Are you new to Substack? Welcome! This Office Hours thread is a place to ask your questions about getting started. Leave a comment and let us know how we can help. Plus, meet other writers who are getting started on Substack.
🧠 Hi everyone! Here’s a superpower you have that will get you noticed by all your writing heroes and maybe even help you grow your audience in record time:
***GIVING FULL CREDIT***
If someone’s writing gives you a great idea, hat-tip them (online shorthand for this is “h/t”) – and if you get a particular fact via them, hat-tip them or quote them directly. Or throw them a proper link. (Or just cheerlead them wildly! Be an utterly absurd dork.)
Substack makes this so easy. Just write "@" and write out their name, then select it from the options that appear. (Make sure you get the right one!) And when you credit someone with a tag, it shows up in their notifications! Super-super-simple.
But it could be that the person you tag/credit is wayyyy too busy to stop by and say thanks for now, or engage in any other way. That’s kinda how it works in practice: sometimes there’s no direct “return” on this “investment” - although really, it’s mainly just being a decent, respectful and empathetic human being as well as a credible high-biz-IQ professional.
But sometimes, it *can* lead to more. To *mutual* fandom, to collaborations, to the whole ecosystem of interactions that raises the tide that lifts all our boats up.
So – give credit in as many ways as you can. It’s free to do so, it’s business-smart, it’s a network-builder, and it’ll make you look like someone worth following, maybe even in the eyes of the Super High Profile folk you’d love to befriend.
🧠Hello all, and happy Office Hours! Here's a little bit of encouragement from one small newsletter to all of you:
Today, I'm going to preach to myself. And I hope it resonates with some of you, too! Recently I was reading a journal that I kept during the early days of March 2020. And one line that I wrote to myself stood out: "You are not weak, or this would not have been tasked to you."
At that time, I didn't know all of the hardships that were coming my way. I didn't know about what was about to happen with my job, propelling me into writing fulltime. I certainly didn't know what Substack was! I just believed in the impossible belief that I was in the right place, however lost I felt.
Writer, hear me: you are not weak, or this craft of writing would not have been tasked to you. This is not an easy adventure, but it's a good one. Please don't stop, and please don't be discouraged. You're stronger than you think!
Most importantly: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! 🌿
***The best thing you can do as a new writer on Substack is:
1. Write quality, engaging material
2. Post regularly and consistently (I recommend 2-3 times per week but this is wildly variable; you want to hook people’s interest without exploding their email inbox)
3. Read other Substacks and comment on them; try to be courteous, thoughtful and positive.
4. Reach out to other writers who write similar material after you’ve been writing awhile and ask to cross-post, collaborate, etc.
5. Remember that Substack is a writing community; support others.
6. Attend Substack Office Hours
7. Read, subscribe, and pay for my Substack, Sincere American Writing. *(This is required.)
Two months in, it's been great to forget about hustle mentality and focus on what I want to write about, having a regular writing practice, and connecting with others. I'm looking to a year, two years from now, and having a body of work + a community! Would love to get to know more Substack writers!
Hello Substack World! I started on 24 March, but this is my first office hours. :) I am humbly writing a dual-language substack of Swahili and English. My purpose is to show the capability and beauty of Swahili by way of positive and powerful quotes from past—and current—notables such as Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington Carver, Julius Nyerere, and whichever writer I am reading now that gives us hope, inspiration, and celebrates the humanity in all of us...to include Substackers! Thank you.
Sometimes I wish I could just click a button and pay someone for an article but not subscribe and pay a monthly fee. Or pay a monthly fee and dole out of that fee to writers I want to pay for individual articles but not subscribe. I already pay enough for three writers and wish I could do more. Will there ever be an option to do that?
🧠 - I am ONLY on Substack. No Twitter, no Instagram, no Facebook. I'm still sorting out my Recommendations (I know, I know) but Notes has been a huge boon to connect with other writers and see great content. Don't be afraid to get in there.
If you like FICTION, in particular LITERARY FICTION and feel like there's a dearth of it on Substack, give my Substack a try. Nothing is behind a paywall.
