I think it's just a behavior that's real human and the internet exacerbates it. There's a line in The Color Purple where Shug says she thinks if we walk past the color purple out in a field and don't stop to notice the flowers, God gets real sad. I loved that so much. Because we do that, exactly. Walk past flowers and not notice. Tune out the birds chirping in the trees. We just go through life so oblivious.
And I think we carry that online with us. Read a piece that moves us and don't even bother to click the little heart below to tell the writer we enjoyed it. So once in a while, I mention things like that. Make people pay attention for a little while. But still, the number of people who will bother even on this piece is still some very small measure of those who read it.
I think you're right about it being part of human nature. Whether you believe in the stories in the Bible or not, there is one written nearly 2000 years ago that tells of how ten people were cured of leprosy, and only one said thank you! You'd think curing a disfiguring, painful, and alienating disease would have a better appreciation rate. And if it doesn't, what will?! And then add to that the anonymity of the internet... We've gotten too busy for gratitude.
"Perhaps the me-me-me virus has spread so far and deep that we consider it out privilege to receive gifts, we're owed them, so no need to thank anyone: over-ego'ed."
On both of the platforms, I really felt/feel pressured to support other writers in this way, although I cut them off pretty easily if they write bullshit I disagree with. And that cuts into time I could have spent writing my own stuff, which really cost me at Medium...
Never thought of it like this. Also, didn’t realize that people are more grateful for the substacks they pay for…but that makes sense. They’re invested.
This one made me think. I usually read enjoy a piece and, particularly when im tired keep going. I do forget how much it means for promoting a piece algorithmically and will try to “like” better in future. I draw line on commenting on everyone though. Especially on phone, it can take so long with my big dumb fingers.
Hey Kylie! I’ve discovered talking instead of using my fingers on the phone! Just press the little microphone at the bottom, and then start talking and it’s amazingly accurate if you want to leave a comment.
Voice recognition sucks for me on my phone. I have to go back and do such editing that I might as well have just typed it out instead on the shitty little on-screen keyboard Apple has misprogrammed.
Oh God, yeah. If I commented on everything I read, I'd never have time to do anything else. lol. But it's not hard to click the heart or clap or whatever.
Well said, Linda! I struggle to write pieces like this--so know that I appreciate that you wrote AND POSTED it. You're brave enough to say.
My Substack has plateaued in this past year after 3.5 years of consistently posting 5-7 days. I think my readers believe I'm doing "fine" without their support, simply because I've stuck around..when in fact, I'm making less than I did one and two years ago... but still writing, always. The % of those willing to pay is a very small number.
I am so very grateful to those who do. But wonder about those who read regularly, and never appear to consider...
“They” say that every letter that is written as some form of protest or “pointing out” represents 999 thinking the same. Thanks for being the one in a thousand!
Those small percent _ABLE_ to pay, you perhaps mean to say…
Substack sets the default rate too high. $5-8a month adds up to $60-96 per year… the price of a fairly expensive magazine subscription. Very many of those, and a person on a limited income (like most writers) has made a serious dent in annual income.
The workaround on that, I've realized, is to offer deals once in awhile. I did, just last month, 50% off for lifetime, making a subscription $30 Canadian funds... so very reasonable. Point taken. I'm a broke writer too; I understand. But it is hard to work this hard with so little compensation.
It’s frustrating because I often find an article I really want to read and would pay a pound or two to do so, but can’t afford 10s of monthly subscriptions for all the authors with an article that interests me.
Thank you for your article! You know as a visual artist, I find that writing as with many creative fields go unappreciated by action. One doesn’t have to buy to show appreciation or approval. For years I had a book for comments on my art in my gallery space at a coop gallery, 80% of the comments were from children. Mind you my art was photorealistic still life, nature, landscapes and portraits. Not whimsical or child themed. But children could find more time to write a comment and not adults. It cost nothing but time to write one or two words!!!!! Yet the courtesy to show appreciation of a person’s contribution to creative endeavors is lacking in many adults.
