This week, we’re taking a break from Office Hours for a special edition of our monthly Shoutout Thread.
We host these Shoutout Threads because we know writers want more ways to discover great writing on Substack, and we’re always looking to celebrate writers who are finding a home here. This thread is a chance for all of us to share what we’ve been reading and inspired by recently on Substack.
Leave a comment on this thread and give a shoutout to another writer or Substack you’re enjoying. With holiday gifting in full swing, we’d especially love to hear about publications you think would make for great gift subscriptions. Be sure to share the link to the publication of a writer you admire, and why.
Food Thread 🧂
Follow this link to our food-themed Shoutout Thread, and share mentions of your favorite food-related Substacks in the comments. Don’t forget to explain why you’re a fan of the publication you’re recommending.
Our team will be in the threads today from 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PST / 1 p.m.–2 p.m. EST in discovery and celebration mode with you all.
Howdy all you Substackers, and especially the fictionistas! I write Story Cauldron https://storycauldron.substack.com, in which I talk about storytelling and the writing process for writers and non-writers. Paid subscribers can also read my ongoing YA fantasy novel series The Favor Faeries.
I'd like to shout out Nicole Rivera, who recently launched her new Substack called Story Hoarder, where she is sharing short fiction she's been hanging on to in her secret story vault. She's an excellent writer who also runs the Stop Writing Alone community, and I encourage you to check out her Substack at https://storyhoarder.substack.com/
Good morning from Seattle everyone! I decided to write a newsletter about parenting from the dad's perspective. There are so many amazing momblogs out there but not enough dad's talking about the funny and weird things we experience as parents. I include humorous stories from my childhood as the 3rd of 4 kids to divorced parents. Take a look and follow if you're interested. Thanks! dadstories.substack.com
Ah! So jealous of anyone who lives on Whidbey. Such a calm tranquil place. Thanks so much for the follow and looking forward to reading your newsletter too!
Tranquil...as I listen to the Naval Air Station jets rumble overhead....in Anacortes. Tranquility has many sounds. Puget is one. Freedom is another. The noise is tranquil.
Really cool to hear you tackling this subject, I'll take a look. Interestingly enough, I just had another great writer, Jeff Matlow do a guest post on my newsletter about parenting! If you think there could be some cool over-lap, let me know!
Man I just subscribed and can already tell I'm going to love it. My wife and I hike a bunch and we did a 4 month road trip with our kids from March - July of this year where we took them to 8 national parks and introduced them to a lot of hiking. I think it could be a cool guest post if you're open to it?
Unruly figures is amazing. I've been keeping tabs on that stack since before the first pub. The time and care that goes into researching these people is so evident. As someone who loves history but hates the way the school system teaches it, I think this also has genuine merit as an educational resource.
Thanks for the recommendations! I do a humor newsletter as well, so I'm always excited to see what other humor writers are up to. I'll check yours out too!
Hello Everyone! I have a monthly newsletter called For the Love of Nature that focuses on positive news in the world of environmentalism/ sustainability. I try to keep it light-hearted and funny. I hope you check it out!
I also really enjoy Gooped by Trixie and Katya. The newsletter is broken into weekly recommendations and advice columns, and it's always hilarious. If you're looking for a good laugh, you should subscribe.
Awesome! Definitely checking it out. Our newsletters seemed pretty aligned in values and theme. I provide approachable climate activism and sustainable swaps through the lens of positivity and appreciation for nature, incase you'd like to check it out.
Hi! My name is Krager and I created a tool for Substack writers looking to grow their following. I'm curious, what actions do you take write after you publish your issue? Do you use social media?
I personally struggled with finding the motivation to create effective social media activity from my Substack. To help, I created https://newslettertosocials.com which will auto-generate ready-to-post social media assets directly from your newsletter. It's like Canva, but specifically for newsletter writers, and automatic! It takes less than 30 seconds to generate a post.
Of course! Let me know if there are any forms of media or templates that would help your publication and journey. The tool is in its early stages and I plan to build it out for writers!
I just signed up and did a quick review but will be doing a deeper dive shortly. Some social is difficult because books are vertical, not square or horizontal. In the past, we often had to create montages to make it work. Most are better now offer different sizes but still can be a time-consuming effort even if you love creating yourself as I do.
As an author and book publisher and with my side gig on substack, social is always a conversation I am having with my clients and fellow author friends. Any tool that makes it easier is huge. Will be leveling up and recommending.
Thanks so much! Happy to make any introduction and build new features for the community!
To clarify, you mentioned trouble with getting book covers into your assets because of the different vertical sizes of a book cover. Would templates that fit these book cover sizes be useful? Could you give me an example book cover size? Thanks!
Most non-fiction and fiction books are either 6" wide x 9" tall or 5.5" wide x 8.5" tall ... our children's books do better as they are mostly square 8.5" wide x 8.5" tall ... occassionally 11" wide x 6.5" tall ... thanks
Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I share each post on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn at least once immediately after publishing and it takes less than 5 minutes. I write a little something with each share and try to tweak it each time. Anyone else have thoughts on the use of social media?
Joan that is great but in my experience most social feeds run so fast that only sharing once rarely helps as most people never even see it. Twitter has a half-life of 15-20 minutes; Facebook 30-45 minutes to 6 hours (sources vary i think first); Instagram 19 hours; Linkedin 24 hours; and Pintrest 3.5 months. So depending on your platform ... you must share multiple times if you want anyone to see it besides your very best friends and so sharing different posts on a similar theme is much more beneficial. Posting multiple times which is what is needed for a sale is often hard for people (at least my clients/people).
Great information—thanks! Not sure what you mean by "sharing different posts on a similar theme". Is that what one would share at different times just to mix things up so folks would not get annoyed at, say, seeing a Tweet for the same post several times a day? Just wanting to clarify and I appreciate the help. I do have to ramp up my marketing...
Yes exactly can always link back to the substack but in different ways … so like graphics with different quotes or pieces from newsletter, text only, a photo, a comment from a reader, short video, or related link to another piece, website, youtube, Amazon link, etc.
Hi Joan! Posting written content on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn is certainly a great start to getting exposure through social media, and it is the easiest since it is written content, which most writers have a plethora of.
But it is really just the beginning! There is much more growth to be hand on platforms like Pinterest, Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Pinterest alone gets 5 billion SEARCHES each month (source: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/pinterest-now-facilitates-more-than-5-billion-searches-per-month/600578/) This is just searches, like people typing in their interests to a search bar. There are most likely already people on these platforms who would love to consume your content! This is why it is important to get your content onto every platform :)
Thanks for this information. I had a pet blog for seven years and used Pinterest and, for a short time, Instagram. I'll have to look into this for sure, but aren't pinterest and Instagram dependant on photos/drawings of some kind? That's where I'm lost for use of these platforms with my current newsletter.
You are right, IG and Pinterest rely on images being shared. With tools like Canva, Adobe Illustrator, and now, Newsletter to Socials, you can create professional-looking graphics that encapsulate your main points, your hooks, your stats, and any other interesting pieces of your newsletter and writing. By reshaping this content, you can reach a whole new audience with the same piece of content. You have already done the hard part, you just need to get these tidbits of written content into image form!
Hey, I’m Martin, an indigenous author living in Vancouver. I just signed with an agent for my upcoming novel, The Damned Dance at Night. On top of prose, I co-create comics and am serializing a 300 page superhero murder mystery for FREE on my sub stack. https://martinjohn.substack.com/ Come and join in the fun!
Mason Currey's Subtle Maneuvers would be a great gift subscription for the artist, writer, or "creative" on your list. Always varied, always interesting.
I write Feed the Monster, "a monthly art practice journal for people who miss getting letters in the mail." My last issue is about my scary adventures in Clown School.
Fully agree on Mason Currey's work, both his newsletter and books. And I've already pointed a few writer friends towards this - https://on.substack.com/p/growing-advice-mason-currey - because it helped me understand a few things about myself that I'd never got my head around & presumed were me "doing it wrong"...
