This week I wrote a note on Substack and this is what I said: I see similar happening on Substack as that which has happened to writers in the publishing industry, celebs with all their other income streams turning up and taking up space and presumably subscriptions.
Brilliant post Anna. I keep seeing more and more ‘celebs’ popping up on my feed. I am not here for ‘celebs’ with no discernible talent apart from the rights granted to them by their genetics or their relationships. Please let’s stop Substack turning into another soulless, capitalist venture, killing creativity and lining the pockets of those who need it least. 🙏
Thank you for writing this. I'm rather sick of the influencers and so-called celebrities. Give me something decent and thoughtful to read and I'm happy. That is what I am here for.
As always, Anna, nail on the head. And as a novice White Ink-er I cannot thank you enough for the support you and this community have shown already for me and for my writing. For anyone who doesn’t know me, or who is considering joining Anna’s community - I am a fledgling writer currently earning nothing, paying my mortgage with the last of my savings from my previous career. I am having to be judicious in choosing where to invest in my learning as I become immersed in this creative life. The value I have gained from only around three weeks in White Ink is indescribable, and worth ten times the price. So if you’re on the fence, please join!
And this Anna, this, is why I love your writing! You are so good at saying what needs to be said. 💖
If there was ever a wrongly-coined phrase, in my mind “celebrity” is one. They should be called “attention-cravers” or something. Who the hell celebrates them?
And “influencers” - really? The lameness of being able to do nothing but show off and want people to follow you.
Don’t get me started.
Bring on the quiet achievers - but unfortunately the 💰💰💰 goes to the squeaky wheels 😞.
Thanks Sarah, yes I’ve never been keen in ‘celebrities’ and any time I have spent in their company I have almost always found them to be vacuous and fake. Urgh.
Brilliant post as ever, Anna. For the record, Wendy Mitchell is definitely one of the most iconic women of the 21st century- a really extraordinary voice in this world of celebrity that I’m so profoundly grateful you were able to bring to the page.
Oh that’s so nice of you to say so, Tom. She was an absolute wonder. I was so lucky to have crossed paths with her in this lifetime, and I miss her every day.
some great writers I love are here and not asking for money - which I love as I learn from reading their beautifully crafted pieces.
The rest who charge - problem is with a "name" already - they will invariably draw potential subscribers away from us. I also do not like the practice of some who allow us to like but not comment....
It is as you say - choose carefully - yeah - Katy Perry is off my Christmas Card list...not a great day for "sisterhood" or in fact basic consideration and manners. What does it do to destroy someones career...
This is why I took out a paid subscription to you Anna - you call out, brilliantly, all the things that we're aware of but grit our teeth and try to ignore.
Something that feels kinda related to the celebrity author/astronaut thing, in that it perpetuates a shallow, ugly, capitalist machinery, is the way people in the book industry crow about the mythic ‘six figure advance’. Here’s a thought, couldn’t agents and publishers dish out more modest sums of money to more people? Divide those six figures between several writers instead of privileging so few. Share the love, I say! (Then again, a couple of mates of mine have scored such deals and they point out that divided over the number of years they spend grafting on a book and earning a living from ‘other income streams’ (teaching, mostly) the six figure translates as a very modest annual salary) xxx
It’s a mystery to me how they work out what to pay people, Hannah, but yeh, I agree with you, there could be some kind of standard (and I definitely think there should be when it comes to celebs and ghostwriters). However, I must say that I have benefitted from a couple of six figure deals myself and they are what have kept me afloat in this industry for the last eight years. The real mystery to me is this ‘machine’ that they say they input some figures and it tells them what they can offer on a book, but I’m not sure why this machine goes bananas when a celebrity comes along and just starts printing cash! Xx
Brilliant post Anna. I keep seeing more and more ‘celebs’ popping up on my feed. I am not here for ‘celebs’ with no discernible talent apart from the rights granted to them by their genetics or their relationships. Please let’s stop Substack turning into another soulless, capitalist venture, killing creativity and lining the pockets of those who need it least. 🙏
Thank you for writing this. I'm rather sick of the influencers and so-called celebrities. Give me something decent and thoughtful to read and I'm happy. That is what I am here for.
