While I appreciate the new tools, please keep this in mind: The reason Substack felt like safe harbor for writers like me, is that it was only about the writing. It's not just that you don't have to worry about design or that design is easy. It's that you don't have to feel obligated to make your writing prettier, or spend time doing the self-promotional stuff that distracts one from the focus on the work. It is great to be able to chat with people and read notes, but I already feel the need to acquire "likes" and such. It's the pull of that dopamine hit of approval. Please don't become every other social media platform. There are lots of places for visual content, or even snappy banter. This is the only place that's really about the writing. I'm not saying don't add features. Just please be aware of what you risk losing. Thanks.
Not to disagree, as I agree with simplicity, but I do appreciate being able to choose page colour, font, and basic layout, from some simple options. I also write to pictures, in my work, so they are crucial for me. I do my best to describe what a clearcut does to an ancient forest, but pictures are still vital. cheers
I'm cool with some limited options for making stuff look good, so long as it remains easy for the average writer who doesn't write CSS code. It's the "get out there and plug your stuff in the social media notes" that bothers me. I really loved it when the only way to increase your audience (at least inside Substack) was to write things that people felt worth sharing and recommending. It was kind of pure in a world where the only talent valued is the talent for self promotion.
Just today, I mentioned your exact comment about "the writing being the heart of it" to a writer friend of mine as a reason she should check Substack out. She was very moved by your point. You have a friend you haven't met yet, for life, lol.
I'm really happy with Substack, for exactly the reason you said. Priorities are right, and it makes it easy for non-tech people to blog really clearly and well. I don't have any Social Media myself, not even FB. However, I recognise that SM (Ess and Emm, lol), can be good ways to get excellent pieces of writing through the Dominant Society Filter to find new people. Cheers!
As an artist, I'm much too concerned about prettying up my page and have found I will eat up my nights messing with stuff. I'm enjoying the restraint of just a few options.
I couldn't agree more, Esther. Lots of new features and bells and whistles make me worried that I'll be spending too much time with them, whereas for me, it should really be all about the writing!
Thank you, totally agree. The pull of likes is so toxic. I try to justify that "I'm growing my newsletter" but am I really? Even new subscribers you "collect" here, if so lucky, aren't necessarily really reading. I think the real readers will find their way if we are free to just focus on the good work of making good writing, end of story. (I do like to make things prettier though since I'm very visual and love design, it's the social pressure component now that worries me.)
Yeah, that's the problem with pure numbers. You can have X subscribers, but how many are really reading? For my part, I want readers, not numbers.
I see the changes happening here which are focused on numbers, metrics, etc. without considering if this produces engaged readers or just a higher dot on a line chart. It concerns me because Substack was great, focused sharply on delivering writing to folks.
I find the movement toward social media not so welcome. However, I understand it's probably inevitable because the #1 rule of tech is that you can never let a good thing be.
IDK. In my experience as a reader, don't lots of folks subscribe just for access and then go straight to the site themselves (instead of messing with emails)? That's what I do. My inbox is overcrowded already with subscriptions. I just go to those sites on my own after I've signed up.
I totally get what you're saying, but I'm elated that Substack has added these features. I hope it adds more. I literally just started an account as a creator, and I probably wouldn't have done so if it didn't have these features.
The added features are actually really basic, and I have no doubt that quality writing will remain the primary focus. It is central to Substack's identity. More features that promote creativity, expressiveness and practicality won't change the focus. They simply allow creators to further personalize the pages (if they choose to) and better organize their posts for presentation to their readers.
For example, adding sections and tags were key points for me. And being able to have my own logo and other customizable options were very important. I ran a successful blog/multi-page website for three years in the late 2000s, and the appearance and versatility of the site were high priorities for me — even though excellent writing was the main attraction. I'm not quite as concerned about site design now as I was then, because it can be time-consuming, but I definitely want some legit flexibility of design and organization. I want the options.
I'm sorry that you feel pressured or obligated by the changes. I think having more ways for creators to express themselves is a positive thing. And folks want some tools to help their sites get found. It doesn't mean everybody has to employ all these features. Just keep doing you.
Personally, I'm not at all concerned about Substack turning into Facebook, Twitter, Insta, etc. It's a whole different animal. And I couldn't care less about the "like" button at this point. It's pretty standard everywhere nowadays, like cruise-control in cars. The real "like" button for Substack is subscribers and views.
Quality content will always win the day. If the work isn't good, people aren't going to stick around, come back or sign up — no matter how flashy the site looks or how much traffic flows through.
Hell, I should have read further down before repeating a lot of what you just said...HAHAH. With you 100% -- and I'm new here also. For me it was "just" enough customization but not so much I have to maintain/update things.
I wanted to set everything up, make sure the reader experience will be good (sections/tags), make it mine with custom art -- then create. Just write, draw, podcast...and be consistent.
All Substack would have to do is add the option of multiple tier options and I believe this would be the dominant writing platform on the internet.
It's crazy that Substack is still missing some incredibly BASIC features, which is frustrating. I mean, we can't even wrap text around a picture (which is the most basic thing ever for any webpage). All pictures have to be centered with no wraparound. Like, really?!?
I hope they keep adding design features (at least add the frickin' basics) and also more traffic-generating features. If they do so, I agree that they could dominate this arena of the internet.
There's no reason for Substack to be so limiting. Its business model — the underlying architecture of subscriptions, email marketing, a content-centric framework, serious creators, and the wonderful Substack community, etc. — would be unaffected and remain intact.
Those building blocks are the main draw of Substack in the first place (which made many of us forgo other platforms that offer more design features, SEO, etc.), so why not enhance it and give creators here more options? Quality content and Substack's foundational values would still rule the day.
