I loved this piece Julie. You had me laughing and nodding along so many times. It made me think about how constructed the whole idea of the writing career is and the ways it has us chasing after impossible outcomes.
I love this to bits, Julie. You had me hanging on every word. Fuck that kinkshamer. My bones hurt from considering the substack gaze. Lots of love xoxoxoxo.
I enjoyed this honest piece. And I think I know the nature writer you mention- who doesn't have an original ideal, but likes to post other people's photos and videos with rather lame commentaries. I had a note go big over the last 6 days and it was the one I didn't promote through Sarah Fay. Anyway, Substack is a messy place.
I think it just goes to show that shooting for big numbers is missing the point. I could make everything I write more palatable to a broader audience and get more followers. I could be the beige of Substack, but what would be the point? Just for the numbers? It’s never enough.
“If anything is true, it is that the idea of “arrival” is a dangling carrot that I will never get in my mouth.” 🎯just wrote about that carrot. It’s a whirling drain of suck out there.
SO much of this resonates with me-as you may recall from our podcast chat.
Which addiction is feeding which addiction? And can anyone who writes to be read truly be sober?
"I keep trying to get away from social media but talking about ”Getting Away from Social Media” on SOCIAL MEDIA while trying to GROW on social media is stupid, isn’t it?"
Jesus...right? and SOOO exhausting...I have been struggling with finding my own moderation here...finding the pace of publishing that is authentic and sustainable for me and not trying to follow some "successful" Substacker's formula.
I am pretty sure Shakespeare actually meant to ask: "to be (read) or not to be (read)-that is the question."
Also, you scared me-I was afraid we lost your awesome authentic voice to the "I have gained a bazillion subscribers by writing only a million notes a day" Substack crowd.
Rosemary! I’m so excited to publish the conversation we had about this topic. When I listened to it again during the editing process, I realized how very much all of these addictions connect to each other.
Thank you for sharing. I find that when I stick to writing for myself, as a creative release or a way to process my thoughts, the writing is better than if I write for an audience or for a purpose outside of myself. And isn't that what all the numbing is doing too? -- trying to find solutions outside of ourselves to fix the shit inside? Keep writing. I love your writing. But don't write for me or anyone else. Write for yourself. And also, $60k to help someone publish their book?!? That's insane.
Right? I was aghast at that number. I write for myself first, but I consider the audience when I publish. But, I imagine the audience must consist of people who are delighted by the same things as I am or it all falls apart.
I loved this piece Julie. You had me laughing and nodding along so many times. It made me think about how constructed the whole idea of the writing career is and the ways it has us chasing after impossible outcomes.
I love this to bits, Julie. You had me hanging on every word. Fuck that kinkshamer. My bones hurt from considering the substack gaze. Lots of love xoxoxoxo.
Clicked for the nipple stayed for the story
I enjoyed this honest piece. And I think I know the nature writer you mention- who doesn't have an original ideal, but likes to post other people's photos and videos with rather lame commentaries. I had a note go big over the last 6 days and it was the one I didn't promote through Sarah Fay. Anyway, Substack is a messy place.
I think it just goes to show that shooting for big numbers is missing the point. I could make everything I write more palatable to a broader audience and get more followers. I could be the beige of Substack, but what would be the point? Just for the numbers? It’s never enough.
And yeah…that guy. 🙃
“If anything is true, it is that the idea of “arrival” is a dangling carrot that I will never get in my mouth.” 🎯just wrote about that carrot. It’s a whirling drain of suck out there.
hanging on to every brutally honest word <3
damn, i missed your sugar free words.
SO much of this resonates with me-as you may recall from our podcast chat.
Which addiction is feeding which addiction? And can anyone who writes to be read truly be sober?
"I keep trying to get away from social media but talking about ”Getting Away from Social Media” on SOCIAL MEDIA while trying to GROW on social media is stupid, isn’t it?"
Jesus...right? and SOOO exhausting...I have been struggling with finding my own moderation here...finding the pace of publishing that is authentic and sustainable for me and not trying to follow some "successful" Substacker's formula.
I am pretty sure Shakespeare actually meant to ask: "to be (read) or not to be (read)-that is the question."
Also, you scared me-I was afraid we lost your awesome authentic voice to the "I have gained a bazillion subscribers by writing only a million notes a day" Substack crowd.
Thank fuck you are (still) here.
Rosemary! I’m so excited to publish the conversation we had about this topic. When I listened to it again during the editing process, I realized how very much all of these addictions connect to each other.
Yes! Untangling the addictions from one another is like trying to untangle last year’s Christmas lights.
Just please keep writing 😊
I'm so happy to have my eyeballs on your writing again. Stay here. Stay you. I adore you.
I love this one so much I also went and listened to it as a podcast to hear it in your voice.
Epic Julie!
Thank you for sharing. I find that when I stick to writing for myself, as a creative release or a way to process my thoughts, the writing is better than if I write for an audience or for a purpose outside of myself. And isn't that what all the numbing is doing too? -- trying to find solutions outside of ourselves to fix the shit inside? Keep writing. I love your writing. But don't write for me or anyone else. Write for yourself. And also, $60k to help someone publish their book?!? That's insane.
Right? I was aghast at that number. I write for myself first, but I consider the audience when I publish. But, I imagine the audience must consist of people who are delighted by the same things as I am or it all falls apart.
Wow Julie. Couldn’t take my eyes off your essay. Moving and brutal and real. Thank you .
…i had to ubsub to the fey because of how deeply ick it made me…those blast of energy was tremendous…ty…