You and me both, Nancy!
As always, Anna, nail on the head. And as a novice White Ink-er I cannot thank you enough for the support you and this community have shown already for me and for my writing. For anyone who doesn’t know me, or who is considering joining Anna’s community - I am a fledgling writer currently earning nothing, paying my mortgage with the last of my savings from my previous career. I am having to be judicious in choosing where to invest in my learning as I become immersed in this creative life. The value I have gained from only around three weeks in White Ink is indescribable, and worth ten times the price. So if you’re on the fence, please join!
Oh thank you, Louise. What lovely things you have said and I am so pleased you have found a home for yourself and your writing here xx
You’re so welcome, and me too! Xx
And this Anna, this, is why I love your writing! You are so good at saying what needs to be said. 💖
If there was ever a wrongly-coined phrase, in my mind “celebrity” is one. They should be called “attention-cravers” or something. Who the hell celebrates them?
And “influencers” - really? The lameness of being able to do nothing but show off and want people to follow you.
Don’t get me started.
Bring on the quiet achievers - but unfortunately the 💰💰💰 goes to the squeaky wheels 😞.
Thanks Sarah, yes I’ve never been keen in ‘celebrities’ and any time I have spent in their company I have almost always found them to be vacuous and fake. Urgh.
Brilliant post as ever, Anna. For the record, Wendy Mitchell is definitely one of the most iconic women of the 21st century- a really extraordinary voice in this world of celebrity that I’m so profoundly grateful you were able to bring to the page.
Oh that’s so nice of you to say so, Tom. She was an absolute wonder. I was so lucky to have crossed paths with her in this lifetime, and I miss her every day.
some great writers I love are here and not asking for money - which I love as I learn from reading their beautifully crafted pieces.
The rest who charge - problem is with a "name" already - they will invariably draw potential subscribers away from us. I also do not like the practice of some who allow us to like but not comment....
It is as you say - choose carefully - yeah - Katy Perry is off my Christmas Card list...not a great day for "sisterhood" or in fact basic consideration and manners. What does it do to destroy someones career...
Goddammit, Anna! I keep wanting to unsubscribe so I can afford another tin of cafood but you keep posting articles like this and I can't look away!.
I’m literally just doing it to hold you hostage here, Matthew! Sorry!
Great post, thank you for writing and sharing xx
Thanks Hannah xx
This is why I took out a paid subscription to you Anna - you call out, brilliantly, all the things that we're aware of but grit our teeth and try to ignore.
Oh thank you, Nicola! So nice of you to say, and I’m very grateful to you xx
Something that feels kinda related to the celebrity author/astronaut thing, in that it perpetuates a shallow, ugly, capitalist machinery, is the way people in the book industry crow about the mythic ‘six figure advance’. Here’s a thought, couldn’t agents and publishers dish out more modest sums of money to more people? Divide those six figures between several writers instead of privileging so few. Share the love, I say! (Then again, a couple of mates of mine have scored such deals and they point out that divided over the number of years they spend grafting on a book and earning a living from ‘other income streams’ (teaching, mostly) the six figure translates as a very modest annual salary) xxx
It’s a mystery to me how they work out what to pay people, Hannah, but yeh, I agree with you, there could be some kind of standard (and I definitely think there should be when it comes to celebs and ghostwriters). However, I must say that I have benefitted from a couple of six figure deals myself and they are what have kept me afloat in this industry for the last eight years. The real mystery to me is this ‘machine’ that they say they input some figures and it tells them what they can offer on a book, but I’m not sure why this machine goes bananas when a celebrity comes along and just starts printing cash! Xx