There's a handful of people I know in real life that read my stuff, and seeing someone I haven't interacted in years on the street and them starting the catch up with "man, I read all your stuff" really made my day a couple of times. Most of these folk learned about my blog when it was still tame and I'd share it on my socials. Recently, as I've been digging a bit deeper and going a bit weirder, I stopped sharing on social media. I'd love to share it with more people I know, but I don't really want to be in their face with my writing.
It's not the biggest issue, of course, and I'd rather spend more time writing then obsessing about who's reading, but here I am, only human.
This resonates a lot actually. I don’t really share my stuff on Facebook anymore since it’s all family and friends. I don’t expect them to get, or frankly care, about everything I write these days. I think that’s totally healthy and part of the growth process, though.
Same here. I don't bother friends and family on Facebook with self-promotion (my account is private and I know everyone I am friends with there.) I am rarely on it anyway. But only a couple of my friends and family have any interest in my writing. So why pester the rest? 🤣
Mine hovered just under 1000 (within one or two) for two weeks. Then it finally hit it. It went up a little more and flat-lined for about three weeks. Then it started moving up again. After 2 1/2 years, and only 12 paid subscribers, it is obvious my newsletter is not going to be a significant source of income. So I am not going to think too much about numbers or growing any more and just enjoy the comments from my small group of active readers.
I agree. Especially with fiction and humor (the bulk of my newsletter), which don't seem to be big money-makers. Why obsess about it when it is realistically, a hobby? Just enjoy it. And (loosely) hold onto that "lottery dream" that it might somehow become super-popular. 🤣
I love this suggestion, Mark. You are so smart. It is such a difficult balance, isn't it? Realistically, the number of people who can make a living at writing are few and far between. We have to accept that. I hold on to the dream, as you say, but I expect nothing. I am a competent writer with an excellent command of my language and some good ideas, but I am not Slow Boring, nor Salman Rushdie, nor am I Sherman Alexie who writes so brilliantly he makes me weep -- every time. Not sure what the answer is other than writing as well as you can, making each sentence a work of art and hope it inspires or entertains someone.
I've been thinking about the “not just numbers” challenge for a significant portion of the year. What would you recommend to writers who want a more engaged audience?
I think it has something to do with specificity. It’s easy to write in generalizations. Meaning definitive statements that nobody can really argue with. Writing that way can make you feel smart, like you’re having interesting insights. But they don’t resonate with readers as much as a personal story does, especially if that story delves into the universal human emotions you experienced. It’s counterintuitive, but universality is within the specific.
Adding my two cents here: it's been a process for me. After the first year, I found myself looking for more definition for my publication. The journey is ongoing but I've reached out with surveys and random questions to my subscribers seeking their input. I can guess now which books or topics will elicit more engagement than others. That doesn't stop me from posting something that may not appeal to as many but is important to me.
Consistency has also worked for me. The one thing that the majority of subscribers said when I asked is that they liked hearing from me every Saturday morning. They've reached out on the few times I made a mistake and didn't schedule the post properly. Right now, email subscribers account for the majority of my views. The app is slowly increasing.
You write so well, keep it up. I sent last week’s post to a long time friend in Texas (wish I knew someone in Wyoming and Vermont) and she said you are a great writer. I hope she subscribes.
Wish Em and Allison Happy Easter, oh that wish goes to you as well
I appreciated this very much, Lyle. I've been fortunate enough to maintain a high level of engagement which has allowed me to enjoy the slow, steady growth of subscribers. March marked three years of publishing and finding my way with SPARK. I've got 763 subscribers now and new ones come on board each week which makes me happy. The good news is that the engagement levels have stayed high even as new folks join. That seems like a good thing.
It does feel more personal, as you say. I also disabled the notifications that alert me when someone unsubscribes and now all I see is when we welcome someone new.
You also get great engagement considering your audience size, which is a testament to the quality of work you publish. I love reading your newsletter each Saturday.
Gosh, so true! I felt seen reading this. I’ve checked my stats way too many times recently and I don’t know what I’m expecting. I have under 100 subscribers. I’m a minnow here and I really need to accept that and just go on doing my thing.
Joining Soaring Twenties has helped me connect with fellow creators and that’s been a moral booster. In real life I’m having a hard time getting people I know to read and follow and engage. Few in my closest circle create or write things that they publish. I love to support my friends and acquaintances here when I notice something they have produced.
Anyway, you really hit the nail on the head with this one! I almost felt like Gollum in his cave with the Ring and you brought a lantern in and shone it on the Issue!
I have found it easier to get strangers to subscribe than friends and family. I think they get enough (or perhaps too much) of me in real life. 🤣 I quit bothering years ago. 🤓
“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”
I don't know how many subscribers I have, and I don't get alerted when they drop me.
