Substack offers a suite of features that support cross-promotions amongst writers. None of these tools require the writer to be marketing-savvy, and none rely on clickbait, but writers are using them to drive 40% of all free subscriptions and 20% of paid subscriptions across the Substack network.
Substack’s growth features include:
Recommendations: The most powerful way to grow your Substack is through Recommendations, a human-powered system built to help writers suggest other writers to their readers via the subscribe flow, on their homepages, and in automated emails.
Notes: Where writers and readers can recommend posts, links, images, and quotes, leave comments, and more.
Cross-posts: Cross-posting is a meaningful way for you to share another publication’s post with your audience. Add your commentary on a post published by another Substack writer, share the post with your subscribers via email, and now publish to your publication homepage. Cross-posts are great for resharing posts you were featured in or really believe in and want to amplify to your audience.
Mike Solana cross-posts a recent episode of The Active Voice where he was interviewed to subscribers of Pirates Wires.
Guest posts: Authoring a post on another writer’s publication, or inviting another writer to publish on your Substack, encourages discovery and give you exposure to another writer’s audience. Simply click the “+” sign under a post title and search for the name of any writer on Substack. The writer will receive an email to confirm they are an author of the post and their byline will appear when you publish.
Mentions: From any post, you can add hyperlink mentions of other Substack writers or publications in your own Substack posts. Simply use the “@” key and then search for the writer or publication within the Substack network you want to tag.
How have you used these features? Let us know in today’s threads and ask any question about how they work.
🧠 I'm finding Notes to be a useful way to reach out to other newsletter publishers and readers as well. I've gotten a few new subscribers, perhaps a handful, but I think it's got the potential for building good acquaintances, if nothing else. I'm also discovering some interesting new reads that way. It does fill about 25% of the void that formed after I quit Twitter but with very few negative aspects so far. I don't really see it as a way to attract a lot of new readers but I'm not too concerned about that. I use Notes far more than Chat (just couldn't build the Chat habit, it didn't take for me).
🧠 I've gotten hundreds of new subscribers via Recommendations, which does seem swell but: my Open rates are lower than I'd like - I have a feeling that some readers just blindly clicked on Recommendations when they subscribed to someone else and my newsletter might not quite be to their tastes? Dunno. So Recommendations might not always convert to happy readers... not sure. But better to have them than not.
✏️ I don't use cross-posting very often, wondering what everyone else's experience is with using it.
I've used cross posting sparingly. Re-Stacking has largely replaced it for me- less friction, I'm taking up less space in a reader's inbox, and I can highlight a favorite quote or passage.
Is it actually better to have more readers/subscribers? I would think it's better to have higher open rates and fewer readers because those people are more engaged, right?
I have so much trouble embracing this! I started my Substack with the intention of publishing a couple times a month, but quickly fell into the weekly newsletter + paid offering format in order to grow. Very curious what your schedule looks like!
I'm not sure if you were asking me (apologies if you weren't!), but mine looks like this:
-Monday: Discussion thread
-Wednesday: Short form article (5-850 words)
-Thursday: Longer form work (generally paywalled) or artist interview (never paywalled)
-Friday: Short form
-Saturday: A semi-regular round up of news or other things I've found share-worthy. Like an old fashioned link drop from back in the day, but usually with mixed media (paywalled)
Hey Kevin, I really like the structure and it's given me ideas of how I could give my readers more. Have you found this posting schedule works out for you in terms of effort in and growth out? Thanks again for sharing this.
I am subscribed to one substack that has at least 5-10 posts a day. Needless to say I don't read them all. I scan the headlines, and oftentimes the substack goes little farther than the actual headline.
Personally, I would unsubscribe pretty quickly. Always on the verge of overload anyway, but getting that many would quickly drive me away to move on to perceived higher quality over higher quantity.
They are usually small posts, maybe three five paragraphs. Other times they are just crossposts. At times some of the posts are enlightening and interesting, but other times it seems like "posting to be posting."
I am a firm believer that less is more. My newsletter is fortnightly - I subtitle it Thought for the Fortnight - and that seems fine. Nobody is over-burdened but it is fun to look forward to. look at the About link.
In the end, it all depends. Depends on the size of the newsletter, the value provided, etc. Another newsletter I get will have a "meme" on occasion and then a long article. Then again, I look forward to anything they put out as it is usually primo material.
Another newsletter I get will sometimes come on and apologize for not updating enough, and it puzzles me because I don't feel any great urgency to receive the newsletter, and also am not sure of the estimated frequency of sending out posts.
It's just like having sales "prospects" which means nothing until you qualify them as really having the potential to become customers. Or webinar attendees. Some people get excited when they have hundreds of attendees. The BIG question is, how many of them are just "butts in seats" or "muffin munchers" who only came for the snacks. I'd rather have 10 regular readers than 1000 non-readers.
Yes! And there's also the question (at least for me) of whether they are not only regular readers but also might consider buying/paying. Some of my most consistent readers (who've followed me for years, then came over when I switched to Substack) refuse to pay for anything but read every free post (sometimes opening them multiple times, etc.). Not good or bad, but I'm more interested in 5 readers willing to pay than 100 readers who want everything to always be free.
I think it is better to focus on writing and creating consistent quality content and the readers will come. Networking will be required for sure but without the quality content...
I'm averaging 75% open rate, albeit with a small audience of only a couple hundred subscribers after 3 months of Stacking. That percentage feels pretty good, but I'm not sure what other writers are experiencing in early days.
This is a great open rate, and mirrors my experience when I had less than 200 readers. My open rates started dropping as my subscriber count grew - I’m in the low 60s now. With the recent introduction of some spam subscribes, I seem to have dropped to the high 50s.
My main objective is engagement, not subscriber count, so this drop is concerning to me. I will probably do an email purge pretty soon for accounts that are not opening/viewing.
I am also concerned this is a logical byproduct of relying too heavily on the Substack network to grow by any metric used. People who subscribe to me now often “read” 50 or 100 or more substacks, which is bonkers. They are not reading this many substacks, which then works counter productive to my goal of building community.
good to know your experience. Thanks for sharing. Frankly I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed just taking an hour for this dialogue with y'all. I don't have any clue how people subscribe to that many writers. I like to actually read people's stuff. To quote David Carradine "focus grasshopper"
That is impressive Dee. I can tell my example - 7 months of Stacking ( took this word Stacking it from you :D ) and 30 subscribers and growing ... open rate of 80%
I was going to say the same as Sarah. That's excellent, way better than the average I'm sure. I'm at about 42% average. I think because I carried over a (TINY) preexisting list of folks who once subscribed to my deadbeat Tumblr and most of them weren't necessarily real themselves, that my list is a little skewed to the nonresponsive side. But I do notice any of the new real subscribers since I've landed here and emailed to my own contact are way more engaged. I guess I could simply change those odds by deleting some of the unresponsive emails but it's hard to anyone go at this small stage.
Yeah, this is a great open rate! I've seen my open rates drop to about 50% after a few years of 'stacking. Not sure if that's general inbox fatigue, fatigue about what I'm posting, or what. Regardless, I think the industry average is less than 30% (if I'm remembering correctly), so 75% is definitely great!
I've been averaging twice a week. Once on Wednesday-ish and once on weekends. Oddly weekends have better traction. Growth has been organic. FB friends, word of mouth, and a handful of like-minded writers here on Substack that have found my content.
I go for higher open rates. I'm considering purging my innactive subs except I can't tell if they are reading it in the app instead of e-mail. That's the hard part to discern. I don't want to purge someone who's views aren't through e-mail.
In the subscriber list you can sort by emails opened or by posts viewed. I’m not totally sure on this, but I think posts viewed might be the views online or in the app. I have many people with zero email opens who are engaged in my comments, and I think it’s because they are counted under views.
It depends on what your definition of success is. If it’s # of subscribers, it makes sense to keep them all. If it’s engagement, then low open rates can be improved by eliminating folks who aren’t engaging.
Fair enough, and the bots point is good. I don't have enough readers to worry about that yet haha.
I'm never going to put anything behind a paywall and, when I reach a high enough number, launch a "donations" system if people want to support me. So I guess that's why I value subs over engagement.
When my rate does drop, I was toying with the idea of emailing inactive seeming subscribers and asking whether they wanted to continue receiving the newsletter and giving them the option to unsubscribe.
Hi Marisa, I think you've captured my concern: there's a lot of value in higher open rates. I don't feel that I've got any right to complain, probably just shows me an opportunity.
Open rates will go down as you gain more subscribers. If Substack can publish some average benchmarks it would be helpful to people. For example a 1000 subscriber newsletter has an average OR of x%
It's tough. Everyone wants more subscribers. We would love for them all to be "quality" subscribers, but it's tough to control that. Depends on where they come from. Personally, I think I would prefer to have 100 subscribers with 30 of them "quality" as opposed to just 30 "quality" subscribers.
Reason? Those 70 may not be quality, but some do read some, some do share on rare occasion, some might eventually get hooked, and some of them just might share with the right people at the right time. Work towards quality (both in your work AND your subscribers), but I say, the more the merrier.
Visit my substack, "The Art of Unintended Consequences" to see many instances of unexpected things happening. Maybe that "low quality" subscriber is the one who causes you to break out. 😉
I would absolutely prefer higher open rates. I'm in the process of shutting down my second WordPress blog because it never converted to an audience. Individual posts get attention but people didn't sign up to come back. I want people who will come back over and over again.
You're right, Brad. I keep meaning to do some pruning myself. But please don't prune me from yours: I will get back to reading and leaving insightful comments soon.
Hey Brad, Do you automatically prune them or do you send them a message letting them know you have noticed they aren't engaged and you're happy to unsubscribe them? Curious what you've found works well.
I hardly ever cross-post. I'm a writer, I think I have things to say. It isn't a team sport. Sometimes I have had guest posts, which elicit the comment: "When are you coming back? I also have little use for Chat, don't understand what it's for. And I wouldn't think of asking my subscribers to check out Notes. Their mailboxes are choked enough with stuff they don't want or need. I feel protective of them, and don't see why my Notes would interest them. It's a different function that I use only to share a thought with other Substack writers.
While I am a writer, I am also a reader. And as much as I think what I have to say has value, I also think what others have to say has value. Plus, there are times I read other writers and they provide touchstones on the very things I want to write about. I think I would then recommend them, if not cross post with them
Totally agree, Jimmy. It's just that there is a lot of reading outside Substack that needs to be done. Books to read, magazines I subscribe to, newspapers. I am a media being. I do not wish to spend excessive time in the Substack bubble, which, as fond as I am of this platform and the people who make it hum, is what too many of the new features seem to encourage.
Well said. In the last few weeks I've taken a step back from the bubble so I can enjoy some books + magazines + newspapers. It's an important thing to do, and to continue doing, because one could spend all their time in the bubble, especially now that there's Notes (not bashing it, just pointing out that it's an endless scroll). I'm still pretty new around here (a little over three months), and I feel like I actually burnt myself out a bit with how much time I was committing to the platform.
All that said... I have yet to cross-post anything, but I'm actually planning an, I don't know, 3-6 week period where I'll be cross-posting one writer per week. During that time I'll be writing new content and planning future stories/essays, etc. It won't be something I'll do regularly, but I feel like the cross-post feature could be put to good use during periods of silence. Kind of like, "Hey, I'm taking a little break, but I'd love to introduce you to John Doe. I think you might like what they're doing." I feel like as long as you're upfront with your subscribers doing so will be just fine.
I think you're also exactly right, Garrett, about using cross-posts introducing other writers. It is a good communal and generous thing to do. I'm celebrating two years of my Substack and occasionally I repost something from the first months when I had many fewer readers. One can do that do, reissues from the catalog! If I'm really lazy I see what's trending on Twitter, which had a contretemps with Substack not long ago, and if something suits the trend, I may invade my own archives and repost. But it's got to be a special case.
Usually while in the substack Bubble, I am going in and out of the semi permeable membrane. As I read one substack, they point me to outside articles, which in turn leads me to still others, and combine this with the other things I do in a given day, there is balance, or a frenetic meandering in both within and out of the bubble.
As far as what substack encourages, of course they want to encourage more "in platform" use.
I feel like cross-posting could be an interesting way to supplement our own writing or to share with readers what's resonating with us at a given time. What we read and enjoy provides insight into how we think. It also gives a glimpse of the kinds of writing that influence us.
Plus, if used well and with discernment, it can be a mutually beneficial way for writers to amplify each others' work.
Writing CAN be a team sport when writers collaborate, but I'm like you. I write solo. Still, the idea of becoming part of a vibrant community of writers was a long-held dream that has come true here. Like you, I wouldn't inflict yet another social network on my readers, but this is a great way to share ideas and thoughts with colleagues and peers.
Thank you Howard. The writing I did used to be a team sport: newspaper and magazine newsrooms, full of noise, smoke, fascinating characters, brilliant (and not so brilliant) oddball editors, going out for drinks after work...I lived my best life in newsrooms. That's almost all gone (thank you internet and vulture capitalism), and I'm afraid that I don't get that same camaraderie, sense of shared mission, in this part of the 21st century. I have found many new writers, a few friends, and even solid acquaintances here on Substack.
Both. I like the community feel of Notes, but I also see it as a place to showcase my own work, as well as the work of others I follow. It's a very positive place to be!
It seems to me my audience rarely, if ever, see me on notes although I am frequently there. I enjoy it to engage with other writers and find new things to read and see. It's the community for me.
Thanks, Wayne, for speaking to me. I agree, writing is not a team sport although it can be mutually supportive which is perhaps the point. Like you, I am a write so I have things to say. Maybe we are just traditional that way. I also was encouraged via Substack to Join me on Notes after a recent post, which I did because it was seamless but I didn't know what to do when on there! It just seems like another way to plug someone's email. I write an essay. Then I publish the audio of that essay with commentary and my own rambling (and sometimes not rambling but insightful (I think)) notes and stories about my content. That's what I do. Take it or leave it.
I only use cross-posting when I'm mentioned in a post AND it's something that might really resonate with my readers. I don't cross-post just anything that I'm mentioned in or is related to my 'stack since it hits my readers' inboxes and I don't want to overwhelm them.
Getting hundreds of subscribers thru recommendations is impressive. Lots of people recommend mine, but it hasn't generated hundreds of new sign-ups. Still more than I would have had though, so I'm very grateful to them.
AS for lower open rates, I've found the sme. A few office hours ago someone who seemed to know what he was talking about said that open rates decline as you get more subscribers. I don't see why that should be the case. One reason I thought was that the Substack people do such a great job of encouraging all to promote each other that perhaps people have signed up for lots of Substacks but still have the same amount of time in which to read them. I know that's what I've done, so I end up not reading or commenting on some for weeks on end sadly.
Nothing gives me less confidence than receiving a new subscription from someone who reads "867 other Substacks. Or even one-tenth of that. The idea of Substack as a constant recommendation loop seems silly unless the platform hits a critical mass in which it has become a kind of default destination for readers worldwide.
I agree with you to a large extent, Wayne. I do often think there's a kind of Matthew effect going on with Substack. However, I do think it's better to have more subscribers than fewer, and there's always the chance that the person who reads 867 others will prioritise mine! 😂
Terry, I appreciate your optimism. And I agree that open rates don't have to decline as your readership grows, but if you're getting subscribers through cheap tricks, salesmanship, or other devices you will likely see a decline as those subscribers don't read much. One of the hardest things for me is to resist "promoting" my Substacks in too "salesy" a way. I want the writing to attract them, not my salesmanship.
I'm with you there, Howard. I even feel awkward about putting the Subscribe button in my posts. Being someone who is embarrassed by the very idea of self-promotion, I'm quite pleased that Substack makes it easy for us to promote each other.
In my case there are extenuating factors which I believe have supercharged the effect of one of the Recommendations (i.e. that person was featured in the weekly Substack Reads email so I think there was a repeater effect from that).
I cross-posted a few times, but I've discovered that "restacking" a post is much more effective at helping other writers and building my own relationships with other writers and readers. So I'm very thankful for that development.
I am also finding that open rates have declined since using Notes, anyone else? I'm wondering if people who click "subscribe" on Notes are actually consciously or subconsciously looking for more Notes, and note necessarily for long-form content.
I hear you on that, Mark. I've seen my open rates dip recently, and I think that subs from Recommendations might be contributing. But, maybe some other writers out there who've serialized something before could speak to this...
✏️ When you serialize a work, do you notice open rates getting lower?
On one end, I've thought, "Yeah, that makes sense. Because there's a drop-off of readers. Those who haven't read Parts 1-3 won't open Part 4 when it hits their inbox."
But I also have a hunch that the repetitive naming of a project won't play nicely with email service providers. For example, the novel I'm serializing is titled And in the Dark They Are Born. And each subject line has the following structure: And in the Dark They Are Born, Part X. And so I think, say, Gmail sees this and is like, "Ehh, that's really close to the email this person sent a week ago. Let's throw that in Spam(or default all future sends to the Promotions tab)."
I don't think I've ever cross-posted. I'm generous with outbound links and I Restack often, but cross-posting never seemed all that appealing. I suppose I'd feel differently if I wrote an essay taking one position (Twitter is a goldmine everyone needs to work in) and you rebutted my essay with your own essay (Twitter is trash and anyone who spends time there stinks). In that case, I see how cross-posting adds value to both of our audiences because it shows them the dialogue we've chosen to create. But if it's just a simple mention or a shout out, as opposed to the whole piece, I think cross-posting is overkill. Of course, neither of us really writes pieces like that, and I think we have very similar feelings about Twitter :)
One possibility for cross-posting is that it's a way to fill in a gap in your own publishing schedule if you write an opening with some analysis about the article in question but that kinda feels like cheating...
I never really considered that possibility. I don't think it's cheating. I'm just not sure what the value is, aside from keeping up a pub cadence without doing a full dive into a topic. I suppose that's the logic of round-up posts, but I prefer those because you get a few different offerings, like a buffet!
✏️ Hi everyone! New to office hours so apologies if I get the etiquette here wrong!! Fairly new to substack, writing weekly about our travel experiences, midlife, parenting and thoughts on the world. I can see a lot of advice here around growth and community and diving onto these boards, notes and comments and so I'm wondering on average how much time/how often people are spending on engagement as opposed to creation?
Try full-time freelancing if you want to feel there's never enough time. You have to create, sell what you create, and keep in touch with your network. My own joke is that I'm Howard M. Cohen looking for Howard M. Clone. Tell me, do you still do useless time-wasting things like sleep?? :)
I have a time every day where I respond to comments on my posts and read and comment on at least one other Substack. I also try to come to Office Hours 2-3 times a month. :)
I don't currently promote my newsletter in any other way but have been thinking about doing some "old school" promo like a business card or postcard with a QR code.
I try to spend about 15-20 minutes a day engaging with other writers by commenting and sharing in notes. But it tends to turn into 30-40 minutes if I add reading pieces and sharing them to notes!
I'll spend about 15-20 minutes a day engaging with any replies I get because of my interactions/any replies on my own pieces. (So I visit my notifications once or twice a day).
Hey guys! Thanks for fixing the problem I signaled last week, with the threads not redirecting correctly. I’m having a wonderful time exploring all these community features. Recommendations, in particular, have been so fun and useful for me. I love recommending other Substacks, and thus sharing with my readers all the cool stuff I myself have been reading. And a very cool thing: it’s happened a few times for a writer to recommend my blog without me asking them to! I can’t put into words how empowering that feels.
I need some advice on a problem I’ve encountered when describing my substack, where I, at least, attempt to, write funny stuff - because I can’t describe it as funny, because there’s nothing less funny that self-proclaimed funniness. So I’m at a loss on how to describe it! Or am I overthinking this! Any thoughts?
Hi Sam! I write humor too. This is, shall we say, a challenge that comes with the territory. Nothing wrong with telling people your stuff is funny, but a better strategy is always to show rather than tell. I took a look at your Substack, and I think you're heading in the right direction. That is, it was obvious at first glance that you're writing funny stuff. My advice is to keep refining your pitch. Try writing some log lines that express the POV of your humor without saying "this is funny." Then try the best log lines out and see how they work. It'll take some time, but you'll get there.
In your pitch letter to new subscribers and prospects, post a couple of samples of your humor. You might want to pin one of your best pieces at the top of your magazine home page so prospects can quickly decide whether they get your humor. Be sure that in your pitch you mention that you are known as a humor writer. Jokes often are the truth in the eyes of the writers and at least some readers.
Also, post a list of the best books you have read about how to be humorous. We all pine to entertain.
In the stock, bonds and commodities markets the funniest people pretend they can predict anything. Most people get the joke.
Another idea. Write funny comments, long and short, on other Substack humorists' comments sections. Be happy when they do the same for you.
My best sources of new subscribers are comments sections where I comment under my byline. That way people can check me out and decide whether to subscribe, or not.
It's a process. I think your POV comes early, but it can often take some time for you to see it clearly and articulate it. At least, that's been my experience.
Use words like humor, comedy, funny, parody in your write ups. Or you can just let the writing speak for itself. "Nevertheless, it seems a bit silly for me to sit here in my uncle’s underpants and try to convince anyone they will unquestionably enjoy my writing."
I think a good workaround for you would be to ask for short testimonials from your current readers and hope one of them says something about your newsletter being funny. Or, if that doesn't work out, ask your friends to describe you and use those as quotes on your about page or newsletter description. This way, you still describe your newsletter as funny but with someone else's social proof.
Hi Jenn, that's a great idea. Thank you I'll do that. Once somebody comment on my article "If ever words were to dance on a page." Then on the same article someone comments "Like a child that stumbled upon a thesaurus." I reckon I'll include them both on my page
Humorist, Sam Briggs. I, too, am of the personal humour persuasion. I try to lead with voice and humanistic reasoning without being gimmicky! Funny is a tricky thing!
Thanks for the advice! Yeah I think that's it - humour is the closest thing in the english language. I can just about bare calling my writing humour writing, I think
I know what you mean, Sam. I always avoid novels or tv progs that are billed as "Fred Blog's hilarious new..." I agree with Paul: let the humor speak for itself. That's what I've done and it seems to work.
Are you saying you're not sure how to categorize your newsletter besides humor? I think it's okay to put yourself in that category if that's where you feel it belongs.
thank you! Oh no, I'm in there already! The secondary one I'm surely not sure, I've gone for culture... but that's a quantum stretch, so I don't know! I was more thinking about how to describe my substack, especially on the welcome page
Just signing up today on advice of a well-known author. I'm planning to dive in over the weekend. To fellow writers and Substack team: what would you recommend as the first thing to do to immerse myself for a quick start? Thanks!
🟧 What do the activity stars mean next to our subscribers? If a subscriber only has one star beside their name, what does that signify? Did they read our newsletter? Most of my subscribers have either 1 star or 5 stars—why is that?
If you click on subscribers individually in Settings, Substack provides a detailed account of when they received the email, if they opened it and when, and their history. It's really cool to figure out who is actually keen to read your stuff. I check from time to time and it provides excellent feedback on core readers, who is enjoying the writing.
The stars next to your subscriber's email on your Subscribers dashboard represents how actively the subscriber has used your newsletter in the last month; this includes email opens and web views.
Hi Bailey, thanks so much. My workaround is pasting the caption into text edit and then moving the image and repasting but it can slow me down as I have a lot of images. It is probably because I am using Safari. It probably doesn't happen on Chrome.
Separately I did UX for a long time so I notice bugs and wondering where/how to report them? These are minor quibbles given there is so much great functionality.
🟧 I often use the footnote feature in my newsletter. But, that doesn't work while using the "Pull Quote" - though, it does while using the "Block Quote" feature. If possible, can that be enabled?
And please, let's expand our definition of "value" too. Think about the readers, of course. Always keep them in mind and what they are wanting, but that could be a laugh. To see something pretty you created each week, you writing about something more vulnerable that is a "everyone's thinking it but no one is saying it" type piece.
I've been stressed for enough years trying to figure out niches and super sterile strategies and am opening my mind to what value gets to mean.
I've researched about pages in the past to see what sections people mention. Same with email headers and footers (you can add buttons there too!).
Also referring back to popular pieces in your email footer/header and about page is helpful, or a pinned post.
Adding spaces to make it more "breathable", add prompts and questions at the end of your writings, or things you loved that week/month/whatever your schedule is.
Ummm, create sections if you write a lot of different things so subscribers can pick and choose what they want in on.
You can also add links to the top/side of your page. And images help break up writing too.
Okay! I looked at your page. So some ideas sprang into my head...
In the about page, maybe you can update it to have a big header that says "short stories" and *then* underneath it you can summarize each one and even add the first of each series linked in the about page! Because I don't think any are linked to on your about page.
Maybe even starting the very beginning of your about page with what you're writing (fiction) and what type (like in your welcome page quip), then the conversational writing underneath!
Okay so the links are a lot under your header! Only other way I can think of consolidating it is to use/make the "short stories" link into a page you construct yourself. A lot of work, but possibly worth it?
You'd make a page linking to one Substack post where you'd then add headers for each of the stories, a summary, and then manually link them beneath each header (with maybe another short summary for each link). Since the links now show visuals and a bit of the summary themselves, you may not need a summary for every individual piece in a series.
But just housing them all in a post, that you make into a page to link to your links at the top of the page, and taking everything else off that aren't prominent go-tos. Because your about page is pushed sooo far away now, too! And I know I and a few other substackers talked about going to about pages soon after reading a post or finding someone new. At first glance, I don't initially know what I'm in for and with how fast our attention moves, you've gotta make sense QUICK!
I'd definitely research other fiction writers too and see how they're fairing, or if you can make it to Office Hours again, ask around about excelling as a fiction writer.
Excellent! I'll have to start working on it as soon as I can. Unfortunately, being retired, I now work for my wife! I'll figure it out, though. And thanks for another pair of eyes. I appreciate it.
