracts are all getting finalized. My memoir ghostwriting projects sometimes require travel, so I’ve got to do some admin work by sorting out and finalizing travel dates and interviews with clients and their friends and family. I don’t mind it — I love making new travel plans, if you can’t tell! — and I do think the in person component can add some extra flavor and texture to a book (depending on the project.)
3:30pm: Podcast Interview. My work day ends with another podcast interview — this one discussing the benefits entrepreneurs can get from the book publishing process — and then it’s time to chill!
4:30pm: Ocean Swim. Kyle and I are feeling a bit low energy, so what better way to spend a sunny Friday than on the beach? We hop into the ocean for a swim, and the whole town is out suntanning and enjoying the last rays of summer. We’re still getting gorgeous days that are 70 degrees and sunny, but I know it’ll start to cool down in our seaside village soon.
Saturday | Farmer’s Market Trip & “Rest” Day
10am-11:30am: Farmer’s Market and Vegan Brunch. It’s my favorite day of the week! Kyle and I go to the farmer’s market where we run into one of our nomad friends at the kombucha booth. We purchase our weekly fresh kombucha and organic produce that is grown by local farmers on the island. Then, we head to a vegan restaurant nearby that’s only open two days per week and order some fresh juice and absolutely heavenly open-faced vegan sandwiches with homemade vegan cheese and carrot “lox.” We round out our errands by stopping at the only grocery store in town to pick up some last groceries for the soup we make each week here.
11:30am-Noon: Laundry, Emails. When we get back, I put our laundry into the wash and then sit down to do some emails — a very Sisyphean task, according to my weekly Toggl log that I keep for myself to see how much time I’m spending on different things.
Noon-3pm: Writing This Substack Post, Deep Work. I saw that y’all enjoyed my previous post about a week in a writer’s life working remotely in London, so I thought I’d do that for this week in Madeira! After writing this post and dropping it into Wondercraft AI* to make a podcast episode for my podcast feed, I switch gears to some other deep work.
3pm-7pm: Rest Time, Reading, and Ocean Swim. I just started reading The Witch Collector and am really digging this very beautifully written romantasy (and I’m trying to get over my Quicksilver reading slump!) so I take the afternoon to rest, read, and swim in the ocean.
7pm: Podcast Interview. Another day, another delightful podcast interview with a great host to promote my book The Nomad Detective: Volume I! I’ve got quite a few interviews coming up in the next few weeks, then I’ll have a bit of a break from the PR rush and I’ll begin to switch gears back to fully immersing myself in the writing process.
That’s my week! If you want to build a freelance writing business and travel the world, I have a spot left in my 30 Day Coaching Program: Freelancing Foundations that’s my signature one-on-one program that helps writers build and grow freelancing careers so they can work from their PJs or the island of Madeira.
Enjoyed today’s post? Please give it a “heart” ❤️ and share or restack it.
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ Products I’ve Loved This Week…
Each week, I highlight 2 of my favorite picks in the categories of travel gadgets, clean beauty, fashion, and more.
Here is this week’s list:
* Taft’s Silk Pillowcase.* Every time I forget to put my silk pillowcase on my pillow, my skin and hair look a little worse for wear. I used to struggle with acne, but sleeping with a silk pillowcase helped so much to clear my skin that I travel with 2 of these so I’m never without it on laundry days!
* Noise Cancelling Airpod Pros.* I ditched my over-ear headphones for these bad boys, and they’re my go-to for plane flights and daily work sessions. When co-working spaces can get a bit noisy, these are great antidotes so I can truly work anywhere without getting distracted.
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Book Review: Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy Book #1) by Callie Hart
* Working Remotely in Spitalfields, London, England (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Edinburgh, UK (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: Chasing Waterfalls
The waterfall hikes in Madeira are next level. Can’t recommend working here enough! A full travel guide is coming to my blog AmySuto.com at the end of the month.
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 50% off your first month on Wondercraft!(paid/affiliate link)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
In this post you’ll read about…
✍️ The "2-Minute Rule” — your new secret weapon against procrastination
📚 How to sneakily guide your brain into a productive flow state
✨ The simple daily habit that can transform your work and writing life
📖 3-Minute Story: Hack Your Way into Flow State (A Procrastinator's Guide)
We've all been there: staring at a blank page, watching the cursor blink mockingly, while our minds wander to literally anything else.
Procrastination is the arch-nemesis of creativity, but what if I told you there's a way to outsmart it?
Today, we're diving into the world of flow state — that magical zone where work feels effortless and time flies by — and how even the most dedicated procrastinators can hack their way into it.
Understanding Flow State
First coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow state is a mental condition where you're fully immersed in a task.
During flow, people report feeling energized, focused, and fulfilled in the process. It's the secret sauce behind those miraculous writing sessions where you look up and realize hours have passed in what felt like minutes.
The Procrastinator's Dilemma
Procrastination often stems from overwhelm or fear of imperfection. We avoid starting because the task seems too big or we're afraid our work won't meet our own high standards. The key is to bypass this mental roadblock and ease into work mode without triggering our avoidance instincts.
The 2-Minute Rule
Here's where the hack comes in: the 2-Minute Rule. The concept is simple: commit to working on your task for just two minutes. That's it. Two minutes is so short that your brain doesn't have time to protest. It doesn't trigger the overwhelm or perfectionism that leads to procrastination.
How It Works
* Choose your task: the one you've been avoiding.
* Set a timer for two minutes.
* Start working, promising yourself you can stop when the timer goes off.
* When the timer dings, decide if you want to continue or stop.
The beauty of this hack is twofold. First, often just starting is the hardest part. Once you begin, you might find yourself wanting to continue past the two minutes. Second, even if you do stop, you've still made progress, which can build momentum for your next session.
Riding the Wave Into Flow State
As you repeat this process, you're likely to find yourself working for longer stretches. This is where the magic happens. By gently easing into your work without the pressure of a long commitment, you're creating the perfect conditions for flow state to occur.
Remember, flow state typically requires:
* Clear goals
* Immediate feedback
* A balance between challenge and skill
The 2-Minute Rule helps establish these conditions by setting a clear, achievable goal (work for two minutes), providing immediate feedback (you did it!), and balancing the challenge (your task) with your skill (anyone can do anything for two minutes).
Making It a Habit
To maximize this hack, try to make it a daily habit. Set aside a specific time each day for your two-minute sessions. Over time, you'll likely find that these sessions naturally extend as you slip into flow state more easily.
The Takeaway
Procrastination doesn't have to be a life sentence. By using the 2-Minute Rule to trick your brain into starting, you're paving the way for productive, flowing work sessions.
Remember, the goal isn't to shame yourself into working longer: it's to gently guide yourself into a state where work feels good.
