Trying something new
no better time to try something new as I potentially flee insta
How I ended up here
I had a call with Tay Francis recently and she suggested I try Substack. I thought ughh, another thing to attempt to maintain. But, today was one of my writer days. A day where everything inspired me to start jotting things now and I felt a pull to be able to share without it being polished and without making it fit inside a stupid Instagram box.
1. Why this, why now
My engagement is almost non-existent on my main platform (insta) so after writing my third piece of short writing for the day (to be clear, it’s rare that I follow my writing whims but hey, if this does well, maybe I will), I posted a story to see who would follow me here. It’s 3 hours old and I have 7 votes for yes which is promising. But what really pushed me was that someone just posted that insta might start charging us all for views. Welp - that will be my exit. So here I am, brand new substack launched and messaging Yuki, my assistant, to see where our Pinterest will be ready to launch.
2. What kind of community are you looking to build here
An honest one. A vulnerable space. A place that will support folks seeking what I offer (a place to feel seen, worthy, sexy, and comfortable in your skin and your identities) without exhausting myself. A place where I can talk about body love, body neutrality, pleasure, identity, relationships, etc. but also about the random crap that goes through my mind. A place to be me and witnessed by others who may then feel seen through what I share or who may become more capable of seeing others through my words.
3. Be specific
Substack asked me to be specific about how often I’ll be posting and what you can generally expect of me. I will not be doing that. We’ll see how it goes. I am a commitment to doing less and that includes committing to less. I just want a space to share, not a space to constantly be doing.
I plan to eventually offer a paid subscription here or on another site - right now I am living mostly from my savings as I dissertate but I have saved a lot so I’m good for now. Maybe you can tell me what you’d like to see in exchange for a paid subscription - could help me along on that work. I’ve been thinking a monthly group coaching session and a monthly private Q&A - am I warm?
me at a yummy restaurant in Veracruz that had guanabana water and chocolate water - SO GOOD
I saw your profile on a Substack’s Suggestions list and did a double take when I saw “pleasure activist” in your description. I absolutely love that expression! The older I get, the more I believe that we were made for pleasure—pleasure within ourselves and the pleasure that comes from connecting with others and watching them thrive. I look forward to reading more of your work.
Welcome to Substack! I'm so glad you're here! I feel like you have the writer vibe and your knowledge would do well here. I think writing on Substack would also be more freeing for you than Instagram. I'm excited to see how this evolves!