Join us for Substack’s first writer conference on January 8th
Registration is now open for Substack On!

On January 8th, 2021, we’re hosting Substack On!, a one-day virtual conference aimed at bringing writers together around what’s possible on Substack.
Substack On! will be the first writer conference we’ve ever done. Through a full day of talks, workshops, panels, and discussions, we’re hoping to empower a new generation of writers excited about using Substack to publish their work.
This year especially, the Substack community has grown into a thriving group of independent writers. We hosted our first in-person gathering in February (back when we still could); learned how the pandemic created new opportunities for writers on Substack; listened to writers on topics like getting their first signups and befriending their subscribers; and made new friends on weekly discussion threads and silent writing hours.
On January 8th, we’re excited to bottle up all of this energy and co-create a day of learning, reflection, and community. Whether you’ve been writing on Substack for awhile or are just getting started, there’s something here for everyone.
Substack On! is free to attend and open to anyone, but registration is required. You can register here for the main event. We’ll publish the final agenda next week.
Below, you’ll find a few of the 20+ writers who will take the virtual stage on January 8th. We’re also offering a series of workshops which require separate registration and are available only to Substack writers. Space is limited, so if you’d like to attend, we encourage you to register for these workshops beforehand:
Building a Community with Readers with Bailey Richardson, People & Company / Get Together
Creating a Consistent Writing Habit with Lenny Rachitsky, Lenny’s Newsletter
Thinking Like a Business with Patrick McKenzie, Stripe Atlas / Kalzumeus
Experimental Solutions For Finding Your Readers with Walt Hickey, Numlock News
Featured Speakers
Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl Strayed is an award-winning memoirist, essayist, and podcast host, who recently joined Substack to reignite her world renowned advice column, Dear Sugar. In an intimate talk for the Substack community, Cheryl shares stories from the last ten years of Dear Sugar and what the future holds.
Andrew Janjigian
Andrew Janjigian left a lucrative career as a test cook and senior editor at Cook's Illustrated magazine to launch a bread baking newsletter during a global pandemic. The hungry community that coalesced around him helped turn a quarantine project into a full-time gig.
Thao Nguyen
Thao Nguyen is a songwriter, musician, producer, and leader of the venerable indie outfit Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. She has been a critically acclaimed touring and recording artist for over 15 years, releasing 5 studio albums. Her band's latest record, Temple was released May of 2020 on Ribbon Music. Thao joins us for an exclusive peek into what to expect from her soon-to-be-launched Substack.
PETITION
Operating 100% anonymously, PETITION provides irreverent commentary and analysis about distressed investing, bankruptcy and restructuring, and disruption from the vantage point of the disrupted. Starting from scratch with zero pre-existing audience, PETITION has managed to rise through the ranks as one of the top publishers on Substack. In a not-to-be-missed, anonymously recorded talk, they share how they did it.
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