I should have also shared this comment from Alicia Kennedy: "“Did I do what they did?” is the KEY here. So many people would like accolades and an audience without the labor involved. There are obvious privileges involved in both putting in that labor and reaping the rewards, but I’ve always found when I’m falling into an abyss of comparison that this is the question to ask myself. And then I have to ask whether I want to have done what they did." https://substack.com/@aliciakennedy/note/c-44388336
Yes, comparing is a dead-end job, yet our social media culture almost demands we keep up. It's such a problem for those unwilling to put in the time and work, like there's a false sense of entitlement. And sometimes, many do the work, but it still see little reward.
This is very true. I am often surprised when books I have loved, that I think are deserving of being "big books," do not make a very big splash. It can be baffling.
Yes! I actually find that both baffling but oddly comforting. There are so many different and beautiful ways for books to be a success. I remember attending a Salman Rushdie reading in Denver, the auditorium was half empty and I thought to myself "If I am ever lucky enough to do an author event, I will remember this moment and I will be grateful no matter that audience size." What a striking example of writing quality being imperfectly-correlated with the metrics of attendance.
My mother always used to say 'Your reward will be in heaven.' It was annoying at the time as she did not attend church and didn't consider herself a believer but I now know what she meant.
Thanks for the sanity reclamation that this post offers. I do want to grow my stack. But I also want to do the work. I write and draw and love the process of it. And STILL, I sometimes get surprised that my baby stack hasn't grown very much. Did I mention that I've taken on a caring role for my dad with Brain Cancer? Which means I haven't been posting with a regular cadence for some months now? hehe (coz you gotta laugh).
I don't notice myself actively comparing myself with other writers, but I do still find myself passively noticing that there hasn't been much growth lately.
Thanks for reminding me that I'm doing what I'm doing coz it's fun and impactful for those who read it. And that in all honesty, I value my growth as a writer more than my growth as a Substack.
"my growth as a writer more than my growth on Substack" this is so important. Also, you can look at my "growth" chart of subscribers/income on Substack and literally see the plateaus where I had to deal with family or health stuff. It's like—oh yeah. There was that thing.
Had a quick look through your posts and you’re doing all the right things.
Sometimes it’s about producing consistently and then out of the blue you get a break through post that takes to the next level. It’s often impossible to tell which one will do that for you.
Substack as a platform improves the chances of this happening. I’m pretty positive about the future here.
I am here to be in conversation, not in competition. I really enjoy this space-- stay the course! And thanks for sharing the perspective of an established poster, as well as that of a hard working writer. For now, I am a ravenous reader who writes elsewhere and I am enjoying the literary/ salon community here. It is exciting to watch a community grow with a generosity of spirit at its root and to feel part of it.
You captured my own feelings about Substack precisely, Emily. The *generosity* of spirit and intellect here is quite astonishing. And generosity is what builds connection, and connection, community. For those who have eyes, let them read. I often come (reluctantly) away from my time here feeling the mental and spiritual equivalent of pushing myself away from a groaning board
-- stuffed and crumb-speckled, needing a walk or a nap to let it all settle and digest.
Nearly as often, I must stop myself (but save the draft!) from commenting too lengthily on a post. To employ one of my very own very clever metaphors, mounted on my faithful steed Logorrhea I tend to go galloping off in all directions. Creativity fuels creativity. I’m learning to discipline myself here, to take notes, to ponder. As with all good thinking and writing, Summer’s post and readers’ comments offer valuable insights and perspectives on larger issues (and everything’s a larger issue!). Look at Ouroboros, the mythic serpent eating its own tail. Perspective depends on which end you’re looking at.
I’m stopping here, despite my fractious steed’s impatience. Time management is not one of my fortes. Thank you, Summer.
“Creativity fuels creativity.” You’re absolutely right, Kathleen. This is what brings me back to Substack every day. We will always find what we’re looking for here, whether that’s competition or inspiration.