So, the next time you're tempted to put off that writing project or creative task, tell yourself: just two minutes. You might be surprised where those two minutes take you.
Enjoyed today’s post? Please give it a “heart” ❤️ and share or restack it.
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ Products I’ve Loved This Week…
Each week, I highlight 2 of my favorite picks in the categories of travel gadgets, clean beauty, fashion, and more.
Here is this week’s list:
* OmList. This is my favorite movie recommendation app built by Kyle Cords. If you want to find your next favorite movie by simply swiping left and right, then download this app!
* Airalo E-Sim.* (affiliate link) When traveling, I use Airalo’s E-Sim service for my phone. You can just download an e-sim onto your iPhone using their app, and it’s super easy to install — and very reliable. Great for long-term travelers.
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Working Remotely in Edinburgh, UK (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Krakow, Poland (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Istanbul, Turkey (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: Sunsets in Madeira
Taking my tea to the beach is one of my favorite ways to watch the sunset here in Madeira!
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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
In this post you’ll read about…
✍️ A week in the life of a writer working remotely from London
📚 What a week’s worth of book publicity looks like for a self-published author
✨ Some of the things I’m grateful for in the wake of my fiction debut of The Nomad Detective: Volume I
📖 3-Minute Story: A Week in the Life of a Writer Working Remotely from London
One of my favorite types of posts to read here on Substack are “day-in-the-life” or travel diary posts from fellow writers. I’m always curious how other professionals structure their days — especially in the wake of book launches or other big career events.
I’ve been so grateful for the positive reception The Nomad Detective: Volume I has gotten so far — so thank you to those of you who have taken the time to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads for the book.
Here’s what a week looked like working remotely from London — especially as I’m amidst the flurry of book PR and podcast interviews right now!
// Sunday - Rest & Writing Day
11am - Green Juice and Wandering. I’ve just arrived in London a few days ago from Edinburgh, and I’ve just settled into our new flat for the next two weeks here. My partner Kyle and I have already done all of our “new destination chores” as digital nomads. This includes activities such as finding a grocery store and stocking the fridge, doing laundry, and unpacking our suitcases. We sleep in and start our day by wandering through the Spitalfields Market nearby, where we acquire green juices (a key part of our routine.)
12pm - Writing Session. As a digital nomad and full-time writer, my “workweek” looks different each week. Because of that, I use a few afternoon hours on Sunday to get prepped for the week and also fit in a few hours of writing.
6pm - Dinner. My partner Kyle and I go out to an amazing dinner at a tapas place down the street from our London flat, and I remember how much I love watermelon and feta.
8pm - Alien Romulus Screening. We finish dinner early, so we decide to spend the next hour taking a leisurely sunset stroll all the way down to the BFI theater to catch our screening of Alien Romulus in IMAX. It’s a totally fine movie that makes me remember why I love books more than films these days.
// Monday - Writing Work Day & Press Interviews
10am - Deep Work Session. The workweek begins! Kyle and I stop by the market for our morning green juice. Kyle’s got plans elsewhere in the city today, but I’ve got interviews and work to do so it’s back to the flat for me! I relish the time to do some deep work and dive into a Substack Audit I’m doing for a fellow writer’s Substack to help her monetize and earn more from her writing. I switch gears to work on another client’s Substack, and then afterward I cook a small brunch at home before diving back into some ghostwriting for a memoir ghostwriting client of mine.
2:30pm - The Nomad Detective: Volume I Press Interviews. I spend the rest of the day doing interviews for my new book. I have some great conversations with podcast hosts and interviewers that I’m excited to share with you once they come out! One interview I’m particularly excited for you to hear is my conversation with Doreen Cumberford for the Nomadic Diaries podcast. Doreen is an expat living in Mexico who is from Scotland, and she’s got a great podcast series coming out soon on the topic of what it means to return home as a nomad. We discuss my book The Nomad Detective: Volume I as well as what it means to be a digital nomad and what “home” means to us.
5pm - Dinner and Last Emails. I wrap up the interviews shortly after 5pm. I go out and grab some tacos and enjoy the nice weather before returning to finish up some writing and emails and then start to wind down for bed around 9pm as we have an early start for the next morning.
// Tuesday - Day Off to Visit Cambridge
8am - Leave for Cambridge. Kyle’s family is visiting, so we’re up early at 8am to head to the train station so that we can make our way to Cambridge for a day trip. We do a "punting tour” where we’re on a boat and a college student shares the history of all the old colleges as we coast through a little canal that passes underneath stone bridges. After that, we get lunch at a pub and explore the city. We get home around 7pm and I answer some emails before calling it a day. Fun day trips like this are one of the perks of living the nomad life!
// Wednesday - Friend Meetups & Writing Work Day
8am - Deep Work Session #1. I start my day with a green smoothie and then dive into my work for the day. I clear emails, rewrite a personal essay for my editor at a major publication, and share the guest post I’ve written called “3 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Hire Ghostwriters” for my friend Renee Puvvada’s amazing Substack Smokin' Hot Book Funnels — which you should absolutely be subscribed to if you have any interest in writing a book and getting it into the hands of your readers! Renee has sold over 10,000 copies of her self-published book, so she’s truly an expert. I take a break at 12:30pm to eat some lunch at home.
1pm - Tea with Friends. In the afternoon, Kyle and I break to get tea with a few friends at a cafe on Brick Lane. As nomads, it’s always nice to catch up with friends in the different cities we’re in.
3pm - Afternoon Snack and Deep Work Session #2. On our way back to our Airbnb, we stop to eat some dumplings at a street food market by the vintage shops on Brick Lane. Then, I’m back at my computer for my second deep work session of the day. I mainly focus on doing some writing for myself and my ghostwriting clients, but also queue up some social posts for my Substack post on How to Make Writing Your Job.
5pm - Immersive Theater Show & Meet Up with a Fellow Nomad. We met up with a fellow nomad to see Viola’s Room — a crazy immersive show here in London put on by Punch Drunk (who also did Sleep No More) where you take off your shoes and wander through a maze while an audio story happens all around you. Words can’t describe how unique this haunting story was, so if you find yourself in London you’ll just have to go yourself. After the show, we grabbed pizza at a local pub before heading home.
// Thursday - Book PR & Writing Work Day
9:30am - Deep Work Session #1. I acquire green juice and hot chocolate and sit down at my desk to jam through emails, complete a Substack Setup for a client’s new publication, and continue to clear things off of my to-do list.
Noon - Lunch at Brick Lane Market. I take a break to get lunch with my partner Kyle at the food market on Brick Lane. We scope out a great Ethiopian food place with lots of good veggies for lunch.
