This was a great post, John. I'm glad I found it on Notes. You say that your writing is the better for Substack's existence, but I suspect that Substack is also better for your writing and presence. Thank you.
I love this John, and admire the ways you're creating, engaging, and thinking about community. I recall Katherine May writing a while back about who community is for--how it can be insidious when it's not of your own choosing, e.g., when you live in a neighborhood or small town and your actions are watched and if you have a disability or don't look the right way, or simply don't like to engage you can be treated with derision. I think the ways we build and find and connect with others needs to be part of the conversation about community, and I love that this piece highlights that. 💜
Thank you so much, Freya. I remember reading that piece from Katherine May and thinking that there is a difference between communities that are not of our choosing and those that are more intentional. I started writing this series on community after a frustrating period working with communities that weren't working, specifically community water systems, and certainly that were circumstantial rather than intentional.
I want to look at successful communities to see if there are lessons that could carry over. Thanks for reminding me of Katherine's piece, and through it, of my intent here!
I have become so social media adverse that I never considered other online communities. Honestly, even Notes has been a mental challenge for me that I hope to overcome! Your post cracked a door for me. As a writer (both here on Substack and in the form of fiction books), I’ve wanted but struggled to find my online place, away from the likes of FB, Insta and X. Now, I have a new perspective. Thank you!
I’m part of an online writing community Story Republic, that grew out of Bernadette Jiwa’s Story Skills Workshop. Its a practice space, with a community feel. People come and go with the rhythms of their lives, and a lot of my participation is asynchronous because of time zones, but I get to meet wonderful writers from Canada, USA, UK and Europe, people with diverse backgrounds I won’t come across day to day here in Melbourne - especially since I don’t get out much. And when I do have an occasional bout of insomnia, I can join a zoom and watch people practicing sharing their stories. Precious connections.
The workshop was excellent - some participants have taken it 2 or even 3 times. Its great for helping you focus on what makes a story, and for helping you to mine your life and environment for small gems you would otherwise miss. Its taken by a wide range of people too - business people wanting to tell brand stories, people new to storytelling, experienced writers wanting a refresh, and everything in between.
I agree that we shouldn’t give up our online communities! I’m part of a small group that were in an online program together and wanted to stay in touch. We meet twice a month and are always saying how glad we are that we stuck together. We are in US, Canada, UK, and Germany. I love that the internet allows for connection with folks across the world. I appreciate being exposed to perspectives that are outside of my bubble.
While I'm certainly preaching to the choir here on Substack, the email comments I've received have been equally positive. It gives me hope to see the yearning for true connection and understanding beyond the algorithms.
While I'm currently pretty burned out on social media, I'm in a couple of really good groups on Facebook, full of people I've known online for over 20 years.
My brother and I 🫀emoji one another.:) As for community, the Unfixed community was the first place a really felt held, heard and could reciprocate. All online. All from the comfort of our own bedtimes and bedrooms. This has been very freeing for bodies and nervous systems that sometimes get all jacked up in the company and stimulation of too many people, too many ideas. Substack, similarly, feels like a gentle hug that I can receive and share, when inspired.
I'm so glad you took that class! TON does very good work. I've let my National Association of Science Writers membership lapse, but Siri is active in that organization and I have to say it's among the best writing organization I've ever been a part of. I think there's a lot of movement between NASW and TON.
My original writing group started meeting online in something like 2013 or earlier, way before Covid, on Google Hangouts. We are geographically scattered and are still meeting -- tonight, in fact! -- and I've only ever met two of the other members in person. My other writing group is all science writers and we have a little Slack group where we talk and workshop and troubleshoot. I would be sad to give up either of these groups.
Yes, many of my science writer friends are in NASW. I should check it out. I'm really impressed with TON. I'm a donor. Another friend, Jane Hu, is on the board.
These online groups are the best! I'm glad the post landed. I'm never sure!
I’m finding a lovely community here on Substack. I think the challenge is finding people in the first place when there’s so much choice and so many social media channels and posts fighting for our attention.
Love your view on leadership, by the way. 30-year-old me could have done with that insight!
I have a pretty strong community on FB still, so I stay there, also to keep in touch with family and friends from other places around the country. I do love the community on Substack. It reminds a lot of the community of political bloggers I was involved with before Twitter and Facebook.
Can't quite give it up either, as there are a couple of groups that use it still. And there are some writers I follow on Instagram. I wish they'd just move over here!
Instagram has never done much for me. I post there occasionally but never really got into it. I really don't post much at all these days anywhere. I found myself feeling a little over extended here and have been just wrestling with why I was posting new Stacks almost daily sometimes twice a day.
I always enjoyed Twitter so much, especially in my blogging days. Great place for breaking news. Now it is a lot of trash. Some photographers are active there, that is about the only thing I check there anymore. Even FB is experiencing low engagement. People all respond with emojis and stickers. So thankful conversations here !
This was a great post, John. I'm glad I found it on Notes. You say that your writing is the better for Substack's existence, but I suspect that Substack is also better for your writing and presence. Thank you.
Jeffrey, thank you so much for those kind words!
Agreed!
