The Moment I Realized That My Voice Mattered More Than the Algorithm

Written By Tarren Gilchrist

I wrote this after months of writer’s block. The kind where you tell yourself you’re “just busy,” but really, you’ve lost your spark and don’t want to admit it.

It took me a while to name what was actually behind the creative constipation (yes, that’s the word): questioning what growth really costs creators, and whether chasing reach was slowly pulling me away from why I started writing in the first place.

This essay lives on Substack, where I’m sharing longer-form writing again, slowly, intentionally, and without trying to impress the algorithm.

“As my audience grew, I felt less connected. Bigger wasn’t better — it was quieter, more careful, and less honest.”
— Tarren
Tarren Gilchrist