Oh my goodness, my naïveté got a little bruised reading this….I seriously hadn’t considered that people don’t read but instead get ai to create a response….ugh, what’s the point of that?! Yikes! That said. What I’ve loved about Substack is the connections I’ve made/feel with people here-it’s so refreshing! Guaranteed, if I leave a comment, it’s just from me, Ellen. And, I think all writers need to also be readers, it helps us to become better humans and writers. 🩷
I'm truly sorry that people act this way and that you had to learn this from me, but unfortunately, it's a reality, and I see it often. That said, I can’t lump everyone together, and many people here have definitely warmed my heart with their comments. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I appreciate you being here. Take care❤️
Ellen, I think your reaction speaks to why this conversation matters so much to serious writers and readers. Writing is relational at its core, so discovering that some people automate responses without even engaging the work can feel strangely hollowing because it replaces presence with performance. Your point about writers needing to remain readers also feels deeply true; thoughtful reading develops empathy, attentiveness, curiosity, and the ability to genuinely recognize another person’s humanity on the page. Thank you for bringing such sincerity, warmth, and honesty into the conversation, because people can usually feel the difference when a response genuinely comes from a real human heart.
I loved this and felt it all! I see other people with so many comments, shallow but it creates a number that gets shown and promoted, then I look at my work and it feels harder. Every time I post, my heart is on the page and it's that waiting for someone else to see it and connect with it that gets to me sometimes... yesterday was my lowest engagement after posting for a very long time (can I blame a US public holiday?!) but I find today I care less because the comments I do have are wonderful and people have really connected with the content which means the world.
There’s definitely some truth to the idea that the holiday over the past few days contributed to the low activity, just as activity is low on weekends. It’s not your fault. I want you to know that you don’t need to blame yourself for not having a staggering number of comments. What’s more important is that the people who comment are truly immersing themselves in your words and feeling them, and that shows in their comments.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with my work! I’m glad you’re here! ❤️
Dallas, I think many writers understand that emotional tension between visibility and connection. Numbers are easy to compare, especially on quieter days, but thoughtful engagement carries a different kind of weight because it reflects presence, attention, and genuine resonance. “Every time I post, my heart is on the page” captures why lower engagement can sting; honest writing always carries vulnerability and the hope that someone will truly meet you there. Your reflection also shows real perspective because you already recognize the deeper metric: readers who connect deeply, reflect thoughtfully, and carry the work with them afterward. Thank you for speaking so honestly about the emotional reality many writers quietly navigate behind the scenes.
I completely agree with everything you said. At the start I was so enamoured with the likes and the subs, maybe I still am, but I feel now a couple of months down the track, that deep engagement is what keeps me writing and reading. 🥰
It’s wonderful to know that your words have really resonated with someone and that they felt them exactly the way you did while you were writing them. I’m proud that there are people like you who are here because of their deep and genuine commitment. ❤️
Tsetsy, this names a frustration many serious writers quietly feel but rarely articulate this directly. Comments generated for visibility rather than connection create the appearance of engagement while stripping away the very thing most writers are actually hoping for: recognition, resonance, thoughtfulness, and honest human response. Your distinction between reaction and response feels especially important because deep engagement is often revealed through specificity, emotional risk, remembered details, continued return, or the feeling that someone truly sat with the work instead of skimming past it strategically. I also appreciated your defense of silent readers. Some of the deepest forms of connection happen privately, invisibly, and without performance, and many writers underestimate how much their words may already be accompanying people quietly through their lives.
I love this idea of inviting people into your home and your family based on what you write. The fact that you and your partner discussed a post from a "stranger" is so powerful - it tells us that our words and ideas are reading other ears and brains. I'm here for the "deep engagement" and not the confetti.
I truly realize that the authors here don’t realize just how much of an impact they have on the lives of people they may never even know exist! And I believe that’s the whole point of everything we do on this platform. Thank you for being here!❤️
I think one problem with Substack is there are more writers than there are readers. Every day in the main feed there are so many articles, Notes and small comments seeking attention, it's more than one person can read.
And there are many who seek Likes, who measure themselves by their subscriber count and those who make all those small comments to generate attention. You can see the same names, multiple times, every day in every stream of the main comment thread.
But it's the way Substack is designed. All writers want people to read what they write, so they need way to bring attention to themselves. But the very techniques one needs to do to bring attention to themselves reduces the amount of reading that gets done. All of us who write need to promote our writing to some extent. But how far to go is the question.