I love this John, and admire the ways you're creating, engaging, and thinking about community. I recall Katherine May writing a while back about who community is for--how it can be insidious when it's not of your own choosing, e.g., when you live in a neighborhood or small town and your actions are watched and if you have a disability or don't look the right way, or simply don't like to engage you can be treated with derision. I think the ways we build and find and connect with others needs to be part of the conversation about community, and I love that this piece highlights that. 💜
Thank you so much, Freya. I remember reading that piece from Katherine May and thinking that there is a difference between communities that are not of our choosing and those that are more intentional. I started writing this series on community after a frustrating period working with communities that weren't working, specifically community water systems, and certainly that were circumstantial rather than intentional.
I want to look at successful communities to see if there are lessons that could carry over. Thanks for reminding me of Katherine's piece, and through it, of my intent here!
I have become so social media adverse that I never considered other online communities. Honestly, even Notes has been a mental challenge for me that I hope to overcome! Your post cracked a door for me. As a writer (both here on Substack and in the form of fiction books), I’ve wanted but struggled to find my online place, away from the likes of FB, Insta and X. Now, I have a new perspective. Thank you!
Thank you, Desserae, and you are most welcome!
I’m part of an online writing community Story Republic, that grew out of Bernadette Jiwa’s Story Skills Workshop. Its a practice space, with a community feel. People come and go with the rhythms of their lives, and a lot of my participation is asynchronous because of time zones, but I get to meet wonderful writers from Canada, USA, UK and Europe, people with diverse backgrounds I won’t come across day to day here in Melbourne - especially since I don’t get out much. And when I do have an occasional bout of insomnia, I can join a zoom and watch people practicing sharing their stories. Precious connections.
That's so great, Michelle. It's been so much fun finding out how many of us are in these kinds of groups. What a rich vein that turned out to be!
Story Republic looks great! How was the workshop?
The workshop was excellent - some participants have taken it 2 or even 3 times. Its great for helping you focus on what makes a story, and for helping you to mine your life and environment for small gems you would otherwise miss. Its taken by a wide range of people too - business people wanting to tell brand stories, people new to storytelling, experienced writers wanting a refresh, and everything in between.
Great! I will look at taking it when they start up again in the new year! Thanks for the info!
I totally agree. It's easy to dismiss social media but I've seen so many lonely people take comfort from online contact.
🫀
Lindsey 🫀!
I agree that we shouldn’t give up our online communities! I’m part of a small group that were in an online program together and wanted to stay in touch. We meet twice a month and are always saying how glad we are that we stuck together. We are in US, Canada, UK, and Germany. I love that the internet allows for connection with folks across the world. I appreciate being exposed to perspectives that are outside of my bubble.
Thank you, Kim. 🫀
While I'm certainly preaching to the choir here on Substack, the email comments I've received have been equally positive. It gives me hope to see the yearning for true connection and understanding beyond the algorithms.
While I'm currently pretty burned out on social media, I'm in a couple of really good groups on Facebook, full of people I've known online for over 20 years.
And I met my husband in an AOL chat room in 1996.
Ha, I love that! 🫀
Yea, I've been meaning to tell the whole 'how we met' story on my stack.
Yes! Can't wait for that one!
My brother and I 🫀emoji one another.:) As for community, the Unfixed community was the first place a really felt held, heard and could reciprocate. All online. All from the comfort of our own bedtimes and bedrooms. This has been very freeing for bodies and nervous systems that sometimes get all jacked up in the company and stimulation of too many people, too many ideas. Substack, similarly, feels like a gentle hug that I can receive and share, when inspired.
I love this Kim.🫀
I'm so glad you took that class! TON does very good work. I've let my National Association of Science Writers membership lapse, but Siri is active in that organization and I have to say it's among the best writing organization I've ever been a part of. I think there's a lot of movement between NASW and TON.
My original writing group started meeting online in something like 2013 or earlier, way before Covid, on Google Hangouts. We are geographically scattered and are still meeting -- tonight, in fact! -- and I've only ever met two of the other members in person. My other writing group is all science writers and we have a little Slack group where we talk and workshop and troubleshoot. I would be sad to give up either of these groups.
Yes, many of my science writer friends are in NASW. I should check it out. I'm really impressed with TON. I'm a donor. Another friend, Jane Hu, is on the board.
These online groups are the best! I'm glad the post landed. I'm never sure!
I went to the NASW conference in 2016 and it was really good. One of the best I've been to.
🫀
I’m finding a lovely community here on Substack. I think the challenge is finding people in the first place when there’s so much choice and so many social media channels and posts fighting for our attention.
Love your view on leadership, by the way. 30-year-old me could have done with that insight!
I have a pretty strong community on FB still, so I stay there, also to keep in touch with family and friends from other places around the country. I do love the community on Substack. It reminds a lot of the community of political bloggers I was involved with before Twitter and Facebook.
Can't quite give it up either, as there are a couple of groups that use it still. And there are some writers I follow on Instagram. I wish they'd just move over here!
Instagram has never done much for me. I post there occasionally but never really got into it. I really don't post much at all these days anywhere. I found myself feeling a little over extended here and have been just wrestling with why I was posting new Stacks almost daily sometimes twice a day.
No one reads post there anymore, just stories and reels, and I can't be bothered. Í check in once a day, that's it.
I've never had much success at moving my followers over here because the engagement is so low.
I always enjoyed Twitter so much, especially in my blogging days. Great place for breaking news. Now it is a lot of trash. Some photographers are active there, that is about the only thing I check there anymore. Even FB is experiencing low engagement. People all respond with emojis and stickers. So thankful conversations here !
I was never there. I was very active on Usenet newsgroups back in the day (1995!) before the world wide web came along and pretty much killed it off.
I remember Usenet.