Scratch

We’ve reached a point where we’re done giving and receiving advice on how to scrimp and save. Now with generative AI driving sea changes at work, we’re talking openly about how we make a living and survive.

Case in point, the Scratch newsletter. Don’t skip the group chat entry where four friends, veteran writers who founded Scratch, talk about their incomes, how they get by and what propels them forward.

Who else is it for? It’s for anyone who takes their craft seriously while trying to survive financially and creatively in precarious times.

I don't really do favorites, but here's where I'd start:

The Gazpacho Chronicles

culture — May 30, 2026

"If you love Spanish food, quirky history, and the way cinema and art intersect with what we eat, you’re in the right place." Blanca Valencia writes of her Substack newsletter launched only a year ago.

Love to Lingo

language — May 15, 2026

Love to Lingo guides language learners to make meaningful progress on their own terms. Christina shares insights from language acquisition research, practical ideas from the classroom, tools and frameworks for learners who are looking to build an effective language practice that grows with them.

Other Kinds of Intimacy

culture — May 8, 2026

Love and relationships at their most expansive. Think: Intimacy with place, with the self, between friends who live together. It's for those of us who think and feel about what it means to be close to someone, or somewhere.

Product Picnic

product management — May 1, 2026

Who’s it for? UX designers, product designers, or just about anyone obsessed with software development. In the words of Pavel, the author, it’s for those who think about "the work rather than the tools." That's a tricky dichotomy to navigate. I, for one, gravitate

Scratch

Read next

The Gazpacho Chronicles

Love to Lingo

Other Kinds of Intimacy

Product Picnic

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