1pm - Deep Work Session #2. I switch gears, working on some ghostwriting work for a book client. I’m really excited for the world to read their book — it’s been coming together so well so far!
3pm-7pm - Podcast Interviews and a Discovery Call. I switch gears for the afternoon, which is filled with more podcast interviews to promote my book. I love chatting about my writing process for this book, and I have some great conversations with podcast hosts. Then, I hop on a discovery call for a potential client who wants help with writing a book.
7pm - Dinner at Spitafields Market. Today is an “eat-food-at-local-markets” day and we stop by Spitafields to get sushi burritos for a quick bite.
8pm - Deep Work Session #3. I have a bit more writing to do, so I head back to wrap up the day with one last deep work session. I don’t usually work this late, but things have been busy lately, so I put in a bit more elbow grease to end the week!
// Friday - Light Work Day
10am - Deep Work Session #1. It’s Friday, so I sleep in a bit before going out to get green smoothies. I finish writing my travel guide for Working Remotely in Edinburgh, UK and post it on my blog. After, I answer emails from potential clients who want help with their books. I wrap up work around 3pm and take the rest of the day off to unwind and read a book.
// Saturday - Book PR Day & Rest Day
10am - Croissants and Hot Chocolate. It’s Saturday, and even though it’s raining here in London we head to a croissant spot a friend of ours recommended that supposedly has the most French croissants in town. They do — I can taste the butter on the flaky pastry, and the hot chocolate I get as well is perfection. When we get home, I spend the afternoon reading and hanging out — it’s been a busy week!
6pm - Podcast Interview, Ghostwriting Work, & Emails. I don’t usually work on Saturdays, but I end up doing a great podcast interview for my book and wrap up some last ghostwriting work for a client. I don’t mind doing some weekend work as I know we’re headed to Madeira this upcoming week, so I want to clear more off my plate so I can really enjoy the island when we arrive! At 9pm I wrap up and call it a week.
Enjoyed today’s post? Please give it a “heart” ❤️ and share or restack it.
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ Products I’ve Loved This Week…
Each week, I highlight 2 of my favorite picks in the categories of travel gadgets, clean beauty, fashion, and more.
Here is this week’s list:
* My LARQ Self-Cleaning Water Bottle.* This water bottle is not only stylish and lightweight — the self-cleaning UV system is ingenious. My previous water bottles would get yucky fast, but my LARQ stays fresher longer.
* LumeCube Mobile Content Creator Set.* Since I’ve been doing tons of podcast interviews (many of which are on-camera) I use this creator kit to help position my lighting. It’s compact and great for travelers and content creators of all kinds!
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Working Remotely in Edinburgh, UK (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Krakow, Poland (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Istanbul, Turkey (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: London Sunset Strolls
Enjoying summer strolls in London 💛
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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
📖 3-Minute Story: I Quit Caffeine and I Hate How Much Better I Feel
Listen.
I did not want to write this post.
I just wanted to be proven wrong.
But it has been a month since I quit caffeine. And I regret to inform you that, yes, life is actually better with decaf.
I have been a latte fiend since I discovered Starbucks at the tender age of 15, and then started becoming an espresso snob at home ever since. My whole family commits to the caffeine bit: we have a history of brewing tea in the sunshine to get maximum caffeine intake, and coffee is a love language.
However, when I quit caffeine for the first time a few years ago doing a full reset on my health while reversing my autoimmune condition, I found that I had quite an iron deficiency that was being masked by (you guessed it!) my insane coffee intake. (1-2 French presses worth of coffee per day was normal for me.)
After being forced to go cold turkey on coffee for a few months, I returned to the caff — but this time, with just matcha lattes, AKA: coffee’s baby sister.
This was all fine and dandy, but after some time I slipped-and-fell back into the arms of Starbucks Sweet Cream Cold Brews and a smattering of flat whites and even straight espresso: the coffeeist of all coffees out there.
And while I’ve maintained my health even while drinking caffeine, over the past few months I started to notice a rise in anxiety and jitteriness. I was having severe afternoon slumps, and my productivity and energy levels were not looking good.
I knew it in my heart: it was time to quit caffeine — yes, all caffeine — for good.
As a fellow writer, you’ve probably been exposed to the Big Coffee Agenda: all those lovely stock photos of books and typewriters next to some epic latte art.
But despite coffee being a part of my personality, I knew I needed to quit if I wanted to have a more balanced day.
I just didn’t expect it to be SO much different.
Since quitting caffeine, here’s what I’ve experienced:
* More consistent daily energy. I have more energy for longer. Even though the mornings are a bit slower, I’m more energized. I drink peppermint tea or homemade ginger tea with lemon in the mornings if I need a bit of a decaf zing to start the day.
* No more afternoon slumps and higher productivity. I don’t feel drained in the afternoon anymore, which is pretty shocking. In my coffee era, I used to treat my afternoon slump with more caffeine — or I’d just find myself zoning out and unable to focus. Now, I’m productive all day and don’t feel like staring into the void when 3pm hits.
* It’s easier to stick to my workout schedule. I’ve found that it’s actually easier to stick with a workout schedule without caffeine: I’m more energized, so going to the gym is more appealing. Maybe I’ll become a morning workout person.
* Pretty much no more stress, anxiety, or jitteriness. Some things do still stress me out, but I’ve seen a huge decrease in anxiety that comes out of nowhere (i.e. did I leave the stove on/forget something important/what if [crazy catastrophic bad thing] happens?) My mood is a lot more stable and I feel so much more calm. Who knew?
* I save money (and time!) not going out of my way to find a caffeine fix. My daily fun drink habit cost anywhere from $5-$12 per day. That's $1,825-$4,380 per year 😱 Not to mention all the time it takes to go run out and track down coffee while traveling, or to grab supplies to make it at home. Instead, I can use this time and money for healthier drinks like green juices and smoothies.
* Better sleep. I’ve always slept pretty well, but I’ve been more rested since quitting caffeine.
If you’re considering quitting caffeine, welcome to the club! I’m glad you’re here. Just know that the first week will feel like a garbage fire, but just allow yourself time for more afternoon naps when possible. Get your coffee alternatives (such as herbal tea, ginger tea, or turmeric lattes!) ready for when your cravings strike, and promise yourself to at least make it a month without caffeine. Then, see how you feel.
I’ve made a ton of healthy changes over the past few years. Every time I’ve gotten rid of something like alcohol that I had never pictured removing from my life, I’ve seen a cascade of benefits flow into my life.
Part of our jobs as writers/creators/entrepreneurs include taking care of ourselves. I’d be curious to hear if you’ve given up something like caffeine or alcohol and how that has affected you in the comments.