Hi, Summer-- I’ve been following your notes and love this distillation. I just started reading Haruki Murakami’s essay collection “Novelist as a Vocation” and it struck me how, in his foreword, he said he’s been working on and re-working the same essays for decades. Even as an undeniably successful novelist, he was not yet comfortable publishing essays about novel-writing until he’d let them sit for years in a drawer. I’ve often wondered if the immediacy of self-publishing is harming my work product, in that I so rarely let a draft sit like I used to (out of necessity) before being on Substack. Your thoughts on this topic are refreshing. Thanks for taking the time to share them with such clarity
I've wondered this too. I've been using my Substack as my writing practice. And although I do craft the essays, and edit and reedit (that's always been my way), I recently realised that I'm not really enough much writing that I'm NOT publishing. @Nishant Jain recently said 'publish more than you write' and that stopped me in my tracks.
Sari Botton was talking recently about the wisdom of diversifying her publishing habits. She has three successful Substacks, but was realizing that she didn't want to lose touch with other venues, and so had decided to start pitching again. There is also, as you say and as Julia pointed out, that issue of not working with our material long enough, which I was CERTAINLY guilty of. At the same time, preparing work to share so often has really helped me to develop what I'm doing, to find ways of writing that interest me, and to connect with the writing in a way that I had not done in years. I guess it's a balance, and one that is not so easy to find!
Brilliant. Just echoes everything I have been thinking over the past 12 plus months publishing here on Substack. I was drawn to this platform to share my writing after hearing that "niche" writing often does well, and hoping that my essays on women's narratives might get a few readers, if I put the work in. This has already surpassed my ambitions for my newsletter! Most importantly, by posting to a regular schedule and not posting unless I feel it is my very best work (whether for free or paid subscribers) I have found both great satisfaction in the process of improving my craft and wonderful, responsive readers. I have also found some awesome writers to read and interact with, such as yourself. Thank you for this reminder of what it really takes to be "successful" as a writer 💖
Simply brilliant. Packed with wisdom and some stone cold facts. Too many people here are writing about writing rather than actually writing and sharing original material, which is what Substack is designed for. Real writers write. The work is its own reward. Success, if it comes, is often beyond our control. All we can control is the work. So do the work. Write. Trust the universe to do the rest.
I know what you mean. Writing about writing is still writing, although I do take your point. That is one of the reasons why I have different verticals in my own newsletter. I know some people really want to read the things I share that are about writing—Essay Camp, and my series on different kinds of essays. But other people really don't want that, and just want to read my original work on other topics. My hope is that those who just want the notebook entry stuff will check that box and uncheck Essay Camp, or vice versa, so they can just get the things they want to see. I am passionate about writing as a profession and as a practice, so like many writers, I do have things to say about it. But it can get stale when people are just trying to come up with things to say in the hopes that it will attract an audience.
Brilliant piece, thank you! It took me 8 years of very hard work to grow an instagram following of, at one stage 250k, and it looked like (and still looks like) getting up at 5:30am 6 days a week, using every ounce of time throughout the day and night to write, cancelling plans, intense periods of solitude (especially when I’m writing a book) and so much more that comes when you live and breathe your passion. It’s never been a competition for me (other than with myself at times) but about service. Service to just one woman who may feel like I used to feel, and who may feel less alone, and eventually courageous enough to go towards her pain. Thank you for this essay.
