Every once in a while, a good idea comes along. It might start as a scribble on a napkin, a messy note saved at 2 a.m., or a silly bit between friends. It could be percolating for years or arrive suddenly with great clarity and conviction. Regardless of how an idea arrives, something special happens when you share a good one. It can become more than just an idea.
Today, there are countless ways to share ideas. TikTok presents the possibility of virality and a big audience, Instagram celebrates individuals building a brand, and X gives you reactions in real time. Blogs offer customization, newsletters give you a direct connection to your audience, and legacy media has historically offered credibility. Each of these mediums has value, but none offers autonomy, reach, and ownership of your ideas.
Substack combines the best of these platforms. It’s social media with property rights, traditional media with community. Here you can find your people, own your work, and earn money for your ideas. Substack gives you autonomy.
When we share what we care about most, we write a new future. Start posting about the thing you can’t stop talking about, and, in a year, you could have the outline for a book. Share your music online and find your band. Publish a recipe and become a staple in the kitchen. Post your latest art in progress and fund your backyard studio. Rally a community around your expertise, and you could earn a living.
With the new year comes new ambitions. But why start a resolution from scratch? Take the idea that you’re already tinkering with, the one keeping you up at night, and give it a new lease on life. Go write or record it, then post it on Substack. That’s how it begins—a single post. You don’t need a perfect plan or a ready-made audience. All you need is the courage to share one idea.
The world values good ideas. Share yours, and watch it become more than just an idea.
This year, we’re excited to use as our home to imagine the future of how ideas are valued in the world, in conversation with writers, podcasters, musicians, video creators, and culture makers publishing on Substack.
This video was produced by and .
What are your plans for the 2025? Let us know in the comments!
I love the content model but the subscription model is unsustainable. If all the blogs I want to read want to charge me even as little (seemingly, at first) as $5 a month, that’s $60 a year. That amount is almost equivalent to that charged by a major publication. If there even only 10 blogs I want to follow, that’s $600 a year. I’m retired and with inflation, cannot afford $600 in addition to the 2-3 major publications I need. So what I end up doing is “unfollowing” all those I can’t afford, because the frustration of seeing only the tip of the iceberg on those pages is more costly in time and energy than I have. You need a better subscription model. Thanks for creating Substack though!
That's why I like offering all content for free, with the option to upgrade for additional extras, like 1:1 coaching calls, discounts on courses, etc. I also have programmed a "pensioner" discount at 50% off. Hope that helps offer any insight for you Genevieve.
I need to get myself organised. Glad I saw your comment
You got this, man.
Good idea to give 99% of your content free.
A "pensioner discount" would be brilliant! Retired people have more time to become engaged, and with that engagement they bring lifetimes of experiences that enrich any discussion. ~
Very insightful Terry. Yes! When we exclude our elders, we exclude much of the opportunity we can gain by learning from them, and getting a radically (often analog) view on a digital life.
I like this strategy! I paywalled my content for a while some time back, and it just didn't feel right. I want my wellness content to be accessible to all. I have been brainstorming some ideas for paid subscriptions, and I think it will be similar to yours (extras) while keeping the written content free. I want to make some money from this (yes, I admit it)! I find the yearly option at a decent discount is what I am most attracted to, so I will likely push for an affordable yearly subscription as an incentive.
GOOD TO KNOW FOR THIS RETIRED DISABLED VET TOO. THANKS
Absolutely! Here's a link to my discount code FYI, in case you're interested (:
My wife and I research, write, podcast about how to protect ourselves from the wireless radiation of devices and cell towers, along with ancestral nutrition and improving sleep:
https://romanshapoval.substack.com/86bf9d9a
Ancestral nutrition sounds fascinating, Roman S Shapival!
Thank you Terry! Yes we love talking about traditional foods / fermentation, and how to use those foods to offset costs of unnecessary supplements. Any ancestral foods you like to make? Sauerkraut, sourdough, yogurt, kvaas, pickled herring?
A Veteran. Wow. Thank you 🙏🏾
This is a valid point - there are so many people who I’d love to subscribe to but genuinely it would wipe me out financially. Could the payments be centralised & paid out individually? Would that contribute to a greater forum of debate?
Further, sending comments down the alleys, that you don't like has become ridiculous. Then, you leave scammers comments in the main body that run for feet and distract. You are not responsible. You are editors afraid of new ideas.
I don’t quite understand this comment, Vicki, but I had never meant to start a thread criticizing the editors. I think they’re great and we’re lucky to have them. It’s just the subscription model which I’m apparently not alone in feeling is too expensive.
Genevieve, I agree with you.
The Substack model was devised as a way for writers to earn a living through their writing, which was often impossible. I understand that, and I honor the writers' talents and right to make living incomes.
For retirees who also live on limited incomes, however, subscription fees add up fast. Even Reuters charges a monthly subscription now! And it seems to me that retirees comprise 40% of many newsletters' subscribers.
I'm not offering a solution, just agreeing that the situation deserves some attention. ~
Being new to substack, I don't know what you're talking about.
You will read, watch and learn. As I opened to this response, these comments were 'down a blind alley', though at the beginning of the page. If editors don't like your comment, they HIDE it. But, as you read substacks, you will find trolls taking up oodles of prime page with stupid crap.
I'm1
Sorry! You'll catch on quickly, I'm sure, Eddie1A.
I want thank the academy.
My phone is messed up sorry for any spelling issues
I was thinking about something along those lines myself Frédérique. Hopefully other readers might also come up with good ideas like yours.
When I subscribe to a pub, I take it for one year. But then when the year is up, I don't always continue. Instead, I subscribe to another. Something like that. Like you, I can't do them all, so I wind up spreading it out. Also retired....
I would likely lose 75% of my subscribers if I charged them. That is because a very large portion are homeschooling parents or autodidacts who do not have money to burn. Also, I AM JUST NOT THAT GOOD. In fact, very few are THAT GOOD.
Substack should consider subscription bundles and even then, sparingly.
Very funny, Truman! And refreshingly humble and honest!! Frankly, I think you’re right in pointing out that most bloggers are not that good. I enjoy reading many, but not enough to pay for the privilege. Maybe we ought to be able to give them a score so that they could adjust their subscription prices accordingly!
I fear that such scores would be gamed somehow. One problem with Substack is that I don't know what I don't know. Is there some writer out there I would really enjoy? Likely there is. Finding that writer is hard. I am also smelling AI at work on some newsletters. I subscribe to one that cranks out 3000 word essays about everyday... hmmm...
INTERESTING AND I DON'T WANT TO RUN INTO THAT AI WRITTEN STUFF.
It might also be a question of taste and discernment. People like/value different things. ...I'm dropping the start of my serialised historical novel The Wrong Man tomorrow (Saturday). I only expect a few people to love it and a few more to think it's OK. At least it will be free, so I hope readers will hang in there! I'm happy to have the option this platform provides. I've read a couple of free serialised novels on here and even though the editing may not be top-notch, I've enjoyed their plot and characters.
I’ll post some of my tried and true Substack writers on my page.
Yes - I wish there were some kind of a combined bulk option. Hard to solve how to pay how much to who, but this comment is right about the $ adding up. That also stops me from subscribing to all that I like.
That could be interesting... and maybe Substacks choose to opt-in to the bulk option. I have had to cancel subscriptions and given myself a monthly SS budget. Now if I want to subscribe to someone new, I've got to cancel another. It is a bit of lesson for me --- the subscriptions I WON'T cancel are essential, therefore those are the ones I should study hard to see what they are doing RIGHT!
