I’m not a writer. That introductory summary of your experiences with being asked to “be honest” as an art critic and the ensuing fallout hooked me into the story hoping to read the outcome. You twisted it nicely into talking about Substack, where I follow a few.
Still, the fallout bit from being “honest without reservations” is so relatable and a catch-22 that seems like an untapped goldmine. Terrific
I want more each day to stop using all platforms save for an email account and my shitty HTML homepage. Every platform zealot's got a con they're working, including the Substack brass's "We're the bastion of free speech! We're the future of media!" bit (which we've heard before). The brusque truth is that great writing is hard, it freaks people out, and it will never be easily plugged into some businessperson's pitch for their lucrative future. But that idea is anathema to people who want sincerity and desire alone to yield fruit, not skill or patience or intuition, all of which are earned in the dirt of work. God.
I have done some variation of that “my writing is messy but I’m writing it and here it is on Substack” phenomenon you describe.
Worse though, I hardly ever spend any time looking around and reading things I’m not already subscribed to, even though I always hope someone will happen upon my stuff in that way. I don’t ever expect to earn money worth claiming on my taxes from paid subscribers. Though I also don’t know how or if I’ll ever earn a living wage with art or writing.
I’m curious to know if you could identify any equatable phenomenons of nascent artists/writers who emerged around the same time as you did.
I really enjoyed this because I detest the bed bath and beyond-style adages I see when I look at this app. ironically enough one of the screenshots in here is mine, and while I'd meant for the post to be a joke it does feel fair to call it striving.
I know what you mean when you ask what it means to be a real writer, and I think the dichotomy you brought up between structure and "messiness" definitely exists. I think being honest with ourselves is maybe the most essential part of the process as we can veer too far into one direction or the other and sacrifice the creative spark that once turned us on into the arts in the first place
But I don’t ask what it means to be “a real writer.” I comment on the fact that other people on this app seem preoccupied with defining it, and proclaiming that they are . That question doesn’t interest me in any way.
Christian Big Foot Wackjob.
I’m running around hustling most of the time lately without allowing myself to read your emails but briefly. This one today, I couldn’t put down.
I’m not a writer. That introductory summary of your experiences with being asked to “be honest” as an art critic and the ensuing fallout hooked me into the story hoping to read the outcome. You twisted it nicely into talking about Substack, where I follow a few.
Still, the fallout bit from being “honest without reservations” is so relatable and a catch-22 that seems like an untapped goldmine. Terrific
Thanks Don
Good column idea. I like your opinions.
I want more each day to stop using all platforms save for an email account and my shitty HTML homepage. Every platform zealot's got a con they're working, including the Substack brass's "We're the bastion of free speech! We're the future of media!" bit (which we've heard before). The brusque truth is that great writing is hard, it freaks people out, and it will never be easily plugged into some businessperson's pitch for their lucrative future. But that idea is anathema to people who want sincerity and desire alone to yield fruit, not skill or patience or intuition, all of which are earned in the dirt of work. God.
Thanks for writing this.
Miss you xo
Heyyyy
I have done some variation of that “my writing is messy but I’m writing it and here it is on Substack” phenomenon you describe.
Worse though, I hardly ever spend any time looking around and reading things I’m not already subscribed to, even though I always hope someone will happen upon my stuff in that way. I don’t ever expect to earn money worth claiming on my taxes from paid subscribers. Though I also don’t know how or if I’ll ever earn a living wage with art or writing.
I’m curious to know if you could identify any equatable phenomenons of nascent artists/writers who emerged around the same time as you did.
I really enjoyed this because I detest the bed bath and beyond-style adages I see when I look at this app. ironically enough one of the screenshots in here is mine, and while I'd meant for the post to be a joke it does feel fair to call it striving.
The Gold Rush analogy to Substack is perfect.
I know what you mean when you ask what it means to be a real writer, and I think the dichotomy you brought up between structure and "messiness" definitely exists. I think being honest with ourselves is maybe the most essential part of the process as we can veer too far into one direction or the other and sacrifice the creative spark that once turned us on into the arts in the first place
But I don’t ask what it means to be “a real writer.” I comment on the fact that other people on this app seem preoccupied with defining it, and proclaiming that they are . That question doesn’t interest me in any way.
Food for thought if nothing else