Yes to all of this. Thank you for saying it. I read a post over the weekend that I found disheartening and upsetting, that seemed to shame those of us who enjoy it here and who are grateful to subscribe to and excited to share this space with well know writers. I have seen many posts like this, albeit not quite so scathing and they sadden me. I think many others read it too, and felt the same. My response was to rant into my phone notes and then publish my own small response of encouragement, which has turned out to be my most popular post to date 🤦♀️🤩 I’m not a serious writer and I’m not trying to be, but I can still have fun and enjoy my work and the work of others here. Bravo 🤩 and just in case anyone would like to read it, people like me who just want to do their thing and share their work... here’s the link 💕https://open.substack.com/pub/whileiwasdrawing/p/confessions-of-a-middle-aged-substackaholic?r=1l11kb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I loved this post of yours, Emily! Commented on Summer's various Notes on this topic over the past few days so not going to add my tuppence in again here, other than to say 👏👏👏👏
Thank you Lindsey. I never planned on writing anything other than to get the frustration at one or two particular posts out of my own head so I could carry on doing my thing. I’m glad that so many others feel the same and that enjoyment and fun and playfulness can win out over the vitriol. And powerful words like this from Summer speaking out in response. 🤍
Hi, this is not the totality of my thoughts on publishing. I am not calling out any one person, not even the person who I initially replied to in Notes. Thanks!
From someone who comes to Substack to read rather than write:
I prefer the hard work to be reflected in the quality rather than the quantity of posts. Publishing new posts several times a week or even daily (!) is almost certainly hard work. But not only does the quality suffer, most normal people just don't have the time to read all that. It becomes something that piles up in your email inbox, a task to get through rather than a joy to look forward to. I realize the market pressures people to churn out new things at a fast clip, but your audience is almost certainly happier with one well thought out, edited, and polished essay a few times a month.
Hard work should be rewarded. But sometimes it is easy to mistake the hard work that is required for good writing for the ends rather than the means. An analogy: Building half a house is hard work! But if you want to make a living building houses, the goal is to finish the house. On Substack, I see a lot of people building frames or models, doing interesting things with architecture that might be deemed impractical for a mainstream house, or writing about building houses. In these cases, it might be more helpful to view your paid subscribers as investors rather than consumers.
One more thing: the desperation is sometimes palpable, and I have seen some writers get frankly angry at their readership for not choosing paid or higher tier subscriptions. "This is my job! I deserve a fair wage!" Just please keep in mind that pretty much everyone, regardless of their profession, is dealing with a lot of financial precarity right now and it probably isn't personal or slumming it if someone reads your stuff but does not pay for it when you offer it for free. In fact they are probably grateful and really like you. Don't take your economic strife out on them.
Too true! The reality is, sometimes, that posting more often will make your newsletter grow faster, even though this really isn't ideal for a lot of readers. It's such a hard balance to find, and to decide. How to pace yourself. All good stuff to think about!
A great long version of The Note, thank you. And I really appreciate the honest focus on entitlement, which is so pernicious. Your words slice right through the self-inflation. In my work (as an outdoor therapist), I have seen so much interest and growth that i get a lot of requests for 'how can I do what you do?' Or 'what quals do I need?' And I get so tired of the entitlement. It's hard to convey that it took all of the decades of my life to braid this journey from all sorts of (mis)adventures and dead-end choices and experimentation. I can't just give you a quick answr or sell that 5 point plan to you. On substack I am growing slowly and yes, it can be frustrating to start again from the 'bottom' but it also reminds me of my hunger and as long as I put in the effort I too see things gradually grow. This is the only way - the organic way, the way that feels true of all worthwhile things. They take time, effort, experimentation. Thank-you for you cutting through the jibber jabber and reminding us all that what works is what has always worked. And vice versa. Love to you. X
I really liked the thinking on big presses and small presses on Substack because, indirectly, it has a relationship to audience strategy and curation. Would you rather have a mainstream Substack that caters to everyone or would you rather have a niche, tightly engaged audience that likes the specificity of your content. Each route has trade-offs and I think it’s important for writers on the platform to think about this in relation to their goals.
If I did, why did I then immediately spent an hour and a half writing a pithy, amusing, blindingly insightful, sure-to-be-viral reply which was in fact a pile of now deleted self-serving dribble?
Because writing is hard.
Here's my re-write:
Thank you for this. It inspired and encouraged me, and I know it inspires and encourage others.
The time and effort you take to share your insights with others is valued and meaningful.