I recently started "This is bullshit and so can you," an absurd weekly newsletter with a little bit of everything: jokes, rants, insights, and a smattering of OCD. It's really dumb, marginally funny, and part of the core curriculum at ITT Tech.
I enjoy reading Jeff Maurer's I Might Be Wrong newsletter. He's funnier, more coherent, and probably has a higher credit score than I do. https://imightbewrong.substack.com/
Hi everyone! I write LMH in Your Inbox (lmh.substack.com), an essay and recommendations newsletter primarily focused on culture, identity, books, language, and writing. I post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Hey everyone! I write an outdoor newsletter called Cole's Climb, about applying lessons learned on the mountain to our daily lives. If that sounds appealing, please check mine out ;-)
But also, here to plug a great food news letter called Makans of a Chef. Her recipe is a great blend of informative cooking articles, and family heritage. Worth a read!
i've been writing newsletters since march, and have recently gone to a bi-weekly schedule. it would mean the world to me if you could check it out/subscribe for free. it's my hope to one day be a full-fledged music journalist, and this is where i've decided to get my start.
as well as being a huge music enthusiast, i also LOVE sports, specifically of the arizona variety. The Four Point Play is a newsletter that breaks down the best of Suns basketball. i love the game of basketball for its intricacies, and David does an excellent job breaking down some things you may see on the court, but may not fully notice. that can be found here - https://thefourpointplay.substack.com/
thanks for giving me the time of day, and i hope you have a great weekend! go suns!
I want to shout out a fellow serial fiction writer Kevin, who writes Kevin's Creative Corner. It includes the suspenseful serial The Machine, and the zany serial Conspiracy (aliens, Bigfoot, Hollywood.)
I'm liking all the shout outs to Cole's Climb, that's pretty cool and well deserved. His post today was great, maybe my favorite (but I'm a cyclist, so I'm biased).
For the fiction writers out there, I like perusing Alison Acheson's DIY The Unschool for Writers. It has tips and exercises for getting that novel working. Not that I care about novels (not really), but I find the posts insightful. https://diymfatheunschoolforwriters.substack.com/
If you're a poet working in this medium, please reach out: we are few and far between (or are we?). My sonnet project has been going on for six months now, passing thirty (thirty!) sonnets just last month. I'm really interested in connecting with others who are pursuing a more independent way of getting work out. And the shout out thread is so awesome to meet new work.
Hey, thanks for reading! Glad the cycling spoke to you. I think sonnets are a lost art, but I write them from time to time. Would you ever be open to doing a cross post? Maybe we can write sonnets for each other's sub-stacks?
And you write sonnets too?! The cross-sonnets posting on Substack is the best thing ever. If you do that, please report back on a shoutout - it's a story in itself!
This shoutout thread is becoming a highlight of my week. Love browsing and seeing what everyone's up to.
My shout is a shameless plug for my own newsletter 'Shelf of Crocodiles' ...but it's also for an author named Ian Duncan, a colleague of mine who stepped up for an in-depth interview.
Ian's six foot three and he greets you in a deep voice. Along with writing, he hikes the lower Appalachians, cuts down trees, and reads stories to his three (soon to be four) kids. He wrote the Cordyceps Trilogy, a series of bio-thrillers about the same fungal spores that infect and take over ants upgrading to the human population, (it's a real thing as far as ants are concerned... the there's some cool time-lapse footage of it).
He also recently published 'On Cove Mountain: Memoir of a Prodigal' a story about backpacking, working in construction, recovery from breakdown, dying to self and ego, and discovering redemption in the skillful hands of the greatest storyteller -- the God of Israel.
It's a smart homecoming story that holds nothing back. Ian's prose is potent, detailed, edgy and meandering... but always thoughtful. There's notes of Jon Krakauer, Annie Dillard... and now and again, comedians like Bill Burr.
Great to be in community with other great writers here! I've been writing an email newsletter for a few months and will be launching it on Substack next week!
I love writing and I write about:
⚫ Moving from the city to an island
⚫ Connecting with nature with my family
⚫ Working in the tech industry
⚫ Life lessons from pop culture
⚫ Personal essays
💡 Shout out: As a passionate community builder and engagement nerd, I've been enjoying Bailey Richardson's writing for Substack Communities.
📣 Great read: Here she provides links to a ton of resources she and Kevin have developed on how to foster vibrant communities. This is precisely why I wanted to be on Substack!
I also publish a newsletter about books where I share the best books I read each month as well as why you should read them https://beetlehope.substack.com/
Hello comrades in writing. I investigate pleasure -- what is it and why feeling good is so complicated. This week I'm talking to a neuroscientists with Parkinson's disease about what it means to feel good in a body that you can't control. Next week pleasure and plastic.
I'm giving a shout out to a fabulous writer Katie Gee Salisbury who writes an occasional series called Half-Caste Woman about Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star.
Wow, Anna May Wong is a total icon — so glad to see there's a whole Substack dedicated to her! Another history Substack I love is Run It Back, about Black Wall Street: https://runitback.substack.com/
Are you a tech nerd? Do you love futurism and cyberpunk? If so, you'll love The Drescher Drop!
Every edition explores the future of our world by looking at current trends in technology and innovation. We also review sci-fi books and movies, and get the latest news in futurism.
I'm a futurist writer and a tech journalist who loves digging into this stuff. Join here
As I've been digging further into my grandfather's love of and appreciation for birds in his own yard and at the Morton Arboretum, it's been neat to follow a fellow bird enthusiast's birdwatching journey here on Substack.
And it's not just the birds that I enjoy, but also the introspective and insightful musings on life during COVID.
Hi everyone. I'm Mike and I write about the sciencey weirdness of applied curiosity and all the good things it can do for your happiness & hopefulness.
My shoutout is for David Charles and his newsletter: https://davidcharles.substack.com/ Not only does he seem a thoroughly nice bloke, he is *excellent* at posing and answering interesting questions in a delightfully nerdy way, just because he got curious about them.
Also, this isn't a newsletter recommendation but this week I learned about Leaf Sheep, and if you've never encountered them, they will make your day 10,000% better so go have a look:
She probably doesn't need my help but Polina from The Profile is really an amazing writer, who does deep dives into the lives some incredible people. I've been really enjoying reading her blog.
Hi! I'd love to give a shoutout to The Friendly Freelancer by 2 journalists Selma Franssen and Linda Thompson. As a freelancer in Belgium, it's reassuring to read the experiences of others in the same boat with more experience!
Hi! I'm Asha, and I write Let Your Life Speak, which is a newsletter on rediscovering the lost art of integrity. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters, but my three favorites of the moment are Ask E Jean, by the amazing E Jean Carrol, Men Yell At Me, by lyz, and The Examined Family by Courtney Martin. They are all incredible, thoughtful, funny, brilliant women and great writers.
Hello again! I'm Ajinkya Goyal, and I write a newsletter called Innocently Macabre, boasting tales of the speculative, the gothic, and the weird and wonderful - there's something for everyone (and a perfect gift for that special fiction afficionado in your life)!
I'd like to recommend The Internet: Personified by Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan (https://mrm.substack.com/). I'm not too sure how to describe her newsletter since, to me, it's more of an emotion than a collection of words, but if I had to, it would be a slice-of-life look at the world from her lens. I look forward to every issue!
Hello everyone! My name is Julia, and I am a journalism student in California by way of Seattle! I am new to the shoutout thread and am so excited to read through the work everyone is sharing.
As a young writer, I have been really appreciating Jami Attenberg’s Craft Talk (https://1000wordsofsummer.substack.com/) as well as Jezz Chung’s Liberated Luxury (https://jezzchung.substack.com/). Both feel like such gifts in my inbox, and I am so grateful for the community and space that Substack has created.
