Have questions about publishing, growing, or going paid on Substack?
The Substack team, and your fellow writers, are here to help!
We’re gathering the writer community and members of the Substack team together in this discussion thread to answer writer questions for an hour.
Drop your questions in the thread by leaving a comment, and we’ll do our best to share knowledge and tips. Our team will be answering questions and sharing insights with you in the thread today from 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PST / 1 p.m.–2 p.m. EST. We encourage writers to stick around after the hour and continue the conversation together.
Some updates and reminders from the Substack team:
Product news: In the past few weeks we’ve released a number of new features and updates including recommendations, account security, and more. See all the latest in our recent product news update.
New writers: Last week, we met a number of new writers at Office Hours. Who else is new here? Say “hello” in today’s thread and let us know what is on your mind. We can’t wait to meet you! For the veteran Substack writers here, what advice do you have for writers just getting started? Please share in today’s thread.
Got questions or feedback about what’s new? You’re in the right place! Leave a comment in this thread.
I was thinking nostalgically about blog carnivals the other day, about how good it was to read a bunch of different voices all writing around a theme, or a sentence prompt. I would love to see something like that on SS, tho I'm sure it'd probably be a headache to implement 😊🌻
Initially I was sceptical about Recommendations because it went out on the welcome email. But I have had 10 new subscribers this week and also sent subscribers to other writing related publications. It's working 😊
Hi Cali--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you!
Hi Cali! It actually doesn't go out with the welcome email. Right now, a reader would only see the recommendations on the web when they enter their email and click subscribe. Once they've finished subscribing, they see the pubs you recommend they also read.
Thanks. So how does it work? I mean, do I say to you, for example, "I'll subscribe to yours and mention it if you do the same" -- assuming we like each other's stuff of course? Or is it different?
If you recommend someone and the impact is significant on their readership, the writer you recommended will receive an email automatically letting them know you've done so, and suggesting they recommend you back, as well!
In my case, I've reached out to other music writers and asked if they'd like to crosspost (they host an article of mine & vice versa). I've also had a couple of people guest post on my newsletter as well. One upcoming project I'm excited about has 2 of us reviewing the same record and then writing about it.
One thing I think it's worth considering: if you want to send the maximum number of your subscribers to someone else via a Recommendation, I bet that if you spend a few minutes writing *why* you're recommending them (instead of using that newsletter's own self-description, which gets autopopulated into that text box unless you replace it), that'll work WAY better. Your heartfelt word-of-mouth, in your own words, will do better marketing than anything else you could do.
(And I think I already see this in my own stats: the top referrer of new subscribers is someone who took the time to recommend my newsletter in a really kind and thoughtful way. It really works!)
Hi Sharon--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Could you shoot me a note? Hope to hear from you!
Yeah, Recommendations are great - thank you for introducing them. And also for letting us see in the dashboard how many subscribers we've sent towards other people! Makes me really happy to know I've steered a few folk towards other newsletters I really like...
Hi Sue--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Could you shoot me a note? Hope to hear from you!
Thanks Terry. New article in this series coming out next Monday...it's about LinkedIn, Pinterest, Flipboard, and contributing to online forums (like this one).
Me neither, but it doesn't stop me from still slappin' my pieces up there! Same with Twitter! They don't care, and neither do I about their thunderous indifference!
It is definitely a thing! And if you do it well, it can definitely bring new readers to your Substack because you're exposing your ideas and writing to a new and different audience.
Joined earlier this month and just getting started on Substack. Thank you for hosting this Writers Office Hours. Very helpful. I'd love to learn more about how writers go from free to paid subscriptions. Also, I am only on one social media platform and it's not a place I want to promote my Substack. Are there other ideas besides social media to help promote my writing?
Welcome Autumn! Thera are great ideas in the thread.
One of the most potent ways that you can get the word out about your Substack is with other writers.
Ask people with larger audiences to share your Substack, especially if they’re friends or current subscribers. If you don’t know anyone, try cold emailing or messaging someone you admire whose audience overlaps with yours. Introduce yourself with your Substack, share something relevant to their followers or about a topic they care about, and be gracious with your ask.
Elizabeth Held grew her list from 0 to 2,000+ with a series of cold emails:
I've found SM to be invaluable for exposing my writing. I had never been on SM sites before starting my 'Stack in August. Sure, there are some more helpful than others in getting actual "hits," but generally speaking, I find them helpful.
As for not "being a place you want to promote," you might want to have a separate account to just handle your 'Stack posts. That way, your personal opinions and your writing don't mix (if that's your issue about SM not being where you want to share).
I use business cards (with the ID pic to the left) with my 'Stack web address and brief explanation on 'em to pass them out to new people I meet, as well as posting on Starbucks and Panera bulletin boards! Good luck!
Love the idea of bringing in people via business card and bulletin board. Thinking about getting a QR code sticker that goes directly to my substack, to stick to the business cards I already have.
Wow! Bulletin boards are few and far between in my area. I don't go out to eat so I hadn't noticed the bulletin boards at Panera and Starbucks. Everyone is so neat around here. Not a corkboard in sight!
Grocery stores? Libraries? Hotel lobbies? I've done all of these, with and without "permission." Also, I hit large gatherings like ball games and street fairs/fests to meet new people, and if they're willing, chat a bit about my writing, and not just blindly hand out the cards!
It helps (to get attention and, usually, keep it) that I write about that which many, if not most, people have a passing, if not rabid, interest in: rock music of the '70s/'80s, including prog, classic rock, punk, etc, and my days in the record biz and FM rock radio back in the day! Those who write about accounting or plumbing may not have as rapt an audience for cards, etc!
Hello! Just moved my newsletter to Substack on Monday. I'm loving it so far and I've also received good feedback from my readers. Makes me motivated to write more frequently. Today I'll be thinking about my why more and focusing on writing words for an important video.
Hi all! Been loving writing on Substack this year. Two questions for y'all...
1. How does everyone approach promoting their substack to audiences outside of their personal networks? I've shared on personal social accounts, but my reach is limited.
2. How does everything think about sharing value on other platforms without constantly sharing their link in the hopes of new subscribers?
+1 to Michael and Lloyd's comments of cross promotion. We've seen this be really impactful for writers. Ask people with larger audiences to share your Substack, especially if they’re friends or current subscribers. If you don’t know anyone, try cold emailing or messaging someone you admire whose audience overlaps with yours. Introduce yourself with your Substack, share something relevant to their followers or about a topic they care about, and be gracious with your ask.
Depending on the nature of the Substack, you can get a lot of traffic from places like Reddit (if you can identify a subreddit that will welcome your content - but read the rules for each subreddit first) and places like Hacker News. I find that Substacks that are sharing knowledge/information are the best for these kinds of places.
I get a lot of growth out of asking readers to share with their friends (and enemies😂). I’ve also gotten a lot out of relevant cross-promotions with other newsletters
Hi All! 👋 Started last week sharing my experience transitioning from undergrad to "real adult life" and all the excitement and challenge that comes with that journey. Happy to be here 😊
Welcome Jess! When I graduated from undergrad, a writing practice was one of the most grounding parts (and helped me connect/meet a lot of people too).
Thank you so much for sharing that! It's amazing how even my first post started conversations with friends that allowed us to connect in new ways than we did before. Excited to see where this adventure takes me and the people it allows me to meet :)
Hi Elizabeth--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Could you shoot me a note? Hope to hear from you!
Elle Griffin has been thinking a lot about what it means to serialize on Substack and more generally how to best get writing into the world. A lot of fiction writers hang out in her comments section.
Check out the work of Andrew Jazprose Hill, with "the Jazprose Diaries"--he's a wonderful writer--both fiction and non. Also Sherman Alexie and Chuck Palahniuk's work. These are seasoned vets. There's a lot of talk about how to "do" this on Substack, but sometimes it reads more as a pyramid scheme/patronage. It's good to see what fiction writers are actually doing.
Growing slowly. It is a little hard to gauge. My non-fiction posts consistently outperform my fiction posts, and get more comments. But the numbers still hold up for the fiction, just as a lower level. So I suspect my fiction and non-fiction audiences are not the same, though they overlap. Most of my growth at the moment, though, is coming through BookFunnel promos, which means the principal thing that is drawing them is fiction.
Thanks for sharing! I know of BookFunnel, but I haven't really dived into the nitty gritty of a lot of writing things. I'm stuck in this state of feeling like I need to write more to have something I can actually let people read, but the past weeks have been a whirlwind on the offline front, haha.
Yes, it's hard. Substack is primarily a journalism platform and it operates with a journalism cadence. Fiction has a different rhythm. You almost need to have a backlog in order to keep up with Substack itself and the things you want to do to promote it.
I'n new to Substack and serializing so I have an experimental short story (around 9,000 words) that I've just started. I have no idea if I'm doing it right!
Hey! I'm new here too. I post short stories, flash fiction, micro fiction, basically anything that's not a novel, though I've thought about trying to post something serialized. It's so hard to say if fiction will work here, but based on the comments you've inspired there look to be plenty of us here!
Yeah, it's definitely an experiment to post here on Substack, but already I'm getting so much more interaction than from places like Medium or KindleVella. I think community might end up being Substack's strength.
Ooh, really? I've heard stuff about Vella and the bonuses they pay authors, and Medium too... but that's encouraging about Substack. Thanks for sharing!
I've mostly been submitting my short stories to anthologies and online magazines, but I do like writing them and I can get them done more easily than novels, haha! So I might put up more here in the coming months. I'm just not sure if I should make a whole new Stack for it or just keep it on the same one as my author newsletter, but not send it out as emails or something 🤔
Figuring out where my stories fit is my constant dilemma. I've been thinking about doing a combination of stories and essay/nonfic here, but can't decide if my readers who enjoy the stories will like the essays and vice versa, so I'm a little stuck there as well.
Yes! I'm actually doing BOTH on my Story Cauldron Substack (with my novel behind a paywall to satisfy the terms of Vella). You can find a bunch of other fiction writers, including several novelists (and join our little community) at fictionistas.substack.com.
I do okay on Vella - nothing exciting but I make maybe $50 a month. I haven't been promoting my paid memberships lately as I don't think that is the right model for fiction but I keep it because I have more readers of my novels on Substack than Vella. Right now my main focus is just building free subs on both of my newsletters and then I'll be publishing the novels as actual books on Amazon and maybe elsewhere.
I didn't plan it, but I'm apparently editing a former RCA Records recording artist's autobio! Long story (which I'll spare you here....but, it's on my 'Stack!!!), but one thing led to another, and Stephen Michael Schwartz has a story, and I'm happily providing the platform as he just as happily supplies his exclusive, behind-the-scenes LA record-biz experiences, circa mid'70s!
It's fun as hell, but to your question, we're apparently collab-ing on his memoir, which, in time, may end up as an e-book or some such! Apparently, Substack is full of surprises!
Hey Brad, that's awesome! Caught my eye because I recently started writing / editing a Substack newsletter for illustrator Damian Fulton, whose comic strip 'Radical Rick' was in BMX magazines in the 80's and 90's.
I have a site I call Literary Shorts (janellemerazhooper.substack.com) I've worked with newspapers and enjoy doing a short piece while I'm working on my current novel. Come visit me!
Newsletter Novice here! Substack is my first attempt at this kind of thing. I mainly write short stories and flash fiction so if anyone needs some fiction in small, lighthearted doses, I'm your girl!
Hello! Just published my fifth issue today; am having a better response than I'd imagined. Quite a learning curve, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the entire process. Looking forward to some insights via Office Hours.
Thanks! Sorry for the delay - I live in the UK and it was dinnertime for the kids!
I took the name from Kesey's 'you're either on the bus or off the bus' quote. As a teacher/senior manager - and a big fan of research - I look at learning as a journey. Unfortunately, this journey has become too focussed on the destination - and the result has been that we're missing all kinds of cool stuff along the way. So, that's where The Bus comes in - a twice-weekly journey to The Stop (the main topic - Monday's was Star Trek OST 'The City on the Edge of Forever', today's was Pavlov's Dogs - next Monday's is Tulipomania), The Detour - a signpost to a cool article from somewhere on the web, The Book (a suggestion with reviews), The Sounds (a playlist of 5-7 songs and The Question - designed to get people thinking. It's a 4-5 minute read and completely apolitical/atopical ... just something different to distract people from the world for the moment.
Afternoon everyone! I've just started publishing on Substack about a month ago, with a focus on Canadian public transport, urban design, housing issues, and 1960's and 70's graphic design. I am only 3 articles in (with a 4th one coming out this Friday or Saturday), but I have to say the response so far been very encouraging and has already led to one cross promotion collaboration I am starting next week. I was a little skeptical about using Substack at first and wasn't sure if it was going to be the right fit. And there is still some work I need to do in order to make it suit my needs exactly. But overall I am enjoying the experience the platform has and I hope the focus remains on providing real good tools for the writers, and a simple, no nonsense experience for readers.
That is certainly the hope. This will put my some of my work out to a substantially larger audience then I can reach at the moment so it was an opportunity I wasn't going to pass up (even if it has meant giving up some sleep and free time over the past few weeks).
New eyes on your work are always good. Another upside is that it forces you to clarify what your work covers, who it's for, and why it might be a good fit with another.
I write about under-appreciated moments in the history of St. Louis. My most recent post was about the caves under the city and how breweries used them in the 19th century.
I have a novel, Geronimo's Laptop (history/fantasy) that is going to my editor on May 1st. I'm sure I'll be posting excerpts from it as soon as it is appropriate. The play, Geronimo, Life on the Reservation, was chosen last year by the Los Angeles Times to be one of its 2021 Culture Picks.
Thanks, Rebecca. I was born and raised seven miles outside of the Ft. Sill Indian Reservation where Geronimo was a POW. I grew up surrounded by my mother's friends who were Comanche and Kiowa. I think it's in my blood, ha! As soon as my editor sends it back to me, I'll begin posting excerpts. I hope you like it!
Hey hey everyone!! Been on Substack for a little while now running a podcast/newsletter about cybersecurity, but have never reached out to these threads before. How’s everyone doing??
One major improvement I would love to see is on the discover page.
It would be nice if active pages came before inactive pages. This way the people who are adding to the Substack community have a greater chance to be seen.
Hi Everyone! Today I'm looking for recommendations of Substack newsletters that focus on the environment, mother earth, conservation, recycling, living off the grid, living simply, etc. basically anything that would be a great recommendation for Earth Day! Thanks!
I think writers qualify for contributing to saving the earth. My commute is less that 18 inches to my office, so I rarely drive, I submit everything I write online, so that saves paper. I eat at home, so that saves straws...etc.
Chevanne, thank you!! This is indeed a great site! I just reached out to Lindsay. Your recommendation came in too late for me to mention the newsletter in my Earth Day post, but I hope to work with her in the future. Happy Holy Earth Day!
I mean, the actual writing part usually *has* to be done alone, with distractions turned off and a faintly unhealthy supply of coffee to hand. There's usually no getting around that (although I like having the background buzz of a cafe when I'm writing - here's a fun way to fake it: https://coffitivity.com/).
But the part where you're coming up with ideas, or trying to think bigger and bolstering your confidence and hopes...don't try to do that just by sitting by yourself. If you need the door closed when you're writing, try flinging it open when you're not. Learn wildly. Connect madly. Allow yourself to be corrected (being gracious in the face of criticism is a good way to take the venom out of it). And make lots of good friends who are doing something like what you're doing.
And the best way to make friends - is to try to find a way to help other people, without directly asking for anything in return. Just help, any way you can. The best way to "self-promote" is just to be the person that was such an amazing mix of kind, generous and useful that you made the other person feel something great. *Everyone* remembers how someone made them feel. That stuff never gets forgotten.
I think that's a biggie. Making people feel good stuff is a superhighway for growth, in all sorts of ways. (And the bonus is: it stops you feeling lonely, in what can often be an isolating job!)
I agree, connecting with other writers is important. Although Substack programmes have helped (Grow, Go) other initiatives have been great too, like Elle Griffin's Discord. And if you want to find a particular type of writer, as I did when I wanted to find other writers in the Pacific region (anywhere around the Pacific Ocean), you can literally search for keywords on Substack's discover page. I found some great connections doing that and contacting people directly.
I really think the 'How It Feels' side of newslettering is something that needs more written about it, from a strategic perspective. It's sometimes really hard on the heart, all this stuff, and we definitely aren't machines...
Connect with other writers! I've never been part of a writing community as thriving and generous as the one that exists on Substack. And the Substack team really encourages us to meet and support each other, so take advantage. I've met so many great folks through this platform who have boosted me and given me great advice. Keeps me coming back!
This is a huge point. For writers of an (ahem) certain age, the community is very reminiscent of various music scenes in the 90s; collaborative & supportive of whatever you're trying to build.
Lol. maybe. I just meant that people here really seem willing to help/support each other without expecting anything in return. It's a nice change from the usual transactional nature of things in the creator economy/writing community.
Agreed! And since there's so much of that open helfulness going on, it sends such a great message to any newly arrived writers. This is how it's supposed to work! And it's how everyone benefits - as opposed to transactional "what do I get in return" stuff, which - yeah. No.
(Adam Grant's book "Give and Take" has a lot of good stuff on the psychology of why being generous & helpful matters so much in modern creative business.)
Your comments are so true. The Substack team of writers do more than just knowing each other by passing insights around writing issues to fellow writers.
Personally, I got involved in every opportunity available. Joined a Substack Writers Unite twitter hype pod, lurked on the substack writers discord, hop in at weekly office hours, subscribe and connect with other writers whose work I admire, participated in Substack Go...keep your eyes peeled on your email and jump on opportunities, but also don't wait for folks to reach out to you--if you like their work connect with them!
As someone that is mainly alone in my writing, how do you reach out and connect with people on Substack? Is it mainly cold emails or something more that I am missing?
Email, Twitter, & commenting on their publications are all great starts. In general, I'm pretty introverted, and emailing people was a big leap for me, but the people here are great.
This forum right here is an example. There's one every week. Substack also hosts a variety of get-togethers that allow writers to meet each other and form connections. Also SM groups.
I don't know about you, but I find the idea of "putting myself out there" in the form of announcing my presence and what I write about somewhat cringeworthy. We need a networking for introverts session I think
Here's what I wrote in a comment below, reposting here as the question has been asked separately-
As this thread is asking people who have been around for a while to share their learning, here are a couple of pointers from my end:
1) Consistency and building a habit helps in more ways than one. Of course it gets your readers to expect you to show up every week / fortnight / month (whatever your schedule is), and that builds expectation and hence engagement. But it also motivates you and keeps you accountable. So please have a schedule.
2) Engage with your readers in more ways than one.
Create a heartfelt welcome email that is sent to new subs (you can see mine by subbing to Hello Universe where I write one fun, thought-provoking poem every week https://hellouniverse.substack.com).
Also update your "About" section to be a good reflection of your writing that makes your reader want to engage with you. It could invite discussion, pose questions, and create debate.
Similarly, pose good and insightful questions and requests for feedback within your posts as well. And when readers reply to your posts, make sure to send them a thoughtful response.
In summary, engagement is not just likes and comments, but also conversations between you and your reader in their inbox. Try to use those to build a sticky and engaged reader base. All the best! 😀
I'm shocked at how many writers out there still have the boilerplate "about" page. It's usually the first thing I go to when I discover a new substack, and it's quite disappointing to see... nothing.
The quiet thing is tough!!! My friends will read and text me on the side, but not heart or comment in Substack. My stats show that people go direct to the free website, and not necessarily subscribe. I would love to figure out other places to promote but it feels like I'm still in my friends and family bubble (which is LOVELY and i am grateful for that, too)
I have the same problem getting my book readers to put their comments on Amazon. Amazon won't let me copy and post them myself. It's so easy to do and really helps the writer.
