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I'm curious if you have any advice for connecting with other writers on substack. I love writing and reading other people's work, but I still feel sort of disconnected from the larger community on here. I'm also unsure how to bring my writing to a larger audience than the one I can communicate to via instagram and twitter. What are some ways to not only grow your publication but also find a community of writers?
I would love to see Substack hosting more spaces for writers to get to know each other. I think this idea has been batted around Office Hours a few times. Some kind of forums, maybe, or open chat rooms, for different genres of writers. (Did I age myself with the word "chat room"?)
I know it made a huge difference for me to participate in Substack Grow over the summer. Before then, I really felt like I was throwing pebbles into a big, indifferent pond. But getting to know a bunch of different Substack writers through those weeks made a huge difference in how it felt to be here. Then, I started coming to Office Hours for the same reason. The more writers you get to know, the more at home you feel... Anyway, I hope the brains who develop these things are working on more tools for us to all connect with each other.
Thanks for the tip, Valorie. I joined now too. So much media to connect it kind of seems like where will the connection be found? But if you don't try, your don't know :)
<<So much media to connect it kind of seems like where will the connection be found?>>
This is my concern/hang-up, too, Faith. Counting my personal and Substack pages, I manage five accounts for IG and FB. Like many others, I'm in several groups on FB and have real life networks I'm trying to keep up with as well. I don't know how to find the time to be engaged with yet another resource. But, I get the value. Maybe I need to jettison something else.
So true, Elizabeth. I am on LinkedIn, Instagram (but honestly don't post much there because with my content took hours to create and I just don't have the time and the payout is really just a hamster wheel), and just joined Facebook because of my interest in dance and that's how the dance communities communicate. I'd say LinkedIn has been really great about making connections for my work (as I am integrating being a therapist, survivor, and a writer), but I wouldn't say LI has helped me build over here. I guess what I am noticing is that I have to feel that the media is worth my energy and time. I love to create pieces that are thought-provoking (here on Substack) and love connecting with others on LinkedIn. So that's all we can do...good luck!
I just joined! I have such a hard time forcing myself to check on the Discords I've joined, but since that's basically what I'm talking about (chat rooms) I will make a real effort to get involved on there. Thank you!
To be honest I find them overwhelming a well. I recommend the Substack discord for people wanting to connect, but I'm rarely in there because I can't check it every day.
Same. I belong to a handful of Discord communities (?). Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of Discord and its structure so I miss out there. I will make more efforts here and connect directly with the articles/people on Substack itself.
Agreed. I've tried Discord several times for different reasons. I quickly tire of trying to deal with the structure and end up never going back. We need to have private and group messaging boards here on SS so we don't have to go elsewhere.
Hooray! Thanks for sharing this resource. I just joined Discord for another New Year's manifestation/meditation practice and I think it's a great tool.
Brilliant idea. I tend to get overwhelmed as I write true crime news for the news and then balance the chaos in my brain by writing for my column in another newspaper. Your idea of different genres is brilliant!
The way I've connected with other writers on Substack is by offering a "guest writer" opportunity on my publication, "moviewise: Life Lessons From Movies":
Be Our Guest! "moviewise" Cordially Invites You To Share Your Movie Recommendations
I've done that on other blogs: definitely a great idea. I haven't forgotten my guest post, btw, just trying to organise my own 'stack while dealing with decorator mayhem
I’ve read that if you are up a LinkedIn newsletter and publish part of your post in there with a link through to Substack full post you get massive engagement.
Sorry, I'm not Katie...But I'd like to offer a suggestion. Search for the types of writers you'd like to connect with. I'd start with your number 1 niche and do a search of fellow SS writers in that niche. https://substack.com/browse
Then I would comment on their posts. Ask them questions back. Even email them. We all love to communicate with our readers.
You can start your own community of like minded writers by asking them to join you with a collaboration article, chat, video call, and so on.
You are on the money by reaching out to others with larger audiences.
Keep commenting in these forums. You'll find that we are pretty much good people who love to help out!
I've always been a fan of commenting on other writer's SS articles as it helps build relationships that would otherwise be missed. We really need private and group messaging boards attached to our Stacks to open up communications here.
I've connected with other writers in a few different ways. I've used these Office Hours to find other climate change and environment writers, then I've subscribed and left comments on posts. I've also searched directly on the "discover" page. Sometimes I've put links to their articles in my newsletter, then let them know. I've recommended them (mostly i've recommended writers of smaller newsletters than me, so I figure they will really get some real value from my recommendation). I joined Elle Griffin's discord community (this invitation link should work for the next week https://discord.gg/R6Cqqaha).
Hey! Just checked your newsletter out and I’m glad I did that. I write personal fiction on mine and am working on a story that’s environmentally sensitive and based on a real life event. I’d love to discuss more about it with a environmentally focused writer!
Sure, I'm happy to talk. I'm no particularly expert but I'm good at finding information. Send me an email. Do you know how to email someone via their Substack? (just email substackname@substack.com, so you can email me on theturnstone@substack.com)
In most cases, I don't know for sure, but in general they are ones where there are usually fewer likes and comments than I get on mine. In a few cases, I knew because I had some contact with the people who wrote them. But in all cases, they were newsletters that I liked to read myself. I did recommend one large Substack, so it wasn't a hard and fast rule. In a few cases, newsletters that were smaller than me have overtaken me, or I suspect that they have.
Envirinmental issues are of interest to my publication which is also about economic and social issues. I started a section called Society of Correspondence after a 18th century snail mail subscription newsletter started by the English working calss in London,. I was hoping to get guest writers but so far no takers. My newsletter is the Individual vs the Empire.
It can take time to find the right people to connect with. One thing that helped me was searching for other Substack writers in my local area. I literally typed New Zealand on Substack's discover page and then wrote to the people whose newsletters were interesting, just to connect with them.
I'll try typing Maine. There is are huge issues happening in my backyard and I have gained a lot of local followers for writing about it but I can't find others to do the same- but maybe Maine would work.
Bummer!! But the good news is I can still get notifications about your comments. So even if you aren’t with us during the actual office hours we can still hang out and connect days/ hours later!!
Writers might try subscribing to newsletters that address the same audiences as theirs do. Take as many free subscriptions as you can that let you comment as a free subscriber. Skip those that only allow comments by paid subscribers.
Then post intelligent, relevant comments on posts that interest you. Help your competitors show readers how they can interact with writers. When you get comments, reply with thoughtful comments and keep the conversations going as long as commenters stay involved.
Comments can be more interesting and important than the writers' opening posts. That is what writers should want. The goal is to create communities that are interested in your writing and your issues.
Nine times out of ten, I learn as much or more from comments beneath a mainstream news piece than I do from the headline article. I think this is good advice!
This is such great advice! Thank you. I definitely haven’t been as active through comments as I could be and agree it can be a great place to discuss and expand on ideas
Hi Sophia, my Substack page, Writer Everlasting, is a writers' salon and a safe place to ask questions and air fears and successes. We're a friendly group, always welcoming newcomers.
Feel free to take a look and if you like what you see, by all means, join in!
(Click on the link next to my avatar above. Thanks.)
Hi Sophia! I find that just participating in these Office Hours really helps! Comment on other people's Substacks too. It's a little old school that way, but it helps. There's also a Substack Writers Discord and Twitter group, if you want to join those.
I've actually gotten a couple of site compliments from what I'm guessing are subreddit 'Stack admins! Every time I open an e-mail telling me someone commented to me on Reddit, I prepare for the worst, and usually get it from the knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathers who typically inhabit that swampy blog bog! But, we'll be safe there, on the 'Stack sub!
Is anyone here on the Facebook Substack Writers group? I've dipped my toes in there a bit, but with the exception of a few posts, it seems to be mostly populated with recent newsletter shares but without much engagement from group members.
I was inspired by the Iowa Writers Collaborative (https://iowawriters.substack.com/) to reach out to a few likeminded writers about organizing our own group. Still in the talking stages, but feels promising. As others have said, the first step is to engage with content by writers you admire and see where those conversations go. I think community is hard to build for a reason: if it's real, it will take a little time.
Not specifically writers but Zoom Networking ? During the Pandemic ( and already before ) I went into virtual networking meetings and obviously the number of virtual meetings increased massively during the Pandemic. A lot of these were physical networking meetings that just went virtual out of necessity. Some stayed pretty local but some went global. Go Connections is one that went global over time and is a network of networks with networks from all over the world. A mix of people from different industries and some meetings actually provide a contact list. Others put their details in the chat. Link here https://goconnections.net?aff=200
Hi Katie, I added a suggestion above before I saw your comment. My suggestion is that a user/reader be able to set the theme that *other* stacks are displayed in. Some people (like me) can't read a dark theme; others can't read on a light theme. If we could override the theme set by the stack author, it would open up more possibilities. I've run into several stacks I'd like to check out, but I can't due to the theme.
This is an interesting suggestion! I like setting the background on my kindle. However, some of my site graphics have transparent backgrounds that would be incompatible with different backgrounds. They would render aspects of my page invisible and defeat a lot of my design aesthetics (such as they are). I guess that's a small price to pay for accommodating the needs of readers. I wonder if making the text size manually adjustable would be a useful compromise, or is the background the real concern?
On a separate note, white on black text is very tricky to pull off and is used very sparingly in print. I know "night mode" is more common in digital, but the font still has to be weighty, crisp, and spaced adequately because dark backgrounds tend to close in around white text, making it appear thinner and lighter than normal. The font options supplied by Substack are pretty good, but the font used for comments is not able to hold up to black backgrounds as well, and is especially hard to read. Is that maybe something that can be tweaked?
For me anyway, it's much easier on the computer (web browser) because (a) it's a very large screen and (b) it's way easier to follow someone's name to their stack and the stacks they read, etc. For items that are already in my inbox/app I get it. But I'm exploring stacks outside of my subs, etc. and would be great to be able to set the theme to something that works best for the user.
Agree! White font on black background is a particular challenge. Victor, I have discovered that if I read those posts either in email or on the app (rather than in a browser) it overrides the theme. For visually challenging posts, I save them to my library and then read them in the app. Easier on the eyes. 🙂
Yes, that's an option. Still, I prefer the web application because I have a giant screen on my computer. The app is pretty nice too, but the screen is way smaller.
Also, I'm talking about posts that aren't in email. I sometimes come across a stack I'd like to read to see what I think and maybe subscribe, but I can't get past the dark theme. :(
I like the tan, sort of parchment color for th background color. I was sent an email that made a background of a photo I uploaded, but do not know how to use it or similar images
I like the tan, sort of parchment color for th background color. I was sent an email that made a background of a photo I uploaded, but do not know how to use it or similar images
Hi meg,i agree about the font colours,i only have one eye and it gets tired after two thousand words,i write farming stories,and romantic novels,but scared of the out side world,retiered farmer,Nigel
Subscribers can always "choose" to read black on white background, because there is no other choice via e-mail. For my subbies who prefer white on black, they know to click over to my website page. As for "outsiders" who may read me (from, say, my links on social media), and hate white on black, I say, "Feel free to subscribe, and you're then able to read my articles solely black on white."
Oh, that is a very interesting suggestion. Never thought about that. I don't have a dark theme, but I can imagine both can be challenging. Would be indeed a great step towards better accessibility.
I prefer black text on white as well. People who use color as their backgrounds with white text makes my eyes go crazy. Those I read in my email where it is the usual white background. Then if I want to comment, I do it in a hurry so my eyes don't go bad when I view it on my browser.
That is a very good suggestion. Although I prefer to read black text (at min 16pt) on my desktop/laptop I prefer darker backgrounds when on my phone (as long as the text is large enough and people don't try to get fancy with text). There was a writer that would put a light-ish colored background with medium gray colored text and it was impossible to read without getting a headache. Too much fussing. It's unfortunate because her articles were great.
Yes, I agree. My old eyes can't tolerate the dark themes and I don't go there, no matter how intriguing the subject matter. On the other hand, I wonder how many are turned off by my light theme and do the same? Giving us a choice would be great!
Reading a lot of the comments, it might be useful to have “verticals” to help people get discovered. Those who are already well-known have built-in fan bases, esp in the political sphere. I know I categorized my Substack when I started (poorly, as I cover a lot of topics with the singular goal of “let’s feel better together”), but I haven’t yet tripped across where those categories are featured or promoted. Thanks for pointing me there!
Yes, please! I write about being vegan, which isn't all that popular I think, but it's part of a much bigger picture: caring for the environment, caring for other creatures, caring about one's health, to name but a few. What categories fit best?
Hello Katie! I have started paid subscription last Sunday. My topic is quality investing ideas.
I had almost 10k free subscribers, 50-60% open rate and the price will be 144€/year, with an offer the first 15 days of 120€.
I have got just 45 paid subscribers…and following your metrics I should get 5-10%…Am I doing something wrong? I should wait? I send an email to my free subscribers to refresh and remind the offer.
I've been running paid subscriptions since I first started in August and just this week I hit 10% . I think it takes a little time to build that need in your readers. I don't know how much you give away for free, but I started out giving away a lot, just to build up my free list. However, in 2023 I'll scale back on the free posts and up my paid posts to help convert more readers to the paid side. I think patience and consistency are the keys with all of this. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon.
My numbers always make fellow 'Stackers feel better about themselves, Jen: I've been on 'Stack since August '21. I now have 275 subbies, the vast majority are free. I have about 5 paids (2 annual, 3 recurring monthlies), with about 10 comps. There's somebody on here who repeatedly whines about having 24,000 subscriptions, but not enough, he/she/they/it/we/us complain incessantly, paid.😭We'll pause for a moment of solemn silence and sorrow for this person's sad plight.
I'm sure my numbers have now placed a wide grin on your face, and I'm willing to bet your subby numbers are, at least, twice what mine are, and you've been on the 'Stack 4 months, far shorter than my 1 year, 4 months! Congratulations, and keep on keepin' on, Jen!
Hi Brad, thanks for sharing your numbers. I think it's great you have 275 subbies! And 5 paid is 5 paid. Good for you! I find the whole conflict of valuing my work vs accessibility an ongoing thought exercise. I have only been here just under 3 months, my topic is controversial and not dinner-party approved (but touches on real issues many struggle with and are too ashamed to discuss). One day I will go paid and find that sweet balance we all seem to yearn for.
Thanks, Faith! I think it took me about a month to stop agonizing about paid/not paid, and teeth-gnashing about "enough," "why not more," blah blah. That's why I share my numbers so freely (while many 'Stackers don't'/won't---how could THERE'S be any tinier than mine?!?)---for the sheer punch-line value!
I should add that while, I suppose, my numbers could/should be well over 300, I've done a couple bouts of winnowing my sub list during the past year. If someone hasn't opened or obviously read an article in 4-6 months, I'll delete their e-mail from my list. If they've not read an article in that long, they certainly won't miss seeing future ones pop into their inbox.
For fellow 'Stackers constantly whining about hundredths of percentage points of their total subs should be paid by this date and time...I just don't want to expend the energy quite that pointlessly. I do what I do (thankfully, that would be writing), and let the far more OCD than I among us wring their hands in fuming consternation! Maybe that's a healthier way to wake up and get the blood pumping than drinking coffee!!
It sounds like you've struck a helpful balance between assessing your numbers and whittling those away that aren't a fit and not fretting about what grows when and where. I have many less than you. I think we just have to make peace with our personal missions, whatever that is, and set our own goals. And many times what we think are goals we have control over - for example, I'll add 100 subscribers in the next 3 months - is not really under our control.
Oddly enough, my latest new year's post addresses this very thing - what we have control over in our goals and what we don't (and it's not what you might think). My piece is called "New Me, New You? No, thank you"
Thanks for the reply. I like your idea of winnowing the list. I definitely have some deadwood that I should cut. If nothing else, it would make my open rate look spectacular. Haha!
Honestly, I know so many folk who are doing legitimately well and *aren't* getting into the 5-10% bracket for paid subs. It varies so much! (Especially according to topic - the business/finance-oriented folk generally seem to do better than everyone else here, I think? But also, as other folk are pointing out in other comments, you've only just started!)
The much more important thing is getting those paid subs up to the point it's properly useful income. If that means building a bigger free list than other people, not a problem! So I'd see a lower conversion % as an opportunity to look for a way to improve it a bit (which is true for any %, really), but definitely NOT a handicap or a sign you're doing something wrong.
(Personal example: my free list is 13,500 and I'm converting around 2.5% of it. That's giving me enough to hit my targets right now.)
I have two Substacks and only one of them is even at the 5% paid subscriber mark. I would love to have more but closing off parts of my pages is just not in my nature, and, frankly, goes against what I preach at Writer Everlasting--that we're open and welcoming to everyone.
I guess I understand (though not really) why people would want to incentivize paying subscribers by shutting them out of much of what they do, but as a potential subscriber, it turns me off. I do pay for some of them, but I'll be honest--I don't feel good about the fact that others can't be privy to what I'm seeing.
We each have to make our own decisions about what is best for us. Just throwing this out as an alternative thought.
I don't like shutting people off from my work. Not one bit. But here's the thing: The whole point of Substack was supposed to be get professionals paid. One reason so few voices are platformed anywhere today is that journalists must put enormous amounts of work into what they do. Most of their time isn't spent writing, but researching. But paying jobs for writers have been in steep decline for years. I can assure you that when I paywall, it isn't greed. I work full time on my Substack for 11 months of the year, I have four thousand readers, and I think it's not unreasonable to expect far more than do to at least chip in. As a missionary for history, if I could keep things sustainable by posting everything for free, I would. But it doesn't work. I know. I've tried. And it's not fair on my paying subscribers not to give them something in return for their support. The work I do requires funding: That's where the money goes, to support the work. I don't know what I owe those regular readers who won't even chuck a couple of bucks into a Buy Me A Coffee fund, and yet are happy to pay high subs to wealthy celebs. Do you?
100%. Trust me, I don't love "shutting" people out and I want every word I write to be read by as many people as possible. But human nature is human nature -- if we can get everything for free, well, then we're a lot less likely to pay for it.
And I love what you say about the point of Substack is seeing writers paid for writing.
I just launch paid tiers this week and I grappled with the concept of a paywall quite a bit. Ultimately I considered my own behavior: when I see a paywall and want to know what's behind the curtain, I pony up. Others will too.
I have to admit to being a little bummed when I see someone willing to pay for a Name Writer, who's had a high-profile career while someone took care of his (or her!) children... and people will pay for that but not my little corner, from which they can gain one-on-one care and knowledge of the real-day ins-and-outs of working writing. I can actually speak to what it is to eke a writing career out of life, out of raising kids, taking care of home, and how to live on little to make it all--the mythical "all"--happen.
Oooo...that sounds whiney, and I don't intend that. But it would be amazing if maybe the pay-scale was a bit different and there was more incentive to go with mid-tier folks... dare I say.
I cannot say too many times: some of us are here to earn a living.
Your comment struck a little chord here in the Bay Area, Alison - the wild rainstorm of the past 2 days meant schools were closed and suddenly I was parenting instead of joining this Office Hours - just catching up now. The juggle...
Sounds like you are off to a good start with 45 paid subscribers already — especially since you just opened it up.
Just include a clear call-to-action and explanation of benefits every time you post a free newsletter. With an audience base of that size, paid subs will surely trickle in.
The ability to send free previews is helpful, as you can begin to show free readers what they are missing.
I do think people who are used to getting "free" can take awhile to get on board, too. 45 really is an excellent start... but I'm with you on wondering "why not more?"
FYI, been here since April '21, went paid 6 weeks later, now at 2000 subs, with almost 120 paid. DIFFERENT content, but just sharing...
Agree. It is always wise to test the waters and change what is not working well for you. Different content may be the answer. My struggle is narrowing down the ONE key genre/tool offering to others.
Your post has encouraged me to start sharing shorthand tips for others, which can save anyone an abundance of time. Thank you for the reminder of offering different content.
I've had this "problem" too, but I think I know at least part of the reason why: I need to give my readers a clear reason to buy in. For me, that's the scary part. What writing should I put behind the paywall vs. leave free as advertising? There's a hesitancy to put stuff behind the paywall because I fear that will just mean it's left unread. But I know I have to take the plunge in order to convince people to upgrade to paid.
One reason for them to upgrade to paid is - they just want to see you create the stuff you're doing! This is proven by the Substacks that have a paid version but *don't* put anything behind a paywall - like Sari Botton's https://oldster.substack.com/ (which has a really great conversion rate too!)...
So I'd say: never be afraid of just making a hand-on-heart emotional appeal to your audience and say "you're helping me make this thing" (after you've clearly defined what "this thing" is). You might be surprised at the number of folk who don't want more of your work - they just want to help you keeping making what you're currently making.
Yes to this! I don’t like the pandering aspect nor the begging for subscribers and there are those who do want to support us. OTOH, I did get another idea here for a monthly gift to paid subscribers so I’m going to add that. For me, it’s all in the energy. I gave a special price (annual and lifetime savings) on my birthday as I am very new to Substack, and it did indeed convert. For me, it was a thank you gift to those early readers who took a chance, but mostly I want a community that is not divided by a paywall. “Opt-in” remains a powerful force in humanity vs FOMO.
Yup! Every now and then we remind people that we need their support if we're going to keep doing this. I don't think it has a huge impact because there are a lot of folks out there understandably saying the same things. But I don't think it hurts either.
I've been gearing up (mentally) to introduce a paid option primarily for this reason. Relative to some, I have a small group of subscribers, but there may be a few who feel capable of and are willing to invest in that like they might another form of art or entertainment. But, if I put anything behind the paywall, it won't be my primary content. And, making time to create *additional* content that goes out only to paying subscribers is something I haven't figure out how to do yet!
This works if you already have a strong base of free subscribers, but it's hard to do if you don't. That's been my experience anyway. I've made the emotional plea already, but no dice. Want to take a quick look and offer some advice???
I'm not sure what constitutes a strong base of subscribers. And I will say that it is the least effective of appeals for us. We've done much better offering discounts.
Yup. As writers we want our stuff read and shared. But as a business, you have to incentivize them to want to subscribe. At first it was hard to put stuff behind a paywall. Now it's just part of what we do.
I do not like paywalls on the main stream publications, but have at times paid, to gain access to an article by a "paid journalist". Many have a 5 or 10 article free paywall. Does SubStack provide that?
I don't understand the asterisks around "paid journalist." Do you object to paying for articles you read? Do you object to paying for meals or movies?
As for Substacks providing free a paywall, it's up to every Substack writer to decide which of their newsletters is behind their paywall, if they have one at all.
I have no objection to a journalist being "paid", I maybe should have said "salaried Journalist", as compared to "subscription Journalist". Does that clarify for you? My question is there a "count-down" free paywall on Substack?
I don't think it's very useful to compare your conversion rate or your number of paid subscribers to what others have. Different content, different writer personality, perceived value of the type of information/expression offered will all skew people's willingness to subscribe, one way or the others.
On the other hand, I think it's helpful to see what other Substack authors do to encourage paid subscriptions and to try some of those ideas to see if they work for you.
45 right out of the gate is a great start. I may be mistaken, but I believe they rounded that 5-10% expectation down to 3-5 %? That’s the mark most of the people I talk to are hitting.
FWIW, we're at an 8% conversion rate after about a year and a half of paid. And I will say that your price is one of the highest subscription rates I've seen. That's going to definitely limit you numbers.
I would love to see more expansive categories - like entertainment, tv & film, memoir, creative process, personal essay, observational, life in general/human experience.... obviously, these would be perfect for Outsourced Optimism, but I notice a lot of substacks I read (and love) also fall into these categories and don't fall under the existing buckets.
Hi Tami, happy new year! I shared this above but the ongoing tension with categories is that there are never enough cover all the nuance of writing that writers do and if we spotlight too many, we will overwhelm readers looking to find great writing. We're keeping an eye on categories bubbling up and will continue to update categories when the time is right.
Happy New Year, Katie! I literally just saw that thread and was commenting when you commented. I always appreciate how receptive and proactive the Substack team is to feedback and adjustments. I can also understand that tension, though it does seem like some big common categories are missing that could hold a lot of the more niche nuance.
i.e. Personal Growth/ Healing (which feels very different than what you'd expect to find under health & wellness).
There's a Music category, but no TV& Film or Entertainment (which could hold something like Outsourced Optimism- which is part memoir/ part tv&film reflection/review- but I image will also be really relevant as the video beta grows)
Hi Sue, we are continuing to monitor other categories of writing bubbling up on Substack. Do you think that your work might fit somewhere in Faith & Spirituality or Health & Wellness, two of our existing categories?
The ongoing tension with categories is that there are never enough cover all the nuance of writing that writers do and if we spotlight too many, we will overwhelm readers looking to find great writing.
Well I'll throw my vote in for adding one on Personal Growth! Because no, neither Faith & Spirituality nor Health & Wellness really fit. Totally understand your conundrum though!
I have an issue with Faith - it is often the opposite of Spirituality. So while my writing fits in Spirituality, it is the antithesis of faith and religion so having that word in the category, and especially first in the category, is a non-starter for me. And yes, I hear you on the word challenges, Katie. That’s why I like something like self-improvement as it’s very neutral and can cover all kinds of topics. LOL, I also love Consciousness.
Also think having a Self Help/Personal Growth would be a really good category to have, and trawl through to find Substacks. It's such a huge area in itself in literature too!
True dat! The more I think about it, the more this whole “categories” thing can use updating. All the platforms default to the same ideas and none of them allow for people who are “generalists” either. People who write about all sorts of au courant topics vs the specialists.
I would love to understand how to search works. Because though grief is a part of my tagline, when I search grief, my substack does not come up. I scrolled far enough down that 95% of the substacks in the search results had nothing to do with grief.
"Grief" is a popular keyword but if you search something more specific to your publication, like the publication title or your name, you will see your publication appear.
I hear that... But then how can I use my keywords to help get discovered? How can I help people who are looking for a substack like mine actually find mine?
I have the same issue. My substack is on healing too, although mine is focused on recovery from trauma and ipv. I am in the health and wellness category but it is not a great fit.
Hmmm, maybe Healing is more inclusive than Health and Fitness. I used to be in that field and it conjures up images of people exercising. Healing is so much bigger and can include health and fitness along with grief, etc. It’s like our language is trying to evolve along with us. Healing can be mind, body, and soul, where Health and Fitness is somewhat “owned” by the body right now. 🤷♀️
I agree, Roxanne. Healing does seem to encompass more as opposed to fitness and food. Sometimes I want to just switch to Philosophy but that feels like it wouldn't reach who might actually be into what I'm writing. I do use the Culture category since we get to choose two and I am addressing cultural issues.
Yep! I defaulted to Culture and Philosophy AND they don’t do the job for me… If people are interested in those topics and come to my Substack, I imagine they will leave…
Now that we’re talking about this, it’s as if somebody at the early platforms set these very generic, mainstream topics without really understanding the gist of it all and Substack could really take the lead on establishing a whole new mindset for categorizing content. I’m hopeful they take this on and maybe even have a short-term advisory group to assist. I am available as words have so much power! Writers understand this.