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ 2 Things I’ve Loved This Week…
Each week, I highlight 2 of my favorite picks in the categories of travel gadgets, clean beauty, fashion, and more. Here is this week’s list:
* Shoes: Blundstone Boots. When we were in Edinburgh last week, everybody and their mother was wearing a pair of Blundstone boots. I have the lace-up kind that has great ankle support, and they’re not only perfect for hiking, but they also are nice enough to wear out to dinner — perfect for nomads. They’re also waterproof, which is essential for rainy places like Edinburgh.
* Drink: Peppermint Tea. I used to have pretty bad hormonal acne, but one of the many changes I made that helped me get clear skin was incorporating peppermint tea. It improves your skin by encouraging cell turnover and reducing sebum production. A combination of peppermint tea with a very minimal skincare routine (micellar water for cleansing, and a simple moisturizer and Korean sunscreen) allowed me to go makeup-free and have the clearest skin of my life. Just make sure to get an organic peppermint tea and stay away from bad brands that have glyphosate in them or other pesticides. Loose leaf is best!
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
* Mood Changers. Write about a day in the life of you and your changing moods. Is there anything that is affecting you positively or negatively that you could maybe remove or re-examine?
Feel free to share anything that came up for you in the comments:
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Working Remotely in Edinburgh, UK (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Krakow, Poland (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Istanbul, Turkey (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: Peru #Throwback
A little over a year ago, I embarked on the 4-day, 26-mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu — which inspired one of the stories in my new detective book The Nomad Detective: Volume I!
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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
When you stroll down the streets of Edinburgh, it feels like you’ve entered a magical world of wizards, bagpipes, and horse-drawn carriages. This stunning medieval city is also home to the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where hundreds of thousands of theatergoers descend on the city to see indie theater productions and musicals put on in both high-end theaters and local pubs.
My partner Kyle and I visited for this Fringe Fest, finding ourselves watching musical adaptations about Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski accident case as well as a well-made one-woman show about a weather girl losing her mind as wildfires sweep California and she searches for her homeless mother.
This festival gave birth to shows like Fleabag, but it’s also a wild time to be in the city. You’re clamoring past crowds as buskers and street performers try to grab your attention by throwing fire or doing magic tricks. You’re trying (and failing) to avoid spending $20 on a sandwich. And as you wind through a narrow stone alleyway past the castle, a lone bagpipe player serenades you under the twilight as torches burn from the top of the towers of the castle.
We threw paper airplanes in pubs that held contests for just this type of activity. We ate amazing naan breakfast rolls at Dishoom and delighted in their creamy chai lattes. We ducked into bookstores to avoid the “summer” weather of rainstorms and wind.
Edinburgh is a special place, but it’s also expensive and cold. If you know what to expect and pack a pair of waterproof boots and an umbrella (yes, even in the summer!) then you’re likely to have a great time in this city.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
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)
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
📸 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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
In this post you’ll read about…
✨ What life is like after the book launch
✍️ The best marketing strategy for authors
⚡️ Navigating the ups and downs of author life
📖 3-Minute Story: Life After the Book Launch
My debut fiction book The Nomad Detective: Volume I launched right before I hopped on a plane to attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where I doused myself into the world of independent theater.
So far at the festival, I’ve survived a plane crash in one immersive show (that featured real plane seats) and a werewolf attack in another. Today, I’m headed to see a double feature of musicals that chronicle the harrowing and absurd story of Gwyneth Paltrow’s skiing accident and court case.
It’s been a whirlwind of great theater, bad theater, and paper airplane competitions hosted by local pubs in Edinburgh. I’ve been wandering through the city with my partner Kyle as we continue our quest to uncover the best hot chocolate in the city (so far: Thomas J. Walls Coffee) and the best bookstore (Blackwell’s).
While I’ve been here, it’s been amazing to get messages from readers who have (already!) finished the book, and see the first reviews trickle in:
By the way — if you’ve read the book but haven’t had a chance to leave a review, you’d be helping me so much if you went over to Amazon and Goodreads and left your honest thoughts. Reviews help SO much when it comes to new readers finding my work, so thank you in advance!
As I write this, I’ve had my first quiet day since my book launched. It’s weird not to be barreling toward a looming publishing deadline, but I also feel the loss of that daily striving in my fiction life.
Even though it’s been less than three weeks since I officially locked the draft of The Nomad Detective: Volume I, I feel the tug back to my keyboard in a creative way.
That’s how you know you were meant to do something: even after scaling a huge mountain and spending months writing and rewriting — you’re itching to do it all over again.
It also helps to be receiving such an outpouring of support for my debut fiction work. This week I also received an honorable mention for another separate short story I wrote for the Writer’s Digest competition, which has also felt like another nudge from the world that I’m out here doing what I’m meant to be doing.
The one book marketing tip that I always hear repeated for fiction authors is a simple one.
The best way to market your first book is to write another.
It’s true: I’ve seen a huge uptick in sales for my first nonfiction book, Six-Figure Freelance Writer: A Holistic Guide on Finding Freedom in Freelancing, since I launched The Nomad Detective book series—despite my freelancing “how-to” book not having anything to do with my detective series.
During my book marketing research, I came across a guy who had built a million-dollar publishing business. His entire framework stemmed from the continuous addition to your “back catalog” of work as a writer. In other words? Just writing more books.
Once you’re known as a writer, your readers will want to see what else you’ve done. They may follow your Substack (hello if that’s you!) and support you by purchasing your past books. But if you’re a new author, it takes time for this flywheel to spin.
But every journey begins with that fated first step, and I’m so grateful to have my first fiction book out in the world.
Now? It’s time to write the next one 🙂
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ 2 Things I’ve Loved This Week…
* I finished the Flesh & Fire series by Jennifer L. Armentrout this week. It’s a prequel to Blood and Ash, which is another romantasy series I really enjoyed. I’d recommend this series to you as well, but only after you’ve gone through ACOTAR and Fourth Wing.
* Can a Newsletter Be a Job? By Emma Gannon. I loved this conversation with Emma Gannon and her guest Haley Nahman of the Maybe Baby Substack on whether or not newsletters can be a full-time job. (Spoiler alert: they can be!)
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
* Flow State Finder. Set a timer for 15 minutes and write longhand for the entire time. Don’t pick up your pen for any reason, even if you end up repeating the same word over and over again!
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)
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
📸 Photo of the Week: More Edinburgh Architecture
This city is so unreal. More architecture to feast your eyes upon 🙂
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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
A collab is coming in hot for this edition of my Working Remotely series: my partner Kyle was feeling peppy as I was feeling tired here on our last day in Krakow as I write this, so Kyle decided to chip in and help me with this one as we’re doing some content brainstorming at the Leaky Cauldron basement (yes, a Harry Potter themed bar!)
