Why Alisha Ramos treats Downtime like a shared space, not a broadcast

I remember stumbling upon Alisha Ramos’ newsletter in 2019. Back then, it was called Girls’ Night In (GNI), and I subscribed instantly. The name alone caught my attention. As an introvert, I love a night in, and I understood the brand right away. Newsletters weren’t what they are now, and I was enthralled. They even offered fun spreadsheets centered around at-home gaming, organizing, childcare, and more.

In 2023, GNI rebranded to Downtime. Alisha returned to her solo roots after growing the brand into something beyond herself, and she moved the newsletter from Mailchimp to Substack. You can read all about that experience here.

Today, Downtime still focuses on the moments in life where you pause, rest, and relax. It reminds me that I’m multifaceted. Work doesn’t define me. The content leans heavily toward books, their authors, and discussions around the text. But it also touches on culture (with a high-low mix), motherhood, ambition, simple pleasures, and more. It gives me the same satisfaction and joy I used to find online in the 2000s and early 2010s.

When I read Downtime, it reminds me of all the things I’m a fan of: books, art, food, and pop culture. I believe that people who convene, host, and facilitate the gathering of fans often become fan objects themselves. I see that clearly here.

My interview with Alisha focuses on the present: how she thinks through both publishing and community as two distinct outcomes of her work, how Substack hosts her newsletter (and why she still uses platforms like WordPress and Geneva to support her goals), and how surveying and listening to your fans can be a vital part of hosting a community.

Allie: First, thank you for saying yes to this interview! I’ve loved watching Downtime evolve. I became a subscriber the summer of 2019 and because of that, I think you’re pretty iconic. You were, in my opinion, very futuristic in both your business plan and passion for community in a time where not many people were building fun, engaging newsletters. Why do you think that is? Have you always been ahead of the curve?

Alisha: Thank you, that’s very generous of you. When I started writing Girls’ Night In, which would later evolve into the Downtime newsletter, I didn’t have a grand strategy or plan in place. I was simply writing to share what I was interested in and passionate about, which at the time was simply pop culture and internetty stuff that made me happy. People were understandably anxious in 2016 due to the political climate; I think my content served as a type of calm for everyone. Before Girls’ Night In, I actually had another newsletter called Mixed Feelings, built on Tinyletter, about exploring my multiracial, mixed-race identity.

I’ve always had a natural inclination to share and write online: If we really want to go way back, the first “newsletter” I ever sent was via my AOL account, in the fifth grade. It was made in Comic Sans, with various shockingly bright colors chosen for the fonts, and I’m fairly certain it was about Backstreet Boys, NSync, and Britney Spears. Iconic 90’s passions at the time! In high school, I wrote a lot in my Livejournal and built a community of internet-friends there, some of whom I’ve met IRL and still keep in touch with. 

I guess my takeaway is, no matter how niche your interests or passions, write about it and share it online, preferably in a newsletter! You never know who might gravitate towards it and feel a connection there.

Allie: I know that you really invest in your content. This isn’t always the case with newsletters. You spend money to photograph the authors you feature and you really go deep with your content. Can you tell me a bit about your own standards for yourself and Downtime? How do you balance the deep and the less deep (I won’t even call it shallow because I think media, pop culture, and fashion are all impactful)?

Alisha: I love a high-low mix in my content because that’s how I personally like to consume content. I will watch an entire season of Love Island, but I will also read all the articles I can dig up about Dame Muriel Spark. I’ve found that my readers are similar in that way. One of my favorite findings from my latest subscriber survey was that someone described my content as “a good mix of seriousness and frivolity.” That captures exactly the balance I’d like for people to feel through Downtime!

As for standards, the more editorial approach is definitely more expensive (in all the ways…time, money, brainpower), but more creatively fulfilling for me. I hope, for the reader, it makes for a more unique experience, too. This year, I’ve challenged myself to grow my editorial skillset, which feels very different from simply “sharing things online.” I think the way to sustain any career or profession is to approach it with a growth mindset. 

Allie: How do you decide what stays in your head vs what becomes a post or a recurring column/feature? Do you try to “test out” content…like a trial run? Or do you feel like you have a good grasp on what your audience wants to read and see?  

Alisha: Haha, well…a bad writing habit of mine is to try to turn everything into a recurring series or column. I have a very systematic brain and I like having structure to guide my work. But I’ve learned there’s a danger in being too structured. There is such a thing as giving yourself too many constraints. There’s value in just letting things flow. Get something out there. See what sticks before you marry yourself to the idea. 

The longer you write for an audience, the more in tune you’ll be with what they’d like to read and see. That’s the benefit of longevity in newsletter writing and receiving such immediate feedback. The challenge is striking a balance between the feedback and your own intuition and interests. There’s nothing more boring than writing to please a “general audience.” I’ve fallen into that trap before, and it only led to “safe” and boring content! It’s okay to take risks every once in a while. A golden rule of writing that I stand by now: if you’re having fun writing it, the audience will have fun reading it.

Allie: A lot of people think of Substack as the platform. But you’ve also built your own site at downtimenewsletter.com. That also feels pretty ahead of the curve, in my opinion. Not every newsletter creator prioritizes that kind of ownership. Why did you decide to create a self-hosted site alongside your Substack?