Hello everyone, it has been almost 2 months since I started my Substack, and the experience has been amazing so far. I am delighted to share that I have nearly 50 subscribers, with only 3 more to go, and have had almost 1000 views. Although the engagement isn't very high, I am grateful for the support and enjoying the process. On my page, I share insights that I've gained from books and podcasts, as well as highlights of things I found enjoyable and useful throughout the week. I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to check out my page and consider subscribing. Thank you so much for your support!"
Hi everyone! I love these office hours, it's always so illuminating and great to see familiar names. My challenge is resisting signing up for too many Substacks, there is soooooo much talent and creativity here! I feel like you need 8 hours to write and another 8 hours to read everyone else's wonderful writing. Anyone else have that same issue? LOL
Just realized that I didn't introduce myself in my previous comment. I'm Kate Jones, and I'm on Substack to support and add extra content to my podcast, The Gale Hill Radio Hour.
I started on Substack at the end of January. I brought over my archive from Wordpress (where I was getting no traction at all) and I started posting twice a week, on a variety of subjects - books, gardening, nature, some memoir of years in nursing - and I'm slowly gaining subs. I just hit 90 subs today. and I hope to get to 100 soon. People have started commenting on my posts in the past month or so, and I've had some good conversations from a note or too. As others have said, I think you really have to engage on here - start a chat, post a note with a question. Most of my subs have come from the substack network and I'm hopeful of growing slowly. Someone even recommended me last week! I'm loving it here.
✏️ Hi all! Joined Substack earlier this year, but really properly making time to write for it only now. My question is this: I've already turned subscriptions on, but for now I'm planning to only have free-to-read posts so I can build community and establish my voice/routine (I have a small personal brand but with Substack I'm branching into something slightly different so not too sure what it'll end up looking like and who it'll attract - following my intuition here rather than having a solid plan).
I'm planning to start publishing subscriber-only content maybe in 6 to 12 months time to start working toward having an additional income stream (I am planning to be open about the transition and how it'll happen). Does it sound like a good plan or do people recommend doing paid-only posts right from the start? I have about 30 people subscribed so far (all from my existing network) and I don't think there's enough value for people to pay quite yet while I figure things out!
🧠 Hello to you all! Don't fret (too much) about the subscriber count, it is going to go up and it is going to go down. After the release of Notes everyone saw a massive spike and it envigorated a lot of writers but recently I have seen posts about losing subs or free subs not converting to paid. This is to be expected. Someone who subs based on one article/story may not like what follows and others sub in the heat of the moment. Keep doing what you've been doing. Keep posting. Keep talking to other writers and with your most active subscribers. The number will go up and down but the aim should be a deep community/readership, not a wide and shallow one.
I started a Substack in November (2022) rather spontaneously to give nudge myself to write more and find an audience and began publishing 2xs a week in the middle of December and have done so consistently since then. I am still trying to find my way in what specifically I want to write about and have not done a lot of outreach to gain readers but I have some steady followers and feel like I will get there soon. I do wish to expand my reach within the Substack community of readers and also want to turn on the PAID option soon.
Hello fellow writers, I started my substack two months ago, I've got 250 subscribers and about 6,000 views so far. I write about drugs in an honest and, hopefully, funny way, among other things.
🧠 I love writing long-form essays but absolutely detest writing tweets/posts to promote them. I made this little app that helps turn my essays into tweets. It's very early but it's been helpful to have a co-pilot by my side. Just wanted to share in case someone else finds it helpful, at this point it's a hobby but will appreciate any feedback. The app is here - https://twitterbio-zeta.vercel.app
Hello everyone. I'm not sure how to interpret the estimated source info for subscriptions. I've seen it say Direct, Network, or the link to my substack (which has confused me more because wouldn't that be Direct?). I'm also assuming network means from someone who subscribes to me, but is that all? Any insight would help.
I've been writing on Medium since 2017. I've tried making the move to Substack, but have struggled. I would like to bring my entire catalogue--over 400 posts--over to Substack, even if I have to do it one at a time. Problem is, almost every time I try doing a copy-and-paste of something I wrote there, Substack blows up on me, and won't let me get it posted.
