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Apr 17, 2023·edited Apr 17, 2023Liked by Becky Tuch
The euphemistally named Twitter Help basically ignored me for two and a half weeks when I could not get access to my acocunt because of a glitch and I had to hire a tech person to fix it. Twitter sucks. As far as Submittable and all the crappy fees, I feel like I am living in a literary dystopia where everyone wants to be a writer, but few people really write, and when real writers get into digital or paper print, no one reads it. Lit Mag News is one of a precious few Substacks that really matters because it addresses these issues. That a billionaire moron like Furlong Tusk should sacrifice an entire community because of his own petulance is dispiriting to say the least and proof positive that the tech bros will destroy everything decent if we keep shutting up and taking it.
As you all probably know, NPR and that hotbed of liberal, left-wing controversy, the National Weather Service, have both decided in the past weeks to leave Twitter. There have also been numerous reports of Twitter being down for hours without any explanation. I have read that even some of Musk's billionaire tech bros are disappointed in the job he's doing. But in the spirit of holding opposing points of view in your head at the same time, I think what SpaceX is doing these days is truly remarkable.
Sure am glad I deleted Twitter months ago as the engagement for my Substack was already low on that social media site. But this is absolutely unacceptable. Others shouldn't have to suffer because of the feud.
Several times I've raised the need for a litmag/publisher rating and reporting site where writers can raise these sorts of issues, because it's clear that Submittable is never going to address it because it's not in their financial interest. (Note: Chill Subs is far more responsive.) A while back a couple of people (whose names I don't recall) said they were in the process of setting up just such a site. Did that go anywhere?
A Substack I’d like to recommend is T.V. Hernandez’s Ramblings Across the Spectrum (https://tvramblings.substack.com), particularly her latest piece where she reviews her reading habits from earliest memories to present day. I wonder if that’s something we should all do, a kind of inventory to help discover how we ended up where we did on the literary stack. Oddly, I don’t seem to have many clear memories of what I was reading prior to 6th grade, even though I can distinctly recall seeing books like Little Women and Anne of Green Gables around the house that my older sister and, possibly, my mother were reading.
Becky, I wanted to let you know what a positive impact your newsletter has had on this grateful reader. I saw my dream editorial position posted here, applied, and got the gig! A big, huge THANK YOU!! It wouldn't have happened without Lit Mag News spreading the good word :).
I gave Twitter the bird when he-who-shall-not-be-named took the reins and this latest development, which should astonish no one, is my official swan song.
I’m delighted I subscribed yesterday. Your rants astonish me for this kinetic energy and humor. How the heck do you write them?
BTW I’m one person who never gave Twitter the time of day. After reading your post about the deranged cyber game they play I patted myself on the back and did I high five with both hands, I guess that could be called applause.
Per the Twitter/Substack thing -- Not everybody has a Twitter account (I never have) and many people have left Twitter (for something called Mastadon apparently) -- I had no knowledge of this shadow banning thing -- which sounds completely egregious and wrong -- until I read your email. (There's no mention of the issue on your Facebook page.)
Also per Twitter, why is LitMag still using it and giving Musk business?
As for Substack -- between you and Heather Cox Richardson, I'm a happy camper. Thank you!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: KEEP RANTING! I love your rants, and you should definitely publish them!
The euphemistally named Twitter Help basically ignored me for two and a half weeks when I could not get access to my acocunt because of a glitch and I had to hire a tech person to fix it. Twitter sucks. As far as Submittable and all the crappy fees, I feel like I am living in a literary dystopia where everyone wants to be a writer, but few people really write, and when real writers get into digital or paper print, no one reads it. Lit Mag News is one of a precious few Substacks that really matters because it addresses these issues. That a billionaire moron like Furlong Tusk should sacrifice an entire community because of his own petulance is dispiriting to say the least and proof positive that the tech bros will destroy everything decent if we keep shutting up and taking it.
As you all probably know, NPR and that hotbed of liberal, left-wing controversy, the National Weather Service, have both decided in the past weeks to leave Twitter. There have also been numerous reports of Twitter being down for hours without any explanation. I have read that even some of Musk's billionaire tech bros are disappointed in the job he's doing. But in the spirit of holding opposing points of view in your head at the same time, I think what SpaceX is doing these days is truly remarkable.
Shared and plugged on Facebook- am not on any other social media besides LinkedIn.
Sure am glad I deleted Twitter months ago as the engagement for my Substack was already low on that social media site. But this is absolutely unacceptable. Others shouldn't have to suffer because of the feud.
Several times I've raised the need for a litmag/publisher rating and reporting site where writers can raise these sorts of issues, because it's clear that Submittable is never going to address it because it's not in their financial interest. (Note: Chill Subs is far more responsive.) A while back a couple of people (whose names I don't recall) said they were in the process of setting up just such a site. Did that go anywhere?
Re Twitter: no comment seems possible.
A Substack I’d like to recommend is T.V. Hernandez’s Ramblings Across the Spectrum (https://tvramblings.substack.com), particularly her latest piece where she reviews her reading habits from earliest memories to present day. I wonder if that’s something we should all do, a kind of inventory to help discover how we ended up where we did on the literary stack. Oddly, I don’t seem to have many clear memories of what I was reading prior to 6th grade, even though I can distinctly recall seeing books like Little Women and Anne of Green Gables around the house that my older sister and, possibly, my mother were reading.
Becky, I wanted to let you know what a positive impact your newsletter has had on this grateful reader. I saw my dream editorial position posted here, applied, and got the gig! A big, huge THANK YOU!! It wouldn't have happened without Lit Mag News spreading the good word :).
This was jammed with info. Thanks for all the research. Just subscribed!!!
I gave Twitter the bird when he-who-shall-not-be-named took the reins and this latest development, which should astonish no one, is my official swan song.
I’m delighted I subscribed yesterday. Your rants astonish me for this kinetic energy and humor. How the heck do you write them?
BTW I’m one person who never gave Twitter the time of day. After reading your post about the deranged cyber game they play I patted myself on the back and did I high five with both hands, I guess that could be called applause.
Twitter also changed NPR and BBC status recently. It is complicated to explain here, but suffice it to say, they do not really like free speech.
Yes, it's true that the owners of Substack & Twitter are having a nasty turf war.
However, it's also true that in mid-April, wordsmiths might be working on their taxes.
But let's all make it a plan to show Becky's tweets some fond attention this month.
Per the Twitter/Substack thing -- Not everybody has a Twitter account (I never have) and many people have left Twitter (for something called Mastadon apparently) -- I had no knowledge of this shadow banning thing -- which sounds completely egregious and wrong -- until I read your email. (There's no mention of the issue on your Facebook page.)
Also per Twitter, why is LitMag still using it and giving Musk business?
As for Substack -- between you and Heather Cox Richardson, I'm a happy camper. Thank you!