Genuine feedback through our Substack community is imperative. I hope you'll read or listen to the mission behind this new Section to see if you would do the same or not.
First, I personally like it, because I am pressed for time. Like you, I can sometime grab a short story for "on the way" when I don't have time for a 15 minute saga. (I rarely have time for a 15 minute saga) . As you and I have similar tastes, your selection will likely be valuable for me. So I am entirely selfish here. I think this will be useful for me.
The second reason I like it is that is feels like a genuine way to build a small collection of SubStacks. Obviously, your selection is not for everyone, but it does not have to be. You're just looking out for you and the people in your tribe. But by setting it up that way, you are looking OUT for your tribe. You are offering rest and shelter from the storm for a minute - a rest that involved some work on your part - and none on mine. You don't just open the door, you set up a chair.
I have recently seen others build collections by asking SubStackers to sign up with them so that they may (one day) create a directory of some sort. They quickly sign up 100s of people, and I can't help but wonder, if this was all about traffic - lots of traffic for little work - to their SubStack. Who is the product here? Who is the tribe? But that's just my cynical side. The rest of me is hopeful that they are also just looking for their tribe - they're just trying a different way. They just open the door....
So yes, I like it - I know I will peruse it. Because it will likely be a place where I will find the community I am looking for.
Lori, I think a new section is a way to go. Although I've heard about "groups" and don't know how that might fit in.
Thank you so much for the feedback. I’ve still been tossing it around. Even so last minute. Haven’t explored the groups just yet though. Some day.
I like it a lot - for a number of reasons.
First, I personally like it, because I am pressed for time. Like you, I can sometime grab a short story for "on the way" when I don't have time for a 15 minute saga. (I rarely have time for a 15 minute saga) . As you and I have similar tastes, your selection will likely be valuable for me. So I am entirely selfish here. I think this will be useful for me.
The second reason I like it is that is feels like a genuine way to build a small collection of SubStacks. Obviously, your selection is not for everyone, but it does not have to be. You're just looking out for you and the people in your tribe. But by setting it up that way, you are looking OUT for your tribe. You are offering rest and shelter from the storm for a minute - a rest that involved some work on your part - and none on mine. You don't just open the door, you set up a chair.
I have recently seen others build collections by asking SubStackers to sign up with them so that they may (one day) create a directory of some sort. They quickly sign up 100s of people, and I can't help but wonder, if this was all about traffic - lots of traffic for little work - to their SubStack. Who is the product here? Who is the tribe? But that's just my cynical side. The rest of me is hopeful that they are also just looking for their tribe - they're just trying a different way. They just open the door....
So yes, I like it - I know I will peruse it. Because it will likely be a place where I will find the community I am looking for.