Excellent advice as usual, Alexander. I really appreciate your sharing and your "voice" in Notes and your writing.
If my numbers were taking a walk, they've always been very slow and very steady, somewhere with very little oxygen so they are always panting and out of breath, never running along, never jumping. Just slow and steady. Nothing to get exited about. Except that I do get exited about them, and I love so many of my subscribers who read me and get what I'm saying and engage with the comments. It's an amazing privilege to hold people's attention and for them to be enthusiastic about what they're reading.
The numbers are misleading too, in my case, because although I have subscribers, not all of them actually open the newsletter. I hover about 60% open rate. Not sure if it's the same people all the time of whether others come back. I think some people subscribe then think, bah I don't really like this writer, but never actually unsubscribe, they just stop opening.
I guess my point is that the way any tech platform encourages numbers isn't the best way top look at it for me. I just hope what I'm writing lands with some people and they enjoy my work here.
What a vulnerable and honest share. I hope the 1800 reader comes to you today from North Dakota. I appreciate your insight and reminding writers of the patience that things might take awhile.
Such an excellent post, Alex, so much gathered knowledge generously shared. And touched by the connection you feel to the values at the heart of our corner of Substack. Much appreciated. Cordialement. Barrie
"Expect everything you do on Substack to take MUCH MUCH longer than you think it will."
Let me first say that this was a fantastic post, and as a relatively new writer here, I found it much more helpful than what is being spewed out by the gurus.
I also started Internet-writing decades ago, and one thing I do miss on Substack is the spontaneity of just plopping something up on my blog. The newsletter format is somewhat terrifying. It takes me hours and hours and hours...
Your energy and writing intrigue. Yes I read to the end. Must say I don’t care about statistics. I do care about writers with vision to bring new insights to poetry , prose, life. Your writing is enlightening as is many other writers on sub stack. There is a world community. This forum is encouraging. Best advice is proofreading what you write. But many times a word or phrase will not be allowed to be corrected. Sometimes I have to copy and then delete; then rewrite. This is a note of frustration. I am concerned with intrusion by censorship. The world is in a place where words are being used, diverted , manipulated to ways that could be interpreted, misconstrued. Orwellian red is green thinking.
Glad to be here Alexander.
Excellent advice as usual, Alexander. I really appreciate your sharing and your "voice" in Notes and your writing.
If my numbers were taking a walk, they've always been very slow and very steady, somewhere with very little oxygen so they are always panting and out of breath, never running along, never jumping. Just slow and steady. Nothing to get exited about. Except that I do get exited about them, and I love so many of my subscribers who read me and get what I'm saying and engage with the comments. It's an amazing privilege to hold people's attention and for them to be enthusiastic about what they're reading.
The numbers are misleading too, in my case, because although I have subscribers, not all of them actually open the newsletter. I hover about 60% open rate. Not sure if it's the same people all the time of whether others come back. I think some people subscribe then think, bah I don't really like this writer, but never actually unsubscribe, they just stop opening.
I guess my point is that the way any tech platform encourages numbers isn't the best way top look at it for me. I just hope what I'm writing lands with some people and they enjoy my work here.
What a vulnerable and honest share. I hope the 1800 reader comes to you today from North Dakota. I appreciate your insight and reminding writers of the patience that things might take awhile.
Such an excellent post, Alex, so much gathered knowledge generously shared. And touched by the connection you feel to the values at the heart of our corner of Substack. Much appreciated. Cordialement. Barrie
"Expect everything you do on Substack to take MUCH MUCH longer than you think it will."
Let me first say that this was a fantastic post, and as a relatively new writer here, I found it much more helpful than what is being spewed out by the gurus.
I also started Internet-writing decades ago, and one thing I do miss on Substack is the spontaneity of just plopping something up on my blog. The newsletter format is somewhat terrifying. It takes me hours and hours and hours...
Your energy and writing intrigue. Yes I read to the end. Must say I don’t care about statistics. I do care about writers with vision to bring new insights to poetry , prose, life. Your writing is enlightening as is many other writers on sub stack. There is a world community. This forum is encouraging. Best advice is proofreading what you write. But many times a word or phrase will not be allowed to be corrected. Sometimes I have to copy and then delete; then rewrite. This is a note of frustration. I am concerned with intrusion by censorship. The world is in a place where words are being used, diverted , manipulated to ways that could be interpreted, misconstrued. Orwellian red is green thinking.