Introducing: Threads 🧵

Something New (2006)

Cannot say confidently that Leo is on the Substack app, but also cannot say confidently that Leo is not on the Substack app. (Photo by Team GT/GC Images)

When I did a reader survey earlier this year, the second-biggest request was more opportunities for discussions and community-building. (The biggest request was fewer links … and no, because links are fun!) Paying subscribers get discussion posts once a month, but I wanted to try something that felt lower stakes and a bit more immediate. Substack is beta testing a new feature that I think will meet this need, and I’m excited to try it with you all here. Introducing: Threads, or “a dedicated space where writers can kickstart conversations.” Basically it’s a Slack-chatroom-message board that you can participate in using the Substack app.

I woke up at 6 AM Friday morning — blame Wednesday’s iced coffee — and watched Love is Blind: After the Altar; on Sunday afternoon I watched it again with my braider. It is a strange, shocking triptych of drama that falls into an in-between: I both cannot deal with this at all, and have to talk about it to get it out of my system. I feel like Hung Up’s interest in Love Is Blind is high, but also there is an easy way to totally opt-out of the discussion if this show isn’t for you and you don’t want another thing in your inbox.

Chime in if you’re interested. I’m always trying to think of ways to reach Hung Up readers with a greater level of specificity without stomping into your inbox to talk about something that’s not of interest to most of us. I think there’s a real opportunity here for more niche subjects: readers who are Elvis-pilled, those who loved Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, and my Succession-istas. The pilot program is small, and only a few writers are testing it out. (I’m following Haley Nahman of Maybe Baby’s Threads, and they’re a good example.)

To get in on the Thread: download the Substack app:

And click the threads icon at the bottom, that looks like two word balloons, or find the link here:

Okay that’s it! I just posted the Love is Blind thread and hope to see you there!

*The Substack app is not available for Android users yet, but it’s in beta testing now and will be out soon! In the meantime, you can sign up for the waitlist here.