I am grateful for you being here Chanti. You are awesome for asking why and not forcing yourself into pretending to be resilient or inspirational... That's why I appreciate you so much. The value you bring in particular is the honesty. You say the stuff I keep in my head. And it makes me feel seen and I admire your courage. You're right in that it gets tiring. And alot of what people say here is a performance. Which gets tiresome. You're a giver, and givers need rest and to be seen too. Love you, take care of yourself ❤️ x
What is the point? I'll be honest, I feel that often, I dont always feel like coming on here, I get that being present and engaging in Notes and reading and stuff is what gets you seen, but I like my engagement to be authentic, not forced, or for it to feel like a chore, so I dont come on here if Im not feeling it, thats not being lazy, thats being authentic, I'm sure I would have more subscribers, I see others grow quicker than me, but I do what is within my limits, I mean I work full time, so I cant be on here all the time, plus I actually need to live to give myself something to write about, so, yeah Im with you, I do sometimes ask myself, what is the point. And with that, I would say it is when I slow down, come on here less, no performance whatsoever, just writing, thats when I fall back in love with this place.
I would say this, Chanti, go and feel what you need to feel, this place will still be here when you get back, but know this, for me, and I'm sure for others too, your absence will be felt. I hope you find what you need right now, and I hope if you do need to step away for a bit that you return richer for your absence. 🙏
I've been asking myself the same questions. I realised I was beginning to think too much about views, subscribers and what might "work", and it was quietly changing the way I wrote. Over the last few weeks I've deliberately reshaped my Substack, not to chase more readers but to help me return to the writing that first mattered to me—the garden, flowers, and the Little Girl and the Gardener.
I'm slowly realising that, for me, it's about rediscovering the passion that made me write in the first place, making genuine connections when they happen, and trying not to worry so much about the rest. If I'd published a traditional book, most of the people who read it would never write to me or connect with me personally. Somewhere along the way, social media has made me expect that every piece of writing should come with immediate feedback.
I don't know if it's the answer, but it feels much closer to writing from curiosity than performance. Maybe that's the point I've been looking for.
I do have to answer because I know what's afflicting me is far bigger than writing, subscribers or lack thereof or Substack's silly notes. The trajectory of the world, the general misery, the increasing control of governments, the cost of living, the loneliness of people, these are all things affecting us whether we acknowledge it or not. I don't really write what I'm feeling partly because I don't like oversharing and I don't want to make it all seem more hopeless. So I go to my dark, whimsical side. I'm not performing. I'm just not sure about anything.
The Substack algorithm only shows you people's notes. Even the articles you see aren't people's articles. They're restacks of people's articles, which means, they're notes.
Everything you see when you open Substack is notes. And 90% of all notes here are spam, by people who are trying to game the algorithm. Almost everybody is spamming Substack with phony feel-good one liner notes, in hopes of gaming the algorithm.
“Describe your Substack in three emojis."
“Show me writers who choose depth over noise 🤍"
“Just a reminder that your voice matters."
"Describe your writing in 5 words!"
“Slow growth is still growth."
“Support writers. Restack generously."
“The algorithm can’t stop authentic storytelling."
"If you could summarize your writing voice in a single word, what would it be?"
“Consistency compounds. Keep showing up."
“I want to connect with thoughtful people."
“Drop your publication below so we can support each other."
“I’m building something beautiful here."
“Write scared. Publish anyway."
“There’s room for everyone at the table."
“Community over competition."
“Your audience will find you."
“If even one person reads your words, it matters."
"Give yourself permission to be weird!"
“Substack feels like the old internet."
“Reminder to comment on smaller writers’ posts today 🤍"
“Nobody talks about how vulnerable writing is."
"You are not responsible for the versions of you that exist in other people's minds."
“The best writers are simply the ones who kept going."
"Every scar you carved became a window for light."
“What are you working on this week, writers?"
"A hotdog is basically a taco."