Obviously, I am in need of support. I have also struggled to connect with folks here, although I do find Chat or Notes (not sure which one) handy, it seems it is akin to Twitter, in that in order to connect with anyone else, I have to buy a subscription to a 'famous' poster, then piggyback on them until people start seeing my work. Is this how it always works, that there is no stream for me to post my work for others to peruse? Can I only grow my audience by piggybacking on others? With the issues I have had posted, and the lack of a central stream, I have struggled to get going here on Substack.
✏️ Hi there! I'm trying to determine the best frequency where I can still grow, but not overwork myself to the point that I no longer enjoy writing my newsletter. Curious what's working best for everyone: weekly vs. bi-weekly vs. monthly?
The room was bare, cluttered, and furnished in the cold, functional style that made all doctors’ offices in all cities of the world look alike.
Much like the adjacent examination rooms, it was clinical and sterile and stale.
Though its occupants sought to be healed, the room instead hurt—its filtered air and fluorescent humming were almost life-averse.
In one corner was a dusty stereo perched atop a worn, woodlike end table that had seen much better days. It blared tinny, indiscernible Muzak into the swaying, waxy leaves of a “plant” much too Kelly green to be inhaling carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen.
This is very helpful. I focus entirely on content creation and subscribes love my posts but few new subs show up because I put zero attention on that. Reading what Paul has accomplished is inspiring.
I started my free substack on April 16. It's a sobriety substack focussed on quitting marijuana, which is an area of addiction recovery that I feel is highly neglected, as weed becomes more normalized and more legalized in the USA. I wasn't even taught that pot is physically addictive when I was in high school, just psychologically addictive, but we now know a lot more about the effects of THC in the brain and know it is indeed causing physical changes. I'm definitely struggling with finding readers, as I am not on social media (I find it also very addictive!) and I really need to find a way to share my story with those who need it most, others struggling with cannabis use disorder, feeling like a failure because you keep trying to give it up but failing.
I signed up but haven't made my first contribution. My theme is Unintentional Consequences. It will explore small societal changes and the results. Feeling a bit self-conscious.
🧠Hi folks! My name is Andrei, and I’ve been writing a little nonfiction newsletter called Practice Space for about five months. During that time, I learned and experienced and felt A LOT. A lot of fulfillment and satisfaction, but also a lot of hard feelings like disappointment, frustration and exhaustion. Writing and growing a newsletter is hard business. Here are a few things that I’ve learned, to make it easier for you:
1. Readers love it when you interact with them and make them feel involved (no matter what for that takes: including calls to action in your posts, replying to their comments or starting discussion threads)
2. You’ll want to publish consistently, especially at the beginning. The goal is building up a body of work. After a while, you may begin to publish more sporadically.
3. Share, share, share! Message your friends and family to tell them you’ve started a Substack! Share your links on any social media that still allows it!
4. Connect with other writers. Most people I’ve come across on this platform are very happy to share their hard-earned knowledge and experience. And a lot of them are happy to promote new writers, so it never hurts to ask for a recommendation or a cross-post. But don’t just message strangers out of the blue. Read the work of writers you like, and slowly get to know them by commenting on their posts. Then, you can shoot them an e-mail. Odds are they’ve already noticed you and are more than willing to help you out.
Coming up on my one-month mark (15 April start) for _Caffeine and Opinions_. So far, I'm pretty happy with both my output and my growth. I am still trying to figure out what I want to do long-term about paid subs--most of my subs right now are free, and that's fine for the moment because I'm not really offering any "bonus" content yet.
I've got a good rhythm going, and I think I can even sustain it, which is the real trick.
That said, I feel like I'm a ways away from a "breakthrough". My subscribers are mostly people who already know me, although there have been a few people I don't know who are now following. Figuring out how to broaden the audience is a head-scratcher.
I am new to Substack within the last couple weeks! I brought over my podcast and experimented with notes and posts a little. I have been procrastinating on contacting my personal sphere of influence to ask if they will follow my substack. And I still am not sure how to gain brand new followers.
✏️ - Do any fellow writers have advice on gaining new followers?
🟧 - I turned on the paid subscribers option. I saw somewhere that Substack is free until you turn on paid subscribers. How do I know how much I'll be paying to use Substack?