I encourage every creator on the platform to read this and I hope @Substack picks it up for dissemination this week. There is no secret handshake in publishing. There never has been. There is no class, or workshop, or personal introduction, or marketing ploy that will bypass the cold hard reality that is publishing. If you want to be a respected writer, you have to put in the work. You have to pay your dues by elevating your craft and producing consistently at a high level.
I was once told that all good books find a home. The same is true of nonfiction pursuits. If you build the world for yourself and the passion shines through, that is what attracts the readership. It’s the simple formula of moth to flame. You just have to make your flame the warmest around. Not the shiniest, or the biggest, but the one that will sustain the lives of those around you because it is genuine.
@SummerBrennan - Thank you for a well thought-out and informative post.
Professional writing is like being in high school all over again. Whether in the classroom, athletic fields, drama club, marching band, computer lab, or yearbook committee, always put your best foot forward, knowing and accepting that human nature dictates whether your genuine effort will go viral or not.
In the spirit of your post, the writing mantra I live by comes from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, essayist and poet Barbara Kingsolver:
“Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you. Figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.”
This was so great. I have been seeing so many of those “how to grow” posts and felt both intrigued and icked out at the same time. The stats feature on here makes it easy to forget the sincerity of why many of us started these projects in the first place.
This also makes me think of Sister Corita Kent’s list of rules for her art students, which was shared recently by Marlee Grace on her (very successful) Monday Monday newsletter. You can find the whole wonderful list online but the best one is
I should have also shared this comment from Alicia Kennedy: "“Did I do what they did?” is the KEY here. So many people would like accolades and an audience without the labor involved. There are obvious privileges involved in both putting in that labor and reaping the rewards, but I’ve always found when I’m falling into an abyss of comparison that this is the question to ask myself. And then I have to ask whether I want to have done what they did." https://substack.com/@aliciakennedy/note/c-44388336
Yes, comparing is a dead-end job, yet our social media culture almost demands we keep up. It's such a problem for those unwilling to put in the time and work, like there's a false sense of entitlement. And sometimes, many do the work, but it still see little reward.
This is very true. I am often surprised when books I have loved, that I think are deserving of being "big books," do not make a very big splash. It can be baffling.
Yes! I actually find that both baffling but oddly comforting. There are so many different and beautiful ways for books to be a success. I remember attending a Salman Rushdie reading in Denver, the auditorium was half empty and I thought to myself "If I am ever lucky enough to do an author event, I will remember this moment and I will be grateful no matter that audience size." What a striking example of writing quality being imperfectly-correlated with the metrics of attendance.
I remember going to see Marina Warner - me and one other? Or maybe it was just me...
My mother always used to say 'Your reward will be in heaven.' It was annoying at the time as she did not attend church and didn't consider herself a believer but I now know what she meant.
Thanks for the sanity reclamation that this post offers. I do want to grow my stack. But I also want to do the work. I write and draw and love the process of it. And STILL, I sometimes get surprised that my baby stack hasn't grown very much. Did I mention that I've taken on a caring role for my dad with Brain Cancer? Which means I haven't been posting with a regular cadence for some months now? hehe (coz you gotta laugh).
I don't notice myself actively comparing myself with other writers, but I do still find myself passively noticing that there hasn't been much growth lately.
Thanks for reminding me that I'm doing what I'm doing coz it's fun and impactful for those who read it. And that in all honesty, I value my growth as a writer more than my growth as a Substack.
That little realisation made my heart happy.
"my growth as a writer more than my growth on Substack" this is so important. Also, you can look at my "growth" chart of subscribers/income on Substack and literally see the plateaus where I had to deal with family or health stuff. It's like—oh yeah. There was that thing.
Medha, I empathize. My mother just lost her partner to brain cancer. You will get through your challenges. Do what you love and you will grow.
Had a quick look through your posts and you’re doing all the right things.
Sometimes it’s about producing consistently and then out of the blue you get a break through post that takes to the next level. It’s often impossible to tell which one will do that for you.
