Good Chat is Evolving, Once Again

Guess my topic of choice?

I enjoy writing on the internet.

It’s something I’ve been doing for years now - from my obsessive forum surfing and tumblr days (which I will never link), to the blog I began in earnest in 2012 (it was called ‘Redefining the Narrative’ and it was very wholesome), to this Substack, borne out of a desire to capture my days in Paris, and then evolving into something akin to a public diary, a place where I could write without deadline or expectation or editorial oversight.

To think, I have been writing on the internet for at least fifteen years. Wild.

i went to a party and all sadly none of the photos perfectly capture the plume of my jacket

One of the perks of writing on the internet, that is to say, writing for oneself, is the flexibility, the ability to constantly be experimenting, adapting, finding new ways to change. This very substack has had many iterations, from those mid-weekly link drops to subscriber chats, to changing formats - you have all stuck with me through all sorts of pivots.

I hope that now, you will stay with me through this next one.

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From 2026, Good Chat will be rebranding.

The weekly letters will turn into a monthly newsletter, a reflection of my changing workload and in order to ensure I’m adding the most value every email. But most importantly, the focus of this space will narrow. It will now be fully on Sudan.

Perhaps this was a long time coming. If you look at all my most popular posts, and the majority of my most recent ones, they are overwhelmingly about Sudan. Whether through cultural events or my reportage, I have felt an increasing duty to bring stories about Sudan to the world, and I figured it was time I commit to the bit.

What should you expect? I imagine a combination of cultural stories as well as ‘human interest’ ones, pieces I cannot place in other publications and perhaps those I want to save for you. I intend to write more about our diverse music, dance, film, history, yes the current crisis, but also the current inspirations, such as the work of the Emergency Response Rooms which is so criminally underreported, I’m starting to wonder if there is a conspiracy at play.

So tell me - what would you like to hear about re Sudan? Do you want interviews? Do you want insights into our history? Is there something completely different that you’d like to know about? Reply to this email or drop a comment below and let me know!

Speaking of Sudan, if you haven’t placed a bid on the fundraising auction yet, what are you doing?! We’re so close to 10k it hurts! If you’ve been putting it off, this is your reminder…

All the money goes to folks on the ground in El-Fasher. Thank you to everyone who came to the screening of the film Sudan, Remember Us a few weeks ago in London - we raised 1200 GBP and that has now been donated to the Sudan Solidarity Collective, making its way to community kitchens on the ground.

I might occasionally drop a newsletter or two about impending book events and book related activity, given I’m launching both Silverbrook and At Sea next year - would that be okay with y’all?

thanks for your patience in advance

Right. That’s all from me this week, and maybe until the end of the year - although I might do a TV or book round up, if you’re interested? I watched All Her Fault and Wild Cherry recently, and both were pretty decent if you’re looking for a bingeable show. Everyone is talking about the new Rosalía album, and if you’ve got good headphones you should check it out (I kid, sorry all my friends who have been banging on about this, I’m being contrarian for no reason). I appreciate a piece of art with ambition, and this album certainly has that!

I hope this week is kind to you, wherever you are in the world.

Best,
Yassmin