I need to just stay here.

[lizdamnit]

Warning, I am feeling very pessimistic.

I used to love writing, but there is literally no place for long-form anymore. We do not read blogs, we do not visit people's websites, we do not read newsletters. I want to get my hand back in, I have ideas/outlines/etc. for essays, but what the hell do I do with them?  I guess I should just stick stuff here and hope people click my links?

It doesn't help at all that social media is a literal mental health hazard lately. I would love to write a thing, even a serious thing, and share it on bluesky or something, but I cannot take quintuple identical reposts of the same exhortations to be enraged at American fascists. I am enraged. But I can't say in that or I will burn out.

Part of this is that I'm probably autistic AF which makes socializing already very very hard. I hang back, I observe, I learn the rules, and I follow them. I log into Bluesky for instance and it's just a torrent of justified anger and ragebait. I read the room and go, "you know, maybe I should not". Sometimes I override this and post little drabbles of ideas, but those get lost in the sauce. The only thing that seems to get any engagement is salty political observations, which I do enjoy but good god. 

I got the idea to do a newsletter but swiftly threw that away. Everything is so overwhelming: subscriptions, engagement metrics, drops. Jesus Christ, I just want to share something long form and maybe talk about it. Patreon broke me with "schedule drops for your fans!". I tanked the entire idea right then and there. If I was doing this for work, this would be a different story, if I was making one to help a friend it would also be a different story. I'm just looking to blog and have that blog automatically email updates to people that want it. If for some reason those people want to pay me too, I won't say no, but I have neither the energy nor the self esteem to make myself an entire production company.

Guess I'm staying here for the forseeable future!

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I used to love writing, but there is literally no place for long-form anymore.<<

Dreamwidth is one such place. There are many folks writing long posts here, although it's getting harder to find long fiction posted here instead of just a link to a different site. But some people still do that too. I post a variety of nonfiction, fiction, and poetry which is primarily long; plus links and some other short stuff. dialecticdreamer and lomonaaeren are a couple of others who post fiction here. Also, DW is lurk-friendly; you can read without commenting or posting if you don't have the energy to interact. I have some readers who basically use me as a newsfeed because they like the articles I link to.

Freethought Blogs is another platform: atheist, agnostic, humanist, scientific, skeptic, rational, etc. so much of it is thinky stuff.

If you want something lighter, both analytical and creative, check out The Vivienne Files, where each capsule wardrobe has an element of storytelling about the kind of person who would wear such clothes.

My go-to science news site is Science Daily. My top one for positive news is GoodGoodGood.

Plus of course, there are still author websites; some folks prefer to have control over their own content. Mine is here.

>> We do not read blogs, we do not visit people's websites,<<

Some people still do. It's a matter of taste, and needs. I don't bother with most short-form social media because it doesn't meet my needs.

>> we do not read newsletters.<<

I miss newsletters. I really liked those.

>> I want to get my hand back in, I have ideas/outlines/etc. for essays, but what the hell do I do with them? I guess I should just stick stuff here and hope people click my links? <<

If you like essays, I recommend marchmetamatterschallenge and the other Meta communities.

The Writing communities and Books communities include some that favor nonfiction, essays, etc.

allbingo runs a new fest each month; fills can be any size or type of content. By all means do essays or other long-form stuff if you wish. This month has two events: Western (with Meet and Greet) and Winterfest in July.

To make friends, use the Add Me communities and watch for friending memes or other events. The sunshine_revival just started yesterday, so check if that feels inspiring to you. Watch to see who makes interesting comments or posts and check their blog to decide if you'd like to follow it.

Another option for interaction is to post questions. I'm currently running Philosophical Questions in my Thursday slot for recurring posts. Sometimes lively discussions break out, which is fun.


>> It doesn't help at all that social media is a literal mental health hazard lately.<<

It can be. It isn't always. I hear people saying terrible things about YouTube content. Okay, the intrusive ads suck, but there are usually ways around those. I don't know what other folks are watching that's so awful, but my favorite channels include how-to craft demos, terrarium and vivarium builds, environmental restoration, and paleontology.