Plus, *design* is a form of content in and of itself! (Of course the writing and/or visual art centerpieces would still have to be compelling to gain and retain an audience.)
BTW, your site looks AMAZING,!! Incredible. You are massively talented. I can only imagine what it would look like if Substack wasn't so limited in design capabilities, because what you've done is absolutely fantastic!
People should check it out. (And it might help them understand what you and I are talking about.) Truly unbelievable!
I have yet to officially launch my site (which will be quite different and paired-down compared to yours, like a totally different vibe and focus. Hopefully it will happen by the end of the month or early next month.
Anyway... I really was blown away by your site! For folks reading this, check out his site here:
I'm just curious, because I do some cartooning, do you draw on a computer program? My cartoon drawing certainly isn't at the level of your artwork, but I'd like to be able to create in a way that translates to digital platforms. Do you need a touch-screen computer or accessories for drawing/painting? For example, how do you fill colors in spaces so precisely? Do you have to do all of that manually or is there software that you work with?
First off, you might hate me for this, but I’m actually going to side with Substack on NOT allowing the wrap around text...because I just discovered /noticed something you may also appreciate...
I had several friends look up LifeOfFiction.com on their phones and they each saw the EXACT SAME THING.
Now, when they go to WantedHero.com which is my wiki-on-cocaine connected to LifeOfFiction.com, they each get jumbled results...because they each have a different screen size.
My site doesn’t render equally, BECAUSE of wrap around text. Some phones look horrid -- with a single word scrunched next to a pic, and it throws it all off.
Once I saw that? I get it. This is perfect. It’s not “everything” but it makes my Substack look good on ANY device.
So consider that.
As for the art, thanks. I appreciate the compliment. I need to put up a lot more art, but it’s coming.
As for the art itself, I used to be old school and then scan it all in, adjust in PS,...but I’ve since learned to hate Adobe and THEIR subscription model. After more than 15 years I dropped them and went with Affinity software from the UK.
Infinitely better, you own it, no internet connection required, $75 per software. They have the equivalent to Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I used all three, replaced all three about 4 years ago,...beat decision ever.
How I MAKE the artwork:
IPad and ProCreate. Bought them 7 years ago...haven’t killed a tree since.
Unlimited YT videos and programs to learn the software. It’s $12. That’s it. Walks over other programs without breathing hard. Exclusively for the iPad....so treat yourself to a big iPad.
I bought a used 12.9” Pro for $1100 with 1TB storage. Procreate allows layers depending on your storage space. So go big. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for software insights! Much appreciated. What platform did you use for your other site? I had a site 10 years ago through WordPress.ORG and wraparound was no problem across devices and browsers. It was always consistent, bc I used templates that were designed for both laptops and mobile/tablet devices. (And wraparound works perfectly fine for professional sites.)
That's why I'm surprised the Substack platform doesn't even include it. It's included elsewhere with no issues.
The problem with WordPress (whether it's .org or .com) is that you have to do so much of the heavy lifting on your own with coding and plugins.
I definitely hear what you're saying about wraparound text and consistency across devices and browsers, but it's very commonly featured on many platforms.
All I'm saying is I want some more options, which should be doable by Substack. And, like I said, there are lots of pros to Substack that outweigh some of the cons. I just get a little frustrated sometimes.
First off, I always used Wordpress, and still do for other business, like https://JaimeBuckley.com for artwork. Yes, the heavy lifting can be rough -- which is one of the main reasons I came here. I was tired of the work, the maintenance, and the constant hacking by people wanting to take kids reading my comics to porn sites was the last straw for me.
The mobile versions of site are common, yes, but they still (most I experience) still look questionable on my little iPhone screen. So there's definitely an argument for both sides.
But I'll say something that won't likely be brought up -- and that is keeping an impressive light on Substack...
Having the ability to custom design a site doesn't mean you should. It's like having a builder that can design the most structurally sound building, but he/she has ZERO design sense. The only thing you get in the end is an eye sore that will...never...die.
IMO Substack has created quite a perfect balance, because no matter who you are, I don't think you can screw up your own stack visually.
It might not be as visually stunning as, say a photographer displaying their skills, but you won't make the community look bad, either. That, for me is important. Snobbish of me, YES, but important.
Thing is, the moment Substack makes that change, and maybe it's what you want for your site/stack,...it also affects mine.
Forever.
So though I see your point (and I don't disagree with you either), PLUS I have a wish list myself, I've experienced far too much to inflict what I want onto the whole community. This is me, just saying I get why Substack is being cautious, and maybe, just maybe, we can't see the over-arching decisions, because this isn't my business.
SS has more than two cartoonists to take into consideration (grin).
Doable isn't the same as 'should'.
When I came to that conclusion, I asked myself, "Does NOT having such-and-such a feature make the platform less effective?"
Hey Jaime, looks like your site is coming along great! I was just curious, how do you make some photos/artwork within posts go all the way across the screen (beyond the horizontal parameters of the text blocks for each post)? I noticed it on your site and a small handful of other sites.
On all artwork you post, if you hover your cursor over the top right corner of the art, a small bubble with 3 dots will appear. Click that and you'll get the options for 'alt text', etc...but you'll also see an option to widen the art to "large" or I believe "full-width".
Wrapping text doesn't require knowing code. It just means your image can be on the left or right and text will "wrap" or continue on either side of the image. It can save space, looks nice and allows for smaller images. So basic. I wish Substack had it.