🟧 Is there a way for users to change the default sign-in option to type-in password rather than emailing a signin link? Or does it always require going to the sign in page and clicking the “sign in another way” link? Thanks! :)
Hello I am new to Substack. I am writing about my experience of Living in Positive Solitude.
When a post, I am unable to add tags, so if some one searches the topic I am writing about will find it. I tried using the tag function, but the tags get cleared and are not seen. Please tell me how I can tag my post so it can be found by readers.
I wanted to know if it was possible to already share Substack link eventhough I haven't yet send my first newsletter. I am asking this because I'd love to already start building a community through Notes. Many thanks!
✏️hi everyone, I just started out writing fiction on this platform, posting every month or so. I’d love to get some constructive commentary on my writing and learn from other short fiction writers - is there a specific community for this?
✏️How long should I wait for Paid subscribers to come on board.
Does not having converting free subscribers to paid means your substack isn’t worth it or you acquired subscribers who don’t live your content. I have about about 500 subscribers with 40% open rate on my substack which is about a month old.
I turned on the paid subscription few days back(less than 1 week and only 2 people subscribed to paid.
How long should I wait to know that this has failed or will succeed?
I have Been very consistent in content with over 20-30 click rate and every post is viewed by at least 300 subscribers without even sharing on social media.
🟧 Hi, I am new to Substack and loving it but I am curious as to the best paths for growth. Specifically, I have seen a lot of people talking about growth via notes but most of my current subscribers don't use notes so how can notes help me?
Another observation about Notes.....it seems like the only notes I see are the "popular " kids. Why can't I see notes from others, people with fewer subscribers or notes from writers who haven't gone to "pay me to read my stuff".
This may be a repeat. I don't see my question. I shared an article on LinkedIn. When people clicked over to Substack to read it they had to provide their emails, which I don'y want to force people to do.
Also, I can't figure out how to just add a note at the bottom that says "pledge a subscription to support" while keeping all articles free for now. Help appreciated
✏️ Hi! I haven't started my newsletter yet, but signed up for Substack because I received one from someone where she uses it send via voice. Are there any others here that do theirs as voice? Any tips? For the topic that I'm looking to start one on, I feel like it would be easier for me to do via voice and include links and such for others to read on it themselves.
The idea is for it to be holistic health related...to be the connection between the practice-based evidence and the evidence-based practice. To create a community of providers, practitioners, admin, farmers, etc. that all have a hand in the factors contributing to holistic health, so that we collectively create a safe, diverse and inclusive environment that people may learn about what's available for them as they make choices in their own care.
So I'll be reading various news articles, books, etc. to learn about what's going on and then to paint the picture connecting it across various fields and the potential impacts, so that it welcomes acknowledgment (not agreement) of what's out there.
Also: with Twitter having become a trash-fire, where are people going? I'm sort-of on the Fediverse, but I'm feeling a bit like I've got time to either get more engaged there, or write more, and I'd rather be writing...
I just started my second newsletter with Substack. My first is called thePause with Sheryl Kraft; my most recent is FriendshipRules. The first is about women's health, the second is about female friendships. Love this opportunity to publish important and relevant info, and Substack makes the experience great!
I am debating publishing on substack vs LinkedIn newsletter. Can someone help me why substack over the other. I am looking to build my brand at present.
✏️ Hey writers, who started a Substack in the last month? Reply to this comment and introduce yourself.
To help organize the conversation, please use one of the following emojis when you start a new comment.
✏️ - when asking questions or seeking feedback from fellow writers
🧠 - when sharing strategy or advice for 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.
For those who've been writing on Substack for some time, what's the sharpest piece of advice you'd give a writer who is just getting started?
🧠 Hi everyone! Here’s a superpower you have that will get you noticed by all your writing heroes and maybe even help you grow your audience in record time:
***GIVING FULL CREDIT***
If someone’s writing gives you a great idea, hat-tip them (online shorthand for this is “h/t”) – and if you get a particular fact via them, hat-tip them or quote them directly. Or throw them a proper link. (Or just cheerlead them wildly! Be an utterly absurd dork.)
Substack makes this so easy. Just write "@" and write out their name, then select it from the options that appear. (Make sure you get the right one!) And when you credit someone with a tag, it shows up in their notifications! Super-super-simple.
