Almost no Views, Reads, or Comments

A small question to fellow writers and readers here on Substack

I have a genuine question.

Over the last months I have published a number of essays, reflections, and now the beginning of a new serial novel here on Substack. I try to write thoughtfully, and I spend quite a lot of time shaping the texts before publishing them.

And yet, very few people seem to see them.

Almost no comments.

Very few reactions.

Sometimes it feels as if the posts disappear into silence.

This makes me curious.

Is it the topics?

The titles?

The length of the texts?

The algorithms?

Or simply the fact that Substack has become a very crowded place?

I know many of you here are writers as well, and perhaps you have experienced the same thing.

So I would genuinely appreciate your reflections:

What actually makes people stop and read a Substack post today?

Is it:

• a strong headline

• shorter texts

• a very clear niche

• more personal storytelling

• or simply time and patience?

I am currently publishing chapters of my new novel The Algorithm Generation, a story about AI, algorithms, and the future of society. I would love to hear whether that kind of project works on Substack or whether something else works better.

If you have thoughts, experiences, or advice, I would be grateful to hear them.

Sometimes the most interesting thing about writing online is not only what we write but also how we reach each other in this enormous digital landscape.

— Øivind