Have you tried asking your friends to post their comments on your Substack? Also, having a call to action at the end to leave comments works wonders, especially if you include a few prompt questions to get the ball rolling.
I did do that at first and it worked, but the open discussion threads garnered no response so I got scared of the crickets, and tried other things, methinks. I'll end with prompts again next time!
I’ve absolutely missed with some of my prompts and gotten crickets, and that had been terrifying. But I try to keep going regardless. Also one thing I’ve found is that the prompt itself really matters. Sometimes my questions are too generic and I get only a handful of so-so responses. Other times I ask questions that ask too much of the reader and I get crickets. There’s a balance and it takes time to find it n
I hear you! For a long time, most of my list was people that lived with me. Then it slowly started to grow. Once that flywheel starts moving, things really start to happen quickly.
Building something good takes time. The only real short cut is luck, and that’s not really a strategy.
Read & subscribe!
You’re not an island. Reading other Substacks is the best way to learn what works and what doesn’t.
Quality contribution!
One great way to grow is by commenting on other Substacks and participating in relevant communities. But you have to contribute quality. Fly-by comments don’t really add to the conversation. Personally, if I’m going to comment on another Substack or contribute in a community I want to put as much effort into that as I do my newsletter. Why? Because those comments represent me and my newsletter.
IMO, this is one of the value-adds that separates Substack from other platforms. By design, there aren't a whole lot of people who find you by scrolling, so the number of comments might be smaller, but the quality is higher.
And I will second reading and subscribing. Not only do you get to learn what works and what doesn't, you also get to find really fun and engaging content, often about things you may have never thought to read about.
Be nice to everyone you meet! They may return the favour at some point.
Find a niche and stay true to it. The average person on the street may not understand the appeal of your Substack, but you'll gain loyal subscribers and face less competition than if you go mainstream.
Share your posts everywhere: Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook, Hacker News. It'll increase the chances that one of them will go viral.
Pay up a bit for great website design. It will pay off in the long run.
Write in the morning. That's when your mind is the sharpest.
Get a decent computer keyboard. I bought a Logitech G815 with tactical keys. It's a joy to type on.
If you're not a native English speaker, use Grammarly. It'll improve your language significantly.
Re: Grammarly. Good idea. I've used Grammarly (Premium) in the past. It is surprisingly powerful. I suspect far more writers use it than are willing to let on. We may be able to edit our work without software like Grammarly, but not as quickly or thoroughly.
A new writing process may be needed to get the most from Grammarly, though. You may, for example, want to turn it off while you are writing and then, once you're ready to edit, turn it back on. Some may wish to edit their own work and then turn on Grammarly. The point, simply, is that you need to figure out how to use it -- otherwise, it may mess with your workflow.
Even if you are a native English speaker, getting some sort of feedback on your writing, whether from Grammarly or human readers, is a great help (I've never used Grammarly but even things as simple as seeing what the spelling and grammar check in Word says can be useful, sometimes)
Nothing like consistency. Try as much as possible to not miss your scheduled day of writing. You miss once, it becomes easier to miss the second time, and then the third...
Just get started. Don't aim for perfection. You'll find your voice as you go. Attend these office hours threads as they are a goldmine of connections, help and advice. If Substack themselves offer any programs, meetups etc - go for it. I loved the Substack Go program that I attended in February. I have made some very valuable connections from it.
Not that I am an experienced veteran, but I say: take notes of everything that sounds important to you. No matter if it is a fragment of an idea, a little piece of dialogue, something curious you overheard in the street, a dream, a scene, a sketch - write it down and keep it. And then forget it. It can take days, months or even years, but some day you'll turn back to this little idea and it can grow into something else, a novel, a comic, a song, a movie. As David Lynch said, "an idea is money in the bank". Don't miss it.
After nearly two years on Substack, I'm starting to see results from putting effort into quality and consistency. While promotion is important, it helps to have a good product to promote. If possible, get another pair of eyes or two on your work, find someone who can look over your writing before you send it out into the world. For me this is crucial, because I explain complex science topics and I don't want to confuse people. Having the support of a couple of people willing to read through my work before it is published has been a huge help.
And listen to what they say. Don't be too attached to anything - sometimes it's hard when you put a lot of work into something and someone else comes along and suggests a change, but I know my work has been improved by the feedback of readers and fellow writers.
1. Publications that help people make money, grow their careers and satisfy their greed for political power command higher prices than feel good, ain't it interesting newsletters.
2. Competition for paid subscribers in your category probably is as tough as it has ever been because the cost of entering the publishing business is zero, thanks to Substack and its competitors. Good writers are a dime a dozen. See the number of Substack newsletters. You have to be more than a good writer. You have to have something to say. Great content counts.
3. Famous writers are more successful than people who are not famous. Fame deficits are difficult to overcome. If you write good stuff for a few years and do a lot of promotion, you may become famous and have a chance at becoming a successful newsletter writer.
4. So, don't give up you days jobs until you can live off your writing.
5. Keep it short. Most readers barely get past your first three paragraphs. Strong headlines, leads and impact graphs are very important.
Your point number 4 is interesting. I actually didn't follow that advice though, and I'm happy I didn't. Instead I prepared enough savings to last for a few years' worth of expenses. When I went full-time on Substack I initially had zero paid subscribers. While it is somewhat stressful to be in that situation, there's also a case to be made for capturing and dominating a niche early on. There are first-mover advantages in niches, just like it has been on YouTube. People say that making it on YouTube these days is almost impossible, while it was much easier ten years ago. I suspect that something similar will happen to Substack. You'll want to start a Substack early on and ride the wave as it becomes more popular.
I agree with everything you've said here, Donald, especially the first item. But when a writer has something to say it just takes more patience and more marketing to get where he needs to be.
1. We work with a lot of different writers, many of whom have Substack profiles. We're finding it's a great way to cross-promote each other's writing or for us to have them write something and then highlight their own substack. Helps us to spread the word.
2. The About section is critical (as others have said) I *always* click on other people's abouts. Take time to give it a look and flair that is imminently you.
3. Don't try to please everybody; share your voice, tell your stories in your own way. That's how you stand out.
My experience with FB hasn't been great. Groups tend to deny my posts calling them spam, which they are not. But maybe it's just my target audience, not saying it's site-wide.
I have been playing around w providing audio versions of my essays for accessibility purposes. Is there a way to indicate that this is not exactly a podcast but an essay with a voiceover? The headphone icon is a little misleading, as I'm just reading what is also written in the show notes.
Loving the podcast option, and definitely working my way up towards that as I build my community and figure out my niche (which right now, is quite broad, as it's all about "being a human in progress", which is literally everyone).
Hi Milan! We're building new audio tools to make this clearer in the near future.
But for right now, all audio clips are designated as podcasts, and you'll have to go through setup (but it won't distribute to podcast platforms like Apple/Spotify unless you choose to turn that on). But we are building a feature to embed audio clips on their own, and will launch it in the near future!
What questions do you have about podcasting and audio tools on Substack? We're collecting your questions to bring back to our team for next week's special Office Hours all about podcasting.
I use the podcast feature to record my written pieces for the visually impaired or the ones who prefer to listen rather than read. So not really a podcast per se but it has been a great feature to deliver my writing in another format.
This sounds like a way I may want to go! I wasn't in radio in the '70s for nothin', so might as well use the dulcet tones while I still have 'em! Have no idea about the "mechanics," though, so I'd have to experiment.
What’s the crowd wisdom when it comes to length? We’re experimenting with a 20 minute format (for a panel discussion on one topic). And how many voices is too many voices? (We’re thinking four might be the maximum listeners can comfortable cope with?)
I was told something in my radio class back in college that a podcast or radio bit needs to be as long as it needs to be and not a minute longer. Play around, do test podcasts where you adjust the length and send links to people to listen to it and give you notes.
I'd reckon the crowd wisdom is: experiment and see what resonates with YOUR audience. What works for me in terms of length and number of voices, might not work for you. Look at the numbers and responses for your shows and plot that against the length and number of voices. I think your answer is there. Or ask the audience of your show. I really think this differs very much per show.
Thanks Arjan. I’m sure you’re right - I guess a better phrased question would be about what data exists to show popular lengths etc. My experience is things tend to either be half an hour, an hour or around two hours (with joe rogan going up to about 14 hours 😂) but that might just reflect the kind of things I like to listen to!
Not having done a podcast (but been interviewed on a few), I think it all (or should) depends on what you're talking about. Some 'Casts lend themselves to full hours, while others would be stretching credulity, if not patience, at that length. Same with # of voices. If you could book a Super Bowl champ team, I wouldn't enforce a 4-limit there! Plus, it's something you could flex with some 'Casts under your belt.
While I don't do podcasts yet, Erik, I use business cards for my 'Stack! I post them on S'bux and Panera bulletin boards, while also being an easy convo starter when meeting new people!
It helps that my card features a collector's item for punk fans in general, and Ramones fans, in particular (my ID pick to the left)! I reckon biz cards can work for 'Casts, as well! Good luck!
Hey, you got da dough, go for it! It'd be fun to have folks come and scan your chest! Go to your doctor, and ask him/her if they have anything to give you for a "chest code"!
Your subscribers can listen from your email, in the new Substack iOS app (https://substack.com/app), or on the web, as well as register your podcast to be distributed (via RSS feed) to Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify (public feeds only), and more. You can find more information on how to distribute your podcast to other platforms here: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038462911
So, I have a podcast. I am hosting it on Anchor. Through there, I have my podcast now on Spotify, Apple, Google and so on. What happens if I switch to Substack? Can I add new episodes seamlessly to my existing podcast channel on, for example, Spotify? Also, Anchor takes care of the distribution to different providers. If I start a podcast on Substack, do I have to manually add it to all the different platforms? This question is holding me back from moving my podcast hosting to Substack. Also, how about show art and so on?
I switched my podcast from Anchor to Substack a couple years ago and the transition was quick and seamless. My new episodes go to Spotify and elsewhere. As for show art, that’s part of the process. Substack asks for your show art. What I’ve liked about switching is now I have a better sense of who is listening.
How do podcasts work with sections? If I post a podcast to a specific section (not a new podcast-specific section), will it still show up on the main public feed?
I assume that if you create a new section as a podcast, those episodes don't show up the main public feed, but would show up on individual private feeds.
My specific use case is that I would like to make a new section for a podcast mini-series, but I still want all of those episodes to show up on the main podcast feed that I have in Apple, Spotify, etc.
Hi Adam, this is a good (and complicated!) question. After chatting with the team, the general consensus is - you'll have an easier time if you keep all of your podcasts in the same section. A separate section will generate a separate RSS feed, so will not unify how your podcasts show up on Apple, Spotify, etc.
That said - if you submitted the "set up your podcast app for everything in one feed" command when you first set up your podcast, then everything will show up under the same RSS. (If you didn't do that or don't remember, most likely it your sections will post to separate RSS feeds.)
Makes sense! Is it possible to check what I did when I set up my podcast? I did not have any other sections when I first made the podcast, so I don't remember anything specific about that.
It would be good to have a Podcasting 101. I'm planning on recording an audio version of my novel, but the whole distribution aspect is a closed book to me and most of what Google turns up on the subject assumes I know more than I do.
Thanks Bailey. I had seen that, and it is useful. But there is one key paragraph that assumes that I know more than I do.
"You can listen from your email, in the new Substack iOS app, or on the web, as well as register your podcast to be distributed (via RSS feed) to Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify (public feeds only), and more. You can find more information on how to distribute your podcast to other platforms here."
This assumes that I know how podcasting works and what the podcasting landscape looks like. In other words, it assumes that I am a podcaster thinking of coming to Substack. But I am the opposite: A Substacker thinking of starting a podcast. Adding a little bit, either here or in a linked article, about how the podcast landscape works and how Substack plugs into that would be valuable to me, and, I suspect, to people like me.
Essentially, yes. I know the path my written words take from by computer to the reader's kindle or bookshelf. But I don't know the path my recorded words would take from my computer to the listener's ear buds. Let's say I have a sound recording file. What do I do?
Tricky question, as I am not using Substack as a platform. But let's take Substack as example (it differs a bit per platform, I imagine). You can create a new post on substack and add your recording to it. If you have enabled podcasting in you settings, your new post can be pf the type podcast episode. That would generate a new entry in the rss feed of your podcast show (the collection of your individual posts/episodes). If you add your rss feed to platforms like Apple podcasts, google podcasts and Spotify (there are instructions on how to do that), your audio will be available there. Now, listeners can find it. You still have to point them to it, though. As there is a lot available, the trick now will be to get people to find it. In any case, this is a bit shorthanded. I hope the Substack team can shed more light on this for you.
I host my podcast on libsyn and get a certain amount of storage per month, which is far beyond what I need at this time anyway, but I was wondering if there were limits on the file size we could upload weekly/monthly if we use Substack. Also, using libsyn I have the option to change the artwork of my episodes as they push out to other platforms (YouTube, Spotify, etc.), will I be able to do that with Substack?
Our team is signing off until next week. It looks like we might push back the Office Hours on podcasting and host regular Office Hours instead. We will confirm with you early next week.
Keep going,
The Substack Team
Katie, Bailey, Kelsa, Jasmine, Tania, Seth, Jared, Nicole, Emmad, Kristen and Maggie
I posted a question here - on this "Writer Office Hours" platform just a few minutes ago but it disappeared. I also tested delivery of my published post by email and got this reply: "This is an email delivery test. It worked!" but my article was not there. Wondering what I am doing wrong.
As this thread is asking people who have been around for a while to share their learning, here are a couple of pointers from my end:
1) Consistency and building a habit helps in more ways than one. Of course it gets your readers to expect you to show up every week / fortnight / month (whatever your schedule is), and that builds expectation and hence engagement. But it also motivates you and keeps you accountable. So please have a schedule.
2) Engage with your readers in more ways than one.
Create a heartfelt welcome email that is sent to new subs (you can see mine by subbing to Hello Universe where I write one fun, thought-provoking poem every week https://hellouniverse.substack.com).
Also update your "About" section to be a good reflection of your writing that makes your reader want to engage with you. It could invite discussion, pose questions, and create debate.
Similarly, pose good and insightful questions and requests for feedback within your posts as well. And when readers reply to your posts, make sure to send them a thoughtful response.
In summary, engagement is not just likes and comments, but also conversations between you and your reader in their inbox. Try to use those to build a sticky and engaged reader base. All the best! 😀
I just want to share that this week I hit 450 subscribers. I've made a point of commenting on someone's post every day for the past few days and the recommendations feature has brought in new people this week. My next goal is 500. For years I've wanted to have 500 people on my list and I am nearly there
Thanks. Around three weeks ago I was bogged down with other stuff and didn't really think about my substack other than getting the article out that week. And I had no new subscribers. So trying to focus on it and do some kind of interaction seems to remind the universe that I'm here and happy to accept new subscribers. I found out on the stats today that the recommendations has brought in most of my new people this week.
Hey, YouTopian Journey! Yeah, there aren't specific benchmarks here, but email opens and web views are used as a measure of "activity". These benchmarks are completely different for each pub though, so there's nothing specific we can share. Hope that helps!
We were also curious about this and asked the Substack support team, but sadly their answer wasn't very helpful :( - "We don't have any other information beyond the brief description. It shows how engaged with the newsletter certain subscribers are"
Where do you promote your work? How do you promote it?
When you say you try to help other writers, what kinds of things do you do?
What if you aren't sure you have a unique offering for your readers? My newsletter is part curation and part editorial. I could argue that my curation is sifting through the bad stuff to share the good stuff, but I am not sure it is "unique" in that way.
Just followed you on Twitter (@iamJeffPerry) and subscribed to your Substack!
Everywhere and anywhere, I focus a lot on marketing but I have great content to back it up. I think the first step to being successful is the belief that you will be, go forward with your newsletter and leave the doubt behind. I will add you to the Twitter hypepod later, that usually helps writers. I appreciate the subscription, hope you dig it.
Good morning! Thanks for the opp to ask you direct questions. Substack kicks a$$!
1. ❤️ the new recommending other pub feature. Is there a way to reorder the list or will it always display in alpha order?
2. How do I embed my email address in a post? Is the link feature limited to websites only (I.e., with an https:// address)? For example, I am featuring a monthly 100-word micro interview for writers and asking anyone interested to DM me with their email address so I can send the questionnaire. Which brings me to...
3. Is it possible to email other substack writers? Or are we limited only to direct comments (in which we may not want to share our emails with the world in our comment section).
1. They shouldn't be ordered in alphabetical order unless you ordered them that way! The pubs are currently randomized as to not bias the recommendations, but we may change that at some point.
2. To add a hyperlink text so it opens as an email, highlight the email address and click the "link" button in the toolbar. Remove the "http://" and enter "mailto:", then enter the email address directly after the colon.
3. You can reply to Substack writers you subscribe to by just replying to their email posts. Some writers have this feature turned off, but most don't.
In a Substack post (or your about page or wherever) you can include your email address (which I would suggest be your Substack address rather than your personal one just to reduce spam) by linking to some text (e.g. "send me an email") and instead of a URL, type "mailto:youremailaddress" (minus the quotes) in the box.
You can make what’s called a “mail to” link — so when you make a link, instead of putting in a URL, enter “mailto:NAME@EMAIL.COM” and it will create a new email message on that person’s device with the “to” field filled in with your email address.
I’d love to know from those of you who have strong paid lists, are there things about readers - characteristics - that make them more likely to pay for content? They already pay for content, know you personally, generational, etc. I have a strong free list but the paid list is something I need to grow. Thank you!
I have a paid list, maybe not a strong one (currently in the 3-4% range)? So for whatever reason I'm not one of the high-converting folk...
But one thing that has worked for me is balancing "here's the stuff you can get by going paid" with "you're helping me create this thing." Because it's turned out that many people - including ones who signed up to mine at the Founder level - don't really want more stuff. They get enough emails as it is. They just want to support what you're already making & help it get even better. (And when I got this feedback, it made me squirm a LOT, but...I have to believe what they're telling me.)
So - don't discount the power of just saying "you're really helping me make this thing (and I have SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO MAKE HERE)." If it's done open and honestly and vulnerably, it can have a big impact.
I only recently went paid, and have a pretty small following, so less here to give advice and more to say I relate to this! I don't actually offer more content for paid subscribers (at least as of now), but use more of a patreon model, and encourage people to support the work if they find value in it, and WOW it really meant a lot that people converted to paid subs just to, as Mike said, support what I'm already making. I'd like to offer more paid-only content in the future, but for now this is working for me.
Thank you, both. This is super helpful. And I agree that the people who became from the very beginning did so to support my efforts not get the second email.
That is so true, and worth pointing out! My day-job is in public radio where we have been raising money since 1972 with a twice-annual on-air invitation: if you value this work, here's how you can support it. No pay wall over the airwaves. Providing special and early content for supporters makes sense too, but it seems there's something powerful about simply inviting people to sign on to and join your mission.
This is just my experience, but most of my paid subscribers were people that already knew my work on other platforms (Medium, etc.), or people I've previously worked with on other projects. The only paid sub I know IRL is my wife, and hers is comped. Lol.
And I’m guessing these people were accustomed to paying for writing, which is what I am getting at. I converted many subscribers when I came to Substack, but they were reading my blog before or buying my books.
I am converting to paid option, and I feel the same way -- that people will simply want to support my work. I am crafting funny and loving tiers so they enjoy reading...for example the Founders will be the only tier allowed to criticize grammar and typo's!