"Sometimes the things we don’t write tell us more than what we do."
"Some people say they find me snarky, which I am."
"Artists will do literally anything but draw the comic they want to make"
"Writers with les than 10 subscribers I want to read your work and follow you!"
"I’m a sucker for a story about a robot learning how to be human"
"Oddly enough, the world makes less sense the closer you look."
"Oddly enough, things are about to get even weirder."
"You write to process your emotions, and in doing so, you emote the process."
"I appreciate you all, by the way."
"There is a quiet magic in the way a story unfolds, one page at a time."
It's all spam. And it's awful, but it's obviously what the powers that be at Substack want Substack to be, because they're aware of the problem and they actively encourage more of it.
Damn straight. You are so entirely accurate. I am sick of it. Even people I once respected have turned to this because it’s the only way to gain real numbers.
I feel your frustration and share it, and hope you have vented the worst of your dismay. In the words of Maria, ‘you’ve gotta know when you’re being screwed!’
The reason I am still here is to read thoughts like this, something away from the daily stodge, something that gives me a reason to think. That is why I am here from my reader point of view. As a writer, I am here to swap thoughts with other writers, hopefully to help somebody from time to time by jotting down my progress on this and that, writing the odd word about how I see writing and all that goes with it. I no longer write any sort of creative fiction for Substack, may as well write it and put it straight in the bin, but making that decision has made me think of what I need to be doing with my valuable writing time, so even that negative became a positive.
That is it from my perspective. I cannot comment on your perspective, but hopefully these few words help you to think about that, as your words have made me think.
I am back to writing long form prose after a decade as a songwriter, poet and a playwright.
These are disciplines that require social engagement and have performance spaces and public engagement available if you stack enough chairs or coil enough cables or otherwise contribute.
By contrast Substack feels like a sterile echo chamber. Certainly no substitute for the social engagement that all humanity needs.
And it is not free. You are the product being farmed for data and content and contacts. But it is more useful than the endless round of submissions and rejections.
I strongly advise that you engage with your local community theatre or poetry stanza or head down to an open mic night or folk club until you find your people. And your niche.
Certainly you have a distinct voice and should persevere. But social media can be a corridor of locked doors. Look outside for the key.
That’s a great question, one worth asking ourselves now and then. At first I was on Substack because I’ve written a memoir and kept hearing I needed a “social media platform” to be taken seriously by literary agents. (I’ll probably end up publishing it myself.) Over the past year my reasons for being here have changed. This can be a very supportive community of writers, where we encourage and support each other to write honestly about whatever topics interest us, and by doing so, to improve our writing skills. I’ve found that engaging with other writers (via comments and “likes” and restacking articles we enjoy) makes all the difference. Thank you for asking this question and giving me a reason to think about my answers, Chanti. ☺️
Good question that I just figured out an answer for myself.
All art is performative from the artist’s view. It’s what happens when it’s breathed in to the heart and soul of another human that makes it worthwhile.
It’s not the giver. It’s the receiver. That’s the point.
Sounds like you're having a mini (or not-so-mini) burnout episode? Chanti, you don't need me to tell you how great a writer you are, but I will. You are amazing at what you do here, and it resonates not just with me, but a whole lot more people. But you are allowed to feel this way sometimes. If you feel like you need to take a break for self-care, then you do what you need to do to take care of you. But you have to continue writing. If not for everyone else, for yourself. That is the point.