I like how well you put this. This same dynamic is everywhere. As a creative you put in a lot of work, expressing your thoughts or ideas or art and get some really nice comments. But it doesn't move you forward. It doesn't give you brand recognition and while you may make a couple of dollars, it certainly doesn't pay for the Starbucks coffee.
This right here is why my own Substack languishes and receives none of my own work. Instead I read the works of others and move on with my day.
The question is, how do some folks attain a wide readership? I suspect it is they already have a large audience from another source. For instance, I have a friend who has been a musician in Seattle for about 25 years. He has a fan base. He wrote a book and his sales are modest. It's a good book. His fans are happy to buy it and support him. It won't be a best seller unless he actively markets it beyond his local base.
The frustration comes with platforms such as Substack, Medium, YouTube, and all the others because the notion is there are millions of people viewing and reading. They are not buying and sharing. Sure there are restacks, But to your point the percentage is so low it really doesn't register as even a drop in the bucket.
I don't have any answers. I'm just here to commiserate while I try to solve this for myself over on Zazzle as I try to sell my artwork...
Sometimes it feels like luck is a factor, too. I slogged on Medium for years and then doubled my following in the last year. Maybe it's some combination of slogging away and luck, I don't know.
Hi Sandra, The issue is, and always has been is that creatives want to create, not do business. We Choose to forge ahead with our Passion, money is almost always second fiddle. Most people don't have much cash to spare for creative products, which leaves us at the beck and call of wealthy people - and/or commercial promotors.
However, there are a few of us who both intuitively understand this, AND - enjoy finding CREATIVE ways to make it pay reasonably well.
I have done that in the real world for decades. Writing on the internet is a much more ephemeral Numbers Game, and a longer one at that, but it ain't impossible, and I am enjoying this creative adventure.....
Awesome 👏 I always clap because if the title brought me there it’s worth a clap! Kind comments I love I put on my profile! Outstanding comments even negative ones I turn into essays! I have fun. I don’t make much but know by my comments not the damn profits that matter. I am a successful writer. I will keep giving free cookies 🍪 away but I take note of who engages and it is few but quality over quantity says Dad! Peace
You are right! It is a strange thing. On the other hand, we don't say thanks for the water we take from the water tap, or for the electricity we use. I know that these things aren't necessarily for free, but I'm just saying that there are things around us that we take for granted - often, we don't even think about getting them, they just slip into our lives unnoticed.
When you say that there is a limited amount of dollars to give away each day, it may be true also for thank you - we may get tired of saying that. In traffic, for instance, we don't say thank you whenever someone is not running over us. We just expect that, and even when people are almost hitting us, we don't thank them for stopping in time - it is more likely that we yell at them for almost hitting us.
Writing is everywhere. We take it in like we breathe the air or listen to the birds singing. At times we like it, but there are other times where we don't like the smell of the air or when we find the birds too noisy - or when we just don't get a feeling of "thank you" out of reading something, or what else we get or take from others.
All that said, I do find that we really should spend the second it takes to click the like. Because, why not? We feel better ourselves when giving, even if it such a small gift as a click on an small symbol. A symbolic gift.
What would happen if the social media platforms were opposite - meaning that like was clicked automatically, and we would have to un-click it if we didn't like the text? I cannot know it as I have never seen such a concept, but I have a feeling that you would then get 94% likes and 6% un-clicked likes. Because it may all be about what we don't think and do more than what we do think and do.
We read the text and like it along the way, but then we move on to something else before we have finished all the administrative things, such as studying the panel at the end of the text with different things we could have clicked on.
I tend to believe that it is mostly this. Like we leave the water tap or pull the cable from the electric outlet and then quickly move on to something else, already having our thoughts there, just hastily bringing our bodies in spatial sync with the thoughts.
Hence, there may be no statement whatsoever in the non-like. Just a moving mind and attention.