Yes. words do have so much power! I think this platform is simply evolving and you never know what people will write until us writers get on here and get going. Somehow things evolve and hopefully we can find the right wave to help us along, so we are not washed under (I went for a walk by the ocean today so I guess we're having a water-themed metaphor!)
Hi Sue, I would like to know if there is a perfect category for those who cross into many fields. I could be in the self-help, psychology, or human experience category. Still, many other areas pop up in my writings, as occurred in my professional career, where I ended up calling my work holistic or integrative. The answer might be in the evolution of your articles and themes. I came up with a new category for myself—Idiot. As I fell into a scam and almost lost my bank account. See my article on my Mind Wise: https://www.inmindwise.com/p/a-criminal-syndicate-scammed-me-with
Just placing a vote for "Healing" and I also feel like Wellbeing is more inclusive of both health / wellness and personal growth / healing. My Substack is about my cancer journey, but as it is a look back for insights versus a current journey, it's much more aligned with the idea of personal growth and healing. The vast majority of my readers are not cancer patients but not sure there is a better categorization.
In less than a month, my new site Chasing Nature has become a “Substack Bestseller” and cracked the top 20 in the paid “Climate & Environment” category (which has been tremendously gratifying). Beyond recommendations and collaboration with other writers, I’m wondering how posts might get noticed or selected for “Staff Picks” and what it takes to become a "Featured" site, or whether you might suggest other ways to be found by readers on the network Thanks!
Hi Bryan, congrats on a great first month and becoming a bestseller! Our team is always keeping an eye on what's happening across Substack. We aim to feature writers on our homepage who are going deep into a clear topic and exemplify best practices, like posting regularly and engaging with readers. I just flagged their publication with them in case they missed it.
Hi Arianna - Let me assure you that it is NOT for paid. What I mean is that I don't pay for any post promotion. The Social Media accounts are free. I also do NOT pay to rank in search. I use Wordpress blogs to do that. ( I am not sure about SEO with Substack yet as have to learn about it ) Noted that you cant't set up Stripe and do not have a phone. Thinking about this.
I haven’t toyed around with the cross-post system yet, but i would love to engage with other writers’ work more. Perhaps that feature offers just that. In terms of responding to others’ writing, using it as a starting off point etc.
First, I do have a full-time job, and, as part of an agreement with my full-time job, can't yet accept money for my Substack. I was wondering if there was a way I could wall off posts and require people to sign up via e-mail before viewing, though? That way I can still distinguish some posts from others, and the intrigue will help grow my subscription base. I could have sworn Substack featured a writer who did that (Category Pirates, maybe?), but I can't find how to do it.
Second, I have one reader who forwards out the articles but keeps getting unsubscribed by one of the people he forwards to (though he doesn't know which one). Any workarounds here?
Your first question is a definitely yes. When you're doing the settings for each individual post (the same screen as scheduling in advance, etc), there's an option that says "Free subscribe required to read full post." Check that box, and it should turn on.
We are currently testing a feature like Valorie mentioned where you could require a reader to free subscribe before they read the full post. It's not done just yet!
What does happen though is if a new reader lands on your post, as they scroll, a pop will appear for them to subscribe.
PLEASE PLEASE make that disabled by default. We don't need another closed system like Facebook (must login), Instagram (must login to continue), LinkedIn (must login to continue)
Better yet, don't implement it at all. The internet if full of closed communities. Try something different.
This is one of the main reasons I left Medium, the "must have an account" to continue reading. Substack - at first anyway - seemed willing to buck the system. This is not a productive direction. I could be trying to decide if I want to sub by reading various posts only to run into this "sub or stop reading" stuff. It's a bad idea. PLEASE rethink this.
I agree it should be disabled by default, but this could be a very useful setting for some. I write serialized fiction with another author on the Armchair Alien substack - some paid, some free. It would be great to be able to add a free to subscribers option into the mix.
Great - this is a feature that would be very useful for me, because I could still distinguish my content and use that to generate subscribers. Thank you for listening to my feedback.
On last point, is anyone else having issues with the G-Mail promotions folder? I've done everything I can to message out how to work around it, but its still kicking my butt. Thoughts?
Thank you, Katie! Do you know if the Substack team is working with Google directly on this at all? I've done this, but it only goes so far. Thank you for your response, though.
Hi Tully, fellow substack writer who also has a full-time job that does not permit outside income. You said you're trained in law--are you a lawyer too? Curious to find more of us around here!
Hi Julia! Look at us in the same boat (or vessel!!). I am, I went to Texas Law and figured this would be a good outlet to explore whether this path has any long-term legs. How about you?
Oh cool! I work at a public defender agency doing appeals and love it, but want to foster my fiction and creative non-fiction writing too. The newsletter has been super fun and motivating so far--it has seemingly replaced my writing group that I had to leave when I moved a few years ago. It's nice to remember that I can always make time for writing, no matter what other responsibilities I have. Glad to see you here!
Hi Katie! I'm wondering if it's possible to have two substack publications -- one that is attached to my name and one that is anonymous? Would I need to sign up for two accounts with two diff email addresses? Thanks!
Hi AIleen, if you'd like to have a different writer profile for each of the publications, you would need to set up two different accounts with different email addresses.
Hi Linda, nice to cross paths with you again. I solved the multiple publications/personality issue by using different browsers as well as different email addresses for my two different Substack accounts.
So I can be in a Chrome browser session with my gmail address- linked account and a Microsoft Edge browser session for a different account. That way my dashboard is always accessible without logging in and out.
Hey Linda! I'm starting a second in stealth (just while I work out the tone of voice etc) and I've been able to switch it off from being visible in my bio if you have a look in settings. I can try and fish it out if you're stuck!
Hi there! I launched a Substack at the end of 2022 and am quite excited to grow my audience. I was wondering- how useful is it to tag the people you want to be reading your blog on social media sites after you've published something. IOW, suppose I wanted Jane Doe to be a reader. How helpful of a strategy is it to publish my piece on Twitter and tag Jane with something like "I think you might enjoy this!"
I'm not sure I would appreciate what you just described if I were your Jane Doe. Far better to post a specific reason why you think Jane Doe would find it relevant to her - as specific as possible.
I have to agree. If I didn't know someone, or had never interacted with them online before, and they suddenly tagged me with "read this," I would ignore it.
I get several emails a week asking me to post their content on my blog. But first, I don't have a blog, and second, the content is always completely irrelevant to what I do write and post about. So, based on such experience, I would completely ignore a "read this" tweet.
Hi Diamond-Michael, Not sure where our paths crossed, but good to see you here as well. For the last 6 months I've been critiquing society's misconceptions about introverts on my Substack, Introvert UpThink. All best, Marcia
Hi Katie, happy new year! I have a question. I notice many writers solicit a one time "tip" using venmo or some other form of payment. I think it's a great option for those people who don't want to subscribe to a yearly or monthly payment. Is there any plan to add a one-time payment to the options we can offer our readers?
Hi Sue, we feel strongly about the power of the subscription model to offer writers sustainable, ongoing payment relationships with readers. That being said, our teams have thought about other payment methods and taken note that some writers choose to create tip jars off platform.
I am somewhat confused about my present status on Substack.
Apparently I now have a Substack newsletter of my own but there appears to be too many instructions in the set up procedure for me to follow.
I did post something about my plight but found out after posting that I was on a chat page with other substackers!
All I want to do is start writing my newsletter but I am now lost. My apologies for being such a nit.
Can you help me?
If I can just start writing and get that clear in my head, then I will be quite happy to do any edits im the settings which will be useful for any possible future subscribers.
At present it all feels a bit like Linkedin which I have an aversion to.
Hi Dan! Have you gone into your Dashboard? I was so confused at first. I started by writing my About Page. If you look around you will see under "Create" where it says New Post. Click on that and see if you can figure it out. It took me awhile.:) I wanted to use the Magazine layout which I think looks best if you're someone who cares about pictures (I do!) but it only has the random look after you write enough posts.
I may be just confusing you more and not answering your question at all. LMK if I can be of more help. I wish there was a Substack email to reach out to. Perhaps there is but I can't find it. Good luck! Barbara
Great to see everyone returning to Office Hours today, old faces and some new ones too! Our team is signing off but we encourage you to keep the conversation going. We'll be back next week to help answer your questions.
Hi everyone! This is something I wrote in a previous Office Hours but I thought I'd bring it forward because, hooray for a new year and also because January is a bit of a brutal time if you're a writer, I think? (I've never known a late January and February that didn't feel like it was all uphill...)
So - regarding the topic of growing your publication and staying proud of yourself for the good work you're doing (and you SHOULD be proud of), this post by Katie Hawkins-Gaar from last year may be exactly what you need:
"The more I’ve witnessed other people pour time, energy, strategy, and, yes, self-promotion into their work, the more I realize how much I’ve been short-changing myself. Although I’ve been losing paying newsletter subscribers, I continue to gain new readers. My ideas have value. My essays are worth reading. My work means something."
So if you're having a rough time with the usual occupational hazards of newslettering (especially comparing yourself to others, which is always a reliable way to feel terrible) - please keep going. Because your ideas have value, your words are worth reading (or hearing), and your work means something. And if you keep going, all those things will finally become clear to you, in a way they maybe kinda aren't right now. Your special magic is already working - it's just that you can't see its effect yet. *Keep going until you can see it.*
Sage words as always :) I've just upgraded to your paid newsletter as it always brings me so much joy. Mornings have been pretty rough these last few weeks and so I love starting the day with some much needed exuberance - which your words bring to my inbox. Thanks Mike :)
I just subscribed to all of your publications Sarah to fuel my growing interest in herbalism. That’s a first for me. Excited to see what you have to share.
🙏I saw! Thank you so much, Sarah. Really means a lot. :)
(I promise to increase my newsletter's exuberance levels to 120% for the next couple of months, and then make up for it in the summer when the sun's shining and everyone just wants to go outside and nap instead of reading a newsletter.)
Thanks so much, Mike. I've always struggled with self-promotion, even though I do believe that my writing is good and people can relate to it. I haven't even quite reached 100 subscribers yet, but I'm trying.
Oh wow. Thank you for sharing this article--can't wait to read it fully. I'm already feeling all the things as my newsletter gets its first few reads/subscribers, and I know that I'll need some context and levelheaded reminders as time goes on. Your words had lots of value to me :)
Thanks for sharing this again. Just what was needed as I return to fretting about how to convert free subscribers to paid ones and what the hell shall I publish tomorrow!!!
Hello all! Happy Office Hours, and Happy 2023! Here's a little bit of encouragement from one small newsletter to all of you!
I posted a version of this message to my Instagram several days ago, and it seemed to really resonate with people there. So I thought, perhaps, it would be good to share it with all of you, too, because I think this message is especially key for creative people:
It's okay if January doesn't feel like "the new year" to you. The dead of winter (for us in the northern hemisphere) is the wrong time to focus on new things, new goals, new habits. In my opinion, the new year is the perfect time to plant the seeds of what will become your goals. You drop little nuggets of inspiration into the cold, dark soil of January and then you wait, watch, and wonder. Patience is required. Germination takes time. Don't rush. It's still winter! Nourish yourself.
And always remember: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! 🌿
I LOVE the dead of winter! :) I live in New Hampshire. It's bear country and I love to hibernate right along with them. :) That being said, I've been writing up a storm and don't understand why but I'm just going with it. 🐻
I heard this phrase the other day on the radio and I thought it would be perfect for this setting.
"Believe in Yourself".
If you are on Substack, you are a writer. Never let anyone say that you won't ever be a writer or say anything to demean you. If you have skeptics, don't listen to them. Be yourself. I'm having the time of my life writing on here!
You never know when your writing will help someone. Keep going! And write what you want in 2023!
There is something about the end of the year that accentuates stress is some people. I try to be mindful of that, and is why I wrote an article meant to help calm the mind:
Don’t Worry; Have A Happy New Year!
Another Way To Deal With Stress, According To The Movies
We in our little part of the world dealt with the end of year stress by watching La La Land - the part at the end where Emma Stone dreams of her "what if" alternate life was awesome...
Hi S.E. yes. How apropo. My New Year's piece is not about finding the new you, but about being really clear on who you are and what is stopping you from getting where you want to go (and it's not about doing more). It's called "New Me, New You? No, thank you"
I'm feeling simultaneously inspired and discouraged as I'm having some of the best time writing my substack and then doing the soul crushing job of trying to have people read it that aren't my family 😓
Stick with it! I started my Substack with 15 subscribers (last August) who were friends and family. My audience is growing slowly, but I’m getting so much joy out of writing and meeting new people here in office hours.
Definitely. It can be discouraging but I have written SO much since starting my Substack. My subscribers list is slowly growing but hey, I started with ZERO! Definitely looking to connect with other writers, so feel free to check me out!
Braving a hello in comment threads like this was the first thing that earned me non-friends and family subscribers. Keep visiting stacks you love and chat with their authors and people will become curious to know where you came from. 🙂 Then they will find you. Having fun and doing what you love to do. ❤️
Yes! I've found some great readers (and great new Substacks to read) by talking to people in comment sections. Just bring your curious, interesting self to the table and you'll get to know people. It's hard to get over that initial reluctance, but I just remember how good it feels when people comment on my own pieces.
That’s right Meg. It’s all about allowing community and connect with others to rhythmically unfold. It the Taoist world, we refer to this a “Wu Wei,” or effortless action.
I hear you. That's the hard bit. *Especially* at the beginning of things. Cruelly hard and baffling and confusing and it's hard to even know where to start.
But - what do *you* read? Your writing is inspired by other writing, I bet, other voices who you read and at some point you thought "hey, I could do that too and I have something to say here." So - maybe your audience who isn't your family is reading *them* right now? And if that's true, maybe you can find a way to get their attention over there?
That makes sense! I read some really incredible people but they're quite different in their substance. I guess the main problem is that I do mostly personal writing and not something informative like most beautiful people here. It's funny but my writing was mostly inspired by someone who passed away from covid in 2021. He didn't speak English but his approach is probably one that inspired my writing the most.
I'm also really cautious about not making people feel like I would want any reciprocity as I support someone else's content. Anyone I read is only for their merits and not for potential collaborations. I had this experience on twitch and it felt really sad when I realised some people were only around because they expected me to support their stream 😩
There are stories everywhere there are people! Tell us that one and then think about the next. It gets habitual and you start to see more and more things to write about besides your internal life.
I'm in a very similar boat as you. I like to think that as my writing improves it will get more eyes on it naturally because more people will share it, recommend it, and stick around when they do look at it.
There's heavy correlation with amount of posts on a blog and traffic.
In my opinion, focusing on improving your writing instead of marketing it is a more effective framework that will drive more long term results.
P.S If you or anyone reading this wants to connect I'm always looking for new (or experienced) writers to join forces with!
Hello, I have gained insights from my life experience. I enjoy writing poetry and it has been well received. I have hit a wall in trying to promote my newsletter. I was never into social media, other than for family and a few friends, My main hobby is trying to write poetry. I was thinking if other newsletters want to collaborate and share a poem of mine that may help generate more views. Here are a few examples of short poems in the leapfrog poetry style, Copyright 2022:
Don't quit! I started in June with about 3 subscribers who were people I actually knew in real life. Seven months later and I'm at 232 with 7 paid subscribers. The growth has been slow, but I don't think I could handle becoming an overnight sensation! :)
I relate to this a lot and would love to hear other people's suggestions! Especially when your writing takes a personal focus, how do you break out of the family/friends bubble to find your readers?
This is such a valuable discussion. How do non-celeb autobiographical writers get an audience or make their content sticky?
Here's what would make me subscribe to your newsletter(s):
If your writing is honest and vulnerable and transparent. Your content doesn't actually need to be superficially relevant to me. But it needs to speak to my soul about those things we share as humans: pain, insecurity, obsessions, humor.
This is a nice reply. I just subscribed to your newsletter. I've known a few people who've found themselves suddenly without housing... you're doing important work!
Thank you so much for this input, that makes a lot of sense. I approach life with humour and that reflects in what I write but there are two posts in my substack that were written from a place of a lot of pain, "foot half open" and "the n word". If you ever have time or desire to read those and share some criticism I'd really appreciate it 🥰
To get out of the friend/family bubble I’ve had to invest time in reading and commenting on other substacks. I don’t do this inauthentically, meaning I read and comment on posts I genuinely like. It’s led me to some great writers, gained me a few followers, and I like the community-building aspect of it. After a few months it’s nice to recognize names and carry on conversations across different substacks.
I’ve also added an invitation to subscribe to my gmail signature. I track clocks via bitly and I’ve gotten quite a few new subscribers that way.
I’m terms of personal writing, the story has to be universal. There has to be an aspect of it the reader can see themselves in or relate to. I’ve edited a lot of content out of my final drafts because I realized no one care about that except me and maybe three of my oldest friends. 😂
Reading and commenting is the undiscovered gold! When I first started, on some very high-subscriber Substacks, I was stunned to see how few comments there were. I happen to really enjoy it and almost always believe I have something to add to the conversation — those things help.
This is a great approach, Jen - the community aspect of this platform gives back in absolute spades! I love my fellow Substackers, and I let them know it!
Oh, I like the gmail signature idea! I have no idea what "I track clocks via bitly" means but glad that works for you.
I am able to tell when something I write doesn't fit the larger story, but cannot tell when no one will care about something I write. Especially if I care about it. How do you do that?
And one struggle I have is that I don't have a job where I'm in front of the computer, so finding time to write every day is a challenge, let alone read other people's Substacks and comment on them and show up to office hours. And I feel bad for not reading the regular posts from the 25 plus people who I follow here. It's a balance I cannot seem to stay upright on.
So I have to remind myself that I don't do this to become popular and because I enjoy it and I learn more about myself through my writing. I find that I have about 10 core readers and if they stick around that is good enough.
Hi Steve........I'll give it a shot: "but cannot tell when no one will care about something I write"----Because I know you and your writing, just keep doing what (and how) you're doing. Trust the process, and trust your talent.
No one can TELL (I suppose you mean as you're writing) "when no one will care"....But, like I do with how and what I write.....I have confidence in my talent, and not everyone WILL like or get it. But, I'm true to my art and myself, and the end-result chips will fall where they may.
Pretend you're a songwriter/recording artist. Your same concern/question befalls even (and especially) the people WE write about!! When the mic goes on and the tape reel rolls, we do our thing. The song we're SURE will be a million-seller may end up falling with a thud to the floor. The dog we hid at the end of Side 2 might end up touching a million hearts, and we had no clue it could or would!
But, either way, we get back to the "piano" and keep writing/composing, 'cause what choice do we have? Stephen's a terrific example! His successes came years after his initial RCA disappointment. But, he found an adjacent lane in which to do his songwriting/singing/guitar playing/acting...which, to me, is what, ultimately, makes his story so compelling and inspiring! He coulda chucked it all in '75, and gone off and sold shoes. But, he stayed true to his craft.
We don't produce widgets, Steve! We're in the feels/heart/nebulous nether regions where not everything is tangibly quantified. That's one reason I love it! I spend this time encouraging YOU, Boobie, because I've felt what your heart can produce on the page, and it's no less an artistic goose-bump than hearing my new favorite song on a record, or seeing my favorite band on a stage!
Now, go walk that dog, and keep pounding the keyboard, you young whippersnapper, you!😉✨🎵👍
I, too, read and comment only on posts I genuinely like. The same is true for recommendations - there has to be a legitimate value for me to share a newsletter with others.
Ironically I've just broken INTO the family/friends bubble...! I'd been writing on Substack for months before I mentioned it to those closest to me. Now I count two parents and a godparent amongst my subscribers - the rest of whom I've never met in person, but who have come across me simply on the platform.
Same here! I haven't shared my writing, fiction or otherwise, with the people closest to me. They've managed to discover it anyway, which is a little awkward, but it takes the suspense out of one day foisting my novel on them ;-)
It's tricky, isn't it? I was happier launching my words into the world to literally nobody I knew, rather than to encourage friends and family to read them! Looking back, it did wonders for my confidence knowing that nobody who knew me was reading my posts.
Then again, I nearly melted the other day when I spotted a very familiar name sign up as a subscriber, and yesterday that same new subscriber - my dad - starting talking to me about 'whelm' and the post I'd written about it just before Christmas! ♥️
It's funny how that is. I felt the same. It has been sort of liberating writing semi-anonymously. I had a brief moment of panic when I saw some familiar email addresses subscribing. I thought, oh no, they've infiltrated my hideout! But then, my parents are the ones who most want to see me succeed, and who support me in the things I enjoy (whether I do them well or not :-) That's so sweet about your dad. It's a great feeling to earn a readership, but those few unconditional fans are the real VIPs :-)
Me too. Because of what I write I suffered a bit from the "worlds collide theory" (thanks George Costanza). I didn't want the people I know who don't know what happened to me to know what happened to me. Ironic because my Substack is about breaking down stigma and no longer living in silence. Slowly my worlds are colliding and it can be uncomfortable in certain circles but it's okay.
I literally just told my dad (who has brain cancer) that I've been writing about my personal experience of it today! I write and draw cartoons, so I'll share the cartoons with him first and if he wants more, I will share the rest. But same here. I don't think I have told ANY of my friends and family about it yet (other than dad).
I told him I would send him the cartoons, but your comment made me realist that it IS special, so I'm now thinking I'll wait til I see him again in a couple of days and show him in person. Thank you!
I can relate to this. Almost all my readers are strangers, because I am yet to tell my friends and family. The up-side of this as a new writer is that we avoid the false sense of confidence from a lot of F&F subscribers. We get our writing judged “by the market”, and I feel that confidence surge - even though its slower - is much more powerful in the long run. Glad I’m not the only one following this strategy :)
I've actually had the opposite experience! I know most of my readers personally and it's been such a humbling journey- especially when they sign up as paid subscribers. Feeling like it's an intimate circle of friends has given me courage to write vulnerably and hearing their feedback has been such a joy.
Creativity is the key. I snag tons of new subscribers at local coffeehouses here in Denver by setting a book in plain view at the table I’m seated at. They see the title and it leads to a random conversation. When they ask me what I do I tell ‘em that I read, review and feature authors/books for a living. It’s been a💥 for “Great Books, Great Minds” and “Black Books, Black Minds.” The key is to find something fun and creative that works for you.
Curious whether you’d review a book while it is serialising on Substack? I’m 9 chapters into serialising Writ Large on conked.io and would love to be on Great Books
I'm drawn to personal stories as a form of connection. The more honest, transparent, "human," the more I can relate. I gravitate towards people who share themselves. I love the candid selfies, the late-night embarrassing confessions. I think it reminds me that we're all in this together, spinning on a rock in space.
So for me it doesn't matter who the person is as long as they are authentic and real. I think we all want a little bit more of that in our lives.
My content is all personal - a year long project where I look back on my four-year cancer journey - and LinkedIn has far and away been the biggest audience driver for me. I started with a list of ~150 from my blog and set a goal of 500 subscribers by my launch. My first post, announcing the launch on LinkedIn, had almost 80k views - thanks in large part to friends and family doing me the favor of reposting there.
I post twice a week and I share an excerpt of a post every 2-3 weeks on LinkedIn, particularly when my essay is specifically about working with cancer or relevant to a current event. I've gotten to about 830 subscribers in a little over 3 months, and my open rate is typically in the 60s. I do not have a paid subscription model yet.
Same. I had an initial boost, then some steady growth, and then I hit a plateau. That discouraged me from posting as regularly, which I'm sure only fed the stagnation. Trying to pull myself out of it now.
That is what I have to tell myself (remind myself) often. I know that when I finish a piece I am often giddy afterwards, regardless of whether the content was heavy or light. So I suppose my mantra should be "giddy up!"
Same! It's such a good feeling. I feel like I own more, if you know what I mean? Like I just bought something I really wanted or something really expensive
It's so tricky!! I only just started writing on Substack, and actually the most personal issue to me was the inner critic stopping me from writing, so I wrote about that :) next I'm writing about self-sabotage.. Such important themes and they're really, really tricky!!
I think you just need to stick with it, stay consistent. So far, I've noticed that most of the special people in the world who like my work are arriving from outside of Substack. I've listed my stack on various newsletter places and other promotions. Maybe you could check some of those out. It might not be rapid, but (like me) slow and steady.
Also, there's The Sample. You enter your info, get a special email address at their domain, add that special email to your subscribers. Then when you publish, they get a copy and forward to various persons. I've gotten a few subs through them.
Full disclosure: this is my affiliate link. If you use it, I get a little boost.
Also, google "newsletter directories" and you'll probably find more. I've placed my info on a few different sites (no fee) and have received various subs through these channels.
Echoing Medha, these resources for newsletter directories are super helpful. Thanks so much, Victor!
(I recently discovered Jacob O'Bryant's "The Sample," and it's been a great tool for introducing people to my newsletter. Like you, I've gotten several subscriptions through it.)
I get it. I started out small and have grown a lot. Engage with other stacks. Add comments. Promote your stack in a subtle way while also being part of the community.
I wish substack would allow side-by-side content, such as a small photo with a caption to the side or a mugshot that ran beside a story instead of huge above it. or a pull quote off to the side. Any chance of this happening?
I've noticed recently, that, despite all the "Post too long for e-mail" blue banners of death (seemingly) all my articles seem to trip, Julie, they still fit inside the resultant e-mails to my subbies. Plus, my subbies know they can read the post, either on my 'Stack web page, or by clicking on the "read e-mail in another window" link to read it in its entirety
In other words, I write what I write (and add Playlists and photos to my heart's content), and just ignore the blue banner of death! Don't know if that'll work for you, but thought I'd share my recent experiences!
I, too, am really good at ignoring the Banner of Doom, Brad! But this current draft essay is VERY long (I asked an AI to help me write a picture book, and all the screenshots and back-and-forths are huge). So it's not that I'm caring about the post being too long for email, it's more that I'm wondering if that's why pieces of it keep disappearing or revisions don't get saved.
Oh, I see....that's a bit different. Would dividing your posts into Parts help? I've done that a couple of times to autobio posts that have a narrative thread. I've even, then, compiled them all into a final, really long post (with link boxes to each post, one at a time), as more of an option for some readers. While that one likely was "too long" for e-mail, it "lives on" on the website, with length not a problem.
Ok, that is a fun idea for a long post -- breaking it into parts. I did end up just submitting a help request, because no matter what I do, this post reverts to an old version, and I can change it to the updated one, and then as soon as I click out to my dashboard and do some other things, and then open it again, it says "some changes may not have been saved!" and goes back to an old version, so it might not be a length issue. GIANT SHRUG EMOJI / I'M HOPING TO POST THIS ESSAY NEXT WEEK WORRIED EMOJI
Hi there, I'm celebrating my 2-year anniversary on Substack this month! I have a decent amount of subscribers and grew by 30% last year but I'd like to experience more growth and exposure with other audiences. How do I do this? My Substack is: https://bethlisogorsky.substack.com/ (BEVP - Beth's Exceptional Video Playlist)
I would love a better way to access stats for individual articles. Right now, I have almost 2 years of content and having to scroll down to July 2021 of weekly posts to find out what the stats are for an article from then is very inconvenient.