I have sometimes wondered what would Substack be like if no one knew how many subscribers a person had other than the person who runs their page. And if only the writer of content could see the "likes" they received, but no one could see them publicly.
In other words, what it the scoreboard went private. I wonder what effect that might have. Would more people spent more time reading, less time seeking attention?
Definitely some great thoughts and an alternative reality that sounds wonderful, but unfortunately, Substack is, to some extent, a social media platform, and these things drive traffic here. I suppose if there were no visible likes or subscriber counts, the platform simply wouldn’t have succeeded or grown at the rate it’s currently gaining popularity online.
Nevertheless, I’ll continue to dream about what you’re talking about.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’ll definitely give them some thought and maybe even more than that.
I understand what you’re saying. I was just saying, if I had a wish list, that’s would I would like to see. I understand what Substack is doing, I just would prefer it with my suggestions. I don’t like seeing it evolve to FB, Instagram, etc.
I would enjoy seeing that scoreboard removed and seeing how that would change peoples behavior. There might be more than few that would just leave but at least there might be more readers then as well. I think not enough readers per writer is a big issue.
Another option would be to reduce the number of times someone can comment in that main thread, maybe 6 per every 24 hours, could easily be done with technology. Then those frequent posters would have more time go read for a while. I know, I have all the answers lol. 🙂
Thank you for this post. I hope what you're saying about quiet readers is true for my subscribers -- they're not just quiet, they make no sound at all. But they do appear to come back day after day, so I'll take a cue from you and be optimistic. Btw, I'll never be able to type amazing work with a straight face ever again. 😉
Wow that was beautiful and states things I’ve felt but not put into words yet in my own mind. I so appreciate the readers who take the time to read my work deeply.
I agree with your observation..and I am hoping to attracts that readers who not just read and connects and then share their thoughts with me on my work..
This was a timely reminder for me, Tsetsy. As you know, my own numbers for Haunted Media Palace are fairly low and there's times I get a little frustrated with that. Mind, I anticipated that going in. Fact was I put this together and keep publishing because I have seen what I write literally nowhere else in recent years.
But every once in a while, I get these thoughtful comments on a post. The kind that give me a new perspective. I treasure those like you treasure the ones you were talking about. It's the kind of talk I've been looking for a long time.
If a person is striving for likes, comments, and whatever other surrogate indicators of engagement, they are operating from a shallow and selfish motivation.
They are NOT prioritizing quality and depth.
They are selfishly seeking to get big and probably get paid (whether it is attention, money, validation, etc.).
I am not interested in a persons content and I am not interested in generating such content for the sake of such.
I don’t write for attention.
I don’t write for metrics.
I don’t do it for money.
I write because I feel inspired to write.
I write from the mystery of my core being.
I will probably die before making a penny from my writing.
Quality > quantity.
But we live in a world that conditions everyone to exploit and monetize each other.
So most writers are just derivative and shallow.
Most are trying to make a buck or get an eyeball.
They aren’t even trying to share true and relevant insights.
They are trying to get cheap dopamine hits as the means to an end of gaining some sort of currency.
Most writers probably don’t have any business writing.
Because they aren’t inspired or motivated by anything deeper than a sort of idea that they fell in love with - being a successful writer - but the reality is that they are basically advertising and selling a cheap product that doesn’t serve the world in any meaningful way.
Ultraprocessed, symbolic drivel on a bed of shallow “connections”.
this is so real. empty engagement almost feels worse than silence because at least silence is honest.
i think writers can always tell when someone has actually entered the piece versus skimmed it for a convenient comment. deep engagement has texture. it responds to the soul of the thing, not just the headline.
Thanks for saying what I couldn’t! (I’m joking lol)
I actually really enjoyed this. I talk about authentic engagement all the time over on my page. I am also deeply disturbed by the people who think staying in a reciprocal loop is meaningful engagement. At the same time, I think… maybe that’s what satisfies them. The issue for me starts when people expect me to reciprocate just because they’ve “engaged” my posts. But that’s not how I operate and that’s not how a true audience is built either. This post hit all the points. 🫶🏽
Oh my goodness, my naïveté got a little bruised reading this….I seriously hadn’t considered that people don’t read but instead get ai to create a response….ugh, what’s the point of that?! Yikes! That said. What I’ve loved about Substack is the connections I’ve made/feel with people here-it’s so refreshing! Guaranteed, if I leave a comment, it’s just from me, Ellen. And, I think all writers need to also be readers, it helps us to become better humans and writers. 🩷
I'm truly sorry that people act this way and that you had to learn this from me, but unfortunately, it's a reality, and I see it often. That said, I can’t lump everyone together, and many people here have definitely warmed my heart with their comments. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I appreciate you being here. Take care❤️
Ellen, I think your reaction speaks to why this conversation matters so much to serious writers and readers. Writing is relational at its core, so discovering that some people automate responses without even engaging the work can feel strangely hollowing because it replaces presence with performance. Your point about writers needing to remain readers also feels deeply true; thoughtful reading develops empathy, attentiveness, curiosity, and the ability to genuinely recognize another person’s humanity on the page. Thank you for bringing such sincerity, warmth, and honesty into the conversation, because people can usually feel the difference when a response genuinely comes from a real human heart.