Then I had an idea of maybe offering a Zoom once a month, to all paid subscribers. Maybe will maybe won't I am kind of shy.
It's fine and normal that those who know you are your initial paid supporters!
Our Substack Writers Unite Twitter hype pod is open for new writers who want to get new eyes on their work. Follow me @youtopianj and I will add you to it.
Hi all! I'd love to see samples of how you announced you were "going paid". Looking to strike the right tone and always benefit from seeing what others have done before. Thanks!
I just went paid just under a week ago after writing for nearly two years. I'm not putting my content behind a paywall because I have a strong public service motivation in my writing, but I still wanted to give people the opportunity to support me if they wanted to. I've been pleasantly surprised by the response - definitely better than I expected. https://theturnstone.substack.com/p/an-update-on-the-turnstone?s=w
So far so good, have gotten some annual subscriptions which is validating! Right now sitting at a 1.7% conversion rate from free to paid after a few hours.
Good luck Adam! I am still in need of building my writing habit before I make a paid tier but I think a year of writing is more than enough time to prove yourself!
It was mentioned down below, but it's worth repeating, that the "about" page is a great way for readers to get a feel for what your substack newsletter is about. New writers: don't forget to update your About page from the default text. Readers look there first to find out what to expect.
Hi. I have a relatively new newsletter title Backwards Smile. Im not on any social media. Is it possible to grow without it? if so any advice on how to. Thank you
Social media is the best way to promote beyond Substack. Engaging with Office Hours will connect you to other writers and may help you build a following within Substack.
I was sans any social media until this past August, when I started my 'Stack. As much as you may dislike SM, generally, just use it to promote your 'Stack pubs! Plus, you might consider business cards, to make your "social media" usage more personal and social...and fun, as you meet new people!
Sort of similar to getting business cards printed, but I designed some cute stickers with my newsletter name on Canva and then got a bunch printed, with a QR code to my subscribe page. I put some in my jacket pocket and then stuck a couple in high traffic areas at my local ski resort. Kind of old school but hey whatever works!
I've been using metal buttons for my books. Stickers would be much better. Less expensive and less problem of someone poking their finger on the pin tip. I use them for my shows now (I write for an actor) but that group is older and less worrisome.
It all depends on your personal & professional networks. Social media amplifies everything, often in ways you do not expect. The more people who know about you and your writing, the more likely you will be successful in meeting your goals.
i'm not on any social media either. i don't intend to join, so i'm determined not to cave to all the 'but you have to if you want to sit with the popular kids' advice. just my experience, but in the old days, we supported other bloggers (who supported us back) and wrote stuff people in our niche wanted to read--they found us, we didn't solicit them. i'm not on social media, yet i still manage to find plenty to read all by myself! can you imagine? so, i'm staying old-school. if it's more complicated than that, i honestly don't have time for it anyway...
I just want to post some encouragement from one tiny newsletter to you: growing an audience is the same no matter what platform you're on. Focus on quality, not quantity. Grow a community, not just an audience. Stay consistent, and enjoy the process. Most importantly: don't give up! 🌿
It is great to meet you all! I recently joined Substack and am looking for ways to grow my burgeoning audience. What methods of outreach did you find to be most effective in gaining subscribers? Did you find posting on social media platforms, or a website, or word-of-mouth to be more effective? Thanks for your insight and advice!
Twitter threads have been the biggest for me (details here: https://on.substack.com/p/grow-series-7). But - I'd say all of the things you listed work! Which is a mixture of great and dangerous....
It's great because you can pick one and really throw yourself into experimenting with it, until you find what works for you and your audience (which may be nothing like what's working for other people).
But it's dangerous because there's the temptation to try to do everything. To give 100% of your energy to 4 or 5 or 6 things at the same time. And that's exactly how burnout happens.
So here's a question: which of those methods of outreach would you find the most fun?
(This isn't a frivolous question. If it's fun, you will have the stamina to keep doing it until it really takes off.)
Ugh my main social media workhorse is FB but I really hate FB and also I have no direct access to those who subscribe to my page, having to rely instead on the vagaries of the algorithms.
If you can actually get people to talk about your substack, I think that's the very best way to promote. I have one friend who talks up my newsletter and that has honestly been huge for me (I know I'm more likely to check something out when a friend I trust tells me it's great). And people will remember your stuff more if they are actually having a conversation about it. But word of mouth feels more out of my control than posting on social media, so that's my main form of promotion.
I'd also like to know how to find good newsletters of a similar-ish subscriber base (we have approx 900) so we can use the recommendations feature. Think there is more value in a recommendation from us then vs. us recommending a newsletter with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
Ahh, right ours is free and I didn't realise that the 'all' section is ordered in order of subscribers as my view doesn't have any numbers next to it. Thanks!
Wondering today about anyone who has dealt with aggressive subscribers and/or trolls? I had my first experience with this recently, and it left me feeling unsettled.
Hi Sarah! Sorry to hear you experienced this type of behavior on our platform. If the subscribers are trolls, we recommend Double opt-in for email signups. You can do this by going to your Settings > Publication Details> Double opt-in for email signups. If you want to learn more about the moderation tools you have, check out this link:https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-substacks-moderation-tools?s=w
I had one guy write a really obnoxious comment out of the blue. Based on his username I was able to track him to his social media and apparently his whole thing is to troll other people. So I blocked him.
How were they aggressive, hopefully just in the comments? Sadly trolls are trolls, but I've found they are often a small group of juvenile friends, and like a flock of birds, they fly away to elsewhere, with some diligent culling of posts.
Comments, at first, several weeks ago. Then they subscribed and responded to my welcome email, in the same vein as the comments. Then they wrote back to my weekly post for free subs, also in the same vein, and I decided I had remove them as a sub, ban them from commenting and re-subscribing. I suppose I just need the reassurance that "trolls are trolls" and that I don't need to take it personally.
Really sorry about this, Sarah! I think unfortunately sometimes "trolls are trolls" — though we're about to release a better comment reporting flow as well as an updated On Substack guide to these features. Will share with you!
Super helpful — thanks, Jasmine! My only lingering question is, what does this all look like from the perspective of the banned commenter/subscriber? If they come back to try again and they’re not allowed to comment or subscribe, how will they be notified of that?
Trolls are trolls. It's not personal. So sorry to read you had such an experience. It's always unsettling, no matter the platform, but maybe in your own newsletter it hurts more. But trolls are trolls. Don't feed them. Block them.
Sarah, I'm sorry to hear that this person kept up their verbal assault on you. But you did the right thing, get rid of them and keep your community the safe and fun community that it is. :)
I have been playing w providing audio versions of my essays for accessibility purposes. Is there a way to indicate that this is not exactly a podcast but an essay with a voiceover? The headphone icon is a little misleading, as I'm just reading what is also written in the show notes.
Loving the podcast option, and definitely working my way up towards that as I build my community and figure out my niche (which right now, is quite broad, as it's all about "being a human in progress", which is literally everyone).
I wanted to add narration to my recipes too but I could not do it. I ended up doing a podcast and writing the content. I never saw the microphone 🎤 tool.
You may want to splinter your podcast off as a separate publication section. That way your podcast feed is separate from your newsletter/posts. More info:
Hi! Thanks for the tip, Jeff. It's definitely a good move.
Curious, do you know what I should do with the audio readings of my written essays that I *don't* want to separate from my newsletter/posts in its own podcast section? They're a bit of a grey area.
My best advice is to post the things you want to be in the podcast in that publication section, and then post a separate thing in the newsletter side sharing the podcast link as well as more supplemental stuff.
For instance I interviewed Casey Newton, which is a podcast, but I also share an article/post sharing the things I learned from Casey and linking to the interview as an extra tidbit.
I also want to provide an audio version, I thought the 'podcast' option would work, but Milan you are saying it's not a good choice for an audio reading?
Oh it totally works, it's just a little bit of a hack because if I were really doing a podcast on Substack, it wouldn't be 'scripted'. So it's categorized a little differently to make it work on the substack platform.
Dan from our team who works on SEO wrote a really detailed answer about an SEO question a few weeks ago that might offer some additional guidance and framing to think about choices you can make to improve SEO.
Your Substack should be getting indexed by Google, so the trick is to write posts that will turn up in people's search results. You should strive for interesting and useful (but not clickbaity) titles, include subheaders (which Google uses as a way to understand the content), and think about useful keywords. What kinds of searches would someone make that would bring them to your site?
To be honest, though - while I think it is critical that Substacks show up on Google (and they weren't for a while!), I don't expect that Google will be a large portion of most Substacks' traffic unless the Substack is providing knowledge and information people are actually looking for. If someone is writing fiction, telling personal anecdotes, or other kinds of things, they probably will do well on social but not so much on Google. Sites that provide solid, evergreen information with a broad appeal will perform better on Google just because people may be looking for that kind of info.
Barely new anymore (we started end of the year), but happy to be here and I've really been enjoying what I've learned from On Substack. I did a roll call a couple weeks ago (the question was who are you and why are you here?) and it was bonkers - LOVED it, and learned a lot about our readers. Took the additional step of linking to that post from our welcome letters, encouraging new folks to introduce themselves, which should make that post very much a living document. It should also encourage the sense of community that's very important to us.
I'm very interested in metrics - what the range of "normal" is. My partner and I are both longtime professional writers with deep old blogger roots and existing platforms, but I'm not sure what rate of growth is considered excellent or lagging here. Also, as far as we can tell, there are very few of our tribe (thoughtful foodie hunter nature nerds) on Substack, so we're not sure how much of our potential audience is already reading the platform, vs needing to be educated about it.
Hi Holly -- I'll drop a link to our metrics guide here just in case you haven't seen it: https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-your-substack-metrics. We don't touch on growth rate there; it varies quite a lot for different types of publications, so it's hard to give very useful guidance on what is normal. But I'd say that 5% monthly growth is squarely in the excellent range. And I too would love to see more foodie hunter nature nerd Substacks - I hope you'll make use of our recommendations feature as you find them :)
Is anyone here doing an advice column style newsletter? I was thinking of that being my paid content later on down the line, after I've grown more, and I'd love to subscribe to a few established ones and get inspiration! :)
Been getting so inspired with community and new ideas in the comments! Nice to see you all! This is my first time here. I started writing on substack a couple of months ago. I've been really enjoying getting into the habit and am so excited to foster connections with other writers. I'm a freelance performance artist, clown, and poet writing short auto-biographical stories, poems, and explorations.
Why have you messed up Substack reader by not using normal hypertext links and replacing them with less-functional javascript links? This means that I can no longer press the middle mouse button to open links in a new tab.
What really matters is that Substack is open to hearing about problems and when possible, they are quick to fix things. Not all sites are anywhere near as responsive.
Believe it or not, this is how 99% of all major websites work. It is often difficult to find bugs until a bunch of people have used the site and identified a problem. Even with testing, it's simply impossible to find everything before deployment. (The same is actually true of "traditional" software but it's less obvious.)
No snark: what would you rather have as an alternative?
Substack employees aren't nearly enough to test changes at the scale Substack has in their user base. Mistakes will be made, bugs will need to be squashed, and life moves on.
I can understand that, but maybe there is a reason for this change that is beyond our scope of how this website/web app works? I don't think it is fair to just say that the people behind this entire platform aren't competent.
I mean *maybe* there's a good reason for it, but all I can say is I personally have never come across a website which was improved by replacing <a href> with Javascript, nor would I expect there ever to be since web browsers are set up to recognise hyperlinks and thus are very likely to treat the Javascript imitation with less functionality.
Hi I am new! 👋 I am going to have my first month anniversary with my newsletter writing weekly without gaps. I’m proud of that. I like how easy Substack makes it for writing and now podcasting.
Brilliant amount of information on here - VERY helpful! Just glad I can read back through it all so I can absorb it. Quick question: I read a lot about 'call to action' - just how overt/obvious should you be? I just suggest that if they like it, subscribe and share ...
A call to action can be exactly what you described. The idea is to give a reader something to do next - subscribe, share, comment. I often change this up depending on what I wrote, as sometimes I really want comments while other times I might encourage them to share instead. I always put at least one, and often multiple, subscribe buttons in the text of the post so I rarely make that my final CTA.
Let me start by saying that I love and adore Substack, so this is in no way a slight against the company whatsoever, but I had a situation a couple of weeks ago right after I sent my first newsletter, and it was quite troubling.
I had spent weeks planning and designing what my newsletter was to become. I fretted over every little detail when it came to consistency in formatting and overall design, I worked long and hard to make sure it was perfect and completely error free before I published.
The minute my first newsletter went live, I got the alert via the Substack app and clicked to read through it once again to see what everyone else was seeing. Imagine my abject horror when right after my introductory paragraphs, there was a huge, glaring mistake!
Mine is a music newsletter, and near the top after the intro, I included a quote from Tom Waits. It was formatted perfectly when I set the newsletter to be published, but when viewing the published version, that quote was doubled up, meaning it appeared twice and the formatting was totally off. I was (and still am) mortified.
Immediately, i went to edit the error, wondering how on earth I could have missed such a thing, only to find that I didn't make the error myself at all - when I click to edit, everything looks perfect. The quote appears once, exactly as I had it formatted. But viewing it as the public sees it, there it is, doubled up.
I immediately went to reach out to Substack for support, but couldn't find anywhere a support address was listed. I took my chances and sent an email detailing the problem to help@substack.com because I figured there had to be such an email address setup to support writers who experience problems. I waited and waited and heard nothing back.
Days passed. An entire week later, just as my second newsletter was about to be published, I finally got a response from Substack support, but the response asked me to please respond back if I was still in need of help.
I was confounded and annoyed. Of course, I still needed help. I needed help a week ago when I submitted a request for help. To finally hear back from someone, not with an answer or a solution to my problem, but to ask me if I still needed help, felt...not great.
I responded back that yes, i still needed help because this never got resolved and my second newsletter was minutes from being published and I feared it would happen again.
I was met with more radio silence. Today, 3 days later, I've still not heard back from anyone.
Thankfully, the second newsletter had no formatting error or doubling-up of the quote. But the first error in the first newsletter is still there. If I go to edit, it still looks perfect as if there is nothing wrong. I don't understand this at all, don't understand what went wrong in the first place, and don't know if I will have issues with this same thing again in future newsletters.
Again, I'm very happy to be here, and am a total evangelist for the Substack platform, but this experience was less than awesome. And, like I said, my original problem remains unsolved. I'd love to hear from someone at Substack who can help. Thanks for reading, sorry this was so lengthy.
Edit: I also wanted to mention that I only see this error when viewing the newsletter in the Substack app. If I view it on the web, it looks fine. And because I only receive alerts via the app and do not receive the actual email, I have no idea if others saw the error I'm seeing when viewing via the Substack app.
Chris, I am also a perfectionist, but I find readers to be pretty tolerant of formatting problems. This is not to detract from your concern about support, but to encourage you to not let it eat you up.
Holly, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your kind words of encouragement here. Indeed, from the outset my concern was to put out a polished, professional newsletter, and seeing a mistake like I saw made it look, to me, like an amateur effort, like something glaring that couldn't have possibly been missed by someone serious about what they were doing.
I've tried to let it go since I had no other choice it seemed, but you're right, we are always our own harshest critics. Thank you again. This means a lot to me.
Happy to help! It's because I'm the same way. I edited a quarterly magazine for 8+ years and I could scarcely stand to open it once it came out for fear I would find an error that would feel like battery acid on my brain.
Fellow editors and writers are the only ones who care about stuff like that, and most of us are pretty forgiving too. Readers will love you for your IDEAS.
“Battery acid on my brain” is exactly how it feels, Holly. It’s good to feel understood. And great to have support when it comes to the perfectionist, sometimes neurotic nature we writers possess.
Hi Chris - super frustrating to see your hard work displayed less than perfectly. Do you know which version of the Substack app you currently have? I just took a look at your first newsletter issue on the app and I see the Tom Waits quote only once. This may have been a display glitch that's been fixed or will be fixed in an upcoming release.
Hi Nicole, thank you for your response here. I really appreciate it, and I'm glad to hear that you don't see what I'm seeing in the app. I just checked and my version is 1.0.4, build 501. I wish there was a way to attach a screenshot to show you what I'm seeing.
Hi Chris, that would annoy me as well! I am new here, and haven't even published my newsletter, but the issue of non-existent support does concern me quite a bit.
This newsletter is the support forum. Substack is a small company. It doesn't appear to have enough people to provide the support you are seeking. You should get a reply from the staff here.
I have not experienced your problem. You can edit a published newsletter for future viewers but not for those who got your emailed or app newsletter, I think. And you can't send out a corrected newsletter because subscribers are annoyed if they get more than one version.
You might want to post a comment on the emailed newsletter that explains and corrects the mistake.
What appears to you to be a big mistake may not be noticed by most readers.
One of the tough things about being a solo writer without editors is that most writers are their worst editors. After you write, you don't see your mistakes until it is too late.
To avoid making these mistakes, sleep on your first draft and rewrite the next day.
I requested help and experienced the proverbial wait. Do not feel a connection to substack on the support side. I don't find it all so easy to navigate and I'm no dummy.
I very much like and appreciate your suggestion to post a comment on my newsletter to explain to others what is going on with the mistake, Donald. Thank you. As far as the mistake itself and avoiding it in the future, the problem there is that I made no mistake - again, my version that I see when I edit the newsletter, is perfect, error-free. It looks exactly as intended. It's only after it was published that the mistake showed up. And going back in to edit now, shows everything is perfect. Quite the conundrum. And I did have it ready to go the night before, set to auto-publish the following morning, prior to which I triple-checked it. This was precisely why I found this weird glitch to be so confusing and confounding.
The only thing I could suggest is having an independent third-party web consultant look at your error, like if you use a web designer, etc. Obviously that would cost you some money. Just my two cents.
Oh, I just thought of something else, can you send out a TEST newsletter on Substack before it goes out to the main mailing list? That way, you could double check it before it goes "live."
Ernie, that was just the thing - I must have sent myself more than a dozen test emails prior to it going live and everything looked fine there. Perhaps the trouble is something to do with the way it's displaying in Substack app, and not with the emails at all. I am unsure.
I realize this may be kind of an arbitrary question and just depend on a lot of various factors, but is there any benchmark for what would be considered a strong open rate for your newsletter?
I’ve heard lots of different responses to this question. For me I’ve set myself an arbitrary %age, and if it dips lower than that, I check to see which folks haven’t been opening my newsletter for the past 4-6 months. For me it’s better to have fewer subscribers and a higher open rate (also for delivery) than the other way around.
Hi Hannah - here's a link to our metrics guide https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-your-substack-metrics -- you're right that it varies a lot; 40-60% is a good benchmark depending on (among many other things!) your publishing frequency.
I am LOVING the new recommendations feature! Just found out my newsletter is recommended by others and it's wonderful, and I love recommending newsletters I love. https://fires.substack.com
Hello, my name is Arjan and I am reading poetry. And writing poetry. And, and that's why I am typing this now, sharing poetry. So, if you have a poetry substack, drop it here. I'll subscribe, read and maybe share. At least, when it's your own work. I like reading substacks about poetry from others, but I'm not sharing that :).
Hi Arjan, I am a poet. I used to share my poetry on my substack, and a bit about my writing journey. I've taken quite a break and not sure what I'll do now but poetry is a big part of my life and I'm sure it will be in there somewhere. In general the newsletter is about working creatively, with that elusive thing called balance.
Hi Arjan! My Monday posts feature my original poetry, and my paid subscribers get a seasonal ebook of my poems on the final Friday of the month. Nice to meet you! :)
Thank you! Yes, on the final Friday of each month. I focus on seasonal/nature-based living, so the poetry in each e-book is all based on the upcoming month's rhythms (full moons, some of the more obscure saint days, holidays, etc).