I hope you feel better. Maybe you should take another Pepsi Dubai chocolate? That should cheer you up! 😉
I am grateful for you being here Chanti. You are awesome for asking why and not forcing yourself into pretending to be resilient or inspirational... That's why I appreciate you so much. The value you bring in particular is the honesty. You say the stuff I keep in my head. And it makes me feel seen and I admire your courage. You're right in that it gets tiring. And alot of what people say here is a performance. Which gets tiresome. You're a giver, and givers need rest and to be seen too. Love you, take care of yourself ❤️ x
What is the point? I'll be honest, I feel that often, I dont always feel like coming on here, I get that being present and engaging in Notes and reading and stuff is what gets you seen, but I like my engagement to be authentic, not forced, or for it to feel like a chore, so I dont come on here if Im not feeling it, thats not being lazy, thats being authentic, I'm sure I would have more subscribers, I see others grow quicker than me, but I do what is within my limits, I mean I work full time, so I cant be on here all the time, plus I actually need to live to give myself something to write about, so, yeah Im with you, I do sometimes ask myself, what is the point. And with that, I would say it is when I slow down, come on here less, no performance whatsoever, just writing, thats when I fall back in love with this place.
I would say this, Chanti, go and feel what you need to feel, this place will still be here when you get back, but know this, for me, and I'm sure for others too, your absence will be felt. I hope you find what you need right now, and I hope if you do need to step away for a bit that you return richer for your absence. 🙏
I've been asking myself the same questions. I realised I was beginning to think too much about views, subscribers and what might "work", and it was quietly changing the way I wrote. Over the last few weeks I've deliberately reshaped my Substack, not to chase more readers but to help me return to the writing that first mattered to me—the garden, flowers, and the Little Girl and the Gardener.
I'm slowly realising that, for me, it's about rediscovering the passion that made me write in the first place, making genuine connections when they happen, and trying not to worry so much about the rest. If I'd published a traditional book, most of the people who read it would never write to me or connect with me personally. Somewhere along the way, social media has made me expect that every piece of writing should come with immediate feedback.
I don't know if it's the answer, but it feels much closer to writing from curiosity than performance. Maybe that's the point I've been looking for.
I do have to answer because I know what's afflicting me is far bigger than writing, subscribers or lack thereof or Substack's silly notes. The trajectory of the world, the general misery, the increasing control of governments, the cost of living, the loneliness of people, these are all things affecting us whether we acknowledge it or not. I don't really write what I'm feeling partly because I don't like oversharing and I don't want to make it all seem more hopeless. So I go to my dark, whimsical side. I'm not performing. I'm just not sure about anything.
I write mostly for fun, but I still get burnt out sometimes.
"I open the app, read a few posts..."
Read a few posts? What app are you using?
The Substack algorithm only shows you people's notes. Even the articles you see aren't people's articles. They're restacks of people's articles, which means, they're notes.
Everything you see when you open Substack is notes. And 90% of all notes here are spam, by people who are trying to game the algorithm. Almost everybody is spamming Substack with phony feel-good one liner notes, in hopes of gaming the algorithm.
“Describe your Substack in three emojis."
“Show me writers who choose depth over noise 🤍"
“Just a reminder that your voice matters."
"Describe your writing in 5 words!"
“Slow growth is still growth."
“Support writers. Restack generously."
“The algorithm can’t stop authentic storytelling."
"If you could summarize your writing voice in a single word, what would it be?"
“Consistency compounds. Keep showing up."
“I want to connect with thoughtful people."
“Drop your publication below so we can support each other."
“I’m building something beautiful here."
“Write scared. Publish anyway."
“There’s room for everyone at the table."
“Community over competition."
“Your audience will find you."
“If even one person reads your words, it matters."
"Give yourself permission to be weird!"
“Substack feels like the old internet."
“Reminder to comment on smaller writers’ posts today 🤍"
“Nobody talks about how vulnerable writing is."
"You are not responsible for the versions of you that exist in other people's minds."
“The best writers are simply the ones who kept going."
"Every scar you carved became a window for light."
“What are you working on this week, writers?"
"A hotdog is basically a taco."
"Sometimes the things we don’t write tell us more than what we do."
"Some people say they find me snarky, which I am."
"Artists will do literally anything but draw the comic they want to make"
"Writers with les than 10 subscribers I want to read your work and follow you!"
"I’m a sucker for a story about a robot learning how to be human"
"Oddly enough, the world makes less sense the closer you look."