Alisha: It’s important to own your work, especially in this age of algorithms and social media that dictate what content floats to people’s feeds. You want your biggest fans to be able to find you! I like Substack for its network growth effects and some of the community I’ve built with other writers, but I can see a world where Substack writers decide to venture off on their own. It’s cool to build your own, expansive universe for your community, and having your own website is a big part of that. For me, it was also about giving my readers (and potential readers) a landing spot to reference if they were looking for something (for instance, book reviews, FAQ’s and interviews), or if they wanted to learn more about me or my work. 

Allie: You’ve been using Geneva to give your community a space to connect. I’d love to hear more about that decision. What made you choose it, and how do you think about the relationship between your content and the conversations that happen off-platform?  

Alisha: Oooh, I have neglected our Geneva chat but it will be refreshed this fall, along with the Downtime book club! I chose it because 1) a lot of my readers actually are not on the Substack app, so that’s not the best place to chat, and 2) I wanted to empower my readers to organize their own IRL gatherings, book club meetups, and so on. I also just love the general chatter and connection with other like-minded people that you may not find elsewhere. 

Allie: I saw you recently sent out a survey which I loved because it was such a thoughtful way to ask your audience what they care about. Can you walk me through when you feel like it’s time to pause and get formal feedback from your community (outside of the comments and replies you receive)?

Alisha: Ideally I’d say it’s a great practice to survey your readers at minimum once a year to really understand their world, how they view your content, and what they’d like more (or less) of. My latest survey was actually in response to a dip I saw in my annual retention rate. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t directly correlated to content I was putting out (it wasn’t, not really). I gleaned so much useful information about why people subscribe to Downtime, what they’re looking for, what they could use less of. I highly recommend polling your readers, even in an unofficial fashion, it doesn’t have to be a long survey. 

Allie: There are a lot of people out there who want to start a Substack, or a newsletter, or a small corner of the internet that really feels like theirs. What do you think most people misunderstand about building community around writing? What would you tell someone who’s just starting?

Alisha: The biggest misunderstanding about building community around writing is equating “building community” to “publishing writing.” When you publish writing on the internet, that’s really all you are doing. Building community is all about the interaction–not just between you, the writer, and your readers, but also between your readers! If you’ve built a great audience, how might you help the audience help one another? I love highlighting comments left by my readers in my posts; that’s just one simple way to “share the love,” so to speak. It’s cool to see your writing spark something in someone else, then that person sparks something in someone else, and so on… I love the book Get Together by Bailey Richardson, Kevin Huynh & Kai Elmer Sotto. They use the metaphor of lighting a torch. As the “initiator” of community, you are the one with the lit torch…but it’s your job to pass the flame onto others, and on and on. I love this view of community; it doesn’t all fall on one person who is calling all the shots. It becomes a beautiful and responsive ecosystem of care and connection in a way.

Allie: Okay now for some quicker questions! What are some small rituals, tools, or behind-the-scenes decisions that help you keep this sustainable?

Alisha:
1) Deleting Instagram. I love to delete this app periodically and re-download it about once a week. This is a newer ritual for me, but one that’s given me more space in my brain to think, write, and create. I’ve got a racing, creative brain. When I’m on IG too much, it gets worse and I’m influenced a bit too easily by external outputs. Sometimes I need and want to be okay with what I’ve got rattling around in my brain already, and work with that.

2) Hiring help. I know not every writer or creator can do this, but if you can…I highly recommend it. I have part-time help with my website and graphic design (hi, Wonderly!). I have part-time help with my sponsorships (hi, Kristin!). And right now I’m in the middle of hiring a part-time editor again who can help hone my thinking and writing.

3) Keeping a consistent publishing schedule. This is my top tip for anyone looking to get started with writing a newsletter. Even if it’s a once-monthly newsletter, stick to it. Make it into a practice, help build a habit for your readers - and one day, your writing will be something they look forward to in their inbox, every X number of days or weeks.

Allie: What seems to drive the most subscriber growth for you these days?

Alisha: The most growth I’ve seen has been from sharing an essay or writing that helps others feel seen or thinking differently about something. I wrote an essay on ambition two years ago and I still receive emails about it. I don’t do this as often as I’d like (it’s scary to write about vulnerable experiences online), and I so admire writers like Haley Nahman, Olivia Muenter, and Leslie Stephens who regularly share their own experiences of moving through the world. 

Allie: Last question! Who else do you think is doing community work or newsletter-building really well right now? Anyone you’re a huge fan of or love supporting with a monthly subscription?

Alisha: Oooh, so many! Lindsey Stanberry (building a community around personal finance and our relationship with money), Hunter Harris (hosts fun live reader chats about reality TV episodes), Simon Haisell (hosts an amazing slow read book club), Sara Hildreth (shares thoughtful pieces on how to read books well), Ali LaBelle (hosts occasional pop-ups I’d love to attend), and Joanna Goddard in my mind is the OG blog-community-builder and has brought her warmth and genius to Substack via Big Salad.