Substack as a platform improves the chances of this happening. I’m pretty positive about the future here.
https://open.substack.com/pub/neverstoplearning1/p/substack-isnt-the-enemy?r=1nyz10&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I think it is a gift to us - but we should try and be real with ourselves and others too.
I am here to be in conversation, not in competition. I really enjoy this space-- stay the course! And thanks for sharing the perspective of an established poster, as well as that of a hard working writer. For now, I am a ravenous reader who writes elsewhere and I am enjoying the literary/ salon community here. It is exciting to watch a community grow with a generosity of spirit at its root and to feel part of it.
You captured my own feelings about Substack precisely, Emily. The *generosity* of spirit and intellect here is quite astonishing. And generosity is what builds connection, and connection, community. For those who have eyes, let them read. I often come (reluctantly) away from my time here feeling the mental and spiritual equivalent of pushing myself away from a groaning board
-- stuffed and crumb-speckled, needing a walk or a nap to let it all settle and digest.
Nearly as often, I must stop myself (but save the draft!) from commenting too lengthily on a post. To employ one of my very own very clever metaphors, mounted on my faithful steed Logorrhea I tend to go galloping off in all directions. Creativity fuels creativity. I’m learning to discipline myself here, to take notes, to ponder. As with all good thinking and writing, Summer’s post and readers’ comments offer valuable insights and perspectives on larger issues (and everything’s a larger issue!). Look at Ouroboros, the mythic serpent eating its own tail. Perspective depends on which end you’re looking at.
I’m stopping here, despite my fractious steed’s impatience. Time management is not one of my fortes. Thank you, Summer.
“Creativity fuels creativity.” You’re absolutely right, Kathleen. This is what brings me back to Substack every day. We will always find what we’re looking for here, whether that’s competition or inspiration.
Thank you so much Emily!
"I am here to be in conversation, not in competition."
Love this!
Thank you! Lovely to find like-minded folks.
I did a lot of galloping in the early days on, of all things FB, and I am lucky that I could.
Hi, Summer-- I’ve been following your notes and love this distillation. I just started reading Haruki Murakami’s essay collection “Novelist as a Vocation” and it struck me how, in his foreword, he said he’s been working on and re-working the same essays for decades. Even as an undeniably successful novelist, he was not yet comfortable publishing essays about novel-writing until he’d let them sit for years in a drawer. I’ve often wondered if the immediacy of self-publishing is harming my work product, in that I so rarely let a draft sit like I used to (out of necessity) before being on Substack. Your thoughts on this topic are refreshing. Thanks for taking the time to share them with such clarity
That is incredible, and I completely share your curiosity about this. I have been thinking about that myself, with my own work. Thanks for reading!
I've wondered this too. I've been using my Substack as my writing practice. And although I do craft the essays, and edit and reedit (that's always been my way), I recently realised that I'm not really enough much writing that I'm NOT publishing. @Nishant Jain recently said 'publish more than you write' and that stopped me in my tracks.
Sari Botton was talking recently about the wisdom of diversifying her publishing habits. She has three successful Substacks, but was realizing that she didn't want to lose touch with other venues, and so had decided to start pitching again. There is also, as you say and as Julia pointed out, that issue of not working with our material long enough, which I was CERTAINLY guilty of. At the same time, preparing work to share so often has really helped me to develop what I'm doing, to find ways of writing that interest me, and to connect with the writing in a way that I had not done in years. I guess it's a balance, and one that is not so easy to find!
Brilliant. Just echoes everything I have been thinking over the past 12 plus months publishing here on Substack. I was drawn to this platform to share my writing after hearing that "niche" writing often does well, and hoping that my essays on women's narratives might get a few readers, if I put the work in. This has already surpassed my ambitions for my newsletter! Most importantly, by posting to a regular schedule and not posting unless I feel it is my very best work (whether for free or paid subscribers) I have found both great satisfaction in the process of improving my craft and wonderful, responsive readers. I have also found some awesome writers to read and interact with, such as yourself. Thank you for this reminder of what it really takes to be "successful" as a writer 💖
Thank you so much Kate!