Absolutely!! I really look at the post-25 hour stats that Sustack sends. I know I don't read other Substack writers all the time the day they post. Yes, at the end of say each month, Substack sends stats for the month. OR each and every post can be pulled up at any time for the writer to see the history of readership for every post. Great idea!!
Quick one. I often link to other writers in my posts, but am never sure if they know I've referenced them. Sometimes I shoot them an email to say thanks for the inspiration, but I was wondering if writers get a notification if someone references / quotes them in a post (not a cross post.) Is there a preferred way to quote other Substack articles so that not only does the writer get credit, but it allows them to know that other writers appreciate them? What's the protocol (if any...)
Those authors would just need to have that particular notification toggled "on" in their settings. The other option is to get them to subscribe to your Substack if they aren't already. 😉
I just saw it in the "privacy" settings. I see I can @ a writer (if they have that notification switched on) Thanks for helping me solve the conundrum :)
Okay, so, I never really checked, but... I don't think I can mention others by name only like you can on for example on Twitter. Also, when you create a hyperlink, that doesn't trigger a notification. If you past the link to one of their substack issues, or their substack homepage, you will get an embed of a snippet (sorry, I don't know the actual technical term). If you do that, I believe the writer gets notified that someone mentioned them. But, as said, I did not test if this works this way. I sort of see it in my engagement. So, if a substack crew member can either confirm this, or more likely correct me, that would be great.
I'm relatively new here (2 months deep) and I wanted to share my perspective on the most effective way to grow a newsletter/blog. I'm very curious to see what everyone thinks about this take:
The most effective way to grow your audience is to become a better writer.
I like to think that as your writing improves it will naturally get more eyes on it because more people will share it, recommend it, and stick around when they do look at it. The writing will speak for itself.
There's heavy correlation with amount of posts on a blog and traffic.
Focusing on improving your writing instead of marketing it is a better long term investment. My goal right now is to hit 100 posts before I go out of my way to market my page.
P.S If anyone wants to connect I'm always looking for new (or experienced) writers to join forces with!
I always tell people just starting out to write like you have a huge audience even if you have five subscribers. It's a way of showing people they can expect quality content from you.
That's a big thing I think. Focus on writing and getting feedback and then find topics that intrigue. I'll take a look at yours and see if there's opportunity for collaboration!
That was my approach, I had a dozen articles available for readers before I did any marketing. I plan to start a new section of my newsletter and am using the same approach. . .writing first.
Happy to connect, Collin. I find writing from the heart works. I wrote a column about my beloved dog Molly, who helped us all through the pandemic, only to be killed in a car accident after things were just beginning to open up. This wasn't manipulative on my part, but I had a huge jump in subscribers and comments after I posted it. It is here: https://maurac.substack.com/p/molly-a-love-story
Oh, hello, is it 2023 already? I suspect in one of your many resolutions you decided to start writing more, and that's why you're here, on Substack, asking questions about how you can use your writing to take over the world. If that writing just so happens to be fiction, then I've got news for you -- there is a community that exists, that is now 1,100+ strong, that is also interested in taking over the world. Well, the universe really, but we're going to start by enslaving Earth. That community is called Fictionistas, and you can go there now and bask in the glow:
This community is free, active, and full of fiction writers who also dabble in non-fiction. We're welcoming, want to see you succeed as a fiction writer on Substack, and if I do say so myself (which I'm about to do) we're a delightful group of miscreants. Read, lurk, subscribe, get involved... we would love to have you. There's always room for fellow Fictionistas, since taking over the universe involves a great deal of effort.
I have been skimming these comments as always and I see a pattern. How do I get subscribers? Then saying they write for themselves. I write for my readers, who are other writers. You can treat your substack as a journal (self therapy) but don’t be surprised if that does not resonate. Think about the name newsletter. It is a letter delivering news. That is how I approach it.
As for finding subs, like almost anything, it takes perseverance and consistency. Set a schedule and stick to it. Showing up in readers’ inboxes on a regular basis is important. You’re building a relationship with that reader, one on one, and it can’t be entirely about you. A little blunt but that is my experience as a reader and a long time professional writer. M
You are absolutely right about the importance of consistency - your audience needs to be in the habit of reading your newsletter and that happens by publishing it at the same time and certainly on the same day. I've found that to be really important in building my readership.
I see that a lot and in a lot of the essays I read. They are more like a diary or trite memes, not anything deep. But ironically, the more nuanced essays on new topics also throw people off.
I agree about painful consistency until it hurts. Writing 1,200 word essays twice a week while running my own business is painful. But, readers get into habits of expectation. This is a real behavioral thing. And it will begin to work over time...
That's why I dropped to posting once a week. I have a day job and a small business, and publishing twice a week just wasn't cutting it! My readers seem to be fine with weekly newsletters, and it works better for me.
I've always been a fan of less is more and quality over quantity. I think there's real value in posting less frequently so that every piece is like a special treat.
Not blunt at all Martin and you are totally right.
You cant always have your cake and eat it. If you stick rigidly to writing for yourself it will take more time to find an audience that appreciates your niche.
If are looking for tens of thousands of subscribers then you NEED to think more about what your audience wants.
Vulnerability in your writing does resonate. There are writers we’re willing to take the journey with. I think it has to do with how that’s expressed. Your personal story can be a launching pad for a greater theme or principle. It’s a great way to keep a personal touch on an objective essay. We as writers, though, need to find the balance. It’s easy to just vent and it’s a bit harder for it to mean something.
Yes I agree, if you find a more universal lesson or story in your personal tale. My main point was that writers often write for themselves and this might not be the best medium for that.
I'm always curious to know how is Subatack promoting or recommending posts of new writers to the community? I feel like new writers who don't have a big following before substack is very difficult to be discovered 🤔
There is a recommend feature. If other newsletter writers like your newsletter they can recommend it. I get loads of subscribers this way. So you are in the right place - networking with fellow Substackers.
There are also tools where writers can mention your name or substack and send out your articles. So it's all about being found by your fellow writers. I think the discoverability tools are improving all the time
I agree. I am very pro-active about recommendations. Right now I am recommending 17 other newsletters that have resulted in 86 subscriptions for them. Only two other newsletters recommend me and thy have resulted in one new subscription. HOW DO THESE WRITERS KNOW I HAVE RECOMMENDED THEM. DOES SUBSTACK LET THEM KNOW? HOW DO I LET THEM KNOW SO THEY CAN RECIPROCATE?
Hi David, if I were you I’d keep rotating who you recommend. Build a relationship with people and get a reciprocal agreement for a month or so and see how it goes.
One feature I've been wishing for is the ability to do a richer search of my old posts. It's easy to search for a keyword, but if I want to see posts from June 2020, for example, it seems the only way is to scroll way way down my list on the dashboard view. Is there a better way? Is this a feature that could be added?
I categorize by topic as well as date. You could organize yours however makes sense to you. I keep it updated every month or so--helps to organize my head/direction, too :)
I then post it on the homepage and remind people of it frequently!
A quick question. Did the text on our “welcome” screens change from “read first” to “no thanks”?
I’m not too big a fan of the change personally because “no thanks” still lets you see the person’s work first. A “no thanks” feels like it would exit completely? Yeah?
I noticed the change over the course of a couple of weeks. There was other text beside "Let me read it first" and "no thanks" as if they were experimenting. Then it settled on the "no thanks."
I agree that the "no thanks" doesn't have the best ring to it.
Yeah! No thanks and still sliding into the substack you said “no thanks” feels a little disorienting. I felt the “let me read first” felt gentler especially since a lot of people would need to be warmed up to you and your content!
Yes, the same. I was almost afraid to click the "No, thanks"! I wasn't sure what would happen. I saw nothing wrong with 'Read first' and I'm sorry it's gone. It allowed the reader to continue without feeling pressured into subscribing. "No, thanks" gives them the idea that it's not necessary to subscribe. That's how I see it, anyway.
I sent the following to Substack Support today (February 11, 2023):
--
Recently, the default wording below the "Subscribe" field on Welcome pages changed from "Let me read it first" to "No thanks".
In a sub-thread in the comments on Substack's Writer Office Hours post for January 5, 2023, each of the five Substack authors there expressed negative views about this change:
Cierra, Writes Losing Orbit
Victor D. Sandiego, Writes Dynamic Creed
Matthew Murray, Writes Writer's Notebook
Ramona Grigg, Writes Writer Everlasting
Alicia Kenworthy, Writes Catalectic
From that subthread, three key reasons the new wording is a step backwards from the previous wording (excerpted/synthesized):
A “no thanks” feels like it would exit completely. It might deter new readers who don't understand what to do to access your posts.
The previous wording allowed the reader to continue without feeling pressured into subscribing.
"No thanks" also gives them the idea that it's not necessary or desirable to subscribe.
I concur with them (Aron Roberts, Writes Fragments in Time) and am hoping that, with these 6 'votes,' your internal team can revert this change at some point, or perhaps make that wording switchable between old and new wordings or even entirely author-configurable (as with other elements of the Welcome page.)
Or perhaps you might, at least, ask for additional feedback on it from a wider circle of authors?
There may well have been some internal metrics (such as bounce rates and/or subsequent subscriptions) which led to this change? Yet intuitively, the older wording was gentler, more inviting, and most importantly, clearer in describing what would happen after clicking.
A representative from Substack Support replied: "We'll be glad to pass your feedback along to our Product team. looking for ways to improve, so we appreciate the note."
As generic (albeit friendly) as that response may be, hoping this spurs at least some internal discussion and reevaluation within the Substack team!
I love Substack. I've been writing on here for a year now, but I've reached a plateau in reaching new subscribers. It's frustrating, but I'm going to focus more on growth strategies this year. Anyone else relate?
Are you engaging with other Substacks, Israel? That's how I've gotten a lot of my subscribers. I read and join the discussion in the comments of other newsletters I follow, and folks often check out my newsletter out of curiosity. I do no promoting via social media, and I have steadily increased my subscriptions.
To be honest, Holly, I haven't done much of that lately. I did some of that in the beginning and I've stopped. That's a really good reminder and I appreciate it. I'm going to dedicate some time to do that every week.
I think it makes good sense because as some social media platforms are waning, more and more people are coming over to Substack. I personally have not been scrolling through social media for the better part of 2022. I'm a writer here, but I'm also a reader. I find so many great reads through recommendations of others--whether they are direct recommendations in a post (I've had some fellow writers give me shout-outs like that and love it!), or in the comments sections. Invest 25% of the energy you're spending on marketing via social or wherever and try engaging here. See what happens!
Thank you! I will do that. It makes total sense. I've found some really good writers on here, people who are not celebrities or social media influencers somewhere else. And that's refreshing. I just subscribed to yours. Looking forward to reading.
Definitively. I’ve seen my subscriber amount bob up and down. It might be a lag phase right now as people are engaging with the Substacks they really want to read and ditching the rest. It can be hard to keep up with a bunch of newsletters. Keep at it. I think a lot of us write to get the words out of our heads as much as we are trying to get them to an audience.
Fortunately, I haven't lost any, but I definitely hit a wall in the last couple of months. And indeed, I will continue to write regardless. Maybe, if I continue to build it they will come? Thanks for the comment!
i created a WHOLE social media strategy. i make videos summarizing my newsletters, reaction videos to related viral videos, reaction videos to comments and FAQs regarding my topic. my handle on both tiktok and ig is manifestelle if you want to see for yourself ✨
I've shared it often on my social media, although I can certainly do more of that. I've made contact with a few writers on here and one has even added my publication as a "recommended" one on their list.
Some of my favorite publications are ones that I've found through the "Discover" area. I wonder how does someone gets featured on there?
Thanks for the comment, Bailey. I'm also open to suggestions.
In my case, I have my Substack as my Instagram bio. I also share some of my writings on my Facebook personal page. I also opt in to share on Twitter every time I write a new newsletter. There's also a Substack writers Facebook group I'm part of.
Happy New Year, all! Does anyone else have the experience of losing a few subscribers every time you post? I post about once a month, and the first thing that happens is that a few people unsubscribe. Not a lot--just a few, but I find it odd. Is it that they just remembered they subscribed or didn't realize it?
Jane, I find this is typical to lose a few subscribers with each post. It's inevitable, and I would't be discouraged by this (as I was when it first started to occur). In the first hour after I post every week, I'll lose a handful, but over the day and week, the post will attract more readers. Hope this is a bit helpful!
Yup, there is a constant churn as people try you out, realize you might not be quite what they are looking for, or simply try to cut back on their media consumption. I basically never look at unsubscribes because it's always going to feel demoralizing whatever the reason.
Yep. Happens every post on “Great Books, Great Minds.” I recognize that publication isn’t for everyone so I stick out my lip for two seconds and move. Oddly, I’ve had zero unsubscribers for Black Books, Black Minds.” I guess folks like reading and chocolate 😂
I lost a few when I moved my mailchimp over here and I am always second guessing how much to send to inbox as I know I get overwhelmed with too many emails so maybe it’s just a balance there? I’ve also pulled back from social media (I used to post on Instagram daily) so people know they have to move over here to stay connected. ✍️
Pretty normal. You’ll lose a few, gain a few; it’s the natural flow. Sometimes I’ll lose three free subs and then get a paid sub. It’s essentially random. I do it too--sometimes I’ll just unsubscribe to a stack for any number of reasons. Nature of the (Substack) beast.
Has there been ANY news or update regarding only the Top 25 Paid and Free being shown in the Leaderboard of Substack’s web version? Readers used to be able to Search and scroll to see ALL Stacks in a category.
Welcome back, Valorie. I love that photo you posted of you and your dad and that you gave your readers that personal note. There will be times that life knocks us down and off the publishing schedule, and I'm sure your readers appreciated your transparency. We're all human after all. (I'm feeling some kinship with that "y'all"!)
I'm sorry to hear that. My dad has aggressive brain cancer atm, and although he is still here we had an intense conversation about how to handle what's coming today. All the best to you and your family.
Just popping on in my very first Writer's Office Hours attendance to say I'm a scaredy cat but trying to be brave by posting here. I technically started my Substack back in maybe March(?) but have SUCH a hard time deciding what I want the focus to be that I rarely publish things. I moved from another platform but am switching my focus away from "selling" stuff to wanting to share about personal experiences, travel, fun stuff I find, but feel like maybe I need a better "mission statement" so to speak. I have started about 10 posts that I don't finish or publish because I get caught up in the "who will care about this" loop. Anyway....just reaching out to try to be brave and say I'm here! I already love this community even with my meager amount of activity!
Welcome, Erin! My substack is slice-of-life, which sounds like what you want to write. I was afraid that no one would be interested in the myriad of topics I cover, but what I've learned is that my "niche" is ME. If you show up as your authentic self and post on a consistent schedule, people will read! I've written posts about donating stem cells for my brother's cancer battle, parenting a young adult who has been in recovery for seven months, a trip to Arkansas, our small business event venue, a guy who wanted to pee in my front yard, and even a trip to get an annual inspection sticker for my vehicle. Crazy topics that are in no way connected except that they are my experiences. My open rate is consistently between 60-70%, and my readers are very engaged in the comments. So I guess what I'm saying is press publish and see what happens!
Yay, you! Keep it going! I have a whole bunch of draft posts that sound like the ones you have started...every now and then I go back in and one of them resonates with me and I finish it up and get it out there.
Great to be back on Office Hours. Love these sessions with you lovely people.
My advice for those getting despondent with their growth is to keep going. This is a long game we are playing here and it takes time for people to discover, get to know you and then hit subscribe.
My latest post is about building habits which I think can really help us writers because when we show up every week out of habit it really starts to make a difference to the engagement you get.
I'm so excited about those substacks that are recommending me but I get most excited when I can send some subscribers back to them in return. There is a real symbiotic relationship between substacks that I love. It's not a competition. When one of us wins we all win.
I have nothing profound to add, except wish you all a happy new year. May your newsletter flourish and may you fall in love with writing! 2022 was that year for me, and I hope you get to experience it too :)
I have a very silly question. Is the only way to get the little hearts on your home page to turn red by liking your work yourself? 😂 When my first story earned a red heart I assumed it had to do with "like" count, but many of my other posts have earned more than that number of "likes" and the hearts remain transparent. Upon further investigation I learned that I must have accidentally liked that one post with the red heart myself. By the way, if you tell me I need to "like" my own work to turn the hearts red, I have no problem with that. I will go make them all red immediately. For they are like tiny Valentines to me. ❤️❤️❤️
It's my understanding that the hearts only turn red if you've actively liked a post yourself, Meg. LOVE that line about 'tiny Valentines to me'....... really beautiful!!!! ♥️
And now I'll do that thing I've been shy about doing, but others here have inspired me. Here's a link to a fully Valentined Substack I happen to be the author of: https://stockfiction.substack.com/
May we all continue to "like" ourselves, and the things we're making here, in 2023! ❤️🔥
One feature request for the Substack team: e-mail only content. I'd love to be able to add a unique intro or additional content just for people who read via e-mail (or get it delivered via the app) that doesn't show up on the website. I think this could also be a selling point to get people to subscribe -- even for free -- as they'll get unique content they wouldn't just by checking out the 'stack on the web.
You can do this for people getting emails by using the header and footer functionality. Unfortunately people on the app don't see this - a shortcoming of the app imho
The web reader only applies to articles that you read from the inbox. When you're out there in the wild looking through various stacks, that ability to toggle isn't there.
Oh great. I recently switched to dark mode and several people complained to me about it, although the majority voted in favor of it. The people complaining about it didn't think you could toggle. I'll let them know.
I frequently mention other writers by using @ and linking to their posts in my newsletter on writing and publishing, The Caffeinated Writer, as well as in my newsletter The Wandering Writer. Do writers to whom I have referred see those mentions? Thank uou!
Yes they do! The default is that they get emails letting them know when they are mentioned, though writers can turn those emails off in their Settings.
Also, I would LOVE to see a feature where we could "grandfather in: certain paid subscribers if we ever change our pricing! And, I'm sure it's been said before, but "tiers" rather than just "free" vs. "paid" would be amazing. Certain benefits to each tier.
Happy 2023 everyone, and Happy Office Hours. I appreciate this community and look forward to seeing all the newsletter updates — the victories AND the challenges.
I began "Writers' Haven by Christine Wolf" (http://christinewolf.substack.com) just over a year ago in November of 2021. To date, I have 170 subscribers, and 23 are paid. I feel I have so much room to grow, and I'm trying to approach this process slowly and intentionally despite my inner critic that asks, "Why don't you write more often? Why don't you have more subscribers? Why aren't you more actively promoting your newsletter?"
I offer nearly all my content free but I added a paid option immediately, and I've been SO pleasantly surprised by subscribers' willingness to invest in my writing. It's HUGELY motivating. One benefit of being a paid subscriber is that I promise to list paid subscribers' names to the "supporter page" in my memoir once it's published. I have a separate tab for my memoir-in-progress, and I also send subscribers exclusive "sneak peaks" of the process.
I'd like to offer regularly scheduled live write-ins to all subscribers — kind of like writers' office hours — in which we gather as a community and work on our current projects. It's obviously keeping in theme with the Writers' Haven brand, but I'm torn between adding a livestream video element (maybe through a YouTube live link in a post? I don't know!) or just keeping it in chat form (which feels a little flat).
I'm know I'm overthinking this (who, me???), but if anyone has suggestions or knows of another Substacker who offers something along these lines, I'd be grateful for any feedback and/or intros.
I'm a li'l scared to launch this feature — particularly if I live stream, something I've NEVER done — but we've gotta scare ourselves now and then, amirite?
Cheers to all of you who've reminded us all not to fall into the trap of DOING IT ALL in January. This is a marathon, and I'm grateful to be on this course with you all.
Christine, you could add a reader poll and ask the readers if they like the idea. Also ask them to email you with topic/theme suggestions.
Readers love polls and love feeling like they can help you give them what they want. Be sure to post about the poll results later so they can see that you have taken their ideas on board (or why you are choosing not to!!)
you're welcome, Christine. There is a Substack native poll. To add one to your post, just click on 'More' at the top right while you are in post editor, and choose Poll at the bottom of the list.
I’ve done write ins and we’ve hopped in a zoom, chatted a bit, then had a prompt introduced. We shut off video and audio for an allotted time to write, then come back for readings. We also ask questions at the end. It’s scary to take the lead but it’s great to be a part of. People can produce great work just off short pierces or continue current work.
I thank you for this feedback (and I apologize if I've already replied to your comment. I swore I replied on my phone. It's so weird that it's not showing up on my end now...). I appreciate your feedback and feel inspired to do this asap!
I’m curious if anyone has any suggestions on using Substack to offer a 7-day “course” format. It would be separate from my newsletter and would be something a reader could sign-up for to receive in addition or just for that course.
For context, I write a weekly meditation practice newsletter called Calm Point. I’d love to offer something like, “Beginners Guide to Meditation” in a course like format that they receive via email.
Hopefully this makes sense. Thank you so much for your time and ideas/thoughts. All ears! ❤️
You could set it up as a section, where they only get access if they become a paid subscriber. You could even have free previews in the section if that helps you. However, the emails wouldn't go out to them again, they'd have to click through to the 'stack.
You could get around that though by putting the links to each 'lesson' in your paid subscriber welcome email. Hope that helps.
You'd *probably* have to use a different service to "drip" the content out on daily schedule as readers sign up.
Unless you want it to be a one-time thing for readers, which case staying on Substack and setting up a separate newsletter section would be just fine. If they miss the email opt in, they can at least get the content in the archives.
I'll be curious to hear if you do this and the results.
Hi any plan to support PayPal aside from stripe? Since stripe is not available for some country. Do you have any suggestions for creating a template for an outline of a post that can be used as a draft and then duplicated?
I started my Substack journey last month and so much love and enjoy writing again. (If you love UI Designer subscribe now 🤗)
On my second question kinda like a template post for example i have new post for my newsletter i don't need to re-type other content such as subscribe button, outline of my new letter like headings with descriptions. kind like a template draft
We're continuing to have a bug where an upcoming newsletter reverts to a previous draft.
This primarily seems to happen when we schedule newsletters to go live later. We set up five today and when we went back to double check something, the most recent newsletter had reverted to an old draft.
I'd reported this bug once before and was told it was fixed. But it seems not. I'll report this to the tech side again, but figured I'd raise here as well.
Bailey, you were very helpful to me when I was just beginning. Now I am nearly at 200 subscribers (woo-hoo!) and I wonder what qualifies a writer to get the coveted "Hundreds of subscribers" tag line? And how do you put that on your page when you cross that threshhold?
One solution would be to let the author of the stack toggle versioning off. I find it 100% not useful since I compose my work on my computer, and deal with any versions I want to maintain there.
Just like the About page has a single copy and the signup email has a single copy, it would be nice that each post had a single copy - or the option of making that the default behavior.
As things are now, it's hard to trust the system. Is it fixed? Not sure. None of are. And as Michael says in this post, the idea of an unfinished draft going out is unsettling.. to say the least.
I know you have shared this with the team and I do NOT mean to nag, but it just happened again this morning. I went to do the audio version of an upcoming newsletter, and I had to go about seven versions back in yesterday to find the proper version.
This has happened to me too, and it's a bummer. Once I was able to go back to a previous version (thank you, Substack team, for making that so easy!). And currently I'm working on what will be a very long post, and whole paragraphs and images keep disappearing from it (this is a different problem, maybe?). I don't know if it's because it's a long post or because there are a lot of images in it. I have been tweaking it a lot, and every time I have to check and double check that everything is in there.
I've found that the previous version is always there. You just have to hunt for it a bit. This mostly tends to happen when I return to a draft after not working on it for a while. The Substack team has suggested having the same newsletter open in different windows might cause a problem. But that clearly wasn't the case with our latest problems.
Multiple windows open was probably the problem with my draft the first time this happened, but the most recent time for me has been something else, not sure what. For now I'm copying and pasting into google docs when I finish a round of drafting to make sure I have a copy somewhere.
I've experienced this and reported it - twice. One response was that the problem was sent to engineers to look at. The other response had nothing to do with the problem.
That said, one thing that might help. I cleared all cache and cookies on my browser. That logged me out and I logged back in. It *might* have been that I had something old in cache, I don't know. But I haven't experienced the problem since. Still, I'm wary and don't entirely trust the system.
I had this a couple of posts ago - I'd published it, but had noticed I'd omitted a word. When I went back in to edit it I was given access to a very early draft! Substack support were brilliant - but I didn't dare follow their advice just in case I lost the entire almost-correct post along with all of its likes and comments. It's still got a missing preposition, but hey, I'll live!
Thanks for keeping the issue at the front of mind, Michael - there's clearly a recurring glitch in there!
Whoa, I've never even considered that. I just went back and added links to some old newsletters and now I'm worried it might have caused them to revert to earlier drafts -- which is utterly terrifying.
Gosh, I'm sorry for hitting the panic button, Michael! Actually, the only reason I'd even noticed that time was because the earlier version was so very different - it contained a whole load of random verbal swampage that was just some notes for a completely different post! But - *kicks self HARD* - I haven't thought to check any others......!
I write and edit in Word, and then aim to paste the final version into Substack - that's the theory - but of course I go back in and tweak, tweak, tweak some more. Risky, perhaps?
I love your newsletter, btw - I'm enjoying travelling vicariously via '...Going Places'.
I've had this bug too, @Michael and was told it was fixed. It's absolutely terrifying! I now paste all of every draft into a word doc so I don't lose anything when it happens next time. And I triple check every scheduled post to make sure it doesn't go out incomplete. Time I could spend elsewhere!
It’s over 45 minutes until this “starts” and there are already 76 comments! Seems like an inefficient method for a very useful service. Can you move it to another platform that is live (TW Spaces or Zoom) tho I realize that takes it off of Substack. But this is hurting my desire to learn and making my organized self cranky. I’d be willing to volunteer to take notes now and then if we did a live session so the info can be captured and re-purposed in a digestible manner. It could be a community-supported effort that helps instead of just adds more words to the internet. (No headings, no organization, just a lot of threads based on time not topic…) Thank you for listening!
Awww, office hours is the highlight of my substack week! The time-boxed “office hours” portion is when the substack team will be online answering questions. The rest of the time is for us writers to party!
agree the threads are not ideal but live spaces are a killer for those of us in other timezones. I was fast asleep while you were all commenting... am happy to catch up later, but not happy to wake up at 4 am to join a Zoom for Writers Hours every week.
I think that's a great idea! It sounds like a big undertaking, but if you have the time and enthusiasm! Regarding the "start," it actually starts an hour prior to the "start" and the long-timers here have figured it out. Maybe it's a time-zone accommodation thing. But yeah, it annoyed me at first, because I found myself feeling late to the party and playing thread-reading catch up.
Thank you, Steve. I feel seen and heard! This is my first Office Hours. Lots of positives and lots of negatives. LOL, the state of the internet overall, right?
