Thanks for the reminder! I have a 9-5 so my Sub stack is my fun, safe space. My goals are lofty but when content creation starts to make me feel stressed I remind myself that this is also supposed to be fun & I pivot to something I feel excited about sharing.
"Odds are good you know exactly what I’m talking about. Where have you fallen into the trap of mechanizing the things you love? Have they become chores? If not, is there a danger that they will?"
Oh my word, Nancy! I must have been channeling you when I wrote a post in August detailing exactly what you are talking about here. I started Substack as a retirement pursuit last January. After "nose to the grindstone" work for so many years, though, writing became took on the same level of intensity. It was totally no fun any longer.
Had to make some huge adjustments as the Summer approached and refocus my perspective.
Been thinking about this a lot lately and working on a similar piece involving a similar concept (skipped my "weekly publishing routine" this week as a result hehe). I feel like I've turned something that is supposed to be FUN into WORK just because I "should" be chasing certain things. Loved this piece :)
I think it's so Western of us to do this. (I wanted to say human, but I'm not sure all humans have this issue!) Kudos to you for giving yourself permission to skip the weekly routine and reevaluate what's really important. :)
Yes! This (sighs contentedly) is the thing I'm aiming for. Fun, not a box. Though my stack does have structure — art, books, food, the things that inform and impact my life. I post monthly with an occasional midweek missive or art update. I needed to read this, to remember to write for me. Thanks Nancy.
Word! Love this, Nancy. Such sound advice. I started my Substack to have a low-stakes place to write whatever I feel like writing. Sure, getting a new subscriber is encouraging, at least in the sense that it seems to suggest my writing has connected with someone, but I'd do it even if I had zero subscribers because it brings me joy. I love this network of writers here on Substack, it feels like we're all in this together. And it's been so lovely to connect with you! As for adhering to a schedule, I try to send out my post either on a Sunday or Monday, but that's really because without a schedule, I'm pretty scattered. I'm certain that nobody cares when my Substack shows up and I don't really pay attention to when I receive them either. To your point, just getting something written is the win. :)
ALL OF THIS. If I start to lose the mojo, I may set up a schedule--though I'll also want to know why the mojo's waning. If I'm still feeling called to write on a regular basis, I don't think that'll happen...but I could always be wrong. Only one way to find out!
The community here is the biggest surprise to me. I was not expecting it, but I am LOVING it (though if I got a paid sub to everything I would *like* to get a paid sub for here, I'd be broke in about six seconds, so I'm glad almost everyone has a free option). Meeting folks like you has been such an awesome bonus--and it's only been a week!
Agree whole-heartedly. I would write THIS but that is my work persona. My day job is marketing and I've come to abhor the puerile simplifications that make modern social media run. I'm avoiding titling substack articles with clickbait THREE SIMPLE LIFE HACKS and forming my essays into easily digestible paragraphs of short words with callouts explaining what they mean. Like you, I started this as a creative exercise--to write. I hope that my writing has some appeal and I grow some followers, but the goal is not followers it is to have others read my words. If I change the words to have people read then both writer and reader are cheated.
Yes yes yes! I didn't even start it so much with the goal of getting others to read it (though that sure is nice!)--it was really just to get myself to do more writing. And boy, has it worked! I have ideas spilling out all over the place right now. But, having experienced some of what you're referring to with marketing, every cell in me is telling me, very loudly, that this has to be my own thing, dictated by the ideas that won't leave me alone, and not something that turns itself inside out to please others. It has to have that kind of integrity or it just won't be worth doing.
I needed to read this - thank you!
You are so welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. :)
Hey Nancy read the article and commented. Love your perspective.
Thanks for the reminder! I have a 9-5 so my Sub stack is my fun, safe space. My goals are lofty but when content creation starts to make me feel stressed I remind myself that this is also supposed to be fun & I pivot to something I feel excited about sharing.
