I especially enjoyed Bro Brian's paper on the 47th Problem, it's well written and offers a great explanation of why we as masons revere it. So much so that I have presented it (an edited version with proper accreditation) in lodge.
It's funny you posted this today. The article I asked you to read over yesterday was almost suggested as a guest post for you since Emeth is strictly Masonic and my Ouachita Optic is a bit more wide ranging. I have greatly appreciated your restacks and comments the last couple of months. They make a huge difference!
You give me a good chance here to write a bit about niche, as that's something I've spent countless hours thinking about through the years.
Almost all of the advice one receives here on Substack, about succeeding on Substack stresses the importance of niche. A writer has to pick a niche, has to stay in that niche, and that niche had better be tight.
And that's what you are mentioning here. Emeth holding to a tighter niche than your publication.
In a way, I think that advice is true. But, only as far as it goes.
What I mean by that is that the writer is also the niche. Yes, I write about Freemasonry here. But, I also write about hats, and tobacco, and other odd things that interest me. And, I don't think that bothers any of my readers. Those things that I do think would bother my readers I publish elsewhere. In other words, the people who like reading what I write about politics or our society, probably wouldn't want to read about Freemasonry.
When I read your posts, I think that they all do fit into a niche that you have created. (Perhaps without knowing you were doing so.)
Your thoughts about our Craft are expressed differently, and from a quite distinct point of view from mine. That's a good thing, only in that way can we learn from each other.
But your other posts all seem (to my reading of them) to support that distinct point of view. That is, to my mind your niche, and I think it is pretty well developed across your posts, no matter what the particular subject of each might be.
So, what I'm saying here is, I don't think that posting the Essay you asked me to read is in any way outside of the niche of your publication. I think that it fits there quite seamlessly.
That said, if you wanted me to post it here, I'd be happy to do so. But, I don't think you need to do that, as it doesn't from my perspective, somehow harm what you are doing on your publication.
I'm pleased that the restacks and other things have helped. Discoverability is a really difficult thing.
MW Cameron, you really sent me down a rabbit hole with this comment, in the best way possible.
Your point about the "writer being the niche" made me go back and re-read my body of work to discover what exactly you were seeing. I realized my niche is something along the lines of "The Speculative Philosopher of the Everyday." I’ve been unconsciously applying the "speculative" method of the Craft to modern life, but doing so through a very specific lens.
You mentioned our "distinct points of view," and I think that is the key. Where your work often explores the esoteric and symbolic, sometimes even delving into things like the Tarot although you have a separate publication for deep dives into that topic, my "Optic" is grounded deeply in my Christian faith. That faith is the lens through which I process everything, whether it’s the Craft, office supplies, or a freeze in the Ouachitas. It is a different frequency, but as you said, that difference is where the value lies.
Thank you for the guidance and for helping me see my own work more clearly. I’m going to follow your advice and keep the essay for the Ouachita Optic. It belongs there.
I'm glad that this was helpful to you. I think that it is really hard for us to see our own work clearly sometimes, so readers of the work pick up a lot of things that we as creators of it don't.
That's one of the real benefits of writing on this platform, feedback from readers. That just isn't something that exists in a lot of publishing.
I appreciate what you are doing for the Craft and the authors of various forms of Masonic, Masonic adjacent, and socially beneficial content. It is incredibly difficult to increase visibility for new channels and content without those who help to share or promote it.
The simplest and easiest way for a channel to garner new readers and visibility is for those who peruse their content to like, re-stack, and share it. Subscribers help too, though I know a lot of people guard their inboxes zealously, given the amount of spam that inundates a lot of us these days. Ultimately the only thing the platforms and budding AI overlords understand is engagement. If we do not engage it is assumed their is no value to be found, and bury it under everything else.
If we want to grow and support useful or valuable content that promotes our interest we just need to consider a couple of click of the mouse. If we have the ability, comments help too. They help the writer to tailor and improve their content, and shows real and meaningful engagement for the metrics used to increase visibility.
Likes, restacks, commenting, and sharing are vital to the success of any online writer. Just hitting that restack button, or sharing a link into something on social media can make a huge difference.
Hopefully, by doing these things, we can continue to ensure that all of our Masonic and Masonic adjacent online boats continue to rise together!
