#167: How I Write My Substack Every Week

and the importance of consistency and curiosity

Cappuccino Thoughts^® is a weekly newsletter about culture and creativity in New York.

Espresso at Coppola Cafe, Greenwich Village, NYC

I was inspired by Arden Yum’s recent post about her writing, so I want to share some thoughts on my writing and answer the most common questions people ask me. I have been writing Cappuccino Thoughts for over 3 years. I have taken a few holidays off, but this is #167, so not many. Occasionally, I’m still scribbling on Monday morning, and had to send it out in the afternoon instead of the morning. The number one question I get asked is how I write every week. A couple days ago, I was telling F. how happy I was to have had an hour to “write,” by which I meant returning to my fiction project. He said “You literally write every week.” But writing this doesn’t even count as writing to me - it feels like talking with all of you.

How do I put together my issues?

It’s really helped to have a familiar structure. I usually write bottom to top, which might sound counterintuitive. It’s pretty simple for me to write up my Book Review, and I’ve usually decided on my Look of the Week when I snap the photo. I take 3-4 photos per week that are Look of the Week contenders, but I usually know when I have “the one.” I get to the main essay next, and by then, my thoughts are flowing more freely. The bottom half of the post takes me about 30 minutes to put together, and the essay can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3-4 hours, depending on the topic.

Do I ever run out of things to write about?

Not really. I keep a running list in my phone and in my Substack drafts. The best thing I can do for Cappuccino Thoughts is be out and about in the city. There is always something that catches my eye and inspires me. I try to walk around without headphones as often as possible so I can immerse myself in my surroundings. That’s not to say there aren’t weeks when it’s hard, but that’s usually a function of not having enough time versus not having enough ideas.

It’s also helpful to have a rough editorial calendar. I generally try to do one interview a month, one neighborhood guide, a seasonal Espresso Thoughts, and a few personal essays or mono-topic pieces.

When do I write?

I block out Sunday evenings for writing, meaning 99% of the time I don’t have plans after 5pm. F. is wonderful and knows that’s my writing time, so I’ll usually write for a bit, we’ll have dinner together, and then I’ll finish up. Then I send my piece out to my editor, who’s on Pacific Time, and we’ll go back and forth a few times. On really good days, I’ll have my post completed and scheduled to send first thing Monday morning.

What’s it like working with an editor?

I’m lucky to have a very supportive editor. First, it’s helpful to have a second set of eyes to review my sentences for grammar and clarity. Second, I find a lot of value in having a judgment call. There have been a few pieces I’ve written that my editor has nixed, either because they don’t seem fully baked or they’re too personal or just aren’t gelling. It’s always disappointing, and a little annoying, because then I have to completely rewrite it. But I value that feedback and I always take it because I trust my editor’s judgment. I keep the pieces in my drafts, because I always think I might publish them at some point, but I never have. The biggest issue my editor and I have is our disagreement about punctuation, especially the use of parentheses (I like them to go inside the sentence)!

Why do you write Cappuccino Thoughts?

I started Cappuccino Thoughts, because I wanted an outlet for my creativity at a time when I felt very stuck in my life and my career. For over a year, I had under a hundred subscribers, nearly all of whom I knew personally. In 2024, it went very slightly viral, and I gained a lot of new subscribers. When asked, I say that Cappuccino Thoughts is about culture and creativity in New York. Over the years of writing, it feels like a capsule of my relationship with the city and how I’ve discovered myself (not to get all cheesy) alongside discovering the city.

I’ve always said I’ll write this for as long as it’s fun, and it feels very fun for me right now. Would I love Cap Thoughts to blow up and become a top publication? Maybe. But right now, I enjoy that it is devoid of any pressure to monetize, and I write exactly what I want. Also, I’ve made some really wonderful new friends IRL and virtually across the world. I get to spotlight brands and places I feel passionately about. I occasionally get sent free products, which is cool, but beside the point. And I get to be in touch with all of you every week.

By far the best part of writing Cap Thoughts is hearing from you - in comments, emails, texts - and what you’re thinking about my latest post. So thank you for reading! You’re truly the best.

xx CA

The spring/summer collection is dropping soon! In the meantime, I’m dropping hints on my Instagram.

This outfit had the entire outdoor seating area at Sant Ambroeus on Madison Ave asking, “Where is she going?!” This dress is so over the top in a fabulous way. It reminds me of Swan Lake. And the tiny black bag shaped like a bouquet of white morning stars - soo cool. She had to be going to some kind of rehearsal dinner or a Met Gala precursor. Either way, she was glowing and making a statement.

• My rec of the week - make friends across generations. I’ve made a lot of friends with women in their 60s and 70s through my Board involvement, and I find so much value in these relationships. I caught up with one of them this week, and she was telling me about her plans for her upcoming retirement - learning to play the drums, learning Italian, writing her first novel, volunteering with dogs. It’s such a healthy reminder that life is long, and there are many incarnations of yourself you haven’t yet lived.

• I am here to report that my Ruti pants are my closet essential of the season. They’re comfy enough for WFH and neighborhood errands, and polished enough to wear on my flight for a work trip (from where I am writing). The shape is distinctive yet subtle. 10/10.

• I really, really, really would like this super cute Damsen Madder jacket with a matching scarf - and it’s reversible!

• A tip for those who became enamored of CBK after watching the FX Kennedy show - her famous sunglasses are available at Alex Mill.

If there’s one thing about me, I love to be in the loop. My mother turned me on to Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke before it hit the peak of the cultural conversation. I loved it! I could nitpick a few parts (the depiction of Harvard was unrealistic to my experience of Ivy League schools, and I wanted more of the children’s perspective). But overall, I thought it was a provocative exploration of trad wife influencer culture, clearly inspired by Ballerina Farm. And the writing on a sentence level was stunning. After you read it, I highly recommend listening to this podcast episode in which the author describes her ten-year(!) journey to getting published.

This week I am back in Texas for work. I cannot believe I have been in Texas more recently than I have been to my hometown (San Francisco)!

All my best,