Maybe that is why many writers try to find this golden intersection of writing for self (therapeutic or self-reflection and so on) and what people want.
I am still exploring here to show up as myself yet still benefit and inspire my readers with it. So far I am really enjoying the community here, and it's been a great motivation!
I couldn’t have said it better, Nolan. Substack is the campfire I sit around and tell stories to. It’s the rocking chair on the front porch with a dog at my feet that I tell stories to. It’s our stories that describe who we are. Like your trip to Poland and the little kids you befriended, the story told us about Noland.
For me, the reward is having people connect with the stories. If they laugh, cry, or share back their own experiences, then it’s a really good thing. The really engaged small group of vocal readers give enough feedback to make it worthwhile, but there are many friends and family who sit in the background, mostly quietly, but who also respond occasionally. I’m not here for fame or fortune, obs, I’m here for the connection of community, which is a soul need.
Interesting reflections and I appreciate the freshness and provocative tone of this article, it felt a bit more upbeat somehow (and challenging I suppose, which is fun!)
I write (and share my art) for an audience because it helps me to stay accountable to myself. I am a better version of me when I make sure to create and to share it publicly feels like a public accountability partner somehow.
Of course, the metrics that goes along with helps to boost the consistency, but more than anything it’s my way of standing up for myself and somehow declaring to the world; this is me, take what benefits you and leave the rest, as long as I can keep creating I’m happy.
Don’t know if that makes sense, but it’s how I’ve been able to keep going for all these years and I have no plans for stopping soon.
Having children, by the way, makes it less self-focused because there’s no time to dwell on things too long and it’s actually really refreshing. They help you to stay focused on the act of creating (no matter what) rather than obsessing over the how, when, where, what etc. I just make. Not everything works, but all bundled together has proven to compound and go my way.
Thanks, Elin! I was worried that this article didn't actually align with my 'truth' and that the provocative tone might be overruled by frustration. After all, the original intent of this article was a self-help style article called"How to Write for Travel Therapy," which eventually turned into this, haha.
Although I don't have children, that 'no time to dwell on things' is something I want to focus on. It also makes me think about Sam Kahn's piece "Everything About How Writing Is Taught Is Wrong."
I have a lot more to discuss with you here, but I'll save that for some WhatsApp messages!
Hmmm, maybe I'm just not a terribly deep person, but I don't think much about why I write for an audience. All I know for sure is that is what I really want to do. I guess it partly is the validation of getting likes and shares. But I think I value the connection that comes from building an audience just as much.
Maybe it also helps that I never ever imagine anyone will be inspired by my personal story. Sure, I love when they want to travel and become nomadic, but that doesn't have anything to do with me personally. That's more of what I do than who I am.
The connection from building an audience is a strong reason for me, too.
Honestly, I didn't think much about why I write for an audience until this article, which ironically started off as a series of notes from the past few months for a self-help style article called "How to Write for Travel Therapy."
Maybe that is why many writers try to find this golden intersection of writing for self (therapeutic or self-reflection and so on) and what people want.
I am still exploring here to show up as myself yet still benefit and inspire my readers with it. So far I am really enjoying the community here, and it's been a great motivation!
Substack is definitely one of the best online platforms I know to explore this intersection.
I couldn’t have said it better, Nolan. Substack is the campfire I sit around and tell stories to. It’s the rocking chair on the front porch with a dog at my feet that I tell stories to. It’s our stories that describe who we are. Like your trip to Poland and the little kids you befriended, the story told us about Noland.
For me, the reward is having people connect with the stories. If they laugh, cry, or share back their own experiences, then it’s a really good thing. The really engaged small group of vocal readers give enough feedback to make it worthwhile, but there are many friends and family who sit in the background, mostly quietly, but who also respond occasionally. I’m not here for fame or fortune, obs, I’m here for the connection of community, which is a soul need.
Fuck yes! What more can I say to that?
Interesting reflections and I appreciate the freshness and provocative tone of this article, it felt a bit more upbeat somehow (and challenging I suppose, which is fun!)
I write (and share my art) for an audience because it helps me to stay accountable to myself. I am a better version of me when I make sure to create and to share it publicly feels like a public accountability partner somehow.
Of course, the metrics that goes along with helps to boost the consistency, but more than anything it’s my way of standing up for myself and somehow declaring to the world; this is me, take what benefits you and leave the rest, as long as I can keep creating I’m happy.
Don’t know if that makes sense, but it’s how I’ve been able to keep going for all these years and I have no plans for stopping soon.
Having children, by the way, makes it less self-focused because there’s no time to dwell on things too long and it’s actually really refreshing. They help you to stay focused on the act of creating (no matter what) rather than obsessing over the how, when, where, what etc. I just make. Not everything works, but all bundled together has proven to compound and go my way.
Thanks, Elin! I was worried that this article didn't actually align with my 'truth' and that the provocative tone might be overruled by frustration. After all, the original intent of this article was a self-help style article called"How to Write for Travel Therapy," which eventually turned into this, haha.
Although I don't have children, that 'no time to dwell on things' is something I want to focus on. It also makes me think about Sam Kahn's piece "Everything About How Writing Is Taught Is Wrong."
I have a lot more to discuss with you here, but I'll save that for some WhatsApp messages!
Hmmm, maybe I'm just not a terribly deep person, but I don't think much about why I write for an audience. All I know for sure is that is what I really want to do. I guess it partly is the validation of getting likes and shares. But I think I value the connection that comes from building an audience just as much.
Maybe it also helps that I never ever imagine anyone will be inspired by my personal story. Sure, I love when they want to travel and become nomadic, but that doesn't have anything to do with me personally. That's more of what I do than who I am.
Okay, I'll stop babbling now.
The connection from building an audience is a strong reason for me, too.
Honestly, I didn't think much about why I write for an audience until this article, which ironically started off as a series of notes from the past few months for a self-help style article called "How to Write for Travel Therapy."