I do suspect when I published my latest short story, I had to have lost some people. My Substack bounces around types of content and those who followed for, say, workflow conversation, probably don't want to click a link and find themselves in a Weird West story where two men excavate the slimy corpse of a giant worm used as a commuter train. And those that are into the latter, may not necessarily want a post about pop culture and tourism in Central America.
And here I thought the range of my posts was wide! I, for one, love it when writers I follow mix it up and surprise me. But I know I’m probably in the minority there.
I should’ve mentioned in the post that one of the first things I did when setting up my Substack was turn off the emails when people unsubscribe. It’s just not worth seeing those. They’re extra painful when someone you know well unsubscribes. I’d rather not know.
Such a smart thing to do, Lyle! You cannot please everyone and why try? I find that "sections" help, so that my readers can opt out of TRAVEL TALES, if all they want is FICTION, etc.
You just got a new subscriber because I loved reading this post!
You completely nailed how I’ve been feeling about checking my subscriber count, the tendency to see subs as numbers instead of humans, the danger of judging our writing ability based on the number of subscribers, and the precious feeling when someone out of the blue emails you thanking you for something you wrote.
You're 100% right that staring at subscriber numbers is a "watched pot" exercise. Our dopamine-hungry brains are waiting for the next hit, waiting to get rewarded for looking. We're better off going and making a coffee (or tea, or matcha, or whatever you like), hunkering down, and getting back to writing.
Writing itself is a reward, is it not? The process of interacting with words, letting thoughts flow to the page, reliving memories, and making new connections is deep and sustained. I've been reading Nicholas Carr's The Shallows, and I'm fascinated by the studies he cites on how our brains respond to deep reading and repeated experiences or tasks. When we write or read, we're literally rewiring our brains to pay closer attention and think more creatively. It makes the process that much more worth it.
That being said, you'll never believe what just happened. Right when I clicked the like button on your comment, I saw a new subscriber email notification come through. And that was number 2,000 lol
And thanks for posting this particular piece. Being reminded that consistency is truly key and there isn't a magical formula for "success" (whatever that means) no matter what the Twitter Bros say encourages me to keep going with my own writing and not worry about how fast the subscriber counts go up.
I’ve always seen subs leaving as filtering out the casuals and building up the number of true believers. So it’s a good thing. Perhaps that’s just me though as a delusional would-be cult leader. Who can say?
Anyway the point is your work is great, and consistent, and that is all you need.
I think you are right, Thomas. Why would we want subscribers who never read what we send them? Doesn't that make us spam? I love having a small group of close-knit readers/writers who appreciate each other and offer suggestions. It is a gift.
Love the post, Lyle! I seem to have followed your advice about turning off my new subscriber notifications, because I don’t get them anymore, although I don’t remember when I did it. It’s been a relief, honestly. And with regard to the numbers game, I’ve been doing that a lot lately too. I’m very close to 100 subscribers, which while not a tremendous number, gives me hope that I can reach my goal of having over 500 subscribers by the end of 2023. But if I don’t, I won’t make a mountain out of this molehill. I’ll just do my best next year. I’m very grateful for how much engagement my posts drive, as well. In conclusion: cheers, and don’t sweat it, your 2000th subscriber will show up soon!
Thanks, Andrei! I have no doubt you’ll get there eventually. It’s clear that you put a lot of time and care into your writing and people will notice that more and more over time.
This is a great essay, Lyle! I agree with you, especially:
“What I should care about is that nearly 2,000 of you are individual humans who have generously allowed me to borrow a small bit of your time each week. That’s remarkable by basically any measure. Like, I couldn’t possibly fit all of you into my house. I can’t even really picture what a group of 2,000 people—sorry, almost 2,000 people—looks like. But I think we can all agree that a group of just about 2,000 people is a lot of people.”
This definitely resonated! It’s been slow going for me. I brought some previous followers over from my old email CSM but it hasn’t translated to much engagement. I guess it’s the slow and steady grind. As you say, we’re all human and can’t help but fall into the trap of wanting growth and agonizing over it.
There's a handful of people I know in real life that read my stuff, and seeing someone I haven't interacted in years on the street and them starting the catch up with "man, I read all your stuff" really made my day a couple of times. Most of these folk learned about my blog when it was still tame and I'd share it on my socials. Recently, as I've been digging a bit deeper and going a bit weirder, I stopped sharing on social media. I'd love to share it with more people I know, but I don't really want to be in their face with my writing.
It's not the biggest issue, of course, and I'd rather spend more time writing then obsessing about who's reading, but here I am, only human.
This resonates a lot actually. I don’t really share my stuff on Facebook anymore since it’s all family and friends. I don’t expect them to get, or frankly care, about everything I write these days. I think that’s totally healthy and part of the growth process, though.
