THIS. Part of what Substack is helping me wrest myself away from is the connection between engagement and my value: "No likes means my work is shit" or "No shares means I should shut up". I do hope people engage with my heartwork, that they feel themselves and their experiences in my own, or, at the very least, they think, "How curious!" What I will no longer do is degrade or denigrate my creative practice because "not enough people engage with it". I write publicly to satisfy a creative impulse, a desire to be intimate with others, and I will not measure my worth against the algorithm. I will not let algorithmic silence deter me! Asé.
We all care - you can tell this by how cute the community is in the notes. But I think it’s also part of the process to say that we don’t care because of that horrible sick feeling you articulate so well “The wait time between hitting share and getting that first notification is excruciating.” A lot of us are probably introverts who are slightly traumatised every time we hit ‘post’ and yet compelled to do so because of the overriding human need for recognition and acceptance.
This is so well said, Faith. I do think that writing as a medium probably does appeal to those who lean more introverted, so I think your point makes a lot of sense. But even introverts need community!
I resonate with a lot of what you said and honestly I hate the “how I got ___ subscribers in 10 days” pieces because it reminds me of medium and how easy it was to play with the algorithm to get traction even if the article itself was boring and predictable af.
Anyway…
I feel the same way when I write certain posts, pouring my heart out only to see no one has liked it. Not because of the “like” itself but similar to what you said, the like confirms that I did not overdo it and share some weird thing. Or if I did share some weird thing, others are rocking with it.
I want both my writing and visual art to be seen. That’s why I’m here on Substack and over there on Instagram. I don’t really care about the likes or follows but I want my art to be witnessed; I want to be seen.
Yes yes yes Andy! What is so wrong with the want and desire to be seen, read and heard?! I laughed at one of your final paragraphs about substack tricking people into thinking this is a ‘cosy corner’ of the internet - it’s soooo true. Their PR did good.
So relieved someone said it lol. I was talking to my partner earlier this week and I was ranting about this. It felt like “I should care” but I couldn’t help but admit that I absolutely do care.
This is spicy! I think the fixation on "we write or otherwise we might die" is also a defense about what people choose to write about.
For every subject matter expert here there is someone engaging in diaristic writing, personal essays or something else that looks like it belongs in a wellness magazine. I think people just dont want to justify why they write what they write about, especially in the face of people hating listicles, substack how tos or whatever else. So people act like if they dont publish on substack (?!?) they'll die, wither away inside or whatever.
I've never understood the romantic relationship people have to Substack the platform or other writers. I am just here to read, maybe write, and see what happens. (Though I follow a ton of photography substacks).
Oooh, this is a good perspective. People not wanting to justify what they write about is something I never considered, but I think you’re totally right that that could have something to do with it.
I have complicated feelings about admitting to this need of being seen. It's a very human need. There is apart of myself that is deeply contrarian, who wants to assert that I don't care about visibility. I'll admit there is some absurdity to that. I've had some posts perform very well here. I've had others that don't. It's an exposure therapy thing, I guess. I have to stay attuned to what I feel is important to share, what I feel is valuable. Most of the time, broader culture is uninterested in my world view. I'm actively learning to be okay with that. I feel like I have to learn to be okay with that in order to make the work that feels important to me. So, I do care and I do not care simultaneously. It's a never ending tension I feel when I publish.
I try to focus less on hard numbers and more on the depth of conversations that happen in my comment sections. My last several posts would probably be considered "flops" by anyone focused on metrics but the way that people engage with my work does make me feel seen, and I feel the same from some of my favorite writers here.
What I'm struggling to understand, I think, is how much would be enough here. I do like the idea of being paid for my work, but in no way do I want to be a celebrity. The idea of something of mine going viral does make me feel uneasy. I want to be seen, but not too much. lmao
Interesting read!!! I would love to get to this point one day. “Nonchalance is a virus that will kill us all if we let it.” made me giggle - it’s true!
I think for me feeling seen has negative connotation, maybe internalized from childhood or culture, as a Caribbean Fulani Woman in Amsterdam, someone seeing me sometimes feels uncomfortable. Being seen and being perceived and projected on, the nuances between this come to mind. I post on Substack because of I would like an archive of writing, but I do not think my writing matters more if more people see it.
This article gave me a lot of food for thought. Thank you!! 💖
THIS. Part of what Substack is helping me wrest myself away from is the connection between engagement and my value: "No likes means my work is shit" or "No shares means I should shut up". I do hope people engage with my heartwork, that they feel themselves and their experiences in my own, or, at the very least, they think, "How curious!" What I will no longer do is degrade or denigrate my creative practice because "not enough people engage with it". I write publicly to satisfy a creative impulse, a desire to be intimate with others, and I will not measure my worth against the algorithm. I will not let algorithmic silence deter me! Asé.
