Hi Dan. I enjoyed Zero but felt it was a bit too long (for my liking). You could make 2 or 3 posts out of it. That’s just my opinion and there was some good stuff in there. Keep writing! ✍️ 👍
I took a little time to think through my response. Your feedback reads as an entirely friendly attempt to be helpful, so thank you, but, particularly for this platform, I don't think it is. In fact, it reads as the antithesis of my own thoughts on what Substack and its community exists for. If you humour me for a few paragraphs, I wanted to think through that reaction, both for your own benefit (should it make some semblance of sense, and there's a chance that won't be the case, of course!) as well as for a chance to give my own thoughts some order and space to breathe.
As I covered a bit in the post, I closed all of my social media accounts recently due to their stunting & clipping of longer-form writing and discussion. The world's conversation has whiplashed towards bipolar shrieks: it is this, or this, and nothing between. This must, to a large degree, be the result of the stuttered staccato these online platforms we speak through promote. Substack, though, generally champions the opposite: full threads of thought, considered back-and-forths. For example, you & I initially responded to each other on one of Elle Griffin's posts, a writer who publishes *substantially* longer posts than my own, long, smooth commentaries on various literary subjects, and that unbound flow of thought is one element I, and I assume others, enjoy. The length of what a person writes, then, isn't feedback for this platform - we're here for quality of substance, and while it's not necessarily 'the longer, the better', it should surely be 'the fuller the thought, the better, however long that may be'. (Substack holds entire book chapters and lecture series in its archives!) Dissecting my first post (which I mentioned was explanatory, before posts 'one' and onwards are published) into smaller posts is a moot point - it *could* be two or three, as you say, or it could be a hundred with a sentence in each, or I could double its length. The point is: one line of thought seems a better 'goal' here, which gains nothing by being chopped into bits.
It's your mention of 'good stuff' I'd love to hear more on. Austin Kleon once wrote (I forget where, but will share if I come across it again) about wanting people to send him things they thought he'd like, rather than saying what he *should* include in his letter and how it should look, because it showed sincerity behind the desire for creative discussion. In this case, your thoughts and experiences on the 'good stuff' is what I joined Substack for: what specifically did you think was 'good', what did you connect with or have your own experiences of from the things I listed, what else might I enjoy if I like what was in there - even, what do you think was awful that I listed, and what's your reason for that? That's what I'd *love* to hear, the specificity rather than the vague nod, and I think that's what the platform would encourage, too.
I hope that all makes sense, and thanks for the chance to reflect on your feedback. As I wrote, I'm sure it was meant in a perfectly innocent way, but (clearly) it rubbed me up the wrong way a bit and - particularly for my first post on here! - I think for good reason. I hope you allow this to remain on the post as a comment, for the sake of the kind of conversation I think Substack is attempting to promote when people disagree, but it's entirely your decision. I'll certainly keep writing - my next (first?) post will come out in the next few days.
Hi Dan. I'm so sorry I offended you, which I obviously have. I was merely trying to be supportive of you as a fellow writer on Substack. We are all different. We all like different things and thank goodness for that. How dull would life be if we all liked the same things? Like most writers, I read extensively and there just aren't enough hours in the day to (a) work at my full-time job as a Legal Assistant, (b) write a ton of stuff, (c) read and comment on other writers' work as well as all the myriad of other things that make up my day as a wife, mother, sister, friend ... need I go on? Back to your post, Zero, it was good to find out things about you and your job which was the good stuff, but as the post went on, I found myself losing interest. That's not to say it wasn't well written, or interesting, but it just didn't keep me intrigued enough. I don't want to get into a head-to-head with you. We are obviously very different writers with very different views. Which is fine. I will leave it at that.
Thanks for replying. No offence taken at all, and no head-to-head to be had - just a suggestion on how to provide feedback in a community of writers, most of whom are, I'm sure, looking for friendly, creative conversation and, if feedback is to be given, for it to be specific and considered in order to make it helpful. I'll be posting 'One' in the next few days, commenting in part on this conversation, which will be a little different and how I intend to keep posting - let me know if you get a chance to read that.
