As an elder Millennial, I’ve had a blog in some form or another since the age of fourteen, when the Internet became widely available and Geocities was Where It Was At. My first forays into writing online was through Diaryland, and not at all what I would call Blogging—it was more Angsty-Teenage-Musings and oversharing that didn’t really matter much, as the only people reading my Diaryland were my three closest friends.
It wasn’t until 2008, on the recommendation of my psychologist, that I started what would be recognizable as a blog. I was learning to understand self-care as a lot more than just “getting pampered at a spa,” and she suggested a blog as a way for me to express myself as a writer and an artist. Blogging would be a way to share both aspects of my creativity by writing about my art.
And so began an intentional blog, hosted on Blogger, where I was quickly able to commit to posting twice a week almost entirely without fail for seven years. I probably would have stuck with Blogger for life, but in 2015 I discovered this new platform called Medium. After poking around on it for not very long at all, I was in love. People could highlight things they liked in a piece! You could comment IN-LINE with the text! You could easily write pieces inspired by another writer and engage in a discussion!
I made the switch and for a year or so, it proved to be as dreamy as I’d hoped. And then Medium monetized, Brexit happened, and Trump got elected.
Which brings me to the purpose of this post (way to bury the lede, I know): I’ve switched from Medium to Substack as my primary blogging space.
I’m making this switch for so many reasons, including the autonomy it gives me over my writing, the control I have over what posts are public, and the option to choose who is allowed to leave comments.
I first encountered Substack because it’s what Roxane Gay uses for her publication, The Audacity. And Roxane Gay endorsing and using a thing is reason enough for me to try it.
After a quick bit of research, I found that this was a platform that offers three key the things I have been searching for:
1. Different subscription tiers allowing for different levels of access, rather than 100% private to folks with accounts and a membership, or 100% public (Dreamwidth /Patreon).
2. Posts go straight to subscriber’s emails, so I don’t have to send reminder emails, post all over social media, or manage a newsletter separately (Blogger, Medium / Mailchimp combo) which I rarely have spoons for anyway.
3. I can organize my writing into different categories according to the genre, making it easier to show the breadth of my multi-genre writing.
I began the switch early in the summer, which required more heavy lifting than the Substack website would lead you to believe.1 It’s been worth it though. As I went through the weeks long process to get my content from one platform to another, I got excited about sharing my writing in a way I haven’t been since before the U.K. Brexit vote and the 2016 U.S. Election.2
I operate on the belief that anyone who uses any social media platform regularly is living with a kind of low-level PTSD. I used to get excited to see a notification of a comment on something I’d written, but from 2016 onward they send a jolt of anxiety through me. I am prepared for the inevitable posts about my book reviews “…not having any men” (Apparently Indigenous and Vietnamese men aren’t men) or being told that a blog on anti-racism is “…reverse racism, and here is why!”
Don’t get me wrong—I delete every bit of harassment disguised as critique in any of my online spaces as soon as I see it—but that doesn’t mean these comments don’t have an impact. Years of being harassed and watching other folks get harassed by Angry White Cis Dudes with Opinions has limited not just what I share, but how much I’m able to write at all.
Knowing I can curate my audience has changed everything. The psychological safety that comes from setting subscription levels is doing wonders for my writing. I have a backlog of potential posts now, and have been writing new content almost daily since setting up an account on Substack.
There is also the possibility I may, in fact, be able to finally start earning a living from my writing and art. As shiny and polished as my website might look, I have yet to personally earn anything close to a living wage from any job I’ve held, let alone all my attempts at self-employment as a writer and artist.
Currently, my spouse (The modern version of marrying rich is marrying a Gen X tech worker) and my parents (HI MUM AND DAD! Thank you! #NotAllBoomers) are the biggest financial supporters of my creative work and the only reason I’m housed, fed, and clothed. And my 15 patrons are the reason I can pay for web hosting fees and art supplies.3
A platform switch has been a long time coming, it was just a matter of when I’d find something that works better than the hot mess of choices I’d been working with. I am looking forward to sharing more of my writing with you, in all the forms it takes, without fear of bigoted comments.
To all of you who have been following my work for some time, thank you for clapping for pieces, sharing the stuff I post and create, and your kind comments and encouragement. I invite you to subscribe to my writing on here on Substack, paid or free.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Kait
Importing posts from Medium to Substack is quite simple, and they offer a very clear guide for it, but because Medium counts every single thing you ever write on it as a “story”, every comment I left anywhere on Medium imported to Substack as a post. Substack lacks bulk editing, so I had to go through each post individually, open them up, scroll down to delete, and then click a pop-up to accept the deletion. “Tedious” is the word for it.
Seems the emboldening of white nationalists in the public sphere has a direct link to the emboldening of angry white cishet men online. WILD.
Have I mentioned that capitalism, white supremacy and cisheteropatriarchy are The Worst? Free housing and healthcare for all! Guaranteed universal income! Stop using fossil fuels! Lets all live in Mutual Aid Villages, get rid of credit ratings, and abolish the police!