I’ve also started a newsletter of my own (where I examine my relationship with my mom and have conversations with writers and others about their own) as part of a project for class, and it has turned into one of the most meaningful and exciting exercises in self-expression I have ever gotten to share. I’d be honored if you took a peak or subscribed :) https://questionstoaskyourmom.substack.com/
Great to see a journalism student here - I teach at Missouri's J school, and have been wondering how we can incorporate Substack and newsletters into our teaching, and also into our newsrooms. And, thanks for the shoutout on Jami Attenberg - I follow her on Insta and didn't even realize until recently that she is on Substack. Good luck with your newsletter - it sounds fascinating and I'll check it out and be in touch with you there!
Yes! Though I don't know if you can find how specific writers got to you, I know you can find where your subscribers are coming from. Go to dashboard, then tab over to stats and scroll down. It shows a complete list of where traffic is coming in from.
Substack's analytics are awesomeness. I only just realized that you can actually view how often and which posts your subscribers are reading/opening. It felt really intrusive, powerful, and omniscient all at once.
Thank you! What about specific subscribers, though? Today I've had a rush of a subscribers suddenly sign up and I'm wondering where they're all of a sudden coming from. Not that I'm complaining! :)
Also, the stats aren't that helpful because they're not complete. They only show where ten of my subscribers came from. The rest ... mystery.
I'm using 40 years of travel and journalism experience to tell stories from past adventures that illuminate the present in my newsletter, Backstory. I hope anyone interested in international politics, travel and humour will enjoy it! Most recent post on the outbreak of war in Yemen. https://backstory.substack.com/
I know - the guy writes masterpieces, is considered an extremely generous teacher, and shows up at book festivals all over the place (where he is also gracious, according to my colleagues that have hosted him here in the Midwest) - How in the heck does he have time for a Substack! But nevertheless I'm glad he's doing it!
Hi everyone. I've just passed the six-month mark on my Substack 'Listening Sessions' which is dedicated to music. I'm especially thrilled that my last piece, on jazz singers Jackie Cain & Roy Kral, outperformed all my previous posts. Check it out here: https://listeningsessions.substack.com/p/jackie-and-roy-musical-joie-de-vivre.
I'd love to give a shout-out to Black Music and Black Muses, Harmony Holiday's Substack. It's excellent and a must-read for me: https://harmonyholiday.substack.com/
Hey everyone! My name is Angelina and I'm a Nuyorican writer & artist, currently living in Puerto Rico. I run The Radical Newsletter, which is a weekly newsletter that shares articles, interviews, essays, fundraisers, etc — all centered around anti-racist work, as well as uplifting and supporting the BIPOC community. You can find it here: https:/theradicalnewsletter.substack.com
I highly recommend following Natalie Cruz who founded Food for Thought. It's an amazing newsletter, as she's an Afro-Latina writer, based in NYC, who's currently eating her way through the city, starting from A all the way to Z. She's got a great voice and shines a light on a ton of cultures' foods that aren't typically talked about. Plus, she interviews chefs, shares recipes, etc. Check her out here: https://nataliecruz.substack.com
I write the newsletter Allegorical, which focuses on finding meaning in the everyday things in life. Cooking, architecture, cultural traditions, that sort of thing. I also give real, actionable advice. If you’re interested, do check out my letters. Take care.
I recently enjoy reading from Cole Noble and Jill Lang and You Bailey just to mention few, but I noticed that everyone here are excellent writers, I get the sense.
Thanks again Bailey.
Love your support and sense of motivation. #HRH♥️👏👏👏
I'm really loving Kyle Rutkin's Tik Tok Gone. It's an episodic thriller, written in the format of a podcast. "Click Bait meets True Detective in the fictional thriller about the disappearance of TikTok Star, Evie Holiday, and one podcaster’s journey to discover the truth."
It's really good. I don't normally read thrillers or listen to true crime podcasts, but this one has me hooked. May have to borrow the idea/format for my own Substack at some point!
And as for my own Substack, I'm serializing my epic urban fantasy books (think Dungeons & Dragons + World of Warcraft in New York City) and giving a behind-the-scenes look at #authorlife.
Appreciate the shoutout! Here's a 30-day free trial for Shoutout Thread readers to check out the daily briefing that helps you "save time & stay smarter": https://chrisriback.substack.com/Shoutout
This may be a bit meta, but I just started a newsletter about growing your newsletter on social media! I am super passionate about social media and want to compile all the tips and tricks I have used to grow my newsletter. There is much low hanging fruit for writers to take advantage of!
Yes! For writers, I would say get social media into your workflow early on. As soon as you publish something new, have a set of steps you take after each issue. These steps shouldn't be optional! For me, I have a 25-30 item long checklist of social media activities I do after each publication which includes things like posting in certain subreddits, creating one list-based Instagram post, emailing these people, etc.
I think having consistent activities you take after each publication not only helps your social media grow but also saves you time in the long run. When you do the same activity time after time, you find ways to make these more efficient! and then you can focus more on writing :)
It is extremely basic! 1)Posting, then 2)Twitter, then 3)Facebook, then 4)Insta, then 5)Quora, and then 6) thanks to advice from Substacker Elle Griffin, Hacker News. I try engage on Quora and Hacker News while there. But as many Substack writers have pointed out, it's challenging striking a balance between all the engagement and conversation, and the deep thinking and writing required to fuel one's project. Your ideas here on subReddits and emailing people directly is also great. My project is basically about how Jane Austen is still connected to so many aspects of our culture and storytelling today - so for me it's all about finding and putting a microphone on the already-very-dynamic Jane conversations and community, which is a huge pleasure. Sounds like your longer list could be a Substack workshop!
Hello everyone! I'm Jill. I started a Substack publication on September 30 (Rumi's birthday) called the Misfit Star, devoted to the evolution of consciousness—free of Marxist ideology. I take fellow nonconforming citizens of the world on a quest to discover how ancient civilizations offer keys to understanding the convergence among science, spirituality and yoga. Full access includes love letters from me, relevant news, promotions, and exclusive content shared only with subscribers. The engine is just revving up.
Special shoutout to Meaghie Champion of The Line: It was this Substack post that first got my wheels turning on starting my own Substack publication. I think it may have been last spring I stumbled across it when Maxime Bernier shared it on Facebook.
And finally, I started a Substack Writers of Gab group for writers and readers of Substack writers to enjoy a censorship-free experience. I'd love to see some of you there!
I left socialist media! I couldn't handle it anymore, so I started a backup plan on a supposedly censorship-free platform. We'll see what we can get away with... Looking forward to playing with you in there!
Hello, basketball fans! I write a semi-weekly NBA analytics newsletter here where I go into the weeds about NBA trends: https://basketballpoetry.substack.com/.
I really enjoy Tom Ziller's daily basketball newsletter, where he provides thoughtful commentary on the biggest basketball news of the day: https://ziller.substack.com/.
I'm brand new to Substack, as I try to rid myself of the evil forces of Facebook and to fere myself to explore more lengthy, introspective writing instead of clicky writing. I'm trying to attract the right small number of people instead of large numbers of random people to follow along with my journey. So I'm aspiring to reach seekers, especially those mid-career. I have a unique perspective on prospecting for jobs, stemming from my experience in-house at startups as a PR lead. I never take the contrarian view for the sake of it; I default to the unpopular opinion, though, because that's where wisdom, in my experience, resides. I hope you'll come join me. https://dannygroner.substack.com/
Hi all. My name is James and I write History Killers, which synthesizes intellectual history, social commentary, and current events for a general readership. Under the History Killers banner, I will also be posting book reviews of notable works of history each month over the next year. Please consider subscribing (it's free!). As a historian, writer, and lecturer, I seek to make intellectual history comprehensible and more appreciated by the general populace through essays, research, and reviews. My work has covered everything from the U.S. Supreme Court to public art in Glasnost-era Russia. I want to give a shout out to two people on Substack who don't need my help but I nevertheless feel compelled to plug because of their incredible journalistic work, Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi.
I’d like to recommend author Navyo Ericsen’s humorous and thought-provoking Fear or Love (https://navyoericsen.substack.com/). I feel a special pride in this Substack since I’m the one who encouraged him to start it ;-)
“Letter to a Tyrant” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/letter-to-a-tyrant) is also on fire and getting lobbed at the likes of @BillGates, @wef, @JustinTrudeau, @POTUS, @BorisJohnson, and multiple governors, MPs, health officials, and other assorted tyrants worldwide.