I'm a business, stock and options guy as well as a retired, blogging financial writer.
Impact graph: I like statistics.
What I am hoping Substack will do when it has the time and resources is come up with daily, monthly and annual graphs that we can use to determine how well we are doing.
1. New members per month with graphs showing sources.
2. View graphs with graphs showing sources of readers, free and paid.
3. Open rate graphs.
4. Show data and stats by category of site: Business/Financial, Financial Markets, Options, Food, Politics, Spiritual, Books, Health, etc.
At this rate, as a new writer and a veteran entrepreneur and publisher, I'm on my own. I'm competing with myself, and I'm flying blind.
These generally include the stats section of your dashboard which has traffic/email level statistics, the subscriber tab which shows subscriber growth over time, and on your post dashboard you can view post level statistics. This will show open rates, click rates, etc.
That being said, I know these resources don't have everything you asked for. I will take these ideas back to the engineering feature teams though. In general, feel free to respond to any questions about traffic, stats, or anything else and I'd be happy to help.
All kidding aside, I guess it's by commenting here. Reading other comments, and waiting for the Substack team, or fellow writers, to answer your questions. Or maybe you can answer some questions of others.
This might be a pointless question to a newsletter but, is there a way to save somebody's post instead of having to subscribe? Many times I find a post I want to read or listen to, and specially with podcasters it won't be a time where I can stop and do it. It'd be useful to save those pieces and get back to them as we find the right time, before we decide to subscribe – I did that and now my inbox is overloaded.
There is no official way of doing this (though it's something a bunch of us would love to see added to the app!). Because all Substacks have a "web archive," you can always bookmark articles in your browser, or copy the links or articles to an app like Evernote, or try the other options noted here.
I also use Pocket habitually. I am currently playing around with Notion as well in an effort to capture multiple stories and research on a specific topic. It isn't perfect but having a bucket to dump stories and links somewhere for me to organize later is half the battle when you spend all day reading stories while at work.
I have a blank canvas right now and want to get off on the right foot .
I would like to employ sequential access for my readers. They would get emails every Tuesday and Thursday but they would get the next episode from where they left off rather than the actual days release. this would allow for binge reading for folks who want to catch up. Folks who are current would get the standard days release. Premium payers would get access to the topics two weeks ahead of time.
This all means I need to have at least two weeks ahead written. But right now I could do at least 30 episodes with out any issues.
That isn't possible using Substack as there is no automation.
I am publishing a novel on my Story Cauldron Substack, with a chapter a week. What I do is release a new chapter of my novel every Friday. I also maintain an "index" of all of the chapters with a brief synopsis, and have a button linking to that page at the top of each week's chapter. That way if someone comes into the story mid-way, or gets behind, they can go back to the index at any time. Once a story is complete, I turn it into an ebook and use Bookfunnel as a way to provide a download link, and make that available to new subscribers.
This is all behind a paywall but I'm happy to share access if you are interested.
I was thinking about creating a QR code for my Substack, which could be placed on flyers and such. (Could be a good feature for the roadmap.) Anyone done something like this before? Any idea how to create a QR code for a website?
Then you just download the QR code and add it to whatever design asset you are making. Canva's free version is really great for creating flyers, posters, business cards etc. on your own. Then you can send your design to a print shop, and can ask their in house graphic designer to clean up any quirky things in your design you may have missed. Anyways that's what has worked for me!
Hi Nina! By sharing https://ninaschuyler.substack.com/ people should be able to view your publication, and from there view all your posts and sign up/subscribe. You can also share specific posts with the share button on posts. Hopefully that helps!
Hello all. Fairly new at this forum of writing but finding it interesting and challenging. Consistency is difficult for me as I am somewhat scattered to the winds but I'm working on it. Unfortunately, I find the vast majority of social media to be somewhat toxic so am not as active as I should be. But I'm learning.
I've had a weekly blog for over ten years, and have just recently moved over to Substack. Two questions: 1) do I delete the old blog posts on my website and eventually repurpose them into Substack? 2) How often should posts go to all subscribers and how often to only paid subscribers? And how do you decide which one goes where?
You are in a great position with 10 years of content!
1) I would rewrite the best of the old ones. Then send them out to your SubStack list. You don't have to delete the old ones. (there is no duplicate content 'penalty' anymore).
2) If I were you I'd send once a week to free, and 2 times a week to the paid subs. Good luck with Substack!
Why not leave the old blog posts on your website? In 20 years you will be thrilled to see your earlier work and how primitive the internet was 'back then' -- I should know, yesterday I realized the Rules Index on my website was last updated in 2010... 12 years ago... OOOhhhh!
Is there any way to get around the posts being too long in Substack and cutting off the email for some subscribers in gmail? Any way we can adjust the HTML or something and adjust the width?
A post is like an article, a thread is a discussion -- the former tends to be more one-way, you writing to an audience, and the latter tends to be a two-way thing, usually much shorter than a post, including a question or some prompt for conversation.
Ah! Thank you. Do you find that many people engage with you on threads? Are threads meant to generate more engagement on your substack? Or is it a reward of sorts for subscribers?
Threads can be whatever you want them to be! I subscribe to some Substacks that offer threads for paid sub-only conversations, others who open them to everyone -- it entirely depends.
My threads generally garner a few more comments than on a post, especially if I've landed on a question/topic that people really want to discuss (and that's key -- if you ask an uninteresting question, you won't get many, if any, answers). I've heard from others here in Office Hours that threads work beautifully for them, and others who say their threads are unsuccessful (whether that means only a few comments, or sometimes zero). I've experimented and learned what works best for me.
Try them, see what happens, learn something, iterate, try again.
I would love to hear from other fiction writers about their growth on Substack, and if they have any specific recommendations. I'm finding while there are a lot of opportunities to grow in spaces like productivity, politics, curation, etc., there is very little that really focuses on growing an audience of casual fiction readers. I would say even more specifically short stories, but I'm guessing authors that serialize would want to know this as well. Right now I've come to the conclusion my best approach would be getting published via a well known outlet (traditional or online) for the genres I'm focusing on, and that will bring interest back to my Substack. Other than that I'm not sure what else to do (I'm already using The Sample service).
Yes, getting published by a traditional outlet is always a powerful approach for building an audience. Not easy to do though. And the catch is that it is easier to interest the traditional publishers if you already have an audience. I suppose the question to ask here (it is a question I am asking myself) is, is Substack the core of your career, or is it a means to an end. There are definitely people who are trying to make their Fiction Substack the heart of their fiction careers. I see it more an an adjunct to a career based on selling books. But times and audiences are changing, so maybe the serial model will prove the more advantageous in the end.
My fiction on Substack is simply a way to build an audience/platform. Eventually I plan to publish my novels on Amazon etc. and I will be able to tell my subscribers about those books when I'm ready. I do not see Substack as the end goal, just a step along the way. Plus I enjoy writing about a lot of things so it makes me happy.
Yeah, that's the frustrating part about the traditional publishers, but I've heard already having an audience is more specifically tied to non-fiction because it gives you credibility as a writer around the topics you write. For fiction sometimes that's important, but maybe not so much? My ultimate goal overall is only short stories and essays go on Substack. I would never serialize a novel, but that's just my personal preference. Anything that big I would end up self publishing and then probably give Substack subscribers a certain discount on the purchase price.
I think the case with fiction, particularly genre fiction, is that the publishers have an established audience and they are looking for books to feed it with. So you don't so much need to have an audience already, as long as you conform to the tastes of their existing audience. But if you are not in a niche that is currently selling well, I think you still have to bring an audience, or look for smaller presses with particular interests that match yours.
Hey fellow fiction writer! I don't have any specific recommendations as I'm trying to grow myself. I think my approach has been sort of the reverse of what you're suggesting where I'm trying to build an audience in anticipation of getting published, whether that be self-published or traditionally. But it's a slow chug so far! I'm thinking about what other content I can leverage to bring interest to my Substack but I don't wanna start bombarding my readers with non-fiction stuff they didn't sign up for. So, I'm contemplating starting another newsletter for that content which I can then use to link back, but we'll see! Also been using The Sample although so far it hasn't netted me any subs :)
I find that writing nonfiction that relates to the fiction is the key to growth. Unfortunately it is very hard to market fiction, especially when it isn't a complete book someone can download or hold in their hands. So if you can think about what else you can offer readers, you can grow your audience.
In my case, I write about storytelling on one Substack and about St. Louis history on the other (my novels are YA urban fantasy set in St. Louis so both topics work). An author I really like, Allison Epstein, writes Dirtbags through the Ages (https://rapscallison.substack.com/) and has a novel about Christopher Marlowe that I snapped up because I liked her Substack. I hope in the future people who love my Substacks will be as eager to buy my actual books when I publish them!
Yeah this is along the lines of what I’m thinking to do. I wrote a whole non-fiction book already and my novel is based on a lot of the themes in that book so I’m thinking to repurpose some of that content as a newsletter.
Yeah this is along the lines of what I’m thinking to do. I wrote a whole non-fiction book already and my novel is based on a lot of the themes in that book so I’m thinking to repurpose some of that content as a newsletter.
Hey Stephen, I think it definitely depends on what your audience expects. I write fiction, but I do what are called slice of life essays as well. I had some newsletter subscribers who were used to receiving those previously, and so adding fiction wasn't a big stretch. However, if I just started publishing random topics like politics they would probably unsubscribe. I do hope to do what you're talking about as well with building an audience and then hopefully they'll come along for the ride with a book. I guess we both just need to get to that build an audience place first :)
Yes, I think that's what most people do, unless you have a really big following somewhere else. And the conventional wisdom is to keep your best content free always to drive potential subscribers to your content and let them see what you can really do! Paid content might offer "something extra" or a behind the scenes look, but most folks keep the work they're proudest of accessible to everyone regardless of subscriber status.
Roll call! 👋
Who's new here? Reply to this comment. We're excited to meet you and say "hello."
What's on your mind today?
Yo. I really like the Recommendations initiative.
I was thinking nostalgically about blog carnivals the other day, about how good it was to read a bunch of different voices all writing around a theme, or a sentence prompt. I would love to see something like that on SS, tho I'm sure it'd probably be a headache to implement 😊🌻
Initially I was sceptical about Recommendations because it went out on the welcome email. But I have had 10 new subscribers this week and also sent subscribers to other writing related publications. It's working 😊
The 'Stack suits will be happy to hear that!
Hi Cali--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you!
Hi Cali! It actually doesn't go out with the welcome email. Right now, a reader would only see the recommendations on the web when they enter their email and click subscribe. Once they've finished subscribing, they see the pubs you recommend they also read.
Thanks Bailey. I've just seen that 5 minutes ago when I subscribed to Tim Lott. It's a great feature.
The Recommendations initiative definitely raises Substack above the level of the others
100%
And the fact that it's user-driven, and not done via algorithm makes it all the better.
Thanks. So how does it work? I mean, do I say to you, for example, "I'll subscribe to yours and mention it if you do the same" -- assuming we like each other's stuff of course? Or is it different?
If you recommend someone and the impact is significant on their readership, the writer you recommended will receive an email automatically letting them know you've done so, and suggesting they recommend you back, as well!
In my case, I've reached out to other music writers and asked if they'd like to crosspost (they host an article of mine & vice versa). I've also had a couple of people guest post on my newsletter as well. One upcoming project I'm excited about has 2 of us reviewing the same record and then writing about it.
Ah, "blog carnivals"! Just gotta get all us 'Stack circus folk together!😁
I remember blog carnivals! They were a great idea
One thing I think it's worth considering: if you want to send the maximum number of your subscribers to someone else via a Recommendation, I bet that if you spend a few minutes writing *why* you're recommending them (instead of using that newsletter's own self-description, which gets autopopulated into that text box unless you replace it), that'll work WAY better. Your heartfelt word-of-mouth, in your own words, will do better marketing than anything else you could do.
(And I think I already see this in my own stats: the top referrer of new subscribers is someone who took the time to recommend my newsletter in a really kind and thoughtful way. It really works!)
I think that's a great idea. It makes the recommendation feel more genuine than transactional.
Hi Sharon--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Could you shoot me a note? Hope to hear from you!
I literally still posted about this today in the https://on.substack.com/p/recommendations?s=r
Yeah, Recommendations are great - thank you for introducing them. And also for letting us see in the dashboard how many subscribers we've sent towards other people! Makes me really happy to know I've steered a few folk towards other newsletters I really like...
Oh fun! I'd be down! Are there substack writing groups?
We just had one. Substack will contact you and you can opt in. Last was in Feb 1st with https://substack.com/go
All you have to do is sign up when you get the email. It was a real nice experience, and you meet lots of new writers.
Awesome! Thank you for the headsup. Looking forward to one in the future!
Here's one on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/substackwriters
There are probably more!
I love this idea!!
Hi Sue--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Could you shoot me a note? Hope to hear from you!
Hello! I’ve just moved to Substack; these threads are a great way to find cool new writers, so thanks for that!
Welcome Aoife!
and, the more you contribute here, the more people check out your writing. Welcome!
I've just found one of your posts about getting more readers (https://pau1.substack.com/p/stackhacks-get-more-readers?utm_source=%2Fprofile%2F5693776--&utm_medium=reader2&s=r) looking fwd to reading it
Thanks Terry. New article in this series coming out next Monday...it's about LinkedIn, Pinterest, Flipboard, and contributing to online forums (like this one).
I get virtually no traction on LInkedin :-(
Me neither, but it doesn't stop me from still slappin' my pieces up there! Same with Twitter! They don't care, and neither do I about their thunderous indifference!
Flipboard ... hmmm
OK, I just subscribed so I don't miss that
Thanks Terry!
what do y'all think about newsletter swaps? Is that a thing on Substack, and if so, does it work?
It is definitely a thing! And if you do it well, it can definitely bring new readers to your Substack because you're exposing your ideas and writing to a new and different audience.
Thanks, Jackie. But how does one do it well? I'm aware that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression
Paul speaks truth!
venmo to m.estrin at gmail?
Welcome, you'll find lots of help here.
Welcome to Substack!
Joined earlier this month and just getting started on Substack. Thank you for hosting this Writers Office Hours. Very helpful. I'd love to learn more about how writers go from free to paid subscriptions. Also, I am only on one social media platform and it's not a place I want to promote my Substack. Are there other ideas besides social media to help promote my writing?
Welcome Autumn! Thera are great ideas in the thread.
One of the most potent ways that you can get the word out about your Substack is with other writers.
Ask people with larger audiences to share your Substack, especially if they’re friends or current subscribers. If you don’t know anyone, try cold emailing or messaging someone you admire whose audience overlaps with yours. Introduce yourself with your Substack, share something relevant to their followers or about a topic they care about, and be gracious with your ask.
Elizabeth Held grew her list from 0 to 2,000+ with a series of cold emails:
https://on.substack.com/p/grow-series-6?s=w
I've found SM to be invaluable for exposing my writing. I had never been on SM sites before starting my 'Stack in August. Sure, there are some more helpful than others in getting actual "hits," but generally speaking, I find them helpful.
As for not "being a place you want to promote," you might want to have a separate account to just handle your 'Stack posts. That way, your personal opinions and your writing don't mix (if that's your issue about SM not being where you want to share).
I use business cards (with the ID pic to the left) with my 'Stack web address and brief explanation on 'em to pass them out to new people I meet, as well as posting on Starbucks and Panera bulletin boards! Good luck!
Love the idea of bringing in people via business card and bulletin board. Thinking about getting a QR code sticker that goes directly to my substack, to stick to the business cards I already have.
The QR code is above my pay grade. It's tough to scan one with my flip phone! I'll have to research how to get one!
If you have Chrome for your browser, you can make one there:
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/9979877?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
Yes, Chrome is what I use. Will check it out! Thanks, Debra!
That's an awesome idea!
Um, what's SM?
er ... social media?
I thought it was sado-masochism, so I guess I was on the right lines!
Yes, social media.
Yes, social media.
Oh, I thought it was sado-masochism!
We've heard that about you, Ernie! Now, lemme go so I can check out your music musings!!
me too, so we were both on the right lines!!
Wow! Bulletin boards are few and far between in my area. I don't go out to eat so I hadn't noticed the bulletin boards at Panera and Starbucks. Everyone is so neat around here. Not a corkboard in sight!
Grocery stores? Libraries? Hotel lobbies? I've done all of these, with and without "permission." Also, I hit large gatherings like ball games and street fairs/fests to meet new people, and if they're willing, chat a bit about my writing, and not just blindly hand out the cards!
It helps (to get attention and, usually, keep it) that I write about that which many, if not most, people have a passing, if not rabid, interest in: rock music of the '70s/'80s, including prog, classic rock, punk, etc, and my days in the record biz and FM rock radio back in the day! Those who write about accounting or plumbing may not have as rapt an audience for cards, etc!
I have a separate SM account for my 'Stack newsletter. As you say, it keeps private and published separate.
Welcome, you'll find lots of tips and suggestions here.
Maybe try to start a social media act from scratch, just for promoting your writing?
Hello! Just moved my newsletter to Substack on Monday. I'm loving it so far and I've also received good feedback from my readers. Makes me motivated to write more frequently. Today I'll be thinking about my why more and focusing on writing words for an important video.
Awesome, Jack!
As you think through some of those bigger questions, this might be a helpful resource: https://on.substack.com/p/grow-2?s=w
Thanks Katie. Appreciate the info!
Welcome!
Thank you!
May I ask – where was your newsletter before? I’m thinking of moving from Revue to Substack.
I was using MailChimp before.
Hi all! Been loving writing on Substack this year. Two questions for y'all...
1. How does everyone approach promoting their substack to audiences outside of their personal networks? I've shared on personal social accounts, but my reach is limited.
2. How does everything think about sharing value on other platforms without constantly sharing their link in the hopes of new subscribers?
Hi Kevin,
There are great ideas in this thread.
+1 to Michael and Lloyd's comments of cross promotion. We've seen this be really impactful for writers. Ask people with larger audiences to share your Substack, especially if they’re friends or current subscribers. If you don’t know anyone, try cold emailing or messaging someone you admire whose audience overlaps with yours. Introduce yourself with your Substack, share something relevant to their followers or about a topic they care about, and be gracious with your ask.
Depending on the nature of the Substack, you can get a lot of traffic from places like Reddit (if you can identify a subreddit that will welcome your content - but read the rules for each subreddit first) and places like Hacker News. I find that Substacks that are sharing knowledge/information are the best for these kinds of places.
My new Reddit article is here: https://pau1.substack.com/p/stackhacks-get-more-readers?
I get a lot of growth out of asking readers to share with their friends (and enemies😂). I’ve also gotten a lot out of relevant cross-promotions with other newsletters
I'm just trying cross promotion now, it's beginning to feel right.
Hi Kevin. Re-Submitting to various sites is a great way to get more eyeballs to see your writing. I have a series of posts on just this topic.
Awesome content! Thanks for sharing. Really great resources for growing and scaling any newsletter!
Thanks for signing up, Kevin.
Hi All! 👋 Started last week sharing my experience transitioning from undergrad to "real adult life" and all the excitement and challenge that comes with that journey. Happy to be here 😊
Welcome Jess! When I graduated from undergrad, a writing practice was one of the most grounding parts (and helped me connect/meet a lot of people too).
Thank you so much for sharing that! It's amazing how even my first post started conversations with friends that allowed us to connect in new ways than we did before. Excited to see where this adventure takes me and the people it allows me to meet :)
Ah, the freshman year of life feeling.
