So much of this reinforced my thoughts about Substack, as a relative newcomer. I didn't expect to find many subscribers for my posts (about practising the piano) and was seduced by some fabulous writing right from the beginning - until I realised that if I am going to make time for practising, and writing, and reading books (!), then I wouldn't be able to read all the long posts that appeared in my inbox. I understand why writers are asking for subscriptions and I have paid for one, but I simply can't keep up with all of the emails and keep my own work going. And yes, I was reading Notes at first, and spotted the resemblance to other social media; I have FB and Instagram but never open them, and made a point of leaving Twitter before it became X. Thank you for this helpful newsletter - which I did read, word for word!
This is so thought provoking. I have never got on well with social media, but I do love it here - both as a writer AND a reader. It is interesting what you say about volume - that a lot of subscribers could feel harassed when receiving your email. I certainly feel a responsibility to all of my subscriptions and that can be overwhelming. Certainly food for thought!
I have been having many of the same thoughts. I initially liked Substack because it felt simple and untainted. I came over here from Wordpress so I would be less dependent on FB and IG, but it is starting to feel just like FB and IG in here. I question my move to Substack lately.
It’s my second time reading this post and your words struck even more of a chord this time around. As a newbie here, I’m still finding my feet and struggling with feelings of being a bit rubbish. It’s certainly an exercise in self-awareness. Thank you for sharing (again).
I restacked the following but not sure you saw it so wanted to re-share here! :)
///
This 👏 whole 👏 post.
Substack is the shiny new kid on the block, but it’s not perfect. No social platform/creative online community is—at least not the ones that hit the mainstream.
And as much as we like to believe that platforms like Instagram influence us (to a degree, true), we also influence these platforms.
There’s a reason why they seem to constantly change. Why new features are added. Why these once ‘wholesome’ places eventually feel competitive and, dare I say, a little soulless.
Because user habits change. We get bored. Frustrated. And in a bid to stay relevant—to keep users engaged—those in charge of platforms like these try new things, test new features, add more bells and whistles.
Substack feels refreshing right now. I really like it here, and I hope that feeling stays for as long as feasibly possible. But I’m not naive enough to believe that it will always be this way. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. And that’s ok. Maybe less pressure on this place being the Holy Grail is no bad thing.
Oooh, she said the thing. Love that you are writing on here though! And that I'm not the only one noticing an uncomfortable similarity and relationship with the small orange bell symbol...
Nicola, you have written such a well-informed piece that has helped demystify so much of what I felt to be true about the way these platforms emerge. I have definitely noticed those habits you describe in myself, e.g. checking numbers and being swayed by what performs well. I read somewhere that you can have the app automatically open onto your feed inbox rather than Notes, which is what I plan to do.
I don't think its an escape, every platform will have its pros and cons, and these differences help form the overall culture.
Since joining Substack I've seen many people compare Twitter and Notes, and even though I see the similarities Substack imo is focused on sharing publications and posts users are reading vs what people are talking about and hashtags.
I think Substack is a nice balance and has been a refresher, and I agree it still has room to grow
Notes definitely feels far too much like traditional social media for me, especially as it's absolutely packed with people sharing growth hack posts. I think Substack has great potential to be different, but I hope they don't introduce any more features that feel the way notes does - it's the one part of the experience that gives me the ick (although feeling that way about it doesn't stop me using it, which is the worst part)
I don’t know why so many people think Substack is not social media when, by definition it truly is. My opinion on this is divided. These apps mine our preferences, habits and connections, and use us as free content generators. Much like IG, we don’t truly own what we produce here and the platform can take it away at any minute—despite the fact we can get paid for it.
I value the work I read here, but I’ve noticed a few things. Some stacks are insanely priced for the small about of content people produce. I’d love to see a word count requirement or even just a basic publication schedule for higher priced stacks. There’s no solid connection between content and price (and I say this as a person who wants writers to get paid and seen!).
Second, the culture here has started to feel a bit ouroboros-y. The writers I follow interview the writers I follow who do guest posts for the other writers I follow. . .