That's very true. We do go through our day on auto-pilot. But I think it's good to become aware of it, and to decide where it's okay to be on auto-pilot and where that isn't the way we really want to show up in the world, you know? Like, if I ever come across like I take someone for granted when the truth is that I appreciate them, I want to catch and correct that behavior.
That is a beautiful way of thinking, Linda, and I hope that more people will catch it. In fact, I believe that they will.
Some will find the automated life on social media to be unfulfilling and they will either leave this constructed world altogether or they will seek to improve their behaviour and seek to connect with others who do the same.
Others, I'm afraid will continue seeing social media as a one-way marketing platform, not really being interested in the social part of it or not seeing the other participants as real people and, hence, do not treat them as such. They may end up being very lonely people, unless, of course, the have real people around them with whom they can share a real life.
I think I follow what you’re saying and can ‘kinda’ figure out that writing on these various platforms in the Age of the Interwebz has turned the traditional ‘Writing Life’ a bit upside down. However, I am not technologically savvy enough to follow the insider’s jargon re ‘stacking’ and how ‘clapping’ and ‘liking’ feature into what makes the experience more or less valuable for the writer. However, I freely admit my ignorance and welcome any ‘Fast Track’ to Enlightenment and Understanding. P.S. I do enjoy your writing! Also: what does it mean to tick the box that states: “Also share as a note” ?????
Notes are for short-form content. Kind of like if Twitter and Substack had a child, it would be notes. If you google "what are substack notes" it will take you to a page about them. :)
Hi Paul ! It goes deeper.... First step is to understand these forms of clapping, Second to understand how they work to promo the writer one applauds AND how it benefits ones own work, Third to smile at the results. All part of this creative adventure we share. I am currently drafting a November article on the subject - for your personal enlightenment..... Best Wishes, Maurice
Hi Paul, thanks for your interest ! The best way to catch the article (and others to assist new writers) is to subscribe to my new stack https://thiscreativeadventure.com rather than to my established story telling stack https309.substack.com both are currently free to read. Kind regards, Maurice
Sometimes it IS the platform. Sometimes, it forces me to log in and re-find the thing I was reading before I can click the heart. SOMETIMES, it makes me subscribe before I can. And I just don't have time to jump through flaming hoops ALL the time. Some mornings, over coffee, SURE. But any platform that makes me do that before even showing me the content it's asking me to like? No, rarely, not even for a friend, most days. ;)
That's frustrating when a platform throws hurdles. But I think for most people, we've just become so accustomed to consuming we don't stop to think about it. I see that same thing everywhere. Substack, Medium, email, blog posts. The number of people who respond is almost always under 10%. That's more behavioral than tech issues.
You're fortunate. Substack is constantly letting me read from email, but when I click the <3, tells me I can't do that until I log in. I suppose that if I only read from the app or the desktop and ignored email subscriptions, this wouldn't be an issue, but I don't. And when a platform wants access on all my devices, it's up to that platform to remove the flaming hoops, in my opinion.
I think it's just a behavior that's real human and the internet exacerbates it. There's a line in The Color Purple where Shug says she thinks if we walk past the color purple out in a field and don't stop to notice the flowers, God gets real sad. I loved that so much. Because we do that, exactly. Walk past flowers and not notice. Tune out the birds chirping in the trees. We just go through life so oblivious.
And I think we carry that online with us. Read a piece that moves us and don't even bother to click the little heart below to tell the writer we enjoyed it. So once in a while, I mention things like that. Make people pay attention for a little while. But still, the number of people who will bother even on this piece is still some very small measure of those who read it.
I think you're right about it being part of human nature. Whether you believe in the stories in the Bible or not, there is one written nearly 2000 years ago that tells of how ten people were cured of leprosy, and only one said thank you! You'd think curing a disfiguring, painful, and alienating disease would have a better appreciation rate. And if it doesn't, what will?! And then add to that the anonymity of the internet... We've gotten too busy for gratitude.
