Your last SILT entry of 2024!
Thank yous, recommendations and a chance to have your say...
I won’t lie to you, I was deep into the post-Christmas stupor when I realised that it was Thursday, and I hadn’t given a single thought to this week’s article. I know plenty of Substack writers have rightly given themselves the week off, but as I’m doing very little except lounging around in my fuzzy bed socks, pulling together one final edition of SILT feels a welcome dose of structure.
Nevertheless, rather than writing and researching a deep dive into pop culture as I typically do, this is going to be more of a classic newsletter—not unlike the ones I write for clients in my day job. But, if you’re also spending much of your time horizontal, second screening and waggling don’t-mind-if-I-do fingers at every morsel of food in sight, perhaps this more laid-back format is just what you need this week.
Firstly, a big wet smooch of a thank you
Although the eagle-eyed among you will notice I posted a couple of essays back in 2022, I didn’t begin to use Substack with any passion or discipline until March of this year. That’s one of the reasons I’m so pleased - and slightly baffled - to have accumulated such a broad and engaged audience for my writing.
I am not well-known. I don’t have a hefty email list to transfer over from another platform. In March, I had 50 subscribers made up of mostly friends and family. Today, I have 800+ from all over the world. I had all but given up on the premise of building an online community for my writing (nothing quite like receiving a handful of polite likes on Instagram for something you’ve poured your soul into) but my subscribers here have changed that mentality completely. I’m deeply grateful for the love—but also for your challenges, your opinions, and all the things you teach me in return. Thank you for being a smart, kind corner of the internet. A rare thing!
Special thanks go to , , , , , , , , & who are always generous with their reading time, likes, shares, compliments and thoughtful responses.
My favourite Substack essays of 2024
Appropriately, I thought I’d share just a handful of especially smart and interesting Substack articles that I’ve enjoyed this year.
Moya always writes beautifully, but this piece was a particular favourite of mine. In it, she reflects on both her former romantic relationships and her former relationship with alcohol—all against the backdrop of a hilariously relatable UK train journey from hell.
Against the gender wars by Rachel Connolly aka
Selfishly, I love reading anything by Rachel because I can feel myself getting smarter as I do it. I find her writing on women’s attitudes towards their own agency and treatment refreshingly against the grain. It’s sometimes uncomfortable, but it’s always useful.
What Penis Size Has to do with Monogamy by
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll have noticed that I love a conversation about monogamy and infidelity—especially when it’s rooted in facts and stats. It’s no surprise, then, that I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah’s entertaining exploration into the historical and anatomical nature of - shall we delicately say - size.
A guide to grief at Christmas by
It’s not what people want to hear, but there is undoubtedly an element of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ when it comes to grief. The people who have experienced it just get it and the ones who haven’t seem to inevitably say the wrong things or endlessly try to rally or problem-solve. Louis’ writing on grief always feels like a squeeze on the hand—especially at this time of year.
As much as I prefer this platform to Instagram, we can’t pretend it doesn’t house many of the same problems under a different logo. Substack’s ‘top’ feature (where certain writers can be more easily found and subscribed to) plugs writers that are almost unanimously white, something which Chandra eloquently and justifiably points out in this piece.
I’ll put my hands up, I inhaled Rivals, but Inigo is right: it’s dangerously close to Tory PR. I think because I lean so far left, I felt politically unmoved while watching it. No amount of televised lip-biting or stolen looks in a big, posh kitchen could ever get me voting conservative in real life, but I can’t speak for the rest of the UK. And that is quite an unnerving thought.
The Devil Wears Pretty Much Everything by Abby Gray
Abby is always generously frank and open about navigating life as a trans woman in a relentlessly hostile society. But this piece made me very happy—an exploration into how fashion, clothing, textures and colours can be a means of both rebellion and self-care for anyone embarking on their transition journey.
Lily Phillips’ 100-Man Challenge: Who’s to Blame? by David Challen
I’ve noticed a lot of changing attitudes towards sex work lately, probably as a result of the Lily Phillips and Bonnie Blues of the world. Whether or not you believe women can be liberated by this particular strain of sex work, it’s undeniably frustrating to see men repeatedly left out of the conversation—as though they aren’t the engine itself. In this piece by David, he holds the mirror up to Lily’s 100-man queue, critiquing the way they - unlike Lily - are “allowed to retreat into their everyday lives without any accountability.”
your fave is selling a pedophilic fantasy by Jade Hurley aka
This is surely THE Substack post of the year, right? People have been talking about this on podcasts, socials, forums and - shock horror - in real life! Jade’s in-depth research into paedophilic fantasy, colonialism and Western beauty ideals is so airtight that - even if you don’t agree with every element of every premise - you’re forced to admit there’s absolutely a sinister undertone to the Sabrina Brand.
Upgrade to paid in 2025!
One thing I’m very excited about in the new year is to continue offering exciting, additional content for paying subscribers. Already, I’ve started writing my Ask Alanna advice column where we’ve discussed Instagram burner account addiction, the ethics of location tracking and outgrowing friendships—but in 2025, there’s lots more spicy advice to come.
So, if you can spare £2.50 a month (or £3.50 for a rolling subscription), do consider upgrading. It really helps to support my work and allows me to spend more time doing what I love: writing.
Have your say
I’m a bit of a fence-sitter when it comes to asking your audience what to write about. On slow weeks when I couldn’t decide what to write about, I dithered over asking my subscribers what they’d like to hear, then decided it was lazy journalism on my part. But as it’s the end of the year, I think it’s okay to ask. What would you like me to write about in 2025? Are there any topics you want me to explore? Any questions you’d like answered for the Ask Alanna column?
Add them to the comments of this post or send me a message! I’d love to know what’s topically on your mind.
Feeling generous today? If you enjoyed the above newsletter, I’d really appreciate you sharing it so that more people can do the same! Thanks for all your support. Hope you have a wonderful start to the new year ❤️
Hi Alanna, what an honor to be included in your roundup. Thanks lovely! Congrats on your growth this year. 🫶✨️
Hi ya, thank you for including one of my pieces in your round up! X