I so much agree with your POV. I was on a month-long hiatus from Substack and upon my return, I couldn't help but wonder, "is it the same Substack?" Yes, adding new features and updates is cool... until it eludes the core of the craft--writing.
I'm torn here. I agree with you wholeheartedly, Antonia...fled social media and my own websites, leaving all the complicated stuff behind. Thing is, I'm a cartoonist, so visual features are critical for me.
Again, I'm with you about the CSS code also...I was compelled to learn it for my other site. I just want to write, and compliment my writing with my own artwork.
What I appreciate about Substack, is it's all buttons and simple choices with customization. That's all. There's no code to worry about. It's just a combination of choices to make things look prettier. IF you want it.
It allows me to use my art in a better way, so potential readers can easily find me through a comic strip...
This is me saying I agree, but there's more to it. The powerful automated way our Substacks sell, upgrade and help us is, IMO, second to none and I'm delighted to be here. These changes, as I see it, support your point, not hinder it.
Hehe,...I keep a bottle of Writers Tears on my writing desk, right next to the Smokey Tennessee Whiskey...and a 13" hand-carved statue of Jiminy Cricket.
Sections in Substack have always been a bit confusing to me. Most subscribers don't care enough (for or against) to unsubscribe or resubscribe to a particular niche topic of my writing. I'm glad to see that tags are now an option for people to easily sort or read only about a specific topic without the confusion of what they are or aren't subscribed to.
For most writers, sections are irrelevant, but I have two threads, Net Zero Housing, and Sustainable Forestry. The option to separate them is not a bad thing. Still, I agree, K I S S . lol
I agree with you that it’s great to see tags as an option. Last year I tried creating a section for a special thing I was offering – and it worked, except new subscribers were joining the section, too, which made things confusing. (I’ve since hidden the section.)
Sections are excellent. It would be absurd not to have them as an option, especially for those of us who do most of our reading through the actual sites rather than the newsletters. After all, Substack is a blog as much as a newsletter. No option for sections/pages would be a dealbreaker for me.
Can I ask, is there something that determines the order of Recommended Substacks? I have more than the number that are shown, and they seem to randomise, but they also seem to never show several specific Substacks.
I would like to know this, too. I've recommended many Substacks but the same few seem to appear on my main page and I have no choice over which should be there.
I don't know for sure, but it looks like it might be chronological--newest recommendations get highlighted. If true, then none of the others will ever surface.
That's what I mean. My newest recommendation is there now, but none of the older ones are--and probably won't be. I'd rather it wasn't there, to be honest.
I had an email notificaiton that Dayne from the Substack team had responded saying they are just randomised. But that comment now seems to not be here (unless I'm not spotting it?) so perhaps that means they checked and realised there's an actual bug with Recommendations! 🤞
Katie - I think it was a couple weeks ago that I reiterated my multiple requests that someone @ Substack please make this correction : I do not write "Marcia's Substack" & would like to see that removed from every comment I make - Please ? ... you responded along the lines of planning to pass that along to the rest of the Substack team. I realize that you are likely 'swamped' with all the folks ( who do write their own Substacks) needing your help & guidance, but I would greatly appreciate it if someone at Substack could take just a moment to resolve this problem for an avid reader & follower of Jay Kuo. Thanks !
will be able to revert back to our old layouts? Mine looks to have automatically changed for this new update but I'm sure many of us prefer the old look
i think the degree of subtlety really depends on the eye of the beholder! I appreciate substack giving us more options, I really do. I just wish for things like this that our old ways of visual display and organization weren't just discarded and made inaccessible. Shouldn't it be all about giving users and creators more customization and not limiting it?
I'm still new to writing on here but I did spend a lot of time carefully thinking and choosing how I wanted things displayed. Ideally, I'd like to continue using that and play around with new options to see if I want to adopt the change, rather than being forced to. It does feel a bit antithetical to the otherwise supportive branding/messaging I've associated with substack. I appreciate your response and willingness to incorporate our feedback!
to be more concise, i had my old layout intentionally feel more "blog-y" whereas this feels like it's forcing be to be more "modern website-y." Looking through others substacks, it feels more like i'm on an e-commerce site than i like i'm on a site to read new, interesting thought-provoking articles.
I do like their new layouts, but I agree with your point here about sometimes wanting my newsletter to feel more blog-y and would like to retain that option. I've often felt this about other newsletter platforms and that was one reason I've stuck with Substack in the past...
yea substack definitely has a great infrastructure around but this is definitely a point in the direction of "maybe consider self-hosting or switching a new one" if it makes sense to. I just dont get why you would force the new layouts on everyone instead of letting people decide for themselves.
Maybe the e-commerce, website-y pivot is subtly intentional to get it to be an "Everything app," wouldn't be surprising with the addition of notes (which i somewhat like), but might be a larger push of user acquisition and generating revenue. wouldn't be surpsied if i start seeing shopify integrations and such
It would be nice if there was a way to undo automatically shifting images from left side to right side for default. Additionally, from a UI/UX perspective, having the new default hide likes, comments, restacks, share, and bookmark until you’re hovering over a specific article seems rather clunky compared to what it was previously.
Completely agree about left side images! I wish we had a choice between left or right. (I find left much easier to scan, plus it keeps things consistent with the archive and section list views, which all still have images on the left)
I'd like to have it back the way it was. A simple list with the article images on the left, not on the right. I'd also like to see the title/subtitle text on the main (topmost) post to be left justified as it used to be, instead of centered. Any chance of any of that happening for those of us who aren't into changing what already was working well?
I also really wish I could put the images on the left in the articles list. (I find that with them on the right, the blur the once-obvious divide between article list and sidebar. Now those images are so close to my recommended list (which also has images.) And since archive pages and section pages still default to image left for lists, I'd really love to just keep things consistent.