Agree 100% Ben Thompson Stachery said that Substack could and should introduce youtube style ads (as in they manage ad inventory not individual creators) paid subs are ad free the rest get ads
2nd alternative is bundling, 4 or 5 creators join forces less per subscriber but more overall revenue
For comparison i can subscribe to the NY Times City Journal print edition (posted Germany!) and Unherd for the same cost as a single substack
I am not a fan of the adds. They are annoying.
I also think it distracts from the commentary!
I would be willing to pay a small fee for the content.
I DO NOT want ads on Substack. People can have affiliate links instead if they choose. Those are not intrusive like an ad.
No to ads!
I just switch my Subs every month or so, the ones I follow all get some support over the year at some point, did that with Twitch and some Patreon channels over the years.
*my paid subs I meant
I just subscribed to your Substack. Because of this comment. And I also like owls
Thank you, Witold! I haven’t posted anything but my comments on other people’s posts I liked and reposted on my page, but you’re inspiring me to get started… for free, of course!
I actually turned on the paid model today and am offering original art to those who pay. So I assume that maybe just a few people will subscribe and then I can give them back much more than writing. All of them. I was also thinking about giving special offers to those who decide to pay if they want to buy objects or art available in my shop. For me the subscription model is a way to finally have a door on some content and be able to write about things I have not been able to write about for years.
I agree with you that it could be difficult to subscribe to many writers here at the same time. But for me this whole model has a different meaning. Oh, and I currently have one paid subscriber. And he is quite brilliant. 🤷♂️✨
I am going to weigh in as a YouTuber, hopefully that is not a dirty word here. I have to say their model seems pretty perfect. I don’t care about seeing ads, especially when I know my fellow creators get a cut, and the ability to pay YT to opt out of ads, which we creators also get a cut of, works for people who hate them. I would love to see that model here
I don’t quite understand the point you’re making. I just know that I can’t afford to subscribe to everyone whose work interests me. I need to plan how to move my subscriptions around & if I’ve understood correctly, annual subscriptions have to be cancelled at the beginning of the subscription & expire at the end of the year. That can’t be right I must have misunderstood
You'll like Medium then--one annual fee of $50 gives you access to hundreds of writers. https://medium.com. I'm on there as https://medium.com/@dgilesphilosopher.
True on the Medium front - I started there and it was life-changing.
Your comment gets me to rethink my model, thank you Genevieve.
SAME! As Substack gets more popular, I find more and more paywalled articles. It is disappointing (to say the least) when you hit that paywall portion of an article. I think it will get harder and harder to get paid subs when so many people are joining the platform and charging a subscription fee. Too many choices! That's where you've got to work hard to make your Substack essential so people will pay (if that is the goal). I don't currently paywall, and am considering a paid model where extras like coaching and programs are paid, but not my posts.
My paid subscribers get artwork sent to them that’s otherwise available at much higher price points. So it feels different
That is a special perk!
I write on Substack, but I totally appreciate your feelings. I am organizing a petition aiming at improving affordability at Substack. https://www.china-translated.com/p/making-substack-affordable-for-average
Most people will just pay for the 3-4 favorite publications. There are millions of potential customers, so it's not impossible to accumulate 1,000 true fans. As for halfway down paywalls, they're annoying but we shouldn't expect anything for free.
I am torn on the paywalls. I get it - writers should be paid. Although as more and more join Substack as writers -- I think it may get harder to get paid subs. You're right... 3-4 paid favorites (how do we get to be one of them!?) I've decided to not paywall posts, but rather a paid model where people get some valuable extras (coach session, workbooks, mini-course etc), but anyone can read for free.
You can also create two separate sections on the Substack: one free and one paid, where you put all the coach sessions, workbooks, mini-course, etc.
On my Substack, I have four separate sections though they are all paywalled https://www.asiancenturystocks.com/
This is great advice Michael! I like how you’ve set your sections up - I’ll do this as well! THANK YOU!
I have the very same thoughts!!!
I think allowing one time donations of any amount AND/OR a smaller quarterly subscription, for example, would bring more consistent readership.
Provides an option fir those with deeper pockets to contribute more money.
The All or None subscription approach is financial Monkey Mind!
After all, isn't what we want as creatives, is first to be seen and heard? ❤️
Same here. I have subscribed to writers who wrote about subjects that were important to me, and then I unsubscribed due to being unable to keep up with the content on a regular basis - feeling overwhelmed. As a senior, myself, on a fixed income I completely understand. The money adds up over time. I read what I can for free and even then there is so much more that would fill too many hours in a day.
The big problem about Substack is that there isn't an open subscription, whereby you just pay one subscription, and it is divvied up between everyone you read. lt is really just impractical and impossibly expensive to maintain subscriptions to more than one or two individual substacks. If there were one subscription (eg $25/month ) Substack could keep track of all my reading and divide my subscription between those whom I read. But I've been burned in the past by subscribing to different writers and then forgetting to read them or missing them.
I have a feeling there would be a sort of 'Laffer Curve' here, where an overall subscription to *all* of Substack would result in a huge increase in income to most writers. (Star writers could opt out of it if they feel they are worth it). This is because one person can only read so much, and writers would be rewarded according to who actually read them. I recall paying a year's founding subscription to one writer, only to have him produce one piece over the whole year.
Finally an alternative could be a pay-per-view, whereby you make a micropayment to read one item whose intro piques your interest (a few cents maybe). One company that helps publishers do this is Axate.com.
You'll like Medium then--one annual fee of $50 gives you access to hundreds of writers. https://medium.com. I'm on there as https://medium.com/@dgilesphilosopher.
I just returned to Medium. I'm astonished to learn that I joined almost 10 years ago but had completely forgotten about it! But there's no reference to a revenue stream to writers, how they can share in the subscription paid by readers. You can subscribe for $50/year, but does any of it go to the writers themselves? Nothing on the website says so.
Yes, you need to be a paid member of Medium and join the Partner Program. Then you get paid based on interactions with your articles. It takes awhile to get to a point where a writer can make good money, but at least it’s a possibility, unlike here. I earned five figures last year as a writer on Medium.
The three main problems I see with this proposal are:
1) Substack has skin in the game. They take a 10% cut. So they may change their algorithms to direct readers to content that makes them most money, not what readers might wish to discover.
2) Network effects will still push readers and money towards the big hitters. The long tail of unpaid publishers will remain.
3) The overheads and fees for the 'internal' redistribution of subscriptions (plus any weightings - some popular authors will demand a premium) will drive subscriber prices upwards, no matter how much is split out. So readers will pay more for less.
Well, of course Substack has "skin in the game". So do newspapers. And they take a lot more than the 10% subscription I pay to a newspaper for my favourite writers or opinions. Plus the editor dispenses other views I don't like. I don't see the difference. But with Substack at least I don't miss the writers I like - unlike with newspapers, where the editor can spike columns.
The difference is a newspaper is the output from a sole publisher - even a sole proprietor with their own steer. Whereas Substack isn't. We're the publishers here. Millions of us. Producing just as many blogs, journals, magazines...
This sounds like Communism. The Substack party will redistribute the wealth among the writers 😀 Such a model already excists. Maybe you should switch to Medium.