But it could be that the person you tag/credit is wayyyy too busy to stop by and say thanks for now, or engage in any other way. That’s kinda how it works in practice: sometimes there’s no direct “return” on this “investment” - although really, it’s mainly just being a decent, respectful and empathetic human being as well as a credible high-biz-IQ professional.
But sometimes, it *can* lead to more. To *mutual* fandom, to collaborations, to the whole ecosystem of interactions that raises the tide that lifts all our boats up.
So – give credit in as many ways as you can. It’s free to do so, it’s business-smart, it’s a network-builder, and it’ll make you look like someone worth following, maybe even in the eyes of the Super High Profile folk you’d love to befriend.
Do it. Give credit. It's the right thing to do.
🧠Hello all, and happy Office Hours! Here's a little bit of encouragement from one small newsletter to all of you:
Today, I'm going to preach to myself. And I hope it resonates with some of you, too! Recently I was reading a journal that I kept during the early days of March 2020. And one line that I wrote to myself stood out: "You are not weak, or this would not have been tasked to you."
At that time, I didn't know all of the hardships that were coming my way. I didn't know about what was about to happen with my job, propelling me into writing fulltime. I certainly didn't know what Substack was! I just believed in the impossible belief that I was in the right place, however lost I felt.
Writer, hear me: you are not weak, or this craft of writing would not have been tasked to you. This is not an easy adventure, but it's a good one. Please don't stop, and please don't be discouraged. You're stronger than you think!
Most importantly: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! 🌿
I just joined today with no clue what I'm doing. Hi everyone :) I shall lurk and learn.
***The best thing you can do as a new writer on Substack is:
1. Write quality, engaging material
2. Post regularly and consistently (I recommend 2-3 times per week but this is wildly variable; you want to hook people’s interest without exploding their email inbox)
3. Read other Substacks and comment on them; try to be courteous, thoughtful and positive.
4. Reach out to other writers who write similar material after you’ve been writing awhile and ask to cross-post, collaborate, etc.
5. Remember that Substack is a writing community; support others.
6. Attend Substack Office Hours
7. Read, subscribe, and pay for my Substack, Sincere American Writing. *(This is required.)
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Two months in, it's been great to forget about hustle mentality and focus on what I want to write about, having a regular writing practice, and connecting with others. I'm looking to a year, two years from now, and having a body of work + a community! Would love to get to know more Substack writers!
Hello Substack World! I started on 24 March, but this is my first office hours. :) I am humbly writing a dual-language substack of Swahili and English. My purpose is to show the capability and beauty of Swahili by way of positive and powerful quotes from past—and current—notables such as Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington Carver, Julius Nyerere, and whichever writer I am reading now that gives us hope, inspiration, and celebrates the humanity in all of us...to include Substackers! Thank you.
Sometimes I wish I could just click a button and pay someone for an article but not subscribe and pay a monthly fee. Or pay a monthly fee and dole out of that fee to writers I want to pay for individual articles but not subscribe. I already pay enough for three writers and wish I could do more. Will there ever be an option to do that?
🧠 - I am ONLY on Substack. No Twitter, no Instagram, no Facebook. I'm still sorting out my Recommendations (I know, I know) but Notes has been a huge boon to connect with other writers and see great content. Don't be afraid to get in there.
If you like FICTION, in particular LITERARY FICTION and feel like there's a dearth of it on Substack, give my Substack a try. Nothing is behind a paywall.
If you're okay with the slightly NSFW blog title, check me out at: https://blog.pornnamepseudonym.com/
Or if you're into soccer:
https://kloppschompers.substack.com/
Hello everyone, it has been almost 2 months since I started my Substack, and the experience has been amazing so far. I am delighted to share that I have nearly 50 subscribers, with only 3 more to go, and have had almost 1000 views. Although the engagement isn't very high, I am grateful for the support and enjoying the process. On my page, I share insights that I've gained from books and podcasts, as well as highlights of things I found enjoyable and useful throughout the week. I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to check out my page and consider subscribing. Thank you so much for your support!"
Is there anyone else using Substack to simply write more & to be a better writer & not so concerned about getting subscribers?
