This resonates with me so much! I love your writing. Right around the time Substack launched Notes, along with a flurry of success stories, I noticed my Twitter insecurity brain resurfacing. I realized pretty immediately that Notes wasn’t the best place for me. It’s been hard to get back into the right Substack headspace since then, but I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not in this for what it looks like to people outside of it. ❤️
Your newsletter is truly one of my favs!! I loved signing up for it paid version. Sometimes when i feel lonely, I come to binge read a few essays. Just thought you should know. :)
I feel you though about this space feeling like social media more. And it's wild because it's so focused on writing that I have been way more insecure about my writing/ comparing/ longing/ noticing outsider feelings surfacing.
I feel like I could have written this myself--on the one hand we get to share more of our writing and ourselves, but the formula for success makes me feel like I'm back on Twitter trying to "build a platform" just like everyone else. It's exhausting, especially when all I wanna do is write!!
"Yesterday I read an email and noticed that I was feeling like…I was on social media." I completely feel you! I have started to take steps back from Substack for this very reason. It isn't making me feel the way I used to feel -- excited about sharing on this platform. Thanks for continuing to write through the noise.
I’ve had the exact same feelings as you. Even wrote a very similar post to what you have here. Felt the need to start a TikTok and Twitter to get my name out there, and then ended up having an accidental month hiatus from writing, because I was upset that I wasn’t “famous”. I had to take a step back and focus on the CRAFT.
I don’t force myself to write now, and my main focus when writing isn’t clout, but because I actually want to analyze a certain pillar in pop culture. I tell myself that I can write when I want to, and that’s how I keep the practice authentic. When I write for myself, that’s when I can write the best. As cliche as all that sounds.
So much of this resonates! I am appreciative of your honesty and straightforwardness especially around the paid/unpaid dialogue. I hear you, especially in this part "my interest in everything. My niche is the personal. My niche is nature. My niche is self-reflection."
I don't have a defined niche either, other than writing in Swahili (with English translations) @mmerikani.substack.com. I post excerpts of stuff I am reading. I already kept notes for myself from my books, in Evernote or directly in books (only ones that I own!), and decided someone else may also enjoy the helpful and positive quotes/excerpts I was "mining"--and it would give me Swahili practice and move the excerpts even further around the world (outside of English).
What if you think about your Substack writing as your reflections as you go through life? Life is not a niche, right? :) Why limit yourself?!
This resonates with me so much! I love your writing. Right around the time Substack launched Notes, along with a flurry of success stories, I noticed my Twitter insecurity brain resurfacing. I realized pretty immediately that Notes wasn’t the best place for me. It’s been hard to get back into the right Substack headspace since then, but I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not in this for what it looks like to people outside of it. ❤️
Your newsletter is truly one of my favs!! I loved signing up for it paid version. Sometimes when i feel lonely, I come to binge read a few essays. Just thought you should know. :)
I feel you though about this space feeling like social media more. And it's wild because it's so focused on writing that I have been way more insecure about my writing/ comparing/ longing/ noticing outsider feelings surfacing.
Anyway thanks for everything. <3
I feel like I could have written this myself--on the one hand we get to share more of our writing and ourselves, but the formula for success makes me feel like I'm back on Twitter trying to "build a platform" just like everyone else. It's exhausting, especially when all I wanna do is write!!
Sending hugs <3
"Yesterday I read an email and noticed that I was feeling like…I was on social media." I completely feel you! I have started to take steps back from Substack for this very reason. It isn't making me feel the way I used to feel -- excited about sharing on this platform. Thanks for continuing to write through the noise.
I’ve had the exact same feelings as you. Even wrote a very similar post to what you have here. Felt the need to start a TikTok and Twitter to get my name out there, and then ended up having an accidental month hiatus from writing, because I was upset that I wasn’t “famous”. I had to take a step back and focus on the CRAFT.
I don’t force myself to write now, and my main focus when writing isn’t clout, but because I actually want to analyze a certain pillar in pop culture. I tell myself that I can write when I want to, and that’s how I keep the practice authentic. When I write for myself, that’s when I can write the best. As cliche as all that sounds.
You are seen and heard, my friend! Proud to be a member of your audience. ♥️♥️
So much of this resonates! I am appreciative of your honesty and straightforwardness especially around the paid/unpaid dialogue. I hear you, especially in this part "my interest in everything. My niche is the personal. My niche is nature. My niche is self-reflection."
Thank you 🙌
Hello Anastasia.
I don't have a defined niche either, other than writing in Swahili (with English translations) @mmerikani.substack.com. I post excerpts of stuff I am reading. I already kept notes for myself from my books, in Evernote or directly in books (only ones that I own!), and decided someone else may also enjoy the helpful and positive quotes/excerpts I was "mining"--and it would give me Swahili practice and move the excerpts even further around the world (outside of English).
What if you think about your Substack writing as your reflections as you go through life? Life is not a niche, right? :) Why limit yourself?!
I love your thoughtful, beautiful writing. Thank you for sharing your gift with us! 💜