Joey,
Hope you been good man.
Here's a recent experience I had that almost pulled me back where I don't wanna be these days.
Transcript
The Dopamine Trap and the Struggle to Stand Out
Man, this dopamine hit me like a fuckin Mac truck. You know that feeling online when you post something of no consequence—you don't even think about it—and then all of a sudden you look up and it's got 20 likes, 50 likes, 72 likes, and you're like, "Oh shit, here we go again". Maybe that's just me, but as someone who's been trying to stand out online for years, it got me going down a rabbit hole.
I’m Keith Hayden, the digital novelist. I’m a former indie novelist who has now semi-demoted myself to "guy who writes books" because, like a lot of creators trying to stand out today, it's hard out there. It’s cheaper than ever to put stuff out there, but it’s expensive timewise or moneywise to actually get it seen. It is so easy these days to get sidetracked and start playing somebody else's game that maybe isn't for you.
The Illusion of Success and the Algorithm Age
A couple of weeks ago, I watched a video by a channel called Barry’s Economics, which did a cynical deep dive into a podcast I enjoy called The Diary of a CEO. I love that there's so much derivative shit online—people basically reposting the same takes—but it's hard to find original thought. You have to sift through the AI stuff, the hype, and the cynical takes to find really novel ideas.
The video was a counterpoint to podcasts like The Diary of a CEO that bring on polished guests. These young podcast hosts are getting huge CEOs and politicians to come on to access their audience of millions. Barry’s point is that these podcasts sell an "illusion of success, hustle, and grind". These guests have made it because they are not only good in their field, but they are the best at talking about how good they are. They boil their ideas down into a single focus which becomes a very marketable brand in the internet algorithm age, making them easy to digest.
From Guru Grinds to Creative Burnout
For many years as a novelist trying to get noticed, I spent time in the "guru grind" following household names like Alex Hormozi and Nicholas Cole. I followed them because I didn't know what the hell I was doing; they seemed to have figured something out, and I wanted a cut of that success.
About five or six months ago, after my third novel dropped, I just lost steam. It wasn't an energy burnout, but a realization that this was not working for me. I tried many tactics to get noticed, including crossing media. I’m primarily a writer, but I’ve done video, podcasts, animation, and I’ve even started learning to draw to translate my stories to a modern, visual audience. For me, it did not work. I did not have the success I thought I would.
The Viral Comment and the Temptation to Pivot
I left a comment on that Barry’s Economics video that said: "Felt this hard. Had to pivot my business this year after years of following formulas. Shut down my podcast because I have nothing to talk about but compromise, frustration, and failure... maybe I should start a 'failed novelist' podcast".
As of this recording, that comment has 72 likes. I'm not the only person who feels like we are surrounded by successful people, while most creators just want to break even, write a good story, and not starve doing it. When I saw those 72 likes, I had that familiar tug: "Now wait a minute, this is signal". I started researching and game-planning a "Digital Novelist Redux" podcast focused on the struggle. I even got a description going and a relaunch program.
Breaking the Content Machine
About two hours into planning, I said, "You see, now this is the fuckin problem. You're doing it again". This is exactly what I don't want anymore—making content for content's sake. Content is just an endless machine these days. I don't want to be known as a sulky guy making a commiseration podcast.
In the modern algorithm, once you have a hit or a formula, it's in your best interest to stick to it. When you go off-script—talking about writing one day and code or drawing the next—the algorithms don't like that. I saw myself doing this and I hit the brakes hard. It is real tempting to see the likes and try to capitalize on them, but I think hard about what I want to be known for. I realized I can’t control how people perceive me, so it’s best to just do my thing and be myself. I let the podcast idea go because I didn't want to invest the effort into the infrastructure of a new rebrand.
Advice for the Modern Creator
I didn't even write anything down for this recording; it's all one take because writing it down would take too long. If you're a writer or an artist out there running up against these walls and fighting the algorithm to be seen, I feel you. It’s never been easy, but don't give up.
Don't let the machine paralyze you. Big podcasts have every incentive to fear-monger, telling you AI is taking over with sensational thumbnails. It’s like a damn snake oil market, and it can make you feel like there's no point because you'll never make a significant income. Don't spend your time "smoking the vapors of success" by watching three-hour podcasts while building nothing yourself. There is no shame if you do it because you're tired, but after a while, it won't do you any good. You have to go out and make something. Hang in there.
