[Creator Briefing] Finding joy in the seasons
A Q&A with Nina P.
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If you've ever felt the rush of excitement when spotting that first pumpkin spice latte of fall or caught yourself eagerly planning your summer reading list in the depths of February, you’re already familiar with the magic of seasonal anticipation.
But for
, the voice behind , this natural human tendency isn't just a passing feeling—it's a deliberate practice and the secret to a more joyful life.Here on Substack, Nina has cultivated a warm community centered around what she calls "the art of joyful anticipation." From her home in Austin, Texas—where the seasons might differ from her Midwestern roots—she's helping readers find meaning in monthly cycles and celebrations without falling into consumerist traps that can accompany seasonal marketing.
What attracted me to The Seasonalist wasn't just the seasonal content but its beautiful philosophy. Instead of excess and overwhelm, Nina champions simplicity. Her approach isn't about 100 ways to celebrate fall or an endless holiday gift guide—it's about thoughtfully selecting a few meaningful ways to embrace each month and actually doing them.
In this Creator Briefing Q&A, Nina talks about maintaining genuine excitement for her subject, how she's built a community of fellow "seasonalists," and her evolving practice of sustainable and thoughtful seasonal living. As a creator who’s succeeded in producing content to enhance others’ lives rather than adding to their to-do lists, she offers grounded wisdom on developing a creative practice that truly serves both creator and reader.
I love that she values quality over quantity, experience over acquisition, and genuine connection over metrics. Whether you're looking to bring more seasonal joy into your life or searching for ways to make your own creative practice more sustainable, Nina's approach feels like permission to slow down and savor what matters most.
What's been the most surprising thing about running a newsletter specifically focused on seasonality? How do you maintain your own sense of joyful anticipation while creating content about it for others?
I've been surprised at how many other "seasonalists" are out there. I've noticed some newsletters that started in one unrelated niche gravitating toward seasonality but with their own twist on the topic. It seems like an evergreen topic that tons of people are interested in. It's fun to engage and explore with the community and see how others are doing the seasonal thing.
The main way I maintain "joyful anticipation" is by putting things on my calendar and walking the walk. The biggest impact has been my seasonal recap on Fridays. It's a short summary, but as I go about my week, I try to notice and engage in seasonal "things." If I'm telling my readers about something seasonal—I'm also trying to experience and actually do the things. I'm full-service. :)
A lot of "seasonal accounts" will have something like "100 Ways to Enjoy Winter." Hell no. I'm going to give you Five Ways to Winter. Keep it simple. I'm trying to get people out of aspirational seasonal living and into realistic seasonal living.
This sounds corny, but this newsletter has changed my life. By writing it all out, sharing with my tiny community and actually doing and experiencing what I preach—I feel so much happier. It's nuts. I have a little formula I share on Fridays and I swear it works.
Can you walk us through your process for developing a typical newsletter issue, from initial idea to publication? How do you come up with new ideas around built-in recurring themes?
As a content expert, you may want to close your eyes with my "method." I use a PAPER NOTEBOOK (loosely organized by...season, of course). I jot all my ideas in there. The first newsletter of the month is always setting forth intentions for the month and for readers (and me) to get excited about what's ahead this month and to make plans to "live seasonally."
I started out as a "let's cover holidays" newsletter, and it has evolved to include topics I'm passionate about (books, movies, food, sustainability), but I tie it all into seasonal living. The rest of the month I might explore one of these topics or do a deep dive into a seasonal topic.
So recurring themes might be seasonal affective disorder—which for me is SUMMER. I live in Ausitn, Texas, and the heat can be as much of a downer as winter up north. (I grew up in Ohio so I've experienced both.)
Another recurring theme might be how to simplify a holiday. This year I addressed the consumerist mess that Halloween has become. I really want people to see past the stuff and focus on the experiences, the music, the food, the movies, and being with friends and family. And the consumer crap is out there for every holiday—this topic will continue on my newsletter.
So it's fun to sift through and try to bring us seasonalists back to enjoying and experiencing holidays. Less buying and more doing!
“This sounds corny, but this newsletter has changed my life. By writing it all out, sharing with my tiny community and actually doing and experiencing what I preach—I feel so much happier. It’s nuts.” –Nina P.
What's been the most unexpected way your community has engaged with your content? What have you found works well to encourage upgrades to paid?
The most touching thing is when other newsletters champion my newsletter—and I try to do the same (and want to do more of this). Building each other up! One Sunday I woke up with so many new subscribers—I was so confused. It was a casual mention from Emily Ley's Substack. I sent a thank you note!
I grapple with the paid thing. I hate it. I currently charge $35, which is below standard, because I really just love doing this and I want people to read and enjoy my newsletter. I currently only paywall the "Super Stack" (the first post of the month with all the seasonal good stuff). I need help here. I've thought about adding the "buy me a coffee" option as well. More paywalls might be the direction I go in 2025, as much as it kills me.
You mention that simplicity is your wheelhouse—something we all strive for! How does this influence the way you present ideas to your readers? How do you measure the impact of your work?
I try to write what I would want to see—I need it short, to the point and organized. When I get a newsletter that is just pages of words, my eyes glaze over. My brain needs something shorter. I need bullet points (or emojis—big fan) and visuals. And content-wise, I try to focus on one topic in each "Tuesday" newsletter, but do all things for that topic, if that makes sense. I go deep, but but keep it concise.
I don't measure the impact of my work. I disabled the function that lets me know who is unsubscribing. I don't want to know. I peek at the amount of money I've made (which isn't much, I probably make one cent an hour) and I peek at the subscriber numbers.
What touches my soul? Feedback from readers, some of whom I feel are now internet friends. Early on, when I had almost no subscribers, a woman in Michigan paid (when it was still totally free) and sent this message. I burst into tears. She probably has no idea how much it meant to me. Here is what she wrote:
"You are my absolute favorite newsletter and I squeal with excitement every time a new email hits my inbox. Subscribing to motivate you to keep it going!!!"
I mean, it worked. To have just one person say and do something so kind? It kept me going in the early days when I was writing into the void.
What are you currently feeling inspired by?
Like many of us who watched "Buy Now!" on Netflix, I'm absolutely inspired by minimalism and sustainability, and how they relate to seasonal living. Can we live a joyful seasonal life without buying, buying, buying? I'm very interested in exploring those topics.
Along those lines, seasonal living "on a budget" might be something I explore in 2025 as well. I want people to feel that life isn't monotonous—there is so much to look forward to and experience, and we can do it simply.
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Loved this conversation? There's more to unpack. Inside your members-only analysis, we're exploring Nina’s approach to joyful anticipation and what it means for thoughtful creators like you. Listen in to my voicenote for what stands out to me and practical guidance for implementing these insights in your own work. Visit the Bonus Briefing Insights collection here.
Rooting for you, always.
