Living the Dream
I have 6 subscribers on my Substack and I’m living my dream.
When I was 12, in the early days of the internet before FB and when you could get through every page in a google search, I was hiding at night writing fan fiction and smut. My only dreams then included being an author or being a vampire. When my parents caught me posting things online I had 49k weekly readers on my most successful fanfic, a website, deviant art, several writing accounts and a YouTube channel. I was making a web of connections with people who later became authors or famous YouTubers. I was truly so serious about making it.
My parents made me delete everything and I was grounded from the internet for a year. By the time I was a teen I was told repeatedly I would never make it financially as an author, that I was “too smart” to waste my future on anything that wasn’t a “well paying career”.
I gave up on that dream by 18, and then wasted my 20s on a man that tried to ruin my life anyway.
Now I’m in my 30s and I’m free in every way but financial, and I find that still the only thing I want to do is write. I’ve spent the last year trying to build the online Witch of the Wyrd brand, hoping and being thrilled to be able to reach out and help others with everything I’ve learned about trauma survival, abuse, the occult, and spirituality.
But starting this Substack has represented something quite different for me, it’s been a symbol of my final admission that at its core, I am a writer, and I desire nothing more than to write. To express the opinions of the unheard. To shine light on truth. To bear witness to pain, suffering, and transformation of the world in this time, and hold space for it in my heart even where no one else seemingly does.
So, just like everything else in my life, I start over. A new chapter begins.
Ultimately this was always my dream, to write. The other details are only part of the journey. So, I have 6 subscribers on my Substack and I’m super fucking grateful for them, cuz I am finally free and living my dream.
Starting a writing journey, especially after facing discouragement and life challenges, truly demands resilience and authenticity. From my own experience, I’ve found that embracing your unique voice and sharing genuine stories is what ultimately attracts a dedicated audience—even if it begins with just a few subscribers. Building an online writing brand like Witch of the Wyrd’s requires more than just consistency; it involves connecting with readers who relate to your personal insights and journey. The themes of trauma survival, spirituality, and occult practices shared in Witch of the Wyrd’s Substack offer a powerful example of how niche topics handled with honesty can build a meaningful community. For writers starting over after setbacks, online platforms such as Substack are invaluable. They provide space to publish without gatekeepers and engage directly with readers. Moreover, integrating your lived experiences into your writing adds depth and authenticity, which Google SEO values highly as it reflects genuine, user-centric content. For anyone pursuing a dream of authorship, this story is a reminder that success is not always about immediate popularity or financial gain but about expressing truth and holding space for transformation—both personal and collective. If you’re dreaming of writing but feel uncertain about where to begin or how to sustain motivation, consider starting small. Focus on quality and connection, and gradually cultivate your own unique audience. Like Witch of the Wyrd, your dream is living proof that it’s never too late to start over and embrace your true calling.