Hey there! It's T. C. with another Inverted Gentleman Review (igreviews.substack.com). Today we take a look at Dune (2021). Later in this month we will discuss film adaptations of A Christmas Carol. In 2022 expect big things including another virtual film study class you can follow along with at home. And shoutout to Ruins who has been doing a great job keeping the conversation alive. Please stop on by and add to the discussion.
Hi Cory! Love the Instagram :) If you are looking to automate some of the burden of running social media, I created https://newslettertosocials.com to help auto-generate content directly from your publication! Let me now what you think :)
Hello! I'm Barry and I write Proximities, a daily newsletter that attempts to burst your media bubble by briefly highlighting three non-Western news stories and providing links should you wish to find out more about them.
I reckon Jimmy Doom's Roulette Weal might make a really good gift subscription for the fiction lover in your life. Something a little different and great value for money for all the writing they'll get throughout the year. https://jimmydoom.substack.com/
Hi everyone! I'm the writer of Ramblings Across the Spectrum, where I write essays about my personal experiences, including living with autism, and my thoughts on the world around me. I also write reviews for novels from the 70s and 80s, focusing on novels reaching their 40th and 50th anniversaries.
One newsletter I recommend is Bookmarked, which focuses on reviewing one novel from every country in the world.
Shaun Gold here. I write YouTopian Journey, a weekly newsletter based on the comic book of the same name that delivers motivation and inspiration to your inbox. There are almost 6,000 of us so far. Happy to do shout outs and cross promos if its a fit.
Hell hello! My newsletter is for anyone who cares about climate change and the environment, and wants easy, approachable ways to help our planet. Weekly I send through timely and impactful actions you can easily take in two minutes or less (i.e. a pre-scripted letter to a politician or corporate leader, a petition, or a script for a call) plus easy swaps you can make in your own life that wont take much time or headspace.
Closing out today's thread with a list of great writing to dig into! We hope you leave with a few good reads and new writers to connect with too.
We'll be back next week with Office Hours and return in the new year for a Shoutout Thread.
Happy reading,
Katie + Rose + Bailey + Kelsa + Jasmine + Ben + Evans + Maggie
Thanks, Katie.
Like a roller coaster it was fast, it was fun, and sometimes I was upside down.
Hi Rebekah,
While we are not here live after hours, we do keep our eyes on the thread. I encourage you to still drop a shoutout in!
That being said I know it is fun to be here live and we will do our best in the new year to accommodate more international writers.
Thanks for writing on Substack.
Howdy all you Substackers, and especially the fictionistas! I write Story Cauldron https://storycauldron.substack.com, in which I talk about storytelling and the writing process for writers and non-writers. Paid subscribers can also read my ongoing YA fantasy novel series The Favor Faeries.
I'd like to shout out Nicole Rivera, who recently launched her new Substack called Story Hoarder, where she is sharing short fiction she's been hanging on to in her secret story vault. She's an excellent writer who also runs the Stop Writing Alone community, and I encourage you to check out her Substack at https://storyhoarder.substack.com/
Welcome, Jackie! Thank you for always showing up, and being so generous with other writers!
+1!!
I love your content about the writing process. Story Cauldron is great!
Good morning from Seattle everyone! I decided to write a newsletter about parenting from the dad's perspective. There are so many amazing momblogs out there but not enough dad's talking about the funny and weird things we experience as parents. I include humorous stories from my childhood as the 3rd of 4 kids to divorced parents. Take a look and follow if you're interested. Thanks! dadstories.substack.com
This is great! You might like http://thenewfatherhood.org/ as well.
Oh this is great! just subscribed. Thanks so much for sharing!
I'm a single father. Subscribed.
Great stories! I moved from Seattle to Whidbey Island and love reading about the honest, real parenting. Good to meet and excited to read more!
hey Hillarie - I'm a bit north of you on Salt Spring Island!
Did you know about the Civility First organization there? They are doing great work!
Ah! So jealous of anyone who lives on Whidbey. Such a calm tranquil place. Thanks so much for the follow and looking forward to reading your newsletter too!
Tranquil...as I listen to the Naval Air Station jets rumble overhead....in Anacortes. Tranquility has many sounds. Puget is one. Freedom is another. The noise is tranquil.
Really cool to hear you tackling this subject, I'll take a look. Interestingly enough, I just had another great writer, Jeff Matlow do a guest post on my newsletter about parenting! If you think there could be some cool over-lap, let me know!
Man I just subscribed and can already tell I'm going to love it. My wife and I hike a bunch and we did a 4 month road trip with our kids from March - July of this year where we took them to 8 national parks and introduced them to a lot of hiking. I think it could be a cool guest post if you're open to it?
Hi everyone! I write slice-of-life humor. I'd like to recommend two newsletters that make great gifts.
For the history buffs, you can't beat Unruly Figures by Valorie Clark. https://unrulyfigures.substack.com/
For those looking for fun gift ideas, you just can't go wrong with Adventure Snack by Geoffrey Golden. https://adventuresnack.substack.com/
Unruly figures is amazing. I've been keeping tabs on that stack since before the first pub. The time and care that goes into researching these people is so evident. As someone who loves history but hates the way the school system teaches it, I think this also has genuine merit as an educational resource.
!!!!! This is the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about anything I’ve ever done! 🥲
100%!
Thanks for the recommendations! I do a humor newsletter as well, so I'm always excited to see what other humor writers are up to. I'll check yours out too!
Two great recommendations. I'll have to check out your pub now :)
Thanks, hope you enjoy it!
Omg I’m going to cry. Thank you!
Hello Everyone! I have a monthly newsletter called For the Love of Nature that focuses on positive news in the world of environmentalism/ sustainability. I try to keep it light-hearted and funny. I hope you check it out!
I also really enjoy Gooped by Trixie and Katya. The newsletter is broken into weekly recommendations and advice columns, and it's always hilarious. If you're looking for a good laugh, you should subscribe.
Awesome! Definitely checking it out. Our newsletters seemed pretty aligned in values and theme. I provide approachable climate activism and sustainable swaps through the lens of positivity and appreciation for nature, incase you'd like to check it out.
I'm currently reading Apocalypse Never. I plan to review it soon, January or February.
Hi! My name is Krager and I created a tool for Substack writers looking to grow their following. I'm curious, what actions do you take write after you publish your issue? Do you use social media?
I personally struggled with finding the motivation to create effective social media activity from my Substack. To help, I created https://newslettertosocials.com which will auto-generate ready-to-post social media assets directly from your newsletter. It's like Canva, but specifically for newsletter writers, and automatic! It takes less than 30 seconds to generate a post.
https://newslettertosocials.substack.com/p/why-social-media-is-the-best-way
Way cool ... thanks for creating and sharing Krager.
Of course! Let me know if there are any forms of media or templates that would help your publication and journey. The tool is in its early stages and I plan to build it out for writers!
I just signed up and did a quick review but will be doing a deeper dive shortly. Some social is difficult because books are vertical, not square or horizontal. In the past, we often had to create montages to make it work. Most are better now offer different sizes but still can be a time-consuming effort even if you love creating yourself as I do.
Thank you, Liz.
I agree some social can be difficult, but only until I figure it out. Once we are all settled; then we are ready.
e.g, for three days I have tried to adjust my photo on my profile and send a Newsletter, but for some reason it never accept the changes I made.
So like you said, sometimes is just a matter of time…
As an author and book publisher and with my side gig on substack, social is always a conversation I am having with my clients and fellow author friends. Any tool that makes it easier is huge. Will be leveling up and recommending.
Thanks so much! Happy to make any introduction and build new features for the community!
To clarify, you mentioned trouble with getting book covers into your assets because of the different vertical sizes of a book cover. Would templates that fit these book cover sizes be useful? Could you give me an example book cover size? Thanks!
