213 Comments
Jul 1Liked by Amanda!

every time a social app becomes popular it gets bombarded with “coaches” trying to make money. i like reading silly little articles about people’s lives, what they love, what they hate, and deep thoughts they have at midnight. i think it’s cool people can make money off of their passions on here but i don’t think that’s why they should start. i hope substack instead becomes bombarded with more authentic writers, such as yourself, with more interesting takes that scream personality.

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HI ALYSSA! Thank you for being so nice!!!! I appreciate it so much! 🥹🫶🏻 I loved your profile picture, btw. And oh my god, these “coaches” really are an epidemic on every social app, we can’t escape them. But i’m glad we still can find each other and read our silly little articles in spite of them. They can definitely coexist with us (the cool people) but they can’t takeover like they’ve been doing for a while!

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I agree with this so much !! I like getting to know people through their writings. I like reading stuff with emotion. Thats the kind of stuff I hope to post (im only one post in so far but it is definitely filled with late night thoughts that have long lived in only my journal lolll)

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This is such a great think piece. When I first started on here six months ago, I was obsessed with people seeing my stuff. I still am but I’m feeling more comfortable posting whatever whenever. It’s definitely hard, though. But 1 like on here makes my day. 50 would probably send into shock. And I’m so with you on the paid content. I want my writing to be accessible and for it to mean something. It being behind a paywall just makes me cringe. I’m not trying to be like Super Duo (and there’s my next post idea)

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Hey, lauryn! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on this post! 🥹 And you’re so right. The best content comes organically, especially when it comes to writing. I feel like people will appreciate a thoughtful, insightful, beautifully crafted out post whenever you feel like posting so much more than a mediocre content posted every week. It’s also so sad to see people write about trending topics without being interested on them, which i have been seeing all over here. Keep up your beautiful, beautiful content! 🥹🫶🏻

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Jul 12Liked by Amanda!

I agree, the move away from a “posting schedule” has felt so liberating when it comes to releasing my writing!

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Agree with this! I only started last week and i posted my first post yesterday - seeing ONE person read it had me giggling and kicking ny feet 🤣 i have always only written in my journal so even just the thought of any outsider reading my stuff makes my day. I write for me!! And agree about the paywalls as well… i get it though, as writing can take a lot of work and people need money. But i dont think i will have paywalls at least for awhile.

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Jul 21·edited Jul 21Liked by Amanda!

I searched it myself today. And then the chain of thoughts of becoming an old-school writer in modern world. Writing and meeting people once in a while at an event and having great conversations rather than being online famous filled my mind. I love the idea that people can make living of their art. But I think it kills creativity. We become puppets of audience and without any choice, we have to write whatever pleases them. The harsh critics, the trolling, the alpha males ready to attack anytime, the fear of offending someone etc etc. I don't think I am made for that. I want to be hidden, so hidden that only people who love my work and appreciate it knows me. Like the writer that wins a prize and general public doesn't even know about, but in writer community that's lit. That's something I want to be. I don't wanna be online famous. I want to be me. This is whom I like.

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Oh my god! Can i share your comment? I think most people feel something similar to this, thank you so much for this comment! It adds so much to this post.

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Of course.

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The pressure to be "successful" on any platform takes all the fun out of it. The coaching people do to grow your following and all the "must-do's" really become a deterrent for me. I don't want to spam people. I don't want to come up with quantity over quality. I don't want rules about how often I should or should not post. I just want to be. I want to enjoy it and share my ideas.

I appreciate your sentiments of being grateful for the following you do have. Appreciate the abilities you do have. Share what's on your heart and just enjoy the journey. Let everything happen organically.

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Yes!!! Thank you so much for your comment, MaryAnne!!! I just shared it with everyone because it’s so insightful! You summarized everything i meant with this piece perfectly! ❤️

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This means a lot for me. You just reminded me that as newbie who’s planning to start publishing here, it should be about listening to my own voice and others. Not algorithms and stuff. X

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Aww, Michelle!!!! Thank you for your comment and thank you for being so kind! Never stop making beautiful things, we were all newbies to something once!!! 💌

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Jul 1Liked by Amanda!

I agree with this entire piece!!!! I stress myself out when I don’t have a new post every week and I’ve to remind myself it’s okay, I’ll write when I feel like it!!! Also when someone comments on my post it literally makes my heart flutter and I think that’s what’s this is about. Making at least one person feel seen, give them something that makes them go “yeah I agree, I feel this too’ - which is what you just did for me!!

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Hi, Reet! What an insightful comment omg. To me, that’s the entire point of writing, making people feel seen. I’m glad we both agree on that and i’m glad you commented on this post so i could find your beautiful work. If it takes you time to beautifully craft your work like you have been doing, then so be it, because it’s so worth it! Thank you for your comment, i’m glad we found each other! 🥹🫶🏻

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Jul 1Liked by Amanda!

