Design and Interiors will definately work via Substack. I think it is one's own interest and passion that gravitates towards certain writers and their contributions.
What I personally will not do is pay to follow. Sorry but, to me that is a NO GO area.
It does really fit, I don’t think anyone has the right to dictate what fit or not bcos at the end it all comes down to one’s passion and ability to make it work
I mean, glady will I follow those whom I love and enjoy. Similar to Instagram. But, to me personally, who is not in this business, paying for Substack content is something I will not (and do not want to) do.
Looking for payment may be justified, considering their place in the business world. But, there are "just too many", who want a source of income from their content.
I’m just starting here, I post about what contributes to living well, and my paid chats and threads are for interior design advice…everything that has to do with art and passion belongs here in my opinion 😊
I am also curious what responses you will glean from this post. As I am a student of yours who also is under the Interior Design umbrella. I currently have my content for free and do intend to have a paywall in the future.
My thoughts on using Substack was that through time I could cultivate a following of dedicated readers from those who have come here for other reasons.
If someone has come to this here for journalism or poetry and have a habit of moving around within Substack then, when they had an Interior Design question, they would look within this same space instead of leaving and searching on another platform.
Hi Holly! Of course they do! In fact it’s a great opportunity to prompt Substack to become more visually flexible. I follow a lot of fashion bloggers and I write about art so visuals are important! It’s wonderful to come to Substack and not have all the pop up advertising! I barely want to go to old blogs, especially on food blogs! I have mixed feelings about paying but I pay for magazines, so why not? I offer a watercolor course to paid subscribers (I’m trying to be clever) haha!
I think it belongs Holly, and I think since you were one of the design blog early adopters it's good that you're here early (early for art design people that is). It may be a slow burn. I was a noughties blogger and I didn't realise how much I missed the longer form writing and connection. New artists and designers are coming here daily, I see it in the membership group I'm in, sick of Instagram and looking for new ways to connect. As a reader and interiors lover I'm definitely drawn to visually driven accounts. I don't have the time/inclination to read very long posts - my attention span probably killed off by Instagram!
For as long as Substack functions as a newsletter it’s a tool to use how you’d like and bring your audience along with you. I know there are quite a few artists here and I found the app because of that and ended up moving my own newsletter here. I haven’t turned on the paid tier because I’d want to be intentional with that. The people I pay to subscribe to are not necessarily publishing extra newsletters—they’re hosting an interesting challenge with additional ways to connect and converse, or going in depth on a topic I care about or want to learn about, or cultivating almost a membership of sorts. At least you can take your people elsewhere if it no longer serves you (unlike socials), and your subscribers don’t have to use Substack or know what it is to get your emails. So I think it all depends on your goals and what you want to do with it. The robust discussion here is more than you can have with a standalone blog anymore usually.
My thoughts on: "this is the space for writers on far deeper and more meaningful topics". Well excuse me! The world of interiors is my life and my business, so it's pretty deep and meaningful to me! On a more serious note, I do think that Substack is definitely more of a literary platform than a visual one, and I hate to say it, but even with a paid upgrade, my preference is for websites such as Remodelista (paid, so no ads) to the standardisation, dare I say "sameyness / blandness" of interiors blogs on Substack. I somehow don't feel as excited to see what's new on Substack compared to website blogs, which seem to be able to capture their writers individuality better. Shoot me now....
I hear you Holly, as a Home Stylist sharing styling tips and inspiration I question whether Substack is the right place for me.
However I use Substack as a space to share my work, alongside the blogs I also share on my website and love how there is a community of readers all in one space which you can reach out.
The hardest part I found when just sharing on my website was getting people to click and read, whereas being able to share via a newsletter allows my work to be visible to those that are interested.
I don’t consider myself to be a writer (in the true sense), certainly not on the level of the many incredible writers that are here, and have no plan to be writing a book (as many do), however I love this space, the supportive community and even if I only have a handful of subscribers I’m happy with that!
I’m really enjoying writing on a weekly basis about topics I love and my confidence is growing by the day.
I find I’m getting something from Substack which I’ve been missing from Instagram for months 🤎
I'm always looking for new designers and visual artists on Substack. I encourage people in my industry to start one. When I post about Substack on Instagram, I get so many messages asking about it.
I definitely think it belongs on here. I read your blog many years ago but lost it in the whirl of Instagram. I love how you write and go back to the books you’ve written time and time again. It’s been great to catch up and read your work on here at a slower more human pace. Please keep it going. There is a place for everyone. X
I follow more design writers than anything else on Substack. At least you can learn practical things from the design writers rather than just hear people’s opinions. There are enough platforms for that!
Keep producing your great content. Ignore the naysayers… they just wish more people would read their content!
I am not a paid subscriber to your blog, but I have enjoyed the free posts that I could access.
When I read your question and what prompted it, I thought, some people really are snobs aren't they? What about interior design doesn't belong on Substack? Oy. I have read long, written posts from you, with visuals. It's not like you're drawing with crayons and taking photographs of it and posting it.
Actually, come to think of it, if someone did that I would totally look at it every day. Maybe I should do it.
Hello Holly,
Design and Interiors will definately work via Substack. I think it is one's own interest and passion that gravitates towards certain writers and their contributions.
What I personally will not do is pay to follow. Sorry but, to me that is a NO GO area.