Hi everyone! I love these office hours, it's always so illuminating and great to see familiar names. My challenge is resisting signing up for too many Substacks, there is soooooo much talent and creativity here! I feel like you need 8 hours to write and another 8 hours to read everyone else's wonderful writing. Anyone else have that same issue? LOL
Just realized that I didn't introduce myself in my previous comment. I'm Kate Jones, and I'm on Substack to support and add extra content to my podcast, The Gale Hill Radio Hour.
I started on Substack at the end of January. I brought over my archive from Wordpress (where I was getting no traction at all) and I started posting twice a week, on a variety of subjects - books, gardening, nature, some memoir of years in nursing - and I'm slowly gaining subs. I just hit 90 subs today. and I hope to get to 100 soon. People have started commenting on my posts in the past month or so, and I've had some good conversations from a note or too. As others have said, I think you really have to engage on here - start a chat, post a note with a question. Most of my subs have come from the substack network and I'm hopeful of growing slowly. Someone even recommended me last week! I'm loving it here.
✏️ Hi all! Joined Substack earlier this year, but really properly making time to write for it only now. My question is this: I've already turned subscriptions on, but for now I'm planning to only have free-to-read posts so I can build community and establish my voice/routine (I have a small personal brand but with Substack I'm branching into something slightly different so not too sure what it'll end up looking like and who it'll attract - following my intuition here rather than having a solid plan).
I'm planning to start publishing subscriber-only content maybe in 6 to 12 months time to start working toward having an additional income stream (I am planning to be open about the transition and how it'll happen). Does it sound like a good plan or do people recommend doing paid-only posts right from the start? I have about 30 people subscribed so far (all from my existing network) and I don't think there's enough value for people to pay quite yet while I figure things out!
🧠 Hello to you all! Don't fret (too much) about the subscriber count, it is going to go up and it is going to go down. After the release of Notes everyone saw a massive spike and it envigorated a lot of writers but recently I have seen posts about losing subs or free subs not converting to paid. This is to be expected. Someone who subs based on one article/story may not like what follows and others sub in the heat of the moment. Keep doing what you've been doing. Keep posting. Keep talking to other writers and with your most active subscribers. The number will go up and down but the aim should be a deep community/readership, not a wide and shallow one.
Happy writing!
I started a Substack in November (2022) rather spontaneously to give nudge myself to write more and find an audience and began publishing 2xs a week in the middle of December and have done so consistently since then. I am still trying to find my way in what specifically I want to write about and have not done a lot of outreach to gain readers but I have some steady followers and feel like I will get there soon. I do wish to expand my reach within the Substack community of readers and also want to turn on the PAID option soon.
Hello fellow writers, I started my substack two months ago, I've got 250 subscribers and about 6,000 views so far. I write about drugs in an honest and, hopefully, funny way, among other things.
My most popular article was about all the stages of taking ecstasy, if you might relate or are just morbidly curious here it is: https://wrongchannel.substack.com/p/5-phases-pillhead
What is the difference between newsletter and blog post subscription. Anju Jolly
🧠 I love writing long-form essays but absolutely detest writing tweets/posts to promote them. I made this little app that helps turn my essays into tweets. It's very early but it's been helpful to have a co-pilot by my side. Just wanted to share in case someone else finds it helpful, at this point it's a hobby but will appreciate any feedback. The app is here - https://twitterbio-zeta.vercel.app
We feel like it has been a month, but time flies when having such fun.
Hello everyone. I'm not sure how to interpret the estimated source info for subscriptions. I've seen it say Direct, Network, or the link to my substack (which has confused me more because wouldn't that be Direct?). I'm also assuming network means from someone who subscribes to me, but is that all? Any insight would help.
I've been writing on Medium since 2017. I've tried making the move to Substack, but have struggled. I would like to bring my entire catalogue--over 400 posts--over to Substack, even if I have to do it one at a time. Problem is, almost every time I try doing a copy-and-paste of something I wrote there, Substack blows up on me, and won't let me get it posted.
Obviously, I am in need of support. I have also struggled to connect with folks here, although I do find Chat or Notes (not sure which one) handy, it seems it is akin to Twitter, in that in order to connect with anyone else, I have to buy a subscription to a 'famous' poster, then piggyback on them until people start seeing my work. Is this how it always works, that there is no stream for me to post my work for others to peruse? Can I only grow my audience by piggybacking on others? With the issues I have had posted, and the lack of a central stream, I have struggled to get going here on Substack.
