Why do you publish online?
Money? Fame? Community? Laughs?
Publishing your work online takes a certain courage. There are fewer gatekeepers, sure, but that also means there are fewer quality checks — you have to be very confident in your own work.
So why do it? What is it that draws you to publishing online?1
It doesn’t have to be exclusive, of course — writers can choose their route to readers for each project, be it traditional, indie, online or something else. That’s the real power of being a writer in 2024.
For my part, I publish in this way because it helps me to be consistently productive. The immediate formation of ‘a readership’ keeps me coming back to the page every week, and has done so for a solid decade.
I’m aware that this is a very writer-focused question. If you’re more of a reader, do feel free to jump into the comments with why you choose to read online, when there’s so much you could be reading elsewhere.
I go back and forth thinking that I write for myself and thinking I write to share thoughts, photos and insights with others. Truth is I write for both of those reasons. I started in January 2000 with a weekly newsletter to members of an organization I was running and just never stopped. I started on Substack with a few hundred readers and the numbers grow every month. Most of all, I like the discipline of getting thoughts written down....good for the mind and soul!
I can publish online, here and elsewhere, and know I can do it without being turned down. Some of the editors of magazines have such high standards that I don't know if I can give them what they want.