Hello, it’s been a while since I showed up in your inbox.
To be honest, I’ve been a bit uninspired with the internet. Social media no longer interests me and when I do occasionally venture on to Twitter (sorry, X) or LinkedIn, it just feels shallow and negative.
Even when I log into Substack (where this newsletter lives, and which I previously raved about), all I see are posts from conspiracy theorists or far right nationalists. Despite not following or subscribing to their posts.
I think the root of the problem - and my disinterest - stems from a realisation that online consumption is increasingly controlled by algorithms developed by big tech.
Yes, I know, this is nothing new. But it seems to have become acutely obvious in the past year – and I’m not alone in thinking this.
The last time I scrolled through the Twitter timeline, I saw several posts from people saying they were leaving the platform. Something I have considered myself.
Then there are reports of a counterrevolution to the dominance of streaming platforms with an increase in the sale of DVDs.
Plus, a recent episode of the Ezra Klein Show (a podcast by the New York Times journalist) discussed the rise of AI and its impact on the internet, stating that “we are slaves to the algorithm”.
This disillusionment with the online world even extends to the business world, with luxury fashion marketplace Matches entering administration. The official reason is a “sharp decline in demand”, linked to inflationary pressures. But could it be that consumers are also tired of spending their lives online?
My instinct says people are craving more non-digital, human-focused experiences, which means copywriters need to catch up to this change in mindset.
Instead of writing for algorithms, perhaps it’s time to get back to basics? To focus on the human that is reading what we write, and work on honing our creativity to produce original writing.
Humans are wired to detect when something is inauthentic, in the same way that we can sense when something, or someone, is genuine. And we should use this superpower to our advantage.
Fragments
For anyone that also subscribes to Fragments, this section of Just Write will be its new home.
Every month you’ll get three prompts to kick-start your writing practice: a word, a theme and a snippet of writing.
It’s as simple as that.
Evolve
A changing world
The winds of change were sweeping through, gently rustling the leaves in the trees and bringing with it a fresh sense of purpose. The time to adapt, grow and evolve was now. The waiting game was over.
Enjoy!
Around the web
🌐 Burger King released a flaming hot new ad for its 70th anniversary. Find out more about the concept in this Creative Review article.
🌐 If you write social media ads, here are some tips from Digital Drum on how to stop being boring and become more authentic.
🌐 Applications are about to open for the HW Fisher Novel Writing Scholarship by Curtis Brown Creative. This is specifically for writers on a low income, and you can find full eligibility requirements here.
One last thing …
“Only the truth of who you are, if realised, will set you free.”
- Eckhart Tolle
And I’m still loving the Monthly Jotter, by the way!!
Thank you! And nice to know people read this after not putting anything out for a while. I definitely miss the good old days of Twitter. It felt like a community. Now, I’m just feeling very “meh” about the online world. But I’ll keep plugging away with Just Write, regardless.