I think you misunderstand me. The point is that Substack itself will know what articles you read, and your overall subscription can then be distributed between the writers of those pieces. Also, writers could opt out of that if they wanted to keep an exclusive subscription. But I have a feeling that distributing my subscription according to whatever I read could result in far greater income to writers.
I don't know Medium - does it offer this? The world is big, I don't claim to know everything, I only know what I'm prepared to pay for reading, and I've stopped paying for all Substacks, I would rather spend my money on a magazine like the Spectator, which already publishes many good Substack writers (eg Douglas Murray).
Then definitely check Medium - https://medium.com/
I just went back to Medium. I had forgotten that in 2016 I actually had an account! I had completely forgotten about Medium! I noticed one can pay a subscription of $50 a year, do writers share in that? Nothing on the website says so, leastways nothing to non-subscribers. Substack is more open about it.
The writers who want to make money on Medium need to join the Medium Partner Program. Check it here, https://medium.com/partner-program
Grateful to Substack for all it provides, but I’m not entirely crazy about the language here.
A lot of us aren’t looking for lofty visions, but real, tangible things.
Instagram doesn’t celebrate individuals building a brand. It makes followership irrelevant through usage data and promotes posts that maximize dopamine responses.
X doesn’t give reactions in real time, it subverts community by rewarding the nastiest voices and the first to be outraged.
TikTok presents the possibility of virality, but with the promise of vapidity.
A great many Substack users don’t want “the best of these platforms.” They want subscribership to mean something, the ability to find, join and contribute to an actual community of their own and not be taken advantage of for our data and our attention.
James, I agree. Also, according to this post, Substack is now social media! Okkk!
Notes on Substack is social media. At least Substack allows a deeper layer of long-form content, unlike other forms of social media.
Well since we can now scroll and DM people, and even “go live”, it sounds so. But also we get to use it like it’s not social media and make the best of it :)
Good comment.
Completely with you on this!
Starting a Substack might be easier than keeping it up for any length of time and getting subscribers to sustain it might be harder than imagining it happening. Finding the proverbial niche might be more serendipitous than a science, perhaps.
This is BRILLIANT. I am vibing with this.
✨ such a vibe!
I never thought I had anything to say but started my substack to compliment my podcast. I found people who wanted to read my story about being an everyday investor who never worked in finance or on Wall Street yet amassed enough returns in the market over 30 years of investing that I was able to retire at the age of 49. Now substack is the home for my best seller newsletter. If I can do it, anyone can.
Agreed. It's a combo of two things: having a mindset that you can succeed, and consistently creating.
I started a couple years ago, and have found this to be a labor of love that is slowly growing financially, but more importantly impacting the health and wellness of so many of my readers.
Congrats on your newsletter!
I love that you mentioned the very important part --- "impacting the health and wellness of so many readers".
INSPIRED~
I gave it a go, thank you. It feels like when we started writing blogs and there was an actual human audience to the writing. And the people slowly emerged and became friends and colleagues and partners, family. It’s a different time now, of course. I have only been here for a few weeks and it feels much calmer and closer to reality than much of the crazy optimised other stuff out there. I am not delusional. I do not assume that many people will pay for a subscription to my craziness. But maybe some will. And they will be supporting a real person making real things in a real world. This is a real world still, I hope? Or is it a dream? Probably both.
Thank you for sharing this. Totally aligns with my 2025 vision. I started Substack a few months back. I’m sure the love for writing has been passed on to me from my mom and my grandparents. I moved to Sweden in 2024 and being miles and miles away from my family, friends and sun (hahaha 🙈) it can get sometimes little lonely. I’m so glad I found this platform. Writing helps me escape from the monotony, the lull of everyday life and most importantly makes me feel less lonely. I’ve connected with lovely people across the globe and slowly, steadily but surely finding my voice here.
🫶🏻💫
My plan is to keep on saying the quiet parts out loud.
I recently entitle my writings to many in my Senior Writers Group and people I know, as " WRITING OUT LOUD" !! Luv your "quiet parts out loud" reference.😏
Very inspiring to read! I’m really enjoying writing my weekly Substack about writing, book recommendations, my career as a journalist and living by the sea but want to build on it in 2025.
Nobody reads anything that I write here. it’s never shared. No note is ever seen . I feel like a ghost on Substack. Literally nothing for a year of posting. It’s very frustrating. Just because I’m not a big journalist or cherished author. It’s so much to compete with and Dan Harris only has to say how was your weekend and it’s 5000 responses. I can’t comment on writers because I have to pay and I just can’t afford that. There’s not one single writer that I specifically wanted to dish out five dollars a month for I would just like to communicate with tons of writers and creatives. Like another poster said the pay model isn’t sustainable. What if we gained more exposure or connection by writing often or some other reward for creative input instead of this being like every other model where you have to grovel for likes?
I hear you. It can be frustrating at times, and I certainly have no magic formula. I do know the one thing that has helped me is to embrace the knowledge that I can control what I write, how I write it, what I decide to publish and when. After that, it's out of my hands. I'm okay with that, most days anyway.
As far as commenting, I understand that we can't afford to subscribe to everything (I'm retired with fixed $), but still, I've found lots of pubs where the comments are open to anyone, paid or free or not even subscribed at all.
One of my ways of doing things is to bookmark publications that I may like, check them out, drop a comment, etc. Test the waters, so to speak. I don't want my email overloaded.
I'm getting off topic a bit, but I wanted to let you know that I too see the gush over how was your weekend type of thing and let out a sigh. People go for what others have already gone for. I wish it were different, and I wish a platform existed that didn't heavily promote this type of behavior, but if such a place exists, I don't know it.
I just read some of your writing and was impressed enough to subscribe. For at least a while, I will listen to what you have to say.
I just subscribed to you because I feel the same!
Patience, madam, and persistence. Also, read the comments of others on subjects unrelated to your own and comment yourself. I just read one of your essays.
So there you go.
I definitely have had my fill of social media and the push for algorithms and engagement, a lot of which leads people to not care about genuine conversations or interactions. It’s a bit slower to grow on here, but I like the freedom to express myself.
This past year Beyond the Bookshelf saw phenomenal growth as our community expanded across the globe. We are going to continue reading and writing about the intimate connections between life and literature. Thanks for the platform and opportunity.
I'm about to switch from non-fiction about the people on the streets of my Vermont town to something entirely different: fiction about a guy who wakes up from a stroke and realizes he's the Buddha even though he's barely even heard of Buddhism.
So I'm deep into trying to figure out how to best use Substack to bring one front and center, while keeping the other present in the background [i.e., separate Substack v. Sections v. Tags for each project [current focus]. Advantages to all. But regardless, there are issues involving finally understanding headers, banners, web appearance options and other Substack features I've managed to avoid mastering before now. Wish me luck!
Mahalo! Absolutely wishing you nothing but GOOD LUCK! 🤙🏼
All the best, David. Will check out FOV...
Dear Substack, What happened to the "Featured Posts" section in the various categories? It seems when new categories were added, "Featured Posts" sections went away along with ability to scroll through the leaderboards. The new categories were supposed to help writers get more subscribers and it seems to me at least that the reverse has happened.
Agree with this 100%.
Thanks Jodi! I hope others will chime in about this.
"Featured Posts" was a far better way for people to discover new writers and the Leaderboards when they worded and one could scroll through them. I've tried 2 browsers and my phone and the scroll function is cut off on the page, so the Leaderboards are essentially useless unless you are in the top 5 or 6.
