Why Substack?

Okay, so I’ll admit, maybe it’s not a story as old as time, but it’s certainly one for our modern times. I’m certainly not the first person to express their frustration with the state of social media. Being a visual creative, I was an early adopter of Instagram, back when we all used their heavily textured filters to post pictures of our dogs and food. Most of us were terrible photographers, we had no idea what a “content creator” was, and TikTok was still just the sound a clock made. Ahh, simpler times indeed. I loved that it provided a place where I could show up unvarnished and wholly authentic (a word social media has ruined for me, but I digress).

In the heyday of Instagram, back before we started our daily battles with the algorithm, I was inspired to try new creative outlets and share it with like-minded people. I used the space to explore and share new creative endeavors. I worked on my photography skills, dug deeper into illustration, and honed my writing voice as an artist. But what I loved most was the community it provided. My audience became fast friends and people I felt comfortable to share parts of my creative process vulnerably. I love connecting about art, music, books and culture with people who are curious about the world in the same ways I am.

Over the last couple of years I started noticing a shift in how I felt when I’d sign into the app. I’d get a pit in my stomach or feel immediate pressure to perform. Somehow I’d felt like I was beholden to this app and its tiny little squares, stories, and reels (don’t get me started on reels). Every time I would hit publish I felt like it had to be better than the last, it had to perform well, resonate with others, represent who I was as an artist, generate sales, blah blah blah. The pressure was immense, and the fun was gone, and in the last year, I’ve just barely shown up in the app at all. Probably not the best business decision, but it is certainly the best one for my mental health.

For a long while, I’ve been considering moving to a platform that would allow me to create at a slower and more thoughtful pace. Art is not content. Good art takes time and cannot be created daily. For the last year or so, I’ve thought of starting a Substack or a Patreon. Ultimately, I felt like Substack might be a better place for me.

So, here I am, showing up pretty darn unvarnished. I don’t have a fully formed idea for my goal with this little publication, which, if you know me, is very unlike me, but I’ve been daydreaming too often about starting this to not just take the first step.

• A peek behind my creative process. I hope to share more of my work during the process of creation, not just the final piece.

• Inspiration that inspires me. Over the years, I’ve collected so many books, paper ephemera, and other visual resources that have informed my work as an artist, and I want to share more of that with you.

• New creative endeavors. For example, it’s my goal this year to start sewing my own clothes, and I’d love to share what I’m learning as I go along!

• Conversations about books, art, documentaries, etc. I want to share what I’m loving and hear about what you are into too.

• Deep dives on curious topics. The stories about interesting people, places, and random facts that cause me to daydream daily.

• Personal stories. Anything from tales of motherhood, running a creative business, vintage shopping, Tennessee living, house projects and whatever else is rolling around in my brain.

Thank you for being here. Truly. It means a lot. I’m excited about my new little corner of the internet. I hope you’ll come hang out with me here. You can also find me over at joannadee.com!

Not sure how Substack works?

It’s essentially just like an email newsletter. You can subscribe to the publication here and it will send you an email every time I post an article. You can read it from the comfort of your favorite email client or check it online or on the Substack app.

Stay curious,
- Joanna Dee