lets talk about substack

how are we feeling about it?

I would very much like to open the floor (don’t fall in!) and see how the people of substack are feeling about substack.

Sound ON in the comments but sound ON when you watch this video I made with some of my thoughts.

Here’s my take:

I’m a bit of a substack old head and, sorry, it ain’t what it used to be.

It used to be a place for writers—a home. now it’s what… twitter with a little bit of youtube slapped on?

Now I am not innocent here I mean I literally just put up a frikkin video up there come on.

Old heads like me will remember the days of Substack before Notes.

THERE WERE NO NOTES.

It was just us writing our little ideas.

Then came Notes.

Podcasts.

Live Video.

Has all of this stuff made Substack better? Fuck if I know, but I do know that it’s made me thirstier. More needy for the promise of success in this land of endless opportunity.

But is it really? Or is it candy for the machine - more ways to make us dance for the algo and, yes, our paid subscribers too. Or the potential of them.

Engagement’s down, but also: the fact that it was ever up was kinda wild, right? Maybe we all got a little entitled to something that was never promised.

this town ain’t what it used to be

Substack used to feel like a small town. you knew people.

Now it feels like a gigantic city. Am i grateful to have decent real estate here? Sure! THE MARKET BABY.

Do i like living here? Unclear.

Is this just the austin/sxsw/sundance/burning man arc—thing gets cool, then lots of people show up, then it’s less cool? I was there (cue lcd soundsystem voice), back in ‘66 or ‘89 or whatever, and it felt… smaller, better, human.

I’m hearing down the grapevine that a lot of folks aren’t happy.

Which makes sense - most people usually aren’t.

But maybe that’s okay?

my plan

Here’s one thing I know to be true - I will be doing this, writing and sharing it with the world, till the day I get a bunch of diff color paints on my shirt and dye.

I want to be around longer than Substack. Or I need to plan for that because platforms come and go, but indie darling writers who share vulnerable truths on the internet - those guys never die.

Anyway—how are *you* feeling? Happy? Sad? Moving? Staying?