Simply brilliant. Packed with wisdom and some stone cold facts. Too many people here are writing about writing rather than actually writing and sharing original material, which is what Substack is designed for. Real writers write. The work is its own reward. Success, if it comes, is often beyond our control. All we can control is the work. So do the work. Write. Trust the universe to do the rest.
I know what you mean. Writing about writing is still writing, although I do take your point. That is one of the reasons why I have different verticals in my own newsletter. I know some people really want to read the things I share that are about writing—Essay Camp, and my series on different kinds of essays. But other people really don't want that, and just want to read my original work on other topics. My hope is that those who just want the notebook entry stuff will check that box and uncheck Essay Camp, or vice versa, so they can just get the things they want to see. I am passionate about writing as a profession and as a practice, so like many writers, I do have things to say about it. But it can get stale when people are just trying to come up with things to say in the hopes that it will attract an audience.
Your writing about writing is exceptional, Summer. Thanks for sharing.
Brilliant piece, thank you! It took me 8 years of very hard work to grow an instagram following of, at one stage 250k, and it looked like (and still looks like) getting up at 5:30am 6 days a week, using every ounce of time throughout the day and night to write, cancelling plans, intense periods of solitude (especially when I’m writing a book) and so much more that comes when you live and breathe your passion. It’s never been a competition for me (other than with myself at times) but about service. Service to just one woman who may feel like I used to feel, and who may feel less alone, and eventually courageous enough to go towards her pain. Thank you for this essay.
Wow... but yes, our daily routines, our inner and outer work are not on show behind the numbers and the words that are out there....
Yes to all of this. Thank you for saying it. I read a post over the weekend that I found disheartening and upsetting, that seemed to shame those of us who enjoy it here and who are grateful to subscribe to and excited to share this space with well know writers. I have seen many posts like this, albeit not quite so scathing and they sadden me. I think many others read it too, and felt the same. My response was to rant into my phone notes and then publish my own small response of encouragement, which has turned out to be my most popular post to date 🤦♀️🤩 I’m not a serious writer and I’m not trying to be, but I can still have fun and enjoy my work and the work of others here. Bravo 🤩 and just in case anyone would like to read it, people like me who just want to do their thing and share their work... here’s the link 💕https://open.substack.com/pub/whileiwasdrawing/p/confessions-of-a-middle-aged-substackaholic?r=1l11kb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I loved this post of yours, Emily! Commented on Summer's various Notes on this topic over the past few days so not going to add my tuppence in again here, other than to say 👏👏👏👏
Thank you Lindsey. I never planned on writing anything other than to get the frustration at one or two particular posts out of my own head so I could carry on doing my thing. I’m glad that so many others feel the same and that enjoyment and fun and playfulness can win out over the vitriol. And powerful words like this from Summer speaking out in response. 🤍
Hi, this is not the totality of my thoughts on publishing. I am not calling out any one person, not even the person who I initially replied to in Notes. Thanks!
From someone who comes to Substack to read rather than write:
I prefer the hard work to be reflected in the quality rather than the quantity of posts. Publishing new posts several times a week or even daily (!) is almost certainly hard work. But not only does the quality suffer, most normal people just don't have the time to read all that. It becomes something that piles up in your email inbox, a task to get through rather than a joy to look forward to. I realize the market pressures people to churn out new things at a fast clip, but your audience is almost certainly happier with one well thought out, edited, and polished essay a few times a month.
Hard work should be rewarded. But sometimes it is easy to mistake the hard work that is required for good writing for the ends rather than the means. An analogy: Building half a house is hard work! But if you want to make a living building houses, the goal is to finish the house. On Substack, I see a lot of people building frames or models, doing interesting things with architecture that might be deemed impractical for a mainstream house, or writing about building houses. In these cases, it might be more helpful to view your paid subscribers as investors rather than consumers.
