Reading list
Shortform reading
This is an incomplete list of the shortform reading (and listening and watching) I’ve been doing lately.
Why Substack shouldn't be the future of online publishing
So that’s the good news: Substack has some high-profile authors and is bringing in more of them, and that’s presumably good for revenue. But how good — enough to make a living on, or enough to satisfy the company’s investors? Those are two very different things.
#independent-media · #publishing · #substack · #venture-capital
Substack Did Not See That Coming
Let’s set Substack’s “Nazi problem” aside for a moment. What if the bigger issue is being stranded on a collapsing platform... with a bunch of Nazis? Substack's content woes are bound up with its shaky business model in ways that are bad for all of us.
Former Substack writers who exited the platform in early 2024 are making more money on Beehiiv and Ghost thanks to their fixed pricing models.
What I learned in year four of Platformer
Ever since Platformer left Substack in January, readers have been asking us how it’s been going. Today, in keeping with our annual tradition of anniversary posts (here are one, two, and three), I’ll answer that question — and share some other observations on the state of independent media over the past year.
#better-web · #fediverse · #ghost · #journalism · #newsletter · #substack
Substack Writers Concerned as Subscriptions 'Plummet' Due to Follow Feature
Substack writers are expressing their concerns about the platform's following feature on social media, which some argue is suppressing their subscription growth.
Substack Doesn't Want You to Leave
Substack is in trouble, and their recent feature releases are evidence of that.