Substack, I love you but you're bringing me down.

Substack is becoming just like any other social media platform, and it's leaving the writers behind.

Stay True by Hua Hsu was my top book of this summer

We are all creators, and social media has become our modern-day showcase. On these platforms, amateur comedians, artists, and writers abound, finding creative expression and also a lot of random viral dance videos.

As social media has transitioned from a place to connect with your friends to a place to consume content, so to has the medium with which we express ourselves.

Each social media platform used to be known for a specific content type. Twitter monopolizes short-form text. Substack captures long-form writing. Instagram was originally the place to share photos. YouTube and TikTok were for sharing videos. But now, I can’t help but observe that all these platforms look exactly the same.

Timeline for launch of major social media platforms

Social media platforms measure their success based on their number of active users and the amount of time they engage them for. Capturing a consumer’s attention in today’s attention economy is very difficult. The most recent social media success, BeReal, which was acquired for ~$500M+ in June was only able to bring 9% of their users back each day. In order to compete for the same users and their same free time, social media companies have become identical. No matter which form of communication these platforms start with, they ultimately roll out the same features: the ability to share text, images, videos, stand-alone audio (podcasts), and to go live.

Yes, even Substack.

I hold Substack in higher regard than I do Instagram, Twitter, YouTube or TikTok. It feels calmer, more thoughtful, more authentic. It feels like a warm community. I love that I can write long pieces that arrive in the email inboxes of willing readers. I love that I, in exchange, can be the willing reader for so many amazing writers. Substack feels like it respects and rewards the craft of writing.

Want proof? Read the thoughtful comments on writers’ pieces.

But maybe I’m giving Substack too much credit. In the past two years I’ve been writing The Kitchen Fridge, I’ve watched Substack change into every other social media platform. First came the podcast feature and then the Substack app, which introduced Substack Notes, identical to Twitter-like short-form thoughts or Instagram Threads. With Substack Notes came that dreaded social media algorithm, feeding me an endless supply of content I hardly want. With Substack Notes also came the ability to share Instagram-like photo dumps. Now, Substack has rolled out a “Live” feature.

When the features changed, the creators changed. From my experience scrolling Substack, it seems like innovative thought and artful writing are no longer the ways to win on the platform. Instead, Substack appears to be taking a page from Instagram and TikTok and leaning into the volume game. Similarly, the way I see creators interacting with Substack today reminds me of the way I see creators interact with Instagram or TikTok to grow. They post often, regardless of quality, and they take advantage of new features in the hopes that they will be rewarded by the algorithm. As

Emily Sundberg

points out in The Machine in the Garden: “I’m noticing this platform has become a really good way for women to monetize their diary entries — lists, random thoughts, and (easy to write) roundups of “what I’ve been doing” do really well on this site.” Essentially, the Get Ready with Me content that speckles my Instagram and TikTok feeds has made its way to my writing haven.

I like reading public diary entries as much as the next girl but when I do so on Substack, it feels like the platform is losing its goal of “restoring the value of online writing.” Substack doesn’t feel like a space meant for writers anymore. Substack’s easy monetization path for creators, as well as its ability for creators to own their audience, has attracted creators of all types.

I’m not alone in this observation.

Ochuko Akpovbovbo

puts it well in her blog

as seen on

: “Along with the introduction of social-first features, there’s been an influx of “creators” on Substack—influencers, founders, podcasters, and YouTubers—with little writing experience (non-derogatory) but huge audiences that Substack hopes they can bring over and convert to paying subscribers.”

There’s nothing inherently wrong with creators playing algorithms to grow. Rewarding compelling voices with large platforms and larger paychecks is good for diversity of thought. But as a passionate believer in Substack because of its differences from Instagram and TikTok, it’s also just kind of sad to see.

My favorite Substack creators are world-class writers using the platform to engage with their readers and earn a larger income than the print media world typically provides. Amazing fiction writers like

George Saunders

and my former professor

Alexander Chee

are on Substack. Incredible journalists like

Bari Weiss

are here too. Being able to get unfiltered easter eggs of writing frequently in my inbox from some of the world’s greatest writers is a testament to the positive cultural implications of technology. It’s a testament to how amazing Substack can be. To see Substack rolling out additional features clearly meant more for engagement than for supporting the creative act of writing makes me question my belief in the platform I hold so dear.