>> I would love to write a thing, even a serious thing, and share it on bluesky or something, but I cannot take quintuple identical reposts of the same exhortations to be enraged at American fascists. I am enraged. But I can't say in that or I will burn out.<<

Yyyyeah, that sucks.

>>Part of this is that I'm probably autistic AF which makes socializing already very very hard. <<

I have a lot of neurovariant folks in my audience. Also worth a look is thefreaksclub.

>> I hang back, I observe, I learn the rules, and I follow them. <<

Sensible.

>> I log into Bluesky for instance and it's just a torrent of justified anger and ragebait. I read the room and go, "you know, maybe I should not". Sometimes I override this and post little drabbles of ideas, but those get lost in the sauce. <<

That sounds frustrating.

>>The only thing that seems to get any engagement is salty political observations, which I do enjoy but good god.<<

talkpolitics is worth a look.

>> I got the idea to do a newsletter but swiftly threw that away. Everything is so overwhelming: subscriptions, engagement metrics, drops. <<

Alas!

>>Jesus Christ, I just want to share something long form and maybe talk about it.<<

I enjoy that, and have had good luck with it on DW.

>>Patreon broke me with "schedule drops for your fans!". I tanked the entire idea right then and there. If I was doing this for work, this would be a different story, if I was making one to help a friend it would also be a different story. <<

Bummer.

>>I'm just looking to blog and have that blog automatically email updates to people that want it. If for some reason those people want to pay me too, I won't say no, but I have neither the energy nor the self esteem to make myself an entire production company.<<

That would be nice.

Re: Thoughts

[lizdamnit]

Oh shit, someone read me! Oh no!

I kid, ysabetwordsmith - hello there! Thank you for taking the time on this random journal. I must apologize - I don't normally whine, but things have been thinging and I needed to get it out. Which is the purpose of a journal! But I appreciate your measured and thoughtful response.

Thank you for your many suggestions for accounts, communities on DW. I've been enjoying floating around on here (came up during the Livejournal days and I miss that). However, the recs are very welcome since word of mouth is one of the better ways to navigate a site/community like DW.

There are still plenty of places for long-form writing as well as plenty that still like it. Quick note on YT ads/content: content is by choice, so little problem there. It's unusable without some sort of ad blocker, but plenty of ads get through and they are sometimes influenced by whatever is popular in your area, never mind what are best bets for what you've actually searched for. Pretty revealing about one's neighbors!

Thank you again, and be well!

[retrogrrrl]

Shit, don't I hear this. I stumbled upon this journal by total accident --- probably interest surfin' in hopes of finding some other cool peeps 'round here. In actuality, we don't have all that much overlapping interests save for internet horror, old internet and vaporwave... wait, that's a lot actually LOL.

Anyways, I agree and I share the sentiment. It's hard not to be pessimistic when it just seems to be the overwhelming day to day life in the internet now. I do hold some hope, one that only increases the more I surf through sites like this. Bloggers, journalers and people who yearn for the old internet are very much out there and they're all tryin' to carve their space on the internet. If I am correct (and I often am), with the way the internet is going people will soon find themselves goin' counter culture with it, going back to forums and learning how to do a simple code to get their own little neocities going. Maybe we'll find people like us, who write a lot and say a lot. Hell, the only reason I've begun this journal/blog is 'cause I found a very interesting writer on Bluesky and felt my love for writin' pieces coming back. Revamped this here journal and set sail, wondering where I'll end.

Until the people decide to return to the old form of the internet I'll be here, lying back on the couch and followin' cool people on DW until it becomes the new hot thing that favors us writers. Anyways, I've subbed. You seem interesting! So cheers~

[lizdamnit]

Yo, I suck at replying! Thank you for stopping by :)

I think you're right - gradually more people will come back to an older more hands-on internet. It will take a long time, though, since the app and feed model is so convenient. I've "fallen" back in myself here and there. Neocities seems to have a lot of activity and it's not the only recreated internet neighborhood out there so at least we're not alone! I keep thinking I'll write more but whoops....yeah, gotta get back into that!

See you around!