Amanda you’ve just made my day!! Thank you for the kindest words!!! So glad I found your post too so I could feel seen!! Looking forward to read your writing 🩷

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🥹🤞🏻🤞🏻💌🩷✨🌸 YOU’RE THE SWEETEST!!!

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Making one person feel seen and understood <3 ahhh that's always been my mission with everything I do online. Honestly, if we're not doing that and just focusing on amassing numbers, then what the hell is the actual point?! Are we here for genuine connection and impact or just a number's game? We need more of this approach, as creators and as consumers.

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🥹🥹🥹🥹🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻✨✨✨

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When I first hopped on Substack I couldn’t WAIT to be away from the Instagram guru how to grow, how to gain followers, how to this how to that. Now that’s most of my feed of notes. It took away the enjoyment of posting an image with a thoughtful caption on Instagram. But people there don’t want that. The algorithm wants 6-8 seconds of all this value and to me real value in a story and writing is a craft. I truly truly hope that Substack doesn’t turn into this. We must protect the art of writing.

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Yes, Giana!!!! Exactly!! We must protect the art of writing 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

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YES! Finally someone talking sense! Thank you for writing this piece. It is very important to understand what we’re here for and what kind of community one wants to be a part of.

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Hey, Sagar! Thank you so much for your comment!! You made my day! And i totally agree, it is very important to filter what is important to us and it’s also very important to pick communities and content that lets us grow and be better, instead of looking for a quick cash grab type thing.

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LOVED this, lol. Made me laugh out loud. I despise these notes and substacks that focus on how to become a writer on here. It feels like MLM, or LinkedIn - and I hate both.

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HI ANNIKA!!! Thank you SO MUCH. I loved your latest piece so much. And it really does feel like MLM or LinkedIn in here sometimes. EW. We have to be strong and stick together through times like these lol

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Thank you! I really like what you've done here on your substack and am always looking forward to reading your newsletters. And I really do cross my fingers that substack, more importantly substack notes does not turn into LinkedIn 2.0.

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This means the world to me!!!!🥹🩷

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🥹🥹🫶🏻🩷

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Thank you so much for this, this comes at such an important time for me because I’ve been stressing so much about all of this lately and beating myself up for my perceived lack of “success.” But I don’t want to do all of these silly gimmicky things just to get subscribers who may not even engage that deeply with what I write. I hope that Notes doesn’t turn Substack into some vapid social

media thing. Overall, I think even if the process of writing just helped me clarify my thinking or gain a new insight or improve my

writing skills, it’ll have been worth it, regardless of how many people read it.

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Hi, Ramya! Thank you so much for your comment! And this is such an important reason to write! Clarifying your thinking and improving your writing skills is so much more important than subscriber count. Self improvement is such a blessing. And real good, meaningful writing brings so much more people to your newsletter than doing vapid social media stuff. Keep making beautiful and meaningful content and most importantly, keep the self improvement. 🥹🩷

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I LOVE this so much. I block block block any marketing strategy bro before my first bite of breakfast. Also, a thing I’ve been thinking about lately.. Does anyone know what it is going to look like when you actually have a lot paid subs for instance? How will it affect your writing? Will you be able to handle the pressure that comes along with mandatory writing for a living? I meann i think we’re all romanticizing it a bit too much without really seeing the full picture. Anyway, AMAZING piece. Thank you!!! ❤️

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JASMINE!! Thank you so much for your comment, i’m so obsessed with your work! And you just said what has been in my mind forever!!!! People really aren’t thinking about the long run when posting content for paid subscribers! What I’ve been doing for the past few months is organizing a list of content that i think is interesting enough and putting ideas on that list that will be posted throughout the year, like a whole year of content. And it takes SO much of my time! But it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to these things! We should never play with other people’s money! Thank you so much for reading this! It’s such an honor. 🥹🫶🏻

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AMANDA!!! another incredible post, i completely agree with all of this and you hit the nail perfectly on the head. it feels like a pyramid scheme type thing, toss so much content at us and hope it sticks, but i just want to see beautiful, creative, interesting, and thought provoking pieces on here. love you!

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SARAH!!!!! Just know that you’re SO loved and appreciated by me. Seriously. Your content is all this app needs. If everyone wrote the same way you do, this app would be PARADISE. And you’re so right, these people are doing a pyramid scheme type thing, and it’s so laughable. Having a laugh over their notes and blocking them subsequently is the current vibe.

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also i love you so much!!!

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When I found out about this platform about a month ago I signed up and got bombarded with lovely topics to read. It was so refreshing and started exploring if I could make my own substack.

After I searched YouTube I was then bombarded with “how to get your first 1000 subscribers in a month” or “make $10.000 in a month just by writing”. What is your problem people?