With friendly greetings from Augsburg,
Susanne
It does really fit, I don’t think anyone has the right to dictate what fit or not bcos at the end it all comes down to one’s passion and ability to make it work
I mean, glady will I follow those whom I love and enjoy. Similar to Instagram. But, to me personally, who is not in this business, paying for Substack content is something I will not (and do not want to) do.
Looking for payment may be justified, considering their place in the business world. But, there are "just too many", who want a source of income from their content.
I find this a turn-off. Sorry dear Holly!
I’m just starting here, I post about what contributes to living well, and my paid chats and threads are for interior design advice…everything that has to do with art and passion belongs here in my opinion 😊
Holly,
I am also curious what responses you will glean from this post. As I am a student of yours who also is under the Interior Design umbrella. I currently have my content for free and do intend to have a paywall in the future.
My thoughts on using Substack was that through time I could cultivate a following of dedicated readers from those who have come here for other reasons.
If someone has come to this here for journalism or poetry and have a habit of moving around within Substack then, when they had an Interior Design question, they would look within this same space instead of leaving and searching on another platform.
Naive, perhaps. Hopefully, absolutely.
Dawn
Hi Holly! Of course they do! In fact it’s a great opportunity to prompt Substack to become more visually flexible. I follow a lot of fashion bloggers and I write about art so visuals are important! It’s wonderful to come to Substack and not have all the pop up advertising! I barely want to go to old blogs, especially on food blogs! I have mixed feelings about paying but I pay for magazines, so why not? I offer a watercolor course to paid subscribers (I’m trying to be clever) haha!
I think it belongs Holly, and I think since you were one of the design blog early adopters it's good that you're here early (early for art design people that is). It may be a slow burn. I was a noughties blogger and I didn't realise how much I missed the longer form writing and connection. New artists and designers are coming here daily, I see it in the membership group I'm in, sick of Instagram and looking for new ways to connect. As a reader and interiors lover I'm definitely drawn to visually driven accounts. I don't have the time/inclination to read very long posts - my attention span probably killed off by Instagram!
I don’t see why it wouldn’t. I’ve been exploring interiors on Substack for the past year and having a lovely time - as it seems are you, no? :-)
For as long as Substack functions as a newsletter it’s a tool to use how you’d like and bring your audience along with you. I know there are quite a few artists here and I found the app because of that and ended up moving my own newsletter here. I haven’t turned on the paid tier because I’d want to be intentional with that. The people I pay to subscribe to are not necessarily publishing extra newsletters—they’re hosting an interesting challenge with additional ways to connect and converse, or going in depth on a topic I care about or want to learn about, or cultivating almost a membership of sorts. At least you can take your people elsewhere if it no longer serves you (unlike socials), and your subscribers don’t have to use Substack or know what it is to get your emails. So I think it all depends on your goals and what you want to do with it. The robust discussion here is more than you can have with a standalone blog anymore usually.
My thoughts on: "this is the space for writers on far deeper and more meaningful topics". Well excuse me! The world of interiors is my life and my business, so it's pretty deep and meaningful to me! On a more serious note, I do think that Substack is definitely more of a literary platform than a visual one, and I hate to say it, but even with a paid upgrade, my preference is for websites such as Remodelista (paid, so no ads) to the standardisation, dare I say "sameyness / blandness" of interiors blogs on Substack. I somehow don't feel as excited to see what's new on Substack compared to website blogs, which seem to be able to capture their writers individuality better. Shoot me now....
I hear you Holly, as a Home Stylist sharing styling tips and inspiration I question whether Substack is the right place for me.
However I use Substack as a space to share my work, alongside the blogs I also share on my website and love how there is a community of readers all in one space which you can reach out.
The hardest part I found when just sharing on my website was getting people to click and read, whereas being able to share via a newsletter allows my work to be visible to those that are interested.
I don’t consider myself to be a writer (in the true sense), certainly not on the level of the many incredible writers that are here, and have no plan to be writing a book (as many do), however I love this space, the supportive community and even if I only have a handful of subscribers I’m happy with that!
I’m really enjoying writing on a weekly basis about topics I love and my confidence is growing by the day.
I find I’m getting something from Substack which I’ve been missing from Instagram for months 🤎
Eff em! Keep writing.
I'm always looking for new designers and visual artists on Substack. I encourage people in my industry to start one. When I post about Substack on Instagram, I get so many messages asking about it.
Hi Holly,
I definitely think it belongs on here. I read your blog many years ago but lost it in the whirl of Instagram. I love how you write and go back to the books you’ve written time and time again. It’s been great to catch up and read your work on here at a slower more human pace. Please keep it going. There is a place for everyone. X
Hey Holly,
I follow more design writers than anything else on Substack. At least you can learn practical things from the design writers rather than just hear people’s opinions. There are enough platforms for that!
Keep producing your great content. Ignore the naysayers… they just wish more people would read their content!
I am not a paid subscriber to your blog, but I have enjoyed the free posts that I could access.
When I read your question and what prompted it, I thought, some people really are snobs aren't they? What about interior design doesn't belong on Substack? Oy. I have read long, written posts from you, with visuals. It's not like you're drawing with crayons and taking photographs of it and posting it.
Actually, come to think of it, if someone did that I would totally look at it every day. Maybe I should do it.