Hi Dan. I enjoyed Zero but felt it was a bit too long (for my liking). You could make 2 or 3 posts out of it. That’s just my opinion and there was some good stuff in there. Keep writing! ✍️ 👍
You're the first commenter, on my first post! 🎈
I took a little time to think through my response. Your feedback reads as an entirely friendly attempt to be helpful, so thank you, but, particularly for this platform, I don't think it is. In fact, it reads as the antithesis of my own thoughts on what Substack and its community exists for. If you humour me for a few paragraphs, I wanted to think through that reaction, both for your own benefit (should it make some semblance of sense, and there's a chance that won't be the case, of course!) as well as for a chance to give my own thoughts some order and space to breathe.
As I covered a bit in the post, I closed all of my social media accounts recently due to their stunting & clipping of longer-form writing and discussion. The world's conversation has whiplashed towards bipolar shrieks: it is this, or this, and nothing between. This must, to a large degree, be the result of the stuttered staccato these online platforms we speak through promote. Substack, though, generally champions the opposite: full threads of thought, considered back-and-forths. For example, you & I initially responded to each other on one of Elle Griffin's posts, a writer who publishes *substantially* longer posts than my own, long, smooth commentaries on various literary subjects, and that unbound flow of thought is one element I, and I assume others, enjoy. The length of what a person writes, then, isn't feedback for this platform - we're here for quality of substance, and while it's not necessarily 'the longer, the better', it should surely be 'the fuller the thought, the better, however long that may be'. (Substack holds entire book chapters and lecture series in its archives!) Dissecting my first post (which I mentioned was explanatory, before posts 'one' and onwards are published) into smaller posts is a moot point - it *could* be two or three, as you say, or it could be a hundred with a sentence in each, or I could double its length. The point is: one line of thought seems a better 'goal' here, which gains nothing by being chopped into bits.
It's your mention of 'good stuff' I'd love to hear more on. Austin Kleon once wrote (I forget where, but will share if I come across it again) about wanting people to send him things they thought he'd like, rather than saying what he *should* include in his letter and how it should look, because it showed sincerity behind the desire for creative discussion. In this case, your thoughts and experiences on the 'good stuff' is what I joined Substack for: what specifically did you think was 'good', what did you connect with or have your own experiences of from the things I listed, what else might I enjoy if I like what was in there - even, what do you think was awful that I listed, and what's your reason for that? That's what I'd *love* to hear, the specificity rather than the vague nod, and I think that's what the platform would encourage, too.
I hope that all makes sense, and thanks for the chance to reflect on your feedback. As I wrote, I'm sure it was meant in a perfectly innocent way, but (clearly) it rubbed me up the wrong way a bit and - particularly for my first post on here! - I think for good reason. I hope you allow this to remain on the post as a comment, for the sake of the kind of conversation I think Substack is attempting to promote when people disagree, but it's entirely your decision. I'll certainly keep writing - my next (first?) post will come out in the next few days.
Have a lovely day. ☀️
Hi Dan. I'm so sorry I offended you, which I obviously have. I was merely trying to be supportive of you as a fellow writer on Substack. We are all different. We all like different things and thank goodness for that. How dull would life be if we all liked the same things? Like most writers, I read extensively and there just aren't enough hours in the day to (a) work at my full-time job as a Legal Assistant, (b) write a ton of stuff, (c) read and comment on other writers' work as well as all the myriad of other things that make up my day as a wife, mother, sister, friend ... need I go on? Back to your post, Zero, it was good to find out things about you and your job which was the good stuff, but as the post went on, I found myself losing interest. That's not to say it wasn't well written, or interesting, but it just didn't keep me intrigued enough. I don't want to get into a head-to-head with you. We are obviously very different writers with very different views. Which is fine. I will leave it at that.
Thanks for replying. No offence taken at all, and no head-to-head to be had - just a suggestion on how to provide feedback in a community of writers, most of whom are, I'm sure, looking for friendly, creative conversation and, if feedback is to be given, for it to be specific and considered in order to make it helpful. I'll be posting 'One' in the next few days, commenting in part on this conversation, which will be a little different and how I intend to keep posting - let me know if you get a chance to read that.
Best of luck with your chapters!
Thanks, Dan. Good luck to you too.