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Debs Stott's avatar

An absolutely charming farewell to the place that used to be fab, a creative inspiration.

I'm still hanging in there by the skin of my teeth - but I'm not sure why?

Maybe, it is time to make Substack into our own IG, as you suggest.

I'm in! Let's do it!

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you Debs 💛 I have tried to keep the faith, and I miss it so much. I know many feel bitter about how it’s changed, I just feel sad. I know Substack can’t replace the celebration of imagery that Instagram was, but perhaps we can recreate some of that magic in a little way 💛💛

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Mark Everest's avatar

Hi Emily. For me this post is a timely read. I have never ‘done’ Instagram - in fact I have always resisted social media, believing that it would suck me in and be too much of a distraction. What niggled at me though was the growing urge to share my other ‘hidden’ side - the one that writes rhymes and sketches illustrations in support of them. Then - by pure chance (or was it fate?) I happened upon a radio interview that championed a thing called Substack. And something chimed with me - maybe Substack was the home I had been looking for. Two months later and here I am, talking my first tentative steps, battling Imposter Syndrome and now four posts in and the fifth scheduled to drop tomorrow (Monday) lunchtime. I hope with all my being that - in time - I connect with like, creative minds in the way that you have. My finger and toes (and hell, everything else for that matter) are crossed. Your post has helped me to believe it might just be.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Hi Mark, I’m so pleased this was helpful. I really enjoy it here, more than any other platform (and I’ve tried most of them). Keep sharing, keep posting, keep having fun 💛

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Mark Everest's avatar

Will do Emily - and thanks so much for the re-stack!

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Writer Pilgrim by So Elite's avatar

Well done! New beginnings are useful! I left insta 3-4 years ago, same with fb and whatsapp. When a company starts messing with your data it’s no longer cool, no matter what the interface and looks of it is. Let’s see to it we can stay here.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you! I barely go on FB but I do use WhatsApp for messaging. I hope that Substack remains a great place to spend time 💛

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Writer Pilgrim by So Elite's avatar

Hopefully you will break that habit soon! 😂😀👍

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Dawna Kreis | Walking With You's avatar

I LOVE your post! Beyond the sharing of your words, it's just visually pleasing to the eyes. 🥰

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you so much Dawna 🤩 I love being able to add illustrations and decorative dividers and custom buttons to enhance the words. I truly believe that words and pictures together creates something that’s more than the sum of its parts. And I love Substack for that! I quietly thinking it’s better than all the other platforms put together!! 💛

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Erin Galloway's avatar

Read every line and felt so deeply connected to my own relationship with Instagram that I keep coming back to like a toxic relationship that doesn’t serve me in the same way it did years ago. Kudos to bravery in having such intentional boundaries.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thanks Erin, it does feel like a toxic relationship doesn’t it? It’s no longer my go-to place for inspiration and connection, it’s all here now 💛💛

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Mareike Heil's avatar

Such a great post! I can so relate with your farewell letter. I have a personal account where I only follow a few people and which I still enjoy (most of the time), but since I started my little creative business / side-hustle I knew I don't really want to put much energy into Instagram and basically all other common social media as well. And still, I've set up an account, I tried to make it work (which didn't happen) and every time I log in, I feel like a bad artist (not painting all day, not successfully selling my art, not taking the most beautiful photos etc.). So over the past year I've searched for advice on how to get seen and be more successful as a creative online without this platform...and found out that anyone who says try x, y or z had been some sort of lucky on social media because they've been there for ages and then decided not to continue. Anyway, here I am, searching for my own way as a writer and painter, and most of all hoping to find some wonderful creatives too, as I've never connected truely to anyone on socials.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you so much for your thoughts and kind words Marieke. I made some amazing connections there, but that feels more like luck than because instagram is a good place to connect. I feel like if permanently fell out of love. I can absolutely relate to feeling like you ‘should’ have an account for your little creative business and then trying to find ways to grow, and feeling like you must be doing it all wrong. Substack has been eye opening for me, I have just shared here from the heart and I get consistent and wonderfully deep connections and conversations and engagement, just from being myself. It has been gradually growing o er the last 18 months and has taken time to get there, but it feels so much more genuine and I feel like I know the people who enjoy my work here. I never felt like that on instagram 💛

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Mareike Heil's avatar

Thank you a lot for your reply. It really reassures me in spending more time on here and for this platform than for instagram. I'm still amazed how nice people are on here and how open and heartfelt everything seems and how easy it is to connect with each other.