Working remotely in Krakow this past month has been so peaceful. There’s a huge park that wraps around the city center, and the tree-lined streets and cute architecture make this Eastern European city one for the books.
This month looked a bit different for Kyle and I as we both were focused on wrapping up huge projects we’ve been working on all year. Kyle launched his movie recommendation app OmList (go download it for iPhone and Android here!) and I published my debut work of fiction: The Nomad Detective: Volume I (get the book on Amazon here!).
Instead of running around taking tons of tours and doing all of the things, we had more of a routine and spent lots of time going to the gym, working from home, and occasionally grabbing food with some friends who were in town.
Despite our more low-key existence this month, we’ve managed to find some of the best and brightest experiences for you to enjoy during your trip to Krakow, Poland:
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In this post you’ll learn…
✨ The importance of a Daily Success Routine
✍️ How to design daily time blocks that are flexible and creativity-promoting
⚡️ Why daily prioritization is the key to “doing it all”
📖 3-Minute Story: Why You Need a Daily Success Routine
It’s rainy here in Edinburgh, but the sour weather hasn’t put a damper on my first two days here.
I’m visiting for the Edinburgh Fringe Fest — basically, the Coachella of the indie theater world — and since landing two nights ago I’ve seen an unrehearsed performer participate in an experiment where she has no idea what’s happening, only that she’s supposed to read lines and instructions off a teleprompter and it gets weirder from there.
I’ve seen a VR musical where a man straps Meta Quest headsets onto four audience members and then starts singing and dancing while they awkwardly explore a video game landscape onstage behind him.
I’ve also seen some truly good theater, the standout being a show called Weather Girl where a news personality loses her mind and regains a connection with the earth during wildfire season. Her journey to find her homeless mother comes together in a surreal and snarky show that packs an emotional punch.
I’m here during the midst of doing press and podcast interviews for my new book, The Nomad Detective: Volume I, writing these newsletters to you, and keeping up with client work and a piece I’ve recently been commissioned to write for a big publication.
So while my daily schedule looks different, my Daily Success Routine does not.
A Daily Success Routine (DSR for short!) is what I call the time management method I’ve found to be successful in staying productive without squashing your creativity or feeling trapped in a mundane routine that sucks the joy out of the spontaneity of a well-lived life.
A DSR is best managed with time blocks on your calendar that you can shuffle around and tackle how you see fit in a day.
So if you’re looking to stay productive and inspired while juggling a full workload, here are my 5 Tips for Creating an Effective Daily Success Routine (DSR):
Tip #1: Don’t Pour from an Empty Cup
The biggest rule with this schedule is that you can’t show up as your best self for yourself and others if you don’t spend time taking care of yourself.
For me, this looks like spending 30-60 minutes per day reading, 20-30 minutes journaling, and getting a 30-90 minute workout on top of my 10,000 steps each day.
However “self-care” looks like for you, make sure to have at least 1 time block per day that allocates time to rest and recharge.
Tip #2: Overestimate Work and Writing Tasks
I always overestimate how long a task will take me. This way I’ll be reasonable when I’m scheduling things, and not accidentally put too much on my plate for the day. This is key to preventing overwhelm — and keeps the Present You kind to Future You!
Here’s an example of how I time block for a day amidst the busyness of my book launch:
During the day, I’ll often move around these blocks if it feels right. You can also see some things on here (like creating my daily short-form video for my book!) are scheduled for 60 minutes when they likely will take less than 30. This is to give myself breathing room.
If your schedule is too rigid, you’ll feel bad if one task takes longer than the timeslot, or if you’re not tackling things in the “right” order you set up for yourself. Stay flexible with timeblocks and allow yourself to flow into what feels right for what you want to do at any given point during the day.
Tip #3: Prioritize Before You Add a Timeblock to Your Calendar
I have a lot of miscellaneous tasks in my to-do lists. But only the high-priority ones end up on my calendar.
Small stuff gets added onto my calendar if there is free space — and even then I name those blocks “Low-Priority To-Do List” and try and churn through as many as I can in an hour or so.
By forcing yourself to make time for high-priority to-do item on your calendar in the form of time blocks, you have to be intentional and realistic about what goes on there. This means you have to prune your list and prioritize — before adding it to your day.
I sometimes struggle with prioritization and focus, which is why I love this method.
Tip #4: Complete 1 “High Impact” Task Per Day
“High Impact” tasks are big chunks of deep work that move the needle for you and your dreams.
This could look like…
* Writing 4,000 words of your book
* Pitching yourself to podcasts to market your book
* Studying another author’s work and breaking down what works and what doesn’t
You’ll always be in alignment with your dreams if you do one thing each day to move the needle.
Tip #5: Make Time for Learning, Researching, and Good Inputs
As a fiction author and book ghostwriter, my work requires me to have a steady stream of good inputs to make sure my outputs are just as good.
This means I’m a picky consumer: I ditch books or TV shows if they’re not worth my time. Good stuff only!
No matter what work you do, it’s important you curate these good inputs. Your inner world is a garden, and the seeds you plant come from what you read, watch, and listen to.
Happy writing!
More posts of mine I think you’ll love…
✨ 2 Things I’ve Read and Loved This Week…
* The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1) by Carissa Broadbent earned 3/5 stars from me over on Goodreads. “Loved” might be a bit strong for my feelings on this book, but I did enjoy the twists and turns and the “trials” aspect of the story. I’m always a sucker for romantasy/fantasy stories where the heroine is an underdog warrior who has been secretly spending her whole life training to fight a bunch of near-immortals. Good stuff.
* I’m 100 pages into A Shadow in the Ember (Flesh & Fire #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout and I’m impressed. This is the prequel series to her other series I really love (Blood and Ash) and so far I think there are some good twists and I can’t fully say that I know where this book is going — I love being surprised as a reader!
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
* Imagine each part of your normal day has a color. What color is your morning? Your afternoon? Your evening? How do those colors blend together, and what do they make you feel? What colors would you rather each part of your day 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)
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
🎥 Video of the Week: 4 Productivity Hacks for Writers
In this week’s video, I break down the 4 productivity hacks that can help you reach your writing goals!
I promise you that you’ll hate #4, but it might end up being a life-changing tip — it certainly made me reevaluate everything I knew to be true after making the change.
📸 Photo of the Week: Saying Goodbye to Krakow, Poland
I left Krakow a few days ago, and while I’m not nostalgic for the city (it was time to move on!) I did really enjoy the peaceful month we had there.
