I considered content writing but decided I just don’t have the wherewithal to do it. I’m limited by age and personal eccentricity to stick to my subjects. I feel my time is limited to say what I have to say. If I make any money it’s going to have to be on my books and online writing about things that are really important. At 84 you get concerned about giving your real gifts to the world.
I think at 85 I am concerned about NOT sharing what I’ve learned. After reading this article, and facing the possible decline in monthly income to permit adequate care for the oligarchs, it is good to know there is the writing equivalent of being a greeter at Walmart, to pad the income up to livable if not abundant. Nice to meet you, Meditations.
No. I have enough trouble navigating about in Substack. Half my Substack time is taken up looking for things. Not exactly intuitive for a woman who started school with an inkwell and feather. TMI?
I’ve been boosted a few times on Medium, and I was one of 1000 writers they rewarded with 3 months of extra money a few years ago, but I don’t think it’s the best place for a writer like me. Do you have any suggestions of platforms that would be a better fit?
You'd be better off using Medium. If you have a story you feel is particularly important, feel free to share a draft with me. I can get some extra attention for it if the subject matter fits into one of my publications. Best of luck!
Now, that's a refreshingly candid comment. As someone who's been around a while, I appreciate such words of wisdom. Give "your real gifts to the world" as long as possible!
Congratulations on not needing to do content writing, Walter. I noticed years ago, before ChatGPT became popular, that the quality of writing was very repetitive within an article and across a topic. It continued to get steadily worse.
And some of the aggregator blogs (if I am using that word correctly) crafting or celebrity blogs that mostly link to other blogs) are so ad-ridden they are hard to use.
It is only going to get worse for writers and readers with AI tools available.
That’s true, but these days I’m less concerned that AI is going to take my job. People can sense when a story doesn’t come from a human being. At least, I hope that will continue to be true :)
I also know when an AI chatbot handles my customer service requests. And I mean that in how it sounds (because they often can't spell or understand what I'm saying).
I appreciate your take on content writing and, I fully agree with you. I tried content writing for a while but it left a bad taste in my mouth, like eating poorly prepared fast food when you are used to thoughtfully prepared home-cooked meals. I left the content mills and "graduated" to writing for encyclopedias, writing contracts, and creating documents and manuals for industries such as oil and gas, and healthcare insurance. A tiny step up, but it paid better but still left me unsatisfied since I was writing on demand and not necessarily in areas that interested me. I have been a member of Medium for a while now, and recently joined Substack. I haven't yet published on either platform, but the longing to produce and share meaningful writing has never left me, and it seems that those two platforms might be compatible with what I want to write. Thank you for the insights!
Absolutely! Your experiences writing for encyclopedias and whatnot would be interesting to develop into a 1,500 word article (or a series). Let me know if you're interested!
I've been a content writer slave longer than I care to admit. I agree that it can be soul-crushing but can also sour you on writing for a particular platform. Furthermore, I've found that the "rules" can seem arbitrary. Details matter whether it's an editor under a deadline or some AI editor. The best editors (and we all know this) can make mistakes.
Your article caught my attention because I enjoy reading your posts and I've been there and done that.
That was an absolutely fascinating read. It made me appreciate and understand a bit more about people who want to make their living by being a writer. More power to you all!
Exactly why I have backed off on Substack. Bring a writer is all about heart and soul. 98% of what I see on Substack is people wanting you to pay $5 a month to read poorly written blogs. That is not writing and does not pass the smell test. That is why I stepped off the merry go round.
It's true that Substack requires a bit of selling, but that's a consequence of the fact that billionaires control all the distribution mechanisms. I know full well that the things I think will NOT be popular in the mainstream media. There's no representation at all for progressive ideas. But being on Substack is night and day different than being a content writer. That job was awful, at least on Substack I get to engage in the topics that interest me. Yes, I wish we didn't have to sell so much, but until we manage to create a more egalitarian world, this is the best system we have. Actually, maybe it's not even the best system, but it's the only one that I've found.
Try actually writing a book and publishing it on Amazon KDP. Do that and you can call yourself an author. Write shirt blurbs on Substack and you are little more than a social media blogger.
You actually believe that publishing anything through Amazon makes one an author??? What a delusional joke!!! Amazon ISN'T a credible PUBLISHER. How about Random House???
Substack IS for WRITERS. Your insistence to “decide” who is or isn't an “author” is as much of a joke as Amazon being a publisher!!! Stuff your outrageous ego back down your throat & go find something CONSTRUCTIVE to do…..
I considered content writing but decided I just don’t have the wherewithal to do it. I’m limited by age and personal eccentricity to stick to my subjects. I feel my time is limited to say what I have to say. If I make any money it’s going to have to be on my books and online writing about things that are really important. At 84 you get concerned about giving your real gifts to the world.
I think at 85 I am concerned about NOT sharing what I’ve learned. After reading this article, and facing the possible decline in monthly income to permit adequate care for the oligarchs, it is good to know there is the writing equivalent of being a greeter at Walmart, to pad the income up to livable if not abundant. Nice to meet you, Meditations.
