Wrestling with Substack
An old business friend suggested that e-mail was the best social media. I tend to agree. It’s personal, it can broadcast, and can be one-to-one.
As of the current count, I get one or two “substack” e-mails in a day, a few more weekly and two authors I enjoy? “Occasional.” Occasional is roughly monthly, or whenever the spirt moves them? I’m not sure, I think I’ve only received a half-dozen in the last year from one author, more as promotional material, blog-style discourse than functional communications. Which is why I like it. Book to film, book to TV, new book, and secret projects teased.
What I like about the substack model?
It’s “write once, publish in a variety of forms.” There is also the “subscribe” and “donate” or “became a paid member” button at the bottom of the email.
Like many old net hippies, I like “free.”
There is also an option for substack to host the content, once published, so, like WordPress, Blogger, AOL, Tumblr, Medium, MySpace, and many others that have come (and gone), it’s a publishing platform
Wrestling with Substack
Substack is the current reigning champion in the corner of content and delivery, with web publishing hooks. Current reigning champion doesn’t mean much. I’ve seen numerous brands come — and go. Disappear, become non-responsive, die on the vine? Wither into an html-only wasteland? Many become a disembodied voice wandering in an HTML, vector-driven space with link rot hanging like a Spanish moss.
I’m on my third or fourth e-mail listserv, recall that shorthand name? What I’m looking for is an automated answer, a seamless, automated answer that sends a blog entry as a bulk e-mail to a list of subscribers. I would note, in proper format, I use only a double opt-in sign-up form.
Some of my subscribers have been with me for almost 30 years, but the list is small, and getting smaller. Still, I rather enjoy the work.
Wrestling with Substack
Until I get a decent, ease-of-use, transparent, type of motor worked out? The old mailing list still works rather effectively, if limited in it’s (horo) scope.