I'm with you there. I know I have to fix my page, but don't have a clue as to how I should do it. The fiction I write is broken Ito sections for easier reading, but each story has at least 6 parts to it. Things are looking cluttered. And as to what my emails should look like, well, I'm at a total loss there.
You may have to create pages or sections! If you want each story on your front page, you may need to do something like create a page that holds each part for each story, then people can click through and you can give kind of a description of what each story is about.
I see it in my head what I'm explaining but I dunno if it's being communicated clearly!
I thought the most important question was "should I get more coffee?"
As far as offering value goes. I could tell you all day what I think is of value, and I suppose that it might give you some insight on what you find within, but I usually approach the different substacks I read as "I will make a determination of its value to me."
The "Be yourself thing," is of course, paramount. As Forrest Gump said in response to Jenny when she asked what he was going to be when he grew up, "Aren't I going to be me?"
Even if I do a horrible Stephen King impression in my writing, it is still "my" horrible Stephen King impression. Likewise in art, I can attempt to illustrate using the techniques of Norman Rockwell, and I can genuinely create a very well crafted imitation of a Norman Rockwell painting.
As far as focusing on the little things, I agree. The details make a difference. Until this last week, I had the previous name of my substack still as the header of the changed name, and that's on me, as are many of things associated with my writing.
As always, it comes down to those 3 major elements: Content, Content, and Content. Provide content that people like and they will continue to come back. Push out fluff and bulk content just to be pushing out material and people will quickly notice. As Rasini said, time is one of our most valuable commodities. If you want people to spend time on you, give them a reason to.
Do I have to go to the Oscars though? I'd still rather stay home in my jammies. Stack is called "Home|body" after all. But I want to keep said house nice, so your good points still apply!
🧠 Hello all, and happy Office Hours! Here's a little bit of encouragement from one small newsletter to all of you:
I've read a LOT of advice and wisdom about growing on Substack, and it all seems to boil down to two key things:
Craft and Community.
The best way to grow on this platform appears to be a combination of constantly improving in your craft of writing--practicing and trying new things and studying those you admire--AND putting your all behind sharing, engaging, supporting, uplifting, and just plain having fun with the writers and readers who make this place their online home.
There's no big secret. There's no "gotcha." The more you can focus on your Craft and your Community, the better and more robust your presence will be on this platform. It's work, for sure, but GOOD work, and it will never let you down!
Most importantly: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! 🌿
Thanks again for the weekly pick-me-up. I concur! Craft and community are what it’s all about. And Substack makes the community aspect so much fun. I’ve met wonderful writers and read so much good literature since discovering this platform! Cheers, and let’s keep keeping Substack fun!
Totally! If the writing is good, the followers will find you eventually, right Sarah? Word mouth is building with your page. I'm hoping people will find me eventually. But community is an excellent way of finding subscribers. I think what it all comes down to is that it's sort of cyclical. I go 4-5 days with nothing, and then some days I'll pick up 5 subscribers. Being on this forum is probably one of the best things a writer can do to help promote themselves.
That's a really good point! I've been trying to figure out what the key is, as I get my Substack off the ground. I published my second post this week, and I'm just trying to figure out how to get more eyeballs on it. I'm going to keep going and keep working on the writing and figure out the community building. I know it's doable.
"Goonies never say die!" Maybe the same for Substack writers!
Hi Alexa. Welcome to Substack. I just responded to Liz about the fact that numbers are less important in the beginning. The best thing, I think, is to get a nice body of work together on your Substack first. Good luck with it, and enjoy!
I'm about to post my first today and an honestly surprised at how anxious about it I am! Especially because I don't currently have an email list. I'm a therapist that has just recently gotten into social media and, while I've written TONS of material, it's only ever gotten sent out to my clients as a part of services.
Actually might be easier to press publish on that just because it's not immediately going to any real list since you don't have one yet. So you're free to fret a little longer and make any edits when it's live. And then start trying to entice people to come (the hard part). Focus on the work for now. They will come!
I wasn't sure how it works once you hit go. Thank you for the information that once a piece is uploaded, it can still be updated. I posted the piece a few minutes ago.
Congratulations on getting started! The toughest part for me was officially launching! After I got over the initial jitters of that, now it's just been figuring out what stories I want to tell and how. I have tons of half written thoughts in my Notes app, and now I'm working on refining it.
I'm writing about the caregiving experience as a mom to a child with disabilities and what that life has been like. I'm hoping to eventually feature other stories too from other caregivers. But, mental health is a definite struggle in this life, so I look forward to your writing!
I don't have an email list either. It's a very organic build for me. And sharing to Facebook and IG.
Are people finding your work through substack itself? I too have a ton of half written thoughts in my notes app and am excited to start transitioning those into pieces I can share with others.
I just finished reading your debut post. A community in which you feel you can be heard and understood is so important! The life of a caregiver for a child with disabilities has its joys and its challenges. I look forward to your future posts.
Thank you so much! I'm incredibly excited about sharing these stories that have been on my heart and mind (and Notes app) for years. It's nerve wracking and the most vulnerable I've ever been with tons of strangers. But also fun? It's weird.
Most of my traffic is coming from what I post on FB and IG and then Substack, but so far that growth has been slow, which seems normal at this point. I publish again tomorrow (5/24) and have had some small growth since then, so I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like this week. It seems to help a lot to participate in the Writer's Hours. I might try out the Notes feature too and see what happens with that. So much of a learning curve right now.
I totally hear you! I was so anxious as well. I don't have an email list either.
Also - if you ever want to chat about social media, let me know! In addition to writing I'm a marketing consultant, and I'm incredibly passionate about mental health. Excited to check out your first post :)
That would be wonderful. I honestly didn't really use social media before my recent foray into the building a professional brand, so it has definitely been a steep learning curve. I just hit publish on the piece. I wrote the beginning a few days ago and the similarity to the start of your piece was interesting to me- I would guess a lot of us feel similar when we are first starting out!
Congratulations on hitting publish! Can't wait to read :)
And I totally hear you - social media is SUCH a steep learning curve. Feel free to shoot me a message at wildcozyfree@gmail.com and we can find a time to connect :)
I am the same, I'm starting with no email list so building from the ground up. Hang in there, your substack sounds like many will find it interesting and helpful!
I am new to Substack too and trying to figure it all out. I'm starting from scratch and hoping to build my audience. I love all the good and helpful advice from other writers!
Welcome, Alexa!! I always get excited when I see new people here on Substack. :) So I started reading your first piece and I'll need you to get ready for a meaty comment (and a subscribe!) haha!
The thing about getting eyes on your page is the interaction you have with other writers. I've always been a loner when it comes to writing because of the marketing aspect of it. You have to believe in what you write as well as knowing, or maybe have an idea, of what you want to put out there. Cultural posts do very well. So do financial pages. Fiction is a really hard sell. Not everyone is a Hemingway, or a Steinbeck. But...you have to believe in yourself as much as you believe in your page.
I still haven't posted my first post. Plan to today. Trying to feel around the community and get my feel of the "neighborhood". I will check your work out for sure!
You got this! I like Substack's features and what they are trying to do with the writing community and building features that will be helpful! It takes time to figure it out, but I've been having fun so far!
🧠 Hello Liz. Welcome to Substack. I've been here posting monthly for several months and my community is growing steadily. I haven't been too concerned about numbers, more about getting a good body of work on my page. I think that when people come across my Substack, which is called 'Place Writing', I want them to see a nice range of posts to interest them. So that's what I'm putting my energy into at the moment. Give it a year I say, then start thinking about putting effort into growth. In consumer terms, you have to stock the shelves first I think.
Interesting perspective, Yasmin! I think we're often conditioned to think we have to go big and grow fast, which can take our focus away from actual writing. How have you been growing your community while staying committed to writing?
I've been telling everyone I know about the Substack platform because there are lots of great writers here and there's something for everyone. I also put my Substack link a the bottom of every email I send. And I put a link in my Instagram bio, and on my Twitter profile. After that, I just let it happen. But keeping a regular publishing routine is crucial I think. For reasons of time, I can only manage one a month at the moment, but I hope to increase the frequency next year.
Yes, time is crucial if you want to write. I don't have that issue anymore because I'm retired now. When I was working, I got up at 3:30 in the morning to get two hours of writing time in. (Now I have all the time in the world.) It's all about balance, I think.
Still trying to strike this balance, Ben! I recently reoriented my goals to prioritize writing, and it's bizarrely hard to convince my brain that spending 1-2 hours a day on writing projects is a good use of time. Even though I LOVE it.
I have my link on my IG and started and IG specifically for all things related to my newsletter and then sharing on Facebook. My understanding is that Twitter is making it hard to share Substack stuff, so I've been leery to post there, but I may go ahead and add the link, just for the heck of it. I need to consider adding my link to my email signature as well.
Neat. I've also added my link to my email signatures. I don't have social media, but I have written for a few other platforms and could ask them to update my bios with a link, too.
Also seriously considering an old-school business card...
I like putting a year on that, and it makes me feel better. The obsession with the numbers really pulls you in, especially if you spend any time here in notes. I'd rather not let that pressure drown me before I even get swimming properly.
That's really helpful to know and makes a lot of sense. I've been focused a lot on the craft at this point, which I hope will draw an audience in the future. Trying to write a little every day and then publish once a week.
Starting out is difficult, because you think to yourself: This is great! People are going to want to read me because I have a lot to offer. But there are a lot of writers here, and getting eyes on your page is hard work. I don't know enough about marketing. But I do know that emails are a proven way of getting the word out. Don't give up, and don't despair. "Never say die!"
I always look forward to Writer Office Hours in part because of your encouraging posts! My biggest challenge is community. I'm an introvert and generally don't spend much time on social media. I try to engage a lot here, but am not even on Twitter, IG, etc. I very rarely post on Notes and have not recommended it to my readers, mainly because Substack has made it clear there will be no content moderation there and I have already seen the kind of hate and misinformation that led me away from Twitter. I've also heard horror stories from another writer about being trolled on Notes and reporting it to Substack and getting no help whatsoever. Very disappointing and disturbing to me.
I and others have also mentioned that issue here and no one from Substack staff has replied.
Hi Wendi, I'm not on social media either. I've had good results adding my Substack link to my email signature, reaching out to contacts directly to let them know what I'm up to with writing, telling friends and family about it (or sharing specific posts with them), and submitting my newsletter to directories like Inbox Reads.
It's not a recipe for explosive growth, but the subscribers are trickling in. :) I'm also about to embark on a Substack Letters exchange with a friend who also writes on the platform, so it will be interesting to see how that pans out.
Thanks, S.E., for the welcome reminder. I always try to remember that Substack is THE great place to take chances, expand my writing, try out new things and further develop my voice. Love it here.
Love this advice - authentic engagement is so important! I'm just starting out (first post launched yesterday, if you want to check it out!) and I really needed to hear this today :)
Ahhh... I always love your words of encouragement. Thanks, S.E. Reid!
I've been having so much more fun on the platform and I'm excited to see what comes from it as I keep working to improve and see what my community wants and likes!
Great points, S.E. It's true. I've slowed down in engagement lately as I've been focusing on my core business, being a therapist and promoting my local event in a month (wish me luck!), but I enjoy writing and sharing and learning from others here on Substack. Last night, instead of watching "The Diplomat" (my guilty pleasure), I recorded my latest essay for the podcast and posted it. It's fun and relaxing. And I enjoy my commentary as I never know what I'm going to say until I say it!
The Community part, though, seems to happen only between writers / Substack page owners. Rarely are readers engaging into the said community... on Notes, close to never.
Oh you mean people outside of Substack's ecosystem as far as readers? I'm making Substack my priority but I'm thinking of returning to IG in a month or three (or six), JUST to lead people to Substack.
People tend to only read in the emails anyway, so I may open up a Discord someday. Not sure about what! But I love the idea.
Hi Cierra, no, I mean Substack subscribers of my newsletter, but users who don't have a Substack themselves as writers. I think the only people who write Notes are the writers within Substack. Maybe I'm wrong?
I'm pretty sure as well! I think only Substackers are on Notes. So other readers of a community who aren't on Substack would only have comments or email replies which isn't the same
🧠 Hey everyone! For me, all these community features have been game-changing. I’ve gotten almost 20% of my subscriber base from Recommendations, and the steady increase in numbers is all thanks to the Substack community and networking features. It’s allowed me access to subscribers I never would have gotten on other platforms! I’ve also gotten to know many wonderful writers and I can tell you this, hand on heart: THE PEOPLE ON THIS PLATFORM ARE HAPPY TO HELP YOU GROW. Just ask, but ask nicely. And you might just get a new friend, too.
Well said—and here's a tip for all authors: add a clear Contact Me section on your About page, so that folks have a way to reach you directly. Most people don't know that you can always send email to YOURSUBSTACK@substack.com, e.g. bowendwelle@substack.com for me, but that doesn't work with custom domains like yours, Andrei ;)
For what it’s worth, I position sending email to me (via replying to a newsletter) as a community privilege for paid subscribers. I do this simply to protect my inbox, but I encourage all subscribers to interact with me in the comments and via notes.
🧠 - Yeah, recommendations are definitely a great way to get subscribers.
But, even more important than that, to connect with fellow authors.
Which is one of the most meaningful things I realise we can do on Substack!
❓ How to get recommendations?
The core point is making sure to present a case. Why would it make sense for the author to recommend me? What is my unique perspective? Where am I coming from?
For instance, I write on principles for personal impact, growth and decision making. Combining rational techniques with grounding methods. With a focus on analytical people. My partners deal with burnout (which is often a consequence of overanalysis and pure rational thinking), bioenergetics analysis (which helps grounding) and the nervous system (which relates to the body mind connection).
Sometimes I ask directly, sometimes I wait for the right moment.
For sure, I need to do my homework first. And then... "Just ask"!!
I have written a short encouragement (and celebration) article on the matter, that was found useful by fellow authors. Have a look! https://livmkk.substack.com/p/just-ask
Are you saying you ask other Substack writers for recommendations? I don't think I could ever do that, but more important, I'm not sure how I'd feel about another writer asking me for a recommendation. I can't and won't recommend everyone, and I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, so I guess I'd say, 'please don't ask'.
Don't put me in that position. When I recommend other writers it's because I've already established that they're worth recommending by reading them often. I don't take recommending lightly.
🧠 Ramona: I think you just gave everyone a great way to answer a Recommendation request if they're hesitant to do so. Your line, "When I recommend ... it's because ..." sounds honest and respectful. If someone wanted to add to that, "I'll take a look at your Substack and will make a decision after I've seen several posts," who could fault it? Thanks for the idea. :-)
Nor should you, Ramona. I only recommend writers whose work I truly value, and many of them I happen to personally know, through engaging with their stuff. I have only asked 3 people to recommend me, and one of them did, while the other two politely turned me down. But in breaking the ice like that, I was able to become friends with them as well. I’d stay to not underestimate the value of a cold e-mail, but also respect the other person’s time and don’t. Ever. Spam.
That feels like spam to me. Sorry. I've never had anyone ask me to help them move ahead, nor have I ever asked anyone else. It's not that we're not supportive. There are other ways to boost each other without asking anyone to help me sell myself.
Yeah, I understand. It’s a feature the platform provides, and it’s up to you if you want to use it or not. But I wouldn’t frame it as “selling oneself”, or at least not in such a negative way. Unfortunately, I’ve recently come to understand that this is par for the course of being a writer, and it always has been. I figure we might just accept that part of getting our work in front of readers will be the result of own efforts. But to each their own, no one should force their opinions on anyone else.
I will say there's obviously no harm in sharing your work and asking others to read it and comment on it. Recommendations are different. They go out to your readers and your readers count on you to know their wants and needs. If you disappoint them, it's on you.
Fair point. But then again, nobody’s saying it’s a good idea to go ask everyone you come across to recommend you. But maybe you think that person’s particular audience might benefit from your stuff too, and then why not ask?
The platform suggests you recommend others, not that you ask others to recommend you. It's not that it's not allowed, it's just that it can be easily abused.
Yes. Having a conversation live is a great way to assess if a recommendation makes sense. In the end, it is often quite clear when the case is there, and for whom :)
Well, I agree. Recommendations are a serious business. That's why presenting a case for both audiences is key. And build the relationship with the writer, before asking.
But, yes, at some point we might want to ask explicitly ;)
I postponed this for so long, for fear of rejection, to then find out that some of the times (actually more than expected) the reply was a sound YES 😅
I don't think its about asking for recommendations as much as its about getting to know other writers who would gladly recommend you if they knew about you. Similarly, turnabout is fair play. When you find Substacks that intrigue you, a recommendation is the appropriate response. I agree we can't crush the value of recommendations by making them a commodity. Substack is a great place for readers, and aren't all writers readers? Stay honest. Preserve your integrity. Recommend when appropriate. Cool.
I don't know how I would feel about someone asking me for a recommendation, but I don't think I could ever ask another for a recommendation. It feels oddly forward for me to do. I am probably just a bit too shy.
I think it depends on what the relationship is. If I co-wrote some posts with another author or if we shared complementary content, then I would ask but otherwise I agree it could feel like an imposition.
I agree with Ramona. Both of us came from Medium where we were constantly met with "follow for follow" requests and people asking us to clap for their articles. It can get really off putting really fast.
The value proposition of Recommendations is that they are, well, something an writer genuinely wants to recommend to their audience. Asking for them undercuts that, IMO.
@Ramona- if I'm off the mark here, please let me know!
Do I feel honored when people recommend me? Yep! Do I feel comfortable asking people to recommend? No! There are newsletters I love (like yours) but I have to feel like the specific newsletter is going to add value to my specific subscribers.
Yes, exactly! We are indeed recommending those blogs to our own readers. I hadn't thought of it that way, but that may be where some of my reluctance to just recommend anyone comes from. I want my readers to know I have their best interests at heart.
Yes, same here. I recommend a lot of newsletters that I think my readers might like. I've hoped more of those I recommend would be inspired to recommend me in return, but that rarely happens and I don't explicitly ask anyone to. I wouldn't want them to unless they had read my newsletter and genuinely thought it would appeal to their readers.
Such a good point. When someone has recommended my newsletter, I've been tickled to be honest. But it would never occur to me to ask for it. It seems pushy. I feel honored a couple have recommended me and one in particular has been very kind in his comments on a couple of my posts.
As it should be. Recommend writers you enjoy and don't expect a recommendation back, it's not a quid pro quo game. the "follow for follow" IG mentality is misplaced, same with subs, i.e. "I subbed to you now sub to me or I unsub"... Fortunately, I have not seen this kind of thing too often here so far. Then again, I am still new!
Good point. Quid pro quo, while often used, is sometimes (often?), not authentic. I'd rather people end up on my page interested and come back because it's a fit for them. My work is not for everyone. I've decided to trust in a more organic process even if it takes a long time. The fact is I like writing and recording, I like sharing my work, and that's been the goal all along anyways.
I think the mutual recommendation thing happens organically--no need to ask for swaps. I feel honored when others recommend me, and if their publication is also something I enjoy, I have no problem recommending them in return.
That said, once writers have a relationship with each other, I don't think it's wrong to ask for a mutual recommendation if it makes sense.
True. Also, if there is a regular exchange between writers I feel reciprocal recs will happen without asking, even more so if audience overlap exists, if it doesn't make sense then neither party should feel obliged either way.
I have asked other writers to write blurbs for my podcast. And I wrote for their newsletters. They weren't aware what are blurbs and both have been surprised by the idea.
I love this: When it comes to guest posting, "The core point is making sure to present a case. Why would it make sense for the author to recommend me? What is my unique perspective? Where am I coming from?"
Yes. I sometimes see other authors reaching out proactively, which is fair. I do that too.
But some form of complementarity is needed. Otherwise why would we recommend to read something to our audience? I would find disrespectful to suggest random writings.
Also, recommendations do not necessarily need to be both ways. Sometimes a author needs more time to find valuable the work of others. Or there are simply better way to cooperate (eg cross-posting, Notes sharing or likes).
My experience is that authors have different perceptions of recommendations, and different policies. By asking (or even just simply asking about their policy), we get info that can inform our respective action.
For instance, I remember talking with Tobias, which has a publication on self-mastery, and having a great chat. In the end, none of the two asked, because it was quite obvious that our topic were overlapping way too much. We still talk every month and that first call was the start of a nice friendship.
In other words, I would say that "Always asking" might be as inadequate as "Never asking". We need to trust our guts, and do what feels right.
If I hadn't asked, I would not have 2 of my favourite writers as recommending me. And now with one we also do podcast together. Was the start of a great collaboration. And, if I hadn't done it, it would have never happened!
I am not pretending to be right. Just offering a new perspective :)
I'm not talking about recommending, only guest-posting. I'm a freelance writer. I think of it as a professional. Making your case means submitting a post for consideration--and only if they regularly feature guest posts. Many have directions on how to submit!
Thanks for sharing your article. I liked your approach to genuine connection with the author and their readers. It is a heartfelt, mutual collaboration.
I suppose the best way to go about it is to see if your favourite Substacks do guest posts. Then, if you’ve followed them for a while, you can just ask them to feature you. An honest question never hurts!
✏️ Have other writers found any relationships between depth/length of post and audience reaction? It seems to me that shorter posts with relatively less analysis get surprisingly more engagement despite offering less meaningful content and I’m wondering whether that’s unique to my newsletter or a more generalizable observation.
The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is that I don't live and die by any particular rule on length of the post. Here's what I mean. When I do a short post, I do get more responses. My guess is that there's very little drop-off when I write 500 words. But longer posts (in the neighborhood of 2,000 words or more) tend to travel better. That is, you may not get as many people to the finish line, but those who do finish a longer piece seem to be a lot more engaged, which shows up in better comments and more sharing. For me, though, it's not an either or. I write both kinds of pieces because both have value. Also, because I write both, I can do a better job of challenging myself on the length of each post. That is, I often ask myself if this really needs to be a long piece, or if I just need to get in and get out? Hope that helps, Shahid!
I'm in the same boat, and I seem to sort of alternate between the two (longer and shorter) week by week for the sake of my own sanity. I like knowing when I'm slogging through a longer project that the next week I'll have more fun with a little palette cleanse sort of thing. Both seem to do fine. Guess I have yet to see how they fare longterm.
That hasn’t been the case for me, surprisingly. My longer, more meandering posts have gotten as much if not more engagement as/than my shorter stuff. I guess it also depends on the voice and being able to make the longer posts just as engaging as the shorter ones.
In my case, I think overall 'less is more'. I think newsletters should be short. Our inboxes are filled with daily newsletters, all vying for attention.
There are times when my essays run a thousand words or slightly more, but it's usually because I've used outside quotes. I try to keep them between 500 and 800 words--about the length of a newspaper column. That seems to work best for me.
So far that is also what I uncovered. I do tend to have lengthy, well-researched posts, so what I am now doing is splitting them up into separate posts. This gives my readers the chance and time to take the first part in before receiving the second part. It also allows me to add new updates when a story has developed further in the meantime.
I've done this with longer posts, like the 3,000-word story I wrote earlier this year. But I think that what others have said is true: It depends on what you write and what type of readers you have.
If you're doing a news-style newsletter, keeping it short is likely a better option because people tend to skim that kind of content and want something they can read in 5 minutes while they're standing in line at the grocery store. (Although I argue that we shouldn't be whipping out our phones for every moment of boredom, but I digress!)
If, on the other hand, you write narrative nonfiction or long-form fiction and your readers are the type who like to sit down with a story and read it all in one go, longer posts aren't going to deter them.
I think it very much depends on your audience. Attention spans are short, so I can see why briefer posts appeal to people with busy lives. At the same time, if deep analysis is what your audience is after, then longer posts provide that benefit.
Agreed. No matter how I try I rarely have a post under 1000 words. A few of mine have gotten the "You're reaching the end of your limit" warning from Substack haha! But those have had strong engagement.
I think that often we try to write in such a way that we've answered every question, and "tied off every threads" we began.
But posts which DON'T do that are probably easier to engage with in an interesting way! I'm hoping to learn how to usefully write ones that leave open questions on the table, or that hint that my readers can feel free to contradict me or bring up something I hadn't thought of!
(At some point I learned how to write emails and forum posts in ways that were easier to "grab on to" and reply to. But this seems like a somewhat different ballgame, even if it's the same principle is coming up again.)
I think it can go both ways depending on the audience and topic. But, something I did that worked wel was to break up my long posts over several weeks. This way, I also got to go even deeper into each week’s subtopic. For my readers, this worked well.
I actually polled my subscribers on this issue, after reading that shorter posts are generally more appealing. More than half said the length of the post didn't matter, about a third preferred longer posts, and a smaller number preferred shorter ones, so I do some of both and don't worry about it anymore.
I'm enjoying Notes and it's definitely a hit or miss when it comes to engagement. However, I'll say that once I published my Note celebrating my reaching 100 subscribers milestone, that in itself almost got 100 likes and lots of comments. It was wonderful to see.
Congratulations, Israel! Just reading this comment reminds me how great this community is! I remember being excited about writing on FB and being met with MAYBE one or two likes haha.
Posted a couple days ago about it being a full year on Substack and got the sweetest responses and quite a few hearts!
Thanks, Cierra! I'm glad you also got some wonderful responses on your FB post. It does give one a boost and it warms the heart to receive support, whether it's people we know or strangers.
Oh I worded that wrong, the heartwarming kindness happened here on Substack, crickets on FB! Haha. I apologize!
Definitely having similar experiences of support and embracing your work over on Notes as well! A nice little pick-me-up to know I'm in the right place.
GUEST POSTERS & INTERVIEWEES WANTED I write about career changes, working remotely, becoming a digital nomad. My newsletter is more of a magazine style with small articles on various topics including interviews.