We turn this thread on early to give folks the chance to post questions / get answers from us who can't attend while our team are in the thread! Come during the live hour if you prefer that vibe :) Zoom wouldn't work for this many writers and conversations at once unfortunately
I have a question about the new audio recording options: When I go to record my post a white box comes up on the right side of the screen and blocks part of the right side of my text so I cannot see the words I'm reading. This is a fairly new option and I'm wondering what can be done if I want to read the text I've written into the microphone on my computer without blocking my text. Thanks!
Hi Joan! I'm sorry to hear that. I let the team know. In the meantime, here is a workaround: Just shrink the size of the text in your browser and you're fine (command-minus or view -> zoom out)
Happy New Year Substackers! I was wondering if there is a way to edit the "No Thanks" link below the subscribe button pop-up when non-subscribers follow a link to your Substack? (oh boy, not sure if that makes sense but hopefully someone will know what I'm talking about!)
I was certain I've seen some that say "Let me read it first".
Yes, I noticed this change too! I find it confusing and slightly smarmy. I'm happy to get free subscribers, and happy to have them read my posts first before becoming a subscriber of any kind. I'd love to have it go back to "Let me read it first" OR, even better, as you suggest, giving us an option to customize it.
My substack goal for 2023 is to go full tilt into my impostor syndrome and pretend I am a hilariously clever writer even though there's no doubt in my mind it ain't true
Wishing you all a wonderful 2023, filled with the fun of writing your newsletter and lots of engagement on it. And of course good health, happiness and lots of love.
If you're writing poetry, let me know. I will subscribe, read, engage and share your work.
Happy New Year, Writing Pals! A benediction before we begin:
- May this be the year, we stop scanning the horizon for big leaps and start now with consistent, small steps instead. May this steady progress move us farther forward than a single jump ever could.
- May we reject the promise of overnight success and instant change and show up a little bit better every day.
- May we recognize that falling short and falling down are just part of the process. The growth is in the return.
... And speaking of growth, may we give, freely and genuinely, the exact support we are asking for.
Hi Katie and all! At a NYE party I met someone who said it's impossible to grow an online presence organically. I'm REALLY HOPING that some folks on this thread would disagree with that statement! Please leave your two cents!!
I've been getting one or two new sign ups each week, and they're mostly all people who know me, which means there's a natural ceiling for subscribers. It could be that my content isn't portable for a general audience? Or I'm not promoting it well? I also took 4 months off recently :-/. I was once ordained as a Zen Buddhist priest and my newsletter is kind of a kitchen sink of reflections on the various ways we seek meaning (I have a masters in religion; now I'm in a PhD program for anthropology). I'd be grateful for any advice. My purpose here is to get out a message as well as build a community.
They're definitely wrong about not growing an online presence organically. Sounds like someone cynical who failed to me. 😬
Take it from me: I got a book deal on the strength of my podcast right here on Substack. I wasn't paying for followers, I only ever did one paid advertisement somewhere else (AFTER the book deal), I didn't know anyone in publishing, I'm not a nepo baby, haha. An episode went viral and an editor heard it and liked it.
That is very heartening to me. I'm finding it difficult to get an agent for a memoir I wrote, despite having been a professional writer for 35 years. Very frustrating.
Maura, this is such a bummer! I'm also trying to find an agent for a memoir I wrote - feedback from two agents I met with at a small writers' conference said they didn't want manuscripts, only book proposals, with a large interest in memoir+ (the plus being some extra educational angle). I find it hard to believe after looking at your Twitter and Substack that your story would not be interesting to people! It has to be a matter of gaming the system. I'm wishing you luck in your endeavor! And I'm glad you're here.
"It's impossible to grow an online presence organically."
Yup, that statement is idiotic.
(They may not BE an idiot! But it's really daft to say things like that, when there are so many folk who have grown a huge audience that way, and their case studies aren't that hard to find, including on Substack. Super-wrong thing to say.)
No problem! I'm also in this camp too: I haven't paid for advertising - and I found an approach on Twitter that I've done for free, without doing any sponsored tweets, that hooks people into my list. I'm not anti-advertising, but if you can find a way to do it for free, why pay? (I also see free as a true test of quality - if it becomes popular, you can be 100% sure it's popular because it's just really good.)
This is sound advice. I have no excuse, but I really don't understand Twitter! I'm hoping I can skip that one and learn TikTok? It's hard to strike a balance between doing all the social media engagement vs. doing the writing. Maybe you are an extrovert? I battle shyness with every post. I'll go check out your letter!
Very much an introvert! I use Twitter threads to tell a sciencey story, and a few of them have really taken off - this one being the biggest: https://twitter.com/Mikeachim/status/1491080740586782720 But I don't like being "live" all that much, and especially not on video, so this approach suits me nicely.
Caroline, I think that comment is just ignorant. The more subscribers you get, the more your posts will be shared, period. Even if it is slow. Keep going!
I'd love everyones thoughts on an idea of subscription. I propose the following:
Substack establishes a credit system where a member can buy a dollar value each month, which can roll over. A credit can = $1 and can be used in the following ways:
1. They can pay for subscriptions with credits where there might be a reduced cost option (say 3 credits vs. $5)
2. They can pay for individual essays with credits (1 credit / essay)
3. They can send credits to writers for free essays as a 'tip' for good writing.
So this would break down to allow someone to buy 20 credits - $20 each month.
They could use 9 credits on three subscriptions and have 11 credits to buy / tip for other essays. This would allow a micro-monitization vs. the expectation of a fully committed and yet independent subscriptions. It would help build the broader community aspect of a network of authors as well.
I got a HUGE boost in free subscribers last month when i was featured on the Substack home page (to whoever is responsible for that thank you, thank you, thank youuuuu) but I have to admit that I've been kind of flailing with a strategy for converting to paid subscribers.
I wanted to do something with voice recordings, as i get a lot of requests for audio of my essays, but have been unsure about doing a separate podcast of a written post, putting a voice over that is just available to paid subscribers, or doing an audio recording below a paypal at the end of the post.
Hi Jeanette, I make voiceovers and paywall them. I do this by creating a podcast episode and pasting a link to the 'episode' into my main post below the paywall. The podcast episodes themselves are never emailed and are also locked.
I also have a post called "Audio archive" with links to all the podcast episodes, and I keep it in a Section (tab on home page) called 'For Paying Subscribers'.
Does it work for conversions? Well it's funny, people LOVE feeling like they get lots of extra goodies when they pay, and so the audio version feature is nice to have on the list of benefits. But actually hardly any of my subs actually listen to the posts, they just like to know that they could if they wanted to :)
My conversion rate is at 4.95% right now, so I'm doing something right!
If you don’t mind, I may give this a shot! The way it’s like... advertised that there’s this exclusive content in an area is so cool! And a neat idea/workaround! Also, congrats on the conversion!
To follow this, is it even possible to separate voiceovers into “paid only”? I feel like that’s a good idea and feature to make paid however you see fit!
I worked stumbled across a post that had a voiceover at the top, and a paywall further down, and worked with someone on the substack help support who said that if you add a paywall anywhere in the post, the voice over will remain at the top but only for paid subscribers... is this not correct?
Hi, I just did this for the first time! I made a voiceover of an essay I published last Spring. I created a new post, because I wanted a new email to go out to everyone, and then I created a short clip that would play for free listeners. You can see how mine worked here:
If you are going to do do something additional for iPad subs (as opposed to a patronage model), then my advice is to offer something “different” (ie audio) and not “more.” For example, if you ship 3x weekly, don’t just add a 4th edition of the same. Hopefully, that makes sense?
Hello! I would like to make a suggestion. It would be fantastic to be able to separate subscribers into groups. This way some articles can be sent out to a specific group of people and not everybody (for people who are writing in 2 languages for example). Thanks!
I hope this helps. Hubby and I publish 7 articles and 2 podcast episodes/week. One of my readers said she loves our content but is inundated with emails. So I started a new section for a weekly summary that I send out every Sunday that has links to the previous week's posts.
I always include the directions for how people can "unsubscribe" to daily emails and check to just receive the weekly summary.
Maybe you can do the same.
Once you start a new section, be sure to click the option for all current and new subscribers to be added to that section, if that is what you want.
Then your subscribers can choose to receive your newsletter just in the language of their choice.
Thanks ! Yes, it’s a great idea. But I think it would easier to send out some articles of some sections to those who subscribed to those sections only and not to the full database. Have a nice day Pamela.
You're welcome. Of course, that would mean that Substack would have to have some way to "tag" your subscribers like regular email providers do. I don't think we can do that in Substack.
Not necessarily. Your readers can opt out of any of your sections. That's the beauty of Sections, I think. Some of your readers may be interested in the topic while others aren't, and they do have the choice to opt out.
Yes, of course. My concern was regarding the fact that if I open a brand new section in another language for example, with no readers in that language yet, hundreds of people will receive an article that they can’t read at all. Thanks for your reply and suggestion though.
When you create a new section, you can opt to not auto-subscribe everyone on the list. I just did that with a new section yesterday, because I didn't want everyone to be opted into a creative prompt challenge they didn't agree to.
Thanks Jenn, that is perfectly right. But then what happens when you send out your article ? Who receives it? No one since there are no subscribers yet ?
Unfortunately, I think you're right. The only way I can think to work around it is to give your subscribers a heads-up about what you're trying to do. Explain that it's for people understanding that language and tell them how they can opt out if they choose. You may have to add that to every newsletter in that section for a while.
I'm only guessing, of course. You might want to ask Substack support. Maybe there is another way.
Any fellow Substackers with history newsletters or just an interest in history? Let's connect!
I started a Substack about the Whitechapel murders and the harsh double standards in Victorian society that marginalized women: https://canonical5.substack.com/
Hi! I am using Substack for a serial publication of my great-grandmother's journals, adding images, links, etc. I'm finding it a fascinating place to learn about American history from the 1920s on.
My newsletter is less than six months old. I wrote a newsletter about the history of three generations of music in my family titled "Generation Rap," written with my own music perspective. My main interest is writing poetry. I include an original poem with each post. I am a history buff and I plan on checking out your newsletter.
Happy New Year everyone! Quick reminder to give yourself a break from time to time. Don't overwhelm yourself with writing goals right out of the gate. Take one day at a time. Slow, substantial progress is worth more than rushed fulfillment.
Seeking guidance on the best category for my blog + newsletter. I write about mental health struggles, healing, vulnerability, personal stories, etc. Right now, I have Health & Wellness selected, but is that the best option to ensure people searching on these topics will find my blog (With Grit + Grace)? https://reaganf.substack.com/
I am curious about categorization as well. I went in Nov/Dec to revamp my ‘stacks and noticed the settings section had changed a lot. Used to be able to pick 3 words that described my newsletter, now we are “boxed in” to two big categories. Makes it difficult to know that my desired, specific audience is actually being reached.
That would seem to make the most sense... It's tough. I'm under "fiction" yet my content is about learning to write in multiple genres and forms. I TOTALLY understand why Substack doesn't want a "writing" category--God help us--we'll turn into Medium! But "fiction" isn't really it either. And Education has so many in it, I'll be lost... Do your "personal stories" fit with the Health/Wellness piece?
I recently started a second substack page using a second separate email account because I want a different subscriber base. When I use that second email address to access the second account it did not give me an option to create a new password so when I try to sign into the second account it kicks me back to my first account. Will I be able to create a second password for the second account or will I have to keep using the temporary sign-in password that Substack provides?
I've found that I have to open separate accounts in different browsers. Otherwise, they seem to default to the first account. Maybe there's a workaround, but this also helps me keep them organized.
I'm new to Substack and I don't know anything about publishing. As a first-generation student along with English being my second language, I feel like I'm uninformed about the world of publishing. I've written two pieces of work, fiction and creative non-fiction but I don't know what to do with them. Looking forward to any advice, thanks!
Hi, I'm probably even more pedestrian than yourself when it comes to writing but I am a painter and an unpublished writer (who is not painting at the moment) and one thing that was happening in the creative process that worked for me with my painting was not comparing myself with others! I am seeing it here with my writing too and yet the challenge is to still be reading great work to remain in the flow! haha. Not easy but I thought I'd offer it anyway. I am basing this on the success of my work when I would paint for enjoyment ONLY, not for results and the work that came out was astonishing. I feel like I'm not making sense and I am urged to just delete and not post but WTH.
Depending on how long your two pieces are, you might consider breaking them up into small chunks and publishing these smaller parts weekly. Substack seems to work best if you publish on a regular schedule. That would also give you time to write more content. Good luck! It’s kind of one of those things you just figure out as you go, so just get started!
I had the same issue and it was driving me crazy! Then I realized you have to have enough posts for the magazine theme to work (at least I think you do!) I love it!
If you're new here, welcome! Reply to this comment and let us know, what can we help with as you get started on Substack?
Hi Katie!
I'm curious if you have any advice for connecting with other writers on substack. I love writing and reading other people's work, but I still feel sort of disconnected from the larger community on here. I'm also unsure how to bring my writing to a larger audience than the one I can communicate to via instagram and twitter. What are some ways to not only grow your publication but also find a community of writers?
I would love to see Substack hosting more spaces for writers to get to know each other. I think this idea has been batted around Office Hours a few times. Some kind of forums, maybe, or open chat rooms, for different genres of writers. (Did I age myself with the word "chat room"?)
I know it made a huge difference for me to participate in Substack Grow over the summer. Before then, I really felt like I was throwing pebbles into a big, indifferent pond. But getting to know a bunch of different Substack writers through those weeks made a huge difference in how it felt to be here. Then, I started coming to Office Hours for the same reason. The more writers you get to know, the more at home you feel... Anyway, I hope the brains who develop these things are working on more tools for us to all connect with each other.
There's a very active Discord community you can join! https://discord.gg/afNk4avu
Thanks for the tip, Valorie. I joined now too. So much media to connect it kind of seems like where will the connection be found? But if you don't try, your don't know :)
<<So much media to connect it kind of seems like where will the connection be found?>>
This is my concern/hang-up, too, Faith. Counting my personal and Substack pages, I manage five accounts for IG and FB. Like many others, I'm in several groups on FB and have real life networks I'm trying to keep up with as well. I don't know how to find the time to be engaged with yet another resource. But, I get the value. Maybe I need to jettison something else.
So true, Elizabeth. I am on LinkedIn, Instagram (but honestly don't post much there because with my content took hours to create and I just don't have the time and the payout is really just a hamster wheel), and just joined Facebook because of my interest in dance and that's how the dance communities communicate. I'd say LinkedIn has been really great about making connections for my work (as I am integrating being a therapist, survivor, and a writer), but I wouldn't say LI has helped me build over here. I guess what I am noticing is that I have to feel that the media is worth my energy and time. I love to create pieces that are thought-provoking (here on Substack) and love connecting with others on LinkedIn. So that's all we can do...good luck!
I got off all that. I have LI and SS. Much easier to manage. And honestly more effective.
What's substacks "4 digit tag" I'm being asked for when trying to find substack on Discord?
I just joined! I have such a hard time forcing myself to check on the Discords I've joined, but since that's basically what I'm talking about (chat rooms) I will make a real effort to get involved on there. Thank you!
To be honest I find them overwhelming a well. I recommend the Substack discord for people wanting to connect, but I'm rarely in there because I can't check it every day.
Glad to hear that, Valorie: I thought it was only me!
Same. I belong to a handful of Discord communities (?). Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of Discord and its structure so I miss out there. I will make more efforts here and connect directly with the articles/people on Substack itself.
Agreed. I've tried Discord several times for different reasons. I quickly tire of trying to deal with the structure and end up never going back. We need to have private and group messaging boards here on SS so we don't have to go elsewhere.
Thank you, Valorie!
Thank you so much for this link! Joining now :)
whoa i didnt know about this hell ya
Hooray! Thanks for sharing this resource. I just joined Discord for another New Year's manifestation/meditation practice and I think it's a great tool.
Just joined. Thank you Valorie.
Thanks for sharing this! Sounds like a great resource.
That sounds cool!! 🔥🔥🔥❤️
Love this idea Tonya
Brilliant idea. I tend to get overwhelmed as I write true crime news for the news and then balance the chaos in my brain by writing for my column in another newspaper. Your idea of different genres is brilliant!
True crime :) - just subscribed to your SS
❤️❤️❤️
The way I've connected with other writers on Substack is by offering a "guest writer" opportunity on my publication, "moviewise: Life Lessons From Movies":
Be Our Guest! "moviewise" Cordially Invites You To Share Your Movie Recommendations
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/be-our-guest
I've done that on other blogs: definitely a great idea. I haven't forgotten my guest post, btw, just trying to organise my own 'stack while dealing with decorator mayhem
Great advice!
I’m about to do an experience on LinkedIn.
I’ve read that if you are up a LinkedIn newsletter and publish part of your post in there with a link through to Substack full post you get massive engagement.
oh, i'll try that. thanks, Martin
Nice idea.... thinking ...
This is such a cool opportunity! Thank you - I’ll be sure to check it out
🫰🫰🫰🔥❤️
Sorry, I'm not Katie...But I'd like to offer a suggestion. Search for the types of writers you'd like to connect with. I'd start with your number 1 niche and do a search of fellow SS writers in that niche. https://substack.com/browse
Then I would comment on their posts. Ask them questions back. Even email them. We all love to communicate with our readers.
You can start your own community of like minded writers by asking them to join you with a collaboration article, chat, video call, and so on.
You are on the money by reaching out to others with larger audiences.
Keep commenting in these forums. You'll find that we are pretty much good people who love to help out!
I've always been a fan of commenting on other writer's SS articles as it helps build relationships that would otherwise be missed. We really need private and group messaging boards attached to our Stacks to open up communications here.
Great advice, Paul. It works for me!
This is great advice! Thank you Paul. It’s so great to see that everyone else loves engaging with other writers & readers as much as I do.
❤️❤️❤️
I've connected with other writers in a few different ways. I've used these Office Hours to find other climate change and environment writers, then I've subscribed and left comments on posts. I've also searched directly on the "discover" page. Sometimes I've put links to their articles in my newsletter, then let them know. I've recommended them (mostly i've recommended writers of smaller newsletters than me, so I figure they will really get some real value from my recommendation). I joined Elle Griffin's discord community (this invitation link should work for the next week https://discord.gg/R6Cqqaha).
Hey! Just checked your newsletter out and I’m glad I did that. I write personal fiction on mine and am working on a story that’s environmentally sensitive and based on a real life event. I’d love to discuss more about it with a environmentally focused writer!
Sure, I'm happy to talk. I'm no particularly expert but I'm good at finding information. Send me an email. Do you know how to email someone via their Substack? (just email substackname@substack.com, so you can email me on theturnstone@substack.com)
Dropped an email!
Melanie hopefully ok if I email you. I follow back anyone that follows my SS.
Out of curiosity, how do you know the newsletters you are recommending are smaller than yours?
In most cases, I don't know for sure, but in general they are ones where there are usually fewer likes and comments than I get on mine. In a few cases, I knew because I had some contact with the people who wrote them. But in all cases, they were newsletters that I liked to read myself. I did recommend one large Substack, so it wasn't a hard and fast rule. In a few cases, newsletters that were smaller than me have overtaken me, or I suspect that they have.
Got it! There is a lot of mystery in all of it, isn't there? :)
Exactly 🔥🔥🔥❤️
Envirinmental issues are of interest to my publication which is also about economic and social issues. I started a section called Society of Correspondence after a 18th century snail mail subscription newsletter started by the English working calss in London,. I was hoping to get guest writers but so far no takers. My newsletter is the Individual vs the Empire.
It can take time to find the right people to connect with. One thing that helped me was searching for other Substack writers in my local area. I literally typed New Zealand on Substack's discover page and then wrote to the people whose newsletters were interesting, just to connect with them.
I'll try typing Maine. There is are huge issues happening in my backyard and I have gained a lot of local followers for writing about it but I can't find others to do the same- but maybe Maine would work.
One of my favorite ways to connect with other writers are these office hours! It’s like the substack writer’s water cooler.
ha ha same here!
Same!
Me too, but I'm in Australia, which means if I wanna be here live I have to get up at 5am! I have managed it a few times.
Bummer!! But the good news is I can still get notifications about your comments. So even if you aren’t with us during the actual office hours we can still hang out and connect days/ hours later!!
I do appreciate that about the current set up!
Hi Sophia - https://fictionistas.substack.com/ is a very supportive, welcoming group of writers. Check them out.
Thank you Julie! I’ve seen fictionistas on Substack before and can’t wait to catch up on your posts
Thank you, Sophia! Hope you enjoy them.
Fictionistas is very helpful. They have monthly Zoom meetings which you might be interested in.
Hi Julie!
Thank you. Good to know.
Writers might try subscribing to newsletters that address the same audiences as theirs do. Take as many free subscriptions as you can that let you comment as a free subscriber. Skip those that only allow comments by paid subscribers.
Then post intelligent, relevant comments on posts that interest you. Help your competitors show readers how they can interact with writers. When you get comments, reply with thoughtful comments and keep the conversations going as long as commenters stay involved.
Comments can be more interesting and important than the writers' opening posts. That is what writers should want. The goal is to create communities that are interested in your writing and your issues.
Nine times out of ten, I learn as much or more from comments beneath a mainstream news piece than I do from the headline article. I think this is good advice!
This is such great advice! Thank you. I definitely haven’t been as active through comments as I could be and agree it can be a great place to discuss and expand on ideas
Hi Sophia, my Substack page, Writer Everlasting, is a writers' salon and a safe place to ask questions and air fears and successes. We're a friendly group, always welcoming newcomers.
Feel free to take a look and if you like what you see, by all means, join in!
(Click on the link next to my avatar above. Thanks.)
Hi Ramona! That’s sounds like such a great space and exactly what I’ve been looking for. Excited to subscribe!
Fabulous! I just subbed.
Hi Sophia! I find that just participating in these Office Hours really helps! Comment on other people's Substacks too. It's a little old school that way, but it helps. There's also a Substack Writers Discord and Twitter group, if you want to join those.
There's a Reddit (I know......shudder......) Substack page, also: https://www.reddit.com/r/substackpostmedium/
Ooohhh... I didn't know about that. Thanks so much!
I've actually gotten a couple of site compliments from what I'm guessing are subreddit 'Stack admins! Every time I open an e-mail telling me someone commented to me on Reddit, I prepare for the worst, and usually get it from the knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathers who typically inhabit that swampy blog bog! But, we'll be safe there, on the 'Stack sub!
Lol. Fingers crossed!
Thanks, Brad. I meant to ask you about that.
Here's an invite to the Discord: https://discord.gg/afNk4avu
Thanks, Valorie
Thank you Valorie and Brad! I’ll be sure to check these out :)
Is anyone here on the Facebook Substack Writers group? I've dipped my toes in there a bit, but with the exception of a few posts, it seems to be mostly populated with recent newsletter shares but without much engagement from group members.
I haven't logged into Facebook in years. No idea there was a Substack writer's group there!
I didn't know that existed either! I don't frequent facey much these day, but will check it out. Thanks for sharing!
I was inspired by the Iowa Writers Collaborative (https://iowawriters.substack.com/) to reach out to a few likeminded writers about organizing our own group. Still in the talking stages, but feels promising. As others have said, the first step is to engage with content by writers you admire and see where those conversations go. I think community is hard to build for a reason: if it's real, it will take a little time.
So, what I did was search for other people writing about books on substack (simple google search) and then emailed them.
More here: https://on.substack.com/p/grow-series-6
I'm assuming that proved successful for you? I love the name of your publication by the way!
Congrats on growing your publication! This seems like a solid method I’ll have to try out. Im also excited to check out your book recommendations!
Hi Sophia! I'm happy to look at your publication, and potentially recommend it, as I've just finished a memoir!
I will look at both of your publications! I too wrote a memoir that published at the end of 2021.
I'd love to learn about your memoir as well. Please send along info for me! You can email me at info@sueferrera.com, or just comment here. 💟
Thanks Maura! I really appreciate your interest and willingness to help
Hi Sophia! Welcome
Hi Sophia, Office hours is a great place to meet people.
Thanks Sue!
Hi, Sophia. Just connected with you on Instagram. Please follow up. Happy to share ideas with you.
Thank you!
Not specifically writers but Zoom Networking ? During the Pandemic ( and already before ) I went into virtual networking meetings and obviously the number of virtual meetings increased massively during the Pandemic. A lot of these were physical networking meetings that just went virtual out of necessity. Some stayed pretty local but some went global. Go Connections is one that went global over time and is a network of networks with networks from all over the world. A mix of people from different industries and some meetings actually provide a contact list. Others put their details in the chat. Link here https://goconnections.net?aff=200
Hi Katie, I added a suggestion above before I saw your comment. My suggestion is that a user/reader be able to set the theme that *other* stacks are displayed in. Some people (like me) can't read a dark theme; others can't read on a light theme. If we could override the theme set by the stack author, it would open up more possibilities. I've run into several stacks I'd like to check out, but I can't due to the theme.
Great feedback on web! Whenever you read in the app, you are in control of the view as Meg mentioned. So that might be a good place to read for now?
I prefer the black background! It's easier on my eyes :)
This is an interesting suggestion! I like setting the background on my kindle. However, some of my site graphics have transparent backgrounds that would be incompatible with different backgrounds. They would render aspects of my page invisible and defeat a lot of my design aesthetics (such as they are). I guess that's a small price to pay for accommodating the needs of readers. I wonder if making the text size manually adjustable would be a useful compromise, or is the background the real concern?
On a separate note, white on black text is very tricky to pull off and is used very sparingly in print. I know "night mode" is more common in digital, but the font still has to be weighty, crisp, and spaced adequately because dark backgrounds tend to close in around white text, making it appear thinner and lighter than normal. The font options supplied by Substack are pretty good, but the font used for comments is not able to hold up to black backgrounds as well, and is especially hard to read. Is that maybe something that can be tweaked?
For me anyway, it's much easier on the computer (web browser) because (a) it's a very large screen and (b) it's way easier to follow someone's name to their stack and the stacks they read, etc. For items that are already in my inbox/app I get it. But I'm exploring stacks outside of my subs, etc. and would be great to be able to set the theme to something that works best for the user.
Agree! White font on black background is a particular challenge. Victor, I have discovered that if I read those posts either in email or on the app (rather than in a browser) it overrides the theme. For visually challenging posts, I save them to my library and then read them in the app. Easier on the eyes. 🙂
Yes, that's an option. Still, I prefer the web application because I have a giant screen on my computer. The app is pretty nice too, but the screen is way smaller.
Also, I'm talking about posts that aren't in email. I sometimes come across a stack I'd like to read to see what I think and maybe subscribe, but I can't get past the dark theme. :(
Good to know! I've chosen neither dark nor white... but never consciously thought about it--thank you!
Just stay away from plaid as a background. That's a mistake you only make once! Signed, One Who Knows........
Funny!
I like the tan, sort of parchment color for th background color. I was sent an email that made a background of a photo I uploaded, but do not know how to use it or similar images
I much prefer black-on-white - I too find dark backgrounds with white text very difficult to read. Thanks so much for this tip, Meg!
