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In Turkmenistan, there’s a giant, fiery pit called the “Door to Hell” that’s been burning nonstop since 1971. Locals say it’s a tourist attraction. I say it’s a metaphor for trying to cancel a gym membership.
📩 In Today’s Email
If experience is the new currency, storytelling is the exchange rate. The travelers who share what they see shape what they become—and sometimes, even how they get paid.
The Deep Dive: Nomadwood II: The Sequel – Distribution
The Stream: Mañana Será Bonito – the Bichota herself, Karol G. Local Medellín girl gone global. How could we not?
The Read: Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
The Gear: DJI Mic – for creators who want crisp sound and compact freedom
Even a bird’s gotta hit publish.
We’re officially an AI company. Meet Birdbrain—our very own GPT, trained on the ATN ethos: reinvention, digital nomadism, and Rio’s sharp tongue. It’s fresh out of the box and still evolving, but you can already chat with it right here:
The website has been redesigned. Smoother navigation, faster load times, and a tighter brand experience. Take it for a spin → www.atexasnomad.com
Which of the following is not a real travel hazard you might encounter on the road? |
🤿 The Deep Dive
Nomadwood: The Sequel – Distribution
“You shot it. Now what?”
One of the first festivals I ever got into was the Phoenix Film Festival. We had this short film—How to Kill Your Clone.
A bizarre idea at the time. Too bizarre, maybe. Or maybe just ahead of the curve. Now every time I watch Black Mirror, I think: yeah, yeah, yeah—we were already there.
That film didn’t win any awards. We got maybe three votes—me, my brother (who directed it), and this kid.
He must’ve been about 12, wearing a Little League baseball hat. He came up to me after the screening and said:
“That one deserves to win. That was my favorite.”
I’ve forgotten hundreds of faces from festivals and screenings since then—strangers, execs, polite applause, congratulations—but I’ll never forget that kid.
How to Kill Your Clone didn’t blow any doors open. But it gave us something better: experience, creative scars, and a few fans who never stopped rooting for us.
It was the beginning of something real. And no matter what came next—features, premieres, packed houses—I always go back to that moment with the kid.
Because that’s when it felt like it all mattered. Because that’s what you need. Not permission. Not perfection. Just resonance. Just one person who feels it.
So get your stuff out there. Hit a chord.
It’s nerve-wracking as hell—but it’s the only way anything real happens.
Back then, the biggest risk was financial. You and your investors shelled out for film production, for post, for promotion. You flew coast to coast. Sometimes Europe.
Sat in dark theaters. Waited. Hoped someone noticed. Hoped someone cared.
One festival slot could change your life—or leave you in silence.
Now? The risk is different. Smaller, but sharper.
You might look dumb on the internet.
You’ve filmed your street tacos in Oaxaca. The sunrise in Da Nang. A motorcycle ride through the Albanian Alps. And now you’re staring at the footage like it betrayed you.
What do you do with it?
How do you shape it into something people actually want to watch—without turning it into a full-time job or a cringe reel?
Here’s the answer nobody likes: You start posting anyway.
Not because it’s perfect.
Because it’s practice. Because creative momentum is earned, not imagined. Because learning in public is how high-agency travelers get sharper—faster.
And yes, you might look dumb. But you might also reconnect with an old friend. You might meet someone doing the thing you’ve only imagined.
You might inspire someone—or get inspired yourself.
And maybe—just maybe—if you start putting your signal into the world, it only takes a few people catching the right clip to open an entirely new one.
This is part two of our Nomadwood series. Last week was about embracing the camera—filming like you give a damn.
This week is about what happens after: editing, sharing, and building a distribution habit that doesn’t drain your spirit.
Let’s break it down.
1. Ship Imperfectly
Post a 10-second clip with subtitles. No music. No transitions.
Watch what people respond to—and what they scroll past.
Don’t overthink the platform. Start where you already spend time: Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube Shorts.
Raw and present beats polished and unseen.
2. Use the Creator Equation
Travel + POV + Vulnerability = Value.
It’s not just where you go—it’s how you see.
Your thoughts, your tone, your taste.
That’s what people remember. That’s what sticks.
3. Don’t Just Post—Document
You don’t have to perform. You don’t need a character or a hook.
Just narrate your life.
“This is what I learned today in Lisbon.”
“This café changed my mind about Bogotá.”
“This $2 soup almost made me cry.”
People follow curiosity and observation—not ego.
4. Diversify Without Burning Out
Here’s a simple starting structure:
TikTok → Bold ideas, raw thoughts
Instagram Reels → Travel moments with a point
YouTube Shorts → Reach new people
YouTube Longform (eventually) → Build trust and depth
Use tools like CapCut, Descript, or in-app editors.