One more thing: the desperation is sometimes palpable, and I have seen some writers get frankly angry at their readership for not choosing paid or higher tier subscriptions. "This is my job! I deserve a fair wage!" Just please keep in mind that pretty much everyone, regardless of their profession, is dealing with a lot of financial precarity right now and it probably isn't personal or slumming it if someone reads your stuff but does not pay for it when you offer it for free. In fact they are probably grateful and really like you. Don't take your economic strife out on them.
Too true! The reality is, sometimes, that posting more often will make your newsletter grow faster, even though this really isn't ideal for a lot of readers. It's such a hard balance to find, and to decide. How to pace yourself. All good stuff to think about!
A great long version of The Note, thank you. And I really appreciate the honest focus on entitlement, which is so pernicious. Your words slice right through the self-inflation. In my work (as an outdoor therapist), I have seen so much interest and growth that i get a lot of requests for 'how can I do what you do?' Or 'what quals do I need?' And I get so tired of the entitlement. It's hard to convey that it took all of the decades of my life to braid this journey from all sorts of (mis)adventures and dead-end choices and experimentation. I can't just give you a quick answr or sell that 5 point plan to you. On substack I am growing slowly and yes, it can be frustrating to start again from the 'bottom' but it also reminds me of my hunger and as long as I put in the effort I too see things gradually grow. This is the only way - the organic way, the way that feels true of all worthwhile things. They take time, effort, experimentation. Thank-you for you cutting through the jibber jabber and reminding us all that what works is what has always worked. And vice versa. Love to you. X
💞💞💞
{applause}
I really liked the thinking on big presses and small presses on Substack because, indirectly, it has a relationship to audience strategy and curation. Would you rather have a mainstream Substack that caters to everyone or would you rather have a niche, tightly engaged audience that likes the specificity of your content. Each route has trade-offs and I think it’s important for writers on the platform to think about this in relation to their goals.
Did I not just read what you've written?
If I did, why did I then immediately spent an hour and a half writing a pithy, amusing, blindingly insightful, sure-to-be-viral reply which was in fact a pile of now deleted self-serving dribble?
Because writing is hard.
Here's my re-write:
Thank you for this. It inspired and encouraged me, and I know it inspires and encourage others.
The time and effort you take to share your insights with others is valued and meaningful.
Thank you Lucas—don't be too hard on yourself!
I encourage every creator on the platform to read this and I hope @Substack picks it up for dissemination this week. There is no secret handshake in publishing. There never has been. There is no class, or workshop, or personal introduction, or marketing ploy that will bypass the cold hard reality that is publishing. If you want to be a respected writer, you have to put in the work. You have to pay your dues by elevating your craft and producing consistently at a high level.
I was once told that all good books find a home. The same is true of nonfiction pursuits. If you build the world for yourself and the passion shines through, that is what attracts the readership. It’s the simple formula of moth to flame. You just have to make your flame the warmest around. Not the shiniest, or the biggest, but the one that will sustain the lives of those around you because it is genuine.
Well done. @Summer Brennan.
@SummerBrennan - Thank you for a well thought-out and informative post.
Professional writing is like being in high school all over again. Whether in the classroom, athletic fields, drama club, marching band, computer lab, or yearbook committee, always put your best foot forward, knowing and accepting that human nature dictates whether your genuine effort will go viral or not.
In the spirit of your post, the writing mantra I live by comes from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, essayist and poet Barbara Kingsolver:
“Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you. Figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.”
Best,
David
Quality Value Investing
This was so great. I have been seeing so many of those “how to grow” posts and felt both intrigued and icked out at the same time. The stats feature on here makes it easy to forget the sincerity of why many of us started these projects in the first place.
This also makes me think of Sister Corita Kent’s list of rules for her art students, which was shared recently by Marlee Grace on her (very successful) Monday Monday newsletter. You can find the whole wonderful list online but the best one is
Rule #7: THE ONLY RULE IS WORK.