I’m holding this: “because people can usually feel the difference when a response genuinely comes from a real human heart.”
I loved this and felt it all! I see other people with so many comments, shallow but it creates a number that gets shown and promoted, then I look at my work and it feels harder. Every time I post, my heart is on the page and it's that waiting for someone else to see it and connect with it that gets to me sometimes... yesterday was my lowest engagement after posting for a very long time (can I blame a US public holiday?!) but I find today I care less because the comments I do have are wonderful and people have really connected with the content which means the world.
There’s definitely some truth to the idea that the holiday over the past few days contributed to the low activity, just as activity is low on weekends. It’s not your fault. I want you to know that you don’t need to blame yourself for not having a staggering number of comments. What’s more important is that the people who comment are truly immersing themselves in your words and feeling them, and that shows in their comments.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with my work! I’m glad you’re here! ❤️
Thanks so much for replying, Tsetsy! I just recently discovered your work and really loving your perspective on things 😊
Dallas, I think many writers understand that emotional tension between visibility and connection. Numbers are easy to compare, especially on quieter days, but thoughtful engagement carries a different kind of weight because it reflects presence, attention, and genuine resonance. “Every time I post, my heart is on the page” captures why lower engagement can sting; honest writing always carries vulnerability and the hope that someone will truly meet you there. Your reflection also shows real perspective because you already recognize the deeper metric: readers who connect deeply, reflect thoughtfully, and carry the work with them afterward. Thank you for speaking so honestly about the emotional reality many writers quietly navigate behind the scenes.
It's always nice to know it is not an isolated reality, isn't it? Thanks for your kind words, Rev Ken.
Oh my goodness, Tsetsy! You've brought tears to my eyes. My goal since day one has been to show up meaningfully here.
Today you have returned the gift. 🎁💕
No, thank YOU, Haide!
I'm so grateful we found you! Your work is definitely paying off! Don't stop creating. You might not realize just how much your words help!❤️
I completely agree with everything you said. At the start I was so enamoured with the likes and the subs, maybe I still am, but I feel now a couple of months down the track, that deep engagement is what keeps me writing and reading. 🥰
It’s wonderful to know that your words have really resonated with someone and that they felt them exactly the way you did while you were writing them. I’m proud that there are people like you who are here because of their deep and genuine commitment. ❤️
Tsetsy, this names a frustration many serious writers quietly feel but rarely articulate this directly. Comments generated for visibility rather than connection create the appearance of engagement while stripping away the very thing most writers are actually hoping for: recognition, resonance, thoughtfulness, and honest human response. Your distinction between reaction and response feels especially important because deep engagement is often revealed through specificity, emotional risk, remembered details, continued return, or the feeling that someone truly sat with the work instead of skimming past it strategically. I also appreciated your defense of silent readers. Some of the deepest forms of connection happen privately, invisibly, and without performance, and many writers underestimate how much their words may already be accompanying people quietly through their lives.
Thank you for not using AI to write this comment
I love this idea of inviting people into your home and your family based on what you write. The fact that you and your partner discussed a post from a "stranger" is so powerful - it tells us that our words and ideas are reading other ears and brains. I'm here for the "deep engagement" and not the confetti.
I truly realize that the authors here don’t realize just how much of an impact they have on the lives of people they may never even know exist! And I believe that’s the whole point of everything we do on this platform. Thank you for being here!❤️
I love this approach! 🤍
I think one problem with Substack is there are more writers than there are readers. Every day in the main feed there are so many articles, Notes and small comments seeking attention, it's more than one person can read.
And there are many who seek Likes, who measure themselves by their subscriber count and those who make all those small comments to generate attention. You can see the same names, multiple times, every day in every stream of the main comment thread.