Follow me on Substack Notes, Instagram, and Twitter/X 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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
📖 3-Minute Story: 5 Reasons to Cultivate a Daily Writing Habit
A little over a year ago, I was sitting on my sunny patio off of the apartment I was renting for a month in Valencia, Spain. My book Six-Figure Freelance Writer had launched a few months prior, and I was missing having a “project” to dedicate some good ol’ blood, sweat, and tears to.
As the sun settled nicely on the courtyard, I sipped my espresso and wondered why I even needed a project to keep up a daily writing habit.
Why couldn’t I just write every day… just because?
This, my friends, is the origin of this Substack: a way to hold me accountable to writing daily and publishing weekly.
These days, I’ve not only kept up my weekly Substack posts. I’ve also written my debut work of fiction (The Nomad Detective comes out August 1st!!) in addition to continuing my work ghostwriting memoirs for my amazing clients.
All of my momentum can be traced back to that commitment to cultivating a daily writing habit.
My daily writing habit is simple: each day I have to write something for at least an hour or two. As long as I show up on the page, it’s a good day.
Here are the 5 reasons why you should write daily:
* Committing to showing up on the page every day improves your creativity. Creativity is a muscle, and if you’re showing up each day flexing that muscle, you’re going to be so swole in the idea generation department. Writing daily is the easiest way to get better, more creative ideas at your fingertips.
* Writing daily reduces stress. It’s gotten to the point where I find being away from the page causes me stress! If I’m not writing I feel disconnected from myself, my inner world, and whatever magical “purpose” I’ve been put on this chunk of floating rock to accomplish. But on a basic level, writing is a stress reliever because it allows us to work out whatever we’re thinking about — one word at a time. It slows our thoughts down and forces us to grab a mental shovel and dig through some of that dirt that’s been cluttering up our minds. Write for 30 days in a row and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
* Writing (and publishing your work!) connects you with a broader community. I’ve connected with so many amazing writers, readers, and new friends through this Substack newsletter as well as through my books and even just my written social media posts! When we write, we open up the book of our lives for others to check out and find new ways to relate to us. That’s why writing brings people together over physical and digital campfires all over the world.
* Writing daily improves your writing at a rapid pace. I’m a better writer because I sit here slingin’ words even when I’m tired from having recently given up caffeine (which I do on a regular basis to remind myself that even though I’m just a silly mortal, I still have the willpower to give up my favorite substances!)
* The easiest way to write a book is to chip away at it every day. If you’re a National Novel Writing Month graduate like me, you know that a 50,000-word draft is super doable when you break it down into 1,666 chunks each day. That’s just 3-4 word processor pages worth of writing! You can totally write 3-4 pages a day. No matter what your writing goal is, it’s better to approach it in bite-sized chunks.
✍️ So here’s to picking up the proverbial pen each day to make your writing dreams come true!
Here are more posts of mine you may find interesting:
✨ 2 Things I’ve Read and Loved This Week…
* I’m three books deep into the From Blood and Ash series by Jennifer Armentrout, which is what a lot of readers recommend checking out after ACOTAR. While I think the plot is a bit less compelling than ACOTAR, it’s still a fun read with some surprising twists.
* I loved this post on the “underconsumption” trend going on right now. I also giggled at a quote in here about how that viral NY Times “best books of the century” has zero authors under the age of 40 on it. This list also has so many books that are a total slog to get through. Just your daily reminder that a lot of media overlooks or looks down on popular books readers truly love.
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
* The Unintended Consequence. Write a scene where an action taken with good intentions leads to unforeseen and potentially disastrous results. What was the original action? What are its ripple effects? How does the character deal with the fallout?
Feel free to share anything that came up for you in the comments:
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Working Remotely in Istanbul, Turkey (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
* Working Remotely in Singapore (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: Quiet Writing Days in Krakow
It’s been a month of slow walks in the park and mornings spent at my desk around here as I wrap up editing The Nomad Detective: Volume I ahead of my deadline. Can’t wait for you to read it come August 1st!
Follow me on Substack Notes, Instagram, and Twitter/X 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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
📖 3-Minute Story: Crime Stories from the Digital Nomad Underworld
It was 2am in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was awake, and blearily reaching for my phone on the bedside table as some thoughts swirled in my mind, my partner Kyle still sound asleep beside me.
Earlier that night, Kyle and I had been hanging out with some fellow digital nomads. We’d been out at a bar, discussing a shocking story about some nomads staying in the city who had been robbed — by women pretending to want to party with them, armed with a new drug that made their targets suggestible to handing over wallets and unlocked iPhones.
I had felt pretty safe in Buenos Aires, so I was surprised to hear the story — but as someone who kept to a “go to bed before midnight” sleep schedule, I realized I was insulated from most of what was going on in the shadows.
As we walked back to the house we were staying at for the month, I reflected on all of the other stories I’d heard about crime happening in and around the digital nomad and traveler community.
She disappeared from a yoga retreat in South America — no one has found her body.
Hikers on the Inca Trail have met their demise by following voices they hear in the dark at a haunted campsite.
Secret societies disguised as “art groups” control the Paris catacombs, putting on raves while also stealing maps and headlamps of tourist explorers, dooming them to becoming lost in the cave network beneath the city — never to be heard from again.
These stories clattered around my head: urban legends shared by American expats, locals, and international travelers of all backgrounds.
But who helps those who get lost in the world? I wondered. Who helps to find the missing people who find themselves crossing borders into the hands of those who wish to do them harm?
That’s why I was fumbling for my phone in the dark at 2am. I opened my notes app, and wrote the title for my debut work of fiction:
The Nomad Detective.
I immediately saw my main character Violet Chase as a Private Eye on the hunt for her first, and most important case: her missing twin sister. But after sustaining a head injury, Detective Violet Chase is gifted with synesthesia and the ability to see auras. Her mixed-up senses help her discover who’s lying to her and what their true motives are.
It’s this detective who finds love, heartbreak, and mystery as she solves crimes all over the world — from the mythical Inca Trail to Machu Picchu to the fog of the Venetian art scene.
The Nomad Detective is my way to explore what happens beyond the shimmering Instagram photos all of us nomads post online in front of breathtaking wonders of the world.
We all seem to know about the crime that happens in our hometowns: break-ins, vandalized cars, fires.
But the crime that happens in the expat and digital nomad community? It feels like it evaporates. Becomes ephemeral. Feels like it’s not “real life” because when you’re traveling, everything is heightened.
In a foreign city where no one has any context for each other’s lives, who could you be?
What could you get away with?
The Nomad Detective: Volume I is available for pre-order on Amazon — and officially comes out August 1st! — and inside the book you’ll find four serialized short stories:
* The Nomad Detective and the Case of the Moonlight Jungle Party
* The Nomad Detective and the Case of Dead Woman’s Pass
* The Nomad Detective and the Case of the Venetian Masquerade
* The Nomad Detective and the Case of the Cryptic Catacombs
And I can’t wait to share them with you :)
P.S. To all my paid subscribers — a free copy of the book will be coming to you soon! And if you’re not a paid subscriber, consider subscribing to get access to my archives, a free copy of The Nomad Detective, and more.