Just get a personality and bear it all. I want to read your thoughts and struggles. Not tips and tricks everywhere. Very sad.

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Milka!!!! EXACTLY!!! It makes me so livid. I loved “ just get a personality and bear it all”. Facts!!!

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Dear Amanda, so excited to read your post and I found myself saying "yes, yes, yes" so many times! Just like you, I have noticed lots of people teaching how to write, how to become the best, how to get huge audiences and so on. Years ago I took an 18months course in performance coaching, then confidence coaching and so on. What I noticed in time is that the ones making money were the trainers not the coaches. So the whole game was to become a trainer to teach others how to become coaches. The same seems to happen in many areas including writing ... teach others how to write! I don't understand the hype! Are people looking for the shortcuts? Why aim for huge audiences? What's the point? If they are coming in an organic way .. it is perfect. Otherwise it is just a number. Years ago I was focused on Facebook ... for whatever reason I ended up with 5500+ followers. Why? I have no clue! How? Again I don't know! The truth is that one interacts with a handful of people anyway as the algorithm is the main master behind the scenes. Writing, just like learning a language is a craft .. it takes years to master (what a word :) it, to find one's voice but this is the whole point isn't it? Simply turn up in front of the screen, write and let go of any expectations.

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Dearest Karina!!!! I wish i could restack your comment for everyone to see! You absolutely nailed it. I’m so glad we get to have people like you on substack, so observant!! You just putted everything into perspective. Coaches are teaching people how to be coaches, and that takes away the flair, substance and style of all kinds of artistic endeavors. It’s a shame that this is happening, but fortunately, there are people like you who aren’t buying it at all. Keep being so real. I loved your comment so much.

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Dear Amanda delighted I found another kindred spirit! Please feel free to restack the comment! What puzzles me is how popular are the posts about .. writing! It reminds me of my university years and teachers teaching us about having a business! Ok you will say .. it s fine! Nope it is not! Those people never had a business! Theory is one thing. Practice another matter! Also .. just think .. Jane Austen simply wrote .. no lessons about the how .. she did it and like her tons of remarkable writers. Anyway I digress! It is still puzzling why so many people feel the need to read about … how to write! I will subscribe to your blog and read with interest!

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Exactly!!! Imagine how it would be if all great authors like Jane Austen were tutored. They would sound all the same! they’d lose their writing style and authenticity, which is what makes them legends! Same thing nowadays, a future excellent writer could be tamed right now by a tutor who is only interested in money. Such a shame! Thank you for subcribing and again, thank you for being so real.

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hey amanda. it’s warming to see a fellow tumblr and goodreads girl on here. i feel that writing should be free and beautiful because that’s why we read it. it shouldn’t ever be about the craziest amount of clickability because where is the fun in that? i never want to read that kind of prose because in all honesty it lacks depth and heart. i want to be able to cry or scream or have genuine laughter when reading something. that’s what it’s about.

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Omg hi Alejandra!!!!! I LOVE that we have that in common! And exactly, art has been all about the ability to provoke feeling and emotion ever since the beginning of time! People are just so moved by money nowadays, and try to capitalize over anything and that saddens me so much. But we should stick to our intense, beautiful and sensitive core. I loved your comment so much!!!!

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I completely understand your perspective! I also noticed that this platform is starting to resemble LinkedIn 😭 Initially, I started posting on Substack because I had a lot to express, even if it felt like no one was paying attention. Some of my pieces might appear simplistic or low effort, but that doesn't bother me. I don't view my writing as a means to make money, although it would be great if they gained popularity one day. Regardless of readership, I value each piece because I wrote them for myself. This place is my digital diary and i don't set goal to reach x amount of subsribers. 🖤

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hi, Janu!!! Your posts are no such thing as simplistic or low effort, for real. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and words as your digital diary with us! I LOVED the one about ‘the art of being average’, your thoughts are so concise and well articulated. You deserve all the love and i can definitely see that you do value each piece you write. That quality is something that all these “substack coaches” will spend their whole lives trying to get. Keep being beautiful! 🫶🏻

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aww thank you so much!!! It means a lot to me 🥹 🩷

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🥹🫶🏻🩷💌✨💐🌸

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Omg I’m crossing all 20 fingers and toes and hoping and praying this app doesn’t turn into Instagram with all the bots and algorithm competition 😩 my absolute favorite blogs to read here are the whimsical ones about love letters and summer reading how beautifully mundane our lives are sometimes 🥹

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hi, Sharon! Thank you so much for

your comment! And i really hope so too. I noticed writers are doing absolutely everything that they can to be successful here so they can finally log off of goddamn instagram! I also love all the whimsical posts and reading about summer and hope they never stop writing them. It’s what keeps this platform alive for me! 🫶🏻

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