Hi Elizabeth--I was hoping to connect with you via email as I’d love to share about your newsletter with our readers and hopefully do a cross-promotion. Our email: learningcurveletters@gmail.com. Could you shoot me a note? Hope to hear from you!
omg I love that way of looking at it
Welcome!
Hello everyone. I'm working on moving my novel from KindleVella to Substack. Does anyone else post stories here?
Elle Griffin has been thinking a lot about what it means to serialize on Substack and more generally how to best get writing into the world. A lot of fiction writers hang out in her comments section.
https://ellegriffin.substack.com/
Nice! Thanks for the lead
Check out the work of Andrew Jazprose Hill, with "the Jazprose Diaries"--he's a wonderful writer--both fiction and non. Also Sherman Alexie and Chuck Palahniuk's work. These are seasoned vets. There's a lot of talk about how to "do" this on Substack, but sometimes it reads more as a pyramid scheme/patronage. It's good to see what fiction writers are actually doing.
https://andrewjazprosehill.substack.com/
https://shermanalexie.substack.com/
https://chuckpalahniuk.substack.com/
Thanks for the resources!
I'm about half way through serializing a novel on Substack.
How's your readership? I'm struggling to get more readers (in general) so I'm thinking about serializing too.
Growing slowly. It is a little hard to gauge. My non-fiction posts consistently outperform my fiction posts, and get more comments. But the numbers still hold up for the fiction, just as a lower level. So I suspect my fiction and non-fiction audiences are not the same, though they overlap. Most of my growth at the moment, though, is coming through BookFunnel promos, which means the principal thing that is drawing them is fiction.
Thanks for sharing! I know of BookFunnel, but I haven't really dived into the nitty gritty of a lot of writing things. I'm stuck in this state of feeling like I need to write more to have something I can actually let people read, but the past weeks have been a whirlwind on the offline front, haha.
Yes, it's hard. Substack is primarily a journalism platform and it operates with a journalism cadence. Fiction has a different rhythm. You almost need to have a backlog in order to keep up with Substack itself and the things you want to do to promote it.
Readers? Can I count the deer and bunny in my pasture?
I'n new to Substack and serializing so I have an experimental short story (around 9,000 words) that I've just started. I have no idea if I'm doing it right!
Hey! I'm new here too. I post short stories, flash fiction, micro fiction, basically anything that's not a novel, though I've thought about trying to post something serialized. It's so hard to say if fiction will work here, but based on the comments you've inspired there look to be plenty of us here!
Yeah, it's definitely an experiment to post here on Substack, but already I'm getting so much more interaction than from places like Medium or KindleVella. I think community might end up being Substack's strength.
It's great to hear you're getting good interaction. I'm excited to see where Substack takes me and my writing. Community is everything!
Ooh, really? I've heard stuff about Vella and the bonuses they pay authors, and Medium too... but that's encouraging about Substack. Thanks for sharing!
I write short stories too 😄 Subscribed!
Hey, hey! Short stories are the best! Subscribed to you as well!
I've mostly been submitting my short stories to anthologies and online magazines, but I do like writing them and I can get them done more easily than novels, haha! So I might put up more here in the coming months. I'm just not sure if I should make a whole new Stack for it or just keep it on the same one as my author newsletter, but not send it out as emails or something 🤔
Figuring out where my stories fit is my constant dilemma. I've been thinking about doing a combination of stories and essay/nonfic here, but can't decide if my readers who enjoy the stories will like the essays and vice versa, so I'm a little stuck there as well.
Yes! I'm actually doing BOTH on my Story Cauldron Substack (with my novel behind a paywall to satisfy the terms of Vella). You can find a bunch of other fiction writers, including several novelists (and join our little community) at fictionistas.substack.com.
Wonderful! I hope you have more luck than I did on Amazon. Thanks for the invite!
I do okay on Vella - nothing exciting but I make maybe $50 a month. I haven't been promoting my paid memberships lately as I don't think that is the right model for fiction but I keep it because I have more readers of my novels on Substack than Vella. Right now my main focus is just building free subs on both of my newsletters and then I'll be publishing the novels as actual books on Amazon and maybe elsewhere.
Oooh thank you, this is wonderful!
There is fiction on Substack. Check out Substack Writers Unite group on Discord.
Very nice! Thank you, sir.
There’s also the Fictionista Substack.
I didn't plan it, but I'm apparently editing a former RCA Records recording artist's autobio! Long story (which I'll spare you here....but, it's on my 'Stack!!!), but one thing led to another, and Stephen Michael Schwartz has a story, and I'm happily providing the platform as he just as happily supplies his exclusive, behind-the-scenes LA record-biz experiences, circa mid'70s!
It's fun as hell, but to your question, we're apparently collab-ing on his memoir, which, in time, may end up as an e-book or some such! Apparently, Substack is full of surprises!
Hey Brad, that's awesome! Caught my eye because I recently started writing / editing a Substack newsletter for illustrator Damian Fulton, whose comic strip 'Radical Rick' was in BMX magazines in the 80's and 90's.
https://radicalrick.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
My other personal newsletter is 'Shelf of Crocodiles' a once a month yarn on books and ideas.
https://crocodileshelf.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
Are you doing a Substack for your collaborator or just the e-book?
Substack is definitely a surprising place!
Very nice! I'll have to check that out.
https://substack.com/discover/category/fiction/all
Thank you!
Excellent
I have a site I call Literary Shorts (janellemerazhooper.substack.com) I've worked with newspapers and enjoy doing a short piece while I'm working on my current novel. Come visit me!
Will do!
I don't... yet. That's an idea though!
Hi! I recently joined Substack, and I am looking forward to meeting you all!
Welcome Levi!
Welcome!
Welcome to Substack, Levi!
Hi Levi. Cool name.
Hi, I launched my Substack (Canadian politics, mostly — it's *riveting*) on Tuesday. Fun and educational so far.
Welcome Paul!
I will definitely check it out!!
Welcome, Paul!
Welcome, you'll find good people helping here.
Hi Paul. Look forward to reading this!
Newsletter Novice here! Substack is my first attempt at this kind of thing. I mainly write short stories and flash fiction so if anyone needs some fiction in small, lighthearted doses, I'm your girl!
Welcome to Substack!
Hello! Just published my fifth issue today; am having a better response than I'd imagined. Quite a learning curve, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the entire process. Looking forward to some insights via Office Hours.
I love the title. What's the backstory?
Thanks! Sorry for the delay - I live in the UK and it was dinnertime for the kids!
I took the name from Kesey's 'you're either on the bus or off the bus' quote. As a teacher/senior manager - and a big fan of research - I look at learning as a journey. Unfortunately, this journey has become too focussed on the destination - and the result has been that we're missing all kinds of cool stuff along the way. So, that's where The Bus comes in - a twice-weekly journey to The Stop (the main topic - Monday's was Star Trek OST 'The City on the Edge of Forever', today's was Pavlov's Dogs - next Monday's is Tulipomania), The Detour - a signpost to a cool article from somewhere on the web, The Book (a suggestion with reviews), The Sounds (a playlist of 5-7 songs and The Question - designed to get people thinking. It's a 4-5 minute read and completely apolitical/atopical ... just something different to distract people from the world for the moment.
Do you cross-post or promote your content elsewhere?
Afternoon everyone! I've just started publishing on Substack about a month ago, with a focus on Canadian public transport, urban design, housing issues, and 1960's and 70's graphic design. I am only 3 articles in (with a 4th one coming out this Friday or Saturday), but I have to say the response so far been very encouraging and has already led to one cross promotion collaboration I am starting next week. I was a little skeptical about using Substack at first and wasn't sure if it was going to be the right fit. And there is still some work I need to do in order to make it suit my needs exactly. But overall I am enjoying the experience the platform has and I hope the focus remains on providing real good tools for the writers, and a simple, no nonsense experience for readers.
Welcome, Johnny! Glad you are here.
I think you'll find those cross-collaborations to be really beneficial.
That is certainly the hope. This will put my some of my work out to a substantially larger audience then I can reach at the moment so it was an opportunity I wasn't going to pass up (even if it has meant giving up some sleep and free time over the past few weeks).
New eyes on your work are always good. Another upside is that it forces you to clarify what your work covers, who it's for, and why it might be a good fit with another.
New to Substack, love to hear about book projects that focus on nature, history, or culture.
Welcome Rebecca!
Would that include historical fiction? I am currently serializing and 8th century historical novel on Substack.
I write about under-appreciated moments in the history of St. Louis. My most recent post was about the caves under the city and how breweries used them in the 19th century.
I have a novel, Geronimo's Laptop (history/fantasy) that is going to my editor on May 1st. I'm sure I'll be posting excerpts from it as soon as it is appropriate. The play, Geronimo, Life on the Reservation, was chosen last year by the Los Angeles Times to be one of its 2021 Culture Picks.
Given that I'm a native Californian (living in Vermont) your book sounds fascinating. Will look forward to seeing the excerpts.
Thanks, Rebecca. I was born and raised seven miles outside of the Ft. Sill Indian Reservation where Geronimo was a POW. I grew up surrounded by my mother's friends who were Comanche and Kiowa. I think it's in my blood, ha! As soon as my editor sends it back to me, I'll begin posting excerpts. I hope you like it!
We have a history category (https://substack.com/discover/category/history/all), a culture category (https://substack.com/discover/category/culture/all), and the climate category taps a bit into nature as well (https://substack.com/discover/category/climate/all). Those categories may be a good place to browse.
I think that sort of fits my bill
Hey hey everyone!! Been on Substack for a little while now running a podcast/newsletter about cybersecurity, but have never reached out to these threads before. How’s everyone doing??
Welcome! great to have you in the thread. Hope you turned on 2fa ;)
Lol. Nicely done. :)
I think you'll find these threads valuable.
Great topic...tons of content for you to write about every day, sadly.
Hi, I’m Chad. First time commenter.
One major improvement I would love to see is on the discover page.
It would be nice if active pages came before inactive pages. This way the people who are adding to the Substack community have a greater chance to be seen.
Or at least a way to filter the inactive pages.
Hi Everyone! Today I'm looking for recommendations of Substack newsletters that focus on the environment, mother earth, conservation, recycling, living off the grid, living simply, etc. basically anything that would be a great recommendation for Earth Day! Thanks!
I think writers qualify for contributing to saving the earth. My commute is less that 18 inches to my office, so I rarely drive, I submit everything I write online, so that saves paper. I eat at home, so that saves straws...etc.
Absolutely! Here's what I ended up posting: https://findinghome.substack.com/p/love-your-mother?s=w
Save Our Happy Place is one, run by Lindsay Nuñez.
Chevanne, thank you!! This is indeed a great site! I just reached out to Lindsay. Your recommendation came in too late for me to mention the newsletter in my Earth Day post, but I hope to work with her in the future. Happy Holy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day! I have a piece coming out next week for her Substack. She’s nice to work with.
That's great. I look forward to seeing it!
My issue tomorrow is in light of Earth Day, but as a one-off.
💌 Dear writers,
What advice do you have for our new writers just getting started?
I'd say: "don't try to do this alone."
I mean, the actual writing part usually *has* to be done alone, with distractions turned off and a faintly unhealthy supply of coffee to hand. There's usually no getting around that (although I like having the background buzz of a cafe when I'm writing - here's a fun way to fake it: https://coffitivity.com/).
But the part where you're coming up with ideas, or trying to think bigger and bolstering your confidence and hopes...don't try to do that just by sitting by yourself. If you need the door closed when you're writing, try flinging it open when you're not. Learn wildly. Connect madly. Allow yourself to be corrected (being gracious in the face of criticism is a good way to take the venom out of it). And make lots of good friends who are doing something like what you're doing.
And the best way to make friends - is to try to find a way to help other people, without directly asking for anything in return. Just help, any way you can. The best way to "self-promote" is just to be the person that was such an amazing mix of kind, generous and useful that you made the other person feel something great. *Everyone* remembers how someone made them feel. That stuff never gets forgotten.
I think that's a biggie. Making people feel good stuff is a superhighway for growth, in all sorts of ways. (And the bonus is: it stops you feeling lonely, in what can often be an isolating job!)
Well said AND practicing what you preach! Thank you, Mike.
Hah, I just wrote about this. :) https://storycauldron.substack.com/p/magic-happens-when-you-stop-writing-alone
Ah! And that's a post of yours that I haven't yet read. That'll learn me to catch up on my reading... :)
I agree, connecting with other writers is important. Although Substack programmes have helped (Grow, Go) other initiatives have been great too, like Elle Griffin's Discord. And if you want to find a particular type of writer, as I did when I wanted to find other writers in the Pacific region (anywhere around the Pacific Ocean), you can literally search for keywords on Substack's discover page. I found some great connections doing that and contacting people directly.
Great post Mike.
Thank you!
I really think the 'How It Feels' side of newslettering is something that needs more written about it, from a strategic perspective. It's sometimes really hard on the heart, all this stuff, and we definitely aren't machines...
That's great advice, Mike!
Cheers, Lloyd. :)
Connect with other writers! I've never been part of a writing community as thriving and generous as the one that exists on Substack. And the Substack team really encourages us to meet and support each other, so take advantage. I've met so many great folks through this platform who have boosted me and given me great advice. Keeps me coming back!
This is a huge point. For writers of an (ahem) certain age, the community is very reminiscent of various music scenes in the 90s; collaborative & supportive of whatever you're trying to build.
"I don't think anyone writing about the music scene in the 90's is old enough to be of a certain age," said the Boomer. ;-)
*laughs in GenX :)
Substack . . . the scene that celebrates itself?
Lol. maybe. I just meant that people here really seem willing to help/support each other without expecting anything in return. It's a nice change from the usual transactional nature of things in the creator economy/writing community.
I agree. I find this community to be very generous with time, attention and encouragement.
Agreed! And since there's so much of that open helfulness going on, it sends such a great message to any newly arrived writers. This is how it's supposed to work! And it's how everyone benefits - as opposed to transactional "what do I get in return" stuff, which - yeah. No.
(Adam Grant's book "Give and Take" has a lot of good stuff on the psychology of why being generous & helpful matters so much in modern creative business.)
Wow this is great to hear! Music to our ears.
+1 <3
This is such a good reminder. Connection is key. Writing may happen in a vacuum but support can be found everywhere.
Your comments are so true. The Substack team of writers do more than just knowing each other by passing insights around writing issues to fellow writers.
You're clearly experiencing things I am not. How did you manage this?
Personally, I got involved in every opportunity available. Joined a Substack Writers Unite twitter hype pod, lurked on the substack writers discord, hop in at weekly office hours, subscribe and connect with other writers whose work I admire, participated in Substack Go...keep your eyes peeled on your email and jump on opportunities, but also don't wait for folks to reach out to you--if you like their work connect with them!
As someone that is mainly alone in my writing, how do you reach out and connect with people on Substack? Is it mainly cold emails or something more that I am missing?
I met some great folks through the Substack Go program! not sure if they're running another session anytime soon
Email, Twitter, & commenting on their publications are all great starts. In general, I'm pretty introverted, and emailing people was a big leap for me, but the people here are great.
This forum right here is an example. There's one every week. Substack also hosts a variety of get-togethers that allow writers to meet each other and form connections. Also SM groups.
True, I think I just need to be more active as a user here and put myself out there more.
I don't know about you, but I find the idea of "putting myself out there" in the form of announcing my presence and what I write about somewhat cringeworthy. We need a networking for introverts session I think
I’d love that.
Here's what I wrote in a comment below, reposting here as the question has been asked separately-
As this thread is asking people who have been around for a while to share their learning, here are a couple of pointers from my end:
1) Consistency and building a habit helps in more ways than one. Of course it gets your readers to expect you to show up every week / fortnight / month (whatever your schedule is), and that builds expectation and hence engagement. But it also motivates you and keeps you accountable. So please have a schedule.
2) Engage with your readers in more ways than one.
Create a heartfelt welcome email that is sent to new subs (you can see mine by subbing to Hello Universe where I write one fun, thought-provoking poem every week https://hellouniverse.substack.com).
Also update your "About" section to be a good reflection of your writing that makes your reader want to engage with you. It could invite discussion, pose questions, and create debate.
Similarly, pose good and insightful questions and requests for feedback within your posts as well. And when readers reply to your posts, make sure to send them a thoughtful response.
In summary, engagement is not just likes and comments, but also conversations between you and your reader in their inbox. Try to use those to build a sticky and engaged reader base. All the best! 😀
I'm shocked at how many writers out there still have the boilerplate "about" page. It's usually the first thing I go to when I discover a new substack, and it's quite disappointing to see... nothing.
Yes! We have so many opportunities to engage with a new subscriber. Or a potential one. Use this space to persuade them to sign up. Then engage.
Agree! Update your about page! It's even more important now that there's an app - the about page is quite prominent there. We have a guide for those who are crafting a new about page --> https://on.substack.com/p/how-to-polish-your-publications-about?s=w
Good point. Making the About page your own is a fantastic way for someone passing by to see if you're writing something they might like.
What are some things that you think make for a good About page?
Be different than the rest
Be yourself
Add a bit of humor
Try to make them feel good
Your Contact info (email address) will show you want to know about them too.
Add a picture about what your niche
Add social proof
Write like you're talking to them in person
Start with some of this. Ask others what they think. Great question, Jeff!
Thank you for this advice! Feeling motivated with real direction to re-attack that About page *thumbs up*
Thank you very much. You inspired me to take a look at my About page.
me too
We have a guide we put together for writers here if it's helpful: https://on.substack.com/p/how-to-polish-your-publications-about?s=w
Your about page and your welcome email. The welcome email is a chance to lean into your voice as a writer.
Thanks for putting these together, Punit!
So happy that I was able to add value, Kelsa 😀
I agree with this. Things like welcome emails and about pages are important. Likewise consistency.
This is awesome advice!
*Promote it. A lot.
*Don't be afraid to pivot/iterate.
*Be the kind of writer you'd love to read.
*It'll likely be quiet for a while. Keep going anyway.
*Most importantly, just start. Don't wait for it to be perfect, or the time to be just right (neither will happen).
The quiet thing is tough!!! My friends will read and text me on the side, but not heart or comment in Substack. My stats show that people go direct to the free website, and not necessarily subscribe. I would love to figure out other places to promote but it feels like I'm still in my friends and family bubble (which is LOVELY and i am grateful for that, too)
Yes! Friends that text or email privately... it's great but I'd love them to feed the algorithm with hearts.
I have the same problem getting my book readers to put their comments on Amazon. Amazon won't let me copy and post them myself. It's so easy to do and really helps the writer.
Have you tried asking your friends to post their comments on your Substack? Also, having a call to action at the end to leave comments works wonders, especially if you include a few prompt questions to get the ball rolling.
I did do that at first and it worked, but the open discussion threads garnered no response so I got scared of the crickets, and tried other things, methinks. I'll end with prompts again next time!
I’ve absolutely missed with some of my prompts and gotten crickets, and that had been terrifying. But I try to keep going regardless. Also one thing I’ve found is that the prompt itself really matters. Sometimes my questions are too generic and I get only a handful of so-so responses. Other times I ask questions that ask too much of the reader and I get crickets. There’s a balance and it takes time to find it n
Considered it but never asked. Always just quietly grateful they are reading.
I hear you! For a long time, most of my list was people that lived with me. Then it slowly started to grow. Once that flywheel starts moving, things really start to happen quickly.
Second all of this, but especially the part about not waiting for perfection. One mantra I use a lot: don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good
Patience + consistency!
Building something good takes time. The only real short cut is luck, and that’s not really a strategy.
Read & subscribe!
You’re not an island. Reading other Substacks is the best way to learn what works and what doesn’t.
Quality contribution!