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Kim K Gray's avatar

Feel all of this, well captured. I miss the connections I had on Instagram and all of the lovely people I learned from, but I just can’t be there anymore. I deleted my account last year.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thanks Kim, I have teetered on the brink of deleting my account, but haven’t gone there yet. It may be coming… 💛

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Purple Ladybird Art's avatar

Emily, I really enjoyed reading this ‘farewell to Instagram’, having left Instagram for a while, in the summer, removing all my artwork and taking a break from the constant urge to perform, churning out artwork for whoever would give me a like. Getting messages offering me NFTs for my artwork and a constant stream of adverts - I was enticed back. Being told that if I wanted to sell my art or get seen I really should be on Instagram. Sadly, nothing has changed, if anything it is harder to get seen - I think I’m due another break. I met some lovely people and for that I am grateful 🙏💜

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

I’d forgotten about the constant NFT offers!! One of my annoyances was being tagged as the lucky winner of an iPhone 🤦‍♀️ of the porn accounts that would like your story 🙈🙈🙈 it’s so insidious that we feel we MUST be there if we want to sell our art. 💛

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Purple Ladybird Art's avatar

Yes, what is it about the porn accounts…every day I block and hide my story! I’ve deleted the app after reading your post…I’m taking a break and maybe forever! Thanks Emily. 🙏💜

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

🙌 I think testing out how you feel taking a break is perfect 💛

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Whitney Barkman's avatar

I feel so much the same — this was so beautifully written, by the way. I am still there, still hanging on, but slowly letting go bit by bit. Substack has taught me so many things about the way I want to create, that are the complete opposite to Instagram. That I can pour my soul into a piece once a week instead of trying to show up every single day. That I can find kindred spirits and a community despite not being active here every day. To have people join me, spend time with me, and offer heartfelt and meaningful comments, instead of barely stopping in an endless scroll. I love it here more and more, and spend time there less and less. 🤍

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Oh I agree so much with every word you’ve said Whitney, it feels so much deeper and more meaningful here, rather than scrolling and scrolling and barely seeing. Here’s to luring our souls into a single piece, so much more meaningful, than feeling we must just do more and more 💛💛

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

You’ve just written down, so very eloquently and gently, all the bad feelings I’m having about Instagram! I too keep trying, I nip back and scroll and scroll and scroll but it all just feels so empty. And such hard work too… Absolutely yes to Substagram Sundays, that’s a gorgeous idea! ♥️🙏🏽xx

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Hey Susie, thank you, always. I felt I needed to write something but didn’t want it to be angsty or bitter, or like a victim post. Instagram is what it is, things change, I’m sad about it, but honestly, I think Substack might just be better!! 🤫🤩😂 it does feel so empty and shallow over on Insta, I just wish all the beautiful accounts that I love so much would come over here so I can adore them on Substack instead!! 😂💛

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Heather Dickinson's avatar

I 💯 agree. Over the last month or so I have grown increasingly weary of the entire 'social media hustle' schtick. There's so much negativity, even after curating my feed for more positive and life-giving accounts thanks to the algorithm thinking I somehow do not enjoy living under a rock. I signed up for Substack last week and am really liking what I'm seeing here. It feels like being back in the early 2000s when blogging was new and possibilities were wide open and endless, except this feels richer and more fulfilling.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Lovely to meet you Heather, and to connect with you here. Welcome to Substack! I have to take care not to gush too much about it, but it is very cool!! I know it’s not perfect but it’s feel so easy to find amazing people to connect with and fantastic content to enjoy. I’m sure you’ll love it here 💛

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Sarah Allen's avatar

This is both heartbreaking and lovely. I miss it too, even though I never felt like I fully unlocked the possibilities on Instagram? But I'm absolutely loving it here. I look forward to reading more from you about using Substack as a visual artist--I'm still figuring that part out too!

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thanks Sarah, I didn’t experience the glory days of Instagram, I started too late for that, but it was still full of great inspiration before it got so filled with bots and adverts 🥺 I love the evolution here on Substack though and I’m determined to fill my little corner with as much creativity as I can 💛💛

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Meaghan McIsaac's avatar

Ewf. AMEN to all THIS. I really do miss it. Sigh.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Sigh indeed, it’s such a shame. But perhaps we can capture a little bit of the magic here instead 💛💛

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Deanna Thomas's avatar

Finding your article today feels like an affirmation from the universe, Emily (my grandmother's name, btw, so a powerful message for me from you!). I am planning to announce my exit from IG and FB this week after 3.5 years of using IG to grow my business. I have never loved it; I always felt like it was something I had to do at the end of 2020, living in Jamaica as a bodyworker during the pandemic. Getting on IG at that time felt like a last ditch effort to try something, anything to support my business and I'm just so over it. Thank you for sharing this letter...your words reached me, resonated with me, and are the final sign I needed to know that leaving IG and FB is the next right move for me. A deep bow of gratitude and a lotus for you 💜

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Lovely to connect with you Deanna, and I hope that you find some relief and space. I still dip in once in a while, because there are creatives there that I love to see, but it’s hard to find them and I just don’t feel it anymore. Here’s to the next steps of your journey 💛💛

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Deb H's avatar

This broke my heart but resonated so deeply. Instant “subscribe” after reading.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thanks so much Deb, it’s lovely to connect with you here 💛💛

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Lily Langman's avatar

Oh I feel this so deeply! I mourn what it used to be but I have moved on. Its the only way.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

It is sad isn’t it Lily, I’m glad to have Substack to share and connect on instead. You’re right the only way is to move on 💛💛

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Lily Langman's avatar

I've found so much more on Substack and Threads. It's like having a whole bunch of new and interesting people to chat with, in a fabulous tea shop, and there's always cake.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Cake! Yes please. I’m enjoying it here very much 💛

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