"I also really wish I could put the images on the left in the articles list. (I find that with them on the right, the blur the once-obvious divide between article list and sidebar. Now those images are so close to my recommended list (which also has images.)"
Another thing I just noticed is the way the likes/comments/share buttons only appear when you roll over the article. Hidden UI that requires you to roll over it to make it appear is a bad user experience. Yes, it's needed sometimes, when there's a space constraint, but the space for those buttons is already there.
Now, instead of casually scrolling and viewing all the info, a user needs to scroll, find the magic hidden spot, then continue to scroll. More work and really not necessary. I hope you'll consider putting it back the way it was. Thanks.
I agree, while I dislike the popularity contest principle of "likes," we live in a time where likes = quality for a prospective audience. It's important for people to be able to see it right off the bat when they come onto the page.
Ah! I place an archived post into my newsletter, and it doesn't stand out as such anymore! It just blends in... I was going to ask about this in Office Hours... but here we are. I prefer when it stands out--seems to me it was in a box??
Hi Katie! any word on the feedback that a lot of users in this comment thread are sharing and advocating for about wanting the option to have the old layouts?
Hi Becca. It looks like a lot of people in this thread and in the likes want the ability to keep the old layout and don't think the style differences are that subtle. Any word on if subsstack will be receptive to our feedback? the new updates in visual display feel more "website-y" almost like an e-commerce website rather than "Blog-y" for writers.
We'd really love to have the thumbnails go back to appearing on the left and the text to the right (in the "Feature" design area where it lists past posts).
Having the pictures on the right now is problematic in three ways:
1. the pictures are crushed up against the recommendations and it is visually unappealing and harder to parse
2. the pictures draw the eye to the right and thus lead the eye to gloss over the headlines
3. the headlines are harder to read because they are being hemmed in by the pictures sitting to the right of them.
Really? If that's true, Substack has been VERY good at keeping the secret. All the early interviews I've read with the founders say they're building a newsletter subscription business...the business model I (and many others) fell in love with. "Website" was a four-letter word.
These new features are great, especially tagging! It would also be great to tag specific posts with topics that are searchable across Substack or Notes - I’d love to find new writers who write on topics I’m interested in, rather than just people who are recommended by the people I’m reading. Also hoping tagging will help more people can find those of us with less of a following (like me!) who write on topics of interest. My substack is a mix of things - food allergies, culture + equity, wildlife conservation, and Judaism. The tags will definitely help my existing audience zero in on the topics they care about most, but I’d love a way to find new readers who are curious about any of those areas.
Can I add a request for being able to order our Recommendations. Would be great to drag them in the order we like and not have them randomized, or however they come up.
Also, since I found you here in this thread, I've asked a few times and haven't heard back. I don't come up in my searches of myself - i.e. I use an exact title of my latest post or major keywords from my site description, or even the name of my substack, and NONE of it comes up in search. If I can't find myself, I don't see how any stranger interested in my topics would ever find me. Is it a popularity thing - only higher subscriber counts come up? Thanks for addressing!
While I appreciate the new tools, please keep this in mind: The reason Substack felt like safe harbor for writers like me, is that it was only about the writing. It's not just that you don't have to worry about design or that design is easy. It's that you don't have to feel obligated to make your writing prettier, or spend time doing the self-promotional stuff that distracts one from the focus on the work. It is great to be able to chat with people and read notes, but I already feel the need to acquire "likes" and such. It's the pull of that dopamine hit of approval. Please don't become every other social media platform. There are lots of places for visual content, or even snappy banter. This is the only place that's really about the writing. I'm not saying don't add features. Just please be aware of what you risk losing. Thanks.
Not to disagree, as I agree with simplicity, but I do appreciate being able to choose page colour, font, and basic layout, from some simple options. I also write to pictures, in my work, so they are crucial for me. I do my best to describe what a clearcut does to an ancient forest, but pictures are still vital. cheers
I'm cool with some limited options for making stuff look good, so long as it remains easy for the average writer who doesn't write CSS code. It's the "get out there and plug your stuff in the social media notes" that bothers me. I really loved it when the only way to increase your audience (at least inside Substack) was to write things that people felt worth sharing and recommending. It was kind of pure in a world where the only talent valued is the talent for self promotion.
Just today, I mentioned your exact comment about "the writing being the heart of it" to a writer friend of mine as a reason she should check Substack out. She was very moved by your point. You have a friend you haven't met yet, for life, lol.
I'm really happy with Substack, for exactly the reason you said. Priorities are right, and it makes it easy for non-tech people to blog really clearly and well. I don't have any Social Media myself, not even FB. However, I recognise that SM (Ess and Emm, lol), can be good ways to get excellent pieces of writing through the Dominant Society Filter to find new people. Cheers!
As an artist, I'm much too concerned about prettying up my page and have found I will eat up my nights messing with stuff. I'm enjoying the restraint of just a few options.
second this 100%. I fled social media for substack. it’s still a safe place, but all the new features are beginning to threaten its untouchability
I couldn't agree more, Esther. Lots of new features and bells and whistles make me worried that I'll be spending too much time with them, whereas for me, it should really be all about the writing!
Thank you, totally agree. The pull of likes is so toxic. I try to justify that "I'm growing my newsletter" but am I really? Even new subscribers you "collect" here, if so lucky, aren't necessarily really reading. I think the real readers will find their way if we are free to just focus on the good work of making good writing, end of story. (I do like to make things prettier though since I'm very visual and love design, it's the social pressure component now that worries me.)