With you all the way Wolf, and so are my Dragon and Cat....
"Perhaps the me-me-me virus has spread so far and deep that we consider it out privilege to receive gifts, we're owed them, so no need to thank anyone: over-ego'ed."
Exactly right! Narcissism reigns.
First here.
On both of the platforms, I really felt/feel pressured to support other writers in this way, although I cut them off pretty easily if they write bullshit I disagree with. And that cuts into time I could have spent writing my own stuff, which really cost me at Medium...
I feel you on this one. And agree.
Thanks Patti. I think it's just so easy to consume and forget someone created what we're consuming.
Exactly this.
I give you my heart ❤️ 🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙
Thanks Jocelyn, you always do :)
Never thought of it like this. Also, didn’t realize that people are more grateful for the substacks they pay for…but that makes sense. They’re invested.
Yeah. Once we're invested, confirmation bias kicks in. lol
This one made me think. I usually read enjoy a piece and, particularly when im tired keep going. I do forget how much it means for promoting a piece algorithmically and will try to “like” better in future. I draw line on commenting on everyone though. Especially on phone, it can take so long with my big dumb fingers.
Hey Kylie! I’ve discovered talking instead of using my fingers on the phone! Just press the little microphone at the bottom, and then start talking and it’s amazingly accurate if you want to leave a comment.
I gave it a try and not a fan of it (I talk pretty fast so maybe that's why)
I have thought about that!
Voice recognition sucks for me on my phone. I have to go back and do such editing that I might as well have just typed it out instead on the shitty little on-screen keyboard Apple has misprogrammed.
Oh God, yeah. If I commented on everything I read, I'd never have time to do anything else. lol. But it's not hard to click the heart or clap or whatever.
I hope I have not forgotten to click! I made sure I just did.
And now I wish I had cookies!
I wish I had cookies, too. You're pretty consistent with hitting the like everywhere you read.
Well said, Linda! I struggle to write pieces like this--so know that I appreciate that you wrote AND POSTED it. You're brave enough to say.
My Substack has plateaued in this past year after 3.5 years of consistently posting 5-7 days. I think my readers believe I'm doing "fine" without their support, simply because I've stuck around..when in fact, I'm making less than I did one and two years ago... but still writing, always. The % of those willing to pay is a very small number.
I am so very grateful to those who do. But wonder about those who read regularly, and never appear to consider...
THANK YOU for writing!
Alison, your posts are so thoughtful. I learn something from each one. That's why I'm a subscriber.🧜♀️
Thank you, Margie! That means a lot to me.
You've kept me mission focused. 👍
I always figure if I'm thinking something other people must be, too so might as well say it. lol
“They” say that every letter that is written as some form of protest or “pointing out” represents 999 thinking the same. Thanks for being the one in a thousand!
Those small percent _ABLE_ to pay, you perhaps mean to say…
Substack sets the default rate too high. $5-8a month adds up to $60-96 per year… the price of a fairly expensive magazine subscription. Very many of those, and a person on a limited income (like most writers) has made a serious dent in annual income.
The workaround on that, I've realized, is to offer deals once in awhile. I did, just last month, 50% off for lifetime, making a subscription $30 Canadian funds... so very reasonable. Point taken. I'm a broke writer too; I understand. But it is hard to work this hard with so little compensation.
It’s frustrating because I often find an article I really want to read and would pay a pound or two to do so, but can’t afford 10s of monthly subscriptions for all the authors with an article that interests me.
Thank you for your article! You know as a visual artist, I find that writing as with many creative fields go unappreciated by action. One doesn’t have to buy to show appreciation or approval. For years I had a book for comments on my art in my gallery space at a coop gallery, 80% of the comments were from children. Mind you my art was photorealistic still life, nature, landscapes and portraits. Not whimsical or child themed. But children could find more time to write a comment and not adults. It cost nothing but time to write one or two words!!!!! Yet the courtesy to show appreciation of a person’s contribution to creative endeavors is lacking in many adults.
