Host: Jaime Buckley 💎
Guest: Simon K Jones
Topic: Why writers blame algorithms for problems that have nothing to do with code, and why stopping the chase is the smartest business decision you'll make
Music: “Feel Good” by raspberrymusic
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?
Highlights
Why “the algorithm hates me” is the writer’s version of “the dog ate my homework”
The moment Google shifted from organic search to paid placement—and why indie authors can’t compete
How Amazon uses algorithmic control to manipulate indie pricing and visibility
Why social media platforms will never prioritize your content (and why that’s not personal)
The “Start Reading Here” strategy that proves consistency beats virality every time
Why Substack works: you own the reader relationship, no algorithm in between
The library story: proof that you can’t predict what will work—but you can keep showing up
Why stopping the algorithm chase is the smartest business decision a writer can make
Key Quote
“The algorithm doesn’t hate you—it’s just honest.” — Jaime Buckley
Episode Goal
To free writers from the exhausting cycle of blaming algorithms for lack of traction, and redirect that energy toward what actually works: consistent output, direct reader relationships, and platforms you control.
Listeners should walk away understanding that algorithms aren’t the enemy—they’re just indifferent. And the writers who win are the ones who stopped begging for algorithmic favor and started building something real.
From Jaime
Every writer I know has blamed an algorithm at some point.
Facebook isn’t showing my posts.
Instagram shadowbanned me.
Amazon buried my book.
I get it. It feels personal.
But here’s what Simon and I both learned the hard way:
The algorithm doesn’t hate you. It just doesn’t care.
It’s not sabotaging you. It’s not playing favorites. It’s doing exactly what it was built to do—maximize engagement, sell ads, and keep users scrolling. Your success was never part of the design.
And that’s actually good news.
Because once you stop chasing algorithmic approval, you can focus on what actually builds a career: showing up consistently, owning your reader relationships, and creating work worth finding.
Simon’s been doing this for five years on Substack. Hundreds of thousands of words. No viral hacks. No gaming the system. Just consistent, quality work that readers can find and follow—without an algorithm deciding whether they’re allowed to see it.
That’s the strategy that works.
Stop blaming the code. Start building the connection.
Quick Favor
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Join Us
If this episode freed you from the algorithm trap, don’t stop here:
→ Free Article: How Can Fiction Authors Stop Blaming Algorithms and Start Building Real Audiences?
→ Paid Deep Dive: The Algorithm Independence Framework: How to Build a Writing Career Without Chasing Favor
Find Simon K Jones
Substack: simonkjones.substack.com
Serial Fiction: Tales from the Triverse (fantasy/sci-fi detective serial)
Content: 5 years of advice and strategies for writing serial fiction on Substack
Audio: Portions of Tales from the Triverse available on Spotify
Future Projects: Short stories, comics, interactive fiction, collaborations
ABOUT THIS PODCAST
Nothing About This Is Safe is a weekly writing-truth podcast hosted by Jaime Buckley, featuring candid conversations with working authors.
We talk about craft, mindset, platforms, money, and the realities writers face once the writing itself is done.
No hype. No formulas. Just real conversations about what it takes to keep going.
“Real writers. Real conversations. No masks. No ego. Subscribe.”
