It’s been circling the web that people have been critiquing other people for writing personal essays on Substack. Personal essays, journal entries, diary entries. Why the hate? It’s a step towards more transparency on running projects and businesses without personally knowing someone.
Where do people expect to post their writing? All the usual suspects are dead. Medium, LiveJournal, let’s even go all the way back to Xanga. All the current platforms for writing are broken. Only so much you can write in a caption before your friends begin to lose interest. On newsletters such as Substack or Beehiiv, readers learn about the debut of a laid off tech worker who transitioned to a barista that’s doing a pop up this weekend. Folks would like to share their progress somehow. Whether it’s through writing or content, it’s nice to let your followers track your trajectory through writing. Restaurant owners are now writing on Substack and sharing what they wished they learned before the crucial mistakes they’ve made. We got you chef.
This was a great read from Chef Eric Huang, from one of my favorite Korean chicken spots, Pecking House. Pecking House suddenly closed their location on Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn with no warning. Eric wrote on their website because of permits but I believe it’s a deeper issue. The combination of the two sounds like the closure of the Brooklyn Mirage but not to that extreme. Eric let us into his life and shared his point of view of why running a restaurant in NYC is so difficult.
Agi’s Counter announced the struggles they are facing. The restaurant is looking for someone to take them to the next level and get out of this feedback loop they’re stuck in. Chef Jeremy Salamon, went UGC style to share what’s going on and if things don’t change, they’ll be another one that bites the dust. Big media companies have chimed in by creating their own Substacks and Eater interviewed Jeremy about their post. Is it because Substack works on a personal level or is Substack the throughline of legendary media meets Reddit, sharing a piece of their content for free then their readers will make their way to subscribe to a paid model? Motives everywhere.
The two restaurant owners are being vulnerable on a scale that has their content shared by followers then sharing to their inner circle. So how the rippling effect goes. If you like to go out, these stories will somehow make it towards your desk.
If nobody got them, our extra dollars will hopefully get them? After Chef Jeremy spoke out, gift cards have been bought and people have been attending the restaurant in droves. How long will this last though? We’re in the moment but once it wears off what will they do? What’s next? Usually when I see mentioning of troubles, the writing is on the wall. Pre-manifest what could happen.
What if you want out?
Guest of Wear Many Hats, Derek Guy, mentioned on Twitter/X about what is a word for people who spends all their time working to live in a city, be near cool things, but don’t actually like going out.
What’s a synonym to basic? Not in a derogatory sense.
I’ve been thinking about the term basic and how other people would call themselves that or others. Meeting basic people can be refreshing sometimes. Learning every niche thing is exhausting. I don’t want to know everything. When I’m on social media, there is only so much I need to know. Being basic is being off social media and living life how God intended.
On Substack, there is a good amount of independent media companies that are in the know but how much do you trust their taste? Have you ever been to an event where you know the writers on Substack but not their face? Writing on Substack in my opinion is a step up from basic.
I want to know people’s personal stories after using a product they’ve bought. Reading how they use the product in a note not UGC content. I’ve been mindlessly scrolling, watching videos of strangers share hardships but sometimes you can tell it’s a bit disingenuous with a mix of staged content. Writing feels more personal.
Kyle Chayka of the New Yorker tweeted per Blackbird Spyplane and Feed Me that low follower accounts are “very cool now.”
Great. All of the Wear Many Hats accounts are low follower account but at what cost? The cost of being cool doesn’t bring in more sales and work.
I grew up writing on Blogspot. Blogger. Then transitioned to posting photos on Tumblr with long captions. All the posts relate to what’s going on in my life. While writing in Blogspot, I would write music reviews similar to Pitchfork. I always wanted to be an A&R because I would find musicians that fit my personality through PureVolume & MySpace. Photo blogging was inspired by my friend Bobby Whigham, Creative Director of Alo Yoga. Bobby had a Blogspot called Bobby Too Young where he would post his film photography where he would photograph for brands and Urban Outfitters. I would post my own photos, created lookbooks on Tumblr, and also share concert photography on Flickr. The photos and writings I would post were purely casual, somewhat professional, and always personal with the intent that someone would read it.
I’m a nobody. I create to create but don’t think. I don’t have a following but when people tell me they listened to an episode of Wear Many Hats, it’s a great feeling.
If nobody got me, a stranger on the street got me.