Yeah, that's the problem with pure numbers. You can have X subscribers, but how many are really reading? For my part, I want readers, not numbers.
I see the changes happening here which are focused on numbers, metrics, etc. without considering if this produces engaged readers or just a higher dot on a line chart. It concerns me because Substack was great, focused sharply on delivering writing to folks.
I find the movement toward social media not so welcome. However, I understand it's probably inevitable because the #1 rule of tech is that you can never let a good thing be.
Once my email open rate drops below 40% I actively delete those who aren’t engaging as it’s just demotivating.
IDK. In my experience as a reader, don't lots of folks subscribe just for access and then go straight to the site themselves (instead of messing with emails)? That's what I do. My inbox is overcrowded already with subscriptions. I just go to those sites on my own after I've signed up.
That is EXACTLY what I do as well. Thanks Christiaan, for bringing that up. How do I know when my readers area actually reading?
They tell me in the comments and invite more people/share the content. If there's another way to tell, I don't know what it is yet.
I do the same thing. Keeping the open rate high is the real dopamine hit for me.
Vanity metrics otherwise if no-one is engaging.
Truth!
I totally get what you're saying, but I'm elated that Substack has added these features. I hope it adds more. I literally just started an account as a creator, and I probably wouldn't have done so if it didn't have these features.
The added features are actually really basic, and I have no doubt that quality writing will remain the primary focus. It is central to Substack's identity. More features that promote creativity, expressiveness and practicality won't change the focus. They simply allow creators to further personalize the pages (if they choose to) and better organize their posts for presentation to their readers.
For example, adding sections and tags were key points for me. And being able to have my own logo and other customizable options were very important. I ran a successful blog/multi-page website for three years in the late 2000s, and the appearance and versatility of the site were high priorities for me — even though excellent writing was the main attraction. I'm not quite as concerned about site design now as I was then, because it can be time-consuming, but I definitely want some legit flexibility of design and organization. I want the options.
I'm sorry that you feel pressured or obligated by the changes. I think having more ways for creators to express themselves is a positive thing. And folks want some tools to help their sites get found. It doesn't mean everybody has to employ all these features. Just keep doing you.
Personally, I'm not at all concerned about Substack turning into Facebook, Twitter, Insta, etc. It's a whole different animal. And I couldn't care less about the "like" button at this point. It's pretty standard everywhere nowadays, like cruise-control in cars. The real "like" button for Substack is subscribers and views.
Quality content will always win the day. If the work isn't good, people aren't going to stick around, come back or sign up — no matter how flashy the site looks or how much traffic flows through.
Hell, I should have read further down before repeating a lot of what you just said...HAHAH. With you 100% -- and I'm new here also. For me it was "just" enough customization but not so much I have to maintain/update things.
I wanted to set everything up, make sure the reader experience will be good (sections/tags), make it mine with custom art -- then create. Just write, draw, podcast...and be consistent.
All Substack would have to do is add the option of multiple tier options and I believe this would be the dominant writing platform on the internet.
It's crazy that Substack is still missing some incredibly BASIC features, which is frustrating. I mean, we can't even wrap text around a picture (which is the most basic thing ever for any webpage). All pictures have to be centered with no wraparound. Like, really?!?
I hope they keep adding design features (at least add the frickin' basics) and also more traffic-generating features. If they do so, I agree that they could dominate this arena of the internet.
There's no reason for Substack to be so limiting. Its business model — the underlying architecture of subscriptions, email marketing, a content-centric framework, serious creators, and the wonderful Substack community, etc. — would be unaffected and remain intact.
Those building blocks are the main draw of Substack in the first place (which made many of us forgo other platforms that offer more design features, SEO, etc.), so why not enhance it and give creators here more options? Quality content and Substack's foundational values would still rule the day.
Plus, *design* is a form of content in and of itself! (Of course the writing and/or visual art centerpieces would still have to be compelling to gain and retain an audience.)
BTW, your site looks AMAZING,!! Incredible. You are massively talented. I can only imagine what it would look like if Substack wasn't so limited in design capabilities, because what you've done is absolutely fantastic!
People should check it out. (And it might help them understand what you and I are talking about.) Truly unbelievable!
I have yet to officially launch my site (which will be quite different and paired-down compared to yours, like a totally different vibe and focus. Hopefully it will happen by the end of the month or early next month.
Anyway... I really was blown away by your site! For folks reading this, check out his site here:
https://www.lifeoffiction.com/
I'm just curious, because I do some cartooning, do you draw on a computer program? My cartoon drawing certainly isn't at the level of your artwork, but I'd like to be able to create in a way that translates to digital platforms. Do you need a touch-screen computer or accessories for drawing/painting? For example, how do you fill colors in spaces so precisely? Do you have to do all of that manually or is there software that you work with?
First off, you might hate me for this, but I’m actually going to side with Substack on NOT allowing the wrap around text...because I just discovered /noticed something you may also appreciate...
I had several friends look up LifeOfFiction.com on their phones and they each saw the EXACT SAME THING.
Now, when they go to WantedHero.com which is my wiki-on-cocaine connected to LifeOfFiction.com, they each get jumbled results...because they each have a different screen size.
My site doesn’t render equally, BECAUSE of wrap around text. Some phones look horrid -- with a single word scrunched next to a pic, and it throws it all off.
Once I saw that? I get it. This is perfect. It’s not “everything” but it makes my Substack look good on ANY device.
So consider that.
As for the art, thanks. I appreciate the compliment. I need to put up a lot more art, but it’s coming.
