Why We Keep Coming Back
Two creators who made me realize that people stay for stories that keep going
Hey fellow Stackers,
Lately, I’ve been following two creators that I really enjoy.
And while following their work, I slowly realized something:
Not every piece needs to say everything. Sometimes it’s simply about making people want to come back for the next one.
Dracula Daily: Letters Arriving in Real Time
This newsletter retells Dracula in real time.
Every entry arrives on the same date it happens in the story, so instead of reading the novel all at once, it feels like you’re slowly receiving letters from the characters as their lives unfold.
No complicated format. No chasing trends. And yet, the more I followed it, the more I understood why people kept waiting for the next email.
Because what pulled me in wasn’t just the story itself. It was the feeling of wanting to know what came next. The emails are usually short. Sometimes there isn’t even a new one for days.
But the story quietly keeps moving forward, and before long, you find yourself checking your inbox hoping another letter has arrived.
That feeling stayed with me. There was something special about following the story this way. After a while, I found myself genuinely interested in Dracula’s world, almost like I had stepped into it myself and was quietly exchanging letters with the people inside it.
And this was the latest letter that showed up in my inbox 📩
Samgar Renkema: A Small Traveler’s Journey
Samgar posts a small drawing almost every day, and each one feels like a little moment from the character’s life.
The artwork is beautiful, but that’s not the only reason I keep coming back.
What really pulls me in is wondering where the little character went today, and where he’ll go next.
Sometimes he’s just walking down a road.
Sometimes talking to a little sheep along the way.
Sometimes standing quietly in the middle of a landscape.
But somehow, I still find myself opening the next post.
After a while, I start wanting to see where the story goes.
Where he’ll end up.
Who he might meet along the way.
Whether that road ever truly ends.
And today, the little character simply walked quietly through another stretch of road.
That’s exactly why I keep looking forward to the next one.
I want to see what kind of landscape he’ll find tomorrow.
The Story Keeps Going
Even though they create completely different things, they give me a very similar feeling.
One is telling the story of Dracula.
The other just shares quiet little drawings every day.
But both of them make you feel like the story is still going.
The little character will keep walking tomorrow.
Another letter will eventually arrive.
And after a while, you start looking forward to the next.
Not because every post feels perfect.
But because you want to see what happens next.
If you enjoy stories like this — about work, growth, and what’s worth building around — subscribe to read more.
beautifully written!