On The Day You’ll Have 1,000,000 Followers
A reminder to go slowly.
What if I told you…
Your latest article went viral.
Overnight.
You wake up, open your laptop with the same nonchalance, only to find that it’s now the #1 World Trending Post.
Your favorite author decides to share it on Instagram.
Everyone goes crazy.
One minute later, your parents know. Your coworkers know. Your teacher from kindergarten knows.
Book publishers from New York to Tokyo are trying to reach you.
Your phone used to be so quiet, and now it’s buzzing all around, as if it were suddenly possessed by a demon.
Well, that’s how you know you’ve become famous.
Sounds like…
The Most Horrible Nightmare
I don’t know about you. If it were my case, I’d be excited to "make an impact", but…I’d also be super terrified.
I wouldn’t want such a noisy lifestyle.
But funny enough, I’m publishing here to have more readers.
I’m assuming it’s the same for you.
We create for fun, but we also want our creation to matter. We yearn for validation. We need proof that someone, even a stranger from the other side of the globe, could resonate with us.
Or, put it another way:
We want subtle fame.
Look how many articles there are on “How to get more followers”.
People talking about their subscriber count, like they’ve reached a new milestone. And sadly, people who quit writing because their "growth" has been too stagnant.
It’s obvious how much we care about the numbers.
By that logic, wouldn’t it be awesome if each one of us got 1,000,000 followers overnight?
I don’t know.
Sure, a big number gives you credibility.
People will take you more seriously.
But will it truly increase your confidence?
I think a quest for followers is secretly a quest for self-worth.
Will you finally believe: “Yes! I’m good. People are waiting for me. Just look at the numbers: My work matters so much. Therefore, I’ll always be inspired to create!”
What if it was the reverse effect?
Maybe you'd feel even more like an imposter.
Maybe your success could make you so perfectionistic and worried about taking a wrong step in front of 2,000,000 pairs of eyes that you actually quit.
And what if I told you…
99% of your readers were actually fake, and all your comments looked like this?
What if, all of a sudden, your writing platform of choice decides to shut down, erasing your 1,000,000 bot followers into oblivion?
And you become a nobody.
And you realize you were always a "nobody" pretending to be "somebody".
That’s cool.
Being nobody is so freeing.
If there’s even one person who appreciated your work…That’s huge!
You’ve made it.
Write as if you were your own reader, but a reader that is external to you and doesn’t know anything about you, if that makes sense.
In due time, your art will be valued.
If not by anyone, at least by you.
What’s the number under your bio? Is it a score? An exam grade? Does it truly matter? Because one person who feels genuinely connected to you, that matters 1,000,000 times more.
Thank you for reading! ✿
