Should I be considered a ‘Covid writer?’

…How and why Substack content’s evolved … Also, a few reasons the market for Covid writers exploded … Has this market now become over-saturated?

Not only do I write Covid articles, I also collect funny graphics on Covid.

Author’s note: Please note several questions at the end of this article for a “Reader Open Thread” exercise. As always, reader feedback is appreciated.

In recent weeks, I’ve noted with interest a discussion among some Substack readers that “Covid fatigue” might be more pronounced than was previously the case. Another often-expressed opinion is that many subscribers feel they’re being “over-saturated” with Substack emails.

Both of these (apparent) trends are, of course, important to any Substack author, especially those of us who routinely focus on Covid subjects.

In thinking about this, it occurs to me that I am probably considered a member of the Substack cohort that might be labelled “Covid Contrarians.” 

(In my opinion, this group of writers, more than any other group, helped put Substack on the map as an influential platform for independent writers.)

But in thinking about this label, it also occurred to me that many of my stories are actually not about Covid subjects. To quantify this suspicion, I went back and analyzed the subjects of my recent articles (going back 10 weeks to Dec. 31, 2023).

Even I was surprised to learn that almost 70 percent of my articles (24 out of 35) were not (primarily or exclusively) about Covid. Note: See analysis at end of this article.

Thus, today’s headline: Should I really be considered a “Covid writer?”

I should note I didn’t perform a similar analysis of all 245 articles I’ve published since September 22, 2022. My guess would be at least 50 percent of articles in my Substack archive are about Covid topics. 

Of this percentage, a large number of my articles focus on my keen (and unique?) area of interest - my hypothesis that spread of the novel coronavirus began months earlier than the experts have acknowledged.

Why the Focus on Covid?

The question of why so many Substack authors focus almost entirely on Covid topics probably merits a serious article in itself. Common sense gives us the obvious reasons, which might include:

* Covid, arguably, is the biggest, most-significant, world-changing event of our lifetimes.

* Furthermore, millions of citizens are convinced the mainstream press (and public officials) refuse to honestly discuss what’s actually changed in our world … and how alarming these changes really are.

* Since these important discussions are taboo at most media sites, Substack authors filled the void of much-needed skeptical Covid content. The market spoke and thousands of writers (and millions of readers) viewed Substack as a work-around to the captured mainstream press.

* Even with a rapidly-growing roster of “citizen journalists” performing copious research and original journalism, the public still doesn’t know the answers to virtually all the important Covid questions or unsolved mysteries. Because of this, a sub-set of Substack authors keep searching for these answers.

* Certainly, many citizens are beyond frustrated that the people and organizations we view as villains or incompetent “leaders” have not been brought to justice or held accountable. Until this happens - and even, more likely, if it never does -  large numbers of principled writers will try to do their part to produce this result.

Almost none of ‘the resistance’ is

now writing only about Covid …

The subjects covered by Covid writers have also evolved or expanded. Today’s “Covid Contrarian” authors are also often referred to as “freedom” writers. 

The latter label is an apt description which captures how the same writers are also alarmed about the massive growth in the Censorship Industrial Complex and the frightening eradication of so many previously-sacrosanct civil liberties.

The interest in Covid scandals apparently increased awareness of all the other scandals that have never been exposed. Basically, more readers and writers reached the conclusion that if the Covid “authorized narratives” are false or dubious, many more elements of conventional wisdom must be similarly bogus.

So the number of neglected and important topics addressed by the Covid writers dramatically expanded.

Indeed, the more articles my colleagues and I file on Covid topics, the more many of us realize that many disparate “dots” probably all connect. This, to say the least, is an unsettling conclusion.

All the features that made our country great now seem to be under simultaneous attack.  The real reason that might explain the intense engagement of Substack freedom writers is our belief that the future of civilization might be at stake.

What’s this mean as we move forward from today?

All of these points make one wonder if interest in these topics will continue to remain elevated. Or, perhaps, have many people already burned out on so-called “doom porn” or, particularly scary, reached the conclusion that any writing on these topics won’t change the direction the world’s heading.

The good news for “freedom” writers - or anyone who hopes to grow their Substack readership numbers - is that even bigger news events are probably on the horizon.

I’m in the group who thinks 2024 could be a turning point in U.S. and world history. If this is the case, Substack authors who’ve already developed a following of loyal readers should be be well-positioned to keep or add even more readers and (hopefully) subscribers.