I would love to interview people who have made successful and radical career changes. We can do it as a written interview or you can write a short article around 500 words.
A. I love this topic Lesley! Reading about others' journeys to where they are (and where they thought they'd be) especially through a career lens (which I grew up believing was a linear path sort of thing, but has proved to be a windy and unruly adventure).
B. I have gone from being an actor to an interior designer to an event designer to opening a bike shop/coffee shop with my husband to a creative consultant and brand strategist (many of those things at the same time). I now identify myself as a Creative Multitude who is in the process of starting over- returning to acting but adding writer and filmmaker to my resume. It’s not quite a success story yet, but I love sharing it honestly if that feels like a good fit.
I've made a radical career change that includes a shift from traditional employment to remote work as a freelancer. However, if "successful" means making enough money to support myself, I'm not there yet.
I have a long successful career as a consultant, much of it working remotely. But my love has always been writing. As I look to the future and retirement from my main career as a consultant, I have been leaning more and more on writing as my ongoing support activity. If you are interested in a guest post, you can check out my Substack, "The Art of Unintended Consequences." https://davidnemzoff.substack.com/
Hi, I would love to participate! I've grown from a full-time web developer to an engineering manager to a freelancer (both writing and tech) who travels and camps outdoors a lot.
Sounds exactly like the journey some of my readers are hoping to make! Can you email me at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I'll follow up with you there? Thank you.
would love to chat! At 28, my career has already had multiple chapters - theater (performance and writing!) arts administration, development, education, and marketing. I've been an associate producer, fourth grade teacher, nonprofit director, playwright, and more. Beyond all the titles and job descriptions, I’m a storyteller and a dreamer. Creative problem solving, relationship building, and writing are common threads that have been interwoven into all of my roles.
Hi Lesley.. I wrote about creating "Geographically Untethered Income" back in 2001. I've worked from home since 1997, writing software, consulting, and writing a couple career books for IT Pros. Would love to take part.
I haven't made a dramatic career change - per se. My career is primarily in software, some writing, and I write and perform music.
Hi Lesley, I'd love to talk with you. I began my career in food & wine journalism before moving across the country to pursue a career in professional baseball.
I made the switch from being a hairstylist to writing full time as a freelancer! I am only about a year in but could maybe offer some insight about the hiccups you can encounter in your first year freelancing/working for yourself?
For me it was all about time-management and focus. You need to put time into working your network to find potential readers, putting out notifications, socializing your message, and, oh yeah, writing. As far as focus goes, the trick is to resist and avoid distractions. If it doesn't contribute to your mission to establish yourself as a freelancer, don't do it. Also, recommend you check out "The Well-Fed Freelancer" by Peter Bowerman. That launched me and I'm in for 15 years now.
I'd love to be involved if our story is of interest to you? I left my financial services career to build a mental health app, and a local coworking space because I needed somewhere to work. After a cancer diagnosis we're now moving to travel more, bought a van and took our kids on the Camino de Santiago. Let me know if this is of interest to your readers!
I'd be happy to be involved - I help to run a community of 120,000 freelance writers and have pretty good insight into those areas - especially the challenge of remote work, the rise of AI, and similar areas.
🧠- I have found collaborations to be really helpful. I did one and it seemed to work well, and I am hoping to do a few more. They’re just a good way to reach a new audience and make relationships! I would def try them!!
When Samuel said collaboration, I instinctively thought of guest posts and cross-posts and recommendations. Pretty much every feature in which writers “collaborate” and engage directly with each other.
Yeah, I agree. And I forged close relationships with bunch of amazing people through these collaborations. So many people on Substack are cool, kind-hearted and willing to help.
Im just getting started on here but I am an ND writer (adhd and depression) and am planning on writing some about my experiences as an ND author regarding the unique strengths and challenges that come along with it! I’d love to connect!
I know from previous Writer Office Hours that there are many of us who write about mental health and share our personal struggles and coping strategies. Most of us are post here and get replies (or reply to others) expressing interest in each other's work and possible guest posts or cross posting, but then don't follow up for various reasons. For me (and judging from other comments today about not being comfortable asking for recommendations, for others too) that's because I don't want to seem pushy or face another potential rejection. I'm also not well organized enough to remember who I discussed collaborating with!
Yeah that's more than fair! Well you're welcome to email me if you'd like or if you're on twitter we can dm there I'm @RowenaCoutier there and the same @gmail.com if you wanna email me!
I would love that. I am ND (autism, adhd, depression) and I am serializing fiction on my main substack and writing about writing life. I would love to connect.
Thanks. I just subscribed to yours. Fair warning: I'm subscribed to more newsletters than I can possibly read each week, so don't be insulted if you notice I don't always open it. There are so many awesome newsletters on Substack that I can't resist subscribing to, even though I know I can't read all of them!
Good to know, Kim. That sounds right up my alley. Also, one of the best mental health Substacks IMO is Human Stuff by Lisa Olivera, who was a therapist and now writes about her own mental health issues and journey.
Totally agree! It's too difficult for me to keep track of all of the mental health newsletters here, even just the ones I'm already subscribed to! That means I miss a lot of good ones I don't know about, along with potential opportunities to cross-post, recommend them, etc.
Would love to connect! Very passionate about mental health.
I published my first post yesterday. I'll be writing about a range of things, including my struggles with depression and anxiety.
My substack is a step towards more embodiment. A step towards discovering and reclaiming my wild cozy free self. The self that exists underneath all my roles, outside all of the busyness. https://wildcozyfree.substack.com
Such a good question! I’m still figuring it out for myself, honestly. To put it simply, I think it’s about listening to and trusting what my body has to say.
I love Prentis Hemphill’s definition and work around it, and also just listened to a great podcast with Glennon Doyle and Dr. Hilary McBride.
This sounds remarkably similar to my Substack (and my life). I've written a lot about depression and anxiety and even created a "Depression and Anxiety Survival Kit" of tools (simple techniques anyone can do on their own) that help me cope. I'd love to connect, too!
I am. I've talked a lot about my struggles with depression and anxiety, and occasionally about my history of addiction, mostly on my podcast and livestreams, but I would love to bring something of value to substack.
Hi Livio, just reading that. I am strongly tempted (with your permission, of course, and link to the source) of:
copying some parts
and then rewriting them replacing every occurrence of "my job" with "my social media account" to highlight how social media too to "shut up the monkey mind", and then see where that line of thought leads. What do you think?
Ahaha please do. I would be pleased. Would just be nice to share some acknowledgment. Have you seen the new article embeds? There are 3-4 variants. So good. Plus, you cal always tag.
I'm just getting started, but I write about burnout and neurodivergence from a trans/nonbinary point of view, among other things. Love to meet others working on mental health.
Yes, I am a therapist and I discuss recovery from trauma and healing with some posts dealing with sensitive subject matter. My offering is lived experience combined with research-backed suggestions and explanations for the human condition, especially when in recovery from adversity.
I'm interested too! Full disclosure - Haven't started a newsletter yet, still in R&D mode, but aiming to write about the quest for health (emotional, mental, physical), some of which will address addiction behaviors, habits etc.
Possibly. My Substack is about mental health, broadly defined. I share personal experiences and coping strategies that work for me. I also created a Depression and Anxiety Kit, with a separate tab that links to it.
Hi Matt. I don't write about addiction, per se. My substack was ported from my music/performer mailing list. I'm the author of a couple career books (published by Cisco Press & Pearson) and numerous articles on tech, business, and creativity.
I moved my music mailing list - and a few tech blog subscribers - over her to go back to broader topics. It is still supposed to be about music, songwriting, and keeping people up to date on performances.
But, and I believe you know this, my son spent several years on the street addicted to fentanyl. My most popular pieces cover his story. I'm about to conduct and publish an interview with him. He is now 17 months into sobriety, looking for his first job in technology (both his brother and I write software), and is doing remarkably well.
So... not sure where it fits... my newsletter is NOT about addiction or mental health but my most recent post covered my one bout with depression and a current state of dissatisfaction.
🟧 Hey, any advice for growing your readership? I’ve a few subscribers but would love more. I’ve interacted with lots of writers and shared lots of Substacks but it mostly seems to be a one way thing. Cheers.
Kevin this is amazing! You’ve summed it all up in one list. I was just sitting here writing out my plans so I don’t miss any of the moving parts, while also scrolling Office Hours. I no longer need to make my list, you did it for me. Cheers!
The best advice anyone here can give you is to keep doing this. Engage on Office Hours and on other writers’ Substacks, post thoughtful comments and share other writers’ work on Notes. Also, publishing on a consistent schedule has helped me a lot, because the audience knows to expect my post on a given day. But I suppose that may be more for increasing engagement than for getting new readers. The best thing you can do in the beginning is to get to know people here. There’s a whole big wonderful community to discover.
I browse/comment/Sub-socialize/hang out (a) as long as I'm enjoying it and (b) as much time as I have. So far, "b" always arm-wrestles "a" into submission and wins. But by golly, one of these days, I'd like to see how long "a" wants to play on Substack, and just let her have at it while "b" takes a nap.
Well, I read stuff on Substack pretty much every day, for 30 minutes to an hour. I comment on most of the posts I’ve enjoyed, and often the authors respond. I try to engage whenever I feel I’ve got something to tell or to ask the author, and that’s pretty often. But I don’t make a thing of engaging just for the sake of it.
Thanks, Andrei. You just reminded me of my earliest days as a freelancer for a few industry publications. Editors routinely pushed us to read and comment on each other's articles. They compared it to the "tip jar" at the piano bar. If there are a few dollars already in there, people get more likely to chip in. And I'm always glad to review and respond to good writing.
My weirdly most effective route has been hitting up these threads, engaging with people and then shamelessly pushing for a "follow back", as I am going to do now. Just subscribed! Follow back. lol
✏️ hey there one and all! Hope you’re having a good day. How do you get people to read your Substack and how do you use it different to a blog? Do you share the same content or different content?
My blog is hanplans.co.uk- I started my Substack but I’m not sure I’m doing it “right” and not sure how to get it out there... help! Please!
Hi! I think Substack offers more freedom than a traditional blog. People here are looking for all kinds of literature, from fiction to personal essays to journalism, so whatever you write, you’re bound to find an audience for it here, however small. Although writing some of my issues as traditional “blog posts” has been a lot of fun too!
I like how I can do a mix of the things you mentioned on here, and people come and read it. Great not to be constrained by which box you supposedly belong in.
To me, it's about creating as much value as possible. Thinking "If I were my own ideal subscriber, what sort of thing would I want to read about?" For example, I primarily write about how freelancers and content creators can build resilience and grow their businesses. This means I need to think about the concerns of people in those areas and create content to match those needs.
This will help your Substack find organic reach as people share it. Another important aspect is building for SEO - using keywords that your audience might be searching for, and capturing interest through Google. Finally, another area you have direct control over is creating visibility on social media. Again, that depends on your audience. For example, most of my content is business focused, so I promote on LinkedIn and get subscribers that way.
"Write for your reader" should be a rule of the road for us. Write what your reader would find valuable. Sometimes, to know what that is, I like to go straight to the source and ask my readers what they'd like to read about that's relevant to our community. And yes, yes, yes, post on social media not only on your own wall, but to groups or hashtags for whom your writing would be interesting and valuable. Only way to use social media to ADD new readers who don't yet follow you.
I imported a small mailing list because at first I thought Substack would just replace that. Now it’s becoming my central location for all my writing, including importing old blog posts.
I promote it primarily via Instagram, which is my other primary social media choice.
My monthly newsletter, which is open to all, has deep links to other relevant content I’ve written on Substack.
Reworking old blogs is turning out to be a great strategy for me. With 14 years of blog posts, I have covered a lot of ground and some of it deserves to be updated and rethought. I think it's taking me deeper into my own thinking and the new posts seem to be creating response.
🧠 I found the best way to get more people reading my Substack was to write more. I upped to sending out three time a week, and saw my subscriber #s go up.
This is different for everyone, of course, but the point being you have to post something, maybe once a week, before anyone is going to find it and subscribe.
Because - for example - I just visited your Substack because you said you weren't sure you were doing it right, and you have just one post since March! So I'd say you need to start writing more on Substack before anyone is going to start subscribing.
Great points, Seth. Posting regularly is important. I used to post an essay every Tuesday and the audio on Friday but honestly that got to be too much. I have another job! So I've eased up. Everyone has to do what works for them and certainly posting more can make a difference, although I did unsubscribe from newsletters that posted several times a week as it cluttered my inbox. Too overwhelming! I think we have to find a balance between our work, what we're trying to do, and not force things that don't work. It's great to write and have a venue for publishing but it has to work within our lifestyle.
I don't think there's any right or wrong way to publish your work on Substack. I would say you need to go into it with the idea that you'll stick with it. Subscribers want to know they're subscribing to a newsletter that's here to stay and has something to offer.
Consistency is important, but that doesn't mean you have to keep a strict schedule--every day or so many times a week or month--only that you're there and you have something interesting to say.
Hi, Hannah. I'm not sure there's a right way. I'm just a few months into this and I've not yet worked out any kind of pattern on my posts where one sort brings in more than others. I write about a range of things, but I'm growing steadily, so it doesn't seem to be about topic. One thing I have learned on here is that you have to be as on top of your game as you can be. Good writing counts. Reading other subs similar to mine has really been useful and motivating, and has encouraged me to work to improve. I've also found that using Notes has been positive - just chatting, or reposting subs that I have enjoyed with a comment.
I have a blog that is separate from my Substack. The blog articles are SEO optimized, so they answer common questions people might search for. The essays I post on Substack are more geared towards my audience, a bit more conversational, telling stories, motivational, as well as informative. I don't plan to cross post the material from one to the other, although I link between both.
✏️ Hello Substackers! I just posted my first note last week from my very quiet corner. I see its potential but wonder if it’s rather futile if you only have a handful of subscribers. I’d love to hear your experiences thus far with notes - especially from other small pages. Have you found it to be valuable?
I think commenting on more popular subs is more effective than posting Notes, which is basically just yelling into the void for most people. And follow backs to grow it. AKA i'll follow you now.
Funny, my reply just went into the void just like my usual Notes. I agree. I am kind of giving up posting direct notes - for now - maybe I'll come back if I should be so lucky. Until then, just engaging here is valuable - as long as you're adding value, responding authentically, and not just doing the self-promo thing.
As a very small publication (so far) I've had the most success commenting on other writers' notes and restacking quotes with my take on other people's essays. I've gotten some nice 1:1 conversation from that. I don't think notes have to have a huge reach to be worthwhile.
Notes is as much about engaging on other posts as anything, just like any social media. Most of my connections have come from other people's feeds and interacting with them.
I don't think our activity on Notes has anything to do with the number of subscribers. It's a great way to connect with the Substack community. We're all at the same level on Notes. We have something to add and we're there to read what others might have to say.
If we can build subscribers by being there, fine, but I'm there more for the community than anything else.
I do post my newest blogs but I share others, too, and try to boost when I can. It's there for everyone.
Not the best experience. Only one of my notes garnered a lot of attention (about 28 likes), and that was sharing an essay I loved from another writer. In general, I might get 2-3 likes or none at all. In terms of acquiring new readers, I don’t have the data for you. But I don’t think Notes been very productive for me in that regard. Still, it’s a fun feature to use, and sometimes that’s good enough, right?
32 days into my Substack journey, and I just hit 100 subscribers. Since I started with zero, this has felt like very fast growth. I achieved much of that growth by really thinking about adding value - how can I use my experience to improve the life and work of others? What advice and tips can I share that make someone else's day easier? How do I get away from a "What's in this for me?" attitude.
One of my greatest subscription channels has been through Substack Office Hours - sharing advice, experience, and tips that I hope are very useful to other Substackers. I've found it's a good way to get organic growth from an audience interested in growing a creative business (which is precisely what my Substack is about).
Same here, Paul. I have noticed that when I am away and don't participate in events like this that my subscriber rate slows down. Being part of the community makes a big, big difference.
✏️ Hi everyone! Glad to see collaboration as a topic today! I’ve been very lucky to be recommended by some great writers so far, and it’s really helped grow my publication.
I also never expected to be collaborating with people so soon. I’ve always been introverted and so working with others hasn’t always come naturally, but the culture and platform here are set up perfectly to encourage it!
Anyone in the space of parenting/fatherhood that’s interested in collaborating? 🙌
one of the main themes of my own substack is the impacts of digital tech on parenting. After looking at your substack it seems to me that we are not overlapping, and also that I may have a something to offer as a short guest post. Please contact me directly, if interested
✏️ 🟧 for both fellow writers and the Substack team.
I understand that tags were recently introduced. Can you suggest the best way to use them? Also, how is the platform utilizing them? Fellow writers, how are you incorporating them into your work?
I am using tags to organize a back catalog of content that I’m not sending out as emails — and will them use them on new writing. It’s helping me create links I can direct people to for content about a sub-topic that I don’t think needs a whole “newsletter”
Well, that's a naming issue. When they call these things tags, that implies you can have a large set. Tagging systems have always grown to represent the breadth of specific things discussed in a growing archive.
If they called them categories, you'd know to create a small more broadly applicable set of names.
I think Substack meant to create categories, but called them tags and has inadvertently created some confusion.
Tags are each individual. I've never heard of anyone seeing how many tags apply to their interest to find an article. If a reader hits ANY of your tags and your content truly is relevant that's a win. I try to include every applicable tag.
That is a really good idea in two ways. I've been debating how to use tags and if I should only post content that goes out as an email or not... This would be an interesting way to categorize that content.
🟧 Asmita: I share your question about how the platform currently uses tags (or plans to use them). I too tagged a recent post, but I don't see a way to search other people's posts by tags. Is this programmed into the search feature and working invisibly?
We suggest you use tags to organize different post types, series, or beats. (Unlike Sections, Tags allows you to organize your work and make it navigable for readers without creating segmented email lists.)
Clair ... Office Hours is like a fire hose so I'm trying to slow down and grasp the intricacies of the tool. I like the look (and subject) of your newsletter and would like to ask you some specifics ... if you wouldn't mind.
On your "banner tab" you have several entries that I'm curious about:
Membership ... I thought this might be "paid only" post highlights but doesn't seem to be.
Quiet Ambition ... seems to be another listing of posts ... is it prompted by a "tag"?
Notes from the Sea ... says it's a series and has a header ... is that a separate "newsletter"
Substack Tips ... seems to be prompted by a "tag" of Substack Tips
Hi Joyce! Yes ‘membership’ is all paid posts except the contents page I’ve made to organise everything for everyone. Ideally that would be a page I could pin but pages don’t work for me at the moment - I haven’t got the functionality!
Yes exactly so Notes from the Sea is a section and it’s my monthly newsletter I brought over from mailchimp.
Substack tips is a tag I use as I write some posts around using my creativity here and I chose to display that tag on my home page.
Thanks for checking it out and any other questions feel free to comment on one of the Substack tips posts if you like? Cx
Thanks, Claire ... I was confused because it looked like I could open the post, but didn't realize I was only seeing the intro copy. I like the looks of your page and trying to use it as a model ... right now I'm still struggling with published tags posted. I keep reading the how-tos but they seem to be going to the wrong part of my brain. ;-). Your comment about pages is a clue though. Some of the instructions say to "create additional pages in the Website section" but I don't seem to have a Website section. I'm going to try to use a different browser. Txs!
So far, I’ve only tagged my interviews to create a separate page for my interview series. As my archive grows, I might experience with this feature more.
Tags are very helpful for me: I have 2 types of posts (long-form / behind the paywall, which I tag as "Deep Dives"; short-form / for everyone, which I call "Snippets"); by organising all my posts in this way, I can present a simpler interface of the archived content. I've only gone back one year so far, but it looks great! And I hope it entices different readers to dip into some of the older content...
✏️ would love to cross-post / recommend / guest post for or with anyone whose work relates to mine which is the exploration of the complex relationship between art and mental health (how art helps individuals and communities, how mental health challenges impact creative process and content) ... I also do interviews and am happy to email interview anyone on this topic.
Excellent - I have subscribed! For about a decade my niche was the health benefits of crochet and crafting, based first on my experience then on interviews and education. Now I look allele broadly at all art and not just it’s benefits but also the trickier stuff. Would love to connect.
I'm open to all of the above, especially the interview. I'm a writer who battles depression and anxiety, and writing online has been one of the best things I've done for my own mental health. I've also gotten comments from readers (some here, more on Medium) that my articles have helped them, both because of specific coping strategies I mention and because they feel less alone, like finally someone "gets" them and knows what it's like.
So glad it is helping you and others! I have chronic recurring major depression (well treated thanks to lots of self care practices but returns nonetheless) and use writing and crochet and collage in my healing. But also the challenges of depression sometimes make it really hard to create so I am personally especially interested in the nuances of how that is and how to work with it all. Would love to connect for an interview so you can share with more people! Can you send me an email Kathryn.vercillo on gmail to remind me to get us started?!
Hi Kathryn, I'm a film composer and epic orchestral music producer under the alias May The Gods https://maythegods.substack.com/ would love to guest post or get interviewed if you're interested. Can be mental health related, e.g. how music can help us navigate difficult times and emotions
Ooh it sounds like really interesting work! I’ll check it out further soon but would love to work with you. A guest post would be ideal for me if that works for you. Email is Kathryn.vercillo on Gmail if you want to send one over, have any questions, etc ❤️
The epic fantasy serial I am posting on my main substack is about how trauma is manufactured and used by some institutions and individuals to gain and maintain power. It's like Disaster Capitalism meets Tolkien, but I am focusing more on the mental health of the characters as they struggle to live in a work that appears to have gone mad. I also write about my own struggles with depression and anxiety.
Awesome. I have just subscribed and will check out in more depth shortly. Happy to do an interview or share your work any way that I can. Never hesitate to let me know how I can support your work!
Notes and recommendations have both been great for Beyond Bloomsbury. And I’m really grateful to Substack and the readers who have supported us! In 16 months we’ve gone from 0 to 2,820 subscribers.
If anyone would like to collaborate, I would be open to chat! I run a poetry Substack, and I would be happy to post poetry or exchange ideas and things! Check out my Substack and see if you’re interested!
Interested! “Mama Ephemera’s Muddy Feet” covers the intersection of poetry (and poetic prose sometimes), science, and personal stories. Will check out your Substack. kellylenox.Substack.com.
✏️ Hello and Happy Thursday everyone! Just graduated college, and it would mean the absolute world to me if you checked out my FREE spirituality-themed Substack. Thank you and have a lovely day :)
🟧 Is there value in asking your loyal readers to be sure and hit ♥️ - Does Substack's algorithm see a high rate of likes? I have over 200 people reading nearly every post and they tell me they like it in person but I don't necessarily get a lot of likes. Would that be helpful?
I tell the people I know to hit ❤️ and add something about liking my work to each post. As a reminder, you could try: If you like a post, please click on the heart.
✏️ Question for my fellow writers: Have you actively sought out and asked other writers with aligned audiences/ topics/ themes for Recommendations or Welcome Page Plurbs? Or has it just been a wonderful, supportive surprise when it happens?
I've never actively sought or even asked other writers to recommend my newsletter. As others have said, for me that feels too pushy. I know I'm uncomfortable when someone asks me to recommend theirs. If I read and like it, I'll recommend it without being asked. If I am asked, it's awkward to say no, but I would never recommend one I don't read regularly and find helpful.
🧠 Here's a tip: add a clear Contact Me section on your About page, so that folks have a way to reach you directly. Most people don't know that you can always send email to YOURSUBSTACK@substack.com, e.g. bowendwelle@substack.com for me, but that doesn't work for Stacks with custom domains.
AN ORDINARY DISASTER
A book-length memoir of a man learning to listen to himself, serialized right here on Substack:
🧠- Recommendations are driving a high number of my subscriptions lately. Especially grateful to Liz Newman (https://liznewman.substack.com/) for including my work in her recommendation!
I’m glad to connect with other writers in grief/mental health/spirituality spaces. I’m a progressive writing pastor from the Pacific Northwest. ❤️
I'm already a subscriber of yours and honestly don't remember if I've recommended it yet. One of the challenges with recommendations is that only the first few show on my home page, and when I add one it drops an older one off of that visible list. There's also no way that I know of to reorder the list, so that the one I like best and most highly recommend is at the top, etc.
🧠 - I've just Restacked for the first time and am waiting to see what happens!
✏️ Some of my new subscribers subscribe to dozens of free substacks, 50+ or more. No one can open that many posts in a day or week! I am wondering if the increasing popularity of Substack may lead to fewer posts being opened. I am seeing that happen to my Substack. The open stats are going down. Anybody else seeing this?
Cross-posting happens via email. If you see a post written by another publication that you want to share with your writers, you can click to "cross-post" it to email it out to them and add it to your webpage (if you choose)
A restack is a way to share a post you enjoy to Notes (https://substack.com/notes), a new product we built to help readers and writers discover the great writing on Substack. Think of it as a way to point other people in the Substack ecosystem (not just your readers) to a great piece of writing.
I've seen some wild "subscribed to" numbers also. Presumably just scanning the titles and rarely reading. I'm always behind in my reading with just the few substacks I subscribe to 😅.
🧠 One unique benefit offered by collaboration is that of insulating some of our work from being replaced by AI like ChatGPT. That type of writing is very homogenized, bland, and generic. Recommending and linking to other's work is a powerful way to amplify their voice. It helps us connect with writers who share our interests and values. It lights the fire of inspiration, something that AI will never be able to replicate. Sharing our humanity is one way to build a bulwark against artificial intelligence.