Oh, and if you dig what I’m working on — feel free to share this Substack with your friends and fellow writers.
Here are more posts of mine you may find interesting:
✨ 2 Things I’ve Read and Loved This Week…
* Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. The Fourth Wing series kicked off a weekend-long reading marathon for me! I was saving these books because I knew I’d enjoy them after reading the entire Sarah J. Maas universe, and while the writing can be a little meh at times, I thought the conceit of a war college with dragons was pretty fun and action-packed. I’m way behind on keeping up with my book reviews on my blog, but I’m going to catch up soon and will persuade you to give them a shot if you haven’t already.
* The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen. The cover of this book is atrocious, but the plot is well done — especially if you’re into assassin stories in the romantasy genre. It’s a slow burn romance and start of a larger book series, and I really loved the action, worldbuilding, and political intrigue in this book. If you loved Throne of Glass or Fourth Wing, you should add this to your TBR pile.
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
Whispered Conspiracies. Write a dialogue-only scene where two or more characters are planning something secretive. This exercise challenges you to convey plot, character, and tension using only spoken words.
Consider the following elements:
* Setting: Establish the location through dialogue. Are they whispering in a crowded café? Speaking in code over a phone call? Passing notes in class?
* Character voices: Make each character's speech pattern distinct. Use dialect, vocabulary, or speech quirks to differentiate them.
* Subtext: Incorporate what's not being said. Use pauses, interruptions, or abrupt changes of subject to hint at underlying tensions or unspoken information.
* The plan itself: Reveal details of the secretive plan gradually. Consider what the characters already know and what they need to discuss.
* Stakes: Convey the importance and risks of their plan through their words. Are they nervous? Excited? Conflicted?
* Relationships: Show how the characters relate to each other. Are they equals? Is one in charge? Do they trust each other completely?
* Obstacles: Have the characters discuss potential problems or contingencies in their plan.
* Time pressure: Create a sense of urgency in their conversation if appropriate.
Feel free to share a link to what you write or any thoughts in the comments:
📲 A Product I’m Loving This Week
My partner Kyle created the new movie recommendation app OmList, which helps you find what to watch. You swipe on your favorite movies, battle films against each other, and get a rec list with movies you haven’t seen.
Unlike other movie recommendation apps that try and use AI to guess what you want to watch, OmList is being built on comparing your ranked movie list to other users, giving you better and more niche recommendations that are driven by your fellow movie lovers.
I use this app all the time and it’s given me some really great movie recs when I’m trying to find something amazing to watch.
It’s free and you can download it below!
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Working Remotely in Istanbul, Turkey (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
* Working Remotely in Singapore (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
📸 Photo of the Week: Cloudy Writing Vibes in Krakow
I’m working remotely from Krakow, Poland this month, and the weather is quite confused. Rain and thunderstorms one day, 90-degree summer weather the next. When we arrived, it was also pretty chilly.
But I’ve loved writing from this cute desk beside the window ledge, the sun creeping in between the sheer lace curtains.
Follow me on Substack Notes, Instagram, and Twitter/X 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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
📖 3-Minute Story: Grow Your Substack with the Podcast Feature
You may have noticed something different around here lately. My podcast is now hosted on Substack and it’s reached nearly 1,000 downloads already:
A few things you may have noticed about my podcast?
* The episodes are audio versions of my posts here on Substack and from my blog AmySuto.com — you can also listen to them by hitting “play” at the top of any of my posts!
* No, I’m not spending hours behind a microphone — I’m using an AI tool that turns text-to-speech, but in your voice.🎙 Use my code SUTO50 or this link to get 50% off your first month on Wondercraft! AI (paid/affiliate link).
* Repurposing content = saves you time while growing your audience. This workflow saves me a ton of time while still allowing me to reach more people with the same content repurposed across different channels. As writers, we often overlook distribution and marketing — the two things that allow other people to find us and our work.
My posts get distributed across platforms, so I reach people on Apple Podcasts and Spotify as well:
This workflow is the true definition of “working smarter, not harder” — and is a win-win for your audience. They can listen to your words on the platform they prefer, and you can double your content without having to double your effort.
I also love creating the audio version of my posts because it serves as another opportunity for me to edit my work. Hearing the posts read aloud allows me to catch (most!) of those pesky typos or awkwardly worded sentences, which in turn makes me a better writer.
I have a full video tutorial coming exclusively for my paid subscribers this Wednesday, so if you’re curious about how this all works together, upgrade your subscription to get access to that post. (Also, last chance on this discount code!)
Here are more posts of mine you may find interesting:
✨ 2 Things I’ve Read and Loved This Week…
* Substack and Sponsored Posts. Will sponsored posts become a more formal thing on Substack in the future? There are a lot of different ways to monetize your content, and in a world where everyone has a million different subscriptions, I’m curious if the pendulum will swing back toward ad-supported content.
* Would you ever take a "life sabbatical"? by Emma Gannon. I’m loving her “NYC Diary” posts lately. It’s always cool seeing fellow writers who travel, and the importance of hopping on a plane to find another dimension of yourself.
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
* Finding the Missing Puzzle Piece. Write about a time that you found a missing puzzle piece in your life. What did it feel like when the full image came into focus? Or, if you’re currently on your journey to find that missing piece, write about what that experience is like for you right now.
Feel free to share your reflections in the comments:
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
* Working Remotely in Singapore (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Taipei, Taiwan (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
🎥 Video of the Week: Introduction to Six-Figure Freelance Writer
Speaking of repurposed content… my audiobook is now available for free on YouTube! Check it out below:
📸 Photo of the Week: Cave Exploring in Cappadocia
I felt like Indiana Jones exploring caves during my time in Cappadocia. The structures in this part of Turkey are out of this world!
Follow me on Substack Notes or 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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
Istanbul is a bit off the beaten path for most digital nomads and remote workers. When you think of places to whip out your laptop and do some work while enjoying great food, Turkey might not be an obvious choice. However, I loved Istanbul — and my long weekend trip to Cappadocia, where I celebrated my 30th birthday!
From delicious Turkish breakfast spreads to otherwordly views of mosques and underground cities, Turkey has a lot to offer digital nomads and remote workers looking for destinations perfect for long-term stays.
In this travel guide, I’ll share where to stay, what to eat, and some considerations for travelers wondering if it’s safe to visit Istanbul, Turkey.
Let’s dive in — read the post on my blog, or listen to the podcast episode above!
