Hit 500 followers on my writing blog and it felt weirdly hollow

I spent two years posting short story prompts and flash fiction pieces. Finally cracked 500 followers last week. Thought I'd feel like a real writer or something. But honestly, most of those people never comment or interact. They just lurk. I got more out of the one guy who DM'd me saying a prompt helped him finish his first chapter than all those silent followers combined. Has anyone else hit a milestone that felt like nothing?

2 comments

2 Comments

bethcarr16d ago

Doesn't the whole numbers game just make you feel like you're performing for ghosts sometimes? That one guy who DM'd you mattered more because he actually used what you gave him, that's real impact. The silent 500 are just window dressing compared to that single human interaction.

nathan_barnes15d agoMost Upvoted

Performing for ghosts" is exactly how I felt building my photography page. I'd post 20 shots a week and get 500 views, but I only ever heard from one person who actually saved a photo to use as their phone wallpaper. That one DM where someone said "hey this reminds me of my trip to the Grand Canyon" felt ten times more real than the 40 likes on a sunset pic. Silent watchers are fine, but they don't buy prints or even say thanks, you know?