I was SO excited when my posts started showing up on the "Top in Travel" lists for the first time - not I only did I feel like I had accomplished something, but it was great for subscriber growth. And then Substack took them away...I just don't understand it. It gets harder and harder to find writers here instead of easier.
Jodi, I totally echo what you said. I was thrilled to be featured in "Top in Art & Illustration" and I know other writers I follow and subscribe to were also thrilled to be featured in their category.
It was a great feeling to of accomplishment for all involved and now with it gone, it is much harder to find writers here.
Scrolling through the various category pages there is no rhyme or reason to who get featured on the category page and you can't just post a NOTE to a category, it all goes into the main feed regardless.
I've stopped looking at the category pages to be honest. It's enough to scroll through the "Home" or "Following" Page without having to scroll through categories of interest.
The category pages are completely useless, honestly. Oh, if only they were populated with actual posts instead of endless Notes...then they might actually be worth exploring.
Jodi, Yes to this too! I wish others were joining in on this conversation because I feel as though we’re not the only two writers on Substack that are seeing this, experiencing this and wondering why Substack isn’t getting that this isn’t working as they thought it would.
Does anyone else want to weigh in on this topic?
Hopefully I can get more followers here but those who are already subscribed are all awesome
Pretty solid platform. It is nice to be able to keep out the noise of pointless confrontation.
Until Substack gets its searchability up to scratch then it'll never reach its full potential, and nor will the writers, musicians etc whose chosen platform it is. I can search Substack using exactly the title of one of my posts, or a key phrase, or even my Substack name, and get nil results. Same when I search using Google. I've written to Substack about this weakness in the Substack model's design, but got a ridiculously uncaring response. This is a CRUCIAL issue that needs to be fixed, pronto.
Thanks for this. A fellow author (@Kathy Groth) and I started a Substack a couple of days ago. The goal is to elevate fellow authors and illustrators who create books for kids. The sometimes never talked about creatives’ creativity is mind-boggling. uGROnews aims to spread the goodness. I write poems, book reviews on Goodreads, picture books for kids, and support authors and illustrators via Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators SCBWI). I hope to inspire readers to create and stay curious.
On another note, may I ask a question? I want to start a Substack with a friend who lives on the other coast (I'm East, she's West). Where do I find guidelines for how to do this? Can we both write content and have it appear in the same post? Etc...
Hi Careyleah. There is a place in the Settings > Team where you can add a second person. In our case, Kathy is a "Contributor". There are many good YouTube how-tos and Substack has a chat feature called Ask a Question that is very good at directing users to the right places. Here are the definitions for the team members.
Admin: Full publication access, including all settings
Contributor: Able to publish and edit posts, but can not access publication settings
Byline: Can be listed as an author on posts, but can not publish or access this dashboard
Public: Publicly listed as a contributor to this publication
Private: Not listed as a contributor to this publication
All the best to you and your writing partner.
Joyce
The film & television community I've found here has been incredibly supportive and fiercely intelligent 💖 (but Substack pls give us a category/vertical this year)
Ohhh I’m into film and television. It’s hard to find others here. We do need a category for this.
💓💓
To write an essay addressed to the founders
If you aren't already famous, no one reads your new Substack newsletter.
#BrutalTruths
This 👆🏼
This is only a half-truth.
Which half do you claim to be a lie?
Why do you ask if half is a lie?
your statement
People tell half truths all the time without realizing it. If you think I meant to call you a liar, that is a mistaken assumption. That is all. 🤷♀️
You just gained a subscriber
I've been sending out passages on Substack from my book in process for a couple of years now. Finally, the physical book has arrived and should be available soon in bookstores and via online booksellers. For me, 2025 will be a year of marketing and selling the book I've been working on for ten years. Would love some good advice from other authors about best practices, getting the word out beyond my friend and family list of subscribers on Substack and applying other ways of getting LETTERS FROM INSIDE THE WHALE: RESUMING THE CONVERSATION MY FATHER AND I NEVER HAD...ABOUT HIS WAR out there with the public at-large. A personal and world-wide history of WWII in and of the moment, with relevance to the world we live in today. The Humanities play a substantial role in my grappling with letters my father wrote from the Pacific to his mother back home.
Lasley F. Gober
“Instagram celebrates individuals building a brand”…
Lol
Was this written 10 years ago?
IG is the largest generator of useless slop on the interwebs. It has no interest in helping a person ‘build a brand’ unless said person is paying out the ass for the privilege.
Keep things real please.
That animation was exceptionally well done.
thank you Michael!!
✨ sooo good!
I love Substack and want to build my writing platform here but PLEASE integrate Discord for paid subscriptions like Patreon has. This would seal the deal for me and many creators who want to use this platform.
This year is all about authenticity and sharing my unique perspective.
I’m here to amplify women’s voices and help them embrace their authentic voices, so we can raise the earths vibration and change the world with our hearts. 🥰
Nice! I loved it. It is simple and clear. A great motivator. My creativity thanks you. 🎉🎉🎉
Would love a category for all of us gaming writers!
Just launched: PERFECT HUNGER, a bi-monthly series to nourish and delight. From a sober writer and doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine living in Thailand. https://danaleighlyons.substack.com/
Beautifully said.
The courage to share a single idea can spark ripples far beyond what we imagine.
It’s a reminder that what feels small to us can grow into something transformative for others.
Thank you Substack! I deal with adult ADHD and have scattered, covered, smothered thoughts and ideas almost every moment! LOL ... but seriously, thank you for this forum where creatives like me can hash out these random and mostly idealistic thoughts, dreams, and conversations. Blessings, everyone!
It would be much easier to accept your invitation to create on Substack if your payment options for creators did not discriminate against places where Stripe doesn't operate, i.e. the global south.
These are the voices that most need to be empowered and heard at this time, so it is completely unacceptable that the only way to generate revenue on your platform is to pay for the creation of fake companies in the US or UK.
Love this cute video that really sums up the best bits about Substack. Since starting to write here in summer 2023 I've become so much more creative in my life and experimented with so many different forms of media through their ease of use here. I have a steadily growing community and paid subscribers who I all value very much. It isn't necessarily speedy growth here, but it's consistent and all about quality over quantity (for me, at least).
Increase the quality of writing, without caring too much about what people would like. More intentionality and less trendiness!
I find that my visual problems are aggravated by too much computer or cellphone use, so sorry! I have to "hit and miss" content on YouTube instead!
I also would like to say that this day 01/06/25 Marks one of the darkest days in America!
01/06/21.
The fact that Donald Trump a person who in my opinion violated the Constitution a few times now and I believe was guilty of Treason on a few occasions, A convicted sex offender, an obviously sick, flawed man, who just got away with ecourraging a coup to take place,
by a partisan, nutured S.C.O.T.U.S, is by far one of the worst ways to start the new year.
I can say is I am sick of being told I have to follow some script, While the filthy rich entitled,
get away with avoiding accountability! Since when is Justice beholden to any one party?
How can any law abiding citizen expect anybody to follow the law now? Our country just went off a cliff.
Mark K Glasstetter
Where are your sources? This is just your opinion, otherwise. Trump is not even in office and there's still many blindly hating one man to justify the other party who are, in my opinion, treasonous.
However, I do agree with the rich entitlement/privalege. They get away with theft, killing and destroying the people. This is just common knowledge.
Also, don't believe everything you hear and certainly do not band with mob-mentality. Research the unbiased truth for yourself. That means listening to both sides instead of just one.