Are you on Medium in addition to Substack Sandra?
No. I have enough trouble navigating about in Substack. Half my Substack time is taken up looking for things. Not exactly intuitive for a woman who started school with an inkwell and feather. TMI?
Such a sense of humor! I love it!
I’ve been boosted a few times on Medium, and I was one of 1000 writers they rewarded with 3 months of extra money a few years ago, but I don’t think it’s the best place for a writer like me. Do you have any suggestions of platforms that would be a better fit?
The only places I’m currently working are Substack and Medium. I’ve found good paying markets on Submittable too.
You'd be better off using Medium. If you have a story you feel is particularly important, feel free to share a draft with me. I can get some extra attention for it if the subject matter fits into one of my publications. Best of luck!
I’ve been on Medium for 5 years. I’d be interested how you would see what I write there. I think everything is under my name, David Price.
This account right: https://medium.com/@davidprice-26453
Yes
Now, that's a refreshingly candid comment. As someone who's been around a while, I appreciate such words of wisdom. Give "your real gifts to the world" as long as possible!
Would love to hear some more which content writing sites you've found good?
It’s been a long time since I used them. I worked with Steady Content and Constant Content but I don’t know if either are still in operation.
Congratulations on not needing to do content writing, Walter. I noticed years ago, before ChatGPT became popular, that the quality of writing was very repetitive within an article and across a topic. It continued to get steadily worse.
And some of the aggregator blogs (if I am using that word correctly) crafting or celebrity blogs that mostly link to other blogs) are so ad-ridden they are hard to use.
It is only going to get worse for writers and readers with AI tools available.
That’s true, but these days I’m less concerned that AI is going to take my job. People can sense when a story doesn’t come from a human being. At least, I hope that will continue to be true :)
I also know when an AI chatbot handles my customer service requests. And I mean that in how it sounds (because they often can't spell or understand what I'm saying).
I appreciate your take on content writing and, I fully agree with you. I tried content writing for a while but it left a bad taste in my mouth, like eating poorly prepared fast food when you are used to thoughtfully prepared home-cooked meals. I left the content mills and "graduated" to writing for encyclopedias, writing contracts, and creating documents and manuals for industries such as oil and gas, and healthcare insurance. A tiny step up, but it paid better but still left me unsatisfied since I was writing on demand and not necessarily in areas that interested me. I have been a member of Medium for a while now, and recently joined Substack. I haven't yet published on either platform, but the longing to produce and share meaningful writing has never left me, and it seems that those two platforms might be compatible with what I want to write. Thank you for the insights!
Absolutely! Your experiences writing for encyclopedias and whatnot would be interesting to develop into a 1,500 word article (or a series). Let me know if you're interested!
I've been a content writer slave longer than I care to admit. I agree that it can be soul-crushing but can also sour you on writing for a particular platform. Furthermore, I've found that the "rules" can seem arbitrary. Details matter whether it's an editor under a deadline or some AI editor. The best editors (and we all know this) can make mistakes.
Your article caught my attention because I enjoy reading your posts and I've been there and done that.
Thanks for your lovely comment Suzanne! It's good, honest work, but it can be a grind!
That was an absolutely fascinating read. It made me appreciate and understand a bit more about people who want to make their living by being a writer. More power to you all!
Thanks Wendy!
Interesting … very interesting ..
Thanks Gene!
Exactly why I have backed off on Substack. Bring a writer is all about heart and soul. 98% of what I see on Substack is people wanting you to pay $5 a month to read poorly written blogs. That is not writing and does not pass the smell test. That is why I stepped off the merry go round.
It's true that Substack requires a bit of selling, but that's a consequence of the fact that billionaires control all the distribution mechanisms. I know full well that the things I think will NOT be popular in the mainstream media. There's no representation at all for progressive ideas. But being on Substack is night and day different than being a content writer. That job was awful, at least on Substack I get to engage in the topics that interest me. Yes, I wish we didn't have to sell so much, but until we manage to create a more egalitarian world, this is the best system we have. Actually, maybe it's not even the best system, but it's the only one that I've found.
Try actually writing a book and publishing it on Amazon KDP. Do that and you can call yourself an author. Write shirt blurbs on Substack and you are little more than a social media blogger.
You presume to tell me that I can't call myself an author?
You actually believe that publishing anything through Amazon makes one an author??? What a delusional joke!!! Amazon ISN'T a credible PUBLISHER. How about Random House???
Substack IS for WRITERS. Your insistence to “decide” who is or isn't an “author” is as much of a joke as Amazon being a publisher!!! Stuff your outrageous ego back down your throat & go find something CONSTRUCTIVE to do…..
BLOCKED!!! YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT!!!
I was waiting to see if he'd reply to me. ;)
I’ve written and published multiple novels on Amazon KDP. Writing articles is just as much writing as that was.
Dude, go touch some grass or something