But it's the way Substack is designed. All writers want people to read what they write, so they need way to bring attention to themselves. But the very techniques one needs to do to bring attention to themselves reduces the amount of reading that gets done. All of us who write need to promote our writing to some extent. But how far to go is the question.
I have sometimes wondered what would Substack be like if no one knew how many subscribers a person had other than the person who runs their page. And if only the writer of content could see the "likes" they received, but no one could see them publicly.
In other words, what it the scoreboard went private. I wonder what effect that might have. Would more people spent more time reading, less time seeking attention?
I don't know, it is what it is I guess.
Definitely some great thoughts and an alternative reality that sounds wonderful, but unfortunately, Substack is, to some extent, a social media platform, and these things drive traffic here. I suppose if there were no visible likes or subscriber counts, the platform simply wouldn’t have succeeded or grown at the rate it’s currently gaining popularity online.
Nevertheless, I’ll continue to dream about what you’re talking about.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’ll definitely give them some thought and maybe even more than that.
I understand what you’re saying. I was just saying, if I had a wish list, that’s would I would like to see. I understand what Substack is doing, I just would prefer it with my suggestions. I don’t like seeing it evolve to FB, Instagram, etc.
I would enjoy seeing that scoreboard removed and seeing how that would change peoples behavior. There might be more than few that would just leave but at least there might be more readers then as well. I think not enough readers per writer is a big issue.
Another option would be to reduce the number of times someone can comment in that main thread, maybe 6 per every 24 hours, could easily be done with technology. Then those frequent posters would have more time go read for a while. I know, I have all the answers lol. 🙂
Thank you for this post. I hope what you're saying about quiet readers is true for my subscribers -- they're not just quiet, they make no sound at all. But they do appear to come back day after day, so I'll take a cue from you and be optimistic. Btw, I'll never be able to type amazing work with a straight face ever again. 😉
Wow that was beautiful and states things I’ve felt but not put into words yet in my own mind. I so appreciate the readers who take the time to read my work deeply.
That's very informative article
Thanks for sharing and keep writing 💫
I agree with your observation..and I am hoping to attracts that readers who not just read and connects and then share their thoughts with me on my work..
This was a timely reminder for me, Tsetsy. As you know, my own numbers for Haunted Media Palace are fairly low and there's times I get a little frustrated with that. Mind, I anticipated that going in. Fact was I put this together and keep publishing because I have seen what I write literally nowhere else in recent years.
But every once in a while, I get these thoughtful comments on a post. The kind that give me a new perspective. I treasure those like you treasure the ones you were talking about. It's the kind of talk I've been looking for a long time.
I think the dangerous part is that “fake engagement” and “strategic engagement” are starting to blur together on Substack.
Because once enough people are taught to comment primarily for visibility, even sincere interaction slowly starts carrying the feeling of performance.
If a person is striving for likes, comments, and whatever other surrogate indicators of engagement, they are operating from a shallow and selfish motivation.
They are NOT prioritizing quality and depth.
They are selfishly seeking to get big and probably get paid (whether it is attention, money, validation, etc.).
I am not interested in a persons content and I am not interested in generating such content for the sake of such.
I don’t write for attention.
I don’t write for metrics.
I don’t do it for money.
I write because I feel inspired to write.
I write from the mystery of my core being.
I will probably die before making a penny from my writing.
Quality > quantity.
But we live in a world that conditions everyone to exploit and monetize each other.
So most writers are just derivative and shallow.
Most are trying to make a buck or get an eyeball.
They aren’t even trying to share true and relevant insights.
They are trying to get cheap dopamine hits as the means to an end of gaining some sort of currency.
Most writers probably don’t have any business writing.
Because they aren’t inspired or motivated by anything deeper than a sort of idea that they fell in love with - being a successful writer - but the reality is that they are basically advertising and selling a cheap product that doesn’t serve the world in any meaningful way.
Ultraprocessed, symbolic drivel on a bed of shallow “connections”.
this is so real. empty engagement almost feels worse than silence because at least silence is honest.
i think writers can always tell when someone has actually entered the piece versus skimmed it for a convenient comment. deep engagement has texture. it responds to the soul of the thing, not just the headline.
Thanks for saying what I couldn’t! (I’m joking lol)
I actually really enjoyed this. I talk about authentic engagement all the time over on my page. I am also deeply disturbed by the people who think staying in a reciprocal loop is meaningful engagement. At the same time, I think… maybe that’s what satisfies them. The issue for me starts when people expect me to reciprocate just because they’ve “engaged” my posts. But that’s not how I operate and that’s not how a true audience is built either. This post hit all the points. 🫶🏽