One great way to grow is by commenting on other Substacks and participating in relevant communities. But you have to contribute quality. Fly-by comments don’t really add to the conversation. Personally, if I’m going to comment on another Substack or contribute in a community I want to put as much effort into that as I do my newsletter. Why? Because those comments represent me and my newsletter.
IMO, this is one of the value-adds that separates Substack from other platforms. By design, there aren't a whole lot of people who find you by scrolling, so the number of comments might be smaller, but the quality is higher.
Patience is definitely the key for me.
And I will second reading and subscribing. Not only do you get to learn what works and what doesn't, you also get to find really fun and engaging content, often about things you may have never thought to read about.
Be nice to everyone you meet! They may return the favour at some point.
Find a niche and stay true to it. The average person on the street may not understand the appeal of your Substack, but you'll gain loyal subscribers and face less competition than if you go mainstream.
Share your posts everywhere: Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook, Hacker News. It'll increase the chances that one of them will go viral.
Pay up a bit for great website design. It will pay off in the long run.
Write in the morning. That's when your mind is the sharpest.
Get a decent computer keyboard. I bought a Logitech G815 with tactical keys. It's a joy to type on.
If you're not a native English speaker, use Grammarly. It'll improve your language significantly.
Re: Grammarly. Good idea. I've used Grammarly (Premium) in the past. It is surprisingly powerful. I suspect far more writers use it than are willing to let on. We may be able to edit our work without software like Grammarly, but not as quickly or thoroughly.
A new writing process may be needed to get the most from Grammarly, though. You may, for example, want to turn it off while you are writing and then, once you're ready to edit, turn it back on. Some may wish to edit their own work and then turn on Grammarly. The point, simply, is that you need to figure out how to use it -- otherwise, it may mess with your workflow.
I have also found Grammarly to be an excellent resource.
Even if you are a native English speaker, getting some sort of feedback on your writing, whether from Grammarly or human readers, is a great help (I've never used Grammarly but even things as simple as seeing what the spelling and grammar check in Word says can be useful, sometimes)
<3 love this Michael.
Nothing like consistency. Try as much as possible to not miss your scheduled day of writing. You miss once, it becomes easier to miss the second time, and then the third...
This is the top piece of advice we offer writers - keep writing!
I missed the 231st and the 232nd too. Time to get back on the horse :-(
Just get started. Don't aim for perfection. You'll find your voice as you go. Attend these office hours threads as they are a goldmine of connections, help and advice. If Substack themselves offer any programs, meetups etc - go for it. I loved the Substack Go program that I attended in February. I have made some very valuable connections from it.
So glad to hear Substack Go was a good experience for you, Cali!
This is outstanding advice.
+1
I think I manage to work this in every week, but I hope they do another Substack Go! It was both valuable and a lot of fun.
Not that I am an experienced veteran, but I say: take notes of everything that sounds important to you. No matter if it is a fragment of an idea, a little piece of dialogue, something curious you overheard in the street, a dream, a scene, a sketch - write it down and keep it. And then forget it. It can take days, months or even years, but some day you'll turn back to this little idea and it can grow into something else, a novel, a comic, a song, a movie. As David Lynch said, "an idea is money in the bank". Don't miss it.
This is why I habitually carry a pen and Field Notes journal with me. I go through about one a month!
I often find little gems in the notes I scribbled years ago.
After nearly two years on Substack, I'm starting to see results from putting effort into quality and consistency. While promotion is important, it helps to have a good product to promote. If possible, get another pair of eyes or two on your work, find someone who can look over your writing before you send it out into the world. For me this is crucial, because I explain complex science topics and I don't want to confuse people. Having the support of a couple of people willing to read through my work before it is published has been a huge help.
And listen to what they say. Don't be too attached to anything - sometimes it's hard when you put a lot of work into something and someone else comes along and suggests a change, but I know my work has been improved by the feedback of readers and fellow writers.
1. Publications that help people make money, grow their careers and satisfy their greed for political power command higher prices than feel good, ain't it interesting newsletters.
2. Competition for paid subscribers in your category probably is as tough as it has ever been because the cost of entering the publishing business is zero, thanks to Substack and its competitors. Good writers are a dime a dozen. See the number of Substack newsletters. You have to be more than a good writer. You have to have something to say. Great content counts.
3. Famous writers are more successful than people who are not famous. Fame deficits are difficult to overcome. If you write good stuff for a few years and do a lot of promotion, you may become famous and have a chance at becoming a successful newsletter writer.
4. So, don't give up you days jobs until you can live off your writing.
5. Keep it short. Most readers barely get past your first three paragraphs. Strong headlines, leads and impact graphs are very important.
May I add: good photos are critical for some of us. I can change the photo to a better one on a post and watch the views fly u.p
Good point, Janelle. Thanks.
Your point number 4 is interesting. I actually didn't follow that advice though, and I'm happy I didn't. Instead I prepared enough savings to last for a few years' worth of expenses. When I went full-time on Substack I initially had zero paid subscribers. While it is somewhat stressful to be in that situation, there's also a case to be made for capturing and dominating a niche early on. There are first-mover advantages in niches, just like it has been on YouTube. People say that making it on YouTube these days is almost impossible, while it was much easier ten years ago. I suspect that something similar will happen to Substack. You'll want to start a Substack early on and ride the wave as it becomes more popular.
I agree with everything you've said here, Donald, especially the first item. But when a writer has something to say it just takes more patience and more marketing to get where he needs to be.
Thanks, Lloyd. I like your newsletter.
1. We work with a lot of different writers, many of whom have Substack profiles. We're finding it's a great way to cross-promote each other's writing or for us to have them write something and then highlight their own substack. Helps us to spread the word.
2. The About section is critical (as others have said) I *always* click on other people's abouts. Take time to give it a look and flair that is imminently you.
3. Don't try to please everybody; share your voice, tell your stories in your own way. That's how you stand out.
Promote, promote, promote!
Any ideas where to promote your work? Is it just sending tweets and finding Facebook groups? Where do you think is the best return for promotion?
I target reddit, quora, twitter, everything.
My experience with FB hasn't been great. Groups tend to deny my posts calling them spam, which they are not. But maybe it's just my target audience, not saying it's site-wide.
The first thing I learned is that while you certainly can use your newsletter as a blog, there is a difference between the two. I wrote about it here: https://writereverlasting.substack.com/p/what-is-a-newsletter-anyway?s=w
I have been playing around w providing audio versions of my essays for accessibility purposes. Is there a way to indicate that this is not exactly a podcast but an essay with a voiceover? The headphone icon is a little misleading, as I'm just reading what is also written in the show notes.
Loving the podcast option, and definitely working my way up towards that as I build my community and figure out my niche (which right now, is quite broad, as it's all about "being a human in progress", which is literally everyone).
Hi Milan! We're building new audio tools to make this clearer in the near future.
But for right now, all audio clips are designated as podcasts, and you'll have to go through setup (but it won't distribute to podcast platforms like Apple/Spotify unless you choose to turn that on). But we are building a feature to embed audio clips on their own, and will launch it in the near future!
Excited to hear this!
This makes my day! Can't wait to see this available. Thanks Bailey!
🎙️ Hey podcasters 🎙️
What questions do you have about podcasting and audio tools on Substack? We're collecting your questions to bring back to our team for next week's special Office Hours all about podcasting.
I use the podcast feature to record my written pieces for the visually impaired or the ones who prefer to listen rather than read. So not really a podcast per se but it has been a great feature to deliver my writing in another format.
This sounds like a way I may want to go! I wasn't in radio in the '70s for nothin', so might as well use the dulcet tones while I still have 'em! Have no idea about the "mechanics," though, so I'd have to experiment.
Go for it. Substack makes it super easy. You can even record straight to the podcast episode.
What’s the crowd wisdom when it comes to length? We’re experimenting with a 20 minute format (for a panel discussion on one topic). And how many voices is too many voices? (We’re thinking four might be the maximum listeners can comfortable cope with?)
I was told something in my radio class back in college that a podcast or radio bit needs to be as long as it needs to be and not a minute longer. Play around, do test podcasts where you adjust the length and send links to people to listen to it and give you notes.
Thanks Jeff, that’s really useful
I'd reckon the crowd wisdom is: experiment and see what resonates with YOUR audience. What works for me in terms of length and number of voices, might not work for you. Look at the numbers and responses for your shows and plot that against the length and number of voices. I think your answer is there. Or ask the audience of your show. I really think this differs very much per show.
Thanks Arjan. I’m sure you’re right - I guess a better phrased question would be about what data exists to show popular lengths etc. My experience is things tend to either be half an hour, an hour or around two hours (with joe rogan going up to about 14 hours 😂) but that might just reflect the kind of things I like to listen to!
Not having done a podcast (but been interviewed on a few), I think it all (or should) depends on what you're talking about. Some 'Casts lend themselves to full hours, while others would be stretching credulity, if not patience, at that length. Same with # of voices. If you could book a Super Bowl champ team, I wouldn't enforce a 4-limit there! Plus, it's something you could flex with some 'Casts under your belt.
Yes that’s true. My favourite podcasts tend to one or two hours!
I am good on the tech but really interested in promotion techniques. What folks have seen work and not work. Thanks!
While I don't do podcasts yet, Erik, I use business cards for my 'Stack! I post them on S'bux and Panera bulletin boards, while also being an easy convo starter when meeting new people!
It helps that my card features a collector's item for punk fans in general, and Ramones fans, in particular (my ID pick to the left)! I reckon biz cards can work for 'Casts, as well! Good luck!
I've thought about t-shirts with my URL on it. Maybe a QR code for fun.
Hey, you got da dough, go for it! It'd be fun to have folks come and scan your chest! Go to your doctor, and ask him/her if they have anything to give you for a "chest code"!
surely you chest
Oh, no you din't!!!😁
Is there a way of exporting the audio to publish to a dedicated pod feed?
Or is the audio recording a dedicated pod feed in its own right? (As in, could people subscribe to the podcast recording via their pod-catcher?)
Your subscribers can listen from your email, in the new Substack iOS app (https://substack.com/app), or on the web, as well as register your podcast to be distributed (via RSS feed) to Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify (public feeds only), and more. You can find more information on how to distribute your podcast to other platforms here: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038462911
Thanks Bailey
So, I have a podcast. I am hosting it on Anchor. Through there, I have my podcast now on Spotify, Apple, Google and so on. What happens if I switch to Substack? Can I add new episodes seamlessly to my existing podcast channel on, for example, Spotify? Also, Anchor takes care of the distribution to different providers. If I start a podcast on Substack, do I have to manually add it to all the different platforms? This question is holding me back from moving my podcast hosting to Substack. Also, how about show art and so on?
I switched my podcast from Anchor to Substack a couple years ago and the transition was quick and seamless. My new episodes go to Spotify and elsewhere. As for show art, that’s part of the process. Substack asks for your show art. What I’ve liked about switching is now I have a better sense of who is listening.
Also interested in the answers to these questions...
How do podcasts work with sections? If I post a podcast to a specific section (not a new podcast-specific section), will it still show up on the main public feed?
I assume that if you create a new section as a podcast, those episodes don't show up the main public feed, but would show up on individual private feeds.
My specific use case is that I would like to make a new section for a podcast mini-series, but I still want all of those episodes to show up on the main podcast feed that I have in Apple, Spotify, etc.
Hi Adam, this is a good (and complicated!) question. After chatting with the team, the general consensus is - you'll have an easier time if you keep all of your podcasts in the same section. A separate section will generate a separate RSS feed, so will not unify how your podcasts show up on Apple, Spotify, etc.
That said - if you submitted the "set up your podcast app for everything in one feed" command when you first set up your podcast, then everything will show up under the same RSS. (If you didn't do that or don't remember, most likely it your sections will post to separate RSS feeds.)
Makes sense! Is it possible to check what I did when I set up my podcast? I did not have any other sections when I first made the podcast, so I don't remember anything specific about that.
It would be good to have a Podcasting 101. I'm planning on recording an audio version of my novel, but the whole distribution aspect is a closed book to me and most of what Google turns up on the subject assumes I know more than I do.
If you haven't yet, this resource may be worth reading: https://on.substack.com/p/podcastfaq
Thanks Bailey. I had seen that, and it is useful. But there is one key paragraph that assumes that I know more than I do.
"You can listen from your email, in the new Substack iOS app, or on the web, as well as register your podcast to be distributed (via RSS feed) to Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify (public feeds only), and more. You can find more information on how to distribute your podcast to other platforms here."
This assumes that I know how podcasting works and what the podcasting landscape looks like. In other words, it assumes that I am a podcaster thinking of coming to Substack. But I am the opposite: A Substacker thinking of starting a podcast. Adding a little bit, either here or in a linked article, about how the podcast landscape works and how Substack plugs into that would be valuable to me, and, I suspect, to people like me.
What do you mean by distribution? How to get your recording in front of listeners?
Essentially, yes. I know the path my written words take from by computer to the reader's kindle or bookshelf. But I don't know the path my recorded words would take from my computer to the listener's ear buds. Let's say I have a sound recording file. What do I do?
Tricky question, as I am not using Substack as a platform. But let's take Substack as example (it differs a bit per platform, I imagine). You can create a new post on substack and add your recording to it. If you have enabled podcasting in you settings, your new post can be pf the type podcast episode. That would generate a new entry in the rss feed of your podcast show (the collection of your individual posts/episodes). If you add your rss feed to platforms like Apple podcasts, google podcasts and Spotify (there are instructions on how to do that), your audio will be available there. Now, listeners can find it. You still have to point them to it, though. As there is a lot available, the trick now will be to get people to find it. In any case, this is a bit shorthanded. I hope the Substack team can shed more light on this for you.
Thanks. That is already more helpful than most of what I have read on the subject.
I host my podcast on libsyn and get a certain amount of storage per month, which is far beyond what I need at this time anyway, but I was wondering if there were limits on the file size we could upload weekly/monthly if we use Substack. Also, using libsyn I have the option to change the artwork of my episodes as they push out to other platforms (YouTube, Spotify, etc.), will I be able to do that with Substack?
Thanks for joining us today for Office Hours!
There is so much great insight for writers just getting started in the thread here: https://on.substack.com/p/office-hours-37/comment/6168738?s=w
Our team is signing off until next week. It looks like we might push back the Office Hours on podcasting and host regular Office Hours instead. We will confirm with you early next week.
Keep going,
The Substack Team
Katie, Bailey, Kelsa, Jasmine, Tania, Seth, Jared, Nicole, Emmad, Kristen and Maggie
I posted a question here - on this "Writer Office Hours" platform just a few minutes ago but it disappeared. I also tested delivery of my published post by email and got this reply: "This is an email delivery test. It worked!" but my article was not there. Wondering what I am doing wrong.
As this thread is asking people who have been around for a while to share their learning, here are a couple of pointers from my end:
1) Consistency and building a habit helps in more ways than one. Of course it gets your readers to expect you to show up every week / fortnight / month (whatever your schedule is), and that builds expectation and hence engagement. But it also motivates you and keeps you accountable. So please have a schedule.
2) Engage with your readers in more ways than one.
Create a heartfelt welcome email that is sent to new subs (you can see mine by subbing to Hello Universe where I write one fun, thought-provoking poem every week https://hellouniverse.substack.com).
Also update your "About" section to be a good reflection of your writing that makes your reader want to engage with you. It could invite discussion, pose questions, and create debate.
Similarly, pose good and insightful questions and requests for feedback within your posts as well. And when readers reply to your posts, make sure to send them a thoughtful response.
In summary, engagement is not just likes and comments, but also conversations between you and your reader in their inbox. Try to use those to build a sticky and engaged reader base. All the best! 😀
What great advice. Thanks for taking the time to write it up.
I just want to share that this week I hit 450 subscribers. I've made a point of commenting on someone's post every day for the past few days and the recommendations feature has brought in new people this week. My next goal is 500. For years I've wanted to have 500 people on my list and I am nearly there
That's great news! Congrats on your success.
That's awesome, Cali! Congratulations, I'm sure you'll be at 500 very soon.
Congrats Cali! That's amazing
You're doing something right. I'm not even close!
Thanks. Around three weeks ago I was bogged down with other stuff and didn't really think about my substack other than getting the article out that week. And I had no new subscribers. So trying to focus on it and do some kind of interaction seems to remind the universe that I'm here and happy to accept new subscribers. I found out on the stats today that the recommendations has brought in most of my new people this week.
Have a question regarding the star system, what distinguishes a 4 star reader from a 5 star? Open amounts? Comments?
Also curious about this! And more general insight about what the star system means. Thanks!
+1
Hey, YouTopian Journey! Yeah, there aren't specific benchmarks here, but email opens and web views are used as a measure of "activity". These benchmarks are completely different for each pub though, so there's nothing specific we can share. Hope that helps!
We were also curious about this and asked the Substack support team, but sadly their answer wasn't very helpful :( - "We don't have any other information beyond the brief description. It shows how engaged with the newsletter certain subscribers are"
Here is what has worked for me.
1. My newsletter drops every Sunday at noon EST.
2. I spend most of my time promoting/networking, not writing.
3. I leverage my newsletter as a brand, which has gotten me interviews, news articles, etc.
4. I cross promote if it makes sense.
5. I always try and help my subscribers/other writers. Feel free to comment below and I will see how I can help you.
6. I have a unique offering that aims to benefit my readers. Subscribe and see for yourself!
Where do you promote your work? How do you promote it?
When you say you try to help other writers, what kinds of things do you do?
What if you aren't sure you have a unique offering for your readers? My newsletter is part curation and part editorial. I could argue that my curation is sifting through the bad stuff to share the good stuff, but I am not sure it is "unique" in that way.
Just followed you on Twitter (@iamJeffPerry) and subscribed to your Substack!
Everywhere and anywhere, I focus a lot on marketing but I have great content to back it up. I think the first step to being successful is the belief that you will be, go forward with your newsletter and leave the doubt behind. I will add you to the Twitter hypepod later, that usually helps writers. I appreciate the subscription, hope you dig it.
Good morning! Thanks for the opp to ask you direct questions. Substack kicks a$$!
1. ❤️ the new recommending other pub feature. Is there a way to reorder the list or will it always display in alpha order?
2. How do I embed my email address in a post? Is the link feature limited to websites only (I.e., with an https:// address)? For example, I am featuring a monthly 100-word micro interview for writers and asking anyone interested to DM me with their email address so I can send the questionnaire. Which brings me to...
3. Is it possible to email other substack writers? Or are we limited only to direct comments (in which we may not want to share our emails with the world in our comment section).
You can email any writer with nameoftheirpublication@substack.com. So I'm whattoreadif@substack.com
1. They shouldn't be ordered in alphabetical order unless you ordered them that way! The pubs are currently randomized as to not bias the recommendations, but we may change that at some point.
2. To add a hyperlink text so it opens as an email, highlight the email address and click the "link" button in the toolbar. Remove the "http://" and enter "mailto:", then enter the email address directly after the colon.
3. You can reply to Substack writers you subscribe to by just replying to their email posts. Some writers have this feature turned off, but most don't.
In a Substack post (or your about page or wherever) you can include your email address (which I would suggest be your Substack address rather than your personal one just to reduce spam) by linking to some text (e.g. "send me an email") and instead of a URL, type "mailto:youremailaddress" (minus the quotes) in the box.
You can reply to authors by using [publication name]@substack.com
You can make what’s called a “mail to” link — so when you make a link, instead of putting in a URL, enter “mailto:NAME@EMAIL.COM” and it will create a new email message on that person’s device with the “to” field filled in with your email address.
I’d love to know from those of you who have strong paid lists, are there things about readers - characteristics - that make them more likely to pay for content? They already pay for content, know you personally, generational, etc. I have a strong free list but the paid list is something I need to grow. Thank you!