A writer whose stack I follow released a book recently (I bought it, it’s great) was interviewed by 5 other stacks I follow. I started to wonder if I was losing my mind. I’ve also subscribed to people who just stop posting, or whose recent posts stop showing up on my app homepage.
Anyway. I write myself and I know exposure and publication is soooo difficult to get a handle on. The MLM culture here is real. How many articles have y’all seen about how to get more subscribers? People sharing their six figure Substack accomplishments? I love that writers can make a living wage but these things give me pause. Are we just feeding the attention economy and signing on to another tool of capitalism?
That’s my rant, thank you for the great question and stack 😊
Yeah, I've been privy to some of these parallels as well that seem to be bringing Substack in line with "Instagram for the literary crowd". The dopamine shot that comes from likes, subs, and being tagged on notes is no different than the one we were getting on the gram. On the whole, the community is a hell of a lot more supportive and positive than basically anywhere else on social media, but like you mention, once the tacticians take up residence here, is it only a matter of time before that crumbles as well?
So many thoughts here parallel my own--great piece. I find myself needing a balance between, "Wow, that's good, I need to subscribe for more!" and "If I get one more newsletter I'm going to scream."
I do (still) believe in the substance of Substack over other social media, so I have become more intentional and mindful about my time here as a consumer. If I subscribe (recovering spreadsheet addict), I make a note of what drew me in and how the author connected with me. Sometimes I find that one post is just really in my wheelhouse and the regular posts aren't quite as much, so I feel no regret in unsubscribing. I'm more in tune with my desire to cultivate relationships rather than consume content at this point in my life/writing career, and this is what I choose to honor.
Will I eventually be disillusioned? Don't we all face that risk in everything we do? But we still find enjoyment where we can, while we can.
So much of this reinforced my thoughts about Substack, as a relative newcomer. I didn't expect to find many subscribers for my posts (about practising the piano) and was seduced by some fabulous writing right from the beginning - until I realised that if I am going to make time for practising, and writing, and reading books (!), then I wouldn't be able to read all the long posts that appeared in my inbox. I understand why writers are asking for subscriptions and I have paid for one, but I simply can't keep up with all of the emails and keep my own work going. And yes, I was reading Notes at first, and spotted the resemblance to other social media; I have FB and Instagram but never open them, and made a point of leaving Twitter before it became X. Thank you for this helpful newsletter - which I did read, word for word!
This is so thought provoking. I have never got on well with social media, but I do love it here - both as a writer AND a reader. It is interesting what you say about volume - that a lot of subscribers could feel harassed when receiving your email. I certainly feel a responsibility to all of my subscriptions and that can be overwhelming. Certainly food for thought!
One thing I’ve noticed is that when I go to Substack to write, it starts me on the main page, which pulls me into notes, newsletters, etc.
It’s distracting me from writing! It’s the opposite of what I want it to do.
I have been having many of the same thoughts. I initially liked Substack because it felt simple and untainted. I came over here from Wordpress so I would be less dependent on FB and IG, but it is starting to feel just like FB and IG in here. I question my move to Substack lately.
It’s my second time reading this post and your words struck even more of a chord this time around. As a newbie here, I’m still finding my feet and struggling with feelings of being a bit rubbish. It’s certainly an exercise in self-awareness. Thank you for sharing (again).
I restacked the following but not sure you saw it so wanted to re-share here! :)
///
This 👏 whole 👏 post.
Substack is the shiny new kid on the block, but it’s not perfect. No social platform/creative online community is—at least not the ones that hit the mainstream.
And as much as we like to believe that platforms like Instagram influence us (to a degree, true), we also influence these platforms.
There’s a reason why they seem to constantly change. Why new features are added. Why these once ‘wholesome’ places eventually feel competitive and, dare I say, a little soulless.
Because user habits change. We get bored. Frustrated. And in a bid to stay relevant—to keep users engaged—those in charge of platforms like these try new things, test new features, add more bells and whistles.
