124 Comments
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Natasha Poliszczuk's avatar

100% this, JP. I must admit, I find Notes far too Instagram-y so tend not to look or post there very often. (I have Instagram for that.) I come here for the writing, and in that corner I will stay! And I also find the proliferation of writers and content bewildering. I work full-time and writing a newsletter takes me pretty much a working day, so I have to squeeze into the weekends and edges of the days. And I LOVE a proper, weekly post: the best ones - such as yours - are like receiving a letter from a friend. xx

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JP Clark's avatar

Right back atcha on the proper weekly post front Natasha. X

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TJ Green's avatar

I agree with you one hundred percent! I love the Substack vibe, and BTW love your posts, although I confess I am not a paid subscriber (yet), but I don't need to be bombarded by posts filling my inbox every day. Twice a week is more than enough, thank you. In fact, I'm about to unsubscribe from a couple for purely that reason.

I'm a full-time writer and have plenty to do, so the mad scramble to read content and also post it is not viable. I'm pretty sure my own subscribers don't need me hounding them either. No one needs another FB, insta, or TikTok. Quality over quantity please.

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JP Clark's avatar

Thank you and couldn’t agree more TJ

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Deborah Frost's avatar

Please don’t change JP. I love you, Kate, India, Jo and Lisa Dawson and I feel like we’re friends in a totally weird way. I wander across some of the fashion and beauty brigade and some occasional US writers, plus the odd English eccentric like Tom Cox but I deliberately don’t follow politics, business, shouty ‘make yourself better’ stuff because Substack to me is none of that and I really hope it stays more or less as it is. It’s a real pleasure and a source of great and generous sharing of information.

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JP Clark's avatar

Totally with you Deborah.

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Jo Thompson's avatar

I feel that too!

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Karen Barnes's avatar

Agree on every point

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Annie Blackwell's avatar

Yeah, Deborah! Tom Cox, right! He's always good for a weird, cheer-filled read.

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SuzieQ's avatar

As a subscriber I agree with all you have said. Personally I like the regularity of a weekly post and look forward to yours immensely. Never been disappointed. Stick to your principles, keep speaking up, be brave and true.

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JP Clark's avatar

Thank you so much Suzie.

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At Home with Kerry Villers's avatar

Really enjoyed reading this and can relate to a lot of what you’ve said about Instagram. I love the way you write, you come across very well and it feels like a letter from a friend x

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JP Clark's avatar

Thank you and hello Kerry.

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Gaynor Roberts's avatar

I hear you on not making Substack like IG and also the trials of being an unknown in a huge pool of celebs (I definitely fall into that category!) on Substack. I’ve resigned myself to just enjoying writing and posting, dreams of ‘discovery’ long forgotten. Your newsletter has become a must-read! Entertaining and fun, humorous and poignant. I’m celebrating your hard work and raising a Sunday morning mug of tea to you!

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JP Clark's avatar

Gaynor that’s incredibly kind of you.

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Lilliana's avatar

Very much in the same boat and agree with your comment.

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Libby Foot's avatar

Morning JP 💙 Loved this read! I don't follow many on Substack and in all honesty I'm mainly here for yours, you are my only paid subscription. You're my real life magazine subscription with added sauce 🫶🏼 I do still like Instagram, although I tend to doom-scroll. I need less phone time so you are my quality over quantity 💋 xx

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JP Clark's avatar

Libby that’s made my day. Thank you

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Julia Reis's avatar

Brilliant post, JP, and in total agreement, so much so, that I've not posted my first post yet for fear of the tidal wave of pressures it could bring. I love you posts, 2 a week is a joy and I look forward to your third year on here. X

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JP Clark's avatar

Thank you so much Julia. I very much looking forward to when you do start posting. You’re a great writer.

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Julia Reis's avatar

The kindest words, thank you, JP💚x

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Evoqua (E-voh-kah) - by Andie's avatar

I love your Sunday post JP, and I consume it in full, taking my time and actually reading it. I would love just a simple world, but sadly I think the days ate gone of simplicity. So yes, I hope substack doesn't become the all singing and all dancing app, but is a safe space where storytellers thrive. Thanks JP another great read xx

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JP Clark's avatar

So welcome Andie

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Anne’s balcony garden's avatar

Very much enjoyed reading this. I've only been on substack for two weeks. I was so excited when I first published: kind replies to my words, instead of some of the empty comments on instagram which make it abundantly clear they'd read/cared zero of what I'd tried to convey (not that there's a lot of space to do it). In week two I discovered how often some people post, and I immediately felt a well-known pressure to do the same, wanting the little graphs to go up. Luckily, I'm limited in time and energy so once a month it will be and notes when I've got time. Quality over quantity. I need to do something about the growing amount of unread newsletters in my inbox though. Still, I feel a lot more excited about this medium than I recently have about anything else!