I like the tan, sort of parchment color for th background color. I was sent an email that made a background of a photo I uploaded, but do not know how to use it or similar images
Hi meg,i agree about the font colours,i only have one eye and it gets tired after two thousand words,i write farming stories,and romantic novels,but scared of the out side world,retiered farmer,Nigel
❤️❤️🫰
Subscribers can always "choose" to read black on white background, because there is no other choice via e-mail. For my subbies who prefer white on black, they know to click over to my website page. As for "outsiders" who may read me (from, say, my links on social media), and hate white on black, I say, "Feel free to subscribe, and you're then able to read my articles solely black on white."
👍👍🙏
Oh, that is a very interesting suggestion. Never thought about that. I don't have a dark theme, but I can imagine both can be challenging. Would be indeed a great step towards better accessibility.
I prefer black text on white as well. People who use color as their backgrounds with white text makes my eyes go crazy. Those I read in my email where it is the usual white background. Then if I want to comment, I do it in a hurry so my eyes don't go bad when I view it on my browser.
That is a very good suggestion. Although I prefer to read black text (at min 16pt) on my desktop/laptop I prefer darker backgrounds when on my phone (as long as the text is large enough and people don't try to get fancy with text). There was a writer that would put a light-ish colored background with medium gray colored text and it was impossible to read without getting a headache. Too much fussing. It's unfortunate because her articles were great.
Yes, I agree. My old eyes can't tolerate the dark themes and I don't go there, no matter how intriguing the subject matter. On the other hand, I wonder how many are turned off by my light theme and do the same? Giving us a choice would be great!
Reading a lot of the comments, it might be useful to have “verticals” to help people get discovered. Those who are already well-known have built-in fan bases, esp in the political sphere. I know I categorized my Substack when I started (poorly, as I cover a lot of topics with the singular goal of “let’s feel better together”), but I haven’t yet tripped across where those categories are featured or promoted. Thanks for pointing me there!
We hosted a Category Tour last year! Maybe we should bring it back? https://on.substack.com/p/category-tour
Yes, please! I write about being vegan, which isn't all that popular I think, but it's part of a much bigger picture: caring for the environment, caring for other creatures, caring about one's health, to name but a few. What categories fit best?
This is great! Thanks Katie. Do you have suggestions for how to figure out what categories your newsletter fits in? I'd love help with that :)
Oh, yes! Love this idea. Thank you, Katie.
YESSS! That's so fun!!
Oooh yeah, this was fun!
Hello Katie! I have started paid subscription last Sunday. My topic is quality investing ideas.
I had almost 10k free subscribers, 50-60% open rate and the price will be 144€/year, with an offer the first 15 days of 120€.
I have got just 45 paid subscribers…and following your metrics I should get 5-10%…Am I doing something wrong? I should wait? I send an email to my free subscribers to refresh and remind the offer.
Thanks
I've been running paid subscriptions since I first started in August and just this week I hit 10% . I think it takes a little time to build that need in your readers. I don't know how much you give away for free, but I started out giving away a lot, just to build up my free list. However, in 2023 I'll scale back on the free posts and up my paid posts to help convert more readers to the paid side. I think patience and consistency are the keys with all of this. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon.
Patience and consistency. It's not sexy advice, but it's the best advice.
My numbers always make fellow 'Stackers feel better about themselves, Jen: I've been on 'Stack since August '21. I now have 275 subbies, the vast majority are free. I have about 5 paids (2 annual, 3 recurring monthlies), with about 10 comps. There's somebody on here who repeatedly whines about having 24,000 subscriptions, but not enough, he/she/they/it/we/us complain incessantly, paid.😭We'll pause for a moment of solemn silence and sorrow for this person's sad plight.
I'm sure my numbers have now placed a wide grin on your face, and I'm willing to bet your subby numbers are, at least, twice what mine are, and you've been on the 'Stack 4 months, far shorter than my 1 year, 4 months! Congratulations, and keep on keepin' on, Jen!
Hi Brad, thanks for sharing your numbers. I think it's great you have 275 subbies! And 5 paid is 5 paid. Good for you! I find the whole conflict of valuing my work vs accessibility an ongoing thought exercise. I have only been here just under 3 months, my topic is controversial and not dinner-party approved (but touches on real issues many struggle with and are too ashamed to discuss). One day I will go paid and find that sweet balance we all seem to yearn for.
Thanks, Faith! I think it took me about a month to stop agonizing about paid/not paid, and teeth-gnashing about "enough," "why not more," blah blah. That's why I share my numbers so freely (while many 'Stackers don't'/won't---how could THERE'S be any tinier than mine?!?)---for the sheer punch-line value!
I should add that while, I suppose, my numbers could/should be well over 300, I've done a couple bouts of winnowing my sub list during the past year. If someone hasn't opened or obviously read an article in 4-6 months, I'll delete their e-mail from my list. If they've not read an article in that long, they certainly won't miss seeing future ones pop into their inbox.
For fellow 'Stackers constantly whining about hundredths of percentage points of their total subs should be paid by this date and time...I just don't want to expend the energy quite that pointlessly. I do what I do (thankfully, that would be writing), and let the far more OCD than I among us wring their hands in fuming consternation! Maybe that's a healthier way to wake up and get the blood pumping than drinking coffee!!
It sounds like you've struck a helpful balance between assessing your numbers and whittling those away that aren't a fit and not fretting about what grows when and where. I have many less than you. I think we just have to make peace with our personal missions, whatever that is, and set our own goals. And many times what we think are goals we have control over - for example, I'll add 100 subscribers in the next 3 months - is not really under our control.
Oddly enough, my latest new year's post addresses this very thing - what we have control over in our goals and what we don't (and it's not what you might think). My piece is called "New Me, New You? No, thank you"
https://faithcbergevin.substack.com/p/new-me-new-you-no-thank-you
Thanks for the reply. I like your idea of winnowing the list. I definitely have some deadwood that I should cut. If nothing else, it would make my open rate look spectacular. Haha!
BINGO, Jen. It’s about nurturing community over time. Patience and consistency, yes!
Honestly, I know so many folk who are doing legitimately well and *aren't* getting into the 5-10% bracket for paid subs. It varies so much! (Especially according to topic - the business/finance-oriented folk generally seem to do better than everyone else here, I think? But also, as other folk are pointing out in other comments, you've only just started!)
The much more important thing is getting those paid subs up to the point it's properly useful income. If that means building a bigger free list than other people, not a problem! So I'd see a lower conversion % as an opportunity to look for a way to improve it a bit (which is true for any %, really), but definitely NOT a handicap or a sign you're doing something wrong.
(Personal example: my free list is 13,500 and I'm converting around 2.5% of it. That's giving me enough to hit my targets right now.)
I have two Substacks and only one of them is even at the 5% paid subscriber mark. I would love to have more but closing off parts of my pages is just not in my nature, and, frankly, goes against what I preach at Writer Everlasting--that we're open and welcoming to everyone.
I guess I understand (though not really) why people would want to incentivize paying subscribers by shutting them out of much of what they do, but as a potential subscriber, it turns me off. I do pay for some of them, but I'll be honest--I don't feel good about the fact that others can't be privy to what I'm seeing.
We each have to make our own decisions about what is best for us. Just throwing this out as an alternative thought.
I don't like shutting people off from my work. Not one bit. But here's the thing: The whole point of Substack was supposed to be get professionals paid. One reason so few voices are platformed anywhere today is that journalists must put enormous amounts of work into what they do. Most of their time isn't spent writing, but researching. But paying jobs for writers have been in steep decline for years. I can assure you that when I paywall, it isn't greed. I work full time on my Substack for 11 months of the year, I have four thousand readers, and I think it's not unreasonable to expect far more than do to at least chip in. As a missionary for history, if I could keep things sustainable by posting everything for free, I would. But it doesn't work. I know. I've tried. And it's not fair on my paying subscribers not to give them something in return for their support. The work I do requires funding: That's where the money goes, to support the work. I don't know what I owe those regular readers who won't even chuck a couple of bucks into a Buy Me A Coffee fund, and yet are happy to pay high subs to wealthy celebs. Do you?
As usual Annette, you're right on target!
100%. Trust me, I don't love "shutting" people out and I want every word I write to be read by as many people as possible. But human nature is human nature -- if we can get everything for free, well, then we're a lot less likely to pay for it.
And I love what you say about the point of Substack is seeing writers paid for writing.
I just launch paid tiers this week and I grappled with the concept of a paywall quite a bit. Ultimately I considered my own behavior: when I see a paywall and want to know what's behind the curtain, I pony up. Others will too.
Hear hear!
I have to admit to being a little bummed when I see someone willing to pay for a Name Writer, who's had a high-profile career while someone took care of his (or her!) children... and people will pay for that but not my little corner, from which they can gain one-on-one care and knowledge of the real-day ins-and-outs of working writing. I can actually speak to what it is to eke a writing career out of life, out of raising kids, taking care of home, and how to live on little to make it all--the mythical "all"--happen.
Oooo...that sounds whiney, and I don't intend that. But it would be amazing if maybe the pay-scale was a bit different and there was more incentive to go with mid-tier folks... dare I say.
I cannot say too many times: some of us are here to earn a living.
Your comment struck a little chord here in the Bay Area, Alison - the wild rainstorm of the past 2 days meant schools were closed and suddenly I was parenting instead of joining this Office Hours - just catching up now. The juggle...
Sounds like you are off to a good start with 45 paid subscribers already — especially since you just opened it up.
Just include a clear call-to-action and explanation of benefits every time you post a free newsletter. With an audience base of that size, paid subs will surely trickle in.
The ability to send free previews is helpful, as you can begin to show free readers what they are missing.
I do think people who are used to getting "free" can take awhile to get on board, too. 45 really is an excellent start... but I'm with you on wondering "why not more?"
FYI, been here since April '21, went paid 6 weeks later, now at 2000 subs, with almost 120 paid. DIFFERENT content, but just sharing...
Thanks Alison! Your experience is really motivating!☺️
Agree. It is always wise to test the waters and change what is not working well for you. Different content may be the answer. My struggle is narrowing down the ONE key genre/tool offering to others.
Your post has encouraged me to start sharing shorthand tips for others, which can save anyone an abundance of time. Thank you for the reminder of offering different content.
We are all underdogs and we can do this!
I've had this "problem" too, but I think I know at least part of the reason why: I need to give my readers a clear reason to buy in. For me, that's the scary part. What writing should I put behind the paywall vs. leave free as advertising? There's a hesitancy to put stuff behind the paywall because I fear that will just mean it's left unread. But I know I have to take the plunge in order to convince people to upgrade to paid.
One reason for them to upgrade to paid is - they just want to see you create the stuff you're doing! This is proven by the Substacks that have a paid version but *don't* put anything behind a paywall - like Sari Botton's https://oldster.substack.com/ (which has a really great conversion rate too!)...
So I'd say: never be afraid of just making a hand-on-heart emotional appeal to your audience and say "you're helping me make this thing" (after you've clearly defined what "this thing" is). You might be surprised at the number of folk who don't want more of your work - they just want to help you keeping making what you're currently making.
Yes to this! I don’t like the pandering aspect nor the begging for subscribers and there are those who do want to support us. OTOH, I did get another idea here for a monthly gift to paid subscribers so I’m going to add that. For me, it’s all in the energy. I gave a special price (annual and lifetime savings) on my birthday as I am very new to Substack, and it did indeed convert. For me, it was a thank you gift to those early readers who took a chance, but mostly I want a community that is not divided by a paywall. “Opt-in” remains a powerful force in humanity vs FOMO.
Yup! Every now and then we remind people that we need their support if we're going to keep doing this. I don't think it has a huge impact because there are a lot of folks out there understandably saying the same things. But I don't think it hurts either.
I've been gearing up (mentally) to introduce a paid option primarily for this reason. Relative to some, I have a small group of subscribers, but there may be a few who feel capable of and are willing to invest in that like they might another form of art or entertainment. But, if I put anything behind the paywall, it won't be my primary content. And, making time to create *additional* content that goes out only to paying subscribers is something I haven't figure out how to do yet!
This works if you already have a strong base of free subscribers, but it's hard to do if you don't. That's been my experience anyway. I've made the emotional plea already, but no dice. Want to take a quick look and offer some advice???
I'm not sure what constitutes a strong base of subscribers. And I will say that it is the least effective of appeals for us. We've done much better offering discounts.
My most effective appeal is "I know where you live, and if you don't upgrade to paid, I'll send the boys round."
That said, I also lost 90% of my free list when I sent that one out.
But those remaining 10% are REALLY on board, let me tell you.
I'll have a look in a bit! (My advice might be terrible, though...)
That checkmark says otherwise…😉
Yup. As writers we want our stuff read and shared. But as a business, you have to incentivize them to want to subscribe. At first it was hard to put stuff behind a paywall. Now it's just part of what we do.
I do not like paywalls on the main stream publications, but have at times paid, to gain access to an article by a "paid journalist". Many have a 5 or 10 article free paywall. Does SubStack provide that?
I don't understand the asterisks around "paid journalist." Do you object to paying for articles you read? Do you object to paying for meals or movies?
As for Substacks providing free a paywall, it's up to every Substack writer to decide which of their newsletters is behind their paywall, if they have one at all.
I have no objection to a journalist being "paid", I maybe should have said "salaried Journalist", as compared to "subscription Journalist". Does that clarify for you? My question is there a "count-down" free paywall on Substack?
Same, nearly 24k free subscribers, very little conversion to paid.
I don't think it's very useful to compare your conversion rate or your number of paid subscribers to what others have. Different content, different writer personality, perceived value of the type of information/expression offered will all skew people's willingness to subscribe, one way or the others.
On the other hand, I think it's helpful to see what other Substack authors do to encourage paid subscriptions and to try some of those ideas to see if they work for you.
45 right out of the gate is a great start. I may be mistaken, but I believe they rounded that 5-10% expectation down to 3-5 %? That’s the mark most of the people I talk to are hitting.
FWIW, we're at an 8% conversion rate after about a year and a half of paid. And I will say that your price is one of the highest subscription rates I've seen. That's going to definitely limit you numbers.
This seems like a huge number for your first week! Give it time. After a couple weeks of seeing free previews, they will upgrade:)
I would love to see more expansive categories - like entertainment, tv & film, memoir, creative process, personal essay, observational, life in general/human experience.... obviously, these would be perfect for Outsourced Optimism, but I notice a lot of substacks I read (and love) also fall into these categories and don't fall under the existing buckets.
Hi Tami, happy new year! I shared this above but the ongoing tension with categories is that there are never enough cover all the nuance of writing that writers do and if we spotlight too many, we will overwhelm readers looking to find great writing. We're keeping an eye on categories bubbling up and will continue to update categories when the time is right.
Happy New Year, Katie! I literally just saw that thread and was commenting when you commented. I always appreciate how receptive and proactive the Substack team is to feedback and adjustments. I can also understand that tension, though it does seem like some big common categories are missing that could hold a lot of the more niche nuance.
i.e. Personal Growth/ Healing (which feels very different than what you'd expect to find under health & wellness).
There's a Music category, but no TV& Film or Entertainment (which could hold something like Outsourced Optimism- which is part memoir/ part tv&film reflection/review- but I image will also be really relevant as the video beta grows)
My substack is similarly observational/personal creativity based. I write You Are Here
https://jodiemeynwrites.substack.com/.
Hi Katie!
I'm wondering if you would consider expanding the topics to include some sort of self-help, psychology, human experience section?
My substack is on grief, loss, and healing and I don't really know which of your existing categories I fall into!
Thanks so much!
Hi Sue, we are continuing to monitor other categories of writing bubbling up on Substack. Do you think that your work might fit somewhere in Faith & Spirituality or Health & Wellness, two of our existing categories?
The ongoing tension with categories is that there are never enough cover all the nuance of writing that writers do and if we spotlight too many, we will overwhelm readers looking to find great writing.
Well I'll throw my vote in for adding one on Personal Growth! Because no, neither Faith & Spirituality nor Health & Wellness really fit. Totally understand your conundrum though!
Agreed!
I have an issue with Faith - it is often the opposite of Spirituality. So while my writing fits in Spirituality, it is the antithesis of faith and religion so having that word in the category, and especially first in the category, is a non-starter for me. And yes, I hear you on the word challenges, Katie. That’s why I like something like self-improvement as it’s very neutral and can cover all kinds of topics. LOL, I also love Consciousness.
I have the same feeling.
Also think having a Self Help/Personal Growth would be a really good category to have, and trawl through to find Substacks. It's such a huge area in itself in literature too!
True dat! The more I think about it, the more this whole “categories” thing can use updating. All the platforms default to the same ideas and none of them allow for people who are “generalists” either. People who write about all sorts of au courant topics vs the specialists.
1 more vote for personal development/personal growth!
And a question to go along with that...
I would love to understand how to search works. Because though grief is a part of my tagline, when I search grief, my substack does not come up. I scrolled far enough down that 95% of the substacks in the search results had nothing to do with grief.
How do I help myself rank for search keywords?
"Grief" is a popular keyword but if you search something more specific to your publication, like the publication title or your name, you will see your publication appear.
I hear that... But then how can I use my keywords to help get discovered? How can I help people who are looking for a substack like mine actually find mine?
Whoo, boy, this doesn’t sound great. Thanks for posting it so they can look into it.
Hi Sue,
I have the same issue. My substack is on healing too, although mine is focused on recovery from trauma and ipv. I am in the health and wellness category but it is not a great fit.
Hmmm, maybe Healing is more inclusive than Health and Fitness. I used to be in that field and it conjures up images of people exercising. Healing is so much bigger and can include health and fitness along with grief, etc. It’s like our language is trying to evolve along with us. Healing can be mind, body, and soul, where Health and Fitness is somewhat “owned” by the body right now. 🤷♀️
I agree, Roxanne. Healing does seem to encompass more as opposed to fitness and food. Sometimes I want to just switch to Philosophy but that feels like it wouldn't reach who might actually be into what I'm writing. I do use the Culture category since we get to choose two and I am addressing cultural issues.
Yep! I defaulted to Culture and Philosophy AND they don’t do the job for me… If people are interested in those topics and come to my Substack, I imagine they will leave…
Now that we’re talking about this, it’s as if somebody at the early platforms set these very generic, mainstream topics without really understanding the gist of it all and Substack could really take the lead on establishing a whole new mindset for categorizing content. I’m hopeful they take this on and maybe even have a short-term advisory group to assist. I am available as words have so much power! Writers understand this.
Yes. words do have so much power! I think this platform is simply evolving and you never know what people will write until us writers get on here and get going. Somehow things evolve and hopefully we can find the right wave to help us along, so we are not washed under (I went for a walk by the ocean today so I guess we're having a water-themed metaphor!)
Hi Sue, I would like to know if there is a perfect category for those who cross into many fields. I could be in the self-help, psychology, or human experience category. Still, many other areas pop up in my writings, as occurred in my professional career, where I ended up calling my work holistic or integrative. The answer might be in the evolution of your articles and themes. I came up with a new category for myself—Idiot. As I fell into a scam and almost lost my bank account. See my article on my Mind Wise: https://www.inmindwise.com/p/a-criminal-syndicate-scammed-me-with
Just placing a vote for "Healing" and I also feel like Wellbeing is more inclusive of both health / wellness and personal growth / healing. My Substack is about my cancer journey, but as it is a look back for insights versus a current journey, it's much more aligned with the idea of personal growth and healing. The vast majority of my readers are not cancer patients but not sure there is a better categorization.
Non-denominational, personal growth perhaps, spirituality is not faith and yada yada. 🤓
Just posted something similar in this feed! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one.
Hello, Katie and Substackers,
In less than a month, my new site Chasing Nature has become a “Substack Bestseller” and cracked the top 20 in the paid “Climate & Environment” category (which has been tremendously gratifying). Beyond recommendations and collaboration with other writers, I’m wondering how posts might get noticed or selected for “Staff Picks” and what it takes to become a "Featured" site, or whether you might suggest other ways to be found by readers on the network Thanks!
Hi Bryan, congrats on a great first month and becoming a bestseller! Our team is always keeping an eye on what's happening across Substack. We aim to feature writers on our homepage who are going deep into a clear topic and exemplify best practices, like posting regularly and engaging with readers. I just flagged their publication with them in case they missed it.
Got it. Thanks!
❤️❤️❤️ Congratulations!!!
Just to say Hi from UK ... Happy New Year of course ... signed up a while ago .. just doing some work on my Substack this month..
Happy new year, Chris!
Happy New Year, Chris! 🥂
Happy new year!
I need help gaining more subscibers
I get subscribers by posting my article links on Twitter, Facebook, Minds, and Truth Social.
I just read about Mastodon as an alternative to Twitter. Has anyone tried it?
I am on it .. got bored quickly ,, but then I do ;-)
I'll support you if you are willing to support me. Just click on my name and you can find my stacks there
I don't have any of those.
All the big accounts on Substack, it seems to me, promote themselves through social media.
Facebook has worked best for us.
Share your Substack posts on your social media channels.
Exactly Jen.
Not a specific answer to your question but might do a follow up to this ... https://chriswindley.substack.com/p/the-digital-sales-funnel-from-back .... substitute web/blog for substack .. comments and thoughts welcomed ..
That's all for paid. And It dosen't help me. I don't have a phone so I can't set up stripe. And I don't have any social media.
Hi Arianna - Let me assure you that it is NOT for paid. What I mean is that I don't pay for any post promotion. The Social Media accounts are free. I also do NOT pay to rank in search. I use Wordpress blogs to do that. ( I am not sure about SEO with Substack yet as have to learn about it ) Noted that you cant't set up Stripe and do not have a phone. Thinking about this.
I am consistant and How do I join office hours?
You're on it!! :D
So how do I get subscribers on office hours?
THis is a helpful resource on finding your first readers https://on.substack.com/p/grow-4
People will check out your newsletter when conversing with you, and vice versa.
I haven’t toyed around with the cross-post system yet, but i would love to engage with other writers’ work more. Perhaps that feature offers just that. In terms of responding to others’ writing, using it as a starting off point etc.
I've cross-posted one article and have considered doing more. My fear is overwhelming readers with too many emails. I'm trying to be very judicious.
For the one I did cross-post the open rate was typical and the writer was very grateful.
I've used cross-post and the other writers I've cross-posted appreciate it. I wish more would do the same for my posts:)
Hi Katie:
I write https://littlenuggets.substack.com/ and had a couple questions for you.
First, I do have a full-time job, and, as part of an agreement with my full-time job, can't yet accept money for my Substack. I was wondering if there was a way I could wall off posts and require people to sign up via e-mail before viewing, though? That way I can still distinguish some posts from others, and the intrigue will help grow my subscription base. I could have sworn Substack featured a writer who did that (Category Pirates, maybe?), but I can't find how to do it.
Second, I have one reader who forwards out the articles but keeps getting unsubscribed by one of the people he forwards to (though he doesn't know which one). Any workarounds here?
Your first question is a definitely yes. When you're doing the settings for each individual post (the same screen as scheduling in advance, etc), there's an option that says "Free subscribe required to read full post." Check that box, and it should turn on.
Hrmm, I am not seeing that box. Maybe I need to go back into the overall settings
We are currently testing a feature like Valorie mentioned where you could require a reader to free subscribe before they read the full post. It's not done just yet!
What does happen though is if a new reader lands on your post, as they scroll, a pop will appear for them to subscribe.
PLEASE PLEASE make that disabled by default. We don't need another closed system like Facebook (must login), Instagram (must login to continue), LinkedIn (must login to continue)
Better yet, don't implement it at all. The internet if full of closed communities. Try something different.
This is one of the main reasons I left Medium, the "must have an account" to continue reading. Substack - at first anyway - seemed willing to buck the system. This is not a productive direction. I could be trying to decide if I want to sub by reading various posts only to run into this "sub or stop reading" stuff. It's a bad idea. PLEASE rethink this.
I agree it should be disabled by default, but this could be a very useful setting for some. I write serialized fiction with another author on the Armchair Alien substack - some paid, some free. It would be great to be able to add a free to subscribers option into the mix.
Great - this is a feature that would be very useful for me, because I could still distinguish my content and use that to generate subscribers. Thank you for listening to my feedback.
Oh, am I in a beta and forgot about it? 😅 It's a great feature, love it!
You are awesome!
On last point, is anyone else having issues with the G-Mail promotions folder? I've done everything I can to message out how to work around it, but its still kicking my butt. Thoughts?
Encourage your readers to drag your posts to their main inbox. Including this disclaimer in the welcome email is helpful.
Thank you, Katie! Do you know if the Substack team is working with Google directly on this at all? I've done this, but it only goes so far. Thank you for your response, though.
Our systems team is continuing to keep this a top priority for their work.
Hi Tully, fellow substack writer who also has a full-time job that does not permit outside income. You said you're trained in law--are you a lawyer too? Curious to find more of us around here!
Hi Julia! Look at us in the same boat (or vessel!!). I am, I went to Texas Law and figured this would be a good outlet to explore whether this path has any long-term legs. How about you?
Oh cool! I work at a public defender agency doing appeals and love it, but want to foster my fiction and creative non-fiction writing too. The newsletter has been super fun and motivating so far--it has seemingly replaced my writing group that I had to leave when I moved a few years ago. It's nice to remember that I can always make time for writing, no matter what other responsibilities I have. Glad to see you here!
Good to see you, too! I look forward to reading your stuff and learning from you. I will keep in touch!
Hi Katie! I'm wondering if it's possible to have two substack publications -- one that is attached to my name and one that is anonymous? Would I need to sign up for two accounts with two diff email addresses? Thanks!
Hi AIleen, if you'd like to have a different writer profile for each of the publications, you would need to set up two different accounts with different email addresses.
Yep.
I have two publications and will likely be kicking off a third and I would love to have them not all attached to my account.
Hi Linda, nice to cross paths with you again. I solved the multiple publications/personality issue by using different browsers as well as different email addresses for my two different Substack accounts.
So I can be in a Chrome browser session with my gmail address- linked account and a Microsoft Edge browser session for a different account. That way my dashboard is always accessible without logging in and out.
Hey Linda! I'm starting a second in stealth (just while I work out the tone of voice etc) and I've been able to switch it off from being visible in my bio if you have a look in settings. I can try and fish it out if you're stuck!
Hi there! I launched a Substack at the end of 2022 and am quite excited to grow my audience. I was wondering- how useful is it to tag the people you want to be reading your blog on social media sites after you've published something. IOW, suppose I wanted Jane Doe to be a reader. How helpful of a strategy is it to publish my piece on Twitter and tag Jane with something like "I think you might enjoy this!"
Thanks!
I think thoughtful outreach always adds up! Adding some context on why you think they might like to read your post can make it feel less spammy.
Elizabeth Held has been really thoughtful with outreach in this way https://on.substack.com/p/grow-series-6
Thanks Katie!
I'm not sure I would appreciate what you just described if I were your Jane Doe. Far better to post a specific reason why you think Jane Doe would find it relevant to her - as specific as possible.
I have to agree. If I didn't know someone, or had never interacted with them online before, and they suddenly tagged me with "read this," I would ignore it.
