Stop Blaming the Algorithm. It’s Not Sabotaging You.

Writers love to blame algorithms.

“The algorithm hates me.”“The algorithm buried my post.”“If only the algorithm would show my work...”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: The algorithm doesn’t care about you at all.

It’s not out to get you. It’s not playing favorites. It’s doing exactly what it was designed to do—sell attention to the highest bidder and keep users scrolling.

In this conversation with Simon K Jones—author of the long-running serial Tales from the Triverse and one of Substack’s most strategic fiction writers—we dismantle the myth that algorithms are the enemy, and expose the real reason writers can’t get traction: they’re chasing favor instead of building relationships.

Simon has spent five years proving that you don’t need algorithmic blessing. You need consistency, direct reader access, and the guts to stop performing for platforms that will never love you back.

This episode is for every writer who’s exhausted from trying to game systems that were never designed to help them in the first place.

Episode Overview

In this episode, I sit down with Simon K Jones to talk about the algorithm obsession that’s keeping writers trapped—and why the solution is to stop caring entirely.

We explore:

• Why writers think algorithms hate them (spoiler: they don’t—they just don’t care)

• How social media platforms shifted from organic reach to pay-to-play models

• Why blaming the algorithm is easier than admitting your work isn’t connecting

• The difference between chasing algorithmic favor and building a real audience

• How Substack bypasses the algorithm game entirely by owning reader relationships

• Why Simon’s “Start Reading Here” strategy works better than any viral hack

• The reality that discovery takes years—and why shortcuts don’t exist

• Why writers who stop worrying about algorithms start building sustainable careers

• Simon also shares the hard truth: you can’t control the algorithm, but you can control your consistency.

This Episode Answers

• Why do I feel like the algorithm is working against me?

• Is there a way to “beat” the algorithm and get more visibility?

• Should I even be using social media as a fiction author?

• How do I build an audience if algorithms won’t show my work?

• What platform actually works for writers who want to own their audience?

• How long does it really take to build a sustainable writing career?

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