Same here. I don't bother friends and family on Facebook with self-promotion (my account is private and I know everyone I am friends with there.) I am rarely on it anyway. But only a couple of my friends and family have any interest in my writing. So why pester the rest? 🤣
Mine hovered just under 1000 (within one or two) for two weeks. Then it finally hit it. It went up a little more and flat-lined for about three weeks. Then it started moving up again. After 2 1/2 years, and only 12 paid subscribers, it is obvious my newsletter is not going to be a significant source of income. So I am not going to think too much about numbers or growing any more and just enjoy the comments from my small group of active readers.
That’s probably the best attitude toward it. Just have fun with it and whatever happens happens.
I agree. Especially with fiction and humor (the bulk of my newsletter), which don't seem to be big money-makers. Why obsess about it when it is realistically, a hobby? Just enjoy it. And (loosely) hold onto that "lottery dream" that it might somehow become super-popular. 🤣
I love this suggestion, Mark. You are so smart. It is such a difficult balance, isn't it? Realistically, the number of people who can make a living at writing are few and far between. We have to accept that. I hold on to the dream, as you say, but I expect nothing. I am a competent writer with an excellent command of my language and some good ideas, but I am not Slow Boring, nor Salman Rushdie, nor am I Sherman Alexie who writes so brilliantly he makes me weep -- every time. Not sure what the answer is other than writing as well as you can, making each sentence a work of art and hope it inspires or entertains someone.
I've been thinking about the “not just numbers” challenge for a significant portion of the year. What would you recommend to writers who want a more engaged audience?
I think it has something to do with specificity. It’s easy to write in generalizations. Meaning definitive statements that nobody can really argue with. Writing that way can make you feel smart, like you’re having interesting insights. But they don’t resonate with readers as much as a personal story does, especially if that story delves into the universal human emotions you experienced. It’s counterintuitive, but universality is within the specific.
Adding my two cents here: it's been a process for me. After the first year, I found myself looking for more definition for my publication. The journey is ongoing but I've reached out with surveys and random questions to my subscribers seeking their input. I can guess now which books or topics will elicit more engagement than others. That doesn't stop me from posting something that may not appeal to as many but is important to me.
Consistency has also worked for me. The one thing that the majority of subscribers said when I asked is that they liked hearing from me every Saturday morning. They've reached out on the few times I made a mistake and didn't schedule the post properly. Right now, email subscribers account for the majority of my views. The app is slowly increasing.
You write so well, keep it up. I sent last week’s post to a long time friend in Texas (wish I knew someone in Wyoming and Vermont) and she said you are a great writer. I hope she subscribes.
Wish Em and Allison Happy Easter, oh that wish goes to you as well
Thank you for always being here, Barbara! I really appreciate it.
I appreciated this very much, Lyle. I've been fortunate enough to maintain a high level of engagement which has allowed me to enjoy the slow, steady growth of subscribers. March marked three years of publishing and finding my way with SPARK. I've got 763 subscribers now and new ones come on board each week which makes me happy. The good news is that the engagement levels have stayed high even as new folks join. That seems like a good thing.
It does feel more personal, as you say. I also disabled the notifications that alert me when someone unsubscribes and now all I see is when we welcome someone new.
You also get great engagement considering your audience size, which is a testament to the quality of work you publish. I love reading your newsletter each Saturday.
Gosh, so true! I felt seen reading this. I’ve checked my stats way too many times recently and I don’t know what I’m expecting. I have under 100 subscribers. I’m a minnow here and I really need to accept that and just go on doing my thing.
Joining Soaring Twenties has helped me connect with fellow creators and that’s been a moral booster. In real life I’m having a hard time getting people I know to read and follow and engage. Few in my closest circle create or write things that they publish. I love to support my friends and acquaintances here when I notice something they have produced.
Anyway, you really hit the nail on the head with this one! I almost felt like Gollum in his cave with the Ring and you brought a lantern in and shone it on the Issue!
Glad to hear this resonated with you, Minna. I’ve enjoyed your writing. I wish I had more time to hang out with you and the STSC folks.
I have found it easier to get strangers to subscribe than friends and family. I think they get enough (or perhaps too much) of me in real life. 🤣 I quit bothering years ago. 🤓
That's wisdom right there! My eternal optimism towards friends and family has put me in a Sisyphean feedback loop. I should know better! :-))
Write on Lyle! Remember the stonecutter’s credo:
“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”
I can always rely on you for a perfect quote, Tom. Not to mention, you probably know them all verbatim in your head!
I don't know how many subscribers I have, and I don't get alerted when they drop me.