I love that kids took and made the time, yes!
I like how well you put this. This same dynamic is everywhere. As a creative you put in a lot of work, expressing your thoughts or ideas or art and get some really nice comments. But it doesn't move you forward. It doesn't give you brand recognition and while you may make a couple of dollars, it certainly doesn't pay for the Starbucks coffee.
This right here is why my own Substack languishes and receives none of my own work. Instead I read the works of others and move on with my day.
The question is, how do some folks attain a wide readership? I suspect it is they already have a large audience from another source. For instance, I have a friend who has been a musician in Seattle for about 25 years. He has a fan base. He wrote a book and his sales are modest. It's a good book. His fans are happy to buy it and support him. It won't be a best seller unless he actively markets it beyond his local base.
The frustration comes with platforms such as Substack, Medium, YouTube, and all the others because the notion is there are millions of people viewing and reading. They are not buying and sharing. Sure there are restacks, But to your point the percentage is so low it really doesn't register as even a drop in the bucket.
I don't have any answers. I'm just here to commiserate while I try to solve this for myself over on Zazzle as I try to sell my artwork...
Sometimes it feels like luck is a factor, too. I slogged on Medium for years and then doubled my following in the last year. Maybe it's some combination of slogging away and luck, I don't know.
Hi Sandra, The issue is, and always has been is that creatives want to create, not do business. We Choose to forge ahead with our Passion, money is almost always second fiddle. Most people don't have much cash to spare for creative products, which leaves us at the beck and call of wealthy people - and/or commercial promotors.
However, there are a few of us who both intuitively understand this, AND - enjoy finding CREATIVE ways to make it pay reasonably well.
I have done that in the real world for decades. Writing on the internet is a much more ephemeral Numbers Game, and a longer one at that, but it ain't impossible, and I am enjoying this creative adventure.....
Awesome 👏 I always clap because if the title brought me there it’s worth a clap! Kind comments I love I put on my profile! Outstanding comments even negative ones I turn into essays! I have fun. I don’t make much but know by my comments not the damn profits that matter. I am a successful writer. I will keep giving free cookies 🍪 away but I take note of who engages and it is few but quality over quantity says Dad! Peace
I love that you put comments on your profile sometimes. I've not tried that.
Thanks! My old business partner advised against but I love other readers finding value in other essays I read. So many wonderful writers! Blessings
Totally agree with you, Michelle, sharing and caring, best ways of pairing.
A rainbow 🌈 - cookie 🍪 - jar 🫙 full of heArts 💞 for you 🙏🏼
Aww. lol. Thank you Ellen
You are right! It is a strange thing. On the other hand, we don't say thanks for the water we take from the water tap, or for the electricity we use. I know that these things aren't necessarily for free, but I'm just saying that there are things around us that we take for granted - often, we don't even think about getting them, they just slip into our lives unnoticed.
When you say that there is a limited amount of dollars to give away each day, it may be true also for thank you - we may get tired of saying that. In traffic, for instance, we don't say thank you whenever someone is not running over us. We just expect that, and even when people are almost hitting us, we don't thank them for stopping in time - it is more likely that we yell at them for almost hitting us.
Writing is everywhere. We take it in like we breathe the air or listen to the birds singing. At times we like it, but there are other times where we don't like the smell of the air or when we find the birds too noisy - or when we just don't get a feeling of "thank you" out of reading something, or what else we get or take from others.
All that said, I do find that we really should spend the second it takes to click the like. Because, why not? We feel better ourselves when giving, even if it such a small gift as a click on an small symbol. A symbolic gift.
What would happen if the social media platforms were opposite - meaning that like was clicked automatically, and we would have to un-click it if we didn't like the text? I cannot know it as I have never seen such a concept, but I have a feeling that you would then get 94% likes and 6% un-clicked likes. Because it may all be about what we don't think and do more than what we do think and do.