Most non-fiction and fiction books are either 6" wide x 9" tall or 5.5" wide x 8.5" tall ... our children's books do better as they are mostly square 8.5" wide x 8.5" tall ... occassionally 11" wide x 6.5" tall ... thanks
I like this idea! I personally do try to share on social media, but it takes a lot of time!
Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I share each post on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn at least once immediately after publishing and it takes less than 5 minutes. I write a little something with each share and try to tweak it each time. Anyone else have thoughts on the use of social media?
Joan that is great but in my experience most social feeds run so fast that only sharing once rarely helps as most people never even see it. Twitter has a half-life of 15-20 minutes; Facebook 30-45 minutes to 6 hours (sources vary i think first); Instagram 19 hours; Linkedin 24 hours; and Pintrest 3.5 months. So depending on your platform ... you must share multiple times if you want anyone to see it besides your very best friends and so sharing different posts on a similar theme is much more beneficial. Posting multiple times which is what is needed for a sale is often hard for people (at least my clients/people).
Great information—thanks! Not sure what you mean by "sharing different posts on a similar theme". Is that what one would share at different times just to mix things up so folks would not get annoyed at, say, seeing a Tweet for the same post several times a day? Just wanting to clarify and I appreciate the help. I do have to ramp up my marketing...
Yes exactly can always link back to the substack but in different ways … so like graphics with different quotes or pieces from newsletter, text only, a photo, a comment from a reader, short video, or related link to another piece, website, youtube, Amazon link, etc.
Hi Joan! Posting written content on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn is certainly a great start to getting exposure through social media, and it is the easiest since it is written content, which most writers have a plethora of.
But it is really just the beginning! There is much more growth to be hand on platforms like Pinterest, Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Pinterest alone gets 5 billion SEARCHES each month (source: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/pinterest-now-facilitates-more-than-5-billion-searches-per-month/600578/) This is just searches, like people typing in their interests to a search bar. There are most likely already people on these platforms who would love to consume your content! This is why it is important to get your content onto every platform :)
There are more reasons which I do a deep dive here: https://newslettertosocials.substack.com/p/why-social-media-is-the-best-way
Thanks for this information. I had a pet blog for seven years and used Pinterest and, for a short time, Instagram. I'll have to look into this for sure, but aren't pinterest and Instagram dependant on photos/drawings of some kind? That's where I'm lost for use of these platforms with my current newsletter.
You are right, IG and Pinterest rely on images being shared. With tools like Canva, Adobe Illustrator, and now, Newsletter to Socials, you can create professional-looking graphics that encapsulate your main points, your hooks, your stats, and any other interesting pieces of your newsletter and writing. By reshaping this content, you can reach a whole new audience with the same piece of content. You have already done the hard part, you just need to get these tidbits of written content into image form!
That is actually what the tool I build takes care of: https://newslettertosocials.com
Thanks so much—I will check out your site.
I totally agree! I wanted to spend more time writing, but still wanted to have a social media presence of course.
Can't wait to check this out. I need this!!
Awesome! Let me know what you think :) Glad to know other writers needed this like I did
Dope!
Thanks :)
Hey, I’m Martin, an indigenous author living in Vancouver. I just signed with an agent for my upcoming novel, The Damned Dance at Night. On top of prose, I co-create comics and am serializing a 300 page superhero murder mystery for FREE on my sub stack. https://martinjohn.substack.com/ Come and join in the fun!
Congrats on getting representation. That's an amazing accomplishment!
Thanks Cory. Just signed this week.
You had me at comics
I make some interesting comics. So...;)
Both of you have really good art. Maybe there is room for cross promotion...
Yes, a huge congrats!
Wow these are super legit! Bravo!
Thanks! My problem is getting eyes on our work! Sub stack threads like this have been a big help!
Hey Martin, I just subscribed!
Thanks Carol!!!
this sounds awesome!
Mason Currey's Subtle Maneuvers would be a great gift subscription for the artist, writer, or "creative" on your list. Always varied, always interesting.
https://masoncurrey.substack.com/
I write Feed the Monster, "a monthly art practice journal for people who miss getting letters in the mail." My last issue is about my scary adventures in Clown School.
Fully agree on Mason Currey's work, both his newsletter and books. And I've already pointed a few writer friends towards this - https://on.substack.com/p/growing-advice-mason-currey - because it helped me understand a few things about myself that I'd never got my head around & presumed were me "doing it wrong"...
Agreed. Mason is so thoughtful!
Oh yeah, I loved the Mary Ruefle edition.
I recently started "This is bullshit and so can you," an absurd weekly newsletter with a little bit of everything: jokes, rants, insights, and a smattering of OCD. It's really dumb, marginally funny, and part of the core curriculum at ITT Tech.
I enjoy reading Jeff Maurer's I Might Be Wrong newsletter. He's funnier, more coherent, and probably has a higher credit score than I do. https://imightbewrong.substack.com/
ALSO, just popped over and read your piece comparing OCD to listening to Mambo No. 5. SO GOOD. TAKE MY SUBSCRIPTION DAMN IT
Thank you so much!! Really appreciate that
Wow that is an *incredible* title.
Thanks Bailey! I appreciate the confidence boost
I also love the title! gotta check it out!
Thanks for sharing! I also do humor so I love connecting with fellow humor writers and seeing what they're up to.
For sure--I'll definitely take a look and I'd love to connect!
Yup, for sure you came up with a great title! Going to check out your content right now.
Omg, what an incredible title. I’m subscribing to yours and Jeff’s now!
What a title I would say, but I love it. Shouts to Amadeus.
Hi everyone! I write LMH in Your Inbox (lmh.substack.com), an essay and recommendations newsletter primarily focused on culture, identity, books, language, and writing. I post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
I love:
- Brandon Taylor's Sweater Weather (https://blgtylr.substack.com/)
- Helena Fitzgerald's Griefbacon (griefbacon.substack.com)
- Anne Helen Petersen's Culture Study (annehelen.substack.com)
- Emily Oster's Parent Data, great for the science-minded, not just parents (emilyoster.substack.com)
Love Brandon Taylor! Didn't know he had a newsletter! Thanks!
It's excellent. I don't know how he writes as much as he does
Hey everyone! I write an outdoor newsletter called Cole's Climb, about applying lessons learned on the mountain to our daily lives. If that sounds appealing, please check mine out ;-)
But also, here to plug a great food news letter called Makans of a Chef. Her recipe is a great blend of informative cooking articles, and family heritage. Worth a read!
https://jennifermakan.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
hey! my name is vaughan, and i write Music Is Good (https://musicisgood.substack.com), a newsletter where i discuss different current events in music/review albums. my most recent edition is a "best of the month" for november, including some words on taylor swift's re-issue of "red" and others! it can be found here - https://musicisgood.substack.com/p/best-of-november-taylor-swift-and
i've been writing newsletters since march, and have recently gone to a bi-weekly schedule. it would mean the world to me if you could check it out/subscribe for free. it's my hope to one day be a full-fledged music journalist, and this is where i've decided to get my start.
as well as being a huge music enthusiast, i also LOVE sports, specifically of the arizona variety. The Four Point Play is a newsletter that breaks down the best of Suns basketball. i love the game of basketball for its intricacies, and David does an excellent job breaking down some things you may see on the court, but may not fully notice. that can be found here - https://thefourpointplay.substack.com/
thanks for giving me the time of day, and i hope you have a great weekend! go suns!
Thanks for stopping by, Vaughan! Going to scope out your recent post on Courtney Barnett.... :)
Hey, you got me on music 🎶 Damn, I just love discovering other music-focused newsletters here on Substack 🎶 You've got yourself a new subscriber ✔️
I want to shout out a fellow serial fiction writer Kevin, who writes Kevin's Creative Corner. It includes the suspenseful serial The Machine, and the zany serial Conspiracy (aliens, Bigfoot, Hollywood.)
https://kevinmoran.substack.com
Hi there Mark!
Hi Bailey. Happy Shoutout Day!
