Notes Underground Demo Recap (+ What People Are Saying)

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Hey there!

So I just wrapped up the Notes Underground demo, and HOLY CRAP, am I excited about what we're building!

People Are Getting It!

The response during the demo was AMAZING. Here's what some folks said:

Kat: "Thanks, Tom, for creating this whole system. Can tell that you put a lot of thought and time into making this functional and helpful."

Sandra: "Awwh thank you for helping to promote us!! Your tech creation is awesome - we appreciate you."

Laura: "This is pretty cool! Thanks so much for setting this up."

Patsy: "This is a detailed organizational platform - very impressive."

Your Questions Answered

During the demo, you asked some GREAT questions. Here are the highlights:

Q: Will the system auto-update likes and comments, or do we have to manually edit each Note? Right now, it's manual, but this is my #1 priority for improvement. I'm working on building a system that auto-updates your stats and maybe even auto-categorizes your Notes so you only need to share the link.

Q: When do you recommend going back to update the likes/comments after publishing? Typically, I update my Notes stats about once a week. Most Notes don't get significant engagement after 7 days, so weekly updates should capture most of your performance data.

Q: Will there be a 'repost' stat? This is a great suggestion! I can absolutely add repost tracking to the system if people want it. These are exactly the kinds of improvements I want to make based on your feedback.

Q: I don't understand how Notes work and their purpose. Do you have training for this? Notes are primarily a growth tool. Unlike newsletters (which only go to existing subscribers), Notes help you reach new readers and convert them to subscribers. I've seen people get hundreds of new subscribers from one viral Note (1000+ likes). They're shorter (25-200 words) versus articles (800+ words) and perfect for engagement. As a paid subscriber, you'll get access to all my Notes training resources.

Not Tech-Savvy? No Problem!

As I explained to Cal during the Q&A: "After you become a paid subscriber, I send an email out to you where it has links to join the Notes Underground. It's very straightforward."

And yes, there are step-by-step tutorial videos to guide you through setup!

JOIN US TOMORROW!

The 45-Day Notes Challenge kicks off TOMORROW, and we'll be having a Kick-Off Orientation Call at 11 AM ET to celebrate!

If you haven't joined yet, NOW is the time:

• JOIN THE BASE CHALLENGE ($18/mo): Full Notes Underground access, 45 daily prompts, Slack community

• UPGRADE TO VIP ($199): Everything above PLUS 45 viral Note templates, personal Note critique from me, and 6 live Notes Trainings

• BECOME A FOUNDING MEMBER ($300): VIP benefits PLUS all 2025 quarterly programs at the Writing Long Game

Remember: After midnight tomorrow, paid subscriber prices increase to $20/month (from $18) and $160/year (from $145).

Can't wait to see you Underground,

Tom

P.S. This is just VERSION ONE of the Notes Underground. I'm already planning improvements based on your feedback – like auto-updating likes/comments, adding a repost tracking feature, and making it easier to import Notes. This thing is only going to get better!

Timestamps

During this demo, I walked through the entire platform, showing each feature in detail. Check the timestamps to jump to specific sections:

[0:08:25] The Homepage & Navigation: I designed it with a rebel, underground vibe – intentionally grungy and punk-like. It's meant to feel like a secret club where we're fighting "the algorithm" together. The homepage gives you quick access to everything with "warp zones" – direct links to the NoteSmith, Slack channel, and more.

[0:10:20] My Notes Page: This is where you share your Notes with the community. You can add your Note URL, paste the text, choose a category, add your likes/comments count, and timestamp it. Everything gets organized chronologically, and you can easily edit or update your stats as they change.

[0:13:15] My Stats Page: This might be my FAVORITE feature. You get a visual graph of your Note performance over time, showing daily likes and trends. You can see your top-performing Notes from the last 30 days, your posting streak, engagement score, and – this is huge – your AVERAGES (likes per Note, words per Note) compared to the community's.

[0:17:30] Latest Notes: This section shows all the community's Notes with AI-generated summaries (I made the AI write them like movie descriptions, which is kind of fun). You can sort by author or category, and there's a "commented on" button that increases your engagement score when you leave meaningful feedback.

[0:20:45] Engagement Leaderboard: I'm making engagement the CURRENCY of this community. You get 1 point for posting and 3 points for commenting. Top engagers will get special treatment – shoutouts in emails, access to private Slack channels, and more. This is how we avoid the "post-and-ghost" problem plaguing other communities.

[0:22:10] Members Page: Find and connect with others in your niche. You can see what topics people write about, check their engagement level, and even message them directly.

[0:25:05] Find A Writing Buddy: This might be a game-changer for accountability. You can browse members looking for writing buddies, see what they're looking for in a partnership, and connect directly.

[0:27:40] Community Stats: See the community's total likes over time, which tags/categories are performing best, and leaderboards for the most prolific writers, most consistent posters, and top Notes.