The Attention Economy Is Rigged—Here’s How Authors Can Still Win

Written by Timothy Foster | Founder & Creative Director

Let’s be honest about something most authors already feel: the attention economy isn’t fair.

Social platforms, online stores, and algorithms aren’t designed to surface the best work. They’re designed to keep people scrolling. Speed, frequency, and instant reaction matter more than depth or craft. That can be discouraging for authors who spend months—or years—creating something meaningful.

But “rigged” doesn’t mean hopeless.

The mistake many authors make is trying to compete on the platform’s terms. Posting more. Chasing trends. Reacting instead of building. That race almost always leads to burnout, not visibility.

The authors who still win in this environment do something different. They stop relying entirely on fleeting attention and start focusing on lasting signals. Instead of hoping a post performs well for a few hours, they create entry points that work longer—assets that can be shared, revisited, and discovered over time.

Attention today is borrowed. Trust is earned.

Readers don’t commit because something appeared in their feed. They commit because something resonated. Because it made them feel curious, understood, or emotionally invested. When authors lead with intention instead of urgency, they step out of the constant churn.

You don’t have to beat the system.
You just have to stop letting it dictate how your story is introduced.

The attention economy may be stacked against creators—but authors who build clarity, not noise, still find their readers.