As for the art itself, I used to be old school and then scan it all in, adjust in PS,...but I’ve since learned to hate Adobe and THEIR subscription model. After more than 15 years I dropped them and went with Affinity software from the UK.
Infinitely better, you own it, no internet connection required, $75 per software. They have the equivalent to Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I used all three, replaced all three about 4 years ago,...beat decision ever.
How I MAKE the artwork:
IPad and ProCreate. Bought them 7 years ago...haven’t killed a tree since.
Unlimited YT videos and programs to learn the software. It’s $12. That’s it. Walks over other programs without breathing hard. Exclusively for the iPad....so treat yourself to a big iPad.
I bought a used 12.9” Pro for $1100 with 1TB storage. Procreate allows layers depending on your storage space. So go big. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for software insights! Much appreciated. What platform did you use for your other site? I had a site 10 years ago through WordPress.ORG and wraparound was no problem across devices and browsers. It was always consistent, bc I used templates that were designed for both laptops and mobile/tablet devices. (And wraparound works perfectly fine for professional sites.)
That's why I'm surprised the Substack platform doesn't even include it. It's included elsewhere with no issues.
The problem with WordPress (whether it's .org or .com) is that you have to do so much of the heavy lifting on your own with coding and plugins.
I definitely hear what you're saying about wraparound text and consistency across devices and browsers, but it's very commonly featured on many platforms.
All I'm saying is I want some more options, which should be doable by Substack. And, like I said, there are lots of pros to Substack that outweigh some of the cons. I just get a little frustrated sometimes.
No, I get it -- I really do.
First off, I always used Wordpress, and still do for other business, like https://JaimeBuckley.com for artwork. Yes, the heavy lifting can be rough -- which is one of the main reasons I came here. I was tired of the work, the maintenance, and the constant hacking by people wanting to take kids reading my comics to porn sites was the last straw for me.
The mobile versions of site are common, yes, but they still (most I experience) still look questionable on my little iPhone screen. So there's definitely an argument for both sides.
But I'll say something that won't likely be brought up -- and that is keeping an impressive light on Substack...
Having the ability to custom design a site doesn't mean you should. It's like having a builder that can design the most structurally sound building, but he/she has ZERO design sense. The only thing you get in the end is an eye sore that will...never...die.
IMO Substack has created quite a perfect balance, because no matter who you are, I don't think you can screw up your own stack visually.
It might not be as visually stunning as, say a photographer displaying their skills, but you won't make the community look bad, either. That, for me is important. Snobbish of me, YES, but important.
Thing is, the moment Substack makes that change, and maybe it's what you want for your site/stack,...it also affects mine.
Forever.
So though I see your point (and I don't disagree with you either), PLUS I have a wish list myself, I've experienced far too much to inflict what I want onto the whole community. This is me, just saying I get why Substack is being cautious, and maybe, just maybe, we can't see the over-arching decisions, because this isn't my business.
SS has more than two cartoonists to take into consideration (grin).
Doable isn't the same as 'should'.
When I came to that conclusion, I asked myself, "Does NOT having such-and-such a feature make the platform less effective?"
The answer for me was "no".
...so I started building.
Hope that makes sense?
Hey Jaime, looks like your site is coming along great! I was just curious, how do you make some photos/artwork within posts go all the way across the screen (beyond the horizontal parameters of the text blocks for each post)? I noticed it on your site and a small handful of other sites.
On all artwork you post, if you hover your cursor over the top right corner of the art, a small bubble with 3 dots will appear. Click that and you'll get the options for 'alt text', etc...but you'll also see an option to widen the art to "large" or I believe "full-width".
Wrapping text doesn't require knowing code. It just means your image can be on the left or right and text will "wrap" or continue on either side of the image. It can save space, looks nice and allows for smaller images. So basic. I wish Substack had it.
Yes I agree. I’m no techie and don’t want the extra headache of it not being shiny enough.
I so much agree with your POV. I was on a month-long hiatus from Substack and upon my return, I couldn't help but wonder, "is it the same Substack?" Yes, adding new features and updates is cool... until it eludes the core of the craft--writing.
I'm with Antonia. I really like to read and write. I'm not into web design.
I totally disagree. Now we can do podcasts and video. Change is the only constant, Grandma.
You know what they say...you can't teach an old dog new tricks. You can, however, continue feeding it, bathing it, and petting it.
I'm torn here. I agree with you wholeheartedly, Antonia...fled social media and my own websites, leaving all the complicated stuff behind. Thing is, I'm a cartoonist, so visual features are critical for me.
Again, I'm with you about the CSS code also...I was compelled to learn it for my other site. I just want to write, and compliment my writing with my own artwork.
What I appreciate about Substack, is it's all buttons and simple choices with customization. That's all. There's no code to worry about. It's just a combination of choices to make things look prettier. IF you want it.
It allows me to use my art in a better way, so potential readers can easily find me through a comic strip...
This is me saying I agree, but there's more to it. The powerful automated way our Substacks sell, upgrade and help us is, IMO, second to none and I'm delighted to be here. These changes, as I see it, support your point, not hinder it.
But that's me.
Great advice. If you’re looking for more brilliant wisdom, advice and general, all-round genius, may I suggest a visit to danielpiper.substack.com
Your posts make my day 😂
Many thanks, fan.
You’re not the real one, are you
Yours is by far the funniest Substack I’ve come across.
Many thanks, fan.
Do you mean advice on home-page layout?
I mean advice on life, love and love life.
Where are my socks?
Hehe,...I keep a bottle of Writers Tears on my writing desk, right next to the Smokey Tennessee Whiskey...and a 13" hand-carved statue of Jiminy Cricket.