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 50% off your first month on Wondercraft!(paid/affiliate link)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
📖 3-Minute Story: Embracing a Portfolio Career as a Writer/Creator
Many people are turning away from traditional full-time jobs in favor of “portfolio careers.”
A portfolio career is a mix of multiple types of work. You might be an entrepreneur who also freelances: you might be a Substack newsletter writer who also pens books and offers coaching services.
I’ll use myself as an example:
✍️ Embracing My Portfolio Career as a Writer/Creator
Over the past few months, I’ve struggled to clarify what my “identity” is as a writer:
I do freelance writing for my memoir ghostwriting clients. I write for you here on Substack. I share what I know on my social platforms, and occasionally do brand deals with companies. I have a thriving blog at AmySuto.com where I also sell my services. Oh, and I’m about to come out with my new fiction book series, The Nomad Detective — which you can pre-order here!
That’s a lot!
But I love every piece of my diverse set of work as a writer. And instead of trying to pigeonhole myself into one identity (writer or freelancer or author or…?) I’m embracing that I have a portfolio of projects that make up my fulfilling career as a writer/creator who travels the world making cool stuff.
One of the best first steps into a portfolio career is as a freelancer. It’s a first step I recommend to all writers because you’re able to get paid as you hone your craft and build out your income streams.
I also think that working with clients is incredibly fulfilling and fun — and you have more control over your schedule as a freelancer, and are by default fully remote.
If you want to learn more about how to build the first step in your portfolio career as a freelance writer, you can take advantage of all my freelance writing resources below:
* Get my book Six-Figure Freelance Writer or listen to the audiobook for free here.
* Need more accountability? Want a tailored curriculum to help you build your freelancing business? I’m offering 30% off my signature 1-on-1 30 Days to Freelancing Foundations coaching program for the next 24 hours! 🚨
* Check out more of my posts on freelance writing below:
Here are more posts of mine you may find interesting:
✨ 2 Things I’ve Read and Loved This Week…
* Renee Puvvada’s piece on How to Get 100 Book Reviews in 10 Days. Getting reviews for your published book on Amazon is hard — and Renee’s method is clear and actionable.
* Anna Mackenzie’s series on Portfolio Careers helped to inspire this post, read the first article in her series here.
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
* What does your ideal workday look like? What’s the view from your perfect office? What does your desk look like? What types of things are you doing in your day? What challenges are bringing you satisfaction?
Feel free to share your reflections in the comments:
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
* Working Remotely in Singapore (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
* Working Remotely in Taipei, Taiwan (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
🎥 Video of the Week: Introduction to Six-Figure Freelance Writer
📸 Photo of the Week: Post-Workout Matcha Latte
A coffeeshop near our apartment here in Istanbul serves amazing matcha with vanilla oat milk — and it does not disappoint. I’ve been stopping here after my morning workouts to enjoy an iced matcha latte before diving into my writing for the day!
Follow me on Substack Notes or 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)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
🎂 I’m offering a rare discount to my Substack subscribers — 30% off for my birthday month as I turn 30 🎉 By upgrading your subscription, you’ll get access to all of my paid-subscribers-only articles, special perks, and discussion threads.
📖 3-Minute Story: Celebrating Magical Milestones in Cappadocia
At 5am my partner Kyle and I stepped onto the rooftop of the Koza Cave Hotel in Cappadocia — and that’s when we saw them.
Hundreds of hot air balloons graced the sky: pure, breathtaking magic.
“Happy birthday,” Kyle said, pulling me in for a hug as I felt tears tug at my eyes.
“This is the most perfect sunrise I’ve ever experienced,” I replied — and meant it.
We sat on huge pillows and Turkish rugs as hot air balloons flew by. A member of the hotel staff came upstairs to bring us a tray of coffee and took our picture as the mammoth flying machines careened by the otherworldly stone structures.
This was my first sunrise and cup of coffee in my 30s: a perfect start to a new decade.
Aging is such a privilege. I believe this even more firmly after spending the past 3 years putting my autoimmune condition into remission and cherishing my good health after fighting (successfully) to get it back.
I enter my 30s after a decade of slaying dragons, going on formative side quests (such as becoming a certified yoga instructor and being a competitive ballroom dancer!), and after 4 years traveling the world with my (words fail me at describing how amazing he is) partner Kyle.
As I enjoyed my first coffee at 30 on the rooftop we had to ourselves, I watched the wind gently blow the hot air balloons around the valley of Goreme: a drifting constellation of flickering light and color as the sun began to peek over the mountains. What an honor to celebrate such a big milestone birthday in a place that feels ripped straight from a fairytale.
If you showed my 20-year-old self the picture of my life now, she’d be surprised but delighted. Surprised by all the twists and turns along the way, but delighted with how it has all unfolded so far.
Here’s to new decades, new beginnings, new adventures.
Here are more posts of mine you may find interesting:
✨ 2 Things I’ve Read and Loved This Week…
* I’ve been running around playing Indiana Jones and exploring caves and underground cities this past week, so you’ll have to accept a rain check from me with my weekly reading digest :) Will be back with recs next week!
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
* What gifts have you been given with age? What has growing up given you?
Feel free to share your reflections in the comments:
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
* Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
* Working Remotely in Singapore (Digital Nomad Travel Guide)
🎥 Video of the Week: 4 Things They DON’T Tell You About Life as a Digital Nomad
📸 Photo of the Week: Sunrise with My Love 💕
It’s hard to describe how deeply Kyle has impacted my life for the better, and how grateful I am to be spending this milestone with him. ❤️
Follow me on Substack Notes or 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 50% off your Wondercraft AI subscription! (paid/affiliate link)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe -
Arriving in Singapore was like stepping into a theme park that’s pretending to be a major metropolis: it’s so manicured, clean, and safe that I can’t believe it belongs on the same planet as cities like NYC or SF. Don’t even get me started on all of the attractions and art exhibits in the city, from the light shows to the cloud forests and insane malls. Even the Singapore Zoo’s Night Safari feels like it was ripped from the brain of Walt Disney himself.
Singapore is a futuristic, modern city but it’s also a small city-state that still has laws in place where thieves can expect to get their hands cut off if they get sticky fingers. Cameras are everywhere which creates an atmosphere of safety — but also an eerie sensation of always being watched.
I loved Singapore in all of its soupy humidity and neon modernity. This place is a cross between Hawaii and the SoHo neighborhood of NYC. How does it stack up as a destination for digital nomads, though?
I’ll break it all down for you in my travel guide:
Read the full post on my blog AmySuto.com for more.
Happy travels!
-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 50% off your Wondercraft AI subscription! (paid/affiliate link)
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/subscribe - Laat meer zien
