I Made This is a weekly newsletter about the most interesting things people make on the internet, and the stories behind them. Every week we pick a handful of projects made by real people and tell you what they are, why someone built them, and how they came to be. It is a showcase for makers, and a reading list for anyone who enjoys seeing what other people dreamed up and actually finished.
What counts as a made thing? The rule is simple. If it is digital and you made it, it counts. That covers apps, websites, tools, games, art, and writing. A tiny browser toy, a weekend side project, a long running website, a piece of generative art, a set of essays, or a game built for friends are all welcome. We care less about how big a project is and more about whether it is interesting and whether there is a good story behind it.
The newsletter is built around the maker. Each edition goes beyond a link and a one line pitch. We want to know what the person made, why they made it, and how they did it, including the tools they used along the way. Those details are what make a feature worth reading. They show how ideas turn into real things, and they give other makers a peek at the process, the choices, and the surprises that happened on the way.
Submitting is quick and friendly. Makers can send in a project in about 10 minutes. You share the basics about your project, answer three short questions about what you made, why you made it, and how you made it, list the tools you used, and add some pictures. That is all. There is no long application, no pitch deck, and no complicated form to wrestle with. If you can describe your project to a curious friend, you can submit it.
Every submission is read. A real person looks at each project that comes in, so nothing disappears into a void. This matters because many platforms for showing off work reward whoever has the loudest audience or the biggest launch day push. I Made This works differently on purpose.
There are no votes and there is no leaderboard. Nobody has to rally friends to climb a ranking, and nobody is judged by a public score. There is also no paying to get in. A pick can not be bought, so what appears in the newsletter appears because it is interesting, not because someone funded a spot. That keeps the newsletter honest for readers and fair for makers, including people who are just starting out and have never shared their work before.
What happens if your project is picked? The maker gets an email and goes into a future edition of the newsletter. Your project is presented with its story, so readers learn not just what you built but what it took and what it means to you. Being featured is a way to get your work in front of people who enjoy discovering new things, and to have your story told with care.
Submitting is free. You do not need an account with a payment method, and there is no hidden tier that buys you a better chance. Send in your project, and if it is a good fit, you will hear from us.
Who is I Made This for? It is for readers who love curiosity and craft, who enjoy a good story about how something came to exist, and who like to be surprised by what people make in their spare time or as their life's work. It is also for makers, indie makers, and anyone with side projects who wants their work seen and their story told, without games or gatekeeping.
Each week the newsletter gives you a small, thoughtful tour of the internet's most interesting creations. You might meet a developer who built a strange little tool to solve their own problem, an artist experimenting with code, a writer publishing something unusual online, or a small team shipping a game for fun. The common thread is that someone made it, and there is a story worth telling.
If you make things, send us yours. If you like reading about what people make, subscribe and enjoy the weekly edition. I Made This is a simple idea, run with care: celebrate makers, tell their stories, and keep the door open to everyone who ships something real. Built by Alex Kirillov, the newsletter keeps its focus on the work and the people behind it, week after week, with no votes, no rankings, and no pay to play.
