Dear Marie,

How do you start an advice column? I’m asking for a friend.

— Definitely Not Marie

My dear Definitely Not Marie,

As with any great endeavor, you should keep it simple. Start small and build up.

Give yourself a little bit of time—ten minutes tops—to imagine the possibilities of what could be. Relish how very delightful and exciting it all is.

Then set those dreams aside and build the simplest version that works.

Do not spend too much time trying to be smart about it. Do not get distracted by shiny new tools or technology or processes. Your first draft doesn’t have to be pretty or polished, it just has to exist.

Crowdsource a few questions or make them up yourself. Spend more time on the content than the branding, the styling, or the name.

Or—if you’re anything like me—send out a few Twitter polls, build a brand new site on impulse, and do it all the hard way.

Live Your Best Life™, however extra that is, and do what gives you joy.✨

With much affection,
Marie

Written by Marie Chatfield Rivas, an amateur aspiring advice columnist, certified Emoji Enthusiast™, and purveyor of fine tweets.