We read the text and like it along the way, but then we move on to something else before we have finished all the administrative things, such as studying the panel at the end of the text with different things we could have clicked on.
I tend to believe that it is mostly this. Like we leave the water tap or pull the cable from the electric outlet and then quickly move on to something else, already having our thoughts there, just hastily bringing our bodies in spatial sync with the thoughts.
Hence, there may be no statement whatsoever in the non-like. Just a moving mind and attention.
This is a very clear-eyed take on "content consumption" behavior, much as I detest that term.
That's very true. We do go through our day on auto-pilot. But I think it's good to become aware of it, and to decide where it's okay to be on auto-pilot and where that isn't the way we really want to show up in the world, you know? Like, if I ever come across like I take someone for granted when the truth is that I appreciate them, I want to catch and correct that behavior.
That is a beautiful way of thinking, Linda, and I hope that more people will catch it. In fact, I believe that they will.
Some will find the automated life on social media to be unfulfilling and they will either leave this constructed world altogether or they will seek to improve their behaviour and seek to connect with others who do the same.
Others, I'm afraid will continue seeing social media as a one-way marketing platform, not really being interested in the social part of it or not seeing the other participants as real people and, hence, do not treat them as such. They may end up being very lonely people, unless, of course, the have real people around them with whom they can share a real life.
I think I follow what you’re saying and can ‘kinda’ figure out that writing on these various platforms in the Age of the Interwebz has turned the traditional ‘Writing Life’ a bit upside down. However, I am not technologically savvy enough to follow the insider’s jargon re ‘stacking’ and how ‘clapping’ and ‘liking’ feature into what makes the experience more or less valuable for the writer. However, I freely admit my ignorance and welcome any ‘Fast Track’ to Enlightenment and Understanding. P.S. I do enjoy your writing! Also: what does it mean to tick the box that states: “Also share as a note” ?????
Notes are for short-form content. Kind of like if Twitter and Substack had a child, it would be notes. If you google "what are substack notes" it will take you to a page about them. :)
Thank You :-)
Hi Paul ! It goes deeper.... First step is to understand these forms of clapping, Second to understand how they work to promo the writer one applauds AND how it benefits ones own work, Third to smile at the results. All part of this creative adventure we share. I am currently drafting a November article on the subject - for your personal enlightenment..... Best Wishes, Maurice
Thanks, Maurice. I’m looking forward to reading that! :-)
Hi Paul, thanks for your interest ! The best way to catch the article (and others to assist new writers) is to subscribe to my new stack https://thiscreativeadventure.com rather than to my established story telling stack https309.substack.com both are currently free to read. Kind regards, Maurice
If you tick the box that says share as a Note, it goes on your Notes Feed when you return "Home."
Sometimes it IS the platform. Sometimes, it forces me to log in and re-find the thing I was reading before I can click the heart. SOMETIMES, it makes me subscribe before I can. And I just don't have time to jump through flaming hoops ALL the time. Some mornings, over coffee, SURE. But any platform that makes me do that before even showing me the content it's asking me to like? No, rarely, not even for a friend, most days. ;)
That's frustrating when a platform throws hurdles. But I think for most people, we've just become so accustomed to consuming we don't stop to think about it. I see that same thing everywhere. Substack, Medium, email, blog posts. The number of people who respond is almost always under 10%. That's more behavioral than tech issues.
Hi Holly, I don't experience any of that on Substack, and wouldn't sub to any platform with such hoops....
You're fortunate. Substack is constantly letting me read from email, but when I click the <3, tells me I can't do that until I log in. I suppose that if I only read from the app or the desktop and ignored email subscriptions, this wouldn't be an issue, but I don't. And when a platform wants access on all my devices, it's up to that platform to remove the flaming hoops, in my opinion.
Yes! This!
The only time I don’t click the heart is when someone is obnoxious. You get my heart. Of course.
Britni
lol Britni. Same, I don't click the heart if someone is obnoxious either. And thank you. :)
Really