I do suspect when I published my latest short story, I had to have lost some people. My Substack bounces around types of content and those who followed for, say, workflow conversation, probably don't want to click a link and find themselves in a Weird West story where two men excavate the slimy corpse of a giant worm used as a commuter train. And those that are into the latter, may not necessarily want a post about pop culture and tourism in Central America.
So, why watch the numbers?
And here I thought the range of my posts was wide! I, for one, love it when writers I follow mix it up and surprise me. But I know I’m probably in the minority there.
I should’ve mentioned in the post that one of the first things I did when setting up my Substack was turn off the emails when people unsubscribe. It’s just not worth seeing those. They’re extra painful when someone you know well unsubscribes. I’d rather not know.
Such a smart thing to do, Lyle! You cannot please everyone and why try? I find that "sections" help, so that my readers can opt out of TRAVEL TALES, if all they want is FICTION, etc.
I agree. I love when authors mix it up.
You just got a new subscriber because I loved reading this post!
You completely nailed how I’ve been feeling about checking my subscriber count, the tendency to see subs as numbers instead of humans, the danger of judging our writing ability based on the number of subscribers, and the precious feeling when someone out of the blue emails you thanking you for something you wrote.
We gotta just keep going!!
Thanks, Irina! I’m so glad it resonated with you
You're 100% right that staring at subscriber numbers is a "watched pot" exercise. Our dopamine-hungry brains are waiting for the next hit, waiting to get rewarded for looking. We're better off going and making a coffee (or tea, or matcha, or whatever you like), hunkering down, and getting back to writing.
Writing itself is a reward, is it not? The process of interacting with words, letting thoughts flow to the page, reliving memories, and making new connections is deep and sustained. I've been reading Nicholas Carr's The Shallows, and I'm fascinated by the studies he cites on how our brains respond to deep reading and repeated experiences or tasks. When we write or read, we're literally rewiring our brains to pay closer attention and think more creatively. It makes the process that much more worth it.
Spot on, Sam.
That being said, you'll never believe what just happened. Right when I clicked the like button on your comment, I saw a new subscriber email notification come through. And that was number 2,000 lol
I saw your post in Discord/Slack. That's great!
And thanks for posting this particular piece. Being reminded that consistency is truly key and there isn't a magical formula for "success" (whatever that means) no matter what the Twitter Bros say encourages me to keep going with my own writing and not worry about how fast the subscriber counts go up.
you deserve 20k
❤️
You definitely deserve 20K.
I’ve always seen subs leaving as filtering out the casuals and building up the number of true believers. So it’s a good thing. Perhaps that’s just me though as a delusional would-be cult leader. Who can say?
Anyway the point is your work is great, and consistent, and that is all you need.
Thanks, Thomas. Intellectually, know you’re right about filtering out the casuals. But I still struggle with it sometimes.
We all do, mate.
I think you are right, Thomas. Why would we want subscribers who never read what we send them? Doesn't that make us spam? I love having a small group of close-knit readers/writers who appreciate each other and offer suggestions. It is a gift.
Love the post, Lyle! I seem to have followed your advice about turning off my new subscriber notifications, because I don’t get them anymore, although I don’t remember when I did it. It’s been a relief, honestly. And with regard to the numbers game, I’ve been doing that a lot lately too. I’m very close to 100 subscribers, which while not a tremendous number, gives me hope that I can reach my goal of having over 500 subscribers by the end of 2023. But if I don’t, I won’t make a mountain out of this molehill. I’ll just do my best next year. I’m very grateful for how much engagement my posts drive, as well. In conclusion: cheers, and don’t sweat it, your 2000th subscriber will show up soon!
Thanks, Andrei! I have no doubt you’ll get there eventually. It’s clear that you put a lot of time and care into your writing and people will notice that more and more over time.
This is a great essay, Lyle! I agree with you, especially:
“What I should care about is that nearly 2,000 of you are individual humans who have generously allowed me to borrow a small bit of your time each week. That’s remarkable by basically any measure. Like, I couldn’t possibly fit all of you into my house. I can’t even really picture what a group of 2,000 people—sorry, almost 2,000 people—looks like. But I think we can all agree that a group of just about 2,000 people is a lot of people.”
Thanks, Mark!
This definitely resonated! It’s been slow going for me. I brought some previous followers over from my old email CSM but it hasn’t translated to much engagement. I guess it’s the slow and steady grind. As you say, we’re all human and can’t help but fall into the trap of wanting growth and agonizing over it.
Thanks for giving it a read, Liz!
I wish you could post pictures here, but I am reminded of the 'this is pointless' visual from Jack Butcher: https://visualizevalue.com/
You'll get there :)
Ohhh, yeah, that's a great one. He's so good at illustrating stuff like that in an elegantly simple way.