🟧 - My understanding is that when we cross-post or mention, the specific author is NOT specifically contacted and prompted to respond in the way that a Recommendation, causes Substack to prompt reciprocity? Is this true? My cross-posting and mentioning top authors has not appeared to yield anything. I still think there are a lot of top authors who are going to ignore all this noise much more than a Recommendation. Although, I would add that MOST of my recommended Top Authors have not reciprocated. It's their choice, but at least I know they were prompted...
Yes, you get an alert for every mention, cross-post, and tag. Only recommendations get a separate email. I wouldn't think of it as them ignoring you. Most of them are very busy managing their own Substacks. It's not personal. I'd also encourage you to connect with all authors, not just the ones you consider "top." It's also interesting to consider what "top" even means, right?
I’m glad that they get notified...then it functions like marketing yourself to them over time...I still think it’s most effective to subscribe to Top Authors with 10,000 subscribers and comment to build awareness and recommend them. The lift off one of these folks is huge from reciprocating a recommendation. We’re no less busy than Top Authors. I would wager I work more hours than many of them...:) There is some inevitable status ambiguity without being able to write elaborate profiles.
you need to read my next book! Only an American individualist would look at symbiotic parasitism (Remora) as a bad thing. 99% of human societies are built on transactional exchanges, hierarchy, aligning with elites, etc. It's just human. really, it is. We've come to believe in the myth of altruism yields magical reward...
If you ask any elite writer, they will tell you they got there by being altruistic. The mindset of thinking what will I get out of this relationship is an instant turn off and the ones I know have written about how annoying it is to get emails, DMs, etc asking for free advice, recommendations, collaborations, etc. As one of them said, it's like expecting sex on a first date.
you completely misunderstand my point....and every elite writer has benefited primarily from another elite person to get where they got. Not once above did I mention that you should directly ask for anything. But expecting reciprocity after giving is totally different. In the case of a first date that you paid for, the expectation is a clear follow-up, i.e. not being ghosted or strung along...
I tag folks that are relevant to what I’m writing - or folks who I just think are awesome. I don’t expect anything from it. Especially if they are a big name.
I've wondered about this, James. Some time ago, I *mentioned* a bigger name 'Stack, and while I didn't think much would come of it, I thought the writer might at least take note. But, as you say, I'm not sure they even get notified. I know I am pinged when someone RECOMMENDS my pub, but not sure if the same goes for mentions.
🧠 What can help is to go to your analytics on Substack and what newsletters the highest percentages of your subscribers read, then check those out and if it's a good fit, be active in the comment section of that newsletter. Odds are other subscribers of that newsletter could be interested in your work as well!
Just sharing my mileage here, as someone who's been writing since the start of the year and doubled my subscribers since I first started.
🧠 - Recommendations: I don't know that this has been the "most powerful" tool for me in terms of growing subscriptions. I've had more traction with posting my work on social media and converting friends and friends-of-friends (i.e. I gained 30 just from posting something on FB this week, while the max number of subscribers I've gained from my recommendations is 4).
🧠 -Notes: This has turned out to be a great networking tool, despite my initial reservations. I find it's a great way to share praise for posts that only allow paid subscribers to comment, and thus to let a high-profile author know you like their stuff, without having to pay every single one for the privilege. I think I've probably gained a dozen subscribers from Notes-based interactions with people who are writing at the same topic intersection as me (nature, parenting, grief).
🧠 Cross-posts: I had one extremely generous well-known memoirist cross-post my stuff. I gained about 10 subscribers. It was hugely validating in ways that went beyond that metric. Something to consider for established newsletter writers -- this is such a gift that you can give to those just starting out, if they merit that recognition.
✏️ - Related: I notice not every author allows cross-posting. What are the benefits of turning this option off, I wonder?
🧠 Guest posts: My version of this is doing an interview series with people who already have their own established audiences. This has definitely been a driver of page views overall, and has led to my converting some people in my guest's audience to my own subscriber base. Example: https://ryanroseweaver.substack.com/p/exit-interviews-reporter-ashley-locke
I'm always on the lookout for more interviewees, so if you're interested, please feel free to let me know via comment here!
🧠 Mentions: This has been a great way to let other writers I admire on Substack know when I'm name-checking them. It's fun to see that they've "liked" a post. I've converted a few into regular subscribers as well, which again, is hugely validating. Again, something for established writers to consider: if someone is kind enough to mention your work and promote it to their readers, simply letting them know you've seen and appreciated it with a like or a comment can be solid Substack etiquette, and good karma to boot. :)
✏️ Substack team: I wonder if you yourselves have noticed "good etiquette" or "good manners" being displayed around each of these tools. I know the community is really concerned right now with keeping the collegial feel of this space. As an educator, I know that sometimes it is more powerful to highlight exemplars of "good behavior" when shaping culture vs. focusing on the negative... so it would be cool to see something like this come out of the Substack team's blog at some point soon.
✏️ I think that dividing Office Hours into streams is a great idea. However, and I hadn't reckoned on this, I end up suffering from a serious bout of FOMO whichever stream I'm in!
Oh thank you. I enjoyed chatting with you very much. Wonder why the tag thing doesn't work on your phone. I have found other Substacky things don't work on phone
✏️ - Need a song or a playlist for your post? I could collaborate picking them for you. Here you will find the kind of music I choose for my biweekly playlists: https://reflectandrelaxcafe.substack.com
So fun. I’ve done a few post playlists in the past and really enjoyed it. Then I started running out of time! I’d like to go back to it though and @Paul Macko suggested collaborating with my readers. Have you tried this?
I have a community in Reddit were members collaborate suggesting songs to be included and making comments. I’m new here in Substack and, for the moment, haven’t got this kind of cooperation.
🟧. I have now raised more than once (haven't completely kept track) that it would be helpful to those of us who don't write in any one category to have a category that describes us. There seem to be quite a few of us. But no action. Would love to see a new 'generalist' (or similar description) category. Thanks.
✏️ I'm looking for other writers in the "weird culture" space. I'd LOVE to collaborate and swap guest posts. I'm trying to find my people but when you write about extremely niche subjects it seems hard to track down the right readers. I feel like collaboration with writers who understand the hinterlands of culture that fascinate me will be mutually beneficial.
In my experience, all of these growth strategies (mentions, recommendations, cross-posts, Notes, guest posts) work best when you're thinking about how you can promote others, not yourself. It also feels better. It's the Substack spirit: community, joining, serving. Of course, it should also come from an authentic place. What goes around comes around. Promise! (The only exception might be guest posts because that's really about your work and your chance to shine. Take the limelight and enjoy it!)
🧠 I love the opportunity to collaborate with others. I'm starting to reach out to other writer sin the freelancing and content creation fields to see if there's an opportunity to work together. It can only benefit everyone - a rising tide lifts all boats. It also allows us to provide unique perspectives and incorporate different voices, which only helps our own writing to grow.
✏️ I’ve been struggling to use Notes in a way to connect to other readers/writers. I usually try re-stacking articles in my fields (science, societal critique) but without many followers, it usually feels like the Notes just fall on deaf ears. Is there another way to use Notes to connect that other writers have found?
This is just a personal view but I've found (the hard way) that if you use Notes like Twitter it's not really successful. Also, once I built up a reasonable number of subscribers then those subscribers often respond to my Notes, so it's a question of building a community, even if only in a small way. Asking questions on notes, sharing a photograph and asking people to comment, sharing someone's work that you enjoy often works. I don't put previews on Notes, but I do say what's coming up on my next publication. I'm on https://junegirvin.substack.com if you're interested.
Yes I share photos and ask people if they want to join in, also asking questions and re stacking a quote that resonates not just with me but other people who have commented too.
I think commenting on "bigger people" posts proves to be the most effective. I also go through and mass-like everything and that seems to work. But yeah, I think I have 3 followers lol.
The Note that resonated with many people (at least for me) was one where I celebrated reaching 100 subscribers. People were really encouraging and some even subscribed from there.
“Though others might lack the will and resources to build, improve, or invest in themselves, you must pick up the slack by bettering your mind, body, and soul.
You must choose greatness and become the most extraordinary version of yourself you can be.
After all, no one is coming to save you. As my late grandfather, John Timothy Landers, used to say: “Your only security in life is yourself.”
Time is money and the clock is ticking. Leverage your private equity wisely.”
🟧 hello all! Question for the Substack team: is there a way to offer a discount on gift subscriptions only? There are times, like right before holidays, but it would be nice to be able to promote that to subscribers and a discount would help. Right now the only way I can see to do it is to offer a blanket discount, including to all new subscribers. Sadly, I am heading into an appointment, so can’t hang out for the hour, but I’m here in spirit!
that would be good addition. as far as I know at the moment you can only do that for group subscriptions (buying 2 or more at the same time). You could just lower the 'main' subscriptions and encourage people to gift them, though. Tis the season after all
Playing catch up on tags and need some clarity. Seems like there are two usages ... search function and page header identification of specifically tagged posts.
"Search" seems to be an undirected way for readers (or me) to find posts ... but unless they knew the tags I'm using, it would not be very useful. For instance: I googled "purple" and search found it in one of my posts. When I googled "cottoncandy," (a word I apparently have not used), search took me to a list of Substack offerings.
I assume if I go back and tag my posts, if someone hits on those particular terms, they will get a list of related posts.
If I really want to help readers find a series of posts, I need to put the tag identifier into the home page banner. I need to do this asap.
Are their other uses of tags that would help bring organization to the rapidly filling bucket of posts I'm generating? Thanks for ideas and help.
2 Questions: 1) Is there some way to see who is sharing my posts? The shares are so far a number only, but no link to a name. This does matter to me.
2) A regular reader of my posts listens to them audibly. !! I had no idea such a thing were available on the sites. She says there's a microphone at the top of each article. Hmm. Can I ALSO hear this? I don't see a microphone when I open my page.
✏️🟧 Hello all! Question about Notes for writers or the SS team: I've seen other writers get surges of growth from notes, and I want to tap into that. I've been posting notes pretty consistently, about one a day -I've also been commenting and restacking. Unfortunately, I've seen maybe one or two subscribers come out of it. How can I better engage with Notes to boost my subs?
I can't seem to get @mentions to work on my laptop using the website. When I type @ and the first letter(s) of a name or newsletter I don't get a drop-down menu of possibilities. When I type the full name it doesn't change color or otherwise indicate the mention has worked.
This has happened to me occasionally too Wendy. Sorry I can’t help you out and say why. One day it seemed to work again. Maybe it was my operator error?!
Check out my newsletter "The Great Awakening" where I write what I learn along my spiritual journey.
The cause of all the crises in the world today is our ignorance toward our true nature, and returning to that is the only permanent solution to climate change, nuclear war threat, overpopulation, war...... you name it.
✏️ Hello fellow writers, here is my open invitation to help me form a writers virtual support group to help each other write better and grow more on Substack!
The Why:
One of my primary goals of writing on Substack is to improve my writing, but I don't have anyone else to edit my work before publication or provide feedback. I talked to an MFA faculty member about this and she suggested that I get a small group of people together for peer-editing and support. And I thought, what a great idea!
The What:
I'd like to start a writer's peer-support/peer-editing group and this is what I have in mind:
1. We will utilize a Slack channel as our communication platform.
2. Before publication, we will share our drafts with the group on Google Docs for others to review and provide feedback.
3. Occasionally, we can schedule Zoom meet-ups to exchange writing tips and ideas.
4. We will also help each other in staying committed to our writing goals with check-in messages.
I have a full-time job working at a university and read/write for fun at my free time, so I'd prefer to connect with people who write in their free time. However, professional writers are more than welcome, but you might not get the same out of this.
The How:
If you're interested, send me an email at everytinythought@gmail.com and tell me a little bit about yourself. I will then add everyone to a Slack workspace. I am excited to see where this might lead to!
🧠 I've generated over 80 subsribers for the 4 publications I recommend so I know how powerful recommending other publicatigons can be. Sadly I've only recieved 7 subscriptions from the publicatuons that have recommended me. I'm hoping that overtime more publications will recommend my publication and I can continue to grow orgaically that way.
As for mentions, I love mentioning other people's posts in my posts. Substack makes it really easy to integrate posts and tags. They stand out from original text and I've noticed my readers actually click on them and interact with the post or person I've tagged!
HI, this is surely a dumb question, but may I ask you how to do this:
" Substack makes it really easy to integrate posts and tags. They stand out from original text/..."
Do you mean that if you add in a post a link to another substack, the platform automatically formats THAT link in a different way? Or something else? Thanks
Yes! When I mention another substack publication, using "@", the link is orange with a grey backgrounnd (the colour changes based on what colour you chose for your publication and if you enabled the coloured link setting or not). It looks slightly different to text that has a hyperlink. Also, you can embed another publication's post into your post instead of linking it as a hyperlink. An embeded post will show the title of the post with a short summary and information about when the post was posted and how many likes/comments it got. I think embeding a post can make it stand out and call more attention to it! I hope that was clear.
✏️Yesterday, I wrote a piece about hair color and embracing the gray, and it was the first time a post seemed to warrant inclusion of several writers I've been wanting shout out.
Since my essays don't follow a specific topic or subject matter (other than what I call "realistic optimism"), I sometimes find it challenging to weave recommendations into a story. I see that some authors build in opportunities by adding a component to their newsletters such as "What I'm Reading" or "On the Nightstand." Often this comes at the end of a post.
I'm so grateful when someone recommends me, and I want to return the favor, not to mention just promote good writing, but I also want it to mesh well for my readers. Would be glad to read feedback from anyone who has found a method they find useful.
To help organize the conversation, please use one of the following emojis when you start a new comment.
🧠 - when sharing strategy or advice for fellow writers
✏️ - when asking questions or seeking feedback from fellow writers
🟧 - when asking a question you hope the Substack team can help answer
Use your emoji keyboard or simply copy and paste the emoji at the beginning of your comment.
🧠 I'm finding Notes to be a useful way to reach out to other newsletter publishers and readers as well. I've gotten a few new subscribers, perhaps a handful, but I think it's got the potential for building good acquaintances, if nothing else. I'm also discovering some interesting new reads that way. It does fill about 25% of the void that formed after I quit Twitter but with very few negative aspects so far. I don't really see it as a way to attract a lot of new readers but I'm not too concerned about that. I use Notes far more than Chat (just couldn't build the Chat habit, it didn't take for me).
🧠 I've gotten hundreds of new subscribers via Recommendations, which does seem swell but: my Open rates are lower than I'd like - I have a feeling that some readers just blindly clicked on Recommendations when they subscribed to someone else and my newsletter might not quite be to their tastes? Dunno. So Recommendations might not always convert to happy readers... not sure. But better to have them than not.
✏️ I don't use cross-posting very often, wondering what everyone else's experience is with using it.
I've used cross posting sparingly. Re-Stacking has largely replaced it for me- less friction, I'm taking up less space in a reader's inbox, and I can highlight a favorite quote or passage.
Yeah. I feel trepidation in doing a cross-post for fear of inbox spamming. Re-stacking is great, though. Especially with the quote feature.
all good points and I do the same. No need for anyone "out there" to see any notes, I prefer this as sort of insider gossip
All of this.
Me too. I haven't crossposted at all yet. I do like restacking.
What is restacking?
Hey Lucy. It's kind of like a retweet. You can read more about it here: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/14671398684308-What-is-a-restack-on-Substack-Notes-
Thanks for this idea kevin. I have never done it and did not know this was an option.Wil try it soon.
I agree, Kevin
Is it actually better to have more readers/subscribers? I would think it's better to have higher open rates and fewer readers because those people are more engaged, right?
Quality > quantity. Always. We've been conditioned by social media to think more is better, but on here, that's not always the case.
I have so much trouble embracing this! I started my Substack with the intention of publishing a couple times a month, but quickly fell into the weekly newsletter + paid offering format in order to grow. Very curious what your schedule looks like!
I'm not sure if you were asking me (apologies if you weren't!), but mine looks like this:
-Monday: Discussion thread
-Wednesday: Short form article (5-850 words)
-Thursday: Longer form work (generally paywalled) or artist interview (never paywalled)
-Friday: Short form
-Saturday: A semi-regular round up of news or other things I've found share-worthy. Like an old fashioned link drop from back in the day, but usually with mixed media (paywalled)
I'm starting to NOT keep in touch with my readers enough, so I really need to mix it up—thanks for posting your schedule.
Does anyone know who exactly receives a "Note" when it is published? Is it just your subscribers, or anyone and everyone who writes on Substack?
Once again... great idea. I am making my life so hard by trying to write big pieces every day.
Hey Kevin, I really like the structure and it's given me ideas of how I could give my readers more. Have you found this posting schedule works out for you in terms of effort in and growth out? Thanks again for sharing this.
Ohhh this is a lot but sounds brilliant! Well done!
Thanks and wow! Impressive! In my world that's a pretty high quantity! Great that you found something that works for you.
What's the difference between short/long form and short/long?
RAE! You know what I am thinking now 😂
LOL. Ya. I'm a sucker for pain.
I am subscribed to one substack that has at least 5-10 posts a day. Needless to say I don't read them all. I scan the headlines, and oftentimes the substack goes little farther than the actual headline.
Personally, I would unsubscribe pretty quickly. Always on the verge of overload anyway, but getting that many would quickly drive me away to move on to perceived higher quality over higher quantity.
What is being posted 10 times, though?
They are usually small posts, maybe three five paragraphs. Other times they are just crossposts. At times some of the posts are enlightening and interesting, but other times it seems like "posting to be posting."
I am a firm believer that less is more. My newsletter is fortnightly - I subtitle it Thought for the Fortnight - and that seems fine. Nobody is over-burdened but it is fun to look forward to. look at the About link.
In the end, it all depends. Depends on the size of the newsletter, the value provided, etc. Another newsletter I get will have a "meme" on occasion and then a long article. Then again, I look forward to anything they put out as it is usually primo material.
Another newsletter I get will sometimes come on and apologize for not updating enough, and it puzzles me because I don't feel any great urgency to receive the newsletter, and also am not sure of the estimated frequency of sending out posts.
That's a...lot, even by my standards!
eegads. That's too much!
Sometimes more is way too much.
Agree!!
Agreed.
It's just like having sales "prospects" which means nothing until you qualify them as really having the potential to become customers. Or webinar attendees. Some people get excited when they have hundreds of attendees. The BIG question is, how many of them are just "butts in seats" or "muffin munchers" who only came for the snacks. I'd rather have 10 regular readers than 1000 non-readers.
"Muffin munchers" 😂
Ha! That is funny!
😂
You could easily pick them out of the crowd as they came into the room.
I'd rather have 10 instagram followers than 1000 bots.
Yes! And there's also the question (at least for me) of whether they are not only regular readers but also might consider buying/paying. Some of my most consistent readers (who've followed me for years, then came over when I switched to Substack) refuse to pay for anything but read every free post (sometimes opening them multiple times, etc.). Not good or bad, but I'm more interested in 5 readers willing to pay than 100 readers who want everything to always be free.
I think it is better to focus on writing and creating consistent quality content and the readers will come. Networking will be required for sure but without the quality content...
I'm averaging 75% open rate, albeit with a small audience of only a couple hundred subscribers after 3 months of Stacking. That percentage feels pretty good, but I'm not sure what other writers are experiencing in early days.
This is a great open rate, and mirrors my experience when I had less than 200 readers. My open rates started dropping as my subscriber count grew - I’m in the low 60s now. With the recent introduction of some spam subscribes, I seem to have dropped to the high 50s.
My main objective is engagement, not subscriber count, so this drop is concerning to me. I will probably do an email purge pretty soon for accounts that are not opening/viewing.
I am also concerned this is a logical byproduct of relying too heavily on the Substack network to grow by any metric used. People who subscribe to me now often “read” 50 or 100 or more substacks, which is bonkers. They are not reading this many substacks, which then works counter productive to my goal of building community.
good to know your experience. Thanks for sharing. Frankly I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed just taking an hour for this dialogue with y'all. I don't have any clue how people subscribe to that many writers. I like to actually read people's stuff. To quote David Carradine "focus grasshopper"
I always worry about that when I see subscribers who are reading so many subs. Even 20 is a lot, I can barely keep up with the few that I do read.
I wonder if this is a consequence to the recommendation engine? 🤔
Readers are clicking Yes, without thinking or intending to read the related newsletters?
That's a really good open rate. I would celebrate that.
Thanks Sarah, my subs are mostly friends to start, which is what is recommended. I'd be pissed if they weren't opening it. Now to grow beyond...
Ha! The challenge for many of us.
That is impressive Dee. I can tell my example - 7 months of Stacking ( took this word Stacking it from you :D ) and 30 subscribers and growing ... open rate of 80%
and then if you take some time off, you're Stack-a-lacking
Ha ha.. good one.
I was going to say the same as Sarah. That's excellent, way better than the average I'm sure. I'm at about 42% average. I think because I carried over a (TINY) preexisting list of folks who once subscribed to my deadbeat Tumblr and most of them weren't necessarily real themselves, that my list is a little skewed to the nonresponsive side. But I do notice any of the new real subscribers since I've landed here and emailed to my own contact are way more engaged. I guess I could simply change those odds by deleting some of the unresponsive emails but it's hard to anyone go at this small stage.
75% is fantastic!
Yeah, this is a great open rate! I've seen my open rates drop to about 50% after a few years of 'stacking. Not sure if that's general inbox fatigue, fatigue about what I'm posting, or what. Regardless, I think the industry average is less than 30% (if I'm remembering correctly), so 75% is definitely great!
I think that's great! Especially after three months
How often do you post and how did you grow in your subscribers and the amount of open rates?
I've been averaging twice a week. Once on Wednesday-ish and once on weekends. Oddly weekends have better traction. Growth has been organic. FB friends, word of mouth, and a handful of like-minded writers here on Substack that have found my content.
I go for higher open rates. I'm considering purging my innactive subs except I can't tell if they are reading it in the app instead of e-mail. That's the hard part to discern. I don't want to purge someone who's views aren't through e-mail.
In the subscriber list you can sort by emails opened or by posts viewed. I’m not totally sure on this, but I think posts viewed might be the views online or in the app. I have many people with zero email opens who are engaged in my comments, and I think it’s because they are counted under views.
good to know!
I'm just curious as to why. I don't particularly care about open rates and figure someone may ignore it for six months before opening again.
Just curious really.
It depends on what your definition of success is. If it’s # of subscribers, it makes sense to keep them all. If it’s engagement, then low open rates can be improved by eliminating folks who aren’t engaging.
Open rates indicate that they aren't just bots or such like. There's been an increase of odd subscriptions others have noted.
My goal is a 40% open rate becasue otherwise, what's the point of having subs? It's a fake number that won't convert to paid.
Fair enough, and the bots point is good. I don't have enough readers to worry about that yet haha.
I'm never going to put anything behind a paywall and, when I reach a high enough number, launch a "donations" system if people want to support me. So I guess that's why I value subs over engagement.
When my rate does drop, I was toying with the idea of emailing inactive seeming subscribers and asking whether they wanted to continue receiving the newsletter and giving them the option to unsubscribe.
Hi Marisa, I think you've captured my concern: there's a lot of value in higher open rates. I don't feel that I've got any right to complain, probably just shows me an opportunity.
Open rates will go down as you gain more subscribers. If Substack can publish some average benchmarks it would be helpful to people. For example a 1000 subscriber newsletter has an average OR of x%
This would be very helpful information to benchmark against.
It's tough. Everyone wants more subscribers. We would love for them all to be "quality" subscribers, but it's tough to control that. Depends on where they come from. Personally, I think I would prefer to have 100 subscribers with 30 of them "quality" as opposed to just 30 "quality" subscribers.
Reason? Those 70 may not be quality, but some do read some, some do share on rare occasion, some might eventually get hooked, and some of them just might share with the right people at the right time. Work towards quality (both in your work AND your subscribers), but I say, the more the merrier.
Visit my substack, "The Art of Unintended Consequences" to see many instances of unexpected things happening. Maybe that "low quality" subscriber is the one who causes you to break out. 😉
I would absolutely prefer higher open rates. I'm in the process of shutting down my second WordPress blog because it never converted to an audience. Individual posts get attention but people didn't sign up to come back. I want people who will come back over and over again.
Good point. Although—Someone just subscribed to my stack who is also reading over 500 other stacks.
Are they reading them, or hoarding them?
Haha. Hoarder? Very odd. A bot?
You're right, Brad. I keep meaning to do some pruning myself. But please don't prune me from yours: I will get back to reading and leaving insightful comments soon.
Hey Brad, Do you automatically prune them or do you send them a message letting them know you have noticed they aren't engaged and you're happy to unsubscribe them? Curious what you've found works well.
Noobie questions.
1) If someone has zero stars - they haven't opened that post?
2) What, in your opinion, is a good open rate? I'm running about 52% but have no understanding to gauge if that is good or not.
52 is generally considered good.
Yes, I've been thinking a lot about doing some pruning. I used to be scared of doing that but I'm less worried about it now.
I hardly ever cross-post. I'm a writer, I think I have things to say. It isn't a team sport. Sometimes I have had guest posts, which elicit the comment: "When are you coming back? I also have little use for Chat, don't understand what it's for. And I wouldn't think of asking my subscribers to check out Notes. Their mailboxes are choked enough with stuff they don't want or need. I feel protective of them, and don't see why my Notes would interest them. It's a different function that I use only to share a thought with other Substack writers.
While I am a writer, I am also a reader. And as much as I think what I have to say has value, I also think what others have to say has value. Plus, there are times I read other writers and they provide touchstones on the very things I want to write about. I think I would then recommend them, if not cross post with them
Totally agree, Jimmy. It's just that there is a lot of reading outside Substack that needs to be done. Books to read, magazines I subscribe to, newspapers. I am a media being. I do not wish to spend excessive time in the Substack bubble, which, as fond as I am of this platform and the people who make it hum, is what too many of the new features seem to encourage.