My eyes and ears are my sources. Tell God I said Hi!
Lol not creditable. You can tell God yourself. 👍🏻
Trump is a bad boy!
That’s not your opinion, it’s a fact.
Hi retired Nurse Jacki here. Boomer age 72. Mellenial adult daughters. No sons. I have a lot to say. But irrelevant in an environment like America.
Clash of cultures and demographics of ageism. And so many more isms. I watched the system break apart when Reagan won his bid. I was purging a dialysis machine watching the little chair TV at the patient station end of shift with my nurse colleagues. Age 25 at the time. When Walter Cronkite said Ron Reagan won my heart sank cuz at that time we were caring for our renal patients and they had “ failure to Thrive issues from a new viral manifestation we had no name for yet.
Why were they in such a state ??
They required frequent blood transfusions. Anemia is a major concern.
The blood products had no testing for a virus we now realize was the beginning of the AIDS pandemic in America. Reagan did not bring us “ Morning in America. And certainly trump is worse than Reagan because “ The LAW has been ??? Destroyed by our DC darlings in Congress. It took awhile. Stay engaged. Resist .
put minimum level o subscription at 2 dollars.
let us put advertising banners.
let us preset editorial frames.
let us keep an archive of most used photos.
do not ever make again difference between “stars” from american journalism and “peasants” from other part of the world. you should be ashame for having already done that.
My hope is to finally get physical copies of my first trilogy (which is about to wrap up in serialized form) into the hands of readers!
P.S. I'm totally borrowing this suggestion from whoever said it first, but I would love to be able to sell books--ebooks, at the very least--directly through Substack. This year, I'm moving the bulk of my communications here, so I would love to keep as much as I can in the same ecosystem!
Cost is a factor for me also. However, my other concern as a writer is the use of copyright...who owns my work after I publish on Substack? How exposed am I to AI both adding to or stealing from my work?
This is exactly why I will not share my ideas anywhere on the internet. AI is such a parasite. I'm also wary of sharing with people who claim to be "coaches" bc a lot of them are frauds.
The internet was supposed to be a way of communication, it still is but more controlled and monetary, where freedom of thought can be bought.
Would like this answer. I think about serializing parts of my novels but I’m terrified that I will just get stolen or pieces of it.
I believe you own your work and your subscribers, and in the settings you can decide whether you agree or not to your content being used to train AI.
Exactly what I needed to hear. Just did my 2025 goals and journaling and starting a Substack and getting back to writing was def on the list! thank you for this morning boost. 💜
You can't put a Price on Freedom of Speech........Continue on regardless of cost.........Democracy is NOT FOR SALE.
I have a lot of friends on social media. I've noticed that they're now "Sub-stacking" things they would have shared for free but now it involves paying five dollars a month to read each ones pensées. The monetization of social media. I find it lamentable. I will continue to opine gratis on social media. The shame is yours.
Something for everyone…the Internet playground.
In the nature of constructive feedback, I have derived tremendous enjoyment from sharing thoughts with the Substack community, though at times I have found it frustrating not to be able to comment unless and until I pay to do so, which would run up costs considerably if I have to be a paid subscriber every time I wish to comment. I have therefore, with the exception of about 10-12 paid subscriptions, unsubscribed as a free subscriber where I'm not able to comment unless I pay to do so.
Getting my ideas together and going to start writing. Stay tuned
I’m looking for more of my “Everyday Epiphanies”.
https://open.substack.com/pub/garycoulton/p/the-triumph-of-everyday-epiphanies?r=42egyz&utm_medium=ios
Prošla godina je moja prva na Substacku. Moram reći, ovom prilikom, da sam zadovoljan reakcijom zajednice prema onom što sam kroz priče tj. moje tekstove preneo ovoj zajednici. Posebno sam srećan što je priča o Evi Pavlović kod mojih čitalaca imala najveći broj. To mi daje jasni smer zaključivanja, da je produkcija tekstova o jakim ženama iz 19. veka, sa ovih prostora Balkana, veoma mala i to je traženi materijal za ovu zajednicu. Ovo je, pored mene, poziv i drugima koji vole istoriju ovoga prostora da više pišu o jakim ženama i njihovim životima u pomenutom vremenu.
It all looks so good; sounds so good; seems so promising. And yet, I lose paid subscribers weekly due to the fact that links and buttons don't work in posts on the Substack mobile app, and paid subscribers have no way to access my navigation menu and their paid subscriber benefits from the Substack mobile app. And iPhone users are forced to use the Substack mobile app and cannot switch to a browser to access my Substack's navigation menu from their phones. I'm not the only publisher who has reported this. Is anyone listening?
Is anyone listening? Sure, a few of us. And a few of us have also reported on the tsunami of bugs. Is anyone listening who can actually fix stuff? No. That ship has sailed. What used to be support has disappeared.
I hope I'm wrong and you'll get those issues resolved, but I've lost all faith in support. I managed to report vexing bugs a couple of times and nothing has been done. Ten months now, nothing....
I have theories on why their mobile app is being pushed to the degree it is, and bugs and bug reports are being ignored, based on my having worked with many start-ups in a previous life when I was a high-tech headhunter, but that's another story for another time.
To clarify , there is transgenerational trauma and Community Trauma, and speaking authentically and loudly takes true courage. Do we hace it as citizens and collectively? How to increase the possibility? Can this provide some catharsis? As a long time psychotherapist ( LICSW) and political commentator/ activist, I think the answer is YES!
Our YOUTUBE podcasts @chiutzpahandsoul and @mentalhealthenlightened are inviting you to participate. Get in touch if you’d like to be interviewed or give feedback to @johnnygoldin.com.
We are confident that our integrity and creativity will reach your SOUL!
Great job. Now is edited
Tell me more about this
The Intersection of the coming storm—the political landscape and its impact on the emotional and psychic health - Mental Health of those taking risks: personal and professional.
Promotion of feeds shouldn’t just be on the basis of most popular, otherwise how does someone new to Substack ever get noticed?
Absolutely correct. It's almost impossible for new users to get noticed.
This is a fabulous video, top to bottom, start to finish. Well conceived and written, and executed brilliantly. That's all I have to say at the moment. Now I will sit with the video's message and see if there is a Substacker taking form within me ...
Thank you David!
What are Substack’s policies regarding links to products or services mentioned IF the writer is NOT taking $ commissions? I am recently wheelchair bound and have discovered certain helpful products and services that might be useful for others similarly situated. That is because I want the freedom to share negative experiences with same or others. Thankyou!
If Substack believes in property rights, why embed AI image tools?
Autonomy. Everyone has this ability and can't be "given". This is a passive ability that can't be taken away or given. We all have the power to govern ourselves.
I've enjoyed writing Interessant3, but to be honest it has been quite challenging getting reach, even when using Notes. It's not obvious which content the algorithm promotes.
finally, an app that speaks directly to culture makers like me
My plans for 2025 are to continue to write and publish my one of a kind evocative creative fiction outside the designs of our times, and maybe come up with another tag line because I get bored easily I suppose. Also I plan to read a lot and say Happy New Year at least once a day during January.
Thanks for the suggestions. My free weekly Substack newsletter focuses on my experience of surviving colorectal cancer. The purpose is to encourage people to get screened for colon cancer. Trust me -- you don't want to experience colorectal cancer.