✏️ Hi there! I'm trying to determine the best frequency where I can still grow, but not overwork myself to the point that I no longer enjoy writing my newsletter. Curious what's working best for everyone: weekly vs. bi-weekly vs. monthly?
Hi Substack crew! Sharing my latest:
Verbal Portrait of a Waiting Room
The room was bare, cluttered, and furnished in the cold, functional style that made all doctors’ offices in all cities of the world look alike.
Much like the adjacent examination rooms, it was clinical and sterile and stale.
Though its occupants sought to be healed, the room instead hurt—its filtered air and fluorescent humming were almost life-averse.
In one corner was a dusty stereo perched atop a worn, woodlike end table that had seen much better days. It blared tinny, indiscernible Muzak into the swaying, waxy leaves of a “plant” much too Kelly green to be inhaling carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen.
More here: https://www.whitenoise.email/p/verbal-portrait-no-5
This is very helpful. I focus entirely on content creation and subscribes love my posts but few new subs show up because I put zero attention on that. Reading what Paul has accomplished is inspiring.
I started my free substack on April 16. It's a sobriety substack focussed on quitting marijuana, which is an area of addiction recovery that I feel is highly neglected, as weed becomes more normalized and more legalized in the USA. I wasn't even taught that pot is physically addictive when I was in high school, just psychologically addictive, but we now know a lot more about the effects of THC in the brain and know it is indeed causing physical changes. I'm definitely struggling with finding readers, as I am not on social media (I find it also very addictive!) and I really need to find a way to share my story with those who need it most, others struggling with cannabis use disorder, feeling like a failure because you keep trying to give it up but failing.
🟧 How is substack addressing concerns brought up by Sharon Hurley Hall? https://www.antiracismnewsletter.com/p/trolled-on-substack-notes
I signed up but haven't made my first contribution. My theme is Unintentional Consequences. It will explore small societal changes and the results. Feeling a bit self-conscious.
🧠Hi folks! My name is Andrei, and I’ve been writing a little nonfiction newsletter called Practice Space for about five months. During that time, I learned and experienced and felt A LOT. A lot of fulfillment and satisfaction, but also a lot of hard feelings like disappointment, frustration and exhaustion. Writing and growing a newsletter is hard business. Here are a few things that I’ve learned, to make it easier for you:
1. Readers love it when you interact with them and make them feel involved (no matter what for that takes: including calls to action in your posts, replying to their comments or starting discussion threads)
2. You’ll want to publish consistently, especially at the beginning. The goal is building up a body of work. After a while, you may begin to publish more sporadically.
3. Share, share, share! Message your friends and family to tell them you’ve started a Substack! Share your links on any social media that still allows it!
4. Connect with other writers. Most people I’ve come across on this platform are very happy to share their hard-earned knowledge and experience. And a lot of them are happy to promote new writers, so it never hurts to ask for a recommendation or a cross-post. But don’t just message strangers out of the blue. Read the work of writers you like, and slowly get to know them by commenting on their posts. Then, you can shoot them an e-mail. Odds are they’ve already noticed you and are more than willing to help you out.
5. Have fun! Otherwise, what’s the point?
Coming up on my one-month mark (15 April start) for _Caffeine and Opinions_. So far, I'm pretty happy with both my output and my growth. I am still trying to figure out what I want to do long-term about paid subs--most of my subs right now are free, and that's fine for the moment because I'm not really offering any "bonus" content yet.
I've got a good rhythm going, and I think I can even sustain it, which is the real trick.
That said, I feel like I'm a ways away from a "breakthrough". My subscribers are mostly people who already know me, although there have been a few people I don't know who are now following. Figuring out how to broaden the audience is a head-scratcher.
I am new to Substack within the last couple weeks! I brought over my podcast and experimented with notes and posts a little. I have been procrastinating on contacting my personal sphere of influence to ask if they will follow my substack. And I still am not sure how to gain brand new followers.
✏️ - Do any fellow writers have advice on gaining new followers?
