Where Do We Go from Here?
A Writer's Guide to Finding the Path Forward
Before we get into this, let’s all just take a breath. A nice, deep breath. Hold it for about four seconds, and then exhale with a nice, long, existential sigh. Feel better?
Yeah, me neither, but it was worth a shot. Seriously though, it’s been a rough few days here on Substack, hasn’t it?
Most of you reading this are probably painfully aware of what I’m referring to, but for those who are not, here’s a post I did in my subscriber chat to get you up to speed.
With this article, I’m hoping to help answer the question on all of our minds: What happens next? The short answer is, we keep writing. The long answer is below.
Step One: Educate Yourself
The problem with a lot of people in today’s world is that they don’t think for themselves. They don’t form their own opinions. They open wide and swallow whatever B.S. their tangerine god-emperor feeds them.
You and I? Writers? We don’t let people tell us how to think, what to feel, or who to believe.
Our very craft is built on a foundation of critical thinking, because everything we put onto the page is a result of our own thoughts and opinions.
We are free-thinkers, unshackled from a world that wants us to conform and consume, but that means that we have a responsibility to educate ourselves.
We can’t simply ignore what’s going on around us.
Are there Nazis on Substack? Yes. Does this mean we should leave and give them what they want? No.
Folks, this community is the closest thing to an actual safe space I’ve ever had in my life. I would do anything to protect it, and I’m sure as HELL not going to surrender it without a fight.
But you know this.
The reality is that Nazis are all around us, especially if you live in America like me.
They’re in your neighborhood, they’re shopping at your grocery store. They get haircuts at the same place you do. They. Are. Everywhere.
And, I don’t say that to try and cause you more despair, but what I’m trying to say is that running isn’t the answer.
And here’s the thing, submerging yourself in the fight and constantly going toe-to-toe with them isn’t the answer either.
Remember, if you argue with an idiot, they’ll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Instead, we follow step one, which is to educate ourselves.
We must exercise one of the writer’s many superpowers: reading comprehension.
Find out what’s going on. Read what others are saying. Here’s a couple articles that really hit the nail on the head for me:
And that’s the thing, you don’t need to spend your entire day on this. Remember that balance is key, which brings me to step two.
Step Two: Protect Your Peace
Educating yourself is important, but so is your mental health and your emotional stability. Even superheroes need their rest. Stepping back from all of this and focusing on yourself isn’t equivalent to surrender.
It’s a tactical retreat so you can live to fight another day. If you’re reading this, you’re one of the good ones. You need to protect yourself and your mental health above all else.
Block and report them when you see it. Flood Substack’s inboxes with messages of accountability. Force their hand, but in the meantime, every block means one less Nazi on your feed, and that’s a victory in and of itself.
Because, at the end of the day they want your attention. They want to feel like they’re getting under your skin. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
And, of course, the other question here becomes well, what if I just want to leave? The answer of course, is that you can do that if you wish. You’re allowed to pack up and head elsewhere, but before you do, let me ask you something:
What will you do when this happens again, somewhere else?
Because it will. If you give them ground here, they’ll take it and march toward the next platform. They won’t stop. So the question then becomes, do you want to keep running forever?
Instead, my advice is to protect your peace. Step back when you need to. Rest when your body tells you it’s time to rest.
And fight, when your mind tells you it’s time to fight. Time for step three.
Step Three: Keep Writing
Creation is an act of rebellion. Always has been, always will be. When we create something, even if it’s entirely fictional, we’re introducing new thoughts into the world.
We’re introducing new ideas into the world. We’re challenge the status quo. Stories are powerful. Writing is powerful. After all, the pen is mightier than the sword.
We’re soldiers on the frontlines of consciousness. We don’t fight with bullets and bombs, instead we fight by changing hearts and minds. I know it feels like you’re just throwing your stories into the void sometimes, but you’re not.
Creation is an act of rebellion.
Every time someone reads your work, they form a connection with your ideas. They absorb your thoughts. And sometimes, a shift happens in their own mind. Their way of thinking changes, even if it’s just slightly.
We cannot change the world on our own, but as writers, we can create betters ones.
Art gives us a glimpse into how things could be different. Fiction can have an impact on reality, but only if it exists.
So yeah, the answer is very simple my friends:
Keep. Writing.
Thanks for Reading, Here’s Your Musical Pairing
Listen to this after reading, like pairing a glass of wine with dinner.
Absolutely loved everything about this. I've read it twice now, just to make sure my goldfish brain got to take it all in. Thank you for posting (and for the awesome shout-out 🖤). I was considering leaving Substack.
However, the feeling you described (about this being the closest thing to safe or community) is mutual. I'm not going to ignore it. I'm not going to walk away so they have more space to exist in peace. For as long as I am alive, Nazis will not know peace.
Thanks again, Bradley.
Agree with all of this. Thank you for the shout out and sharing my work. I can't stress enough the protecting your peace part - that is critical advice. We are with you and we need to stick together as a community.