I especially enjoyed Bro Brian's paper on the 47th Problem, it's well written and offers a great explanation of why we as masons revere it. So much so that I have presented it (an edited version with proper accreditation) in lodge.
Brother Brian is a really sharp thinker. Getting to talk with him through the years has really contributed to my understanding of our Craft.
It's funny you posted this today. The article I asked you to read over yesterday was almost suggested as a guest post for you since Emeth is strictly Masonic and my Ouachita Optic is a bit more wide ranging. I have greatly appreciated your restacks and comments the last couple of months. They make a huge difference!
You give me a good chance here to write a bit about niche, as that's something I've spent countless hours thinking about through the years.
Almost all of the advice one receives here on Substack, about succeeding on Substack stresses the importance of niche. A writer has to pick a niche, has to stay in that niche, and that niche had better be tight.
And that's what you are mentioning here. Emeth holding to a tighter niche than your publication.
In a way, I think that advice is true. But, only as far as it goes.
What I mean by that is that the writer is also the niche. Yes, I write about Freemasonry here. But, I also write about hats, and tobacco, and other odd things that interest me. And, I don't think that bothers any of my readers. Those things that I do think would bother my readers I publish elsewhere. In other words, the people who like reading what I write about politics or our society, probably wouldn't want to read about Freemasonry.
When I read your posts, I think that they all do fit into a niche that you have created. (Perhaps without knowing you were doing so.)
Your thoughts about our Craft are expressed differently, and from a quite distinct point of view from mine. That's a good thing, only in that way can we learn from each other.
But your other posts all seem (to my reading of them) to support that distinct point of view. That is, to my mind your niche, and I think it is pretty well developed across your posts, no matter what the particular subject of each might be.
So, what I'm saying here is, I don't think that posting the Essay you asked me to read is in any way outside of the niche of your publication. I think that it fits there quite seamlessly.
That said, if you wanted me to post it here, I'd be happy to do so. But, I don't think you need to do that, as it doesn't from my perspective, somehow harm what you are doing on your publication.
I'm pleased that the restacks and other things have helped. Discoverability is a really difficult thing.
MW Cameron, you really sent me down a rabbit hole with this comment, in the best way possible.
Your point about the "writer being the niche" made me go back and re-read my body of work to discover what exactly you were seeing. I realized my niche is something along the lines of "The Speculative Philosopher of the Everyday." I’ve been unconsciously applying the "speculative" method of the Craft to modern life, but doing so through a very specific lens.
You mentioned our "distinct points of view," and I think that is the key. Where your work often explores the esoteric and symbolic, sometimes even delving into things like the Tarot although you have a separate publication for deep dives into that topic, my "Optic" is grounded deeply in my Christian faith. That faith is the lens through which I process everything, whether it’s the Craft, office supplies, or a freeze in the Ouachitas. It is a different frequency, but as you said, that difference is where the value lies.
Thank you for the guidance and for helping me see my own work more clearly. I’m going to follow your advice and keep the essay for the Ouachita Optic. It belongs there.
I'm glad that this was helpful to you. I think that it is really hard for us to see our own work clearly sometimes, so readers of the work pick up a lot of things that we as creators of it don't.
That's one of the real benefits of writing on this platform, feedback from readers. That just isn't something that exists in a lot of publishing.
I appreciate what you are doing for the Craft and the authors of various forms of Masonic, Masonic adjacent, and socially beneficial content. It is incredibly difficult to increase visibility for new channels and content without those who help to share or promote it.
The simplest and easiest way for a channel to garner new readers and visibility is for those who peruse their content to like, re-stack, and share it. Subscribers help too, though I know a lot of people guard their inboxes zealously, given the amount of spam that inundates a lot of us these days. Ultimately the only thing the platforms and budding AI overlords understand is engagement. If we do not engage it is assumed their is no value to be found, and bury it under everything else.
If we want to grow and support useful or valuable content that promotes our interest we just need to consider a couple of click of the mouse. If we have the ability, comments help too. They help the writer to tailor and improve their content, and shows real and meaningful engagement for the metrics used to increase visibility.
Great topic as always MWB Bailey!
You are 100% right Brother.
Likes, restacks, commenting, and sharing are vital to the success of any online writer. Just hitting that restack button, or sharing a link into something on social media can make a huge difference.
Hopefully, by doing these things, we can continue to ensure that all of our Masonic and Masonic adjacent online boats continue to rise together!