I appreciate the explanation and reminder. Substack is still new to me, though I've been here a little while. Finding success with supporters and a community is still hard. The platform has many ways to monetise and grow; I see that, but breaking into the market is still tricky, whereas, on other platforms like TikTok, the engagements come flying in. Maybe I haven't figured it out, but I'll keep trying.
In 2025, I want to finally make my writing consistent and generate earnings from it 💕☺️ In addition to that, make podcast episode from little nuggets in my writing and develop a community of women readers. Bring more life to my creator world with other writers as well.
i had lots of fun writing last year. the goal this year is to write with more curiosity (more research, more reading) and less polish (worry less abt style and voice). and to make more art i can write abt!
Love that thought Jess!
Been here for over two years and have a fun little community who enjoy my posts about news stories that flew under the radar.
That’s a cool
Angle !
Very inspiring writing encouraging creators to post their ideas on Substack.
I think Substack is so far the best idea to be found on the internet. Those with dissent voices and ideas have a home with an intelligent audience to sort them all out and financially support the ones the individual could. Cost? Well years ago most magazines were only available by paying the subscription price. Again there were too many to subscribe to them all…
I am only 115 hours of bench time away from the "commercial retirement" of my Irish Flute making business, with just some 10 instruments to complete. After this I will throttle back a bit and become mostly a researcher, as well as make the occasional instruments for myself and friends. Also, after making the hardware for everyone else to make music with, I'll have the time I hope and enough connective tissue in my hands to play some music as well.
Given this primarily analog focus, I have started and idled various Substack blogs. My particular neuro-diversity is being afflicted with Bipolar Disorder's gentler cousin called Cyclothymia and its usually during the hypo-manic phase when I do most of my writing, as well as come up with various new and wonderful sounding Substacks that I cannot sustain.
The one of most duration that I still post to is laurentflutes.substack.com I am particularly proud of one post called "Acres of Cures" that was entirely fictional. However, the business that I parodied - one of Seattle's seafood restaurant icons called Ivar's - loved it. It arrived at a difficult and depressing time in that industry and everyone wondered if they would still be employed by the end of the week. I posted this Sunday and sent a note to the EO to beg forgiveness. He called me a few days later and reported that he sent it out to everyone. That Monday Morning everyone was smiling, laughing about the new wonder cure made from Horse Clam Dewormer called "Ivar's-Mectin". Everyone was hopeful for the first time.
I have one set up waiting in the wings that I'll begin to use (and monetize). I have over 55 years of accumulated field notes, instrument drawings, sketches and miscellany. Most of this will be useless to society in general but to other wind instrument makers especially ones starting out if will be a wonderful thing. All the content is written - I just have to scan it all and clean it up a bit.
I have been with Substack for about 3 years now and I appreciate its rock solid stability - and the ease at which creators can provide content that is valuable (Heather Cox Richardson is at the top of my list). I pay for a few subscriptions when I can and plan to do this more once the detritus of my business settles. Its a great platform!
Thanks for the inspo! I plan on continuing to use the platform to write about my experiences and connect with others.
2025 is the year I take initiative to write more and to provide more context from living abroad. We are living in a historic time and no time like the present to be a witness.
I needed this explanation of what SUBSTACK is thank you! I’ve had an Album Vision for over 30yrs that no one has done BUT all I can do is SING🎤 & WRITE✍️ !! I’ve no musicians asking me about my vision or showing any interest but if I just freely share it then that idea will be snatched up faster then it came into my heart mind and soul lol. I’m not good enough to sing against those powerhouses you see on The Voice etc.. I’m just original with a great idea that could impact hurting or struggling souls out there as I have many journeys to share & stories to tell & healing to help impart. Due to my age & some hearing loss I accidentally change up songs lol but I found that could be a benefit to me. Anyways 2025 started off great as I’ve finally written a 1st rough draft of the title song to that album vision and what a release after 30 something years holding onto this vision to finally have it started! Now to continue to write more songs and pray for a legitimate all in team to help me make this happen! I just turned 59 and I’m running out of time lol here’s a sample of one of my covers I did approx 7yrs ago after listening to Adeles song LOVE SONG only once and dove in recording it via the Smule App on my phone.. and thank you for your precious time!
GRATEFUL 🩷 ALWAYS
https://youtu.be/XoRamw6jUk8?si=dzq06PqXUnGWgsBJ
Maybe when you can sort out the Tech issues of substacker Too Old for this Sh*t I'll think of creating a substack.
Continuing with what I already enjoy on Substack: as much as anything, the freedom to share what I've learned over the years (I've been in the writing business since 1978). Tho certainly the additional income from my paid subscribers helps. But also because I am able to marry my writing (food-stories and recipes) with sketches from my travels as well as finished work as an illustrator (I was a natural-history artist in an earlier life). A win-win on all counts. And I spread the word in the UK and anglophone Europe with enthusiasm...
I've got a 10-month plan to review select films, books, games and some academic articles, along with writing on a few topics of interest. Very new, enjoying Substack so far. I'll drop a link to my article plan below if you're interested - have a great day!
Article plan as it stands: https://seaxansaga.substack.com/p/the-end-of-the-world-in-2025
I've doubled my subscribers already. this year.
Good one, Olivia. Keep doubling every couple of days or so and pretty soon... well you know the math.. Happy New Year!
Ha ha thank you!
This is so real and possible to build our visions.
For years now I have included the phrase: Question Critically, Think Logically, Communicate Clearly, Act Creatively, Live Ethically. Now I am adding fight for democracy and the principles that this nation was founded on. This is with every email, any correspondence and every invoice I pay. I also include now a "business card" with the MEIDAS Plus website.
🫁 Establish @kairclub as the go-to-place for breathwork and a meaning-oriented lifestyle in the DACH region.
Please, we need a save button for Notes.
To celebrate each moment.
The boost I needed to get back to weekly posting!
...here to amuse and be amused...
I’ve enjoyed posting on Substack a mix of short essays and poetry. I posted a melody I wrote that had been used at our church as a brief meditation moment. They had converted the song as a YouTube video, but I don’t know how to do that. I have a song of mine as a Voice Memo on my phone, but Substack won’t let me copy and paste it into my post. I’d like some Substack experts to explain how I can do this.
My BHAG for 2025 -- To become the global leader in overnight oral care, helping over 1 billion people achieve optimal oral health by 2030. Thus reducing the incidences of Diabetes and Alzheimer's well before 2050, at which time those two diseases alone are projected to crash our healthcare system if they keep on rising. I will do this by revolutionizing the way people care for their health themselves, one night's rest at a time -- AND -- even throughout the day -- basically 24/7/365/Lifetime. I believe it's up to 80% possible.
MUST SEEK; Alohasedona.substack.com And Michaelwillischase.substack.com Aloha.
I'm planning a LOT!! On substack specifically, I'm planning on extending and creating a paid section of my issues with an addition of special editions
Major lawsuit against too well the counties discrimination brutality you name it they took my car and everything. I didn’t find nothing because I’m Hispanic that has Latin on this chest not gang symbol.
This is the dream. I’m not a big fan of yard work but this would make it more fun, for sure.
My plans for 2025 is to finish my epic trilogy eye of the beholder! 300+ pages working with AI about our collective awakening…
Don’t take my word for it
But…
AI’s conclusion: Eye of the Beholder is more than a book—it is a blueprint for awakening. Through a compelling adventure and deep spiritual insights, it aims to shift perspectives and ignite transformation in readers.