🟧 - I turned on the paid subscribers option. I saw somewhere that Substack is free until you turn on paid subscribers. How do I know how much I'll be paying to use Substack?
🟧 Is there a way for users to change the default sign-in option to type-in password rather than emailing a signin link? Or does it always require going to the sign in page and clicking the “sign in another way” link? Thanks! :)
I’m new to writing stories for public consumption. Can I provide a story and remain anonymous?
Hello I am new to Substack. I am writing about my experience of Living in Positive Solitude.
When a post, I am unable to add tags, so if some one searches the topic I am writing about will find it. I tried using the tag function, but the tags get cleared and are not seen. Please tell me how I can tag my post so it can be found by readers.
🟧 Hi here!
I wanted to know if it was possible to already share Substack link eventhough I haven't yet send my first newsletter. I am asking this because I'd love to already start building a community through Notes. Many thanks!
✏️hi everyone, I just started out writing fiction on this platform, posting every month or so. I’d love to get some constructive commentary on my writing and learn from other short fiction writers - is there a specific community for this?
here's my most recent piece for your reading pleasure :* https://luckyhealthyhappyhot.substack.com/p/the-good-shrink
✏️How long should I wait for Paid subscribers to come on board.
Does not having converting free subscribers to paid means your substack isn’t worth it or you acquired subscribers who don’t live your content. I have about about 500 subscribers with 40% open rate on my substack which is about a month old.
I turned on the paid subscription few days back(less than 1 week and only 2 people subscribed to paid.
How long should I wait to know that this has failed or will succeed?
I have Been very consistent in content with over 20-30 click rate and every post is viewed by at least 300 subscribers without even sharing on social media.
🟧 Hi, I am new to Substack and loving it but I am curious as to the best paths for growth. Specifically, I have seen a lot of people talking about growth via notes but most of my current subscribers don't use notes so how can notes help me?
🟧
Another observation about Notes.....it seems like the only notes I see are the "popular " kids. Why can't I see notes from others, people with fewer subscribers or notes from writers who haven't gone to "pay me to read my stuff".
This may be a repeat. I don't see my question. I shared an article on LinkedIn. When people clicked over to Substack to read it they had to provide their emails, which I don'y want to force people to do.
Also, I can't figure out how to just add a note at the bottom that says "pledge a subscription to support" while keeping all articles free for now. Help appreciated
✏️ Hi! I haven't started my newsletter yet, but signed up for Substack because I received one from someone where she uses it send via voice. Are there any others here that do theirs as voice? Any tips? For the topic that I'm looking to start one on, I feel like it would be easier for me to do via voice and include links and such for others to read on it themselves.
The idea is for it to be holistic health related...to be the connection between the practice-based evidence and the evidence-based practice. To create a community of providers, practitioners, admin, farmers, etc. that all have a hand in the factors contributing to holistic health, so that we collectively create a safe, diverse and inclusive environment that people may learn about what's available for them as they make choices in their own care.
So I'll be reading various news articles, books, etc. to learn about what's going on and then to paint the picture connecting it across various fields and the potential impacts, so that it welcomes acknowledgment (not agreement) of what's out there.
✏️ Any new Substacks out there that are planning on using the video feature?
Let me know - I'd love to check out your video content!
🟧 ✏️ What is the best video (YouTube, etc.) you've watched that helped you get better with Substack?
Also: with Twitter having become a trash-fire, where are people going? I'm sort-of on the Fediverse, but I'm feeling a bit like I've got time to either get more engaged there, or write more, and I'd rather be writing...
I just started my second newsletter with Substack. My first is called thePause with Sheryl Kraft; my most recent is FriendshipRules. The first is about women's health, the second is about female friendships. Love this opportunity to publish important and relevant info, and Substack makes the experience great!
There are some bad glitches on the mobile writing dashboard that make working on mobile almost unfeasible.
You have to rotate phones to landscape to edit pictures or add captions onto them.
If you try and hyperlink the pop appears outside of view and you can’t scroll to it to paste a link.
If you try and select writers from the list you can’t scroll through the list. It bounces back to the top of the list.
I am debating publishing on substack vs LinkedIn newsletter. Can someone help me why substack over the other. I am looking to build my brand at present.