Catch what you can when you can. Don’t wait for perfect conditions.
5. Why This Matters
You’re not just “traveling.” You’re shaping creative leverage. You’re signaling who you are, what you notice, and where you’re going. Every time you post, you:
Put your taste into the world
Leave a trail for the right people to find you
Create alignment, even in the smallest ways
Old friends might resurface.
New ones might DM you.
Someone might say: “That clip hit me. Let’s talk.”
And maybe—one post leads to the gig, the invitation, the opportunity. Or a friendship or a community, depending on your goals.
But it starts with sharing.
“Nothing is original.
Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination.
Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows.
Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul.
If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.
Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent.
And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it.
In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said:
“It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.””
Tool Stack for Super Beginners
CapCut (Mobile): Add subtitles, trim clips, use templates—easy and free
Descript (Desktop): Narration-first editing. Drag-and-drop simple
InShot (Mobile): Quick crops and resizes
SaveTik / SnapTik: Repost TikToks without the watermark
This Week’s Mission
Pick one clip.
10 to 15 seconds.
Add a thought. Post it.
Tag #atexasnomad so we can find each other.
You don’t need a strategy. You need a signal.
Start there.
🍿 The Stream
(Netflix)
The Bichota herself. From Medellín to Madison Square Garden, Karol G isn’t just a global icon—she’s proof that reinvention can come with red hair, reggaetón basslines, and zero apologies.
This Netflix doc gives you a glimpse behind the glitter: her rise, her heartbreak, her artistry, and a stacked guest lineup including, of course, Shakira.
Inspired by Texas legend Selena, Karol G, we see the tearful moment she meets Selena’s real-life sister, Suzette Quintanilla—a full-circle close that honors legacy while building her own, and then watch her cover Selena’s Como La Flor.
Phone call: “Only two Latinas have done it before (reached #1 on Billboard charts)”
Karol G: “Who are they?”
Phone call: “J. Lo with her English album and Selena with her English album,”
Karol G: pauses “I can’t believe Selena and I share something!”
Karol G
Her album Mañana Será Bonito made history as the first all-Spanish-language album by a female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It became one of the most successful female albums of the decade—and she went on to break the all-time attendance record at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
And she’s not just topping charts—she’s transforming the genre.
Alongside artists like Bad Bunny, Karol G is pushing reggaetón into something more visual, emotional, and flexible.
If you still don’t “get” reggaetón? You’re about to sound like the people who hated Elvis because he moved his hips too much.
This isn’t just music. It’s a cultural shift—and it’s coming straight out of Medellín.
🤓 The Read
When you start mentioning people like Tom Waits and David Hockney in your book, you’re speaking my language.
Kleon isn’t handing you a permission slip to copy—he’s giving you a toolkit to remix, reframe, and share your process in public.
Short and bold, it’s the kind of book that makes you want to grab your camera and hit upload.
This is the book that launched a thousand creative careers. Quoted by Tim Ferriss. Gifted by thousands. Bookmarked by YouTubers and Substackers alike.
If you don’t know where to start with what you want to post—or how to turn your ideas into something real—this book is a good place to start learning.
It’s packed with creative practices, mindset shifts, and structure for making stuff that matters.
One of its biggest ideas—“Show your work”—is exactly what A Texas Nomad is about.
You’re not just documenting your travels for the memory. You’re sharing them for meaning. For momentum.
“Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started.”
You figure it out as you go. And the world joins you when they see you doing it.
The Gear
There’s a rule in filmmaking: people will forgive bad visuals if the story hooks them—but bad audio? That’s unforgivable.
I tested it on my first TikToks. Yep, still true. The footage looked fine. The sound? Trash.
Then came DJI.
No more XLR spaghetti or clunky setups—this mic is a filmmaker’s cheat code. Instant sync. Crisp sound. Zero friction. It’s like going from Steadicam to drone: same goal, half the effort. I’ve wrestled boom poles, lav packs, full studio rigs.
This thing? Clip and go. Clean audio. Clean workflow. Makes you want to shoot.
Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you—it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.
🛤️ Outtro
Reinvention isn’t just about where you go—it’s about how you create.
Every place you land is a blank page. What you write there? That’s the legacy.
If this newsletter sparked something, pass it along to a friend, a fellow explorer, or anyone rewriting their life.
This community grows through real connection—one story, one share at a time.
Enjoyed This? Share It.
See you next week. Keep moving. Keep making.
Edward McWilliams
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