First chapter here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/shifthapens/p/eye-of-the-beholder-3ab?r=b8pvb&utm_medium=ios
I plan on documenting my musical experiments which will form the basis of a new volume project of music.
Konten.rendom46
Lfg
Only 2 months ago I released a new album on Bandcamp . I’ve posted a review , it seemed appropriate … and a few video clips, links ect … perhaps less appropriate . Substack doesn’t seem to be a space for new indie music artists … it’s a reader paradise …
For all things sport, sports business and sports non-profit, check my profile 🫡 💫
My plans are to get better at technology so I can share my ideas beyond typical comments on YouTube. I suck at getting past the final stage if not all installs regarding passwords and security codes! Aug, but I’m good with a chainsaw!
Perhaps I'm very dense. I have written two books and am interviewing people now for a podcast I plan to start publishing soon. I suspect Substack might be a useful tool,, but I don't know how. Could someone explain it to me?
Already having an awesome experience after posting my first short story excerpt. What an encouraging community of like minded creatives. It's authentic and intimate.
Calling All Christian Content Creators!
Hi Substackers! I’m building a community through my podcast, One Off Supply, and I would love to connect with fellow Christian content creators. 🌍💬
The mission of One Off Supply is to awaken God’s sons and daughters to their true Kingdom identity, encouraging them to embrace the calling on their lives as Kingdom Agents to glorify Him. 🙌
If you’re creating content that shares Kingdom principles, spreads the Gospel, or uplifts others in faith, let’s collaborate and support one another!
Please feel free to subscribe, follow, and share your own Substack links in the comments so we can build this community together. Let’s shine His light! 🌟
[https://substack.com/@oneoffsupply]
I look forward to connecting! God bless! 🙏
This is perfect for the post I have just shared!
Posted first time! On creative placemaking Would love to know any feedback! https://open.substack.com/pub/bonniepowers/p/lets-build-community-together?r=4xlyg&utm_medium=ios
I'm new here. Posts like this one inspire me, so... Thank you!
When I grow up, I want to be able to create such phenomenal videos.
Hello
🐾
🐾
Thanks
Pen-and-paper game design posts as well as some science fiction and fantasy short stories.
"Culture makers" 🤔🙄🙃🙂😁😅🤣🤣🤣
I want to be paid writer and audience of my published books.
2025 is for great beginnings: Started my Substack: aminuddinshroff.substack.com
Will be posting the below throughout the year:
- 52 Book Reviews
- 52 Weekly Reflections in 3-2-1 format: 3 Ideas, 2 Quotes & 1 Question
- Leadership Anecdotes
- Productivity Hacks for Office
Just don't try posting a photosphere on Substack, coz Substack still doesn't support photospheres.
It takes something like two lines of code on their webserver, but they can't seem to implement it.
Thank you for the reminder and encouragement. Such a great boost! I just found Substack a month ago and already obsessed with it. Thank you Substack for providing this space for us creators!!!
I WRITE FOR MOTHERS WHO WANT TO PROTECT AND HEAL FOR THE SAKE OF HUMAN WELL-BEING AND NOT BEING OVERWHELMED OR MANIPULATED BY THOSE WHO DON'T CARE WHO THEY HURT AS LONG AS THEY CAN MAKE A GREAT AND PROBABLY NONTAXABLE INCOME. I THINK THIS SUBSTACK SITE SEEMS TO PROVIDE A GOOD OPTION FOR THOSE WITH GOOD WELL RESEARCHED INFORMATION TO SHARE BUT I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR A HOME TO POST THROUGH. I AN GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO HAD SUGGESTIONS FOR OTHERS LOOKING TO WRITE OR READ IN THEIR COMMENTS, THANKS,
I THINK MY COMMENT WAS TOTALLY REMOVED?? I THINK I MUST HAVE TRIED TO SIGN WITH THEM BUT GOT SO MANY PAGES OF CONTRACTUAL LEGAL-EEZE THAT I GOT SCARED THEY COULD TIE ME IN KNOTS THAT I MIGHT NEVER BE ABLE TO UNTIE DURING THIS LIFETIME??
I WOULD LOVE TO START POSTING ON SUBSTACK. I HAVE A LOT I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN AND PREPARED. I AM PASSIONATE AND HIGHLY MOTIVATED-BUT AN OLD LADY AND A TECHNOPHOBE. I KEEP TRYING, BUT GET NO WHERE WITH WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING. I CAN'T EVEN SUCCEED IN EDITING MY NAME AND HANDLE FOR THIS NEW POST I WANT TO PUT OUT. SUBSTACK JUST IGNORES MY REVISED HANDLE. I WOULD LIKE A BIT OF HELP TO LEARN THE ROPES TO GET STARTED. I TRIED TO START WRITING (AS INVITED) AND GOT A SHORT WAYS AND EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN AND I COULD NOT COPY-PAST MY WRITTEN WORK. ("This year, give your ideas a place to land") GREAT PROMISE!! I WOULD LOVE TOO!! BUT SO FAR OF LITTLE USE TO ME OR FOR MY PURPOSES. I AM A RESOLUTIONARY NOT A STUPID REVOLUTIONARY BUT IF I DON'T CHANGE FROM AN (S)TO A (V) I CAN'T EVEN TYPE IN MY HANDLE FOR THIS WORK. I HAVE READ SOME FREE STUFF ON YOUR SITES AND HAVE ONE PAID SUBSCRIPTION BUT I USED MY EVERYDAY FAMILY EMAIL TO SUBSCRIBE AND I CAN'T CHANGE IT FOR THE SUBSTACK I WOULD LOVE TO START WITH YOU FOLKS. THIS COMMENT SECTION WON'T EVEN ALLOW ME TO SPELL SUBSTACK AS YOU FOLKS DO. IT MUST BE SUB STACK OR IT IS MIS-SPELLED JUST LIKE RESOLUTIONARY VS REVOLUTIONARY. NO CREATIVITY ALLOWED HERE ON SUB STACK!! PLEASE HELP ASAP, I WANTED THIS OUT ON THE FIRST OF JANUARY 2025. NO LUCK SO FAR.
داستان چیه
Recently joined Substack! Such a great way to share my thoughts and connect with others. Looking forward to building a community here!
happy to join!
My new year’s intention is PROCESS. Not the verb, but the noun. I need to follow “the process” to get very serious about my writing, ie. SIT my butt in the chair, open my writing file app and finally finish writing my book!
I also want to continue with last year’s intention: LISTENING. David Brooks’ book, “how to know a person” was a great read last January, and I really took some steps to understanding other people and actually hearing what they have to say. I tend to be a talker and this time I just tried to keep my lips zipped; it was amazing how people love to talk—yeah, haha— mostly good some fascinating people I’ve gotten to know and I’ve realized like David Brooke says, people want to be heard—all of us want that verification of our self, of our identity, and we need someone to just listen, to hear, to really see.
I’m a Canadian living in Texas. Right now, I’m also tempted to write a blog about all the ridiculous blabber by DT on Canada…
But like I said, I need to stay focused on my book. Oh dear.
Just joined Substack. Hello!
For many years I've been outlining, researching, and writing bits of a book on the economic history of the region I live in. I have wondered recently what experiences others have had with sharing parts of what they are writing on Substack as a way to draft, write, get motivated to write more often, etc. I also have other things I might write about and so I wonder, too, whether anyone has more than one Substack going when they want to have separate channels for separate writing/podcasting activities.