I get several emails a week asking me to post their content on my blog. But first, I don't have a blog, and second, the content is always completely irrelevant to what I do write and post about. So, based on such experience, I would completely ignore a "read this" tweet.
Hi, Marcia. Great to see you here. I’ve enjoyed your work over the years.
Hi Diamond-Michael, Not sure where our paths crossed, but good to see you here as well. For the last 6 months I've been critiquing society's misconceptions about introverts on my Substack, Introvert UpThink. All best, Marcia
I've done this very thing on Instagram, Phillip. With success! And it's one of those things that can't hurt to try even if it doesn't pay off.
Is IOW = In Other Words?
Hi Katie, happy new year! I have a question. I notice many writers solicit a one time "tip" using venmo or some other form of payment. I think it's a great option for those people who don't want to subscribe to a yearly or monthly payment. Is there any plan to add a one-time payment to the options we can offer our readers?
Hi Sue, we feel strongly about the power of the subscription model to offer writers sustainable, ongoing payment relationships with readers. That being said, our teams have thought about other payment methods and taken note that some writers choose to create tip jars off platform.
I like the idea of Substack staying fully with the subscription model!
The stats on substack users and views could be improved.
I wonder, is it possible to connect Google analytics to your substack?
Thanks
Yes, use Google Search Console
https://search.google.com/search-console/about
I wrote an article about how to optimize for SEO while writing your posts - free and easy: StackHacks - 6 Steps for More SubStack Subscribers with SEO for 2022 (https://pau1.substack.com/p/6-steps-for-more-substack-subscribers)
Yes, I would love to see work in 2023 that improves stats for both newsletters and podcasts.
Hello Katie,
I am somewhat confused about my present status on Substack.
Apparently I now have a Substack newsletter of my own but there appears to be too many instructions in the set up procedure for me to follow.
I did post something about my plight but found out after posting that I was on a chat page with other substackers!
All I want to do is start writing my newsletter but I am now lost. My apologies for being such a nit.
Can you help me?
If I can just start writing and get that clear in my head, then I will be quite happy to do any edits im the settings which will be useful for any possible future subscribers.
At present it all feels a bit like Linkedin which I have an aversion to.
HELP!!
Hi Dan! Have you gone into your Dashboard? I was so confused at first. I started by writing my About Page. If you look around you will see under "Create" where it says New Post. Click on that and see if you can figure it out. It took me awhile.:) I wanted to use the Magazine layout which I think looks best if you're someone who cares about pictures (I do!) but it only has the random look after you write enough posts.
I may be just confusing you more and not answering your question at all. LMK if I can be of more help. I wish there was a Substack email to reach out to. Perhaps there is but I can't find it. Good luck! Barbara
Thank you Barbara.
It’s good to know that I am not completely dumb.
I will have another go with the dashboard.
You are not dumb! Once you figure out the first post it is so easy. Those Settings are confusing.
I had the same problem too. I do not know what to do.
Najwa - see my comment to Dan above and LMK if I can help! L)
Great to see everyone returning to Office Hours today, old faces and some new ones too! Our team is signing off but we encourage you to keep the conversation going. We'll be back next week to help answer your questions.
See you then,
Katie, Bailey and Ben
Hi everyone! This is something I wrote in a previous Office Hours but I thought I'd bring it forward because, hooray for a new year and also because January is a bit of a brutal time if you're a writer, I think? (I've never known a late January and February that didn't feel like it was all uphill...)
So - regarding the topic of growing your publication and staying proud of yourself for the good work you're doing (and you SHOULD be proud of), this post by Katie Hawkins-Gaar from last year may be exactly what you need:
https://mysweetdumbbrain.substack.com/p/am-i-selling-outor-selling-myself
Especially this bit:
"The more I’ve witnessed other people pour time, energy, strategy, and, yes, self-promotion into their work, the more I realize how much I’ve been short-changing myself. Although I’ve been losing paying newsletter subscribers, I continue to gain new readers. My ideas have value. My essays are worth reading. My work means something."
So if you're having a rough time with the usual occupational hazards of newslettering (especially comparing yourself to others, which is always a reliable way to feel terrible) - please keep going. Because your ideas have value, your words are worth reading (or hearing), and your work means something. And if you keep going, all those things will finally become clear to you, in a way they maybe kinda aren't right now. Your special magic is already working - it's just that you can't see its effect yet. *Keep going until you can see it.*
Ta.
Sage words as always :) I've just upgraded to your paid newsletter as it always brings me so much joy. Mornings have been pretty rough these last few weeks and so I love starting the day with some much needed exuberance - which your words bring to my inbox. Thanks Mike :)
I just subscribed to all of your publications Sarah to fuel my growing interest in herbalism. That’s a first for me. Excited to see what you have to share.
I did as well. I love nature and plants, worked as a landscaper for years, so I look forward to learning more about herbs! 💟
🙏I saw! Thank you so much, Sarah. Really means a lot. :)
(I promise to increase my newsletter's exuberance levels to 120% for the next couple of months, and then make up for it in the summer when the sun's shining and everyone just wants to go outside and nap instead of reading a newsletter.)
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks so much, Mike. I've always struggled with self-promotion, even though I do believe that my writing is good and people can relate to it. I haven't even quite reached 100 subscribers yet, but I'm trying.
I just subscribed. Keep going!
Thank you so much, Maura! I truly appreciate it.
Keep doing what you do, Israel! Slow but steady wins the race.
thank you!
Love this! Yes, keep going! Comparison is rough, but I continue to stay motivated by my own compulsion to write (so far 🤓).
❤️❤️🔥
Oh wow. Thank you for sharing this article--can't wait to read it fully. I'm already feeling all the things as my newsletter gets its first few reads/subscribers, and I know that I'll need some context and levelheaded reminders as time goes on. Your words had lots of value to me :)
How kind of you, Mike, to take the time to encourage those of us without the magical checkmark.
Well this hit me in the feels! Thanks so much for sharing
Happy new year, Mike. Wonderfully kind and generous of you to remind us all to stay sane. Have a great year!
This is indeed enlightening. Thanks, Mike!
Hi, Mike. Check out the book “Snow Leopard” by Category Pirates. It really speaks to your theme here.
Thanks for sharing this again. Just what was needed as I return to fretting about how to convert free subscribers to paid ones and what the hell shall I publish tomorrow!!!
Encouraging words!
I loved this - thank you for sharing!
Yes 🙌 ❤️❤️❤️🔥
Hello all! Happy Office Hours, and Happy 2023! Here's a little bit of encouragement from one small newsletter to all of you!
I posted a version of this message to my Instagram several days ago, and it seemed to really resonate with people there. So I thought, perhaps, it would be good to share it with all of you, too, because I think this message is especially key for creative people:
It's okay if January doesn't feel like "the new year" to you. The dead of winter (for us in the northern hemisphere) is the wrong time to focus on new things, new goals, new habits. In my opinion, the new year is the perfect time to plant the seeds of what will become your goals. You drop little nuggets of inspiration into the cold, dark soil of January and then you wait, watch, and wonder. Patience is required. Germination takes time. Don't rush. It's still winter! Nourish yourself.
And always remember: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! 🌿
I LOVE the dead of winter! :) I live in New Hampshire. It's bear country and I love to hibernate right along with them. :) That being said, I've been writing up a storm and don't understand why but I'm just going with it. 🐻
Me too Barbara. It’s a great adjunct to my morning “Wim Hof” cold showers. 😂❄️
Brrrrr! Good for you! I can stand about 10 seconds. Too much Vata here (Ayurveda.) :)
I heard this phrase the other day on the radio and I thought it would be perfect for this setting.
"Believe in Yourself".
If you are on Substack, you are a writer. Never let anyone say that you won't ever be a writer or say anything to demean you. If you have skeptics, don't listen to them. Be yourself. I'm having the time of my life writing on here!
You never know when your writing will help someone. Keep going! And write what you want in 2023!
Great advice. Not everyone is feeling dynamic at this time of year
There is something about the end of the year that accentuates stress is some people. I try to be mindful of that, and is why I wrote an article meant to help calm the mind:
Don’t Worry; Have A Happy New Year!
Another Way To Deal With Stress, According To The Movies
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/dont-worry-have-a-happy-new-year
+1
We in our little part of the world dealt with the end of year stress by watching La La Land - the part at the end where Emma Stone dreams of her "what if" alternate life was awesome...
Happy 2023 S.E.!
Love this. I’ve always treated fall/september as my new-year-new-beginnings.
I always love the seed metaphor. Thank you for reminding us!
Hi S.E. yes. How apropo. My New Year's piece is not about finding the new you, but about being really clear on who you are and what is stopping you from getting where you want to go (and it's not about doing more). It's called "New Me, New You? No, thank you"
https://faithcbergevin.substack.com/p/new-me-new-you-no-thank-you
Excellent thought! Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. And think: The days are getting longer already! Doesn't seem that way, but true.
I love this.
Hello S.E. Happy New Year!
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I'm feeling simultaneously inspired and discouraged as I'm having some of the best time writing my substack and then doing the soul crushing job of trying to have people read it that aren't my family 😓
Stick with it! I started my Substack with 15 subscribers (last August) who were friends and family. My audience is growing slowly, but I’m getting so much joy out of writing and meeting new people here in office hours.
Definitely a worthy pastime, substack has a wonderful feeling of community I haven't seen in any other similar platform!
omg I love your writing. Just subscribed!
I appreciate it a lot 🥹
Definitely. It can be discouraging but I have written SO much since starting my Substack. My subscribers list is slowly growing but hey, I started with ZERO! Definitely looking to connect with other writers, so feel free to check me out!
Tiffany, I just tried to find your Substack... which one is it? I love your tagline
https://midwestmagpie.substack.com
Looking forward to it once the children are in bed 😁🥰
#momlife
I feel you
Just sent an invitation to connect on Instagram. I look forward to exchanging ideas 💡
❤️❤️🔥
Jen, love the picture of two chairs around the fire pit!
Thanks. It’s my invitation to pull up a chair and join the community. 🙂
Braving a hello in comment threads like this was the first thing that earned me non-friends and family subscribers. Keep visiting stacks you love and chat with their authors and people will become curious to know where you came from. 🙂 Then they will find you. Having fun and doing what you love to do. ❤️
Yes! I've found some great readers (and great new Substacks to read) by talking to people in comment sections. Just bring your curious, interesting self to the table and you'll get to know people. It's hard to get over that initial reluctance, but I just remember how good it feels when people comment on my own pieces.
It is a particular kind of thrill to see the comment come through!
Yep 👍
That’s right Meg. It’s all about allowing community and connect with others to rhythmically unfold. It the Taoist world, we refer to this a “Wu Wei,” or effortless action.
I love the concept of Wu Wei! I first learned about it from Alan Watts. Thanks for this timely reminder!
Exactly 🔥🔥🔥❤️
I hear you. That's the hard bit. *Especially* at the beginning of things. Cruelly hard and baffling and confusing and it's hard to even know where to start.
But - what do *you* read? Your writing is inspired by other writing, I bet, other voices who you read and at some point you thought "hey, I could do that too and I have something to say here." So - maybe your audience who isn't your family is reading *them* right now? And if that's true, maybe you can find a way to get their attention over there?
That makes sense! I read some really incredible people but they're quite different in their substance. I guess the main problem is that I do mostly personal writing and not something informative like most beautiful people here. It's funny but my writing was mostly inspired by someone who passed away from covid in 2021. He didn't speak English but his approach is probably one that inspired my writing the most.
I'm also really cautious about not making people feel like I would want any reciprocity as I support someone else's content. Anyone I read is only for their merits and not for potential collaborations. I had this experience on twitch and it felt really sad when I realised some people were only around because they expected me to support their stream 😩
Anastasia, tell us the story of that person who inspired you despite not speaking English. I’d read that.
Oh what a wonderful idea! He was a friend of my mom's I should interview her for it!
There are stories everywhere there are people! Tell us that one and then think about the next. It gets habitual and you start to see more and more things to write about besides your internal life.
"There are stories everywhere there are people" wow, I love that...beautifully said :)
I'll talk to her when she next comes for a visit! If you don't mind I'll post the link here when it's done ☺️
Me too. I’d read that.
Mmmm valid point 🫰🫰🔥
I'm in a very similar boat as you. I like to think that as my writing improves it will get more eyes on it naturally because more people will share it, recommend it, and stick around when they do look at it.
There's heavy correlation with amount of posts on a blog and traffic.
In my opinion, focusing on improving your writing instead of marketing it is a more effective framework that will drive more long term results.
P.S If you or anyone reading this wants to connect I'm always looking for new (or experienced) writers to join forces with!
Hello, I have gained insights from my life experience. I enjoy writing poetry and it has been well received. I have hit a wall in trying to promote my newsletter. I was never into social media, other than for family and a few friends, My main hobby is trying to write poetry. I was thinking if other newsletters want to collaborate and share a poem of mine that may help generate more views. Here are a few examples of short poems in the leapfrog poetry style, Copyright 2022:
The fat cats
treed with greed
consider downsizing.
The mousetrap
weaves a tangled tail
to deceive.
The incubator
sings the joyful song
of babies crying.
The world
is indebted to gamblers
who fold the winning hand.
The fortune cookie's
secret is certainty
unbroken.
What kind of stuff are you looking to doing with other writers?
Help each other grow by giving feedback on posts, promoting each other, etc.
I feel like growing is easier together.
I love this idea and would be interested in participating. Do you think we'd need to be writing in the same area/field to make it work?
❤️❤️🔥🔥
Just when you think you’ve had enough, those new readers will show up. And it will feel awesome. Keep going!
Don't quit! I started in June with about 3 subscribers who were people I actually knew in real life. Seven months later and I'm at 232 with 7 paid subscribers. The growth has been slow, but I don't think I could handle becoming an overnight sensation! :)
I relate to this a lot and would love to hear other people's suggestions! Especially when your writing takes a personal focus, how do you break out of the family/friends bubble to find your readers?
This is such a valuable discussion. How do non-celeb autobiographical writers get an audience or make their content sticky?
Here's what would make me subscribe to your newsletter(s):
If your writing is honest and vulnerable and transparent. Your content doesn't actually need to be superficially relevant to me. But it needs to speak to my soul about those things we share as humans: pain, insecurity, obsessions, humor.
100% yes to this. Writing in one’s own voice sound cliche, but it’s the best thing you can do.
That is what I found. The number of subscribers increased dramatically when I did.
This is a nice reply. I just subscribed to your newsletter. I've known a few people who've found themselves suddenly without housing... you're doing important work!
Thank you!
What Caroline said! I just subbed too. Looking forward to diving in Matt.
One of my favorite Substacks — Broke But Moisturized — nails it.
It is personal, vulnerable, and authentic.
Much of the content is minimally relevant to my external life. However, the author's transparency and humanity speaks straight to my heart.
Thank you so much for this input, that makes a lot of sense. I approach life with humour and that reflects in what I write but there are two posts in my substack that were written from a place of a lot of pain, "foot half open" and "the n word". If you ever have time or desire to read those and share some criticism I'd really appreciate it 🥰
Signed up.
Foot 🤭that was supposed to be "door" that's what I get for texting and walking
I just subscribed. Looks good!
I agree. The more I write, the more autobiographical and, therefore, the more speaking my soul.
To get out of the friend/family bubble I’ve had to invest time in reading and commenting on other substacks. I don’t do this inauthentically, meaning I read and comment on posts I genuinely like. It’s led me to some great writers, gained me a few followers, and I like the community-building aspect of it. After a few months it’s nice to recognize names and carry on conversations across different substacks.
I’ve also added an invitation to subscribe to my gmail signature. I track clocks via bitly and I’ve gotten quite a few new subscribers that way.
I’m terms of personal writing, the story has to be universal. There has to be an aspect of it the reader can see themselves in or relate to. I’ve edited a lot of content out of my final drafts because I realized no one care about that except me and maybe three of my oldest friends. 😂
Reading and commenting is the undiscovered gold! When I first started, on some very high-subscriber Substacks, I was stunned to see how few comments there were. I happen to really enjoy it and almost always believe I have something to add to the conversation — those things help.
This is a great approach, Jen - the community aspect of this platform gives back in absolute spades! I love my fellow Substackers, and I let them know it!
Invitation to subscribe in your Gmail signature? Badass idea that I’ll take action on as soon as this forum is over. Thanks Jen
Oh, I like the gmail signature idea! I have no idea what "I track clocks via bitly" means but glad that works for you.
I am able to tell when something I write doesn't fit the larger story, but cannot tell when no one will care about something I write. Especially if I care about it. How do you do that?
And one struggle I have is that I don't have a job where I'm in front of the computer, so finding time to write every day is a challenge, let alone read other people's Substacks and comment on them and show up to office hours. And I feel bad for not reading the regular posts from the 25 plus people who I follow here. It's a balance I cannot seem to stay upright on.
So I have to remind myself that I don't do this to become popular and because I enjoy it and I learn more about myself through my writing. I find that I have about 10 core readers and if they stick around that is good enough.
lol that was supposed to say “clicks.” Through a bitly link, I can track the number of people clicking from my gmail signature to my substack.
Oh, good one again! ( I commented above, but I don't think I did it in a trackable way!)
Hi Steve........I'll give it a shot: "but cannot tell when no one will care about something I write"----Because I know you and your writing, just keep doing what (and how) you're doing. Trust the process, and trust your talent.
No one can TELL (I suppose you mean as you're writing) "when no one will care"....But, like I do with how and what I write.....I have confidence in my talent, and not everyone WILL like or get it. But, I'm true to my art and myself, and the end-result chips will fall where they may.
Pretend you're a songwriter/recording artist. Your same concern/question befalls even (and especially) the people WE write about!! When the mic goes on and the tape reel rolls, we do our thing. The song we're SURE will be a million-seller may end up falling with a thud to the floor. The dog we hid at the end of Side 2 might end up touching a million hearts, and we had no clue it could or would!
But, either way, we get back to the "piano" and keep writing/composing, 'cause what choice do we have? Stephen's a terrific example! His successes came years after his initial RCA disappointment. But, he found an adjacent lane in which to do his songwriting/singing/guitar playing/acting...which, to me, is what, ultimately, makes his story so compelling and inspiring! He coulda chucked it all in '75, and gone off and sold shoes. But, he stayed true to his craft.
We don't produce widgets, Steve! We're in the feels/heart/nebulous nether regions where not everything is tangibly quantified. That's one reason I love it! I spend this time encouraging YOU, Boobie, because I've felt what your heart can produce on the page, and it's no less an artistic goose-bump than hearing my new favorite song on a record, or seeing my favorite band on a stage!
Now, go walk that dog, and keep pounding the keyboard, you young whippersnapper, you!😉✨🎵👍
>> "I learn more about myself through my writing" - as a newbie here, thanks for the beautifully worded reminder!
I, too, read and comment only on posts I genuinely like. The same is true for recommendations - there has to be a legitimate value for me to share a newsletter with others.
I see it as a trust thing. If I’m recommending random things to my readers only because I’m trying to reciprocate, I lose credibility.
I definitely agree.
spelling errors because typing with my thumbs on a tiny screen 🙄
Normally I would have figured that out. But my NY resolution of cutting back caffeine plus my general jump to ludditeness blocked such a figuring!:)
Oh nice! I added it to my email signature last week. Will see how that goes!
Ironically I've just broken INTO the family/friends bubble...! I'd been writing on Substack for months before I mentioned it to those closest to me. Now I count two parents and a godparent amongst my subscribers - the rest of whom I've never met in person, but who have come across me simply on the platform.
Same here! I haven't shared my writing, fiction or otherwise, with the people closest to me. They've managed to discover it anyway, which is a little awkward, but it takes the suspense out of one day foisting my novel on them ;-)
It's tricky, isn't it? I was happier launching my words into the world to literally nobody I knew, rather than to encourage friends and family to read them! Looking back, it did wonders for my confidence knowing that nobody who knew me was reading my posts.
Then again, I nearly melted the other day when I spotted a very familiar name sign up as a subscriber, and yesterday that same new subscriber - my dad - starting talking to me about 'whelm' and the post I'd written about it just before Christmas! ♥️
It's funny how that is. I felt the same. It has been sort of liberating writing semi-anonymously. I had a brief moment of panic when I saw some familiar email addresses subscribing. I thought, oh no, they've infiltrated my hideout! But then, my parents are the ones who most want to see me succeed, and who support me in the things I enjoy (whether I do them well or not :-) That's so sweet about your dad. It's a great feeling to earn a readership, but those few unconditional fans are the real VIPs :-)
These are such beautiful words, Jacquie! You're so right!
Oh that's lovely and bought a tiny little tear to my eye (my previous comment explains the tear re your dad).
♥️
Me too. Because of what I write I suffered a bit from the "worlds collide theory" (thanks George Costanza). I didn't want the people I know who don't know what happened to me to know what happened to me. Ironic because my Substack is about breaking down stigma and no longer living in silence. Slowly my worlds are colliding and it can be uncomfortable in certain circles but it's okay.
Better to be out than not.
https://faithcbergevin.substack.com/p/what-burns-in-you
I think it's sometimes better when worlds collide slowly and a little more gently. Especially around big things.
I literally just told my dad (who has brain cancer) that I've been writing about my personal experience of it today! I write and draw cartoons, so I'll share the cartoons with him first and if he wants more, I will share the rest. But same here. I don't think I have told ANY of my friends and family about it yet (other than dad).
Oh gosh, Medha, I'm so sorry to hear that your dad's ill. I love that you're sharing your work with him - that's a really special thing for you both.
I told him I would send him the cartoons, but your comment made me realist that it IS special, so I'm now thinking I'll wait til I see him again in a couple of days and show him in person. Thank you!
Oh, how lovely! 😊
I can relate to this. Almost all my readers are strangers, because I am yet to tell my friends and family. The up-side of this as a new writer is that we avoid the false sense of confidence from a lot of F&F subscribers. We get our writing judged “by the market”, and I feel that confidence surge - even though its slower - is much more powerful in the long run. Glad I’m not the only one following this strategy :)
I've actually had the opposite experience! I know most of my readers personally and it's been such a humbling journey- especially when they sign up as paid subscribers. Feeling like it's an intimate circle of friends has given me courage to write vulnerably and hearing their feedback has been such a joy.
Oh that's lovely!
It's hard isn't it? I'm learning not to let it filter me.
Creativity is the key. I snag tons of new subscribers at local coffeehouses here in Denver by setting a book in plain view at the table I’m seated at. They see the title and it leads to a random conversation. When they ask me what I do I tell ‘em that I read, review and feature authors/books for a living. It’s been a💥 for “Great Books, Great Minds” and “Black Books, Black Minds.” The key is to find something fun and creative that works for you.
Curious whether you’d review a book while it is serialising on Substack? I’m 9 chapters into serialising Writ Large on conked.io and would love to be on Great Books
Oh this is clever! Nice work by you.
I'm drawn to personal stories as a form of connection. The more honest, transparent, "human," the more I can relate. I gravitate towards people who share themselves. I love the candid selfies, the late-night embarrassing confessions. I think it reminds me that we're all in this together, spinning on a rock in space.
So for me it doesn't matter who the person is as long as they are authentic and real. I think we all want a little bit more of that in our lives.
Exactly!
Hear, hear!
I agree and am subscribing!
My content is all personal - a year long project where I look back on my four-year cancer journey - and LinkedIn has far and away been the biggest audience driver for me. I started with a list of ~150 from my blog and set a goal of 500 subscribers by my launch. My first post, announcing the launch on LinkedIn, had almost 80k views - thanks in large part to friends and family doing me the favor of reposting there.
I post twice a week and I share an excerpt of a post every 2-3 weeks on LinkedIn, particularly when my essay is specifically about working with cancer or relevant to a current event. I've gotten to about 830 subscribers in a little over 3 months, and my open rate is typically in the 60s. I do not have a paid subscription model yet.
830 subs in 3 months! That's amazing Gina! Congrats to you.
Right? My fiancé LOVES my writing but I feel like many people can't hear my voice the same way he does 😅
Same. I had an initial boost, then some steady growth, and then I hit a plateau. That discouraged me from posting as regularly, which I'm sure only fed the stagnation. Trying to pull myself out of it now.
Isn't that the truth. I must remind myself that the person benefitting from my writing the most is me, regardless of who reads it.
That is what I have to tell myself (remind myself) often. I know that when I finish a piece I am often giddy afterwards, regardless of whether the content was heavy or light. So I suppose my mantra should be "giddy up!"
Same! It's such a good feeling. I feel like I own more, if you know what I mean? Like I just bought something I really wanted or something really expensive
I totally agree! I'm trying to focus on this instead of the external validation from others. Ultimately, I write what I need/want to read.
It's so tricky!! I only just started writing on Substack, and actually the most personal issue to me was the inner critic stopping me from writing, so I wrote about that :) next I'm writing about self-sabotage.. Such important themes and they're really, really tricky!!
My family doesn’t read mine. 🤭
Keep sending out work into the world. People will see it and they’ll come. It’s very much an “is anybody out there” stage that will abate.
I think you just need to stick with it, stay consistent. So far, I've noticed that most of the special people in the world who like my work are arriving from outside of Substack. I've listed my stack on various newsletter places and other promotions. Maybe you could check some of those out. It might not be rapid, but (like me) slow and steady.
Hi Victor,
I'm sure it would help many writers to know the "various newsletter places and other promotions" where they might list their newsletters.
I know of one: https://cloudhiker.net
Thanks. Didn't know about that one. Further down, I've elaborated with some more links that might be helpful.
thanks!
Slow and steady is okay! There's time ☺️I appreciate your advice!
What are some of those? Those various newsletter places? If you don't mind me asking.
There's several sites that are directories of newsletters. Here's some links to get you headed in the right direction:
https://www.newsletters.co/
https://inboxreads.co/
https://www.newslettercrew.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-newsletter-directories
I've had good results with inbox reads.
Also, there's The Sample. You enter your info, get a special email address at their domain, add that special email to your subscribers. Then when you publish, they get a copy and forward to various persons. I've gotten a few subs through them.
https://thesample.ai/?ref=4b39
Full disclosure: this is my affiliate link. If you use it, I get a little boost.
Also, google "newsletter directories" and you'll probably find more. I've placed my info on a few different sites (no fee) and have received various subs through these channels.
Hope that helps.
Echoing Medha, these resources for newsletter directories are super helpful. Thanks so much, Victor!
(I recently discovered Jacob O'Bryant's "The Sample," and it's been a great tool for introducing people to my newsletter. Like you, I've gotten several subscriptions through it.)
Thank you Victor! I will be looking into these.
You're welcome Medha. All the best!
Cheers!
just keep going - it will happen!
It is a conundrum! It's great that you are enjoying what you're enjoying the writing.
I get it. I started out small and have grown a lot. Engage with other stacks. Add comments. Promote your stack in a subtle way while also being part of the community.
Keep doing what you love! Your perseverance will pay off!
I wish substack would allow side-by-side content, such as a small photo with a caption to the side or a mugshot that ran beside a story instead of huge above it. or a pull quote off to the side. Any chance of this happening?
We do have image galleries! But that's it so far. Good feedback!