New to Substack as a writer since August 2021, I am gradually discovering interesting newsletters on the platform like:
https://colenoble.substack.com/
https://weekintime.substack.com/
The format of Substack is great for readers and writers.
Keep up the good work everyone !
Hey thanks for your shoutout. Love your newsletter too!
I'm liking all the shout outs to Cole's Climb, that's pretty cool and well deserved. His post today was great, maybe my favorite (but I'm a cyclist, so I'm biased).
For the fiction writers out there, I like perusing Alison Acheson's DIY The Unschool for Writers. It has tips and exercises for getting that novel working. Not that I care about novels (not really), but I find the posts insightful. https://diymfatheunschoolforwriters.substack.com/
If you're a poet working in this medium, please reach out: we are few and far between (or are we?). My sonnet project has been going on for six months now, passing thirty (thirty!) sonnets just last month. I'm really interested in connecting with others who are pursuing a more independent way of getting work out. And the shout out thread is so awesome to meet new work.
Hey, thanks for reading! Glad the cycling spoke to you. I think sonnets are a lost art, but I write them from time to time. Would you ever be open to doing a cross post? Maybe we can write sonnets for each other's sub-stacks?
And you write sonnets too?! The cross-sonnets posting on Substack is the best thing ever. If you do that, please report back on a shoutout - it's a story in itself!
This shoutout thread is becoming a highlight of my week. Love browsing and seeing what everyone's up to.
My shout is a shameless plug for my own newsletter 'Shelf of Crocodiles' ...but it's also for an author named Ian Duncan, a colleague of mine who stepped up for an in-depth interview.
Ian's six foot three and he greets you in a deep voice. Along with writing, he hikes the lower Appalachians, cuts down trees, and reads stories to his three (soon to be four) kids. He wrote the Cordyceps Trilogy, a series of bio-thrillers about the same fungal spores that infect and take over ants upgrading to the human population, (it's a real thing as far as ants are concerned... the there's some cool time-lapse footage of it).
He also recently published 'On Cove Mountain: Memoir of a Prodigal' a story about backpacking, working in construction, recovery from breakdown, dying to self and ego, and discovering redemption in the skillful hands of the greatest storyteller -- the God of Israel.
It's a smart homecoming story that holds nothing back. Ian's prose is potent, detailed, edgy and meandering... but always thoughtful. There's notes of Jon Krakauer, Annie Dillard... and now and again, comedians like Bill Burr.
Here's the interview: https://crocodileshelf.substack.com/p/on-cove-mountain-with-ian-duncan
And here's Ian: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5444508.Ian_Duncan
Happy reading and posting!
Hey everyone!
Great to be in community with other great writers here! I've been writing an email newsletter for a few months and will be launching it on Substack next week!
I love writing and I write about:
⚫ Moving from the city to an island
⚫ Connecting with nature with my family
⚫ Working in the tech industry
⚫ Life lessons from pop culture
⚫ Personal essays
💡 Shout out: As a passionate community builder and engagement nerd, I've been enjoying Bailey Richardson's writing for Substack Communities.
📣 Great read: Here she provides links to a ton of resources she and Kevin have developed on how to foster vibrant communities. This is precisely why I wanted to be on Substack!
https://gettogether.substack.com/p/people-and-company-is-joining-the
Welcome Hillarie!
If you are a reader like me, you might want to check out "What to Read If" https://whattoreadif.substack.com/
I also publish a newsletter about books where I share the best books I read each month as well as why you should read them https://beetlehope.substack.com/
I subscribed to both. Books are life!
They are! I hope you will enjoy it.
Thanks for the shoutout Nadia! I love your work.
Hello comrades in writing. I investigate pleasure -- what is it and why feeling good is so complicated. This week I'm talking to a neuroscientists with Parkinson's disease about what it means to feel good in a body that you can't control. Next week pleasure and plastic.
I'm giving a shout out to a fabulous writer Katie Gee Salisbury who writes an occasional series called Half-Caste Woman about Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star.
https://halfcastewoman.substack.com/
And, of course, if you aren't already following Patti Smith, she is rocking this medium with her voice memos.
https://pattismith.substack.com/
Wow, Anna May Wong is a total icon — so glad to see there's a whole Substack dedicated to her! Another history Substack I love is Run It Back, about Black Wall Street: https://runitback.substack.com/
Hey, everyone! KB here from the Philippines 🏝️
My Substack is about:
-storytelling
-making journals and zines
-building creative communities
-being human
I hope to connect with people who share about their creative processes!
My current fave read is a newly launched page: https://merie.substack.com
Mabuhay!
Are you a tech nerd? Do you love futurism and cyberpunk? If so, you'll love The Drescher Drop!
Every edition explores the future of our world by looking at current trends in technology and innovation. We also review sci-fi books and movies, and get the latest news in futurism.
I'm a futurist writer and a tech journalist who loves digging into this stuff. Join here
https://nathanadrescher.substack.com/welcome
Dope!
Rad! Welcome, Nathan. Are there any Substack pubs you've been enjoying lately?
Yessir! I really enjoy Common Sense with Bari Weiss
https://bariweiss.substack.com/
Lance by Anna Codrea-Rado is really great for freelancers
https://annacodrearado.substack.com/
Dr. Annette Laing's Non-Boring History is awesome
https://annettelaing.substack.com/?utm_source=discover_search
Yes, I second the shout-out for Non-Boring History. I'll check out the other two as well.
I like both of those things... even though I both like writing about and spending time in the outdoors. I'll take a look!
I've been truly enjoying The Big Yard: Birdwatching in the Time of Quarantine.
https://kenlamberton.substack.com/
As I've been digging further into my grandfather's love of and appreciation for birds in his own yard and at the Morton Arboretum, it's been neat to follow a fellow bird enthusiast's birdwatching journey here on Substack.
And it's not just the birds that I enjoy, but also the introspective and insightful musings on life during COVID.
big yard is a great read. I'm still struggling to get cool pictures of some of the birds near me. This stack has been super inspiring for that.
Agreed! It opens my eyes to another way of seeing the world
Such a wonderful title.
Hi everyone. I'm Mike and I write about the sciencey weirdness of applied curiosity and all the good things it can do for your happiness & hopefulness.
My shoutout is for David Charles and his newsletter: https://davidcharles.substack.com/ Not only does he seem a thoroughly nice bloke, he is *excellent* at posing and answering interesting questions in a delightfully nerdy way, just because he got curious about them.
Case in point: no, we don't lose 40-50% of our bodyheat through our heads: https://davidcharles.substack.com/p/on-sneezing
Also, this isn't a newsletter recommendation but this week I learned about Leaf Sheep, and if you've never encountered them, they will make your day 10,000% better so go have a look:
https://www.boredpanda.com/leaf-sheep-sea-slug-costasiella-kuroshimae/
(Yes, they're absolutely real: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costasiella_kuroshimae).
You're right that made my day 10,000% better!
Thank you, Jane. I read your message early today. Thanks for supporting…
Hello Mike. ALWAYS a pleasure to see you here!
Aw. *shuffles feet, mumbles Britishly*
I'm intrigued! Signed up :)
I'm loving your newsletter!
That's so kind of you to say, Karen. :) Thank you!
She probably doesn't need my help but Polina from The Profile is really an amazing writer, who does deep dives into the lives some incredible people. I've been really enjoying reading her blog.
https://theprofile.substack.com/
I'm just happy I've gotten to post weekly (first goal!) in my newsletter about nature and life. I'm reading so many great newsletters, including:
Culture Study (great community threads!) https://annehelen.substack.com
The Big Yard (birds and life!) https://kenlamberton.substack.com
My Sweet Dumb Brain (life and life and life) https://mysweetdumbbrain.substack.com
So Relatable (writing!) https://sorelatable.substack.com
I apologize to whomever I missed!
I know who I missed! I missed Everything is Amazing! Sorry Mike! https://everythingisamazing.substack.com
Good list. I had not heard of these! Thanks.