I'm right there with you--and I have a feeling you might enjoy this post, too: https://open.substack.com/pub/fycuriosity/p/why-content-creator-is-a-dirty-word
"Odds are good you know exactly what I’m talking about. Where have you fallen into the trap of mechanizing the things you love? Have they become chores? If not, is there a danger that they will?"
Oh my word, Nancy! I must have been channeling you when I wrote a post in August detailing exactly what you are talking about here. I started Substack as a retirement pursuit last January. After "nose to the grindstone" work for so many years, though, writing became took on the same level of intensity. It was totally no fun any longer.
Had to make some huge adjustments as the Summer approached and refocus my perspective.
Thank you for sharing your perspective on this.
Been thinking about this a lot lately and working on a similar piece involving a similar concept (skipped my "weekly publishing routine" this week as a result hehe). I feel like I've turned something that is supposed to be FUN into WORK just because I "should" be chasing certain things. Loved this piece :)
I think it's so Western of us to do this. (I wanted to say human, but I'm not sure all humans have this issue!) Kudos to you for giving yourself permission to skip the weekly routine and reevaluate what's really important. :)
Yes! This (sighs contentedly) is the thing I'm aiming for. Fun, not a box. Though my stack does have structure — art, books, food, the things that inform and impact my life. I post monthly with an occasional midweek missive or art update. I needed to read this, to remember to write for me. Thanks Nancy.
I love the contented sigh! 😊 I’m so glad it was helpful.
I keep looking for your posts, but can’t find any. Is there something I’m missing?
https://open.substack.com/pub/maureencberry?r=t3bw&utm_medium=ios
Oh, that could be problematic! I use notes frequently and post a monthly substack called pARTake.
Aha! Thanks. No idea why it wasn't coming up when I clicked your name, but all's well now. :)
Word! Love this, Nancy. Such sound advice. I started my Substack to have a low-stakes place to write whatever I feel like writing. Sure, getting a new subscriber is encouraging, at least in the sense that it seems to suggest my writing has connected with someone, but I'd do it even if I had zero subscribers because it brings me joy. I love this network of writers here on Substack, it feels like we're all in this together. And it's been so lovely to connect with you! As for adhering to a schedule, I try to send out my post either on a Sunday or Monday, but that's really because without a schedule, I'm pretty scattered. I'm certain that nobody cares when my Substack shows up and I don't really pay attention to when I receive them either. To your point, just getting something written is the win. :)
ALL OF THIS. If I start to lose the mojo, I may set up a schedule--though I'll also want to know why the mojo's waning. If I'm still feeling called to write on a regular basis, I don't think that'll happen...but I could always be wrong. Only one way to find out!
The community here is the biggest surprise to me. I was not expecting it, but I am LOVING it (though if I got a paid sub to everything I would *like* to get a paid sub for here, I'd be broke in about six seconds, so I'm glad almost everyone has a free option). Meeting folks like you has been such an awesome bonus--and it's only been a week!
One week!! You’re a wonder! 😍
Awwww, shucks. ::blushes::
Well said!
Thanks! :)
Agree whole-heartedly. I would write THIS but that is my work persona. My day job is marketing and I've come to abhor the puerile simplifications that make modern social media run. I'm avoiding titling substack articles with clickbait THREE SIMPLE LIFE HACKS and forming my essays into easily digestible paragraphs of short words with callouts explaining what they mean. Like you, I started this as a creative exercise--to write. I hope that my writing has some appeal and I grow some followers, but the goal is not followers it is to have others read my words. If I change the words to have people read then both writer and reader are cheated.
Yes yes yes! I didn't even start it so much with the goal of getting others to read it (though that sure is nice!)--it was really just to get myself to do more writing. And boy, has it worked! I have ideas spilling out all over the place right now. But, having experienced some of what you're referring to with marketing, every cell in me is telling me, very loudly, that this has to be my own thing, dictated by the ideas that won't leave me alone, and not something that turns itself inside out to please others. It has to have that kind of integrity or it just won't be worth doing.