Well said. In the last few weeks I've taken a step back from the bubble so I can enjoy some books + magazines + newspapers. It's an important thing to do, and to continue doing, because one could spend all their time in the bubble, especially now that there's Notes (not bashing it, just pointing out that it's an endless scroll). I'm still pretty new around here (a little over three months), and I feel like I actually burnt myself out a bit with how much time I was committing to the platform.
All that said... I have yet to cross-post anything, but I'm actually planning an, I don't know, 3-6 week period where I'll be cross-posting one writer per week. During that time I'll be writing new content and planning future stories/essays, etc. It won't be something I'll do regularly, but I feel like the cross-post feature could be put to good use during periods of silence. Kind of like, "Hey, I'm taking a little break, but I'd love to introduce you to John Doe. I think you might like what they're doing." I feel like as long as you're upfront with your subscribers doing so will be just fine.
I think you're also exactly right, Garrett, about using cross-posts introducing other writers. It is a good communal and generous thing to do. I'm celebrating two years of my Substack and occasionally I repost something from the first months when I had many fewer readers. One can do that do, reissues from the catalog! If I'm really lazy I see what's trending on Twitter, which had a contretemps with Substack not long ago, and if something suits the trend, I may invade my own archives and repost. But it's got to be a special case.
That seems like a good approach.
Usually while in the substack Bubble, I am going in and out of the semi permeable membrane. As I read one substack, they point me to outside articles, which in turn leads me to still others, and combine this with the other things I do in a given day, there is balance, or a frenetic meandering in both within and out of the bubble.
As far as what substack encourages, of course they want to encourage more "in platform" use.
I feel like cross-posting could be an interesting way to supplement our own writing or to share with readers what's resonating with us at a given time. What we read and enjoy provides insight into how we think. It also gives a glimpse of the kinds of writing that influence us.
Plus, if used well and with discernment, it can be a mutually beneficial way for writers to amplify each others' work.
I haven’t tried cross-paying yet either but am interested in giving it a go
Writing CAN be a team sport when writers collaborate, but I'm like you. I write solo. Still, the idea of becoming part of a vibrant community of writers was a long-held dream that has come true here. Like you, I wouldn't inflict yet another social network on my readers, but this is a great way to share ideas and thoughts with colleagues and peers.
Thank you Howard. The writing I did used to be a team sport: newspaper and magazine newsrooms, full of noise, smoke, fascinating characters, brilliant (and not so brilliant) oddball editors, going out for drinks after work...I lived my best life in newsrooms. That's almost all gone (thank you internet and vulture capitalism), and I'm afraid that I don't get that same camaraderie, sense of shared mission, in this part of the 21st century. I have found many new writers, a few friends, and even solid acquaintances here on Substack.
Oh, this raises an interesting question that I'd be curious to have others weigh in on:
Do you post to Notes with an eye to your audience/readers or use it more to network with other writers?
Both. I like the community feel of Notes, but I also see it as a place to showcase my own work, as well as the work of others I follow. It's a very positive place to be!
It seems to me my audience rarely, if ever, see me on notes although I am frequently there. I enjoy it to engage with other writers and find new things to read and see. It's the community for me.
Thanks, Wayne, for speaking to me. I agree, writing is not a team sport although it can be mutually supportive which is perhaps the point. Like you, I am a write so I have things to say. Maybe we are just traditional that way. I also was encouraged via Substack to Join me on Notes after a recent post, which I did because it was seamless but I didn't know what to do when on there! It just seems like another way to plug someone's email. I write an essay. Then I publish the audio of that essay with commentary and my own rambling (and sometimes not rambling but insightful (I think)) notes and stories about my content. That's what I do. Take it or leave it.
Well, Faith, if you put it that way, I'll take it!
I only use cross-posting when I'm mentioned in a post AND it's something that might really resonate with my readers. I don't cross-post just anything that I'm mentioned in or is related to my 'stack since it hits my readers' inboxes and I don't want to overwhelm them.
Same. This is why I've really embraced re-stacking instead.
I'd love to know exactly what re-stacking goes... And I'd also love to figure out exactly can read each Note I publish... Thanks anyone?
Does Cross-Posting send a new email or is it an embed in your regular newsletter email?
There's a new tool added recently to embed a post in your newsletter, which I prefer to cross-posting.
Ohhhhh, that's cool. I didn't know that was possible. Thanks for sharing!
A new email
Thanks for letting us know.
ditto Valorie. I flood their inbox enough as it is
Is the mocking tone necessary, Brad?
Wow. I just started reading it, got four words in, and the post disappeared.
He was just reiterating everything I said but also implying I was stupid for saying it.
Getting hundreds of subscribers thru recommendations is impressive. Lots of people recommend mine, but it hasn't generated hundreds of new sign-ups. Still more than I would have had though, so I'm very grateful to them.
AS for lower open rates, I've found the sme. A few office hours ago someone who seemed to know what he was talking about said that open rates decline as you get more subscribers. I don't see why that should be the case. One reason I thought was that the Substack people do such a great job of encouraging all to promote each other that perhaps people have signed up for lots of Substacks but still have the same amount of time in which to read them. I know that's what I've done, so I end up not reading or commenting on some for weeks on end sadly.
Nothing gives me less confidence than receiving a new subscription from someone who reads "867 other Substacks. Or even one-tenth of that. The idea of Substack as a constant recommendation loop seems silly unless the platform hits a critical mass in which it has become a kind of default destination for readers worldwide.
I agree with you to a large extent, Wayne. I do often think there's a kind of Matthew effect going on with Substack. However, I do think it's better to have more subscribers than fewer, and there's always the chance that the person who reads 867 others will prioritise mine! 😂
Terry, I appreciate your optimism. And I agree that open rates don't have to decline as your readership grows, but if you're getting subscribers through cheap tricks, salesmanship, or other devices you will likely see a decline as those subscribers don't read much. One of the hardest things for me is to resist "promoting" my Substacks in too "salesy" a way. I want the writing to attract them, not my salesmanship.
I'm with you there, Howard. I even feel awkward about putting the Subscribe button in my posts. Being someone who is embarrassed by the very idea of self-promotion, I'm quite pleased that Substack makes it easy for us to promote each other.
I'm convinced those reading "867 other Substacks" are either bots scraping the site for content or fodder for AI programming.
I don't have many subscribers but I have noticed the open rate has gone down as the # of subscribers goes up.
yes I think the "true readers" are very rare special birds. I wonder if I should have a 5-star reader party somehow to celebrate them...hmmm.
In my case there are extenuating factors which I believe have supercharged the effect of one of the Recommendations (i.e. that person was featured in the weekly Substack Reads email so I think there was a repeater effect from that).
definitely a prime example of the network effect. grats!
ooh, well done, fantastic!
I can relate to this.
I cross-posted a few times, but I've discovered that "restacking" a post is much more effective at helping other writers and building my own relationships with other writers and readers. So I'm very thankful for that development.
Thanks for this Sarah.
I am also finding that open rates have declined since using Notes, anyone else? I'm wondering if people who click "subscribe" on Notes are actually consciously or subconsciously looking for more Notes, and note necessarily for long-form content.
I hear you on that, Mark. I've seen my open rates dip recently, and I think that subs from Recommendations might be contributing. But, maybe some other writers out there who've serialized something before could speak to this...
✏️ When you serialize a work, do you notice open rates getting lower?
On one end, I've thought, "Yeah, that makes sense. Because there's a drop-off of readers. Those who haven't read Parts 1-3 won't open Part 4 when it hits their inbox."
But I also have a hunch that the repetitive naming of a project won't play nicely with email service providers. For example, the novel I'm serializing is titled And in the Dark They Are Born. And each subject line has the following structure: And in the Dark They Are Born, Part X. And so I think, say, Gmail sees this and is like, "Ehh, that's really close to the email this person sent a week ago. Let's throw that in Spam(or default all future sends to the Promotions tab)."
I don't think I've ever cross-posted. I'm generous with outbound links and I Restack often, but cross-posting never seemed all that appealing. I suppose I'd feel differently if I wrote an essay taking one position (Twitter is a goldmine everyone needs to work in) and you rebutted my essay with your own essay (Twitter is trash and anyone who spends time there stinks). In that case, I see how cross-posting adds value to both of our audiences because it shows them the dialogue we've chosen to create. But if it's just a simple mention or a shout out, as opposed to the whole piece, I think cross-posting is overkill. Of course, neither of us really writes pieces like that, and I think we have very similar feelings about Twitter :)
One possibility for cross-posting is that it's a way to fill in a gap in your own publishing schedule if you write an opening with some analysis about the article in question but that kinda feels like cheating...
I never really considered that possibility. I don't think it's cheating. I'm just not sure what the value is, aside from keeping up a pub cadence without doing a full dive into a topic. I suppose that's the logic of round-up posts, but I prefer those because you get a few different offerings, like a buffet!
Makes sense!
I tried to edit a comment.
Instead, my original comment vanished.
I've absolutely no idea, Mr. Gottfried!
✏️ Hi everyone! New to office hours so apologies if I get the etiquette here wrong!! Fairly new to substack, writing weekly about our travel experiences, midlife, parenting and thoughts on the world. I can see a lot of advice here around growth and community and diving onto these boards, notes and comments and so I'm wondering on average how much time/how often people are spending on engagement as opposed to creation?
I block about 30-40 minutes the day after a newsletter runs to make sure and respond to everyone.
Great idea! Thank you, that's helpful! I want to be here more but I'm not there yet!
Try full-time freelancing if you want to feel there's never enough time. You have to create, sell what you create, and keep in touch with your network. My own joke is that I'm Howard M. Cohen looking for Howard M. Clone. Tell me, do you still do useless time-wasting things like sleep?? :)
Sleeping is so overrated Howard. :D
Indeed!
I have a time every day where I respond to comments on my posts and read and comment on at least one other Substack. I also try to come to Office Hours 2-3 times a month. :)
I don't currently promote my newsletter in any other way but have been thinking about doing some "old school" promo like a business card or postcard with a QR code.
Welcome, Louise!
I try to spend about 15-20 minutes a day engaging with other writers by commenting and sharing in notes. But it tends to turn into 30-40 minutes if I add reading pieces and sharing them to notes!
I'll spend about 15-20 minutes a day engaging with any replies I get because of my interactions/any replies on my own pieces. (So I visit my notifications once or twice a day).
Thank you Cierra! That's really helpful!
Of course!
Welcome Louise!
Thank you!
I would say I’m 3/4 creativity 1/4 replies maybe... welcome to Substack!
Hey guys! Thanks for fixing the problem I signaled last week, with the threads not redirecting correctly. I’m having a wonderful time exploring all these community features. Recommendations, in particular, have been so fun and useful for me. I love recommending other Substacks, and thus sharing with my readers all the cool stuff I myself have been reading. And a very cool thing: it’s happened a few times for a writer to recommend my blog without me asking them to! I can’t put into words how empowering that feels.
✏️🟧
Hi everyone!
I need some advice on a problem I’ve encountered when describing my substack, where I, at least, attempt to, write funny stuff - because I can’t describe it as funny, because there’s nothing less funny that self-proclaimed funniness. So I’m at a loss on how to describe it! Or am I overthinking this! Any thoughts?
Here it is if you fancy checking it out: https://wrongchannel.substack.com/
Hi Sam! I write humor too. This is, shall we say, a challenge that comes with the territory. Nothing wrong with telling people your stuff is funny, but a better strategy is always to show rather than tell. I took a look at your Substack, and I think you're heading in the right direction. That is, it was obvious at first glance that you're writing funny stuff. My advice is to keep refining your pitch. Try writing some log lines that express the POV of your humor without saying "this is funny." Then try the best log lines out and see how they work. It'll take some time, but you'll get there.
In your pitch letter to new subscribers and prospects, post a couple of samples of your humor. You might want to pin one of your best pieces at the top of your magazine home page so prospects can quickly decide whether they get your humor. Be sure that in your pitch you mention that you are known as a humor writer. Jokes often are the truth in the eyes of the writers and at least some readers.
Also, post a list of the best books you have read about how to be humorous. We all pine to entertain.
In the stock, bonds and commodities markets the funniest people pretend they can predict anything. Most people get the joke.
Thanks Donald! I'll take that all on board. I've pinned my strongest article this second, in fact.
Another idea. Write funny comments, long and short, on other Substack humorists' comments sections. Be happy when they do the same for you.
My best sources of new subscribers are comments sections where I comment under my byline. That way people can check me out and decide whether to subscribe, or not.
Given my topic, it's mostly not.
haha thanks Donald, that's a good shout! You've just earned yourself another subscriber with that comment
Hi Michael, that's some handy advice! Thanks mate
the POV of the humour is what I've been trying to capture I think, that's very helpful
It's a process. I think your POV comes early, but it can often take some time for you to see it clearly and articulate it. At least, that's been my experience.
I think that's it - I think I know what my POV is but I'll be damned if I can express it
Use words like humor, comedy, funny, parody in your write ups. Or you can just let the writing speak for itself. "Nevertheless, it seems a bit silly for me to sit here in my uncle’s underpants and try to convince anyone they will unquestionably enjoy my writing."
Uncle's underpants is funny!
You're right, it is.
I resent that, my uncle's underpants are not a laughing matter.
I don't think there's anything wrong with self-proclaims funniness! I think it's actually pretty awesome.
Stick with it! It's a process, like most things. Check out Flourish if you ever want to pursue a residency or grant. I try to keep them updated.
I just posted a fresh residency program and a grant program with no deadline.
Warmest regards,
Elizabeth
I think a good workaround for you would be to ask for short testimonials from your current readers and hope one of them says something about your newsletter being funny. Or, if that doesn't work out, ask your friends to describe you and use those as quotes on your about page or newsletter description. This way, you still describe your newsletter as funny but with someone else's social proof.
Hi Jenn, that's a great idea. Thank you I'll do that. Once somebody comment on my article "If ever words were to dance on a page." Then on the same article someone comments "Like a child that stumbled upon a thesaurus." I reckon I'll include them both on my page
Both sound great!
Humorist, Sam Briggs. I, too, am of the personal humour persuasion. I try to lead with voice and humanistic reasoning without being gimmicky! Funny is a tricky thing!
Thanks for the advice! Yeah I think that's it - humour is the closest thing in the english language. I can just about bare calling my writing humour writing, I think
I know what you mean, Sam. I always avoid novels or tv progs that are billed as "Fred Blog's hilarious new..." I agree with Paul: let the humor speak for itself. That's what I've done and it seems to work.
Thanks Terry. Yeah I think you're right, that's the way to go. It's a tough thing to condense and get across in the ehe welcome page thingy though
I agree
Are you saying you're not sure how to categorize your newsletter besides humor? I think it's okay to put yourself in that category if that's where you feel it belongs.
thank you! Oh no, I'm in there already! The secondary one I'm surely not sure, I've gone for culture... but that's a quantum stretch, so I don't know! I was more thinking about how to describe my substack, especially on the welcome page
Do they have a category on the "explore" page for comedy?
They have humour! but it's right at the very end
✏️ Looking to cross-post or recommend each other with writers in the software or data field
Hi Ivan! Please check out biztechjournal.substack.com! Thanks!
Just signing up today on advice of a well-known author. I'm planning to dive in over the weekend. To fellow writers and Substack team: what would you recommend as the first thing to do to immerse myself for a quick start? Thanks!
🟧 What do the activity stars mean next to our subscribers? If a subscriber only has one star beside their name, what does that signify? Did they read our newsletter? Most of my subscribers have either 1 star or 5 stars—why is that?
If you click on subscribers individually in Settings, Substack provides a detailed account of when they received the email, if they opened it and when, and their history. It's really cool to figure out who is actually keen to read your stuff. I check from time to time and it provides excellent feedback on core readers, who is enjoying the writing.
Thanks for that tip! I did not know I could click on individual subscribers to get more detailed info like that.
Thank you, Faith! That's very helpful.
Thanks for this! I didn't know it got that detailed! Gonna spend some time there in the next few weeks to get ready for June.
+1
The stars next to your subscriber's email on your Subscribers dashboard represents how actively the subscriber has used your newsletter in the last month; this includes email opens and web views.
oh good to know it's only for the last month
did not know it was only last month, great to know this.
✏️ 🟧 Oof, too late again! I was wondering if it's better to name your handle after yourself or your newsletter ...?
I’m unable to find the emojis
Did you find the emojis Anju? Can you please tell me where they are (I would insert one here if I knew!).
Can you copy and paste them?
Yes I will try that. Thank you.
I see you write about mental health. I just subscribed to your newsletter.
I write about Positive Solitude. Hope you you will check it out.
Anju Jolly
🟧 When I cut and paste or try to drag images within a post, the captions disappear. Is there a way to move them without having to retype the captions?
I've noticed this too! Such a pain. I'll report this. What web browser do you use?
Hi Bailey, thanks so much. My workaround is pasting the caption into text edit and then moving the image and repasting but it can slow me down as I have a lot of images. It is probably because I am using Safari. It probably doesn't happen on Chrome.
Separately I did UX for a long time so I notice bugs and wondering where/how to report them? These are minor quibbles given there is so much great functionality.
🟧 I often use the footnote feature in my newsletter. But, that doesn't work while using the "Pull Quote" - though, it does while using the "Block Quote" feature. If possible, can that be enabled?
And please, let's expand our definition of "value" too. Think about the readers, of course. Always keep them in mind and what they are wanting, but that could be a laugh. To see something pretty you created each week, you writing about something more vulnerable that is a "everyone's thinking it but no one is saying it" type piece.
I've been stressed for enough years trying to figure out niches and super sterile strategies and am opening my mind to what value gets to mean.
Hello Cierra.
Ah, I found it! Hiiii!
I feel like maybe Rihanna *would* go to the Oscars dressed in her pajamas, but only so many of us can pull that off I suppose
True that Bailey.
Hey, I absolutely agree with you, right now I am trying to make my publication more presentable, but I don't know how.
Do you have any advice on how to dress up my publication?
Check out their help pages!
I've researched about pages in the past to see what sections people mention. Same with email headers and footers (you can add buttons there too!).
Also referring back to popular pieces in your email footer/header and about page is helpful, or a pinned post.
Adding spaces to make it more "breathable", add prompts and questions at the end of your writings, or things you loved that week/month/whatever your schedule is.
Ummm, create sections if you write a lot of different things so subscribers can pick and choose what they want in on.
You can also add links to the top/side of your page. And images help break up writing too.
Love these ideas Cierra, thanks! I already do many of them but it gives me a recharge.
Absolutely!
Breaking up the paragraphs is so huge!! So many extra long paragraphs on this app. 😳
It's SO hard to remember how much mobile can condense text into blocks! Haha
I'm doing all of the, I think. Take a look, tell me if it looks as cluttered to you as it does to me... https://benwoestenburg.substack.com
Okay! I looked at your page. So some ideas sprang into my head...
In the about page, maybe you can update it to have a big header that says "short stories" and *then* underneath it you can summarize each one and even add the first of each series linked in the about page! Because I don't think any are linked to on your about page.
Maybe even starting the very beginning of your about page with what you're writing (fiction) and what type (like in your welcome page quip), then the conversational writing underneath!
Okay so the links are a lot under your header! Only other way I can think of consolidating it is to use/make the "short stories" link into a page you construct yourself. A lot of work, but possibly worth it?
You'd make a page linking to one Substack post where you'd then add headers for each of the stories, a summary, and then manually link them beneath each header (with maybe another short summary for each link). Since the links now show visuals and a bit of the summary themselves, you may not need a summary for every individual piece in a series.
But just housing them all in a post, that you make into a page to link to your links at the top of the page, and taking everything else off that aren't prominent go-tos. Because your about page is pushed sooo far away now, too! And I know I and a few other substackers talked about going to about pages soon after reading a post or finding someone new. At first glance, I don't initially know what I'm in for and with how fast our attention moves, you've gotta make sense QUICK!
I'd definitely research other fiction writers too and see how they're fairing, or if you can make it to Office Hours again, ask around about excelling as a fiction writer.
I hope some of this was helpful!
Excellent! I'll have to start working on it as soon as I can. Unfortunately, being retired, I now work for my wife! I'll figure it out, though. And thanks for another pair of eyes. I appreciate it.
I'm with you there. I know I have to fix my page, but don't have a clue as to how I should do it. The fiction I write is broken Ito sections for easier reading, but each story has at least 6 parts to it. Things are looking cluttered. And as to what my emails should look like, well, I'm at a total loss there.
You may have to create pages or sections! If you want each story on your front page, you may need to do something like create a page that holds each part for each story, then people can click through and you can give kind of a description of what each story is about.
I see it in my head what I'm explaining but I dunno if it's being communicated clearly!
Canva is a great app to make visuals. They have a huge library of clip art that you could then insert into your posts.
Great point. I love your positivity in your posts too. I offer a chuckle for the day. Comedy is my lane.
I thought the most important question was "should I get more coffee?"
As far as offering value goes. I could tell you all day what I think is of value, and I suppose that it might give you some insight on what you find within, but I usually approach the different substacks I read as "I will make a determination of its value to me."
The "Be yourself thing," is of course, paramount. As Forrest Gump said in response to Jenny when she asked what he was going to be when he grew up, "Aren't I going to be me?"
Even if I do a horrible Stephen King impression in my writing, it is still "my" horrible Stephen King impression. Likewise in art, I can attempt to illustrate using the techniques of Norman Rockwell, and I can genuinely create a very well crafted imitation of a Norman Rockwell painting.
As far as focusing on the little things, I agree. The details make a difference. Until this last week, I had the previous name of my substack still as the header of the changed name, and that's on me, as are many of things associated with my writing.
As always, it comes down to those 3 major elements: Content, Content, and Content. Provide content that people like and they will continue to come back. Push out fluff and bulk content just to be pushing out material and people will quickly notice. As Rasini said, time is one of our most valuable commodities. If you want people to spend time on you, give them a reason to.
Do I have to go to the Oscars though? I'd still rather stay home in my jammies. Stack is called "Home|body" after all. But I want to keep said house nice, so your good points still apply!
Value is the key to everything. Definitely spot on!
Thank you for this soulful advice. Sometimes in order to grow, you do start to miss the point. Thank you for reminding :)
Solid.
🧠 Hello all, and happy Office Hours! Here's a little bit of encouragement from one small newsletter to all of you:
I've read a LOT of advice and wisdom about growing on Substack, and it all seems to boil down to two key things:
Craft and Community.
The best way to grow on this platform appears to be a combination of constantly improving in your craft of writing--practicing and trying new things and studying those you admire--AND putting your all behind sharing, engaging, supporting, uplifting, and just plain having fun with the writers and readers who make this place their online home.
There's no big secret. There's no "gotcha." The more you can focus on your Craft and your Community, the better and more robust your presence will be on this platform. It's work, for sure, but GOOD work, and it will never let you down!
Most importantly: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! 🌿
Thanks again for the weekly pick-me-up. I concur! Craft and community are what it’s all about. And Substack makes the community aspect so much fun. I’ve met wonderful writers and read so much good literature since discovering this platform! Cheers, and let’s keep keeping Substack fun!
Yes! Yes! Yes! S.E. Reid is so, so wise: It all seems to boil down to two key things: Craft and Community. Subscribe to Talebones.
Totally! If the writing is good, the followers will find you eventually, right Sarah? Word mouth is building with your page. I'm hoping people will find me eventually. But community is an excellent way of finding subscribers. I think what it all comes down to is that it's sort of cyclical. I go 4-5 days with nothing, and then some days I'll pick up 5 subscribers. Being on this forum is probably one of the best things a writer can do to help promote themselves.
That's a really good point! I've been trying to figure out what the key is, as I get my Substack off the ground. I published my second post this week, and I'm just trying to figure out how to get more eyeballs on it. I'm going to keep going and keep working on the writing and figure out the community building. I know it's doable.
"Goonies never say die!" Maybe the same for Substack writers!
I posted my first post yesterday! Excited to on this road together, and will definitely check out your work!
Hi Alexa. Welcome to Substack. I just responded to Liz about the fact that numbers are less important in the beginning. The best thing, I think, is to get a nice body of work together on your Substack first. Good luck with it, and enjoy!
Thank you so much Yasmin!
I'm about to post my first today and an honestly surprised at how anxious about it I am! Especially because I don't currently have an email list. I'm a therapist that has just recently gotten into social media and, while I've written TONS of material, it's only ever gotten sent out to my clients as a part of services.
Actually might be easier to press publish on that just because it's not immediately going to any real list since you don't have one yet. So you're free to fret a little longer and make any edits when it's live. And then start trying to entice people to come (the hard part). Focus on the work for now. They will come!
I wasn't sure how it works once you hit go. Thank you for the information that once a piece is uploaded, it can still be updated. I posted the piece a few minutes ago.
yay! Congrats!! good luck!
Congratulations on getting started! The toughest part for me was officially launching! After I got over the initial jitters of that, now it's just been figuring out what stories I want to tell and how. I have tons of half written thoughts in my Notes app, and now I'm working on refining it.
I'm writing about the caregiving experience as a mom to a child with disabilities and what that life has been like. I'm hoping to eventually feature other stories too from other caregivers. But, mental health is a definite struggle in this life, so I look forward to your writing!
I don't have an email list either. It's a very organic build for me. And sharing to Facebook and IG.
Are people finding your work through substack itself? I too have a ton of half written thoughts in my notes app and am excited to start transitioning those into pieces I can share with others.
I just finished reading your debut post. A community in which you feel you can be heard and understood is so important! The life of a caregiver for a child with disabilities has its joys and its challenges. I look forward to your future posts.
Thank you so much! I'm incredibly excited about sharing these stories that have been on my heart and mind (and Notes app) for years. It's nerve wracking and the most vulnerable I've ever been with tons of strangers. But also fun? It's weird.