Yours is a joy, Karen, and while I'm playing catchup (as with pretty much everything in my Inbox), please know your work is being appreciated.
Thank you! And boy do I understand.
Brava, Karen!!
Hi! I'd love to give a shoutout to The Friendly Freelancer by 2 journalists Selma Franssen and Linda Thompson. As a freelancer in Belgium, it's reassuring to read the experiences of others in the same boat with more experience!
https://thefriendlyfreelancer.substack.com/
Hi! I'm Asha, and I write Let Your Life Speak, which is a newsletter on rediscovering the lost art of integrity. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters, but my three favorites of the moment are Ask E Jean, by the amazing E Jean Carrol, Men Yell At Me, by lyz, and The Examined Family by Courtney Martin. They are all incredible, thoughtful, funny, brilliant women and great writers.
https://ejeancarroll.substack.com/
https://lyz.substack.com/
https://courtney.substack.com/
Oh! And in a month I'll hit my one-year anniversary of my newsletter, and on the same day I turn 50! Woo-hoo!
Congratulations and happy birthday early!
Hi there wonderful Asha!!
Hello, wonderful Bailey!
Asha. Congratulations in advance. Can’t wait to shoutout to you and for you. Thank you.
Hello again! I'm Ajinkya Goyal, and I write a newsletter called Innocently Macabre, boasting tales of the speculative, the gothic, and the weird and wonderful - there's something for everyone (and a perfect gift for that special fiction afficionado in your life)!
I'd like to recommend The Internet: Personified by Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan (https://mrm.substack.com/). I'm not too sure how to describe her newsletter since, to me, it's more of an emotion than a collection of words, but if I had to, it would be a slice-of-life look at the world from her lens. I look forward to every issue!
Innocently Macabre is such a great pub name.
Hello everyone! My name is Julia, and I am a journalism student in California by way of Seattle! I am new to the shoutout thread and am so excited to read through the work everyone is sharing.
As a young writer, I have been really appreciating Jami Attenberg’s Craft Talk (https://1000wordsofsummer.substack.com/) as well as Jezz Chung’s Liberated Luxury (https://jezzchung.substack.com/). Both feel like such gifts in my inbox, and I am so grateful for the community and space that Substack has created.
I’ve also started a newsletter of my own (where I examine my relationship with my mom and have conversations with writers and others about their own) as part of a project for class, and it has turned into one of the most meaningful and exciting exercises in self-expression I have ever gotten to share. I’d be honored if you took a peak or subscribed :) https://questionstoaskyourmom.substack.com/
Great to see a journalism student here - I teach at Missouri's J school, and have been wondering how we can incorporate Substack and newsletters into our teaching, and also into our newsrooms. And, thanks for the shoutout on Jami Attenberg - I follow her on Insta and didn't even realize until recently that she is on Substack. Good luck with your newsletter - it sounds fascinating and I'll check it out and be in touch with you there!
When I get new subscribers to my newsletter, is there any way to find out where they found my site or where they were coming from when they signed up?
Yes! Though I don't know if you can find how specific writers got to you, I know you can find where your subscribers are coming from. Go to dashboard, then tab over to stats and scroll down. It shows a complete list of where traffic is coming in from.
TY Cole!!
Substack's analytics are awesomeness. I only just realized that you can actually view how often and which posts your subscribers are reading/opening. It felt really intrusive, powerful, and omniscient all at once.
Thank you! What about specific subscribers, though? Today I've had a rush of a subscribers suddenly sign up and I'm wondering where they're all of a sudden coming from. Not that I'm complaining! :)
Also, the stats aren't that helpful because they're not complete. They only show where ten of my subscribers came from. The rest ... mystery.
I'm using 40 years of travel and journalism experience to tell stories from past adventures that illuminate the present in my newsletter, Backstory. I hope anyone interested in international politics, travel and humour will enjoy it! Most recent post on the outbreak of war in Yemen. https://backstory.substack.com/
next one will be about Sudan/Darfur, or possibly about the single coffee bean I've managed to grow in Wales...
Wow!
Would love to meet this bean!
Should I call it Mister? It's gonna be a small espresso, but definitely home-grown!
And I just saw George Saunders is now on Substack: https://on.substack.com/p/george-saunders-welcome-to-substack
Blimey.
We're excited!
I know - the guy writes masterpieces, is considered an extremely generous teacher, and shows up at book festivals all over the place (where he is also gracious, according to my colleagues that have hosted him here in the Midwest) - How in the heck does he have time for a Substack! But nevertheless I'm glad he's doing it!
Hi everyone. I've just passed the six-month mark on my Substack 'Listening Sessions' which is dedicated to music. I'm especially thrilled that my last piece, on jazz singers Jackie Cain & Roy Kral, outperformed all my previous posts. Check it out here: https://listeningsessions.substack.com/p/jackie-and-roy-musical-joie-de-vivre.
I'd love to give a shout-out to Black Music and Black Muses, Harmony Holiday's Substack. It's excellent and a must-read for me: https://harmonyholiday.substack.com/
Music is life 🎶 I'm addicted to finding new sounds, so I'd gladly subscribe to Listening Sessions ✔️
Thank you and welcome aboard!
Amazing shoutout. Harmony is a wonderful voice!
Hey everyone! My name is Angelina and I'm a Nuyorican writer & artist, currently living in Puerto Rico. I run The Radical Newsletter, which is a weekly newsletter that shares articles, interviews, essays, fundraisers, etc — all centered around anti-racist work, as well as uplifting and supporting the BIPOC community. You can find it here: https:/theradicalnewsletter.substack.com
I highly recommend following Natalie Cruz who founded Food for Thought. It's an amazing newsletter, as she's an Afro-Latina writer, based in NYC, who's currently eating her way through the city, starting from A all the way to Z. She's got a great voice and shines a light on a ton of cultures' foods that aren't typically talked about. Plus, she interviews chefs, shares recipes, etc. Check her out here: https://nataliecruz.substack.com
I was just in PR and learned so much. subscribing to your pub!
(Natalie is one of my favorite food writers on Substack, too :)
Thank you, Bailey. I enjoy reading and learning from your post.
thank you so much 😊 i hope you enjoy it!
Dear Friends,
I write the newsletter Allegorical, which focuses on finding meaning in the everyday things in life. Cooking, architecture, cultural traditions, that sort of thing. I also give real, actionable advice. If you’re interested, do check out my letters. Take care.
Awesome! Are there any other writers you are enjoying reading lately?
New observation.
I recently enjoy reading from Cole Noble and Jill Lang and You Bailey just to mention few, but I noticed that everyone here are excellent writers, I get the sense.
Thanks again Bailey.
Love your support and sense of motivation. #HRH♥️👏👏👏
I'm really loving Kyle Rutkin's Tik Tok Gone. It's an episodic thriller, written in the format of a podcast. "Click Bait meets True Detective in the fictional thriller about the disappearance of TikTok Star, Evie Holiday, and one podcaster’s journey to discover the truth."
https://tiktikgone.substack.com/p/episode-1
Wow what a unique idea!
It's really good. I don't normally read thrillers or listen to true crime podcasts, but this one has me hooked. May have to borrow the idea/format for my own Substack at some point!
And as for my own Substack, I'm serializing my epic urban fantasy books (think Dungeons & Dragons + World of Warcraft in New York City) and giving a behind-the-scenes look at #authorlife.
Chris Riback has the absolute best news roundup that comes to you every morning at around 7 a.m. ET Sign up here: https://chrisriback.substack.com/
Appreciate the shoutout! Here's a 30-day free trial for Shoutout Thread readers to check out the daily briefing that helps you "save time & stay smarter": https://chrisriback.substack.com/Shoutout
Have to circle back around to plug an absolute Gem that always makes me crack up: Ye Olde Tyme News.
Humorous, satirical articles that are written in (mostly) period-accurate dialect.
https://www.yeoldetymenews.com
This may be a bit meta, but I just started a newsletter about growing your newsletter on social media! I am super passionate about social media and want to compile all the tips and tricks I have used to grow my newsletter. There is much low hanging fruit for writers to take advantage of!
