Tech Community Engagement with Newsletters with Sam Julien on Web Rush #237

Sam Julien talks with us about being a developer advocate, writing content for newsletters, avoiding burn out doing the things you enjoy, and processes for developing evergreen content.

Direct link to the episode.

const podcast = { 
  episode: 237,
  title: 'Tech Community Engagement with Newsletters',
  topics: [ 
    'newsletters', 'dev advocacy', 'writing'
  ],
  guest: 'Sam Julien'
  hosts: [
    'John Papa', 'Craig Shoemaker'
  ]
};

Recording date: May 25, 2023

John Papa @John_Papa

Ward Bell @WardBell

Dan Wahlin @DanWahlin

Craig Shoemaker @craigshoemaker

Sam Julien @SamJulien

Brought to you by

• AG Grid

• Narwhal

  Visit nx.dev to get the preeminent open-source toolkit for monorepo development, today.

Resources:

• Sam’s Website
• Sam’s article How to Finish What You Start
• Developer Microskills Newsletter
• Zero Index Developer Newsletter
• Sam’s book Getting Started in Developer Relations
• Race for Homeless Llamas
• Obsidian
• The Emperor’s New Groove
• Where to watch the Emperor’s New Groove
• AI is changing security
• ConvertKit
• ConvertKit Documentation
• Joel Hooks on evergreen newsletters
• Sam’s newsletter process
• Foster Kitten Mama

Timejumps

• 00:28 Welcome
• 01:32 Yak shaving?
• 02:22 Introducing Sam Julien
• 04:51 What has been your career path?
• 06:35 What makes a good developer advocate?
• 09:02 Sponsor: Narwhal
• 09:38 How do you decide where you should spent your time?
• 15:44 How does AI and identity merge?
• 16:49 Sponsor: Ag Grid
• 17:52 Why did you start a newsletter?
• 20:34 What makes for a good communicator?
• 23:37 What is your process for writing a newsletter?
• 29:39 What are some lessons you've learned writing a newsletter?
• 35:08 Final thoughts

Podcast editing on this episode done by Chris Enns of Lemon Productions.