I know I’m going to keep writing about Covid topics and keep plugging away on my “early spread” research and theories. However, my interests span the current-events spectrum. I’m confident I’ll never run out of original topics that challenge conventional wisdom.

At the end of the day, the hope of writers like myself is that enough people want to read our thoughts - regardless of the subject. 

The freedom market should be big enough

to support many writers like myself …

While  the “freedom” market isn’t as big as it should be, it’s not small either. 

I recently did a cursory analysis of Substack data and concluded that approximately 8 million of this platform’s regular monthly readers (50 million+)  and subscribers (35 million-plus) are also interested in many of the same topics that interest me. So if I can tap into even a tiny share of said market, I should be okay.

(Note: See the Reader Comment Section on how I arrived at my estimate of 8 million readers for the “freedom” or “contrarian” market.)

My hunch/hope is that if at least 8 million Substack readers continue to have a keen interest in current events and issues that will affect the future of their children and grandchildren, Substack’s “freedom” authors should be able to get their fair share of this market.

This, of course, assumes that Big Brother or the ever-expanding Censorship Industrial Complex will not crack down on contrarian Substack authors, which might be a naive assumption.

Analysis: Bill’s Non-Covid articles of the last 3 months:

“X is not an important truth-seeking organization” - Dec. 31

“And So it Begins” (Has an attack on Substack commenced?) - Jan. 5

“Effort to de-monetize Substack is backfiring”  - Jan. 7

   Note: I might need to retract this column.

“Mark Epstein might go down in history” - Jan. 8

“Thank you, Coach Saban” - Jan. 11

“The experts will kill college sports” - Jan. 17

“The importance of fighting the ‘indoctrinated’ brain”  - Jan. 18

   Note: This article includes Covid references, but was really about people who are not afraid to speak up and are willing to risk the ire of the mob … or go against groupthink.

“The demise of Sports Illustrated is worth noting” - Jan. 22

“A 23-minute conversation on freedom” - Jan. 30

“The government took over the Mob’s best rackets” - Feb. 3

“Why did the chicken cross the road?” - Feb. 5

“Confessions of a ‘Gold Bug’ “ - Feb. 6

“Joe Biden’s toast” - Feb. 9

“The Pack Journalists have pounced!” - Feb. 11

“In Defense of the Plastic Grocery Bag” - Feb. 17

“What’s the Key to Our Side winning this war?” - Feb. 19

   Note:  This piece also contains several Covid references but the primary theme is bigger than Covid.

“I’ve got ‘No’ in my Pocket”  (Subscription Drive article) - Feb. 23

“Movies for Our Covid Times’  - Feb. 24

   Note:  This might be construed as a “Covid article” since ‘Covid’ is in the headline. Still, this is really a column about movies relevant to our Twilight-Zone, New-Normal times. It’s a movie column and I’m a big movie buff.

“RussiaGate was our most preposterous scam” -  Feb. 26

“Let’s hope Substack’s never captured” - March 1

“Something HAS changed with Substack” - March 4

“More disturbing Substack trends” - March 6

“Nick Saban calls out today’s greedy athletes” - March 7

“Statistics professors do not have True Grit” - March 8

  Note: I’m not going to count this essay, which is primarily about our Covid times. But this piece was really written to show how captured higher education is and and to illustrate that 99.9 percent of college faculty members lack real courage. 

“Should I be considered a ‘Covid writer?’ ” - March 8

Summary:

Total: 35 articles.

• 24 “Non-Covid” articles (with aforementioned caveats or qualifiers).

• Eleven (11) “Covid” articles (including the “True Grit” article).

Per my analysis, 68.6 percent of my recent articles were NOT (strictly) about Covid issues. Only 31.4 percent (less than one-third) focussed entirely on Covid issues.

Cross-posts:

I also cross-posted 15 articles written by other Substack authors. Eight of these were “Covid” articles and seven were not.

Questions for a Reader Open Thread …

In the last 69 days, I’ve emailed 50 articles to my subscribers, an average of one emailed article every 1.38 days. Question: Is this too many articles?

Would readers prefer to receive fewer emails from me … or does it bother you to get this many emails from me?

Can a Substack author publish too many articles? 

Comment: I think my production rate is significantly higher than most Substack authors. In the past 10 weeks, counting “cross-posts,” I’ve emailed an average of five articles/week to subscribers. (My guess would be most Substack authors distribute 1 to 3 articles to readers per week.)

Another question: Do readers appreciate receiving the “cross-post” e-mails? 

I greatly appreciate the support of my readers. Don’t forget the “Bonus” text in the Reader Comments. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!