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JP Clark's avatar

That’s brilliant to hear and welcome to Substack. It’s such a great place. I still get a rush when I press publish. I don’t think it’ll ever go away.

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@nictorian_diaries Nic Ruben's avatar

What an enlightening read ! Thoroughly enjoyed it . Glad I’m here that’s for sure X happy Sunday

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JP Clark's avatar

Really glad you’re here too Nic

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Ollie Oliver's avatar

A voice of commonsense in the wilderness.

I followed you because I was homesick for jolly olde England, I will subscribe because your just the real deal, thanks.

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JP Clark's avatar

Thank you so much

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Anne Wareham's avatar

Difficult to work it all out. There's no specific gardens place for us on here, and so maybe garden writers are mostly writing to other garden writers, which is kind of odd. Videos and chats are time demanding. (And irritating) Garden writers also have specific competition from the exclusive and excluding Scribehound.

So I cling to posting a written piece regularly and hope that your fears don't come true and that scope for those of us not doing bells and whistles will remain. Writing freely, with no editor demanding conformity is bliss!

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JP Clark's avatar

I’m right with you on all points Anne.

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Heather - heatherandhome's avatar

A great read, JP. I always look forward to reading your newsletters. And I do enjoy your Instagram content too. I have to agree IG has become more like hard work - I’m currently striving to remember not to compare with others, and to keep it fun. 😊

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JP Clark's avatar

It’s hard though isn’t it!

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Steph James's avatar

Everything you say JP, everything you say!!!!

I honestly don't know how you physically (and mentally) split yourself into so many parts... and I know that you missed out your most important roles - what about lover, dog walker, uncle, friend etc?

I used Instagram during the pandemic. It was my "therapy" if you like. I was stuck in the house with a child who was recovering from a life-threatening illness, and who was classed as "clinically extremely vulnerable". I didn't dare to set foot across the threshold for fear of bringing Covid home. Yeah, sure, I had plenty of friends and family I could communicate with (thank goodness for video calling), but I felt that writing, sharing, offloading and posting on Instagram really helped me cope. Then the pandemic ended, and so did my Insta love affair. I had begun to feel there was a need to post every day. I found out that there were some people I HAD to follow (and bit like the mean girls at school - you have to stay on their good side, compliment them often, but never get anything in return). Post pandemic, I began to have a life in the real world once again, so there was no time to read (and comment politely on) other people's posts. There was definitely no time to clean, titivate and style my home to the extent that I used to. So, like a boyfriend that becomes too high maintenance, I got the "ick", and Instagram was dumped.

I do pop on there now and again, to see what's going on in the lives of people I really loved following, (you included), but I don't comment or "like" their posts for fear they'll know I'm there in the background and feel obliged to comment back. Please don't think I'm suggesting that you do the same, JP, and I completely understand the need for people to use it for monetization purposes, but my life is fuller and more enriched without it. It served its purpose at a difficult time and I thank it for that.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Now, having said all of that, I feel tremendous guilt that you're going to have to read all of what I've written, then comment politely on it, taking up more of your precious time. I don't want you to do that JP. A heart will suffice, thank you. ❤️

And, as much as I LOVE reading your well written and thoughtful posts, I'd actually applaud you taking a break where you can enjoy your best life without any pressure. Oh, and by the way, I don't pay to subscribe to any tv channels and I always find there's plenty to watch! Enjoy your Sunday. 🥰

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JP Clark's avatar

I think that was the case for so many people in lockdown. It’s the strangest place now. You always know when it’s dead if the only people commenting on each other’s posts are influencers, the public have ran for the hills.

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Rebecca Geddes's avatar

Morning JP! Hope you are enjoying a morning cuppie in your gazebo! I look forward to reading your newsletter on Sunday morning and the midweek notes are a welcome breather in a busy week. I do subscribe to other writers and enjoy their content too (Jo Thompson and others) and make time to read them but there are only so many hours in the day for all the content appearing on Substack! Please don't change JP - like others have said, your writing comes over as a friend chatting. Carry on making your own kind of music - ear worm for the day! X

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JP Clark's avatar

I will do my utmost to continue exactly as I am. Away from home this morning after a party last night. Slight hangover. 😵

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