A FREE workshop, Instagram updates, a round up of the best bookish, marketing-ish writerly-ish, advice I've found on the internet this month, and some posts formats you might like to try
Thank you for this, Nicola. As I seem to be doing better and better on Substack, getting more traction with my Notes and Posts, leaving Instagram is becoming more attractive, especially as it's becoming an increasingly complicated platform to use and I'm always left feeling mentally drained after my daily 20-30 minutes on there. It's a big decision to make though, as I have my Swedish network on there. For now I will stick to quick ins and outs, scheduling a post for the next day, and commenting on five to ten posts. That's all I do to maintain it.
Obviously *I* like Instagram 😆 BUT I'm also an advocate for doing what works for you! Sounds like you're moving towards settling on what that looks like which can only be a good thing.
Thanks so much for this, some really helpful tips there. I've been posting in 4:5 for ages now and it all used to work fine. But since the update when I try to post carousels it insists on making them all square, regardless of how much I try to resize them. Have you seen this before?
oh no that's super-annoying! Sounds like a glitch tbh - when they roll things out there quite often are teething problems - and not something I've come across - have you tried updating your app and then trying again?
Thank you, as always. I found the workshop so helpful and clarifying. Though I have to say, I'm still really wrestling with the do-I-leave question. I took some time off over Christmas - possibly the longest break yet from both posting and consuming - and it's so marked how much better I feel for it. My writing is better. I'm reading more. I'm calmer and less frazzled. Then throw in all the latest developments, and it feels increasingly like an ethical dilemma: how can I participate in encouraging other people to do something I feel is actively bad for me? And also, by posting and using the app, I'm continuing to make money for Meta, which I just don't want to do. (Not looking for you to solve this problem for me, just.... sharing). What I think it boils down to for me is, if I wasn't a writer I would not be on social media any more. xxx
You are certainly not the only one wrestling with these questions.
For me the ethical dilemma is especially fraught as I have huge sympathy for people leaving Meta behind, but this is literally my business so I feel rather stuck! A little like how you say that if you weren't a writer you'd not be on social media anymore... ðŸ˜
In this newsletter I have included a couple of posts that have been clarifying for me, although don't solve the problem of course. What did you make of them?
Re. the way the app makes you feel, I wonder how you'd feel about NOT using it to consume, but only to post? Is that possible? Would it make a difference to you? I've just recorded a presentation about 'Protecting your time while using Instagram', that I'm going to be publishing next week and I think there might be tactics within that that may help alleviate the 'frazzled' feeling. But of course its all very personal and you might think I'm stating the obvious in the presentation! I look forward to hearing what you think next week perhaps?
Thank you for this, Nicola. As I seem to be doing better and better on Substack, getting more traction with my Notes and Posts, leaving Instagram is becoming more attractive, especially as it's becoming an increasingly complicated platform to use and I'm always left feeling mentally drained after my daily 20-30 minutes on there. It's a big decision to make though, as I have my Swedish network on there. For now I will stick to quick ins and outs, scheduling a post for the next day, and commenting on five to ten posts. That's all I do to maintain it.
Obviously *I* like Instagram 😆 BUT I'm also an advocate for doing what works for you! Sounds like you're moving towards settling on what that looks like which can only be a good thing.
This is so helpful, thank you so much!
Always very welcome xxxxxxxxxx
Thanks so much for this, some really helpful tips there. I've been posting in 4:5 for ages now and it all used to work fine. But since the update when I try to post carousels it insists on making them all square, regardless of how much I try to resize them. Have you seen this before?
oh no that's super-annoying! Sounds like a glitch tbh - when they roll things out there quite often are teething problems - and not something I've come across - have you tried updating your app and then trying again?
I'll try again. I did update it and log back in after the changes but it persisted. I'll try again though
it's so frustrating when it glitches and there seems to be no answer. Has it sorted itself out at all?
Sadly not, looks like I'm posting square carousels for the time being 🤣
Thank you, as always. I found the workshop so helpful and clarifying. Though I have to say, I'm still really wrestling with the do-I-leave question. I took some time off over Christmas - possibly the longest break yet from both posting and consuming - and it's so marked how much better I feel for it. My writing is better. I'm reading more. I'm calmer and less frazzled. Then throw in all the latest developments, and it feels increasingly like an ethical dilemma: how can I participate in encouraging other people to do something I feel is actively bad for me? And also, by posting and using the app, I'm continuing to make money for Meta, which I just don't want to do. (Not looking for you to solve this problem for me, just.... sharing). What I think it boils down to for me is, if I wasn't a writer I would not be on social media any more. xxx
You are certainly not the only one wrestling with these questions.
For me the ethical dilemma is especially fraught as I have huge sympathy for people leaving Meta behind, but this is literally my business so I feel rather stuck! A little like how you say that if you weren't a writer you'd not be on social media anymore... ðŸ˜
In this newsletter I have included a couple of posts that have been clarifying for me, although don't solve the problem of course. What did you make of them?
Re. the way the app makes you feel, I wonder how you'd feel about NOT using it to consume, but only to post? Is that possible? Would it make a difference to you? I've just recorded a presentation about 'Protecting your time while using Instagram', that I'm going to be publishing next week and I think there might be tactics within that that may help alleviate the 'frazzled' feeling. But of course its all very personal and you might think I'm stating the obvious in the presentation! I look forward to hearing what you think next week perhaps?
Super helpful!!!!
I'm quiet launching a new format for my monthly round up and this one feels like I've finally found a format that I like!