What I will no longer do is degrade or denigrate my creative practice because "not enough people engage with it."
Oof, that part!!! It really is such a fine balance.
We all care - you can tell this by how cute the community is in the notes. But I think it’s also part of the process to say that we don’t care because of that horrible sick feeling you articulate so well “The wait time between hitting share and getting that first notification is excruciating.” A lot of us are probably introverts who are slightly traumatised every time we hit ‘post’ and yet compelled to do so because of the overriding human need for recognition and acceptance.
This is so well said, Faith. I do think that writing as a medium probably does appeal to those who lean more introverted, so I think your point makes a lot of sense. But even introverts need community!
Totally. It’s a push and pull!
THIS.
this. word for fucking word.
Another good read!
I resonate with a lot of what you said and honestly I hate the “how I got ___ subscribers in 10 days” pieces because it reminds me of medium and how easy it was to play with the algorithm to get traction even if the article itself was boring and predictable af.
Anyway…
I feel the same way when I write certain posts, pouring my heart out only to see no one has liked it. Not because of the “like” itself but similar to what you said, the like confirms that I did not overdo it and share some weird thing. Or if I did share some weird thing, others are rocking with it.
Lots to think on, thank you!
YES! I do in fact care!
Feeling seen and validated. Thanks for being witnessed.
Thank you for witnessing me, Vic 💚
This for sure!! I am also very chalant. Here’s to chalance!
To chalance! 🥂
I want both my writing and visual art to be seen. That’s why I’m here on Substack and over there on Instagram. I don’t really care about the likes or follows but I want my art to be witnessed; I want to be seen.
I think it's very human for us to want that. 💚
Yes yes yes Andy! What is so wrong with the want and desire to be seen, read and heard?! I laughed at one of your final paragraphs about substack tricking people into thinking this is a ‘cosy corner’ of the internet - it’s soooo true. Their PR did good.
Their marketing team is CRUSHING it. Thank you always for witnessing me, Martha 💖
So relieved someone said it lol. I was talking to my partner earlier this week and I was ranting about this. It felt like “I should care” but I couldn’t help but admit that I absolutely do care.
I don't know where this too cool for school attitude came from but I'm not into it!!!
ugh yes!! Thank you again for saying this. I will now officially take off my hat because I’m tired🙃
This is spicy! I think the fixation on "we write or otherwise we might die" is also a defense about what people choose to write about.
For every subject matter expert here there is someone engaging in diaristic writing, personal essays or something else that looks like it belongs in a wellness magazine. I think people just dont want to justify why they write what they write about, especially in the face of people hating listicles, substack how tos or whatever else. So people act like if they dont publish on substack (?!?) they'll die, wither away inside or whatever.
I've never understood the romantic relationship people have to Substack the platform or other writers. I am just here to read, maybe write, and see what happens. (Though I follow a ton of photography substacks).
Oooh, this is a good perspective. People not wanting to justify what they write about is something I never considered, but I think you’re totally right that that could have something to do with it.
I have complicated feelings about admitting to this need of being seen. It's a very human need. There is apart of myself that is deeply contrarian, who wants to assert that I don't care about visibility. I'll admit there is some absurdity to that. I've had some posts perform very well here. I've had others that don't. It's an exposure therapy thing, I guess. I have to stay attuned to what I feel is important to share, what I feel is valuable. Most of the time, broader culture is uninterested in my world view. I'm actively learning to be okay with that. I feel like I have to learn to be okay with that in order to make the work that feels important to me. So, I do care and I do not care simultaneously. It's a never ending tension I feel when I publish.
I try to focus less on hard numbers and more on the depth of conversations that happen in my comment sections. My last several posts would probably be considered "flops" by anyone focused on metrics but the way that people engage with my work does make me feel seen, and I feel the same from some of my favorite writers here.
What I'm struggling to understand, I think, is how much would be enough here. I do like the idea of being paid for my work, but in no way do I want to be a celebrity. The idea of something of mine going viral does make me feel uneasy. I want to be seen, but not too much. lmao
wow i really liked this
Interesting read!!! I would love to get to this point one day. “Nonchalance is a virus that will kill us all if we let it.” made me giggle - it’s true!
I think for me feeling seen has negative connotation, maybe internalized from childhood or culture, as a Caribbean Fulani Woman in Amsterdam, someone seeing me sometimes feels uncomfortable. Being seen and being perceived and projected on, the nuances between this come to mind. I post on Substack because of I would like an archive of writing, but I do not think my writing matters more if more people see it.
This article gave me a lot of food for thought. Thank you!! 💖
This!