Most of my traffic is coming from what I post on FB and IG and then Substack, but so far that growth has been slow, which seems normal at this point. I publish again tomorrow (5/24) and have had some small growth since then, so I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like this week. It seems to help a lot to participate in the Writer's Hours. I might try out the Notes feature too and see what happens with that. So much of a learning curve right now.
I totally hear you! I was so anxious as well. I don't have an email list either.
Also - if you ever want to chat about social media, let me know! In addition to writing I'm a marketing consultant, and I'm incredibly passionate about mental health. Excited to check out your first post :)
That would be wonderful. I honestly didn't really use social media before my recent foray into the building a professional brand, so it has definitely been a steep learning curve. I just hit publish on the piece. I wrote the beginning a few days ago and the similarity to the start of your piece was interesting to me- I would guess a lot of us feel similar when we are first starting out!
Congratulations on hitting publish! Can't wait to read :)
And I totally hear you - social media is SUCH a steep learning curve. Feel free to shoot me a message at wildcozyfree@gmail.com and we can find a time to connect :)
Way to be brave Victoria and publish your first post!
I am the same, I'm starting with no email list so building from the ground up. Hang in there, your substack sounds like many will find it interesting and helpful!
I am new to Substack too and trying to figure it all out. I'm starting from scratch and hoping to build my audience. I love all the good and helpful advice from other writers!
Welcome Kate! You landed in the right place, we are glad you are here.
Welcome, Alexa!! I always get excited when I see new people here on Substack. :) So I started reading your first piece and I'll need you to get ready for a meaty comment (and a subscribe!) haha!
Welcome again, and enjoy your stay!
Yesss I love a meaty comment! This comment makes my day. Excited to check out your work as well!
Thank you!
Aww, thanks! Definitely checking out other people's work as well!
The thing about getting eyes on your page is the interaction you have with other writers. I've always been a loner when it comes to writing because of the marketing aspect of it. You have to believe in what you write as well as knowing, or maybe have an idea, of what you want to put out there. Cultural posts do very well. So do financial pages. Fiction is a really hard sell. Not everyone is a Hemingway, or a Steinbeck. But...you have to believe in yourself as much as you believe in your page.
Yes, I'm staying away from fiction for now. Just telling the truest stories I know.
Welcome Alexa!! We are glad you’re here.
Thank you so much Donna!
I still haven't posted my first post. Plan to today. Trying to feel around the community and get my feel of the "neighborhood". I will check your work out for sure!
You got this! I like Substack's features and what they are trying to do with the writing community and building features that will be helpful! It takes time to figure it out, but I've been having fun so far!
Hurry up and get that out, because travel writing is a great page to have!
🧠 Hello Liz. Welcome to Substack. I've been here posting monthly for several months and my community is growing steadily. I haven't been too concerned about numbers, more about getting a good body of work on my page. I think that when people come across my Substack, which is called 'Place Writing', I want them to see a nice range of posts to interest them. So that's what I'm putting my energy into at the moment. Give it a year I say, then start thinking about putting effort into growth. In consumer terms, you have to stock the shelves first I think.
Interesting perspective, Yasmin! I think we're often conditioned to think we have to go big and grow fast, which can take our focus away from actual writing. How have you been growing your community while staying committed to writing?
I've been telling everyone I know about the Substack platform because there are lots of great writers here and there's something for everyone. I also put my Substack link a the bottom of every email I send. And I put a link in my Instagram bio, and on my Twitter profile. After that, I just let it happen. But keeping a regular publishing routine is crucial I think. For reasons of time, I can only manage one a month at the moment, but I hope to increase the frequency next year.
Yes, time is crucial if you want to write. I don't have that issue anymore because I'm retired now. When I was working, I got up at 3:30 in the morning to get two hours of writing time in. (Now I have all the time in the world.) It's all about balance, I think.
Still trying to strike this balance, Ben! I recently reoriented my goals to prioritize writing, and it's bizarrely hard to convince my brain that spending 1-2 hours a day on writing projects is a good use of time. Even though I LOVE it.
I have my link on my IG and started and IG specifically for all things related to my newsletter and then sharing on Facebook. My understanding is that Twitter is making it hard to share Substack stuff, so I've been leery to post there, but I may go ahead and add the link, just for the heck of it. I need to consider adding my link to my email signature as well.
If all your social media platforms are pointing to Substack then the visitors will come. And, yes, Twitter is being difficult.
Neat. I've also added my link to my email signatures. I don't have social media, but I have written for a few other platforms and could ask them to update my bios with a link, too.
Also seriously considering an old-school business card...
I like putting a year on that, and it makes me feel better. The obsession with the numbers really pulls you in, especially if you spend any time here in notes. I'd rather not let that pressure drown me before I even get swimming properly.
Quite. :-)
That's really helpful to know and makes a lot of sense. I've been focused a lot on the craft at this point, which I hope will draw an audience in the future. Trying to write a little every day and then publish once a week.
That sounds like a good plan, Liz. Just tell everyone about Substack! There's something for everyone.
Exciting! I also posted my second post this week!
Congratulations!!! Welcome to the second post club! Here's to many more! :)
Yay, thanks so much!
Starting out is difficult, because you think to yourself: This is great! People are going to want to read me because I have a lot to offer. But there are a lot of writers here, and getting eyes on your page is hard work. I don't know enough about marketing. But I do know that emails are a proven way of getting the word out. Don't give up, and don't despair. "Never say die!"
"Good work will never let you down" YES!
I always look forward to Writer Office Hours in part because of your encouraging posts! My biggest challenge is community. I'm an introvert and generally don't spend much time on social media. I try to engage a lot here, but am not even on Twitter, IG, etc. I very rarely post on Notes and have not recommended it to my readers, mainly because Substack has made it clear there will be no content moderation there and I have already seen the kind of hate and misinformation that led me away from Twitter. I've also heard horror stories from another writer about being trolled on Notes and reporting it to Substack and getting no help whatsoever. Very disappointing and disturbing to me.
I and others have also mentioned that issue here and no one from Substack staff has replied.
Hi Wendi, I'm not on social media either. I've had good results adding my Substack link to my email signature, reaching out to contacts directly to let them know what I'm up to with writing, telling friends and family about it (or sharing specific posts with them), and submitting my newsletter to directories like Inbox Reads.
It's not a recipe for explosive growth, but the subscribers are trickling in. :) I'm also about to embark on a Substack Letters exchange with a friend who also writes on the platform, so it will be interesting to see how that pans out.
Thanks, S.E., for the welcome reminder. I always try to remember that Substack is THE great place to take chances, expand my writing, try out new things and further develop my voice. Love it here.
Love this advice - authentic engagement is so important! I'm just starting out (first post launched yesterday, if you want to check it out!) and I really needed to hear this today :)
I soooo needed this! Thank you 🪼
Ahhh... I always love your words of encouragement. Thanks, S.E. Reid!
I've been having so much more fun on the platform and I'm excited to see what comes from it as I keep working to improve and see what my community wants and likes!
Great points, S.E. It's true. I've slowed down in engagement lately as I've been focusing on my core business, being a therapist and promoting my local event in a month (wish me luck!), but I enjoy writing and sharing and learning from others here on Substack. Last night, instead of watching "The Diplomat" (my guilty pleasure), I recorded my latest essay for the podcast and posted it. It's fun and relaxing. And I enjoy my commentary as I never know what I'm going to say until I say it!
Well said S.E.
The Community part, though, seems to happen only between writers / Substack page owners. Rarely are readers engaging into the said community... on Notes, close to never.
Oh you mean people outside of Substack's ecosystem as far as readers? I'm making Substack my priority but I'm thinking of returning to IG in a month or three (or six), JUST to lead people to Substack.
People tend to only read in the emails anyway, so I may open up a Discord someday. Not sure about what! But I love the idea.
Hi Cierra, no, I mean Substack subscribers of my newsletter, but users who don't have a Substack themselves as writers. I think the only people who write Notes are the writers within Substack. Maybe I'm wrong?
I'm pretty sure as well! I think only Substackers are on Notes. So other readers of a community who aren't on Substack would only have comments or email replies which isn't the same
✏️Thanks S E very well said 😊
🧠 Hey everyone! For me, all these community features have been game-changing. I’ve gotten almost 20% of my subscriber base from Recommendations, and the steady increase in numbers is all thanks to the Substack community and networking features. It’s allowed me access to subscribers I never would have gotten on other platforms! I’ve also gotten to know many wonderful writers and I can tell you this, hand on heart: THE PEOPLE ON THIS PLATFORM ARE HAPPY TO HELP YOU GROW. Just ask, but ask nicely. And you might just get a new friend, too.
Well said—and here's a tip for all authors: add a clear Contact Me section on your About page, so that folks have a way to reach you directly. Most people don't know that you can always send email to YOURSUBSTACK@substack.com, e.g. bowendwelle@substack.com for me, but that doesn't work with custom domains like yours, Andrei ;)
Did not know this! Thanks!
That’s a great point, Bowen! I think I’ll do that too. I provide my website and my Twitter, but not my e-mail.
For what it’s worth, I position sending email to me (via replying to a newsletter) as a community privilege for paid subscribers. I do this simply to protect my inbox, but I encourage all subscribers to interact with me in the comments and via notes.
thank you for this! such a helpful tip
May be a dumb question, but where does that email land, on the Substack interface or your associated registered email? I just tested it and nothing landed. eg: YOURSUBSTACK@substack.com so duncanillingwrites@substack.com
I just tested it again and it goes to regular email.
There is no inbox in the Substack interface.
https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360059542592-How-do-I-get-my-emails-out-of-the-spam-folder-
Thanks. Not in spam. I will investigate further...
I didn't think of this. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you Bowen!
🧠 - Yeah, recommendations are definitely a great way to get subscribers.
But, even more important than that, to connect with fellow authors.
Which is one of the most meaningful things I realise we can do on Substack!
❓ How to get recommendations?
The core point is making sure to present a case. Why would it make sense for the author to recommend me? What is my unique perspective? Where am I coming from?
For instance, I write on principles for personal impact, growth and decision making. Combining rational techniques with grounding methods. With a focus on analytical people. My partners deal with burnout (which is often a consequence of overanalysis and pure rational thinking), bioenergetics analysis (which helps grounding) and the nervous system (which relates to the body mind connection).
Sometimes I ask directly, sometimes I wait for the right moment.
For sure, I need to do my homework first. And then... "Just ask"!!
I have written a short encouragement (and celebration) article on the matter, that was found useful by fellow authors. Have a look! https://livmkk.substack.com/p/just-ask
Are you saying you ask other Substack writers for recommendations? I don't think I could ever do that, but more important, I'm not sure how I'd feel about another writer asking me for a recommendation. I can't and won't recommend everyone, and I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, so I guess I'd say, 'please don't ask'.
Don't put me in that position. When I recommend other writers it's because I've already established that they're worth recommending by reading them often. I don't take recommending lightly.
🧠 Ramona: I think you just gave everyone a great way to answer a Recommendation request if they're hesitant to do so. Your line, "When I recommend ... it's because ..." sounds honest and respectful. If someone wanted to add to that, "I'll take a look at your Substack and will make a decision after I've seen several posts," who could fault it? Thanks for the idea. :-)
Nor should you, Ramona. I only recommend writers whose work I truly value, and many of them I happen to personally know, through engaging with their stuff. I have only asked 3 people to recommend me, and one of them did, while the other two politely turned me down. But in breaking the ice like that, I was able to become friends with them as well. I’d stay to not underestimate the value of a cold e-mail, but also respect the other person’s time and don’t. Ever. Spam.
That feels like spam to me. Sorry. I've never had anyone ask me to help them move ahead, nor have I ever asked anyone else. It's not that we're not supportive. There are other ways to boost each other without asking anyone to help me sell myself.
Maybe it's just me, but no.
Yeah, I understand. It’s a feature the platform provides, and it’s up to you if you want to use it or not. But I wouldn’t frame it as “selling oneself”, or at least not in such a negative way. Unfortunately, I’ve recently come to understand that this is par for the course of being a writer, and it always has been. I figure we might just accept that part of getting our work in front of readers will be the result of own efforts. But to each their own, no one should force their opinions on anyone else.
I will say there's obviously no harm in sharing your work and asking others to read it and comment on it. Recommendations are different. They go out to your readers and your readers count on you to know their wants and needs. If you disappoint them, it's on you.
Fair point. But then again, nobody’s saying it’s a good idea to go ask everyone you come across to recommend you. But maybe you think that person’s particular audience might benefit from your stuff too, and then why not ask?
The platform suggests you recommend others, not that you ask others to recommend you. It's not that it's not allowed, it's just that it can be easily abused.
Yes. Having a conversation live is a great way to assess if a recommendation makes sense. In the end, it is often quite clear when the case is there, and for whom :)
Well, I agree. Recommendations are a serious business. That's why presenting a case for both audiences is key. And build the relationship with the writer, before asking.
But, yes, at some point we might want to ask explicitly ;)
I postponed this for so long, for fear of rejection, to then find out that some of the times (actually more than expected) the reply was a sound YES 😅
And now I am recommended by 4 authors I love!
Congrats on that Livio! And that's very encouraging.
I don't think its about asking for recommendations as much as its about getting to know other writers who would gladly recommend you if they knew about you. Similarly, turnabout is fair play. When you find Substacks that intrigue you, a recommendation is the appropriate response. I agree we can't crush the value of recommendations by making them a commodity. Substack is a great place for readers, and aren't all writers readers? Stay honest. Preserve your integrity. Recommend when appropriate. Cool.
I don't know how I would feel about someone asking me for a recommendation, but I don't think I could ever ask another for a recommendation. It feels oddly forward for me to do. I am probably just a bit too shy.
I think it depends on what the relationship is. If I co-wrote some posts with another author or if we shared complementary content, then I would ask but otherwise I agree it could feel like an imposition.
I agree with Ramona. Both of us came from Medium where we were constantly met with "follow for follow" requests and people asking us to clap for their articles. It can get really off putting really fast.
The value proposition of Recommendations is that they are, well, something an writer genuinely wants to recommend to their audience. Asking for them undercuts that, IMO.
@Ramona- if I'm off the mark here, please let me know!
You're exactly on point, Kevin. Medium still leaves a bad taste. Hustling is the name of the game there, and it's one of the many reasons I left.
You're so right that recommendations should be genuine. I hope that never changes.
Do I feel honored when people recommend me? Yep! Do I feel comfortable asking people to recommend? No! There are newsletters I love (like yours) but I have to feel like the specific newsletter is going to add value to my specific subscribers.
Yes, exactly! We are indeed recommending those blogs to our own readers. I hadn't thought of it that way, but that may be where some of my reluctance to just recommend anyone comes from. I want my readers to know I have their best interests at heart.
I think a good criteria might be exactly this "feeling comfortable" :)
Do I feel comfortable in asking this author? Do I think it will be valuable for the readers? Why?
If I do feel comfortable in asking, then I could "Just ask".
If not, I might be forcing it!
Following the principle: "If it is not a clear yes, then is a no".
Yes, same here. I recommend a lot of newsletters that I think my readers might like. I've hoped more of those I recommend would be inspired to recommend me in return, but that rarely happens and I don't explicitly ask anyone to. I wouldn't want them to unless they had read my newsletter and genuinely thought it would appeal to their readers.
And once summer break is here, I need to reevaluate a few of mine 😊
Such a good point. When someone has recommended my newsletter, I've been tickled to be honest. But it would never occur to me to ask for it. It seems pushy. I feel honored a couple have recommended me and one in particular has been very kind in his comments on a couple of my posts.
As it should be. Recommend writers you enjoy and don't expect a recommendation back, it's not a quid pro quo game. the "follow for follow" IG mentality is misplaced, same with subs, i.e. "I subbed to you now sub to me or I unsub"... Fortunately, I have not seen this kind of thing too often here so far. Then again, I am still new!
Good point. Quid pro quo, while often used, is sometimes (often?), not authentic. I'd rather people end up on my page interested and come back because it's a fit for them. My work is not for everyone. I've decided to trust in a more organic process even if it takes a long time. The fact is I like writing and recording, I like sharing my work, and that's been the goal all along anyways.
I think the mutual recommendation thing happens organically--no need to ask for swaps. I feel honored when others recommend me, and if their publication is also something I enjoy, I have no problem recommending them in return.
That said, once writers have a relationship with each other, I don't think it's wrong to ask for a mutual recommendation if it makes sense.
"Ask and you will be given". But only ask if that feels right :)
True. Also, if there is a regular exchange between writers I feel reciprocal recs will happen without asking, even more so if audience overlap exists, if it doesn't make sense then neither party should feel obliged either way.
I have asked other writers to write blurbs for my podcast. And I wrote for their newsletters. They weren't aware what are blurbs and both have been surprised by the idea.
I have found that people also recommend only if you are a paid Substack of theirs.
I love this: When it comes to guest posting, "The core point is making sure to present a case. Why would it make sense for the author to recommend me? What is my unique perspective? Where am I coming from?"
Yes. I sometimes see other authors reaching out proactively, which is fair. I do that too.
But some form of complementarity is needed. Otherwise why would we recommend to read something to our audience? I would find disrespectful to suggest random writings.
Also, recommendations do not necessarily need to be both ways. Sometimes a author needs more time to find valuable the work of others. Or there are simply better way to cooperate (eg cross-posting, Notes sharing or likes).
I'm not sure 'presenting your case' will work, either. If they're not already reading you, why would they go out on a limb and recommend you?
My experience is that authors have different perceptions of recommendations, and different policies. By asking (or even just simply asking about their policy), we get info that can inform our respective action.
For instance, I remember talking with Tobias, which has a publication on self-mastery, and having a great chat. In the end, none of the two asked, because it was quite obvious that our topic were overlapping way too much. We still talk every month and that first call was the start of a nice friendship.
In other words, I would say that "Always asking" might be as inadequate as "Never asking". We need to trust our guts, and do what feels right.
If I hadn't asked, I would not have 2 of my favourite writers as recommending me. And now with one we also do podcast together. Was the start of a great collaboration. And, if I hadn't done it, it would have never happened!
I am not pretending to be right. Just offering a new perspective :)
I'm not talking about recommending, only guest-posting. I'm a freelance writer. I think of it as a professional. Making your case means submitting a post for consideration--and only if they regularly feature guest posts. Many have directions on how to submit!
Yes. That's totally different.
Thanks for sharing your article. I liked your approach to genuine connection with the author and their readers. It is a heartfelt, mutual collaboration.
Appreciate this comment, all the way down to your mixed use of emojis. It had not occurred to me before now to use more than one per post. 😂
I hope I did not infringe any Substack law 😅
✏️ Is there any good resource list or other way to search for Substacks that accept guest posts?
I’ve not found one but this is a great idea and you could ask on notes?
I suppose the best way to go about it is to see if your favourite Substacks do guest posts. Then, if you’ve followed them for a while, you can just ask them to feature you. An honest question never hurts!
That seems like a good idea!
I have not found one, but I smell a resource post brewing at Humor Me.
Ha! I think it would be a good post (someone else can take the idea though because not sure I could get to it for a while!)
Good question. This thread? haha
Exactly. Results right below your reply too!
Julie — I love your work and would love to do something if you want? email me at whattoreadif@gmail.com
Yes, I love What to Read If and would love that. Will reach out :)
I would ask in Notes or ask writers who have the same "niche" as you who have been following and built up a relationship with.
What an interesting idea!
Hi Julie, one way is to look at their Home Page and see if they've featured them. I've done a few and it's been a great experience.
Thanks for the tip!
The newsletter, "moviewise: Life Lessons From Movies" has Guest Post opportunities.
If you've ever felt that you learned something about *life* from one of your *favorite* movies, please share it with us 🤗
Please see the link below for the submission guidelines:
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/be-our-guest
Good to know -- thank you!
I would love to see this as a resource! It would be incredibly helpful for networking.
✏️Yes Julie, a resource list sounds good
✏️ Have other writers found any relationships between depth/length of post and audience reaction? It seems to me that shorter posts with relatively less analysis get surprisingly more engagement despite offering less meaningful content and I’m wondering whether that’s unique to my newsletter or a more generalizable observation.
The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is that I don't live and die by any particular rule on length of the post. Here's what I mean. When I do a short post, I do get more responses. My guess is that there's very little drop-off when I write 500 words. But longer posts (in the neighborhood of 2,000 words or more) tend to travel better. That is, you may not get as many people to the finish line, but those who do finish a longer piece seem to be a lot more engaged, which shows up in better comments and more sharing. For me, though, it's not an either or. I write both kinds of pieces because both have value. Also, because I write both, I can do a better job of challenging myself on the length of each post. That is, I often ask myself if this really needs to be a long piece, or if I just need to get in and get out? Hope that helps, Shahid!
I'm in the same boat, and I seem to sort of alternate between the two (longer and shorter) week by week for the sake of my own sanity. I like knowing when I'm slogging through a longer project that the next week I'll have more fun with a little palette cleanse sort of thing. Both seem to do fine. Guess I have yet to see how they fare longterm.
That hasn’t been the case for me, surprisingly. My longer, more meandering posts have gotten as much if not more engagement as/than my shorter stuff. I guess it also depends on the voice and being able to make the longer posts just as engaging as the shorter ones.
In my case, I think overall 'less is more'. I think newsletters should be short. Our inboxes are filled with daily newsletters, all vying for attention.
There are times when my essays run a thousand words or slightly more, but it's usually because I've used outside quotes. I try to keep them between 500 and 800 words--about the length of a newspaper column. That seems to work best for me.
So far that is also what I uncovered. I do tend to have lengthy, well-researched posts, so what I am now doing is splitting them up into separate posts. This gives my readers the chance and time to take the first part in before receiving the second part. It also allows me to add new updates when a story has developed further in the meantime.
I've done this with longer posts, like the 3,000-word story I wrote earlier this year. But I think that what others have said is true: It depends on what you write and what type of readers you have.
If you're doing a news-style newsletter, keeping it short is likely a better option because people tend to skim that kind of content and want something they can read in 5 minutes while they're standing in line at the grocery store. (Although I argue that we shouldn't be whipping out our phones for every moment of boredom, but I digress!)
If, on the other hand, you write narrative nonfiction or long-form fiction and your readers are the type who like to sit down with a story and read it all in one go, longer posts aren't going to deter them.
As soon as I switched to sending shorter posts more frequently, every metric improved.
I think it very much depends on your audience. Attention spans are short, so I can see why briefer posts appeal to people with busy lives. At the same time, if deep analysis is what your audience is after, then longer posts provide that benefit.
Agreed. No matter how I try I rarely have a post under 1000 words. A few of mine have gotten the "You're reaching the end of your limit" warning from Substack haha! But those have had strong engagement.
Just depends on your readership. Most of my readers do not engage with Substack the company, so yeah, short and sweet for them.
Same
I think that often we try to write in such a way that we've answered every question, and "tied off every threads" we began.
But posts which DON'T do that are probably easier to engage with in an interesting way! I'm hoping to learn how to usefully write ones that leave open questions on the table, or that hint that my readers can feel free to contradict me or bring up something I hadn't thought of!
(At some point I learned how to write emails and forum posts in ways that were easier to "grab on to" and reply to. But this seems like a somewhat different ballgame, even if it's the same principle is coming up again.)
I think it can go both ways depending on the audience and topic. But, something I did that worked wel was to break up my long posts over several weeks. This way, I also got to go even deeper into each week’s subtopic. For my readers, this worked well.
I wrote 3-5k posts that do well each time. But they don't get a ton of replies b/c they take a lot to chew on.
I actually polled my subscribers on this issue, after reading that shorter posts are generally more appealing. More than half said the length of the post didn't matter, about a third preferred longer posts, and a smaller number preferred shorter ones, so I do some of both and don't worry about it anymore.
I’ve noticed the same thing, though most of my subscribers aren’t on the app, so their comments come to me as emails.
I'm enjoying Notes and it's definitely a hit or miss when it comes to engagement. However, I'll say that once I published my Note celebrating my reaching 100 subscribers milestone, that in itself almost got 100 likes and lots of comments. It was wonderful to see.
Congratulations, Israel! Just reading this comment reminds me how great this community is! I remember being excited about writing on FB and being met with MAYBE one or two likes haha.
Posted a couple days ago about it being a full year on Substack and got the sweetest responses and quite a few hearts!
It really is wonderful to see (and feel!).
Thanks, Cierra! I'm glad you also got some wonderful responses on your FB post. It does give one a boost and it warms the heart to receive support, whether it's people we know or strangers.
Oh I worded that wrong, the heartwarming kindness happened here on Substack, crickets on FB! Haha. I apologize!
Definitely having similar experiences of support and embracing your work over on Notes as well! A nice little pick-me-up to know I'm in the right place.
Congrats! Awesome!
Thank you!
Oh that’s so heart warming isn’t it?!
It sure is!
Good on ya!
Thank you!
GUEST POSTERS & INTERVIEWEES WANTED I write about career changes, working remotely, becoming a digital nomad. My newsletter is more of a magazine style with small articles on various topics including interviews.
I would love to interview people who have made successful and radical career changes. We can do it as a written interview or you can write a short article around 500 words.
A. I love this topic Lesley! Reading about others' journeys to where they are (and where they thought they'd be) especially through a career lens (which I grew up believing was a linear path sort of thing, but has proved to be a windy and unruly adventure).
B. I have gone from being an actor to an interior designer to an event designer to opening a bike shop/coffee shop with my husband to a creative consultant and brand strategist (many of those things at the same time). I now identify myself as a Creative Multitude who is in the process of starting over- returning to acting but adding writer and filmmaker to my resume. It’s not quite a success story yet, but I love sharing it honestly if that feels like a good fit.
