If you're a writer in 2025, you've probably thought about leaving Twitter.

Maybe it was the algorithm change that buried your best posts. Maybe it was the chaos of ownership changes. Maybe it was watching writers get shadowbanned, or discovering that the followers you spent years building suddenly can't see your tweets because they don't align with some invisible engagement metric.

Or maybe you just realized: I don't want to write for Twitter anymore. I want to write for myself.

The problem is, the alternatives aren't great either. Threads is just Instagram's version of Twitter. Bluesky is still chasing the same engagement metrics that made Twitter terrible. Mastodon is technically impressive but feels like hosting your own server (because you basically are). Substack Notes is for newsletter writers, not for people who just want to think out loud.

So what's left? Where do writers actually go?

The Twitter Problem in 2025

Twitter isn't what it was. We can acknowledge that without being cynical about it.

The algorithm is increasingly aggressive. Your reach depends on whether Twitter's metrics think your post is "valuable" (which usually means rage-bait and hot takes). Good writing—thoughtful, nuanced writing—doesn't perform well on algorithmic feeds.

And there's the uncertainty factor. You don't know the rules until you break them. You build an audience for years and then one decision from leadership can change everything.

More fundamentally though, Twitter (now X) stopped being a platform for writers and became a platform for engagement. The business model depends on keeping you scrolling, not on helping you express yourself.

What Writers Actually Need

Here's what I think writers are actually looking for in a Twitter alternative:

A home for your thoughts, not an audience optimization game. You want to share ideas without wondering how many people will see it. You want to write because you have something to say, not because you're chasing engagement metrics.

Permanence. A tweet can disappear. An account can be suspended. But a website? A website is a record of who you are and what you've thought. You want your writing to last.

Ownership. Your content shouldn't live in someone else's silo. You should be able to take it with you, archive it, republish it, own the domain it lives on.

No algorithmic nonsense. Chronological feeds. No recommendation engine trying to hijack your attention. No engagement bait. Just your thoughts in order.

Simplicity. You don't want to manage a server or learn IndieWeb protocols. You want to write.

The Existing Alternatives (and Why They're Not Perfect)

Threads (Meta's Twitter clone) It's polished. It's got the network effect. But it's owned by Meta, the company famous for algorithmically optimizing your attention. There's no way to host your own domain. Your data is locked in. And it's still optimized for engagement, not for thoughtful writing.

Bluesky (The decentralized Twitter clone) Bluesky has a better vibe than early Threads. But it's still fundamentally built on the same metrics as Twitter. Your reach depends on algorithmic ranking. You're still chasing followers. It's decentralized in theory, but in practice, most people are on the same server, so you're not really gaining ownership—you're just using a different platform.

Mastodon (The technical alternative) I respect what Mastodon is doing. Truly decentralized, truly open-source. But it's hard to use. You have to choose a server. You need to understand federation. It's built for people who care about technology as much as writing. Most writers just want to write.

Substack Notes (Newsletter-first) Substack is powerful for newsletters, but Notes is an afterthought. It's designed to drive people to your newsletter, not to be a home for your thoughts. And you're still renting from Substack.

There's Another Way

What if you could have your own site—a real website with your own domain—where you share quick thoughts, links, and ideas?

What if you didn't have to think about algorithms or engagement metrics?

What if your writing was preserved as static HTML, impossible to hack, impossible to delete unless you delete it?

What if you could syndicate your thoughts via RSS, so readers could follow you wherever they want—in their RSS reader, in their email, anywhere?

That's what Jottings is built for.

Why Jottings for Writers

I built Jottings because I wanted a place to write that wasn't social media.

You own your content. Your site lives at your domain. You can map blog.yourdomain.com to it. Your writing isn't locked in a service—it's on the open web. If we go out of business tomorrow, your site is still live. It's static HTML.

No algorithm. Your home page is chronological. Your posts are listed in order, newest first. We don't try to predict what readers want to see. If someone visits your site, they see your writing. That's it.

No social pressure. There are no follower counts. No like buttons. No retweet metrics. You're not competing for attention. You're just writing.

RSS feeds for real. People can follow you in their RSS reader. They're not locked into our platform. They choose how they want to follow you.

It's fast and simple. The editor gets out of your way. You write. You post. That's the whole interface. No analytics dashboard to get lost in. No plugins to manage.

Professional from day one. Your site looks good. It's got proper SEO. It has tags, archives, feeds, and everything a real website should have. But you didn't have to design it or manage it.

Who Jottings Is For

Jottings isn't for everyone. It's specifically built for:

• Writers who write for themselves first. You have something to say, and you want a home for it.
• People tired of algorithms. You want a feed that respects your time.
• Builders and makers sharing what they learn. Your audience is small but engaged.
• Thinkers who want permanence. You're not chasing virality; you're building a body of work.
• Anyone who's lost tweets they cared about. You want something that lasts.

If you're looking for millions of followers and viral moments, Jottings isn't for you. Use Threads. Use TikTok. Use YouTube.

But if you want to own your voice? If you want to write without an algorithm deciding your worth? If you want a website that will still exist 20 years from now?

Jottings is built for you.

The Personal Web Is Making a Comeback

The Twitter alternative writers need isn't another social network. It's not a new notification bell or a better algorithm.

It's a website. A real website that belongs to them.

And honestly? Watching writers come back to this idea—that they want to own their own platforms, that they want to write without the noise—has been incredible. We're seeing the pendulum swing back toward the personal web. People are tired of renting their voice.

Jottings is free to start. You can have your own site, share your thoughts, and own your work. If you want to use a custom domain, we have a Pro plan for that.

No algorithm. No engagement metrics. No one selling your attention to advertisers.

Just you, and your words.

If you're a writer looking for a Twitter alternative in 2025, give Jottings a try. Create an account, write a jot, and see what it feels like to have a home on the internet that's actually yours.

The personal web is back. Come write with us.