Why I’m Repurposing My Newsletter and Notes
Over the years, I’ve accumulated a wealth of insights, reflections, and resources through my newsletter and personal notes. These efforts have been a way to share knowledge, spark conversations, and document ideas. But as the content has grown, so has the challenge of keeping it accessible, organized, and impactful. That’s why I’ve decided to repurpose my newsletter and notes into a digital garden. It is a dynamic public space where these ideas can thrive and evolve.
The Journey So Far
When I started my newsletter, it was originally called TL;DR (Too Ling; Didn’t Read), and then ultimately “Digitally Literate,” my goal was to provide a curated collection of insights on literacy, technology, and education. Over time, the newsletter grew into a resource for educators, learners, and anyone navigating the complexities of the digital world. However, with 800 blog posts, and 400 issues of the newsletter, much of this content feels buried, disconnected, and difficult to revisit.
Similarly, my personal notes—captured in tools like Evernote, Google Drive, Obsidian, and elsewhere—contain valuable ideas, observations, and resources. These notes are the seeds of blog posts, talks, and workshops, but they often remain siloed, underutilized, and invisible to others.
Despite these challenges, both the newsletter and my notes represent years of intellectual effort and a deep commitment to sharing knowledge. Repurposing them into a digital garden offers an opportunity to breathe new life into this content while making it more accessible and interconnected.
The Value of a Public Digital Garden
- Centralizing Knowledge:
- A digital garden creates a single, organized repository for my notes and newsletter content. No more digging through archives or folders—everything will be structured and easy to navigate.
- Encouraging Exploration:
- Unlike a newsletter, which is linear and time-bound, a digital garden allows readers to explore topics freely. They can dive into interconnected ideas, follow threads of thought, and discover connections between content.
- Fostering Collaboration:
- I’m inviting others to engage with my ideas by making my notes public. This isn’t just about sharing—it’s about creating a space for dialogue, feedback, and growth.
- Preserving Effort:
- Instead of letting my newsletter issues and notes fade into obscurity, the digital garden ensures they remain visible, relevant, and useful over time.
- Inspiring Others:
- I hope this project will encourage others to think about their knowledge management and how they can share their work meaningfully.
What Readers Can Expect
By following this process, readers and viewers will gain:
- Insights into Building a Digital Garden:
- I’ll share the practical steps, tools, and strategies I use to organize and publish my notes.
- Access to a Growing Resource:
- The digital garden will become a living library of ideas on digital literacy, education, and personal knowledge management.
- Inspiration for Their Own Projects:
- Whether you’re an educator, a student, or a curious learner, I hope this journey inspires you to think about how you can cultivate and share your knowledge.
- A Community of Learners:
- Through the digital garden, we can build a network of individuals committed to learning, sharing, and growing together.
What’s Next?
In my next post, I’ll dive into the tools I use to build this digital garden and how they fit into my workflow. From organizing notes in Obsidian to publishing content online, I’ll break down the process step by step.
This journey is as much about sharing knowledge as it is about learning from others. I’m excited to see how this project evolves and how it might inspire others to rethink how they manage and share their ideas.
Join me as I repurpose the past into a vibrant, interconnected future. Let’s grow something meaningful together.