I have a paid list, maybe not a strong one (currently in the 3-4% range)? So for whatever reason I'm not one of the high-converting folk...
But one thing that has worked for me is balancing "here's the stuff you can get by going paid" with "you're helping me create this thing." Because it's turned out that many people - including ones who signed up to mine at the Founder level - don't really want more stuff. They get enough emails as it is. They just want to support what you're already making & help it get even better. (And when I got this feedback, it made me squirm a LOT, but...I have to believe what they're telling me.)
So - don't discount the power of just saying "you're really helping me make this thing (and I have SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO MAKE HERE)." If it's done open and honestly and vulnerably, it can have a big impact.
I only recently went paid, and have a pretty small following, so less here to give advice and more to say I relate to this! I don't actually offer more content for paid subscribers (at least as of now), but use more of a patreon model, and encourage people to support the work if they find value in it, and WOW it really meant a lot that people converted to paid subs just to, as Mike said, support what I'm already making. I'd like to offer more paid-only content in the future, but for now this is working for me.
Thank you, both. This is super helpful. And I agree that the people who became from the very beginning did so to support my efforts not get the second email.
That is so true, and worth pointing out! My day-job is in public radio where we have been raising money since 1972 with a twice-annual on-air invitation: if you value this work, here's how you can support it. No pay wall over the airwaves. Providing special and early content for supporters makes sense too, but it seems there's something powerful about simply inviting people to sign on to and join your mission.
This is just my experience, but most of my paid subscribers were people that already knew my work on other platforms (Medium, etc.), or people I've previously worked with on other projects. The only paid sub I know IRL is my wife, and hers is comped. Lol.
And I’m guessing these people were accustomed to paying for writing, which is what I am getting at. I converted many subscribers when I came to Substack, but they were reading my blog before or buying my books.
I am converting to paid option, and I feel the same way -- that people will simply want to support my work. I am crafting funny and loving tiers so they enjoy reading...for example the Founders will be the only tier allowed to criticize grammar and typo's!
Then I had an idea of maybe offering a Zoom once a month, to all paid subscribers. Maybe will maybe won't I am kind of shy.
It's fine and normal that those who know you are your initial paid supporters!
Our Substack Writers Unite Twitter hype pod is open for new writers who want to get new eyes on their work. Follow me @youtopianj and I will add you to it.
What does it do?
Thank you! Just followed you. My twitter handle is @Famished_Fish
Hi all! I'd love to see samples of how you announced you were "going paid". Looking to strike the right tone and always benefit from seeing what others have done before. Thanks!
I just went paid just under a week ago after writing for nearly two years. I'm not putting my content behind a paywall because I have a strong public service motivation in my writing, but I still wanted to give people the opportunity to support me if they wanted to. I've been pleasantly surprised by the response - definitely better than I expected. https://theturnstone.substack.com/p/an-update-on-the-turnstone?s=w
This is a great example, Melanie. Thanks for sharing and congrats on going paid. I’m glad you’ve been pleased with the response!
That's good to hear.
Here’s mine that just went live this morning! https://www.nightwater.email/p/introducing-day-soda
WOAH! Congrats on going paid, Adam! How are you feeling about the launch?
So far so good, have gotten some annual subscriptions which is validating! Right now sitting at a 1.7% conversion rate from free to paid after a few hours.
Thanks Adam, this is a great example. Congrats on going paid!
Excited for your launch!
Here's a guide we've put together with some tips: https://on.substack.com/p/grow-5
And here's a couple examples I've seen and liked:
- Virginia Sole Smith: https://virginiasolesmith.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-new-burnt-toast?s=r
- Jessica Valenti: https://jessica.substack.com/p/today-is-the-day?s=r
- Front Month: https://frontmonth.substack.com/p/front-months-next-chapter?s=r
I just turned on paid subscriptions today! After a little over a year of writing my newsletter. Super excited to see where it takes me. :)
Congratulations on going paid, Adam!
Good luck Adam! I am still in need of building my writing habit before I make a paid tier but I think a year of writing is more than enough time to prove yourself!
Congrats, Adam!
Congrats! I'm coming up on my first piece of paid content and I'm nervously excited to see the responses. Good luck!! :D
It was mentioned down below, but it's worth repeating, that the "about" page is a great way for readers to get a feel for what your substack newsletter is about. New writers: don't forget to update your About page from the default text. Readers look there first to find out what to expect.
Omg i need to do this
Good suggestion
Hi. I have a relatively new newsletter title Backwards Smile. Im not on any social media. Is it possible to grow without it? if so any advice on how to. Thank you
Social media is the best way to promote beyond Substack. Engaging with Office Hours will connect you to other writers and may help you build a following within Substack.
I was sans any social media until this past August, when I started my 'Stack. As much as you may dislike SM, generally, just use it to promote your 'Stack pubs! Plus, you might consider business cards, to make your "social media" usage more personal and social...and fun, as you meet new people!
Sort of similar to getting business cards printed, but I designed some cute stickers with my newsletter name on Canva and then got a bunch printed, with a QR code to my subscribe page. I put some in my jacket pocket and then stuck a couple in high traffic areas at my local ski resort. Kind of old school but hey whatever works!
I've been using metal buttons for my books. Stickers would be much better. Less expensive and less problem of someone poking their finger on the pin tip. I use them for my shows now (I write for an actor) but that group is older and less worrisome.
Very good, Hannah! That's thinking outside the 'Stack box, I'd say!!
What is a business card in this context? Do you mean an actual printed card that you actually hand to people?
YES! Overnight Prints.com or FedEx/Kinko's! It was, literally, Job 1 for me to get done! It never occurred to me to NOT get some printed!
Thank you. I've been considering it for sometime. I'm doing it today!
You go, girl! (in case you haven't heard that in a few months!!!)😄
It all depends on your personal & professional networks. Social media amplifies everything, often in ways you do not expect. The more people who know about you and your writing, the more likely you will be successful in meeting your goals.
i'm not on any social media either. i don't intend to join, so i'm determined not to cave to all the 'but you have to if you want to sit with the popular kids' advice. just my experience, but in the old days, we supported other bloggers (who supported us back) and wrote stuff people in our niche wanted to read--they found us, we didn't solicit them. i'm not on social media, yet i still manage to find plenty to read all by myself! can you imagine? so, i'm staying old-school. if it's more complicated than that, i honestly don't have time for it anyway...
You remind me of my mother who ran a men's Tuxedo shop. She said that she did business with people who did business with her. And she stuck to it! Ha!
I love it :-)
Great advice. Thank you
Social media is essential.
Hi Katie. I am new :-) Good Morning. Lots on my mind for sure.
Welcome Erik!
Do you have any questions?
Welcome Erik!
I just want to post some encouragement from one tiny newsletter to you: growing an audience is the same no matter what platform you're on. Focus on quality, not quantity. Grow a community, not just an audience. Stay consistent, and enjoy the process. Most importantly: don't give up! 🌿
Thank you.
Yeahhhhhhhhh
Dear writers,
It is great to meet you all! I recently joined Substack and am looking for ways to grow my burgeoning audience. What methods of outreach did you find to be most effective in gaining subscribers? Did you find posting on social media platforms, or a website, or word-of-mouth to be more effective? Thanks for your insight and advice!
Twitter threads have been the biggest for me (details here: https://on.substack.com/p/grow-series-7). But - I'd say all of the things you listed work! Which is a mixture of great and dangerous....
It's great because you can pick one and really throw yourself into experimenting with it, until you find what works for you and your audience (which may be nothing like what's working for other people).
But it's dangerous because there's the temptation to try to do everything. To give 100% of your energy to 4 or 5 or 6 things at the same time. And that's exactly how burnout happens.
So here's a question: which of those methods of outreach would you find the most fun?
(This isn't a frivolous question. If it's fun, you will have the stamina to keep doing it until it really takes off.)
Ugh my main social media workhorse is FB but I really hate FB and also I have no direct access to those who subscribe to my page, having to rely instead on the vagaries of the algorithms.
I've barely used FB at all for my newsletter. Is moving to another platform like Twitter an option for you?
I don't have the readership on Twitter.
Twitter is great! It has changed a lot. Use the #tweet100 hashtag when you start. It’s a new challenge that can help you get started. It is fun
I’ll second that! Tweet100 is fun.
Fair enough! Just a suggestion from someone that also doesn't like FB very much.
If you can actually get people to talk about your substack, I think that's the very best way to promote. I have one friend who talks up my newsletter and that has honestly been huge for me (I know I'm more likely to check something out when a friend I trust tells me it's great). And people will remember your stuff more if they are actually having a conversation about it. But word of mouth feels more out of my control than posting on social media, so that's my main form of promotion.
Recently my stats tell me that Reddit and Hacker News are tops.
Word of mouth & connecting with other writers.
Everything and anything.
Twitter and Facebook have worked great for me. Connecting with other fellow writers here has also helped me a lot.
I'd also like to know how to find good newsletters of a similar-ish subscriber base (we have approx 900) so we can use the recommendations feature. Think there is more value in a recommendation from us then vs. us recommending a newsletter with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
Yes this would be useful. I struggle to find comparable Substacks but am sure they are out there.
I think the leaderboard is endless? Scroll down to yours and find those right above and below
Ahh, right ours is free and I didn't realise that the 'all' section is ordered in order of subscribers as my view doesn't have any numbers next to it. Thanks!
Oh wow, I had no idea there was a leaderboard (we are about 2 months old on Substack). How do I access it?
I usually access it via reader.substack.com but I think it's also accessible via substack.com?
Wondering today about anyone who has dealt with aggressive subscribers and/or trolls? I had my first experience with this recently, and it left me feeling unsettled.
Hi Sarah! Sorry to hear you experienced this type of behavior on our platform. If the subscribers are trolls, we recommend Double opt-in for email signups. You can do this by going to your Settings > Publication Details> Double opt-in for email signups. If you want to learn more about the moderation tools you have, check out this link:https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-substacks-moderation-tools?s=w
I had one guy write a really obnoxious comment out of the blue. Based on his username I was able to track him to his social media and apparently his whole thing is to troll other people. So I blocked him.
Just block and move on. NBD. Trolls gonna troll.
Good advice.
How were they aggressive, hopefully just in the comments? Sadly trolls are trolls, but I've found they are often a small group of juvenile friends, and like a flock of birds, they fly away to elsewhere, with some diligent culling of posts.
Comments, at first, several weeks ago. Then they subscribed and responded to my welcome email, in the same vein as the comments. Then they wrote back to my weekly post for free subs, also in the same vein, and I decided I had remove them as a sub, ban them from commenting and re-subscribing. I suppose I just need the reassurance that "trolls are trolls" and that I don't need to take it personally.
Really sorry about this, Sarah! I think unfortunately sometimes "trolls are trolls" — though we're about to release a better comment reporting flow as well as an updated On Substack guide to these features. Will share with you!
Thanks, Jasmine!
Here you are: https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-substacks-moderation-tools — hopefully some of this will be helpful & let me know if you have any questions or feedback.
Super helpful — thanks, Jasmine! My only lingering question is, what does this all look like from the perspective of the banned commenter/subscriber? If they come back to try again and they’re not allowed to comment or subscribe, how will they be notified of that?
Trolls are trolls. It's not personal. So sorry to read you had such an experience. It's always unsettling, no matter the platform, but maybe in your own newsletter it hurts more. But trolls are trolls. Don't feed them. Block them.
Agreed 100%. Don't feed trolls, don't allow them to ruin your day. Just block them and move on.
Thank you.
Sarah, I'm sorry to hear that this person kept up their verbal assault on you. But you did the right thing, get rid of them and keep your community the safe and fun community that it is. :)
Thanks, Gayla ❤️
You can block them
I ended up having to, in the end.
I had to deal with some bots, thankfully they stopped.
This was definitely not a bot.
Sugar Britches is in the house…new to Substack!
nice name, Sylvia! so what's the topic of your Substack?
I write about simple hedonistic pleasures that do no harm to others, such as common sense, kindness, and of course sensuality
I have been playing w providing audio versions of my essays for accessibility purposes. Is there a way to indicate that this is not exactly a podcast but an essay with a voiceover? The headphone icon is a little misleading, as I'm just reading what is also written in the show notes.
Loving the podcast option, and definitely working my way up towards that as I build my community and figure out my niche (which right now, is quite broad, as it's all about "being a human in progress", which is literally everyone).
I wanted to add narration to my recipes too but I could not do it. I ended up doing a podcast and writing the content. I never saw the microphone 🎤 tool.
You may want to splinter your podcast off as a separate publication section. That way your podcast feed is separate from your newsletter/posts. More info:
https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-publication-sections?s=r
Hi! Thanks for the tip, Jeff. It's definitely a good move.
Curious, do you know what I should do with the audio readings of my written essays that I *don't* want to separate from my newsletter/posts in its own podcast section? They're a bit of a grey area.
My best advice is to post the things you want to be in the podcast in that publication section, and then post a separate thing in the newsletter side sharing the podcast link as well as more supplemental stuff.
For instance I interviewed Casey Newton, which is a podcast, but I also share an article/post sharing the things I learned from Casey and linking to the interview as an extra tidbit.
I also want to provide an audio version, I thought the 'podcast' option would work, but Milan you are saying it's not a good choice for an audio reading?
I also just read my writing and I think it works well. I also add in some intro and outro music. My editing skills end there though.
Oh it totally works, it's just a little bit of a hack because if I were really doing a podcast on Substack, it wouldn't be 'scripted'. So it's categorized a little differently to make it work on the substack platform.
Hi Katie/ Team Substack - could you suggest some ways in which we could improve SEO discoverability of our posts? Many thanks!
Hi Akshi,
Dan from our team who works on SEO wrote a really detailed answer about an SEO question a few weeks ago that might offer some additional guidance and framing to think about choices you can make to improve SEO.
https://on.substack.com/p/office-hours-34/comment/5699531?s=w
Thanks, Katie but Dan's response is for a different question. I'm wondering about SEO discoverability which right now is quite poor.
Your Substack should be getting indexed by Google, so the trick is to write posts that will turn up in people's search results. You should strive for interesting and useful (but not clickbaity) titles, include subheaders (which Google uses as a way to understand the content), and think about useful keywords. What kinds of searches would someone make that would bring them to your site?
To be honest, though - while I think it is critical that Substacks show up on Google (and they weren't for a while!), I don't expect that Google will be a large portion of most Substacks' traffic unless the Substack is providing knowledge and information people are actually looking for. If someone is writing fiction, telling personal anecdotes, or other kinds of things, they probably will do well on social but not so much on Google. Sites that provide solid, evergreen information with a broad appeal will perform better on Google just because people may be looking for that kind of info.
Thank you!
I have wondered about this too.
Hi writers!
Sorry I couldn't make hours today, but I love the new recommendation feature. It's working out great for me so far!
If any other outdoor creators are here, please reach out. I'd love to do a collab or interview of some kind!
Barely new anymore (we started end of the year), but happy to be here and I've really been enjoying what I've learned from On Substack. I did a roll call a couple weeks ago (the question was who are you and why are you here?) and it was bonkers - LOVED it, and learned a lot about our readers. Took the additional step of linking to that post from our welcome letters, encouraging new folks to introduce themselves, which should make that post very much a living document. It should also encourage the sense of community that's very important to us.
I'm very interested in metrics - what the range of "normal" is. My partner and I are both longtime professional writers with deep old blogger roots and existing platforms, but I'm not sure what rate of growth is considered excellent or lagging here. Also, as far as we can tell, there are very few of our tribe (thoughtful foodie hunter nature nerds) on Substack, so we're not sure how much of our potential audience is already reading the platform, vs needing to be educated about it.
All good, though. Enjoying the journey.
Hi Holly -- I'll drop a link to our metrics guide here just in case you haven't seen it: https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-your-substack-metrics. We don't touch on growth rate there; it varies quite a lot for different types of publications, so it's hard to give very useful guidance on what is normal. But I'd say that 5% monthly growth is squarely in the excellent range. And I too would love to see more foodie hunter nature nerd Substacks - I hope you'll make use of our recommendations feature as you find them :)
Thank you! My partner is the one who created our Substack, and I'm still milling around exploring resources.
Thank you - percent monthly growth is a helpful metric, and I had not heard that before. Appreciate the insight.
Is anyone here doing an advice column style newsletter? I was thinking of that being my paid content later on down the line, after I've grown more, and I'd love to subscribe to a few established ones and get inspiration! :)
There are some great advice columns on Substack, like https://ejeancarroll.substack.com/ and https://askpolly.substack.com/.
We also have a resource with 3 advice writers about best practices here: https://on.substack.com/p/advice-on-advice-columns
Check me out, you may dig it. https://youtopianjourney.substack.com/
Been getting so inspired with community and new ideas in the comments! Nice to see you all! This is my first time here. I started writing on substack a couple of months ago. I've been really enjoying getting into the habit and am so excited to foster connections with other writers. I'm a freelance performance artist, clown, and poet writing short auto-biographical stories, poems, and explorations.
Why have you messed up Substack reader by not using normal hypertext links and replacing them with less-functional javascript links? This means that I can no longer press the middle mouse button to open links in a new tab.
When is this change going to be reverted?
This was a regression that we caught yesterday. It should be fixed sometime today, apologies for the interruption!
It is now 28th June, and it has still not been fixed regarding links on the Inbox. That's over 2 months!
You 'caught it' when newsletter writers complained! At Substack changes go quickly live, and you use us for bugreports!
What really matters is that Substack is open to hearing about problems and when possible, they are quick to fix things. Not all sites are anywhere near as responsive.
Believe it or not, this is how 99% of all major websites work. It is often difficult to find bugs until a bunch of people have used the site and identified a problem. Even with testing, it's simply impossible to find everything before deployment. (The same is actually true of "traditional" software but it's less obvious.)
No snark: what would you rather have as an alternative?
Substack employees aren't nearly enough to test changes at the scale Substack has in their user base. Mistakes will be made, bugs will need to be squashed, and life moves on.
Competent web developeras would never have replaced proper hyperlinks with Javashit substitutes in the first place.
I can understand that, but maybe there is a reason for this change that is beyond our scope of how this website/web app works? I don't think it is fair to just say that the people behind this entire platform aren't competent.
I mean *maybe* there's a good reason for it, but all I can say is I personally have never come across a website which was improved by replacing <a href> with Javascript, nor would I expect there ever to be since web browsers are set up to recognise hyperlinks and thus are very likely to treat the Javascript imitation with less functionality.
Thanks.
Hi I am new! 👋 I am going to have my first month anniversary with my newsletter writing weekly without gaps. I’m proud of that. I like how easy Substack makes it for writing and now podcasting.
Brilliant amount of information on here - VERY helpful! Just glad I can read back through it all so I can absorb it. Quick question: I read a lot about 'call to action' - just how overt/obvious should you be? I just suggest that if they like it, subscribe and share ...
A call to action can be exactly what you described. The idea is to give a reader something to do next - subscribe, share, comment. I often change this up depending on what I wrote, as sometimes I really want comments while other times I might encourage them to share instead. I always put at least one, and often multiple, subscribe buttons in the text of the post so I rarely make that my final CTA.
Great advice - thanks!
Let me start by saying that I love and adore Substack, so this is in no way a slight against the company whatsoever, but I had a situation a couple of weeks ago right after I sent my first newsletter, and it was quite troubling.
I had spent weeks planning and designing what my newsletter was to become. I fretted over every little detail when it came to consistency in formatting and overall design, I worked long and hard to make sure it was perfect and completely error free before I published.