"Oddly enough, things are about to get even weirder."
"You write to process your emotions, and in doing so, you emote the process."
"I appreciate you all, by the way."
"There is a quiet magic in the way a story unfolds, one page at a time."
It's all spam. And it's awful, but it's obviously what the powers that be at Substack want Substack to be, because they're aware of the problem and they actively encourage more of it.
...sigh.
Damn straight. You are so entirely accurate. I am sick of it. Even people I once respected have turned to this because it’s the only way to gain real numbers.
YES!
That's one of the most obnoxious things about Notes! Even the writers I want to follow are spamming Substack with slop notes!
"You can’t edit a blank page. Make it exist first, make it good later."
Karma-farming spam.
"Be more afraid of wasting your life than being embarrassed."
More spam.
"If you wait until you feel like a writer, you'll never write."
Moldy spam.
Fucking spot on.
I feel your frustration and share it, and hope you have vented the worst of your dismay. In the words of Maria, ‘you’ve gotta know when you’re being screwed!’
Chill
The reason I am still here is to read thoughts like this, something away from the daily stodge, something that gives me a reason to think. That is why I am here from my reader point of view. As a writer, I am here to swap thoughts with other writers, hopefully to help somebody from time to time by jotting down my progress on this and that, writing the odd word about how I see writing and all that goes with it. I no longer write any sort of creative fiction for Substack, may as well write it and put it straight in the bin, but making that decision has made me think of what I need to be doing with my valuable writing time, so even that negative became a positive.
That is it from my perspective. I cannot comment on your perspective, but hopefully these few words help you to think about that, as your words have made me think.
Thank you.
I share your concerns.
I am back to writing long form prose after a decade as a songwriter, poet and a playwright.
These are disciplines that require social engagement and have performance spaces and public engagement available if you stack enough chairs or coil enough cables or otherwise contribute.
By contrast Substack feels like a sterile echo chamber. Certainly no substitute for the social engagement that all humanity needs.
And it is not free. You are the product being farmed for data and content and contacts. But it is more useful than the endless round of submissions and rejections.
I strongly advise that you engage with your local community theatre or poetry stanza or head down to an open mic night or folk club until you find your people. And your niche.
Certainly you have a distinct voice and should persevere. But social media can be a corridor of locked doors. Look outside for the key.
Andrew
That’s a great question, one worth asking ourselves now and then. At first I was on Substack because I’ve written a memoir and kept hearing I needed a “social media platform” to be taken seriously by literary agents. (I’ll probably end up publishing it myself.) Over the past year my reasons for being here have changed. This can be a very supportive community of writers, where we encourage and support each other to write honestly about whatever topics interest us, and by doing so, to improve our writing skills. I’ve found that engaging with other writers (via comments and “likes” and restacking articles we enjoy) makes all the difference. Thank you for asking this question and giving me a reason to think about my answers, Chanti. ☺️
This is a important question that you ask, let me think about it. Because I've asked it often and I think I can answer it for myself.
Good question that I just figured out an answer for myself.
All art is performative from the artist’s view. It’s what happens when it’s breathed in to the heart and soul of another human that makes it worthwhile.
It’s not the giver. It’s the receiver. That’s the point.
But thanks for asking the question.
This is exactly what I’ve been feeling lately. With that said, I enjoy what you have to say, but I get where you’re coming from.
Sounds like you're having a mini (or not-so-mini) burnout episode? Chanti, you don't need me to tell you how great a writer you are, but I will. You are amazing at what you do here, and it resonates not just with me, but a whole lot more people. But you are allowed to feel this way sometimes. If you feel like you need to take a break for self-care, then you do what you need to do to take care of you. But you have to continue writing. If not for everyone else, for yourself. That is the point.
I hope you feel better. Maybe you should take another Pepsi Dubai chocolate? That should cheer you up! 😉
I do it not thinking about the why. I know few writers except here and I am learning.