Here is my first issue: https://newslettertosocials.substack.com/p/why-social-media-is-the-best-way
Krager, what a helpful issue - and congrats on the Newsletter to Socials tool - looks great!
Thanks! https://newslettertosocials.com/ I hope the tool can help other writers like it helped me with social media!
So curious if you have any key tips about social media growth you could share with other writers here...!
Yes! For writers, I would say get social media into your workflow early on. As soon as you publish something new, have a set of steps you take after each issue. These steps shouldn't be optional! For me, I have a 25-30 item long checklist of social media activities I do after each publication which includes things like posting in certain subreddits, creating one list-based Instagram post, emailing these people, etc.
I think having consistent activities you take after each publication not only helps your social media grow but also saves you time in the long run. When you do the same activity time after time, you find ways to make these more efficient! and then you can focus more on writing :)
Great advice - thanks for sharing. I have about seven things I do after each post/publish, so I need to increase that by about 10 immediately! :)
I'd love to hear! What things are on your list?
It is extremely basic! 1)Posting, then 2)Twitter, then 3)Facebook, then 4)Insta, then 5)Quora, and then 6) thanks to advice from Substacker Elle Griffin, Hacker News. I try engage on Quora and Hacker News while there. But as many Substack writers have pointed out, it's challenging striking a balance between all the engagement and conversation, and the deep thinking and writing required to fuel one's project. Your ideas here on subReddits and emailing people directly is also great. My project is basically about how Jane Austen is still connected to so many aspects of our culture and storytelling today - so for me it's all about finding and putting a microphone on the already-very-dynamic Jane conversations and community, which is a huge pleasure. Sounds like your longer list could be a Substack workshop!
Hello everyone! I'm Jill. I started a Substack publication on September 30 (Rumi's birthday) called the Misfit Star, devoted to the evolution of consciousness—free of Marxist ideology. I take fellow nonconforming citizens of the world on a quest to discover how ancient civilizations offer keys to understanding the convergence among science, spirituality and yoga. Full access includes love letters from me, relevant news, promotions, and exclusive content shared only with subscribers. The engine is just revving up.
Special shoutout to Meaghie Champion of The Line: It was this Substack post that first got my wheels turning on starting my own Substack publication. I think it may have been last spring I stumbled across it when Maxime Bernier shared it on Facebook.
https://theline.substack.com/p/meaghie-champion-the-plot-to-hack
As for holiday gift subscriptions? Drew McWeeny, the eighties guy who writes The Last '80s Newsletter (You'll Ever Need). Check him out!
https://thelast80snewsletter.substack.com/
And finally, I started a Substack Writers of Gab group for writers and readers of Substack writers to enjoy a censorship-free experience. I'd love to see some of you there!
https://gab.com/groups/54544
Dope
Oh hey!
I'm going to hop in an join you... I'm concerned about twitter's recent turn and think it's good to have a backup plan!
I left socialist media! I couldn't handle it anymore, so I started a backup plan on a supposedly censorship-free platform. We'll see what we can get away with... Looking forward to playing with you in there!
Congratulations Jill. You are doing wonderful.
Hello, basketball fans! I write a semi-weekly NBA analytics newsletter here where I go into the weeds about NBA trends: https://basketballpoetry.substack.com/.
I really enjoy Tom Ziller's daily basketball newsletter, where he provides thoughtful commentary on the biggest basketball news of the day: https://ziller.substack.com/.
Basketball Poetry is a great name. I love it!
I'm brand new to Substack, as I try to rid myself of the evil forces of Facebook and to fere myself to explore more lengthy, introspective writing instead of clicky writing. I'm trying to attract the right small number of people instead of large numbers of random people to follow along with my journey. So I'm aspiring to reach seekers, especially those mid-career. I have a unique perspective on prospecting for jobs, stemming from my experience in-house at startups as a PR lead. I never take the contrarian view for the sake of it; I default to the unpopular opinion, though, because that's where wisdom, in my experience, resides. I hope you'll come join me. https://dannygroner.substack.com/
Hi all. My name is James and I write History Killers, which synthesizes intellectual history, social commentary, and current events for a general readership. Under the History Killers banner, I will also be posting book reviews of notable works of history each month over the next year. Please consider subscribing (it's free!). As a historian, writer, and lecturer, I seek to make intellectual history comprehensible and more appreciated by the general populace through essays, research, and reviews. My work has covered everything from the U.S. Supreme Court to public art in Glasnost-era Russia. I want to give a shout out to two people on Substack who don't need my help but I nevertheless feel compelled to plug because of their incredible journalistic work, Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi.
I’d like to recommend author Navyo Ericsen’s humorous and thought-provoking Fear or Love (https://navyoericsen.substack.com/). I feel a special pride in this Substack since I’m the one who encouraged him to start it ;-)
Those of you who had to endure awkward smalltalk with politely disagreeing relatives around the holiday dinnertable last week may appreciate my “Letter to an Agree-to-Disagree Relative” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/letter-to-an-agree-to-disagree-relative).
“Letter to a Tyrant” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/letter-to-a-tyrant) is also on fire and getting lobbed at the likes of @BillGates, @wef, @JustinTrudeau, @POTUS, @BorisJohnson, and multiple governors, MPs, health officials, and other assorted tyrants worldwide.
Thanks, Margaret!!
My pleasure :-)
Hey there! It's T. C. with another Inverted Gentleman Review (igreviews.substack.com). Today we take a look at Dune (2021). Later in this month we will discuss film adaptations of A Christmas Carol. In 2022 expect big things including another virtual film study class you can follow along with at home. And shoutout to Ruins who has been doing a great job keeping the conversation alive. Please stop on by and add to the discussion.
📚📚📚 Hello all Book Lovers! I write a bookstack at https://goodwinreads.com. All about books—reviews, TBRs, wrap-ups, hauls, etc. You can also follow my bookstagram on https://instagram.com/goodwinreads ❤️❤️❤️
Cool, I'm a bookaholic myself. Subscribed ✔️
Hi Cory! Love the Instagram :) If you are looking to automate some of the burden of running social media, I created https://newslettertosocials.com to help auto-generate content directly from your publication! Let me now what you think :)
Hello! I'm Barry and I write Proximities, a daily newsletter that attempts to burst your media bubble by briefly highlighting three non-Western news stories and providing links should you wish to find out more about them.
I reckon Jimmy Doom's Roulette Weal might make a really good gift subscription for the fiction lover in your life. Something a little different and great value for money for all the writing they'll get throughout the year. https://jimmydoom.substack.com/
+1 for Proximities!
Thanks, Sharif!!!
Hi everyone! I'm the writer of Ramblings Across the Spectrum, where I write essays about my personal experiences, including living with autism, and my thoughts on the world around me. I also write reviews for novels from the 70s and 80s, focusing on novels reaching their 40th and 50th anniversaries.
One newsletter I recommend is Bookmarked, which focuses on reviewing one novel from every country in the world.
https://bookmarked.substack.com/
Glad to find your newsletter here and thanks for the recommendation.
Shaun Gold here. I write YouTopian Journey, a weekly newsletter based on the comic book of the same name that delivers motivation and inspiration to your inbox. There are almost 6,000 of us so far. Happy to do shout outs and cross promos if its a fit.
https://youtopianjourney.substack.com/
I also dig Cole's Climb, check him out, it is super dope.
https://colenoble.substack.com/
Hell hello! My newsletter is for anyone who cares about climate change and the environment, and wants easy, approachable ways to help our planet. Weekly I send through timely and impactful actions you can easily take in two minutes or less (i.e. a pre-scripted letter to a politician or corporate leader, a petition, or a script for a call) plus easy swaps you can make in your own life that wont take much time or headspace.
https://happyplace.substack.com/
I keep it positive, uplifting and hopeful. No doom and gloom climate news or shaming.
As for what I'm reading, I really love SnaxShot for food and bevarage trends as well as comical social commentary.