I would love this too! It's a great way to add images but not have it take up the vertical real estate that makes a post too long for email.
I've noticed recently, that, despite all the "Post too long for e-mail" blue banners of death (seemingly) all my articles seem to trip, Julie, they still fit inside the resultant e-mails to my subbies. Plus, my subbies know they can read the post, either on my 'Stack web page, or by clicking on the "read e-mail in another window" link to read it in its entirety
In other words, I write what I write (and add Playlists and photos to my heart's content), and just ignore the blue banner of death! Don't know if that'll work for you, but thought I'd share my recent experiences!
I, too, am really good at ignoring the Banner of Doom, Brad! But this current draft essay is VERY long (I asked an AI to help me write a picture book, and all the screenshots and back-and-forths are huge). So it's not that I'm caring about the post being too long for email, it's more that I'm wondering if that's why pieces of it keep disappearing or revisions don't get saved.
Oh, I see....that's a bit different. Would dividing your posts into Parts help? I've done that a couple of times to autobio posts that have a narrative thread. I've even, then, compiled them all into a final, really long post (with link boxes to each post, one at a time), as more of an option for some readers. While that one likely was "too long" for e-mail, it "lives on" on the website, with length not a problem.
Here's an example: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/compliment-from-a-legend-the-complete
Ok, that is a fun idea for a long post -- breaking it into parts. I did end up just submitting a help request, because no matter what I do, this post reverts to an old version, and I can change it to the updated one, and then as soon as I click out to my dashboard and do some other things, and then open it again, it says "some changes may not have been saved!" and goes back to an old version, so it might not be a length issue. GIANT SHRUG EMOJI / I'M HOPING TO POST THIS ESSAY NEXT WEEK WORRIED EMOJI
I ignore it too!
Hi there, I'm celebrating my 2-year anniversary on Substack this month! I have a decent amount of subscribers and grew by 30% last year but I'd like to experience more growth and exposure with other audiences. How do I do this? My Substack is: https://bethlisogorsky.substack.com/ (BEVP - Beth's Exceptional Video Playlist)
Happy Stackiversary, Beth!
Thank you!!!
(30% is a lot of growth! Most businesses don't grow that much....!)
It’s fair but mostly homegrown thru friends and family. How do I find others??
🔥🔥🔥❤️ Awesome!
Glad to see you back.
I would love a better way to access stats for individual articles. Right now, I have almost 2 years of content and having to scroll down to July 2021 of weekly posts to find out what the stats are for an article from then is very inconvenient.
I'd also love to see daily/weekly views stats for older posts, to see how archive content performs over time.
Absolutely!! I really look at the post-25 hour stats that Sustack sends. I know I don't read other Substack writers all the time the day they post. Yes, at the end of say each month, Substack sends stats for the month. OR each and every post can be pulled up at any time for the writer to see the history of readership for every post. Great idea!!
agree - stats need to improve.
I agree, this would be nice!
Yes!
+1 to this! Right now I’m tediously tracking this in a spreadsheet, but it’s not a sustainable use of my time.
Quick one. I often link to other writers in my posts, but am never sure if they know I've referenced them. Sometimes I shoot them an email to say thanks for the inspiration, but I was wondering if writers get a notification if someone references / quotes them in a post (not a cross post.) Is there a preferred way to quote other Substack articles so that not only does the writer get credit, but it allows them to know that other writers appreciate them? What's the protocol (if any...)
Those authors would just need to have that particular notification toggled "on" in their settings. The other option is to get them to subscribe to your Substack if they aren't already. 😉
Thanks. I hadn't realised you could set notifications for that.
I just saw it in the "privacy" settings. I see I can @ a writer (if they have that notification switched on) Thanks for helping me solve the conundrum :)
Okay, so, I never really checked, but... I don't think I can mention others by name only like you can on for example on Twitter. Also, when you create a hyperlink, that doesn't trigger a notification. If you past the link to one of their substack issues, or their substack homepage, you will get an embed of a snippet (sorry, I don't know the actual technical term). If you do that, I believe the writer gets notified that someone mentioned them. But, as said, I did not test if this works this way. I sort of see it in my engagement. So, if a substack crew member can either confirm this, or more likely correct me, that would be great.
I have this question, too!
I'm relatively new here (2 months deep) and I wanted to share my perspective on the most effective way to grow a newsletter/blog. I'm very curious to see what everyone thinks about this take:
The most effective way to grow your audience is to become a better writer.
I like to think that as your writing improves it will naturally get more eyes on it because more people will share it, recommend it, and stick around when they do look at it. The writing will speak for itself.
There's heavy correlation with amount of posts on a blog and traffic.
*Source: https://bloggingguide.substack.com/p/how-often-should-you-blog
Focusing on improving your writing instead of marketing it is a better long term investment. My goal right now is to hit 100 posts before I go out of my way to market my page.
P.S If anyone wants to connect I'm always looking for new (or experienced) writers to join forces with!
I always tell people just starting out to write like you have a huge audience even if you have five subscribers. It's a way of showing people they can expect quality content from you.
That's a big thing I think. Focus on writing and getting feedback and then find topics that intrigue. I'll take a look at yours and see if there's opportunity for collaboration!
Yes Colin, this is the very message highlighted in the book “Snow Leopard.” Can’t recommend this book enough.
That was my approach, I had a dozen articles available for readers before I did any marketing. I plan to start a new section of my newsletter and am using the same approach. . .writing first.
Happy to connect, Collin. I find writing from the heart works. I wrote a column about my beloved dog Molly, who helped us all through the pandemic, only to be killed in a car accident after things were just beginning to open up. This wasn't manipulative on my part, but I had a huge jump in subscribers and comments after I posted it. It is here: https://maurac.substack.com/p/molly-a-love-story
I agree, my best pieces are the ones I'm most emotionally attached to.
I love this approach! 100 is a great goal!
I love your advice here!
Oh, hello, is it 2023 already? I suspect in one of your many resolutions you decided to start writing more, and that's why you're here, on Substack, asking questions about how you can use your writing to take over the world. If that writing just so happens to be fiction, then I've got news for you -- there is a community that exists, that is now 1,100+ strong, that is also interested in taking over the world. Well, the universe really, but we're going to start by enslaving Earth. That community is called Fictionistas, and you can go there now and bask in the glow:
https://fictionistas.substack.com/
This community is free, active, and full of fiction writers who also dabble in non-fiction. We're welcoming, want to see you succeed as a fiction writer on Substack, and if I do say so myself (which I'm about to do) we're a delightful group of miscreants. Read, lurk, subscribe, get involved... we would love to have you. There's always room for fellow Fictionistas, since taking over the universe involves a great deal of effort.
I have been skimming these comments as always and I see a pattern. How do I get subscribers? Then saying they write for themselves. I write for my readers, who are other writers. You can treat your substack as a journal (self therapy) but don’t be surprised if that does not resonate. Think about the name newsletter. It is a letter delivering news. That is how I approach it.
As for finding subs, like almost anything, it takes perseverance and consistency. Set a schedule and stick to it. Showing up in readers’ inboxes on a regular basis is important. You’re building a relationship with that reader, one on one, and it can’t be entirely about you. A little blunt but that is my experience as a reader and a long time professional writer. M
You are absolutely right about the importance of consistency - your audience needs to be in the habit of reading your newsletter and that happens by publishing it at the same time and certainly on the same day. I've found that to be really important in building my readership.
I agree Charlotte. I’m now posting a new piece every 48 hours for “Great Books, Great Minds” which seems to be paying off handsomely.
Ditto. Quality and regularity.
I see that a lot and in a lot of the essays I read. They are more like a diary or trite memes, not anything deep. But ironically, the more nuanced essays on new topics also throw people off.
I agree about painful consistency until it hurts. Writing 1,200 word essays twice a week while running my own business is painful. But, readers get into habits of expectation. This is a real behavioral thing. And it will begin to work over time...
That's why I dropped to posting once a week. I have a day job and a small business, and publishing twice a week just wasn't cutting it! My readers seem to be fine with weekly newsletters, and it works better for me.
I've always been a fan of less is more and quality over quantity. I think there's real value in posting less frequently so that every piece is like a special treat.
Yes exactly 🔥🔥❤️❤️
Yes 🙌
Not blunt at all Martin and you are totally right.
You cant always have your cake and eat it. If you stick rigidly to writing for yourself it will take more time to find an audience that appreciates your niche.
If are looking for tens of thousands of subscribers then you NEED to think more about what your audience wants.
Vulnerability in your writing does resonate. There are writers we’re willing to take the journey with. I think it has to do with how that’s expressed. Your personal story can be a launching pad for a greater theme or principle. It’s a great way to keep a personal touch on an objective essay. We as writers, though, need to find the balance. It’s easy to just vent and it’s a bit harder for it to mean something.
Yes I agree, if you find a more universal lesson or story in your personal tale. My main point was that writers often write for themselves and this might not be the best medium for that.
Not blunt, and it’s advice I hope a lot of people listen to! Each of those pieces are critical to succeed here.
Great advice, thanks, Martin!
I'm always curious to know how is Subatack promoting or recommending posts of new writers to the community? I feel like new writers who don't have a big following before substack is very difficult to be discovered 🤔
There is a recommend feature. If other newsletter writers like your newsletter they can recommend it. I get loads of subscribers this way. So you are in the right place - networking with fellow Substackers.
Thanks, Cali! Do you know if Substack has other ways of promoting besides that?
Also your substack is just what I need right now! Just subscribed!
There are also tools where writers can mention your name or substack and send out your articles. So it's all about being found by your fellow writers. I think the discoverability tools are improving all the time
This is my sense too.
Hi, Yueshong. We connected on LinkedIn a week or so ago. Let’s schedule a time to chat by phone. Happy to support you!
And thanks for subscribing :)
Yesssss! The essence of the book “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg.
I agree. I am very pro-active about recommendations. Right now I am recommending 17 other newsletters that have resulted in 86 subscriptions for them. Only two other newsletters recommend me and thy have resulted in one new subscription. HOW DO THESE WRITERS KNOW I HAVE RECOMMENDED THEM. DOES SUBSTACK LET THEM KNOW? HOW DO I LET THEM KNOW SO THEY CAN RECIPROCATE?
Hi David, if I were you I’d keep rotating who you recommend. Build a relationship with people and get a reciprocal agreement for a month or so and see how it goes.
Yes. You can see who is recommending you under Settings--> manage recommendations.
Exactly right 🔥❤️
Yes, recommendations. But also just engage with other posts. Show yourself. Be seen. People will respond ❤️
One feature I've been wishing for is the ability to do a richer search of my old posts. It's easy to search for a keyword, but if I want to see posts from June 2020, for example, it seems the only way is to scroll way way down my list on the dashboard view. Is there a better way? Is this a feature that could be added?
I do an annual index; it looks like this. https://unschoolforwriters.substack.com/p/index-2022
I categorize by topic as well as date. You could organize yours however makes sense to you. I keep it updated every month or so--helps to organize my head/direction, too :)
I then post it on the homepage and remind people of it frequently!
I love your index, Alison, and have been working on one of my own--inspired by you, of course!
That’s a great idea! I know it takes time, but much easier starting early in the process (like moi, 8 posts so far). Thank you! Also, subscribed. 🙏🏼
Oh! Thank you for subscribing--I hope you enjoy!
This is a GREAT idea, thank you!
👍👍❤️
Great feedback, thank you!
Agreed Caitlin. I face that same issue.
My Substack goals for 2023 include:
1) Doubling my subscribers for this Substack and my podcast SS (litthinkpodcast.substack.com)
2) Making money with both Substacks
3) Promoting my self-published book and cross-promoting the book and my Substack 😊
I'm excited for what 2023 could bring for me as a writer and podcaster!
Love it!!!! We'll be here for you, Sarah!
A quick question. Did the text on our “welcome” screens change from “read first” to “no thanks”?
I’m not too big a fan of the change personally because “no thanks” still lets you see the person’s work first. A “no thanks” feels like it would exit completely? Yeah?
I noticed the change over the course of a couple of weeks. There was other text beside "Let me read it first" and "no thanks" as if they were experimenting. Then it settled on the "no thanks."
I agree that the "no thanks" doesn't have the best ring to it.
Yeah! No thanks and still sliding into the substack you said “no thanks” feels a little disorienting. I felt the “let me read first” felt gentler especially since a lot of people would need to be warmed up to you and your content!
"Let me read it first" was better. I think the "no thanks" might deter people who are new who don't understand what to do to access your posts.
Yes, the same. I was almost afraid to click the "No, thanks"! I wasn't sure what would happen. I saw nothing wrong with 'Read first' and I'm sorry it's gone. It allowed the reader to continue without feeling pressured into subscribing. "No, thanks" gives them the idea that it's not necessary to subscribe. That's how I see it, anyway.
Agreed
Thanks to all of you in this sub-thread.
I sent the following to Substack Support today (February 11, 2023):
--
Recently, the default wording below the "Subscribe" field on Welcome pages changed from "Let me read it first" to "No thanks".
In a sub-thread in the comments on Substack's Writer Office Hours post for January 5, 2023, each of the five Substack authors there expressed negative views about this change:
Cierra, Writes Losing Orbit
Victor D. Sandiego, Writes Dynamic Creed
Matthew Murray, Writes Writer's Notebook
Ramona Grigg, Writes Writer Everlasting
Alicia Kenworthy, Writes Catalectic
From that subthread, three key reasons the new wording is a step backwards from the previous wording (excerpted/synthesized):
A “no thanks” feels like it would exit completely. It might deter new readers who don't understand what to do to access your posts.
The previous wording allowed the reader to continue without feeling pressured into subscribing.
"No thanks" also gives them the idea that it's not necessary or desirable to subscribe.
I concur with them (Aron Roberts, Writes Fragments in Time) and am hoping that, with these 6 'votes,' your internal team can revert this change at some point, or perhaps make that wording switchable between old and new wordings or even entirely author-configurable (as with other elements of the Welcome page.)
Or perhaps you might, at least, ask for additional feedback on it from a wider circle of authors?
There may well have been some internal metrics (such as bounce rates and/or subsequent subscriptions) which led to this change? Yet intuitively, the older wording was gentler, more inviting, and most importantly, clearer in describing what would happen after clicking.
A representative from Substack Support replied: "We'll be glad to pass your feedback along to our Product team. looking for ways to improve, so we appreciate the note."
As generic (albeit friendly) as that response may be, hoping this spurs at least some internal discussion and reevaluation within the Substack team!
Tall order, but I would love to have emails be personalized, e.g. Dear Annette.
Yeah, it would be great to have a First Name tag that you could insert.
My advice to writers this year is to keep writing. Substack can change your life, but only if you keep at it.
I love Substack. I've been writing on here for a year now, but I've reached a plateau in reaching new subscribers. It's frustrating, but I'm going to focus more on growth strategies this year. Anyone else relate?
Are you engaging with other Substacks, Israel? That's how I've gotten a lot of my subscribers. I read and join the discussion in the comments of other newsletters I follow, and folks often check out my newsletter out of curiosity. I do no promoting via social media, and I have steadily increased my subscriptions.
To be honest, Holly, I haven't done much of that lately. I did some of that in the beginning and I've stopped. That's a really good reminder and I appreciate it. I'm going to dedicate some time to do that every week.
I think it makes good sense because as some social media platforms are waning, more and more people are coming over to Substack. I personally have not been scrolling through social media for the better part of 2022. I'm a writer here, but I'm also a reader. I find so many great reads through recommendations of others--whether they are direct recommendations in a post (I've had some fellow writers give me shout-outs like that and love it!), or in the comments sections. Invest 25% of the energy you're spending on marketing via social or wherever and try engaging here. See what happens!
Thank you! I will do that. It makes total sense. I've found some really good writers on here, people who are not celebrities or social media influencers somewhere else. And that's refreshing. I just subscribed to yours. Looking forward to reading.
Definitively. I’ve seen my subscriber amount bob up and down. It might be a lag phase right now as people are engaging with the Substacks they really want to read and ditching the rest. It can be hard to keep up with a bunch of newsletters. Keep at it. I think a lot of us write to get the words out of our heads as much as we are trying to get them to an audience.
Fortunately, I haven't lost any, but I definitely hit a wall in the last couple of months. And indeed, I will continue to write regardless. Maybe, if I continue to build it they will come? Thanks for the comment!
Yeah, hoping for the same!
That last sentence, "I think a lot of us write to get the words out of our heads ...", reminds of these song lyrics by Anna Nalick:
"2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me
Threatening the life it belongs to ..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxsN1cX5JXw
This. I've been making Tiktoks and reels to grow and direct more traffic to my substack.
I haven't thought of doing that. Have you seen an increase?
Yes. Reels and tiktok are almost all of my subscriptions sources.
I'd love to emulate that but how do you create your reels? Do you screenshot the post?
i created a WHOLE social media strategy. i make videos summarizing my newsletters, reaction videos to related viral videos, reaction videos to comments and FAQs regarding my topic. my handle on both tiktok and ig is manifestelle if you want to see for yourself ✨
That's very interesting! Can I do that but minus the videos?
Growth via social media?
I have. I can definitely do more, though.
Thank you.
Tips for socials growth?
What have you been doing to grow your publication so far?
I've shared it often on my social media, although I can certainly do more of that. I've made contact with a few writers on here and one has even added my publication as a "recommended" one on their list.
Some of my favorite publications are ones that I've found through the "Discover" area. I wonder how does someone gets featured on there?
Thanks for the comment, Bailey. I'm also open to suggestions.
How do you share via social media? Any advice i'm still not confident to share on public like around network.
In my case, I have my Substack as my Instagram bio. I also share some of my writings on my Facebook personal page. I also opt in to share on Twitter every time I write a new newsletter. There's also a Substack writers Facebook group I'm part of.
Happy New Year, all! Does anyone else have the experience of losing a few subscribers every time you post? I post about once a month, and the first thing that happens is that a few people unsubscribe. Not a lot--just a few, but I find it odd. Is it that they just remembered they subscribed or didn't realize it?
In other news, here are my 8 Writing Tips for 2023 in case they are helpful ( write about writing):https://writinghacks.substack.com/p/8-writing-tips-for-2023
Jane, I find this is typical to lose a few subscribers with each post. It's inevitable, and I would't be discouraged by this (as I was when it first started to occur). In the first hour after I post every week, I'll lose a handful, but over the day and week, the post will attract more readers. Hope this is a bit helpful!
Yup, there is a constant churn as people try you out, realize you might not be quite what they are looking for, or simply try to cut back on their media consumption. I basically never look at unsubscribes because it's always going to feel demoralizing whatever the reason.
Thanks, Michael! Yes--I just turned off those notifications--no need to know, it seems.
Exactly. Don’t pay attention, unless you get a big drop. Just keep writing.
thanks, Neal. That is very helpful!
Happens to me too. I like to think of it as the herd getting stronger.
You are optimizing your audience ✨nothing wrong with that!
Yep. Happens every post on “Great Books, Great Minds.” I recognize that publication isn’t for everyone so I stick out my lip for two seconds and move. Oddly, I’ve had zero unsubscribers for Black Books, Black Minds.” I guess folks like reading and chocolate 😂
Yes, that seems to happen. I've had people unsub right after they subbed. Maybe they hit the button by mistake, I don't know.
Thanks, Victor. That makes sense. I think maybe some do subscribe by mistake.
I lost a few when I moved my mailchimp over here and I am always second guessing how much to send to inbox as I know I get overwhelmed with too many emails so maybe it’s just a balance there? I’ve also pulled back from social media (I used to post on Instagram daily) so people know they have to move over here to stay connected. ✍️
Pretty normal. You’ll lose a few, gain a few; it’s the natural flow. Sometimes I’ll lose three free subs and then get a paid sub. It’s essentially random. I do it too--sometimes I’ll just unsubscribe to a stack for any number of reasons. Nature of the (Substack) beast.
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Jane, love this! I would add number 9: Walk away from your writing for a few hours, then look at it again. Amazing how helpful that is!
thank you! Yes--walking away is great advice. Another good reason not to write things right before the deadline...
Happy New Year to All!
Has there been ANY news or update regarding only the Top 25 Paid and Free being shown in the Leaderboard of Substack’s web version? Readers used to be able to Search and scroll to see ALL Stacks in a category.
No update unfortunately. I am bugging that team, I promise.
Thanks so much, Bailey!
I haven't participated in an Office Hours since my Dad died in December. It feels so good to be back and seeing familiar avatars. Hi y'all. 🥹
Welcome back, Valorie. I love that photo you posted of you and your dad and that you gave your readers that personal note. There will be times that life knocks us down and off the publishing schedule, and I'm sure your readers appreciated your transparency. We're all human after all. (I'm feeling some kinship with that "y'all"!)
Amen 🙏
Welcome back Valerie. Community and familiarity in loss brings me comfort, too.
🔥❤️
I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. That's hard. I'm glad to see you back here though
❤️
So sorry to hear. My condolences.
Welcome back.
❤️
Sorry to hear about your father. My dad has terminal cancer, which I write about on Substack. Glad you’re back. Being alive takes courage!!!
Michael Mohr
‘The Incompatibility of Being Alive’
https://reallife82.substack.com/
Thanks Michael, I really appreciate it. Sorry to hear about your father's illness, I hope he's feeling comfortable.
I'm sorry to hear that. My dad has aggressive brain cancer atm, and although he is still here we had an intense conversation about how to handle what's coming today. All the best to you and your family.
Just popping on in my very first Writer's Office Hours attendance to say I'm a scaredy cat but trying to be brave by posting here. I technically started my Substack back in maybe March(?) but have SUCH a hard time deciding what I want the focus to be that I rarely publish things. I moved from another platform but am switching my focus away from "selling" stuff to wanting to share about personal experiences, travel, fun stuff I find, but feel like maybe I need a better "mission statement" so to speak. I have started about 10 posts that I don't finish or publish because I get caught up in the "who will care about this" loop. Anyway....just reaching out to try to be brave and say I'm here! I already love this community even with my meager amount of activity!
Welcome, Erin! My substack is slice-of-life, which sounds like what you want to write. I was afraid that no one would be interested in the myriad of topics I cover, but what I've learned is that my "niche" is ME. If you show up as your authentic self and post on a consistent schedule, people will read! I've written posts about donating stem cells for my brother's cancer battle, parenting a young adult who has been in recovery for seven months, a trip to Arkansas, our small business event venue, a guy who wanted to pee in my front yard, and even a trip to get an annual inspection sticker for my vehicle. Crazy topics that are in no way connected except that they are my experiences. My open rate is consistently between 60-70%, and my readers are very engaged in the comments. So I guess what I'm saying is press publish and see what happens!
Totally agree with this and I’ve enjoyed writing on more vulnerable stuff behind the paywall. ✨
Oh that’s a great idea 🙌
Yep!
This is so encouraging! Thank you!
Yay, you! Keep it going! I have a whole bunch of draft posts that sound like the ones you have started...every now and then I go back in and one of them resonates with me and I finish it up and get it out there.
I was like this for a while... I’ve been writing here since April
Thanks Linda! So happy to know I’m not the only one!
Welcome to Substack 🙏🙏🔥❤️
Thanks!
Great to be back on Office Hours. Love these sessions with you lovely people.
My advice for those getting despondent with their growth is to keep going. This is a long game we are playing here and it takes time for people to discover, get to know you and then hit subscribe.
My latest post is about building habits which I think can really help us writers because when we show up every week out of habit it really starts to make a difference to the engagement you get.
https://neverstoplearning1.substack.com/p/6-ways-to-ensure-your-new-habits
I'm so excited about those substacks that are recommending me but I get most excited when I can send some subscribers back to them in return. There is a real symbiotic relationship between substacks that I love. It's not a competition. When one of us wins we all win.
Long game exactly
I have nothing profound to add, except wish you all a happy new year. May your newsletter flourish and may you fall in love with writing! 2022 was that year for me, and I hope you get to experience it too :)
You too ✍️✨
I have a very silly question. Is the only way to get the little hearts on your home page to turn red by liking your work yourself? 😂 When my first story earned a red heart I assumed it had to do with "like" count, but many of my other posts have earned more than that number of "likes" and the hearts remain transparent. Upon further investigation I learned that I must have accidentally liked that one post with the red heart myself. By the way, if you tell me I need to "like" my own work to turn the hearts red, I have no problem with that. I will go make them all red immediately. For they are like tiny Valentines to me. ❤️❤️❤️
Nothing wrong with liking your own work! After all; if don’t like it, how can you expect anyone else to? 😀
Totally Kevin. 😂
It's my understanding that the hearts only turn red if you've actively liked a post yourself, Meg. LOVE that line about 'tiny Valentines to me'....... really beautiful!!!! ♥️
Thank you, Rebecca. I'm off to play Cupid. 💕😊
🤣
I think that's true. Red heart on any post means you liked it.
And now I'll do that thing I've been shy about doing, but others here have inspired me. Here's a link to a fully Valentined Substack I happen to be the author of: https://stockfiction.substack.com/
May we all continue to "like" ourselves, and the things we're making here, in 2023! ❤️🔥
Haha I love this question! Yes the red heart is your own “like/ love” I do it sometimes just for fun! ♥️
One feature request for the Substack team: e-mail only content. I'd love to be able to add a unique intro or additional content just for people who read via e-mail (or get it delivered via the app) that doesn't show up on the website. I think this could also be a selling point to get people to subscribe -- even for free -- as they'll get unique content they wouldn't just by checking out the 'stack on the web.
You can do this for people getting emails by using the header and footer functionality. Unfortunately people on the app don't see this - a shortcoming of the app imho
Right -- but that's a universal setting, and isn't in the post itself. Not ideal.
it would be nice if you let readers toggle between light mode and dark mode on their end
They can in the Substack apps and within the Substack web Reader - https://on.substack.com/p/new-web-reader#:~:text=Look%20for%20the%20three%20dots,have%20Toggle%20dark%20mode%20option.
The web reader only applies to articles that you read from the inbox. When you're out there in the wild looking through various stacks, that ability to toggle isn't there.
Oh great. I recently switched to dark mode and several people complained to me about it, although the majority voted in favor of it. The people complaining about it didn't think you could toggle. I'll let them know.
I frequently mention other writers by using @ and linking to their posts in my newsletter on writing and publishing, The Caffeinated Writer, as well as in my newsletter The Wandering Writer. Do writers to whom I have referred see those mentions? Thank uou!
Yes they do! The default is that they get emails letting them know when they are mentioned, though writers can turn those emails off in their Settings.
Thank you!
Also, I would LOVE to see a feature where we could "grandfather in: certain paid subscribers if we ever change our pricing! And, I'm sure it's been said before, but "tiers" rather than just "free" vs. "paid" would be amazing. Certain benefits to each tier.
Update: Grandfathering is the default behavior when you raise prices
Whoa! Heck yes!
Good request! I'll share it with the team.
Happy 2023 everyone, and Happy Office Hours. I appreciate this community and look forward to seeing all the newsletter updates — the victories AND the challenges.