I actually launched my substack with this essay about failure and starting over in life and career. https://outsourcedoptimism.substack.com/p/the-unlikely-hope-in-giving-up
What a journey, I would love to include your story. Can you drop me an email on lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I will follow up with you?
Absolutely! Will do.
I've made a radical career change that includes a shift from traditional employment to remote work as a freelancer. However, if "successful" means making enough money to support myself, I'm not there yet.
But I'm sure you will get there soon Wendi and my readers would be interested in the journey!
I have a long successful career as a consultant, much of it working remotely. But my love has always been writing. As I look to the future and retirement from my main career as a consultant, I have been leaning more and more on writing as my ongoing support activity. If you are interested in a guest post, you can check out my Substack, "The Art of Unintended Consequences." https://davidnemzoff.substack.com/
Sounds good David. Can you email me at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and we can agree the best way to do it? Thanks.
Hi, I would love to participate! I've grown from a full-time web developer to an engineering manager to a freelancer (both writing and tech) who travels and camps outdoors a lot.
Sounds exactly like the journey some of my readers are hoping to make! Can you email me at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I'll follow up with you there? Thank you.
would love to chat! At 28, my career has already had multiple chapters - theater (performance and writing!) arts administration, development, education, and marketing. I've been an associate producer, fourth grade teacher, nonprofit director, playwright, and more. Beyond all the titles and job descriptions, I’m a storyteller and a dreamer. Creative problem solving, relationship building, and writing are common threads that have been interwoven into all of my roles.
And where des the story end? Who knows! Yes, let's discuss! Can you email me at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I'll pick up with you there? Thanks.
right? just emailed you - looking forward to chatting!
Hi Lesley.. I wrote about creating "Geographically Untethered Income" back in 2001. I've worked from home since 1997, writing software, consulting, and writing a couple career books for IT Pros. Would love to take part.
I haven't made a dramatic career change - per se. My career is primarily in software, some writing, and I write and perform music.
Sounds like you could offer an interesting perspective! Can drop me an email at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I'll follow up with you there? Thanks.
Hi Lesley, I'd love to talk with you. I began my career in food & wine journalism before moving across the country to pursue a career in professional baseball.
Now that's a radical change. Can you email me at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I will follow up with you? Thanks.
@julievick - wants guest posts!
✏️I have a background in health care and have written about Mental health and societal issues in previous articles. Marisa
I made the switch from being a hairstylist to writing full time as a freelancer! I am only about a year in but could maybe offer some insight about the hiccups you can encounter in your first year freelancing/working for yourself?
For me it was all about time-management and focus. You need to put time into working your network to find potential readers, putting out notifications, socializing your message, and, oh yeah, writing. As far as focus goes, the trick is to resist and avoid distractions. If it doesn't contribute to your mission to establish yourself as a freelancer, don't do it. Also, recommend you check out "The Well-Fed Freelancer" by Peter Bowerman. That launched me and I'm in for 15 years now.
Very concisely put. That is advice all of us can benefit from, regardless of topic of coverage.
A great story Rowena, can you email at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I will follow up with you? Thanks.
will do right now!! thank you!
I'd love to be involved if our story is of interest to you? I left my financial services career to build a mental health app, and a local coworking space because I needed somewhere to work. After a cancer diagnosis we're now moving to travel more, bought a van and took our kids on the Camino de Santiago. Let me know if this is of interest to your readers!
Definitely Louise, could you email me at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and we can pick up from there? Thank you!
I'd be happy to be involved - I help to run a community of 120,000 freelance writers and have pretty good insight into those areas - especially the challenge of remote work, the rise of AI, and similar areas.
Sounds great Paul, can you drop me an email at lesleyelder@hotmail.com and I'll follow up with you there? Thanks.
ooh Lesley. I love this topic. I'll definitely get in touch.
🧠- I have found collaborations to be really helpful. I did one and it seemed to work well, and I am hoping to do a few more. They’re just a good way to reach a new audience and make relationships! I would def try them!!
Wait, what's a collaboration on Substack?
When Samuel said collaboration, I instinctively thought of guest posts and cross-posts and recommendations. Pretty much every feature in which writers “collaborate” and engage directly with each other.
A Guest post is the way I’ve collaborated in the past.
Yeah, I agree. And I forged close relationships with bunch of amazing people through these collaborations. So many people on Substack are cool, kind-hearted and willing to help.
How did you set it up? Very curious!
I used the email that sent me the welcome email when I subscribed to email the person with my idea to see what they thought!
As in, just took initiative! Nice.
✏️ Looking to build up the addiction/mental-health community here on Substack.
Anyone interested in connecting?
Im just getting started on here but I am an ND writer (adhd and depression) and am planning on writing some about my experiences as an ND author regarding the unique strengths and challenges that come along with it! I’d love to connect!
I know from previous Writer Office Hours that there are many of us who write about mental health and share our personal struggles and coping strategies. Most of us are post here and get replies (or reply to others) expressing interest in each other's work and possible guest posts or cross posting, but then don't follow up for various reasons. For me (and judging from other comments today about not being comfortable asking for recommendations, for others too) that's because I don't want to seem pushy or face another potential rejection. I'm also not well organized enough to remember who I discussed collaborating with!
Yeah that's more than fair! Well you're welcome to email me if you'd like or if you're on twitter we can dm there I'm @RowenaCoutier there and the same @gmail.com if you wanna email me!
I would love that. I am ND (autism, adhd, depression) and I am serializing fiction on my main substack and writing about writing life. I would love to connect.
That’s awesome! Yes! Lets definitely keep in touch!
Sounds interesting!
Thanks. I just subscribed to yours. Fair warning: I'm subscribed to more newsletters than I can possibly read each week, so don't be insulted if you notice I don't always open it. There are so many awesome newsletters on Substack that I can't resist subscribing to, even though I know I can't read all of them!
Awesome! I write both fiction and non-fiction. Stories are what connect us all together.
Oh absolutely!! Maybe we could do a short story swap sometime!
Definitely!
I don't write specifically about ND issues but I have significant reason to suspect I have ADHD so happy to connect with people I can relate to :)
I just started my Mental Health Substack written from both a therapist and client point of view. kimcdickerson.substack.com
Glad to see mental health writers on here.
Good to know, Kim. That sounds right up my alley. Also, one of the best mental health Substacks IMO is Human Stuff by Lisa Olivera, who was a therapist and now writes about her own mental health issues and journey.
I’ll check her out! Thank you ;)
Woo! Love it
I wish there was a mental health category or a way to drill down from the top level categories like Amazon books.
Agreed.
Me and @TBD (https://thanksforlettingmeshare.substack.com/) have requested this here a few times I believe.
Totally agree! It's too difficult for me to keep track of all of the mental health newsletters here, even just the ones I'm already subscribed to! That means I miss a lot of good ones I don't know about, along with potential opportunities to cross-post, recommend them, etc.
Especially because the search sometimes doesn't bring back the intended result.
Would love to connect! Very passionate about mental health.
I published my first post yesterday. I'll be writing about a range of things, including my struggles with depression and anxiety.
My substack is a step towards more embodiment. A step towards discovering and reclaiming my wild cozy free self. The self that exists underneath all my roles, outside all of the busyness. https://wildcozyfree.substack.com
What's embodiment for you? Just finished a somatic coaching course and I am very curious...
Such a good question! I’m still figuring it out for myself, honestly. To put it simply, I think it’s about listening to and trusting what my body has to say.
I love Prentis Hemphill’s definition and work around it, and also just listened to a great podcast with Glennon Doyle and Dr. Hilary McBride.
You might like this short piece, then :) https://livmkk.substack.com/p/the-mind-is-complex-the-body-is-simple
Happy to know what you think, if you'll have the time at some point.
Excited to read, thank you! Adding it to my list. Hope you’ll check out my first post as well! wildcozyfree.substack.com
Ping me on Notes when it's out :)
This sounds remarkably similar to my Substack (and my life). I've written a lot about depression and anxiety and even created a "Depression and Anxiety Survival Kit" of tools (simple techniques anyone can do on their own) that help me cope. I'd love to connect, too!
Excited to check out your work Wendi! Love that you're also open about your struggles, makes me feel so much less alone.
I also just subscribed to yours.
and thank you!!
I am. I've talked a lot about my struggles with depression and anxiety, and occasionally about my history of addiction, mostly on my podcast and livestreams, but I would love to bring something of value to substack.
Sure! I'd like that too. I'm fairly new to Substack and writing about mental health stuff.
This is my take on work addiction, and its use to numb our minds and bodies.
In short, "Being a workaholic is easy"!
https://livmkk.substack.com/p/being-a-workaholic-is-easy
Hi Livio, just reading that. I am strongly tempted (with your permission, of course, and link to the source) of:
copying some parts
and then rewriting them replacing every occurrence of "my job" with "my social media account" to highlight how social media too to "shut up the monkey mind", and then see where that line of thought leads. What do you think?
Ahaha please do. I would be pleased. Would just be nice to share some acknowledgment. Have you seen the new article embeds? There are 3-4 variants. So good. Plus, you cal always tag.
I have experimented a little here: https://livmkk.substack.com/p/the-mind-is-complex-the-body-is-simple
done: https://mfioretti.substack.com/p/i-was-using-social-media-to-shut
Thanks for sharing! I’m definitely going to give it a read later
May you share something I should read of yours?
A story about facing my fears of sobriety:
https://idiotspit.substack.com/p/the-haunting-of-connecticut
I am, I am, I am!!
I'm just getting started, but I write about burnout and neurodivergence from a trans/nonbinary point of view, among other things. Love to meet others working on mental health.
Yes, I am a therapist and I discuss recovery from trauma and healing with some posts dealing with sensitive subject matter. My offering is lived experience combined with research-backed suggestions and explanations for the human condition, especially when in recovery from adversity.
https://faithcbergevin.substack.com/
I'm interested too! Full disclosure - Haven't started a newsletter yet, still in R&D mode, but aiming to write about the quest for health (emotional, mental, physical), some of which will address addiction behaviors, habits etc.
Don’t keep us all waiting! Haha looking forward to you joining us all
I have some mental health issues from my renovation so I will be reading.
Absolutely! There are quite a few folks who write about these topics here, including @Michael Mohr and of course @Holly Whitaker -- and myself, e.g.
https://open.substack.com/pub/bowendwelle/p/five-years-sober
Great! Thanks Bowen
Possibly. My Substack is about mental health, broadly defined. I share personal experiences and coping strategies that work for me. I also created a Depression and Anxiety Kit, with a separate tab that links to it.
Hi Matt. I don't write about addiction, per se. My substack was ported from my music/performer mailing list. I'm the author of a couple career books (published by Cisco Press & Pearson) and numerous articles on tech, business, and creativity.
I moved my music mailing list - and a few tech blog subscribers - over her to go back to broader topics. It is still supposed to be about music, songwriting, and keeping people up to date on performances.
But, and I believe you know this, my son spent several years on the street addicted to fentanyl. My most popular pieces cover his story. I'm about to conduct and publish an interview with him. He is now 17 months into sobriety, looking for his first job in technology (both his brother and I write software), and is doing remarkably well.
So... not sure where it fits... my newsletter is NOT about addiction or mental health but my most recent post covered my one bout with depression and a current state of dissatisfaction.
Hey! Good to hear from you again Matthew and great to here about the updates surrounding your son!
Oh.. and I'm on your substack. ;-)
🟧 Hey, any advice for growing your readership? I’ve a few subscribers but would love more. I’ve interacted with lots of writers and shared lots of Substacks but it mostly seems to be a one way thing. Cheers.
-Do good work
-Be consistent
-Do more good work
-Be patient
-Join Office Hours
-Promote/Share other people's work you've enjoyed
-Expect nothing in return
-Do more good work
-Find other newsletters in your space and engage with them.
-Clicking the heart or commenting "thanks for sharing" don't count.
-Offer to guest post
-Keep doing good work
-Be patient, even though it keeps getting harder to do so
-More...good work
-Celebrate small wins
-Give more than you take
-Tape this to the side of your laptop. In 2 years, come back and give this same advice to someone that's where you are now.
Thanks for sharing!
Just kidding. This is all really useful. DO THE WORK! & BE GENEROUS. Noted!!!
Kevin this is amazing! You’ve summed it all up in one list. I was just sitting here writing out my plans so I don’t miss any of the moving parts, while also scrolling Office Hours. I no longer need to make my list, you did it for me. Cheers!
The best advice anyone here can give you is to keep doing this. Engage on Office Hours and on other writers’ Substacks, post thoughtful comments and share other writers’ work on Notes. Also, publishing on a consistent schedule has helped me a lot, because the audience knows to expect my post on a given day. But I suppose that may be more for increasing engagement than for getting new readers. The best thing you can do in the beginning is to get to know people here. There’s a whole big wonderful community to discover.
Love this advice! How long/often do you reckon you spend engaging with people on Substack?
I browse/comment/Sub-socialize/hang out (a) as long as I'm enjoying it and (b) as much time as I have. So far, "b" always arm-wrestles "a" into submission and wins. But by golly, one of these days, I'd like to see how long "a" wants to play on Substack, and just let her have at it while "b" takes a nap.
Yes! (b) is definitely winning for me at the moment, thank you for sharing!
Well, I read stuff on Substack pretty much every day, for 30 minutes to an hour. I comment on most of the posts I’ve enjoyed, and often the authors respond. I try to engage whenever I feel I’ve got something to tell or to ask the author, and that’s pretty often. But I don’t make a thing of engaging just for the sake of it.
That's really helpful thank you Andrei
Thanks, Andrei. You just reminded me of my earliest days as a freelancer for a few industry publications. Editors routinely pushed us to read and comment on each other's articles. They compared it to the "tip jar" at the piano bar. If there are a few dollars already in there, people get more likely to chip in. And I'm always glad to review and respond to good writing.
My weirdly most effective route has been hitting up these threads, engaging with people and then shamelessly pushing for a "follow back", as I am going to do now. Just subscribed! Follow back. lol
How do you have time to read all that content?
✏️ hey there one and all! Hope you’re having a good day. How do you get people to read your Substack and how do you use it different to a blog? Do you share the same content or different content?
My blog is hanplans.co.uk- I started my Substack but I’m not sure I’m doing it “right” and not sure how to get it out there... help! Please!
Hi! I think Substack offers more freedom than a traditional blog. People here are looking for all kinds of literature, from fiction to personal essays to journalism, so whatever you write, you’re bound to find an audience for it here, however small. Although writing some of my issues as traditional “blog posts” has been a lot of fun too!
I like how I can do a mix of the things you mentioned on here, and people come and read it. Great not to be constrained by which box you supposedly belong in.
To me, it's about creating as much value as possible. Thinking "If I were my own ideal subscriber, what sort of thing would I want to read about?" For example, I primarily write about how freelancers and content creators can build resilience and grow their businesses. This means I need to think about the concerns of people in those areas and create content to match those needs.
This will help your Substack find organic reach as people share it. Another important aspect is building for SEO - using keywords that your audience might be searching for, and capturing interest through Google. Finally, another area you have direct control over is creating visibility on social media. Again, that depends on your audience. For example, most of my content is business focused, so I promote on LinkedIn and get subscribers that way.
"Write for your reader" should be a rule of the road for us. Write what your reader would find valuable. Sometimes, to know what that is, I like to go straight to the source and ask my readers what they'd like to read about that's relevant to our community. And yes, yes, yes, post on social media not only on your own wall, but to groups or hashtags for whom your writing would be interesting and valuable. Only way to use social media to ADD new readers who don't yet follow you.
This guide may be useful depending on where you're at in your journey: https://on.substack.com/p/getting-your-first-100-signups
I imported a small mailing list because at first I thought Substack would just replace that. Now it’s becoming my central location for all my writing, including importing old blog posts.
I promote it primarily via Instagram, which is my other primary social media choice.
My monthly newsletter, which is open to all, has deep links to other relevant content I’ve written on Substack.
Reworking old blogs is turning out to be a great strategy for me. With 14 years of blog posts, I have covered a lot of ground and some of it deserves to be updated and rethought. I think it's taking me deeper into my own thinking and the new posts seem to be creating response.
SAME. 20 years of writing. I love revisiting old material and giving it a rework.
YES! I did this with OLD TWEETS! Just copied and pasted the text, added some new thoughts, reworked it a bit, and boom... new post!
I post on both IG and FB using tags on those sites but not yet on my Substack. Interestingly, more readers come from FB than from IG when I do that.
🧠 I found the best way to get more people reading my Substack was to write more. I upped to sending out three time a week, and saw my subscriber #s go up.
This is different for everyone, of course, but the point being you have to post something, maybe once a week, before anyone is going to find it and subscribe.
Because - for example - I just visited your Substack because you said you weren't sure you were doing it right, and you have just one post since March! So I'd say you need to start writing more on Substack before anyone is going to start subscribing.
Also - think about updating your ABOUT page. Right now it's the default text, so it doesn't really show who you are, or what you're about. Substack has a good article on that: https://on.substack.com/p/how-to-polish-your-publications-about
Great points, Seth. Posting regularly is important. I used to post an essay every Tuesday and the audio on Friday but honestly that got to be too much. I have another job! So I've eased up. Everyone has to do what works for them and certainly posting more can make a difference, although I did unsubscribe from newsletters that posted several times a week as it cluttered my inbox. Too overwhelming! I think we have to find a balance between our work, what we're trying to do, and not force things that don't work. It's great to write and have a venue for publishing but it has to work within our lifestyle.
YEP! Everyone is unique, and everyone's reading habits are unique. There are some writers who I wished sent something everyday! haha
I don't think there's any right or wrong way to publish your work on Substack. I would say you need to go into it with the idea that you'll stick with it. Subscribers want to know they're subscribing to a newsletter that's here to stay and has something to offer.
Consistency is important, but that doesn't mean you have to keep a strict schedule--every day or so many times a week or month--only that you're there and you have something interesting to say.
Hi Hannah I publish creative Substack tips on Fridays - you’re welcome to check those out.
Hi, Hannah. I'm not sure there's a right way. I'm just a few months into this and I've not yet worked out any kind of pattern on my posts where one sort brings in more than others. I write about a range of things, but I'm growing steadily, so it doesn't seem to be about topic. One thing I have learned on here is that you have to be as on top of your game as you can be. Good writing counts. Reading other subs similar to mine has really been useful and motivating, and has encouraged me to work to improve. I've also found that using Notes has been positive - just chatting, or reposting subs that I have enjoyed with a comment.
I post here https://junegirvin.substack.com if you're interested.
I have a blog that is separate from my Substack. The blog articles are SEO optimized, so they answer common questions people might search for. The essays I post on Substack are more geared towards my audience, a bit more conversational, telling stories, motivational, as well as informative. I don't plan to cross post the material from one to the other, although I link between both.
My Substack is my blog, newsletter, and podcast all in one site. I'm in the process of shutting down one WordPress site for that very reason.
I mostly write articles like I would for a newspaper column, but longer. I think of like VOX explainers.
✏️ Hello Substackers! I just posted my first note last week from my very quiet corner. I see its potential but wonder if it’s rather futile if you only have a handful of subscribers. I’d love to hear your experiences thus far with notes - especially from other small pages. Have you found it to be valuable?
I think commenting on more popular subs is more effective than posting Notes, which is basically just yelling into the void for most people. And follow backs to grow it. AKA i'll follow you now.
Funny, my reply just went into the void just like my usual Notes. I agree. I am kind of giving up posting direct notes - for now - maybe I'll come back if I should be so lucky. Until then, just engaging here is valuable - as long as you're adding value, responding authentically, and not just doing the self-promo thing.
This is an interesting approach! I'll give it a shot! Thank you!
As a very small publication (so far) I've had the most success commenting on other writers' notes and restacking quotes with my take on other people's essays. I've gotten some nice 1:1 conversation from that. I don't think notes have to have a huge reach to be worthwhile.
I’m not getting much from my notes. I have very few subscribers. I think I would agree that commenting on other notes is likely best. Time will tell.
Notes is as much about engaging on other posts as anything, just like any social media. Most of my connections have come from other people's feeds and interacting with them.
I don't think our activity on Notes has anything to do with the number of subscribers. It's a great way to connect with the Substack community. We're all at the same level on Notes. We have something to add and we're there to read what others might have to say.
If we can build subscribers by being there, fine, but I'm there more for the community than anything else.
I do post my newest blogs but I share others, too, and try to boost when I can. It's there for everyone.
Not the best experience. Only one of my notes garnered a lot of attention (about 28 likes), and that was sharing an essay I loved from another writer. In general, I might get 2-3 likes or none at all. In terms of acquiring new readers, I don’t have the data for you. But I don’t think Notes been very productive for me in that regard. Still, it’s a fun feature to use, and sometimes that’s good enough, right?
32 days into my Substack journey, and I just hit 100 subscribers. Since I started with zero, this has felt like very fast growth. I achieved much of that growth by really thinking about adding value - how can I use my experience to improve the life and work of others? What advice and tips can I share that make someone else's day easier? How do I get away from a "What's in this for me?" attitude.
One of my greatest subscription channels has been through Substack Office Hours - sharing advice, experience, and tips that I hope are very useful to other Substackers. I've found it's a good way to get organic growth from an audience interested in growing a creative business (which is precisely what my Substack is about).
www.ironcladcreative.com if you want to know more.
So glad to hear that, Paul! Thanks for being here and congrats!
Same here, Paul. I have noticed that when I am away and don't participate in events like this that my subscriber rate slows down. Being part of the community makes a big, big difference.
✏️ Hi everyone! Glad to see collaboration as a topic today! I’ve been very lucky to be recommended by some great writers so far, and it’s really helped grow my publication.
I also never expected to be collaborating with people so soon. I’ve always been introverted and so working with others hasn’t always come naturally, but the culture and platform here are set up perfectly to encourage it!
Anyone in the space of parenting/fatherhood that’s interested in collaborating? 🙌
Hi Brad,
one of the main themes of my own substack is the impacts of digital tech on parenting. After looking at your substack it seems to me that we are not overlapping, and also that I may have a something to offer as a short guest post. Please contact me directly, if interested
My husband might - he’s here as Manos Venus
✏️ 🟧 for both fellow writers and the Substack team.
I understand that tags were recently introduced. Can you suggest the best way to use them? Also, how is the platform utilizing them? Fellow writers, how are you incorporating them into your work?
I am using tags to organize a back catalog of content that I’m not sending out as emails — and will them use them on new writing. It’s helping me create links I can direct people to for content about a sub-topic that I don’t think needs a whole “newsletter”
I am already using way too many of them, I guess. 10 in the last article. Do you think there is any drawback?
Well, that's a naming issue. When they call these things tags, that implies you can have a large set. Tagging systems have always grown to represent the breadth of specific things discussed in a growing archive.
If they called them categories, you'd know to create a small more broadly applicable set of names.
I think Substack meant to create categories, but called them tags and has inadvertently created some confusion.
Oh, I am sure there is. I’m trying to keep it to a minimum viable number.
Why there would be? ahah
Tags are each individual. I've never heard of anyone seeing how many tags apply to their interest to find an article. If a reader hits ANY of your tags and your content truly is relevant that's a win. I try to include every applicable tag.
How does a user "hit" my tag?
That is a really good idea in two ways. I've been debating how to use tags and if I should only post content that goes out as an email or not... This would be an interesting way to categorize that content.
🟧 Asmita: I share your question about how the platform currently uses tags (or plans to use them). I too tagged a recent post, but I don't see a way to search other people's posts by tags. Is this programmed into the search feature and working invisibly?
Interested too. I have used them in this article: https://livmkk.substack.com/p/the-mind-is-complex-the-body-is-simple
But I am honestly not sure of the impact. Can you see them anywhere?
Nope, I don't.
That's another question, are tags going to be exposed to the reader at some point?
We suggest you use tags to organize different post types, series, or beats. (Unlike Sections, Tags allows you to organize your work and make it navigable for readers without creating segmented email lists.)
Bailey, how can readers actually find our tags and "navigate"?
This is my question also. I've created tags. Now, where do they go and how do we access them?
Ah. That is good to know. Thank you, Bailey.
What about how the platform is or plans to utilize it?
I’m using them to organise articles and to link on my banner tab on my home page
Clair ... Office Hours is like a fire hose so I'm trying to slow down and grasp the intricacies of the tool. I like the look (and subject) of your newsletter and would like to ask you some specifics ... if you wouldn't mind.
On your "banner tab" you have several entries that I'm curious about:
Membership ... I thought this might be "paid only" post highlights but doesn't seem to be.
Quiet Ambition ... seems to be another listing of posts ... is it prompted by a "tag"?
Notes from the Sea ... says it's a series and has a header ... is that a separate "newsletter"
Substack Tips ... seems to be prompted by a "tag" of Substack Tips
Thanks for your patience.
Hi Joyce! Yes ‘membership’ is all paid posts except the contents page I’ve made to organise everything for everyone. Ideally that would be a page I could pin but pages don’t work for me at the moment - I haven’t got the functionality!
Yes exactly so Notes from the Sea is a section and it’s my monthly newsletter I brought over from mailchimp.
Substack tips is a tag I use as I write some posts around using my creativity here and I chose to display that tag on my home page.
Thanks for checking it out and any other questions feel free to comment on one of the Substack tips posts if you like? Cx
Thanks, Claire ... I was confused because it looked like I could open the post, but didn't realize I was only seeing the intro copy. I like the looks of your page and trying to use it as a model ... right now I'm still struggling with published tags posted. I keep reading the how-tos but they seem to be going to the wrong part of my brain. ;-). Your comment about pages is a clue though. Some of the instructions say to "create additional pages in the Website section" but I don't seem to have a Website section. I'm going to try to use a different browser. Txs!
I finally figured out what was going wrong with the "Website and Pages" functions ... operator error ... surprise, surprise!