The minute my first newsletter went live, I got the alert via the Substack app and clicked to read through it once again to see what everyone else was seeing. Imagine my abject horror when right after my introductory paragraphs, there was a huge, glaring mistake!
Mine is a music newsletter, and near the top after the intro, I included a quote from Tom Waits. It was formatted perfectly when I set the newsletter to be published, but when viewing the published version, that quote was doubled up, meaning it appeared twice and the formatting was totally off. I was (and still am) mortified.
Immediately, i went to edit the error, wondering how on earth I could have missed such a thing, only to find that I didn't make the error myself at all - when I click to edit, everything looks perfect. The quote appears once, exactly as I had it formatted. But viewing it as the public sees it, there it is, doubled up.
I immediately went to reach out to Substack for support, but couldn't find anywhere a support address was listed. I took my chances and sent an email detailing the problem to help@substack.com because I figured there had to be such an email address setup to support writers who experience problems. I waited and waited and heard nothing back.
Days passed. An entire week later, just as my second newsletter was about to be published, I finally got a response from Substack support, but the response asked me to please respond back if I was still in need of help.
I was confounded and annoyed. Of course, I still needed help. I needed help a week ago when I submitted a request for help. To finally hear back from someone, not with an answer or a solution to my problem, but to ask me if I still needed help, felt...not great.
I responded back that yes, i still needed help because this never got resolved and my second newsletter was minutes from being published and I feared it would happen again.
I was met with more radio silence. Today, 3 days later, I've still not heard back from anyone.
Thankfully, the second newsletter had no formatting error or doubling-up of the quote. But the first error in the first newsletter is still there. If I go to edit, it still looks perfect as if there is nothing wrong. I don't understand this at all, don't understand what went wrong in the first place, and don't know if I will have issues with this same thing again in future newsletters.
Again, I'm very happy to be here, and am a total evangelist for the Substack platform, but this experience was less than awesome. And, like I said, my original problem remains unsolved. I'd love to hear from someone at Substack who can help. Thanks for reading, sorry this was so lengthy.
Edit: I also wanted to mention that I only see this error when viewing the newsletter in the Substack app. If I view it on the web, it looks fine. And because I only receive alerts via the app and do not receive the actual email, I have no idea if others saw the error I'm seeing when viewing via the Substack app.
Chris, I am also a perfectionist, but I find readers to be pretty tolerant of formatting problems. This is not to detract from your concern about support, but to encourage you to not let it eat you up.
Holly, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your kind words of encouragement here. Indeed, from the outset my concern was to put out a polished, professional newsletter, and seeing a mistake like I saw made it look, to me, like an amateur effort, like something glaring that couldn't have possibly been missed by someone serious about what they were doing.
I've tried to let it go since I had no other choice it seemed, but you're right, we are always our own harshest critics. Thank you again. This means a lot to me.
Happy to help! It's because I'm the same way. I edited a quarterly magazine for 8+ years and I could scarcely stand to open it once it came out for fear I would find an error that would feel like battery acid on my brain.
Fellow editors and writers are the only ones who care about stuff like that, and most of us are pretty forgiving too. Readers will love you for your IDEAS.
“Battery acid on my brain” is exactly how it feels, Holly. It’s good to feel understood. And great to have support when it comes to the perfectionist, sometimes neurotic nature we writers possess.
Hit me up when you want to discuss procrastination! Another favorite topic, lol.
I’ll definitely do that! I’d love to discuss procrastination, for some reason I just never get around to it.
Hi Chris - super frustrating to see your hard work displayed less than perfectly. Do you know which version of the Substack app you currently have? I just took a look at your first newsletter issue on the app and I see the Tom Waits quote only once. This may have been a display glitch that's been fixed or will be fixed in an upcoming release.
Hi Nicole, thank you for your response here. I really appreciate it, and I'm glad to hear that you don't see what I'm seeing in the app. I just checked and my version is 1.0.4, build 501. I wish there was a way to attach a screenshot to show you what I'm seeing.
You can contact Substack support directly here: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Thank you, Jackie. I don't know why I couldn't find that link before. Perhaps it was the panic making me crazy! haha
To be fair, it isn't super easy to find.
Hi Chris, that would annoy me as well! I am new here, and haven't even published my newsletter, but the issue of non-existent support does concern me quite a bit.
This newsletter is the support forum. Substack is a small company. It doesn't appear to have enough people to provide the support you are seeking. You should get a reply from the staff here.
I have not experienced your problem. You can edit a published newsletter for future viewers but not for those who got your emailed or app newsletter, I think. And you can't send out a corrected newsletter because subscribers are annoyed if they get more than one version.
You might want to post a comment on the emailed newsletter that explains and corrects the mistake.
What appears to you to be a big mistake may not be noticed by most readers.
One of the tough things about being a solo writer without editors is that most writers are their worst editors. After you write, you don't see your mistakes until it is too late.
To avoid making these mistakes, sleep on your first draft and rewrite the next day.
I requested help and experienced the proverbial wait. Do not feel a connection to substack on the support side. I don't find it all so easy to navigate and I'm no dummy.
I very much like and appreciate your suggestion to post a comment on my newsletter to explain to others what is going on with the mistake, Donald. Thank you. As far as the mistake itself and avoiding it in the future, the problem there is that I made no mistake - again, my version that I see when I edit the newsletter, is perfect, error-free. It looks exactly as intended. It's only after it was published that the mistake showed up. And going back in to edit now, shows everything is perfect. Quite the conundrum. And I did have it ready to go the night before, set to auto-publish the following morning, prior to which I triple-checked it. This was precisely why I found this weird glitch to be so confusing and confounding.
My guess is that you made some kind of mistake. Write another issue of your newsletter and see if you have the same problem.
Donald, indeed, the problem did not present itself in my second newsletter, thankfully. Hopefully, it was a one-off oddity.
The only thing I could suggest is having an independent third-party web consultant look at your error, like if you use a web designer, etc. Obviously that would cost you some money. Just my two cents.
Oh, I just thought of something else, can you send out a TEST newsletter on Substack before it goes out to the main mailing list? That way, you could double check it before it goes "live."
Ernie, that was just the thing - I must have sent myself more than a dozen test emails prior to it going live and everything looked fine there. Perhaps the trouble is something to do with the way it's displaying in Substack app, and not with the emails at all. I am unsure.
I realize this may be kind of an arbitrary question and just depend on a lot of various factors, but is there any benchmark for what would be considered a strong open rate for your newsletter?
I’ve heard lots of different responses to this question. For me I’ve set myself an arbitrary %age, and if it dips lower than that, I check to see which folks haven’t been opening my newsletter for the past 4-6 months. For me it’s better to have fewer subscribers and a higher open rate (also for delivery) than the other way around.
Hi Hannah - here's a link to our metrics guide https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-your-substack-metrics -- you're right that it varies a lot; 40-60% is a good benchmark depending on (among many other things!) your publishing frequency.
Hi Hannah, early on I think I read that 40% or higher was considered good. I'm averaging 52%, but it was more in the 40s during my first 8 months
I am LOVING the new recommendations feature! Just found out my newsletter is recommended by others and it's wonderful, and I love recommending newsletters I love. https://fires.substack.com
Thanks Jan! We love this new feature as well. It's the best to see writers supporting other writers.
Hello, my name is Arjan and I am reading poetry. And writing poetry. And, and that's why I am typing this now, sharing poetry. So, if you have a poetry substack, drop it here. I'll subscribe, read and maybe share. At least, when it's your own work. I like reading substacks about poetry from others, but I'm not sharing that :).
Hi Arjan, I am a poet. I used to share my poetry on my substack, and a bit about my writing journey. I've taken quite a break and not sure what I'll do now but poetry is a big part of my life and I'm sure it will be in there somewhere. In general the newsletter is about working creatively, with that elusive thing called balance.
Relatable! Always glad to see more poets, on breaks or not! It's always in us.
Looking forward to the moment you share a poem again :)
Hi Arjan! My Monday posts feature my original poetry, and my paid subscribers get a seasonal ebook of my poems on the final Friday of the month. Nice to meet you! :)
Wow! That is awesome. How many poems do you put in each e-book? The final Friday of every month?
Thank you! Yes, on the final Friday of each month. I focus on seasonal/nature-based living, so the poetry in each e-book is all based on the upcoming month's rhythms (full moons, some of the more obscure saint days, holidays, etc).
Here is the free e-book from April that I use as an example for those curious: https://sereid.substack.com/p/april-2022-issue-one?r=1bv6fk&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thanks for asking! :)
Oh amazing thank you for sharing!
Wonderful! I will check it out.
I'm a business, stock and options guy as well as a retired, blogging financial writer.
Impact graph: I like statistics.
What I am hoping Substack will do when it has the time and resources is come up with daily, monthly and annual graphs that we can use to determine how well we are doing.
1. New members per month with graphs showing sources.
2. View graphs with graphs showing sources of readers, free and paid.
3. Open rate graphs.
4. Show data and stats by category of site: Business/Financial, Financial Markets, Options, Food, Politics, Spiritual, Books, Health, etc.
At this rate, as a new writer and a veteran entrepreneur and publisher, I'm on my own. I'm competing with myself, and I'm flying blind.
Hi Donald! We do have some resources for statistics here https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-your-substack-metrics?s=r
These generally include the stats section of your dashboard which has traffic/email level statistics, the subscriber tab which shows subscriber growth over time, and on your post dashboard you can view post level statistics. This will show open rates, click rates, etc.
That being said, I know these resources don't have everything you asked for. I will take these ideas back to the engineering feature teams though. In general, feel free to respond to any questions about traffic, stats, or anything else and I'd be happy to help.
Thanks, Seth.
How do I participate in Office Hours?
Congrats. You just did!
All kidding aside, I guess it's by commenting here. Reading other comments, and waiting for the Substack team, or fellow writers, to answer your questions. Or maybe you can answer some questions of others.
Thank you. I thought we had to participate in a Zoom call or something
Nope, it's just this thread. People ask questions and others jump in to answer them. :)
Good point. I think it's really the threads here that is the office hours. The Substack team will join in at one point to answer questions.
Good thursday everybody!
This might be a pointless question to a newsletter but, is there a way to save somebody's post instead of having to subscribe? Many times I find a post I want to read or listen to, and specially with podcasters it won't be a time where I can stop and do it. It'd be useful to save those pieces and get back to them as we find the right time, before we decide to subscribe – I did that and now my inbox is overloaded.
Thanks!
There is no official way of doing this (though it's something a bunch of us would love to see added to the app!). Because all Substacks have a "web archive," you can always bookmark articles in your browser, or copy the links or articles to an app like Evernote, or try the other options noted here.
Good point. A read-later list. Maybe, until Substack tells you what the feature is (or develops it), you can use something like Pocket?
I also use Pocket habitually. I am currently playing around with Notion as well in an effort to capture multiple stories and research on a specific topic. It isn't perfect but having a bucket to dump stories and links somewhere for me to organize later is half the battle when you spend all day reading stories while at work.
I have a blank canvas right now and want to get off on the right foot .
I would like to employ sequential access for my readers. They would get emails every Tuesday and Thursday but they would get the next episode from where they left off rather than the actual days release. this would allow for binge reading for folks who want to catch up. Folks who are current would get the standard days release. Premium payers would get access to the topics two weeks ahead of time.
This all means I need to have at least two weeks ahead written. But right now I could do at least 30 episodes with out any issues.
That isn't possible using Substack as there is no automation.
I am publishing a novel on my Story Cauldron Substack, with a chapter a week. What I do is release a new chapter of my novel every Friday. I also maintain an "index" of all of the chapters with a brief synopsis, and have a button linking to that page at the top of each week's chapter. That way if someone comes into the story mid-way, or gets behind, they can go back to the index at any time. Once a story is complete, I turn it into an ebook and use Bookfunnel as a way to provide a download link, and make that available to new subscribers.
This is all behind a paywall but I'm happy to share access if you are interested.
I was thinking about creating a QR code for my Substack, which could be placed on flyers and such. (Could be a good feature for the roadmap.) Anyone done something like this before? Any idea how to create a QR code for a website?
Here you go Joe. https://qrile.com/https://joewrote.substack.com/
Love this!
That's a great idea!
Hi Joe, there are lots of free QR code generators you can use, like this one: https://www.qr-code-generator.com/
Then you just download the QR code and add it to whatever design asset you are making. Canva's free version is really great for creating flyers, posters, business cards etc. on your own. Then you can send your design to a print shop, and can ask their in house graphic designer to clean up any quirky things in your design you may have missed. Anyways that's what has worked for me!
Hey thanks!
I'm having trouble sending the right link to my newsletter. When I provide my substack email people say it doesn't work. Advice?
Hi Nina! By sharing https://ninaschuyler.substack.com/ people should be able to view your publication, and from there view all your posts and sign up/subscribe. You can also share specific posts with the share button on posts. Hopefully that helps!
Hello all. Fairly new at this forum of writing but finding it interesting and challenging. Consistency is difficult for me as I am somewhat scattered to the winds but I'm working on it. Unfortunately, I find the vast majority of social media to be somewhat toxic so am not as active as I should be. But I'm learning.
Avoid social media and distractions, focus on your writing.
Keep going in the right direction. This is the only way to get where you want to go.
Taking time to figure out what you write is probably best right now. Worry about social media later.
Do visits on our stats page reflect the sign up page? Or actual visits to our substack page that lists our articles?
I've had a weekly blog for over ten years, and have just recently moved over to Substack. Two questions: 1) do I delete the old blog posts on my website and eventually repurpose them into Substack? 2) How often should posts go to all subscribers and how often to only paid subscribers? And how do you decide which one goes where?
You are in a great position with 10 years of content!
1) I would rewrite the best of the old ones. Then send them out to your SubStack list. You don't have to delete the old ones. (there is no duplicate content 'penalty' anymore).
2) If I were you I'd send once a week to free, and 2 times a week to the paid subs. Good luck with Substack!
Why not leave the old blog posts on your website? In 20 years you will be thrilled to see your earlier work and how primitive the internet was 'back then' -- I should know, yesterday I realized the Rules Index on my website was last updated in 2010... 12 years ago... OOOhhhh!
Is there any way to get around the posts being too long in Substack and cutting off the email for some subscribers in gmail? Any way we can adjust the HTML or something and adjust the width?
I use buttons with links to the post on the website. You'll have to set a post URL first then use a custom button.
https://pau1.substack.com/p/stackhacks-too-long-for-email-message
I'm not entirely sure what the difference is between a post and a thread?
A post is like an article, a thread is a discussion -- the former tends to be more one-way, you writing to an audience, and the latter tends to be a two-way thing, usually much shorter than a post, including a question or some prompt for conversation.
Ah! Thank you. Do you find that many people engage with you on threads? Are threads meant to generate more engagement on your substack? Or is it a reward of sorts for subscribers?
Threads can be whatever you want them to be! I subscribe to some Substacks that offer threads for paid sub-only conversations, others who open them to everyone -- it entirely depends.
My threads generally garner a few more comments than on a post, especially if I've landed on a question/topic that people really want to discuss (and that's key -- if you ask an uninteresting question, you won't get many, if any, answers). I've heard from others here in Office Hours that threads work beautifully for them, and others who say their threads are unsuccessful (whether that means only a few comments, or sometimes zero). I've experimented and learned what works best for me.
Try them, see what happens, learn something, iterate, try again.
I would love to hear from other fiction writers about their growth on Substack, and if they have any specific recommendations. I'm finding while there are a lot of opportunities to grow in spaces like productivity, politics, curation, etc., there is very little that really focuses on growing an audience of casual fiction readers. I would say even more specifically short stories, but I'm guessing authors that serialize would want to know this as well. Right now I've come to the conclusion my best approach would be getting published via a well known outlet (traditional or online) for the genres I'm focusing on, and that will bring interest back to my Substack. Other than that I'm not sure what else to do (I'm already using The Sample service).
Yes, getting published by a traditional outlet is always a powerful approach for building an audience. Not easy to do though. And the catch is that it is easier to interest the traditional publishers if you already have an audience. I suppose the question to ask here (it is a question I am asking myself) is, is Substack the core of your career, or is it a means to an end. There are definitely people who are trying to make their Fiction Substack the heart of their fiction careers. I see it more an an adjunct to a career based on selling books. But times and audiences are changing, so maybe the serial model will prove the more advantageous in the end.
My fiction on Substack is simply a way to build an audience/platform. Eventually I plan to publish my novels on Amazon etc. and I will be able to tell my subscribers about those books when I'm ready. I do not see Substack as the end goal, just a step along the way. Plus I enjoy writing about a lot of things so it makes me happy.
Yeah, that's the frustrating part about the traditional publishers, but I've heard already having an audience is more specifically tied to non-fiction because it gives you credibility as a writer around the topics you write. For fiction sometimes that's important, but maybe not so much? My ultimate goal overall is only short stories and essays go on Substack. I would never serialize a novel, but that's just my personal preference. Anything that big I would end up self publishing and then probably give Substack subscribers a certain discount on the purchase price.
I think the case with fiction, particularly genre fiction, is that the publishers have an established audience and they are looking for books to feed it with. So you don't so much need to have an audience already, as long as you conform to the tastes of their existing audience. But if you are not in a niche that is currently selling well, I think you still have to bring an audience, or look for smaller presses with particular interests that match yours.
Hey fellow fiction writer! I don't have any specific recommendations as I'm trying to grow myself. I think my approach has been sort of the reverse of what you're suggesting where I'm trying to build an audience in anticipation of getting published, whether that be self-published or traditionally. But it's a slow chug so far! I'm thinking about what other content I can leverage to bring interest to my Substack but I don't wanna start bombarding my readers with non-fiction stuff they didn't sign up for. So, I'm contemplating starting another newsletter for that content which I can then use to link back, but we'll see! Also been using The Sample although so far it hasn't netted me any subs :)
I find that writing nonfiction that relates to the fiction is the key to growth. Unfortunately it is very hard to market fiction, especially when it isn't a complete book someone can download or hold in their hands. So if you can think about what else you can offer readers, you can grow your audience.
In my case, I write about storytelling on one Substack and about St. Louis history on the other (my novels are YA urban fantasy set in St. Louis so both topics work). An author I really like, Allison Epstein, writes Dirtbags through the Ages (https://rapscallison.substack.com/) and has a novel about Christopher Marlowe that I snapped up because I liked her Substack. I hope in the future people who love my Substacks will be as eager to buy my actual books when I publish them!
Yeah this is along the lines of what I’m thinking to do. I wrote a whole non-fiction book already and my novel is based on a lot of the themes in that book so I’m thinking to repurpose some of that content as a newsletter.
Yeah this is along the lines of what I’m thinking to do. I wrote a whole non-fiction book already and my novel is based on a lot of the themes in that book so I’m thinking to repurpose some of that content as a newsletter.
Hey Stephen, I think it definitely depends on what your audience expects. I write fiction, but I do what are called slice of life essays as well. I had some newsletter subscribers who were used to receiving those previously, and so adding fiction wasn't a big stretch. However, if I just started publishing random topics like politics they would probably unsubscribe. I do hope to do what you're talking about as well with building an audience and then hopefully they'll come along for the ride with a book. I guess we both just need to get to that build an audience place first :)
when first starting out, is it a wise strategy to offer content for free, and as your audience grows then switch content to subscription?
Yes, I think that's what most people do, unless you have a really big following somewhere else. And the conventional wisdom is to keep your best content free always to drive potential subscribers to your content and let them see what you can really do! Paid content might offer "something extra" or a behind the scenes look, but most folks keep the work they're proudest of accessible to everyone regardless of subscriber status.
Okay, thanks for the input!
I'm only seeing last week's comments. What am I doing wrong?
Hello!