Substack is prompting me to write about my anniversary on the platform. Apparently, it’s a great way to boost engagement, but I doubt it. Still, I’ll take up the invitation and share it to my preferred platform, this blog, as well.
I feel a bit like an outsider on Substack. I am not overly active there, still preferring the WordPress blog I’ve been using for nearly fifteen years. So rather than celebrate all my nonexistent Substack wins, I’m going to share a few random observations from my limited time there.
What’s with the Subtitles?
Why doesn’t anyone capitalize their subtitles on Substack? Why are they so long? Do they always have to be just a little bit snarky? Is this a trend? Is my obstinate clinging to titular conventions keeping me from going viral?
Writing for Other Writers
You know that old saying that “women don’t dress for men; women dress for other women”? I genuinely enjoy Substack. I like seeing what other writers are up to and love when writers hype each other up. And yet, I can’t escape the sense that Substack is not a platform for writers writing to serve readers but writers writing to impress other writers. (That sentence made my head spin.)
Two Extremes
Christian men on Substack seem to be neo-Inklings who post about how much they enjoy pipes. Christian women on Substack seem to be homeschooling moms who love classic literature. I love both of these types but do not totally fit in with either. I studied in the UK, read a lot of classic literature, and play the pipe organ. Is that close enough?
Platforms and Partnerships
Maybe my algorithm is wonky, but I can’t scroll through Substack Notes without seeing whiny posts about how publishing is rigged because platform matters to Christian publishers. I hate to break it to you all, but publishing has always been a business and Christian publishing is a ministry, not a charity. Besides, if you are a Christian author, you are supposed to be partnering with publishers in ministry, not receiving the ministry yourself.
Counterintuitively, investing in your platform may be less selfish than demanding publishers treat you as a charity case simply because you’re a good writer. Having an established platform helps your writing reach the people who will benefit from it; it makes you a more effective ministry partner. So, to writers’ collective dismay, platform does matter—and I say that as an author with a rather piddly platform (on Substack, at least).
The Best (Worst) Way to Platform-Build
Also, it strikes me that one of the swiftest ways to build your Substack platform is to complain regularly about having to build your Substack platform. Similarly, I’ve noticed regular waves of posts like “Dear Substack, connect me with writers who such-and-such” or “I want to read writers who publish this-and-that.” Maybe these posts are shared in good faith, but they tend to come across as cannibalistic—meaning that they are pleas for writers to follow each other, thus contributing to one another’s platforms without actually engaging one another’s work. I just wish Substack writers could be honest about their intentions, sharing publications they admire without trying to garner attention for themselves through flattery.
Why I Remain
I think often about leaving Substack. I prefer the simplicity of this blog. I also believe that spreading my work across too many platforms will succumb to the law of diminishing returns. But I remain. Why? Because I love that Substack has provided me with book recommendations such as Kristin Lavransdatter, which I thoroughly enjoyed this month. It thrills me to read articles from pastors, teachers, astronomers, biologists, and poets all on the same platform. I am heartened by the genuine interactions I witness that make this literary life feel less lonely.
Substack has not rocketed me to digital fame. I did not expect it to. I make no income from it because I don’t think my short-form writing is worth putting behind a paywall, even though I work hard on it. There’s a lot of weird and whiny over there. And yet, there is much to like about Substack. There are so many thoughtful writers, unique perspectives, and beautifully crafted articles.
That said, I think I’ll linger there a bit longer, even though my digital home will remain here.