Banner tab?
What’s it actually called? Your home page? Where you can list different hyper links at the top? Under your word mark?
I call it my home page :)
Lol 😆 that will work!
So far, I’ve only tagged my interviews to create a separate page for my interview series. As my archive grows, I might experience with this feature more.
Tags are very helpful for me: I have 2 types of posts (long-form / behind the paywall, which I tag as "Deep Dives"; short-form / for everyone, which I call "Snippets"); by organising all my posts in this way, I can present a simpler interface of the archived content. I've only gone back one year so far, but it looks great! And I hope it entices different readers to dip into some of the older content...
✏️ would love to cross-post / recommend / guest post for or with anyone whose work relates to mine which is the exploration of the complex relationship between art and mental health (how art helps individuals and communities, how mental health challenges impact creative process and content) ... I also do interviews and am happy to email interview anyone on this topic.
Sounds fascinating. My whole ethos is around the impact creativity has on my wellbeing.
Excellent - I have subscribed! For about a decade my niche was the health benefits of crochet and crafting, based first on my experience then on interviews and education. Now I look allele broadly at all art and not just it’s benefits but also the trickier stuff. Would love to connect.
I'm open to all of the above, especially the interview. I'm a writer who battles depression and anxiety, and writing online has been one of the best things I've done for my own mental health. I've also gotten comments from readers (some here, more on Medium) that my articles have helped them, both because of specific coping strategies I mention and because they feel less alone, like finally someone "gets" them and knows what it's like.
Circling back to this ... let me know the best way to connect and support your work
Thanks for the reminder. I just emailed you.😁
So glad it is helping you and others! I have chronic recurring major depression (well treated thanks to lots of self care practices but returns nonetheless) and use writing and crochet and collage in my healing. But also the challenges of depression sometimes make it really hard to create so I am personally especially interested in the nuances of how that is and how to work with it all. Would love to connect for an interview so you can share with more people! Can you send me an email Kathryn.vercillo on gmail to remind me to get us started?!
Weekly Special is really well done and covers the crossover between art and food
👍👍👍
Hi Kathryn, I'm a film composer and epic orchestral music producer under the alias May The Gods https://maythegods.substack.com/ would love to guest post or get interviewed if you're interested. Can be mental health related, e.g. how music can help us navigate difficult times and emotions
Ooh it sounds like really interesting work! I’ll check it out further soon but would love to work with you. A guest post would be ideal for me if that works for you. Email is Kathryn.vercillo on Gmail if you want to send one over, have any questions, etc ❤️
That sounds perfect, I'll send something over!
Looking forward to it!
The epic fantasy serial I am posting on my main substack is about how trauma is manufactured and used by some institutions and individuals to gain and maintain power. It's like Disaster Capitalism meets Tolkien, but I am focusing more on the mental health of the characters as they struggle to live in a work that appears to have gone mad. I also write about my own struggles with depression and anxiety.
Hi Charlie, I also write fantasy https://niccolohilgendorf.substack.com/ want to recommend each other's publications?
Your writing is fun and I love how you incorporated polls into them. Let's do it.
thanks Charlie! checking your page out now too. Cool that you are a musician. I like your style. Just recommended :)
Thank you. I recommended you too.
Happy to see this connection!!
Awesome. I have just subscribed and will check out in more depth shortly. Happy to do an interview or share your work any way that I can. Never hesitate to let me know how I can support your work!
Notes and recommendations have both been great for Beyond Bloomsbury. And I’m really grateful to Substack and the readers who have supported us! In 16 months we’ve gone from 0 to 2,820 subscribers.
That’s incredible!!
Thank you, Claire. I can’t quite believe it!
You must be one of the best people using Notes today. Thanks for being on Substack and bringing such thoughtfulness to Notes!
Thank you so much, Bailey. That’s so lovely of you to say 🥹
If anyone would like to collaborate, I would be open to chat! I run a poetry Substack, and I would be happy to post poetry or exchange ideas and things! Check out my Substack and see if you’re interested!
https://open.substack.com/pub/sams375w?r=286dvw&utm_medium=ios
Interested! “Mama Ephemera’s Muddy Feet” covers the intersection of poetry (and poetic prose sometimes), science, and personal stories. Will check out your Substack. kellylenox.Substack.com.
I’ll be sure to check it out. If you see anything on mine that strikes your fancy perhaps we could figure out something.
✏️ Hello and Happy Thursday everyone! Just graduated college, and it would mean the absolute world to me if you checked out my FREE spirituality-themed Substack. Thank you and have a lovely day :)
Sounds beautiful
🟧 Is there value in asking your loyal readers to be sure and hit ♥️ - Does Substack's algorithm see a high rate of likes? I have over 200 people reading nearly every post and they tell me they like it in person but I don't necessarily get a lot of likes. Would that be helpful?
Likes are mostly just for the writer to feel some love and acknowledgement of their work. They do inform the algorithm for Notes lightly as well.
I like that people are able to show some appreciation. What does inform the algorithm the most?
It's also good way to show an email service provider that people like your email and that it's not spam.
Great question!
I tell the people I know to hit ❤️ and add something about liking my work to each post. As a reminder, you could try: If you like a post, please click on the heart.
Following. Same issue!
✏️ Question for my fellow writers: Have you actively sought out and asked other writers with aligned audiences/ topics/ themes for Recommendations or Welcome Page Plurbs? Or has it just been a wonderful, supportive surprise when it happens?
I've never actively sought or even asked other writers to recommend my newsletter. As others have said, for me that feels too pushy. I know I'm uncomfortable when someone asks me to recommend theirs. If I read and like it, I'll recommend it without being asked. If I am asked, it's awkward to say no, but I would never recommend one I don't read regularly and find helpful.
I think that makes perfect sense and ensures the genuineness of your recommendations!
Hi Tami, I like your page and i've recommended it :)
Ohmygoodness- thank you so much Niccolò (for both the compliment and the support)!
For me it has been the latter, just got two this morning and I just jumped up into the air and yelled 'yay!'
Ooo that's awesome! Thank you for sharing (and congratulations!)
🧠 Here's a tip: add a clear Contact Me section on your About page, so that folks have a way to reach you directly. Most people don't know that you can always send email to YOURSUBSTACK@substack.com, e.g. bowendwelle@substack.com for me, but that doesn't work for Stacks with custom domains.
AN ORDINARY DISASTER
A book-length memoir of a man learning to listen to himself, serialized right here on Substack:
https://bowendwelle.substack.com/s/memoir
Great tip
🧠- Recommendations are driving a high number of my subscriptions lately. Especially grateful to Liz Newman (https://liznewman.substack.com/) for including my work in her recommendation!
I’m glad to connect with other writers in grief/mental health/spirituality spaces. I’m a progressive writing pastor from the Pacific Northwest. ❤️
I'm already a subscriber of yours and honestly don't remember if I've recommended it yet. One of the challenges with recommendations is that only the first few show on my home page, and when I add one it drops an older one off of that visible list. There's also no way that I know of to reorder the list, so that the one I like best and most highly recommend is at the top, etc.
🧠 - I've just Restacked for the first time and am waiting to see what happens!
✏️ Some of my new subscribers subscribe to dozens of free substacks, 50+ or more. No one can open that many posts in a day or week! I am wondering if the increasing popularity of Substack may lead to fewer posts being opened. I am seeing that happen to my Substack. The open stats are going down. Anybody else seeing this?
I just wrote about this, but yeah, it's more competitive so you have to do more to stand out, if you want to stand out.
Dumb question: What exactly happens when you restack? Still learning some fundamentals here.
@Catherine they are actually different!
Cross-posting happens via email. If you see a post written by another publication that you want to share with your writers, you can click to "cross-post" it to email it out to them and add it to your webpage (if you choose)
A restack is a way to share a post you enjoy to Notes (https://substack.com/notes), a new product we built to help readers and writers discover the great writing on Substack. Think of it as a way to point other people in the Substack ecosystem (not just your readers) to a great piece of writing.
Okay, but there is an option to restack our own posts at the bottom of each one. What exactly happens when we do?
By that I mean does restacking one's own post send it out to subscribers again?
I THINK Restacking is what used to be called Cross-Posting, when you share someone else's posts with your readers.
I've seen some wild "subscribed to" numbers also. Presumably just scanning the titles and rarely reading. I'm always behind in my reading with just the few substacks I subscribe to 😅.
🧠 One unique benefit offered by collaboration is that of insulating some of our work from being replaced by AI like ChatGPT. That type of writing is very homogenized, bland, and generic. Recommending and linking to other's work is a powerful way to amplify their voice. It helps us connect with writers who share our interests and values. It lights the fire of inspiration, something that AI will never be able to replicate. Sharing our humanity is one way to build a bulwark against artificial intelligence.
🟧 - My understanding is that when we cross-post or mention, the specific author is NOT specifically contacted and prompted to respond in the way that a Recommendation, causes Substack to prompt reciprocity? Is this true? My cross-posting and mentioning top authors has not appeared to yield anything. I still think there are a lot of top authors who are going to ignore all this noise much more than a Recommendation. Although, I would add that MOST of my recommended Top Authors have not reciprocated. It's their choice, but at least I know they were prompted...
Yes, you get an alert for every mention, cross-post, and tag. Only recommendations get a separate email. I wouldn't think of it as them ignoring you. Most of them are very busy managing their own Substacks. It's not personal. I'd also encourage you to connect with all authors, not just the ones you consider "top." It's also interesting to consider what "top" even means, right?
^This^
Oh, my--you're hilarious! Agreed. You're right.
I’m glad that they get notified...then it functions like marketing yourself to them over time...I still think it’s most effective to subscribe to Top Authors with 10,000 subscribers and comment to build awareness and recommend them. The lift off one of these folks is huge from reciprocating a recommendation. We’re no less busy than Top Authors. I would wager I work more hours than many of them...:) There is some inevitable status ambiguity without being able to write elaborate profiles.
Kind of mercenary but okay.
I think it's just human, if you unpack what altruism is and how rarely it ever happens.
Fair point, but there's a fine line between "engaging to build visibility" and becoming a digital remora.
you need to read my next book! Only an American individualist would look at symbiotic parasitism (Remora) as a bad thing. 99% of human societies are built on transactional exchanges, hierarchy, aligning with elites, etc. It's just human. really, it is. We've come to believe in the myth of altruism yields magical reward...
Also, mentions are a way for you to promote them, not to get them to notice you. Think of them that way. It's a better mindset.
Altruism is for the elite...right now I’m not elite here with 500 subs...LOL...
If you ask any elite writer, they will tell you they got there by being altruistic. The mindset of thinking what will I get out of this relationship is an instant turn off and the ones I know have written about how annoying it is to get emails, DMs, etc asking for free advice, recommendations, collaborations, etc. As one of them said, it's like expecting sex on a first date.
you completely misunderstand my point....and every elite writer has benefited primarily from another elite person to get where they got. Not once above did I mention that you should directly ask for anything. But expecting reciprocity after giving is totally different. In the case of a first date that you paid for, the expectation is a clear follow-up, i.e. not being ghosted or strung along...
If you tag them they’ll get a notification but a lot of people just ignore those I find.
I tag folks that are relevant to what I’m writing - or folks who I just think are awesome. I don’t expect anything from it. Especially if they are a big name.
I've wondered about this, James. Some time ago, I *mentioned* a bigger name 'Stack, and while I didn't think much would come of it, I thought the writer might at least take note. But, as you say, I'm not sure they even get notified. I know I am pinged when someone RECOMMENDS my pub, but not sure if the same goes for mentions.
https://elizabethbeggins.substack.com/
ETA: Thanks @Writers at Work with Sarah Fay -- didn't see your reply before adding my comment.
🧠 What can help is to go to your analytics on Substack and what newsletters the highest percentages of your subscribers read, then check those out and if it's a good fit, be active in the comment section of that newsletter. Odds are other subscribers of that newsletter could be interested in your work as well!
Just sharing my mileage here, as someone who's been writing since the start of the year and doubled my subscribers since I first started.
🧠 - Recommendations: I don't know that this has been the "most powerful" tool for me in terms of growing subscriptions. I've had more traction with posting my work on social media and converting friends and friends-of-friends (i.e. I gained 30 just from posting something on FB this week, while the max number of subscribers I've gained from my recommendations is 4).
🧠 -Notes: This has turned out to be a great networking tool, despite my initial reservations. I find it's a great way to share praise for posts that only allow paid subscribers to comment, and thus to let a high-profile author know you like their stuff, without having to pay every single one for the privilege. I think I've probably gained a dozen subscribers from Notes-based interactions with people who are writing at the same topic intersection as me (nature, parenting, grief).
🧠 Cross-posts: I had one extremely generous well-known memoirist cross-post my stuff. I gained about 10 subscribers. It was hugely validating in ways that went beyond that metric. Something to consider for established newsletter writers -- this is such a gift that you can give to those just starting out, if they merit that recognition.
✏️ - Related: I notice not every author allows cross-posting. What are the benefits of turning this option off, I wonder?
🧠 Guest posts: My version of this is doing an interview series with people who already have their own established audiences. This has definitely been a driver of page views overall, and has led to my converting some people in my guest's audience to my own subscriber base. Example: https://ryanroseweaver.substack.com/p/exit-interviews-reporter-ashley-locke
I'm always on the lookout for more interviewees, so if you're interested, please feel free to let me know via comment here!
🧠 Mentions: This has been a great way to let other writers I admire on Substack know when I'm name-checking them. It's fun to see that they've "liked" a post. I've converted a few into regular subscribers as well, which again, is hugely validating. Again, something for established writers to consider: if someone is kind enough to mention your work and promote it to their readers, simply letting them know you've seen and appreciated it with a like or a comment can be solid Substack etiquette, and good karma to boot. :)
✏️ Substack team: I wonder if you yourselves have noticed "good etiquette" or "good manners" being displayed around each of these tools. I know the community is really concerned right now with keeping the collegial feel of this space. As an educator, I know that sometimes it is more powerful to highlight exemplars of "good behavior" when shaping culture vs. focusing on the negative... so it would be cool to see something like this come out of the Substack team's blog at some point soon.
✏️ I think that dividing Office Hours into streams is a great idea. However, and I hadn't reckoned on this, I end up suffering from a serious bout of FOMO whichever stream I'm in!
I always have both open next to each other and switch back and forth once I get to the end of one of them 😂
I do that too! 😂
Ha. Is that a question or confession? :)
😂 Both, Kathleen! But I;d feel better if other people said they have the same problem!
Also by the way our podcast collab was so fun! I mentioned it below but can’t seem to tag anyone on my phone.
Oh thank you. I enjoyed chatting with you very much. Wonder why the tag thing doesn't work on your phone. I have found other Substacky things don't work on phone
I’m just grateful to be a tiny bit less overwhelmed 😅 your FOMO is impressive.
😂 😂
+1
✏️ - Need a song or a playlist for your post? I could collaborate picking them for you. Here you will find the kind of music I choose for my biweekly playlists: https://reflectandrelaxcafe.substack.com
Hi Marc, I also run a music substack https://maythegods.substack.com/ let's recommend each other and grow together :)
Sure! Just a dumb question, how can I recommend in the mobile App?
Haven't tried to do Recs on phone Marc but yeah, phone and desktop functions different animals
ya got me there, but I just subbed and recommended you from my desktop :)
Just recommended from desktop ;)
Sounds like fun Marc, I have recently started adding more music to flavor my content. Would love to check out your playlist selections 😊
I’m open to try it whenever you want :)
So fun. I’ve done a few post playlists in the past and really enjoyed it. Then I started running out of time! I’d like to go back to it though and @Paul Macko suggested collaborating with my readers. Have you tried this?
I have a community in Reddit were members collaborate suggesting songs to be included and making comments. I’m new here in Substack and, for the moment, haven’t got this kind of cooperation.
🟧. I have now raised more than once (haven't completely kept track) that it would be helpful to those of us who don't write in any one category to have a category that describes us. There seem to be quite a few of us. But no action. Would love to see a new 'generalist' (or similar description) category. Thanks.
✏️ I'm looking for other writers in the "weird culture" space. I'd LOVE to collaborate and swap guest posts. I'm trying to find my people but when you write about extremely niche subjects it seems hard to track down the right readers. I feel like collaboration with writers who understand the hinterlands of culture that fascinate me will be mutually beneficial.
🧠 I love this thread! So helpful.
In my experience, all of these growth strategies (mentions, recommendations, cross-posts, Notes, guest posts) work best when you're thinking about how you can promote others, not yourself. It also feels better. It's the Substack spirit: community, joining, serving. Of course, it should also come from an authentic place. What goes around comes around. Promise! (The only exception might be guest posts because that's really about your work and your chance to shine. Take the limelight and enjoy it!)
🧠 I love the opportunity to collaborate with others. I'm starting to reach out to other writer sin the freelancing and content creation fields to see if there's an opportunity to work together. It can only benefit everyone - a rising tide lifts all boats. It also allows us to provide unique perspectives and incorporate different voices, which only helps our own writing to grow.
I'm up for a collaboration with you, Paul. Get in touch.
100% - what's the best way to reach you?
paul@pau1.ca
You can email any Substacker using their user name at substack.com
(yours is ironcladcreative)@substack.com
✏️ I’ve been struggling to use Notes in a way to connect to other readers/writers. I usually try re-stacking articles in my fields (science, societal critique) but without many followers, it usually feels like the Notes just fall on deaf ears. Is there another way to use Notes to connect that other writers have found?
This is just a personal view but I've found (the hard way) that if you use Notes like Twitter it's not really successful. Also, once I built up a reasonable number of subscribers then those subscribers often respond to my Notes, so it's a question of building a community, even if only in a small way. Asking questions on notes, sharing a photograph and asking people to comment, sharing someone's work that you enjoy often works. I don't put previews on Notes, but I do say what's coming up on my next publication. I'm on https://junegirvin.substack.com if you're interested.
I’m a Twitter native, makes sense I’m struggling with Notes. Thanks for the comment :)
Yes I share photos and ask people if they want to join in, also asking questions and re stacking a quote that resonates not just with me but other people who have commented too.
Thank you! I should use photos more, evidently
I think commenting on "bigger people" posts proves to be the most effective. I also go through and mass-like everything and that seems to work. But yeah, I think I have 3 followers lol.
Worth a shot, thanks Kevin!
We cooked up this guide that may be worth a peruse! A guide to growth and collaboration on Substack Notes
https://on.substack.com/p/notes-collaboration-growth-guide
Jeez Bailey, thanks!
The Note that resonated with many people (at least for me) was one where I celebrated reaching 100 subscribers. People were really encouraging and some even subscribed from there.
New White Noise:
“Though others might lack the will and resources to build, improve, or invest in themselves, you must pick up the slack by bettering your mind, body, and soul.
You must choose greatness and become the most extraordinary version of yourself you can be.
After all, no one is coming to save you. As my late grandfather, John Timothy Landers, used to say: “Your only security in life is yourself.”
Time is money and the clock is ticking. Leverage your private equity wisely.”
https://www.whitenoise.email/p/the-best-investment-you-can-make
🟧 hello all! Question for the Substack team: is there a way to offer a discount on gift subscriptions only? There are times, like right before holidays, but it would be nice to be able to promote that to subscribers and a discount would help. Right now the only way I can see to do it is to offer a blanket discount, including to all new subscribers. Sadly, I am heading into an appointment, so can’t hang out for the hour, but I’m here in spirit!
that would be good addition. as far as I know at the moment you can only do that for group subscriptions (buying 2 or more at the same time). You could just lower the 'main' subscriptions and encourage people to gift them, though. Tis the season after all
Playing catch up on tags and need some clarity. Seems like there are two usages ... search function and page header identification of specifically tagged posts.
"Search" seems to be an undirected way for readers (or me) to find posts ... but unless they knew the tags I'm using, it would not be very useful. For instance: I googled "purple" and search found it in one of my posts. When I googled "cottoncandy," (a word I apparently have not used), search took me to a list of Substack offerings.
I assume if I go back and tag my posts, if someone hits on those particular terms, they will get a list of related posts.
If I really want to help readers find a series of posts, I need to put the tag identifier into the home page banner. I need to do this asap.
Are their other uses of tags that would help bring organization to the rapidly filling bucket of posts I'm generating? Thanks for ideas and help.
Great question, Ive wondered this myself. Following!
🟧
🟧
2 Questions: 1) Is there some way to see who is sharing my posts? The shares are so far a number only, but no link to a name. This does matter to me.
2) A regular reader of my posts listens to them audibly. !! I had no idea such a thing were available on the sites. She says there's a microphone at the top of each article. Hmm. Can I ALSO hear this? I don't see a microphone when I open my page.
Thank you kindly for replies. Victoria
✏️🟧 Hello all! Question about Notes for writers or the SS team: I've seen other writers get surges of growth from notes, and I want to tap into that. I've been posting notes pretty consistently, about one a day -I've also been commenting and restacking. Unfortunately, I've seen maybe one or two subscribers come out of it. How can I better engage with Notes to boost my subs?
🟧 any updates on when @mentions will become available in the app Instead of only online?
I can't seem to get @mentions to work on my laptop using the website. When I type @ and the first letter(s) of a name or newsletter I don't get a drop-down menu of possibilities. When I type the full name it doesn't change color or otherwise indicate the mention has worked.
This has happened to me occasionally too Wendy. Sorry I can’t help you out and say why. One day it seemed to work again. Maybe it was my operator error?!
I apologize Wendi, I was responding to you and then I spelled your name wrong.
No problem, my name is regularly misspelled. I appreciate knowing I’m not the only one who can’t get @mentions to work on the website.
Hm. I can do it on the website but not the app 🤷🏻♀️
Yes, need this!
Check out my newsletter "The Great Awakening" where I write what I learn along my spiritual journey.
The cause of all the crises in the world today is our ignorance toward our true nature, and returning to that is the only permanent solution to climate change, nuclear war threat, overpopulation, war...... you name it.
CHECK HERE: https://awakes.substack.com
✏️ Hello fellow writers, here is my open invitation to help me form a writers virtual support group to help each other write better and grow more on Substack!
The Why:
One of my primary goals of writing on Substack is to improve my writing, but I don't have anyone else to edit my work before publication or provide feedback. I talked to an MFA faculty member about this and she suggested that I get a small group of people together for peer-editing and support. And I thought, what a great idea!
The What:
I'd like to start a writer's peer-support/peer-editing group and this is what I have in mind:
1. We will utilize a Slack channel as our communication platform.
2. Before publication, we will share our drafts with the group on Google Docs for others to review and provide feedback.
3. Occasionally, we can schedule Zoom meet-ups to exchange writing tips and ideas.
4. We will also help each other in staying committed to our writing goals with check-in messages.
I have a full-time job working at a university and read/write for fun at my free time, so I'd prefer to connect with people who write in their free time. However, professional writers are more than welcome, but you might not get the same out of this.
The How:
If you're interested, send me an email at everytinythought@gmail.com and tell me a little bit about yourself. I will then add everyone to a Slack workspace. I am excited to see where this might lead to!
Let's Make a Deal:
I will recommend you if you recommend me.
Can!
🟧 Is there a way to get more theme options or be able to personalize the homepage a bit more?
More personalization options would be nice.
Yes I agree, I have been asking for this as well!
🟧 - Is it planned to have statistics related to Notes, like, for example, number of views? Thank you!
✏️ How does one approach another writer for a collaboration without seeming like you're just doing it for personal gain?
Make sure you've looked at their work and are thoughtful as to why you are interested. A bit like making friends or networking, in a genuine way.
🧠 I've generated over 80 subsribers for the 4 publications I recommend so I know how powerful recommending other publicatigons can be. Sadly I've only recieved 7 subscriptions from the publicatuons that have recommended me. I'm hoping that overtime more publications will recommend my publication and I can continue to grow orgaically that way.
As for mentions, I love mentioning other people's posts in my posts. Substack makes it really easy to integrate posts and tags. They stand out from original text and I've noticed my readers actually click on them and interact with the post or person I've tagged!
HI, this is surely a dumb question, but may I ask you how to do this:
" Substack makes it really easy to integrate posts and tags. They stand out from original text/..."
Do you mean that if you add in a post a link to another substack, the platform automatically formats THAT link in a different way? Or something else? Thanks
Yes! When I mention another substack publication, using "@", the link is orange with a grey backgrounnd (the colour changes based on what colour you chose for your publication and if you enabled the coloured link setting or not). It looks slightly different to text that has a hyperlink. Also, you can embed another publication's post into your post instead of linking it as a hyperlink. An embeded post will show the title of the post with a short summary and information about when the post was posted and how many likes/comments it got. I think embeding a post can make it stand out and call more attention to it! I hope that was clear.
ok, so in your case I should write @studynotepad... , right?
On the embed thing, never noticed that option, will search for it when writing the next post.
Thanks a lot for the quick, helpful answer!
That's right! Substack should then give you a list of people/publications which you can select the exact person you're trying to mention. No problem.
Thanks to both of you, Marco and Victoria. I've been wanting to try tagging and embedding other posts, too. I appreciate the lesson!
✏️Yesterday, I wrote a piece about hair color and embracing the gray, and it was the first time a post seemed to warrant inclusion of several writers I've been wanting shout out.
https://elizabethbeggins.substack.com/p/silver-linings
Since my essays don't follow a specific topic or subject matter (other than what I call "realistic optimism"), I sometimes find it challenging to weave recommendations into a story. I see that some authors build in opportunities by adding a component to their newsletters such as "What I'm Reading" or "On the Nightstand." Often this comes at the end of a post.
I'm so grateful when someone recommends me, and I want to return the favor, not to mention just promote good writing, but I also want it to mesh well for my readers. Would be glad to read feedback from anyone who has found a method they find useful.