I began "Writers' Haven by Christine Wolf" (http://christinewolf.substack.com) just over a year ago in November of 2021. To date, I have 170 subscribers, and 23 are paid. I feel I have so much room to grow, and I'm trying to approach this process slowly and intentionally despite my inner critic that asks, "Why don't you write more often? Why don't you have more subscribers? Why aren't you more actively promoting your newsletter?"
I offer nearly all my content free but I added a paid option immediately, and I've been SO pleasantly surprised by subscribers' willingness to invest in my writing. It's HUGELY motivating. One benefit of being a paid subscriber is that I promise to list paid subscribers' names to the "supporter page" in my memoir once it's published. I have a separate tab for my memoir-in-progress, and I also send subscribers exclusive "sneak peaks" of the process.
I'd like to offer regularly scheduled live write-ins to all subscribers — kind of like writers' office hours — in which we gather as a community and work on our current projects. It's obviously keeping in theme with the Writers' Haven brand, but I'm torn between adding a livestream video element (maybe through a YouTube live link in a post? I don't know!) or just keeping it in chat form (which feels a little flat).
I'm know I'm overthinking this (who, me???), but if anyone has suggestions or knows of another Substacker who offers something along these lines, I'd be grateful for any feedback and/or intros.
I'm a li'l scared to launch this feature — particularly if I live stream, something I've NEVER done — but we've gotta scare ourselves now and then, amirite?
Cheers to all of you who've reminded us all not to fall into the trap of DOING IT ALL in January. This is a marathon, and I'm grateful to be on this course with you all.
Christine, you could add a reader poll and ask the readers if they like the idea. Also ask them to email you with topic/theme suggestions.
Readers love polls and love feeling like they can help you give them what they want. Be sure to post about the poll results later so they can see that you have taken their ideas on board (or why you are choosing not to!!)
Karen, I've been thinking about this comment so much (THANK YOU!) and wonder how to set up a reader poll? I'd love to do one!
you're welcome, Christine. There is a Substack native poll. To add one to your post, just click on 'More' at the top right while you are in post editor, and choose Poll at the bottom of the list.
I’ve done write ins and we’ve hopped in a zoom, chatted a bit, then had a prompt introduced. We shut off video and audio for an allotted time to write, then come back for readings. We also ask questions at the end. It’s scary to take the lead but it’s great to be a part of. People can produce great work just off short pierces or continue current work.
I've been a participant in stuff like this and it works well. You get the benefit of the ore personal connection as well as the spaciousness to write.
So glad to hear that, Medha. I'm excited to get started!
Hi, Chevanne,
I thank you for this feedback (and I apologize if I've already replied to your comment. I swore I replied on my phone. It's so weird that it's not showing up on my end now...). I appreciate your feedback and feel inspired to do this asap!
That's an amazing ratio of paid subs by the way! Congrats on that.
Oh wow! Thanks so much!
Hello friends!
I’m curious if anyone has any suggestions on using Substack to offer a 7-day “course” format. It would be separate from my newsletter and would be something a reader could sign-up for to receive in addition or just for that course.
For context, I write a weekly meditation practice newsletter called Calm Point. I’d love to offer something like, “Beginners Guide to Meditation” in a course like format that they receive via email.
Hopefully this makes sense. Thank you so much for your time and ideas/thoughts. All ears! ❤️
You could set it up as a section, where they only get access if they become a paid subscriber. You could even have free previews in the section if that helps you. However, the emails wouldn't go out to them again, they'd have to click through to the 'stack.
You could get around that though by putting the links to each 'lesson' in your paid subscriber welcome email. Hope that helps.
Ahhh, ok. That's clever! I'll look into this! Thank you. :)
Of course, I hope it helps!
Links is a great idea I need to update my automatic welcome
This seems like a neat idea.
You'd *probably* have to use a different service to "drip" the content out on daily schedule as readers sign up.
Unless you want it to be a one-time thing for readers, which case staying on Substack and setting up a separate newsletter section would be just fine. If they miss the email opt in, they can at least get the content in the archives.
I'll be curious to hear if you do this and the results.
That makes sense! I thought about this as well! I'll be sure to keep you posted. :)
Wow, that's a great idea, Lauren! Interested to hear an answer to this one too!
Hi any plan to support PayPal aside from stripe? Since stripe is not available for some country. Do you have any suggestions for creating a template for an outline of a post that can be used as a draft and then duplicated?
I started my Substack journey last month and so much love and enjoy writing again. (If you love UI Designer subscribe now 🤗)
Hi Ericson! We'd love to get some more payment processors going, I just don't have a timeline for you I'm afraid.
As for your second question, we have this post about how to design your pub and posts - https://on.substack.com/p/grow-3
Is that what you were thinking of?
That’s a great post!
Looking forward for the other payment processors.
On my second question kinda like a template post for example i have new post for my newsletter i don't need to re-type other content such as subscribe button, outline of my new letter like headings with descriptions. kind like a template draft
Just checking that you know about this feature at least - https://twitter.com/SubstackInc/status/1602407492977246208
Nice would try it. Does it possible even on draft, not on published?
Just published for now I believe
We're continuing to have a bug where an upcoming newsletter reverts to a previous draft.
This primarily seems to happen when we schedule newsletters to go live later. We set up five today and when we went back to double check something, the most recent newsletter had reverted to an old draft.
I'd reported this bug once before and was told it was fixed. But it seems not. I'll report this to the tech side again, but figured I'd raise here as well.
Thank you for this bug report. I just shared it with the team again. Hopefully we can get this fixed for you!
Bailey, you were very helpful to me when I was just beginning. Now I am nearly at 200 subscribers (woo-hoo!) and I wonder what qualifies a writer to get the coveted "Hundreds of subscribers" tag line? And how do you put that on your page when you cross that threshhold?
I'd like to know this, too. I have over 200 subscribers at each of my newsletters. I'm hoping they qualify as 'hundreds of subscribers'!
Thank you, Bailey! Very much appreciated. The idea of sending out an unfinished draft --- shudder....
One solution would be to let the author of the stack toggle versioning off. I find it 100% not useful since I compose my work on my computer, and deal with any versions I want to maintain there.
Just like the About page has a single copy and the signup email has a single copy, it would be nice that each post had a single copy - or the option of making that the default behavior.
As things are now, it's hard to trust the system. Is it fixed? Not sure. None of are. And as Michael says in this post, the idea of an unfinished draft going out is unsettling.. to say the least.
I know you have shared this with the team and I do NOT mean to nag, but it just happened again this morning. I went to do the audio version of an upcoming newsletter, and I had to go about seven versions back in yesterday to find the proper version.
This is happening with my current draft as well.
This has happened to me too, and it's a bummer. Once I was able to go back to a previous version (thank you, Substack team, for making that so easy!). And currently I'm working on what will be a very long post, and whole paragraphs and images keep disappearing from it (this is a different problem, maybe?). I don't know if it's because it's a long post or because there are a lot of images in it. I have been tweaking it a lot, and every time I have to check and double check that everything is in there.
I've found that the previous version is always there. You just have to hunt for it a bit. This mostly tends to happen when I return to a draft after not working on it for a while. The Substack team has suggested having the same newsletter open in different windows might cause a problem. But that clearly wasn't the case with our latest problems.
Multiple windows open was probably the problem with my draft the first time this happened, but the most recent time for me has been something else, not sure what. For now I'm copying and pasting into google docs when I finish a round of drafting to make sure I have a copy somewhere.
I've experienced this and reported it - twice. One response was that the problem was sent to engineers to look at. The other response had nothing to do with the problem.
That said, one thing that might help. I cleared all cache and cookies on my browser. That logged me out and I logged back in. It *might* have been that I had something old in cache, I don't know. But I haven't experienced the problem since. Still, I'm wary and don't entirely trust the system.
I'm going to be watching like a hawk - it's good to be prepared!
I had this a couple of posts ago - I'd published it, but had noticed I'd omitted a word. When I went back in to edit it I was given access to a very early draft! Substack support were brilliant - but I didn't dare follow their advice just in case I lost the entire almost-correct post along with all of its likes and comments. It's still got a missing preposition, but hey, I'll live!
Thanks for keeping the issue at the front of mind, Michael - there's clearly a recurring glitch in there!
Same thing happened to me today. I was able to find the correct (newer) draft in Versions though.
Whoa, I've never even considered that. I just went back and added links to some old newsletters and now I'm worried it might have caused them to revert to earlier drafts -- which is utterly terrifying.
Gosh, I'm sorry for hitting the panic button, Michael! Actually, the only reason I'd even noticed that time was because the earlier version was so very different - it contained a whole load of random verbal swampage that was just some notes for a completely different post! But - *kicks self HARD* - I haven't thought to check any others......!
I write and edit in Word, and then aim to paste the final version into Substack - that's the theory - but of course I go back in and tweak, tweak, tweak some more. Risky, perhaps?
I love your newsletter, btw - I'm enjoying travelling vicariously via '...Going Places'.
Yes, I noticed it in December because the post that was about to go out had reverted to an earlier version - and it was quite obvious.
But what if it's not so obvious? That's what I find unsettling about this behavior. It could revert and I might not notice until it's too late.
Yes, I agree that it's unsettling - it's worrying me just thinking about it! 😲
Don't apologize. That's a really good bug to be on the look out for. And thanks so much for the kind words!
😊
I've had this bug too, @Michael and was told it was fixed. It's absolutely terrifying! I now paste all of every draft into a word doc so I don't lose anything when it happens next time. And I triple check every scheduled post to make sure it doesn't go out incomplete. Time I could spend elsewhere!
It’s over 45 minutes until this “starts” and there are already 76 comments! Seems like an inefficient method for a very useful service. Can you move it to another platform that is live (TW Spaces or Zoom) tho I realize that takes it off of Substack. But this is hurting my desire to learn and making my organized self cranky. I’d be willing to volunteer to take notes now and then if we did a live session so the info can be captured and re-purposed in a digestible manner. It could be a community-supported effort that helps instead of just adds more words to the internet. (No headings, no organization, just a lot of threads based on time not topic…) Thank you for listening!
Awww, office hours is the highlight of my substack week! The time-boxed “office hours” portion is when the substack team will be online answering questions. The rest of the time is for us writers to party!
I appreciate your enthusiasm, Jen!
agree the threads are not ideal but live spaces are a killer for those of us in other timezones. I was fast asleep while you were all commenting... am happy to catch up later, but not happy to wake up at 4 am to join a Zoom for Writers Hours every week.
Very good point...
Me too! I'd need to get up at 5am....
I think that's a great idea! It sounds like a big undertaking, but if you have the time and enthusiasm! Regarding the "start," it actually starts an hour prior to the "start" and the long-timers here have figured it out. Maybe it's a time-zone accommodation thing. But yeah, it annoyed me at first, because I found myself feeling late to the party and playing thread-reading catch up.
Thank you, Steve. I feel seen and heard! This is my first Office Hours. Lots of positives and lots of negatives. LOL, the state of the internet overall, right?
We turn this thread on early to give folks the chance to post questions / get answers from us who can't attend while our team are in the thread! Come during the live hour if you prefer that vibe :) Zoom wouldn't work for this many writers and conversations at once unfortunately
Hi Bailey,
I have a question about the new audio recording options: When I go to record my post a white box comes up on the right side of the screen and blocks part of the right side of my text so I cannot see the words I'm reading. This is a fairly new option and I'm wondering what can be done if I want to read the text I've written into the microphone on my computer without blocking my text. Thanks!
Hi Joan! I'm sorry to hear that. I let the team know. In the meantime, here is a workaround: Just shrink the size of the text in your browser and you're fine (command-minus or view -> zoom out)
Now that it’s started, I’m having the page scroll before I can finish reading or commenting! The problems with being too popular…
Happy New Year Substackers! I was wondering if there is a way to edit the "No Thanks" link below the subscribe button pop-up when non-subscribers follow a link to your Substack? (oh boy, not sure if that makes sense but hopefully someone will know what I'm talking about!)
I was certain I've seen some that say "Let me read it first".
Yes, this! I noticed the change and DO NOT LIKE IT. I much prefer the curiosity angle of “let me read it first.”
Yes, I noticed this change too! I find it confusing and slightly smarmy. I'm happy to get free subscribers, and happy to have them read my posts first before becoming a subscriber of any kind. I'd love to have it go back to "Let me read it first" OR, even better, as you suggest, giving us an option to customize it.
My substack goal for 2023 is to go full tilt into my impostor syndrome and pretend I am a hilariously clever writer even though there's no doubt in my mind it ain't true
Fake it till you make it.
Hello substackers!
Wishing you all a wonderful 2023, filled with the fun of writing your newsletter and lots of engagement on it. And of course good health, happiness and lots of love.
If you're writing poetry, let me know. I will subscribe, read, engage and share your work.
I write You Are Here which has poetry and personal essays. Thanks and back acha.
I'll check it out. Thank you. And happy New Year!
Hello! 👋🏾
Hoping to write more poetry this year. I have some that currently in my archives.
Nice. Looking forward to reading your poetry
Happy New Year, Writing Pals! A benediction before we begin:
- May this be the year, we stop scanning the horizon for big leaps and start now with consistent, small steps instead. May this steady progress move us farther forward than a single jump ever could.
- May we reject the promise of overnight success and instant change and show up a little bit better every day.
- May we recognize that falling short and falling down are just part of the process. The growth is in the return.
... And speaking of growth, may we give, freely and genuinely, the exact support we are asking for.
Looking at others growth stories there are often big leap moments but for them it was impossible to predict in advance what would trigger that leap.
The more consistent you become the more likely a leap happens.
Exactly 🔥🔥❤️
Yes!!!! Slow, consistent and steady wins the race. (But really there’s no race at all!)
Michael Mohr
‘The Incompatibility of Being Alive’
https://reallife82.substack.com/
Hi Katie and all! At a NYE party I met someone who said it's impossible to grow an online presence organically. I'm REALLY HOPING that some folks on this thread would disagree with that statement! Please leave your two cents!!
I've been getting one or two new sign ups each week, and they're mostly all people who know me, which means there's a natural ceiling for subscribers. It could be that my content isn't portable for a general audience? Or I'm not promoting it well? I also took 4 months off recently :-/. I was once ordained as a Zen Buddhist priest and my newsletter is kind of a kitchen sink of reflections on the various ways we seek meaning (I have a masters in religion; now I'm in a PhD program for anthropology). I'd be grateful for any advice. My purpose here is to get out a message as well as build a community.
Best wishes to everyone!!! <3
They're definitely wrong about not growing an online presence organically. Sounds like someone cynical who failed to me. 😬
Take it from me: I got a book deal on the strength of my podcast right here on Substack. I wasn't paying for followers, I only ever did one paid advertisement somewhere else (AFTER the book deal), I didn't know anyone in publishing, I'm not a nepo baby, haha. An episode went viral and an editor heard it and liked it.
just subscribed, by the way!
Thank you!! I hope you find it useful. I'll enjoy reading yours, too!
I'll send you the first chapter if you will send me yours! caseynyt@gmail.com
This is a dream! I'd love it! Will do. Incoming from caroline.devane@gmail.com
😭 This is exactly what I needed to hear! I am working on that book deal! I love hearing of this success. Thank you!!
Good luck! ☺️
That is very heartening to me. I'm finding it difficult to get an agent for a memoir I wrote, despite having been a professional writer for 35 years. Very frustrating.
Maura, this is such a bummer! I'm also trying to find an agent for a memoir I wrote - feedback from two agents I met with at a small writers' conference said they didn't want manuscripts, only book proposals, with a large interest in memoir+ (the plus being some extra educational angle). I find it hard to believe after looking at your Twitter and Substack that your story would not be interesting to people! It has to be a matter of gaming the system. I'm wishing you luck in your endeavor! And I'm glad you're here.
"It's impossible to grow an online presence organically."
Yup, that statement is idiotic.
(They may not BE an idiot! But it's really daft to say things like that, when there are so many folk who have grown a huge audience that way, and their case studies aren't that hard to find, including on Substack. Super-wrong thing to say.)
😂 thanks for this, Mike!!!
No problem! I'm also in this camp too: I haven't paid for advertising - and I found an approach on Twitter that I've done for free, without doing any sponsored tweets, that hooks people into my list. I'm not anti-advertising, but if you can find a way to do it for free, why pay? (I also see free as a true test of quality - if it becomes popular, you can be 100% sure it's popular because it's just really good.)
This is sound advice. I have no excuse, but I really don't understand Twitter! I'm hoping I can skip that one and learn TikTok? It's hard to strike a balance between doing all the social media engagement vs. doing the writing. Maybe you are an extrovert? I battle shyness with every post. I'll go check out your letter!
Very much an introvert! I use Twitter threads to tell a sciencey story, and a few of them have really taken off - this one being the biggest: https://twitter.com/Mikeachim/status/1491080740586782720 But I don't like being "live" all that much, and especially not on video, so this approach suits me nicely.
That's an awesome thread! A gripping tale!!! Okay... I'm tucking this strategy in my back pocket. Thank you for all this!
Caroline, I think that comment is just ignorant. The more subscribers you get, the more your posts will be shared, period. Even if it is slow. Keep going!
Thank you for this kindness, Maura! <3
I'd love everyones thoughts on an idea of subscription. I propose the following:
Substack establishes a credit system where a member can buy a dollar value each month, which can roll over. A credit can = $1 and can be used in the following ways:
1. They can pay for subscriptions with credits where there might be a reduced cost option (say 3 credits vs. $5)
2. They can pay for individual essays with credits (1 credit / essay)
3. They can send credits to writers for free essays as a 'tip' for good writing.
So this would break down to allow someone to buy 20 credits - $20 each month.
They could use 9 credits on three subscriptions and have 11 credits to buy / tip for other essays. This would allow a micro-monitization vs. the expectation of a fully committed and yet independent subscriptions. It would help build the broader community aspect of a network of authors as well.
Hi everyone.
I got a HUGE boost in free subscribers last month when i was featured on the Substack home page (to whoever is responsible for that thank you, thank you, thank youuuuu) but I have to admit that I've been kind of flailing with a strategy for converting to paid subscribers.
I wanted to do something with voice recordings, as i get a lot of requests for audio of my essays, but have been unsure about doing a separate podcast of a written post, putting a voice over that is just available to paid subscribers, or doing an audio recording below a paypal at the end of the post.
Any thoughts or wisdom welcome.
Hi Jeanette, I make voiceovers and paywall them. I do this by creating a podcast episode and pasting a link to the 'episode' into my main post below the paywall. The podcast episodes themselves are never emailed and are also locked.
I also have a post called "Audio archive" with links to all the podcast episodes, and I keep it in a Section (tab on home page) called 'For Paying Subscribers'.
Does it work for conversions? Well it's funny, people LOVE feeling like they get lots of extra goodies when they pay, and so the audio version feature is nice to have on the list of benefits. But actually hardly any of my subs actually listen to the posts, they just like to know that they could if they wanted to :)
My conversion rate is at 4.95% right now, so I'm doing something right!
If you don’t mind, I may give this a shot! The way it’s like... advertised that there’s this exclusive content in an area is so cool! And a neat idea/workaround! Also, congrats on the conversion!
You certainly are! Congrats!
To follow this, is it even possible to separate voiceovers into “paid only”? I feel like that’s a good idea and feature to make paid however you see fit!
You can't use the "voiceover" tool to do this now, but you can upload an audio file into the text of your editor and put it below a paywall as a hack.
I worked stumbled across a post that had a voiceover at the top, and a paywall further down, and worked with someone on the substack help support who said that if you add a paywall anywhere in the post, the voice over will remain at the top but only for paid subscribers... is this not correct?
Roxanne Gay’s “The Audacity” does this! I’ve taken a picture of it before and wondered how to do it.
Oh, that's interesting, I subscribe but mostly read in email, i'll have to go check it out.
i can hunt down the link if that's helpful.
Hi, I just did this for the first time! I made a voiceover of an essay I published last Spring. I created a new post, because I wanted a new email to go out to everyone, and then I created a short clip that would play for free listeners. You can see how mine worked here:
https://www.juke.press/p/driving-lessons-the-audio-version#details
And Substack has an explainer on how to create both a paid and free version of the audio here: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/8772155158164-How-do-I-create-a-preview-of-a-paid-podcast-episode-for-free-listeners-
If you are going to do do something additional for iPad subs (as opposed to a patronage model), then my advice is to offer something “different” (ie audio) and not “more.” For example, if you ship 3x weekly, don’t just add a 4th edition of the same. Hopefully, that makes sense?
This post is worth a read if you haven't yet -
"How to motivate readers to upgrade their subscription"
https://on.substack.com/p/free-vs-paid
Hello! I would like to make a suggestion. It would be fantastic to be able to separate subscribers into groups. This way some articles can be sent out to a specific group of people and not everybody (for people who are writing in 2 languages for example). Thanks!
I hope this helps. Hubby and I publish 7 articles and 2 podcast episodes/week. One of my readers said she loves our content but is inundated with emails. So I started a new section for a weekly summary that I send out every Sunday that has links to the previous week's posts.
I always include the directions for how people can "unsubscribe" to daily emails and check to just receive the weekly summary.
Maybe you can do the same.
Once you start a new section, be sure to click the option for all current and new subscribers to be added to that section, if that is what you want.
Then your subscribers can choose to receive your newsletter just in the language of their choice.
Thanks ! Yes, it’s a great idea. But I think it would easier to send out some articles of some sections to those who subscribed to those sections only and not to the full database. Have a nice day Pamela.
You're welcome. Of course, that would mean that Substack would have to have some way to "tag" your subscribers like regular email providers do. I don't think we can do that in Substack.
Sure. Or maybe give writers the possibility to organise subscribers into some kind of folders, so to connect with readers in a more granular way.
Have you read about sections? Perhaps it could work for you - https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-publication-sections
Sure, but even if I write a piece in a different section, it get sent out to all subscribers, isn’t it? Thanks !
Not necessarily. Your readers can opt out of any of your sections. That's the beauty of Sections, I think. Some of your readers may be interested in the topic while others aren't, and they do have the choice to opt out.
All the best Ramona
Yes, of course. My concern was regarding the fact that if I open a brand new section in another language for example, with no readers in that language yet, hundreds of people will receive an article that they can’t read at all. Thanks for your reply and suggestion though.
When you create a new section, you can opt to not auto-subscribe everyone on the list. I just did that with a new section yesterday, because I didn't want everyone to be opted into a creative prompt challenge they didn't agree to.
I didn't know that. Thanks!
Thanks Jenn, that is perfectly right. But then what happens when you send out your article ? Who receives it? No one since there are no subscribers yet ?
The other option is to create a new newsletter in another language. I have two newsletters, plus sections in each, and it seems to work pretty well.
A few folk have two newsletters if they are writing on different topics don’t they... I think that works well
Yes, exactly. That’s probably the best idea !
Unfortunately, I think you're right. The only way I can think to work around it is to give your subscribers a heads-up about what you're trying to do. Explain that it's for people understanding that language and tell them how they can opt out if they choose. You may have to add that to every newsletter in that section for a while.
I'm only guessing, of course. You might want to ask Substack support. Maybe there is another way.
Any fellow Substackers with history newsletters or just an interest in history? Let's connect!
I started a Substack about the Whitechapel murders and the harsh double standards in Victorian society that marginalized women: https://canonical5.substack.com/
Interesting stuff! I don't write a history newsletter, but I enjoy African History Extra https://isaacsamuel.substack.com/, Brutal South https://brutalsouth.substack.com, and super biased on this last one, because it's written by my partner, Notes for A Living World https://livingworld.substack.com
Hi! I am using Substack for a serial publication of my great-grandmother's journals, adding images, links, etc. I'm finding it a fascinating place to learn about American history from the 1920s on.
My newsletter is less than six months old. I wrote a newsletter about the history of three generations of music in my family titled "Generation Rap," written with my own music perspective. My main interest is writing poetry. I include an original poem with each post. I am a history buff and I plan on checking out your newsletter.
Happy New Year everyone! Quick reminder to give yourself a break from time to time. Don't overwhelm yourself with writing goals right out of the gate. Take one day at a time. Slow, substantial progress is worth more than rushed fulfillment.
Seeking guidance on the best category for my blog + newsletter. I write about mental health struggles, healing, vulnerability, personal stories, etc. Right now, I have Health & Wellness selected, but is that the best option to ensure people searching on these topics will find my blog (With Grit + Grace)? https://reaganf.substack.com/
I am curious about categorization as well. I went in Nov/Dec to revamp my ‘stacks and noticed the settings section had changed a lot. Used to be able to pick 3 words that described my newsletter, now we are “boxed in” to two big categories. Makes it difficult to know that my desired, specific audience is actually being reached.
That would seem to make the most sense... It's tough. I'm under "fiction" yet my content is about learning to write in multiple genres and forms. I TOTALLY understand why Substack doesn't want a "writing" category--God help us--we'll turn into Medium! But "fiction" isn't really it either. And Education has so many in it, I'll be lost... Do your "personal stories" fit with the Health/Wellness piece?
Thanks everybody for all the helpful links. I've got to run but I've got tabs open that will keep me busy for a long wile. Blessings!
I recently started a second substack page using a second separate email account because I want a different subscriber base. When I use that second email address to access the second account it did not give me an option to create a new password so when I try to sign into the second account it kicks me back to my first account. Will I be able to create a second password for the second account or will I have to keep using the temporary sign-in password that Substack provides?
I've found that I have to open separate accounts in different browsers. Otherwise, they seem to default to the first account. Maybe there's a workaround, but this also helps me keep them organized.
I have set up a separate profile on Google Chrome for my second Substack account, and have successfully been able to set up two different passwords.
Hello everyone,
I'm new to Substack and I don't know anything about publishing. As a first-generation student along with English being my second language, I feel like I'm uninformed about the world of publishing. I've written two pieces of work, fiction and creative non-fiction but I don't know what to do with them. Looking forward to any advice, thanks!
Hi, I'm probably even more pedestrian than yourself when it comes to writing but I am a painter and an unpublished writer (who is not painting at the moment) and one thing that was happening in the creative process that worked for me with my painting was not comparing myself with others! I am seeing it here with my writing too and yet the challenge is to still be reading great work to remain in the flow! haha. Not easy but I thought I'd offer it anyway. I am basing this on the success of my work when I would paint for enjoyment ONLY, not for results and the work that came out was astonishing. I feel like I'm not making sense and I am urged to just delete and not post but WTH.
Depending on how long your two pieces are, you might consider breaking them up into small chunks and publishing these smaller parts weekly. Substack seems to work best if you publish on a regular schedule. That would also give you time to write more content. Good luck! It’s kind of one of those things you just figure out as you go, so just get started!
How does one create a nice-looking, lively home page like Substack has instead of a plain listing of the most recent posts?
If you go to settings, and then "edit your publication theme" and set it to magazine. That's the one I have on my homepage: natashalipman.substack.com
Wow, thank you!
That made a huge difference.
You're welcome! It looks so nice, doesn't it. You can also control what's on the top by pinning :)
I had the same issue and it was driving me crazy! Then I realized you have to have enough posts for the magazine theme to work (at least I think you do!) I love it!