It’s Always a Good Time to Decenter Social Media From Your Life

What happens when we shift our creative energy away from algorithms? I’ll share my insights — and invite you to share what decentering social media has done for your creativity, writing or business.

With the recent TikTok ban and the broader burnout many creators feel from social media, more people are making the leap to Substack in search of creative freedom and deeper connections.

If you're one of them, welcome.

Today I want to explore what happens when we decenter social media platforms from our lives. What happens creatively, in our businesses, in our systems and our voices?

What happens when, instead of fighting to be heard, we just show up and someone is already there, ready to listen?

As it turns out, a lot can change.

Today I’m going to explore how publishing on Substack is quite different from publishing on traditional social media.

And I’m going to invite my community to tell you what happened to their quality of life and relationships, how their creativity and even their businesses changed, when they decided to prioritize their creative energy somewhere besides a place like TikTok or Instagram or Facebook.

I’m hopeful that this exploration will be helpful to you, whether you’re here on the coattails of the recent TikTok ban (or non-ban?) or if you’re simply hoping to shift your creative home base away from an algorithm-controlled platform. I hope you’ll keep reading. There’s so much opportunity waiting for us all.

1. Your Relationship With Your Audience Will Be More Direct

Nothing will feel more exciting in the first weeks and months on Substack than the feeling of your posts actually reaching your readers. When you publish a post in your newsletter, there is no algorithm slowing you down. On Substack, that middleman is gone. Your words go directly to your subscribers’ inboxes (or their Substack app) — this is an exchange that has the potential to be personal, intentional and unfiltered.

This means that if you’ve been hoping for a more direct connect with your readers, they, too have chosen to hear from you in a much more intimate way. You’re not fighting for their attention against endless scrolling, advertisements, popping slogans and other draining features. (Thank goodness!) You’re stepping into their inbox, one of the most personal corners of their online lives. That’s a privilege — and a massive responsibility. And over time, you’ll eventually need to know how to keep your readers in mind when publishing a newsletter.

2. You’ll Shift From Serving an Algorithm to Building a Relationship

Social media trains us to think about performance and competition: what will get the most views, likes or shares? On Substack, you aren’t fighting purely for virality. (Though you’ll still have to promote and get the word out about your newsletter.) On Substack, though, the platform is more innately set up to help you focus on building trust, building connections and offering a valuable experience that only your original ideas and creativity can bring. Your readers (once they’re on your list!) aren’t casual scrollers — they’re invested.

This shift can feel both freeing and intimidating. Instead of optimizing for trends, you’re being challenged in a whole new way. You’re going to be asked: What is worth giving to my readers today? When and how often? You’ll be given the keys to a beautiful freedom to create and connect with and listen to your instincts and your readers. This changes the creative and publishing and curation game in a substantial way.

3. You Set the Boundaries

On social media, the algorithm demands constant feeding — frequent posts, rapid-fire responses and endless engagement. On Substack, you decide the pace. Whether you publish weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, you’re in control of your creative output and how much energy you give. You decide how to nurture your creativity, your readers and connection.

This autonomy is liberating, but it also requires discipline. There’s no algorithm nudging you to keep going, so staying consistent comes down to your own commitment. Alternatively, there’s no algorithm toggling how often your readers hear from you, which means that publishing discernment is a new muscle you’ll have to slowly develop over time. The good news is: you’re no longer reacting to platform demands — you’re building a practice that works for you, your resources and your audience.

📣 Tell us, Editing Spectrum Alumni:

What has decentering social media done for your creativity, writing practice or business? I’d love to share your experiences with others who are ready to make this shift. Share your story in the comments!

4. The Energy You Invest Will Come Back In Meaningful Ways

Substack isn’t about gaming a system — it’s about building something real. When you show up consistently and authentically, your readers notice. Over time, this can lead to deeper engagement, creative breakthroughs and even unexpected opportunities.

But the rewards here aren’t always instant. Substack is less about fast feedback and more about long-term connection. Trust the process — it’s worth it.

5. Your Relationship With Your Creativity Will Change

Here’s the most exciting part for anyone who’s ready to decenter social media: when you decide to create your own newsletter, your creative instincts will be set free — and put to the test.

Without the noise of algorithms and trends, you’ll discover what you truly want to say. But that clarity can also create unexpected moments of inner reflection. You’ll ask yourself new questions about your purpose, your audience and your work. You will be invited to find a new way to trust your creativity, your instincts and what you create next.

Why Substack Is Worth Exploring

Substack offers something rare in the digital media landscape: the chance to connect deeply with an audience on your terms. To invest into your own work and see the financial investment come back to you directly.

Its discoverability network makes the work of connecting with other like-minded creators and readers one of the easiest ways to grow awareness of your voice and creative projects.

There’s also something psychologically regenerative about publishing a newsletter. It’s not about chasing the fleeting highs of social media metrics or talking to empty rooms — it’s about building something meaningful, sustainable and finally all yours.

📣 Tell us, Editing Spectrum Alumni:

What has decentering social media done for your creativity, your writing practice or your business? Tell us in the comments.

If you’re curious about the strategic landscape of launching a newsletter, my paid membership is here to support you.

Our community of 3,500+ readers includes NYT bestselling authors, business coaches, successful entrepreneurs, as well as burgeoning writers — and we’re ready to welcome you as we build momentum inside our newsletters every month. You can start by exploring the six core components of newsletters, which guide The Editing Spectrum’s discoveries each month. As we share our stories about decentering social media, I want to make sure you also have the tools to take action in building a creative home that works for you. There are also these resources available to help you get started right away:

• My Substack Starter Kit, organized to help you focused on the parts of Substack that make the biggest impact when you’re first getting setup;

• This original Substack Reader data archive where I surveyed 400+ readers on their preferences and experiences on the platform;

• My Substack editorial branding checklist;

• 38 paid tier ideas to help you brainstorm your own;

• The Tote Bag Model for paid newsletter monetization for smaller creators who prioritize community building; and

• A data insights archive.

New To Amanda and The Editing Spectrum?

Hi! I’m Amanda Hinton, an editorial strategist with a background in journalism, digital marketing and entrepreneurism. If you’re like any of the people I meet with offline — folks from legacy media, who are mega talented and filled with vision for the next season of their creative lives — I want you to know that I also offer 1:1 newsletter nurturing and strategy sessions. Bring your editorial calendars, your surveys, your questions about audience research, pricing and promotions and I’ll share any data and insights I can to get you launched and headed in the right direction.