Substack: Using Notes Minimally.
On town squares and writers.
So, what’s the deal with these notes?
It is Substack’s alternate to the town square, aka as twitter, aka as X.
Except it is a writer’s town square and a reader’s paradise.
Some write that this is not what they want. But you can use it to:
Build new connections with your subscribers and other writers.
Share shortform - 150 words max - writings.
Reflect on a favorite book or share your favorite photo of nature (selfies work less effectively).
Spread the word on a favorite author on Substack.
Encourage or celebrate writers who need an extra boost.
Some days, not everyone can write a 500 word post that is dusted to perfection. So, write a note. Every single day.
It can be a word comment when you restack someone’s photo. I wrote a one-word response to another note that I appreciated, and received 106 likes, strong engagement, and some subscribers.
It can be a hook for others to find out more about your publications if you write.
Think of ‘Notes’ as a neighborhood walk you take daily, admiring others’ gardens, houses, and cars, doff your hat to a smiling couple, celebrate the wonderful weather, and when you feel like it, say a customized ‘Hello’ to others in the community.
To try ‘Notes,’ you can start on the app under ‘Explore’ menu and select ‘Following,’
Not following anyone yet? Then on the web, just ‘Explore’ topics that interest you.
Now, the bit that is annoying about ‘Notes.’
If someone comments on your Note, the notification menu will show the comment but not the note they responded to - it is either a bug or poor design.
The workaround is to visit the ‘Activity’ tab on the web, where all the Notifications are listed, and you can see the ‘Notes’ with the comments.
Alternatively, click on your Notes tab on your publication (turn it on in Dashboard Settings) to see the likes, comments, and restacks on each note. You can also access ‘Notes’ from your profile page.
If someone responds poorly to your note, you can simply mute, unfollow, or block them by clicking the menu under the ellipsis menu icon ‘…’ but beware of this caveat on blocking. The better option is to block the user and delete the offensive note. Thanks,
for drawing attention to it.
Questions?
If someone was really upset, they can also delete their own Note, thereby removing all responses with it.
I've been totally confused by notes. Thanks so much for this straightforward explanation. It certainly helps.