Sections in Substack have always been a bit confusing to me. Most subscribers don't care enough (for or against) to unsubscribe or resubscribe to a particular niche topic of my writing. I'm glad to see that tags are now an option for people to easily sort or read only about a specific topic without the confusion of what they are or aren't subscribed to.
I tend to agree with you on "Sections." It never made sense to me and still doesnt.
For most writers, sections are irrelevant, but I have two threads, Net Zero Housing, and Sustainable Forestry. The option to separate them is not a bad thing. Still, I agree, K I S S . lol
I agree with you that it’s great to see tags as an option. Last year I tried creating a section for a special thing I was offering – and it worked, except new subscribers were joining the section, too, which made things confusing. (I’ve since hidden the section.)
Sections are excellent. It would be absurd not to have them as an option, especially for those of us who do most of our reading through the actual sites rather than the newsletters. After all, Substack is a blog as much as a newsletter. No option for sections/pages would be a dealbreaker for me.
Tags, finally! Awesome.
Love the new layouts. Going to have to do some experimentation.
Agree, Nathan. Been wanting tags for a long time. Love the new layouts too
Looking forward to see how you’ll use the new features on your Substack.
I've fiddled with the layout and added a tag to one article 😂 How about you?
Had a look at how nice my home page looks now and enabled Most popular 😂
i just had a peek. It looks good.
Thanks. I like the new layouts.
but where are they? there's no "site design" section of my pub's settings
I think it's Dashboard > Settings > and then under "Basics" at the top there should be a button called "Site design".
Can I ask, is there something that determines the order of Recommended Substacks? I have more than the number that are shown, and they seem to randomise, but they also seem to never show several specific Substacks.
I would like to know this, too. I've recommended many Substacks but the same few seem to appear on my main page and I have no choice over which should be there.
Glad it's not just me. There's one in particular that I'd like to see appear but it just never does.
I don't know for sure, but it looks like it might be chronological--newest recommendations get highlighted. If true, then none of the others will ever surface.
It doesn't seem to be for me. A recent one I recommended now features in the list. One from ages ago has never featured. So weird.
That's what I mean. My newest recommendation is there now, but none of the older ones are--and probably won't be. I'd rather it wasn't there, to be honest.
Oh I see. Well, the earliest recommendation I made is featured. So 🤷♂️🤣
I had an email notificaiton that Dayne from the Substack team had responded saying they are just randomised. But that comment now seems to not be here (unless I'm not spotting it?) so perhaps that means they checked and realised there's an actual bug with Recommendations! 🤞
"Randomized" sounds a bit chaotic. Looks like they need to work the bugs out of that, too.
I would love in a new feature request if we can drag around the order of these as we wish. Some I'd like to rise up and they can't
Awesome! You are always innovating. Thanks so much. We appreciate you!
I love that you introduced tags, but I wish you'd bring us a way to wrap text around images. Is this something that's in the works?
Hey Alex, not yet but sharing the request with our team.
Hi Katie,
How do I add subscribers to a particular Section?
Katie - I think it was a couple weeks ago that I reiterated my multiple requests that someone @ Substack please make this correction : I do not write "Marcia's Substack" & would like to see that removed from every comment I make - Please ? ... you responded along the lines of planning to pass that along to the rest of the Substack team. I realize that you are likely 'swamped' with all the folks ( who do write their own Substacks) needing your help & guidance, but I would greatly appreciate it if someone at Substack could take just a moment to resolve this problem for an avid reader & follower of Jay Kuo. Thanks !
Katie love the updates
This is one (of a total of two) features that Revue had that I’m hoping Substack will add!
Amazing, Substack team!
will be able to revert back to our old layouts? Mine looks to have automatically changed for this new update but I'm sure many of us prefer the old look
i think the degree of subtlety really depends on the eye of the beholder! I appreciate substack giving us more options, I really do. I just wish for things like this that our old ways of visual display and organization weren't just discarded and made inaccessible. Shouldn't it be all about giving users and creators more customization and not limiting it?
I'm still new to writing on here but I did spend a lot of time carefully thinking and choosing how I wanted things displayed. Ideally, I'd like to continue using that and play around with new options to see if I want to adopt the change, rather than being forced to. It does feel a bit antithetical to the otherwise supportive branding/messaging I've associated with substack. I appreciate your response and willingness to incorporate our feedback!
to be more concise, i had my old layout intentionally feel more "blog-y" whereas this feels like it's forcing be to be more "modern website-y." Looking through others substacks, it feels more like i'm on an e-commerce site than i like i'm on a site to read new, interesting thought-provoking articles.
> i had my old layout intentionally feel more "blog-y" whereas this feels like it's forcing be to be more "modern website-y."
Exactly this! It looks too Facebook-like, it bothers me for some reason.
llike/promote/share my comment, your own complaint, and others. if they see enough of us dont like it then maybe they'll address it!
I do like their new layouts, but I agree with your point here about sometimes wanting my newsletter to feel more blog-y and would like to retain that option. I've often felt this about other newsletter platforms and that was one reason I've stuck with Substack in the past...
yea substack definitely has a great infrastructure around but this is definitely a point in the direction of "maybe consider self-hosting or switching a new one" if it makes sense to. I just dont get why you would force the new layouts on everyone instead of letting people decide for themselves.
Maybe the e-commerce, website-y pivot is subtly intentional to get it to be an "Everything app," wouldn't be surprising with the addition of notes (which i somewhat like), but might be a larger push of user acquisition and generating revenue. wouldn't be surpsied if i start seeing shopify integrations and such
It would be nice if there was a way to undo automatically shifting images from left side to right side for default. Additionally, from a UI/UX perspective, having the new default hide likes, comments, restacks, share, and bookmark until you’re hovering over a specific article seems rather clunky compared to what it was previously.