Substack feels refreshing right now. I really like it here, and I hope that feeling stays for as long as feasibly possible. But I’m not naive enough to believe that it will always be this way. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. And that’s ok. Maybe less pressure on this place being the Holy Grail is no bad thing.
Oooh, she said the thing. Love that you are writing on here though! And that I'm not the only one noticing an uncomfortable similarity and relationship with the small orange bell symbol...
Nicola, you have written such a well-informed piece that has helped demystify so much of what I felt to be true about the way these platforms emerge. I have definitely noticed those habits you describe in myself, e.g. checking numbers and being swayed by what performs well. I read somewhere that you can have the app automatically open onto your feed inbox rather than Notes, which is what I plan to do.
Thanks so much for reading and for the kind words, Abigail. I’m pleased it’s been helpful 😊
Thank you for this, I have very similar thoughts. Substack feels like another form of social media, especially the notes aspect.
I don't think its an escape, every platform will have its pros and cons, and these differences help form the overall culture.
Since joining Substack I've seen many people compare Twitter and Notes, and even though I see the similarities Substack imo is focused on sharing publications and posts users are reading vs what people are talking about and hashtags.
I think Substack is a nice balance and has been a refresher, and I agree it still has room to grow
Now there’s a question
Notes definitely feels far too much like traditional social media for me, especially as it's absolutely packed with people sharing growth hack posts. I think Substack has great potential to be different, but I hope they don't introduce any more features that feel the way notes does - it's the one part of the experience that gives me the ick (although feeling that way about it doesn't stop me using it, which is the worst part)
I don’t know why so many people think Substack is not social media when, by definition it truly is. My opinion on this is divided. These apps mine our preferences, habits and connections, and use us as free content generators. Much like IG, we don’t truly own what we produce here and the platform can take it away at any minute—despite the fact we can get paid for it.
I value the work I read here, but I’ve noticed a few things. Some stacks are insanely priced for the small about of content people produce. I’d love to see a word count requirement or even just a basic publication schedule for higher priced stacks. There’s no solid connection between content and price (and I say this as a person who wants writers to get paid and seen!).
Second, the culture here has started to feel a bit ouroboros-y. The writers I follow interview the writers I follow who do guest posts for the other writers I follow. . .
A writer whose stack I follow released a book recently (I bought it, it’s great) was interviewed by 5 other stacks I follow. I started to wonder if I was losing my mind. I’ve also subscribed to people who just stop posting, or whose recent posts stop showing up on my app homepage.
Anyway. I write myself and I know exposure and publication is soooo difficult to get a handle on. The MLM culture here is real. How many articles have y’all seen about how to get more subscribers? People sharing their six figure Substack accomplishments? I love that writers can make a living wage but these things give me pause. Are we just feeding the attention economy and signing on to another tool of capitalism?
That’s my rant, thank you for the great question and stack 😊
Yeah, I've been privy to some of these parallels as well that seem to be bringing Substack in line with "Instagram for the literary crowd". The dopamine shot that comes from likes, subs, and being tagged on notes is no different than the one we were getting on the gram. On the whole, the community is a hell of a lot more supportive and positive than basically anywhere else on social media, but like you mention, once the tacticians take up residence here, is it only a matter of time before that crumbles as well?
Brilliant read, summed up how we've been feeling for years!
So many thoughts here parallel my own--great piece. I find myself needing a balance between, "Wow, that's good, I need to subscribe for more!" and "If I get one more newsletter I'm going to scream."
I do (still) believe in the substance of Substack over other social media, so I have become more intentional and mindful about my time here as a consumer. If I subscribe (recovering spreadsheet addict), I make a note of what drew me in and how the author connected with me. Sometimes I find that one post is just really in my wheelhouse and the regular posts aren't quite as much, so I feel no regret in unsubscribing. I'm more in tune with my desire to cultivate relationships rather than consume content at this point in my life/writing career, and this is what I choose to honor.
Will I eventually be disillusioned? Don't we all face that risk in everything we do? But we still find enjoyment where we can, while we can.