Completely agree about left side images! I wish we had a choice between left or right. (I find left much easier to scan, plus it keeps things consistent with the archive and section list views, which all still have images on the left)
"It would be nice if there was a way to undo automatically shifting images from left side to right side for default"
yes, yes, yes! :)
I'd like to have it back the way it was. A simple list with the article images on the left, not on the right. I'd also like to see the title/subtitle text on the main (topmost) post to be left justified as it used to be, instead of centered. Any chance of any of that happening for those of us who aren't into changing what already was working well?
I also really wish I could put the images on the left in the articles list. (I find that with them on the right, the blur the once-obvious divide between article list and sidebar. Now those images are so close to my recommended list (which also has images.) And since archive pages and section pages still default to image left for lists, I'd really love to just keep things consistent.
"I also really wish I could put the images on the left in the articles list. (I find that with them on the right, the blur the once-obvious divide between article list and sidebar. Now those images are so close to my recommended list (which also has images.)"
Hugely agree. :)
llike/promote/share my comment, your own complaint, and others. if they see enough of us dont like it then maybe they'll address it!
"A simple list with the article images on the left, not on the right"
! :)
I had magazine and it automatically changed to Newspaper/List. I like it. Gonna leave it like that.
that's awesome for you! but people should be given the option. the current views dont look like the old ones.
Another thing I just noticed is the way the likes/comments/share buttons only appear when you roll over the article. Hidden UI that requires you to roll over it to make it appear is a bad user experience. Yes, it's needed sometimes, when there's a space constraint, but the space for those buttons is already there.
Now, instead of casually scrolling and viewing all the info, a user needs to scroll, find the magic hidden spot, then continue to scroll. More work and really not necessary. I hope you'll consider putting it back the way it was. Thanks.
I agree, while I dislike the popularity contest principle of "likes," we live in a time where likes = quality for a prospective audience. It's important for people to be able to see it right off the bat when they come onto the page.
Ah! I place an archived post into my newsletter, and it doesn't stand out as such anymore! It just blends in... I was going to ask about this in Office Hours... but here we are. I prefer when it stands out--seems to me it was in a box??
Hey Alison, are you referring to the new post embeds? https://on.substack.com/p/product-news-mar-23#%C2%A7editable-post-embeds
Hi Katie! any word on the feedback that a lot of users in this comment thread are sharing and advocating for about wanting the option to have the old layouts?
I am, yes.
Hi Becca. It looks like a lot of people in this thread and in the likes want the ability to keep the old layout and don't think the style differences are that subtle. Any word on if subsstack will be receptive to our feedback? the new updates in visual display feel more "website-y" almost like an e-commerce website rather than "Blog-y" for writers.
We'd really love to have the thumbnails go back to appearing on the left and the text to the right (in the "Feature" design area where it lists past posts).
Having the pictures on the right now is problematic in three ways:
1. the pictures are crushed up against the recommendations and it is visually unappealing and harder to parse
2. the pictures draw the eye to the right and thus lead the eye to gloss over the headlines
3. the headlines are harder to read because they are being hemmed in by the pictures sitting to the right of them.
This is a REALLY big wish.
So, Substack the newsletter company is now a website company.
We've always secretly been one!
Really? If that's true, Substack has been VERY good at keeping the secret. All the early interviews I've read with the founders say they're building a newsletter subscription business...the business model I (and many others) fell in love with. "Website" was a four-letter word.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/16/substack-one-year/
https://www.vox.com/2017/10/16/16480782/substack-subscription-newsletter-sinocism-bill-bishop-ben-thompson-stratechery
They talk about how they intentionally used this shorthand for clarity in the early days here - https://on.substack.com/p/please-stop-calling-it-the-newsletter
I think that substack has always been a blog + a newsletter. We are upping our blog game ;)
Sneaky indeed. Thank you.
Haha
It's such a great experience on web, I wish I was at my computer more.
This seems to not be updated with the mobile app in mind- which is fascinating.
These new features are great, especially tagging! It would also be great to tag specific posts with topics that are searchable across Substack or Notes - I’d love to find new writers who write on topics I’m interested in, rather than just people who are recommended by the people I’m reading. Also hoping tagging will help more people can find those of us with less of a following (like me!) who write on topics of interest. My substack is a mix of things - food allergies, culture + equity, wildlife conservation, and Judaism. The tags will definitely help my existing audience zero in on the topics they care about most, but I’d love a way to find new readers who are curious about any of those areas.
Love the idea of tags
Nice work. Will have a play over the next couple days. Hope we can search by tags too for discovering more content.
Some other stuff on my wish list
- text alignment options
- coloured and underlined links
- block-level background colour and padding
Hey Ajay, thanks for the feature requests.
And actually, you can an enable colored links today from the Website Settings.
Can I add a request for being able to order our Recommendations. Would be great to drag them in the order we like and not have them randomized, or however they come up.
Also, since I found you here in this thread, I've asked a few times and haven't heard back. I don't come up in my searches of myself - i.e. I use an exact title of my latest post or major keywords from my site description, or even the name of my substack, and NONE of it comes up in search. If I can't find myself, I don't see how any stranger interested in my topics would ever find me. Is it a popularity thing - only higher subscriber counts come up? Thanks for addressing!
Who here likes to use orange for their call to action buttons?
Mine are in orange. Orange is my favorite color.
Looking forward to playing around with this.
Looks great! I'm hoping we one day can have Tumblr-level customization.