I like that! Same question I have!
Writing a new future.
Also, include the hard work it takes to grow your substack and actually have subscribers who will engage with your contents. Sharing values should be rewarded, and i don't mean just money, even though that's the most imporatant 😁
Hey all! Recently set up a substack commenting on global geopolitics and history. Keen to connect with new people and get some discussions going. Please subscribe if this is of interest!! https://underqualifedandoveropinionated.substack.com?r=4xwa8o&utm_medium=ios
Cannon for the Supreme Court.
I'm gathering up the courage to start again in 2025.
The thing is, I have all these scattered ideas and what do I focus on?
Do I want to:
- write poems of praise and poems of lament and post them as video (because publishing them in print puts them out of the running for prizes and other trad publications)?
- share my poetry expertise? (how rhythm works, for example, or metaphor)? Teach online classes if there is enough interest?
- ask people to sponsor me to write a poem? (And what boundaries do I put in place for that?)
- share what I'm reading (I want to focus on contemporary Christian poets, but I also want to seek out diverse poets in this area ...), maybe even interview some of these poets?
Or do I just do all of the above? In a sustainable manner - e.g. once a fortnight?
Thanks for this prompt, Substack Team, at least I've started writing SOMETHING down!
Thanks Johnny
I write about a variety of topics that interest me and consider how we might harness our collective potential for good. I am trying to do my part in guiding our communities towards a more compassionate, sustainable, and peaceful planet where every heartbeat resonates with possibilities.😃
I wouldn't call legacy media credible, unless you define credible as accurately representing corporate and other financial elites' interests.
Thanks for offering this platform, Substack! I have been loving it so far. It feels more authentic and I have gotten so inspired from recipes and ideas on here. Going to continue posting to *no one* haha but still enjoying every minute of it!
Nice one 👏👏👏.
I run a weekly Zoom for creators called the Creators Lounge (our next one is 1/8 at 7 pm est). if any creator (or better yet, someone from substack!) would like to come to and share more about what they are doing please reach out to me on IG @thedaronjenkins
How safe is it for posting "more" confidentially? Is there a larger margin of privacy? Just about any reply will help answer this rather boneheaded question for me. Thanks.
My hope this year is to do exactly this -- finally push out the ideas that are constantly tinkering in my mind. About how the design of public spaces can inform culture -- create space for friends to socialise, activists to rally, and offer moments of connection or solitude amidst the comfort of unknown people. And about how adaptive and inclusive public spaces have actually been ingrained in the eastern cultures and urban fabrics -- which most people in the west very comfortably ignore. Substack does feel like a good home already. This year, I want to design it with handcrafted pieces that speak to me :) And hopefully, I'll be able to host friends here -- both old and new.
I hate to see all this good writing only available on the web. I wish some of these columns could be published in small town newspapers that are struggling to stay alive. This is especially true in Iowa, where small town folks still like to read local news and discuss it in coffee shops. We need thoughtful prompts that can start thoughtful conversations for all of us. I’ve seen that from Substack writers. What can you do to reach more rural Iowans?
My plan is to keep publishing quality writing and then build a media empire brick by brick in order to rule the world with an iron fist wrapped in the finest velvet. Why I don't have a single subscriber, I'll never know. Maybe I'd make the news if I focus on the marketplace which pays to see people self-immolate for attention? Not sure, we'll see. For now, it's just occasional humor pieces and an offer to provide premium one-on-one interactions for subscribers who enjoy the fact that I have a no-nudity promise in my contracts with them.
I plan on serializing my memoir, Misfortune Cookie, on Substack this year! ✨ I'm including voiceover, too. Thanks, Substack! ✨
Tengo 83 años y voy a intentar satisfacer una asignatura pendiente, el canto. Las plataformas actuales permiten una difusión a nivel mundial y si a algunas personas les gusta mi canto y los temas tradicionales como Boleros Tangos, música latina, música de Trova etc., será tocar el cielo. Espero con ansias comenzar.
I've been doing exactly that! I had a bunch of essays I didn't know what to do with, and now I'm posting them here.
I suspect subscription bundles are probably the answer to the question of how to make more substacks available to wider audiences affordable. I have no clue how this can be achieved on a practical level but I imagine some of the brilliant substackers who would benefit the most from such monetization model could enlighten the rest of us.
Do check out my blog on how to feed a family of four on a budget. It's a good idea I think for the cost of living crisis and do buy my specialist budget cookery books when the first one comes out next month. They are all currently in the lengthy process of being published.
…and they lived happily until the dark ages of the algorithm.
I wish there were freebies for subscriptions! Those would be well-damned great! Haha!
I am proud of the Substack library I build last year. I plan on continuing my commitment to a weekly deep dive into the craft and business of screenwriting. But I also hope to later in the year add a publication to my umbrella and find new topics to write about. Perhaps even diving into the world of short stories and serialized fiction.
REALLY, YOU'RE SUGGESTING WE USE THE MUSK PLATFORM/???????????????????????????
I have a Iot to write about. Have had 2 books pubIished. But I'm guessing that in order to have a Substack one has to pay money. I never charge for my information - even gave my books out free (which didn't pIease the publishers of the first book at the time - it's now onIine to read free). I'm oId now, and not rich, but stiII have pIenty to report.
Maybe start with fixing the Android app? Like how it doesn't show in the recent apps list? Or loads random notes from notifications? Or can't even edit my post?
I would like to hear from readers of the "Casca, The Eternal Mercenary" series of paperback books written in the 1950s by Barry Sadler. I have completed a Fan Fiction novel solving Casca's dilemma, and would like to discuss it with other readers via email. Thanks, and all good wishes for 2025.
I like Substack because it’s a clean and tidy place to store the things that bubble up from my neurodivergent mind. I keep my general burblings free for all to read, but explanations of technique (I am the originator of the eucalyptus ecoprint dye method) behind a paywall. The yearly subscription to that is $90AUD , whereas a three day workshop would probably require an investment of ten times that (not to mention travel and possibly accommodation). And if you’re subscribed, you have access to all the tricks and tips I’ve published, which is not a bad resource. I just need to work out how to index that tsunami of words properly….
I do hope Substack stays ad-free, it’s presently something of a refuge from all the noise outside. That said, your cut and paste video was kinda cute…it’s given me ideas…
About 1 month ago I realised exactly what you are saying. I am in the kitchen writing the words for YouTube video to explain why I am moving my focus to Substack.
I will borrow some of your paragraphs from this post to help me.
Substack is the future. Spoken word vanish into thin air. Written words do not.
I've started my Substack to give myself a motivation to start writing about my passion that is music. It's been really fun so far. Although it would be great to have a wide community at some point (and I'm working towards it!), I think the greatest award is to keep writing just for the sake of writing, to put my ideas and bands I love to the world to read and listen. Hope this motivates anyone who finds this comment. And if you care about music and want to read something in Brazilian Portuguese, batida cronica is waiting for you! 💌
The Substack App does not work on older versions of iOS running on older iPhones.
My newsletter entitled "Encouragement Only" has kept me on the high road this year -- and hopefully will in 2025. I enjoy sharing travel tips, notes on French culture, thoughts about staying positive in mind, body, soul and spirit, and my art/art news. My intro letter really contained my mission statement: "I want this to be a breath of fresh air and a word of encouragement. I'd like to come along side you with some practical tips and good things I am discovering every day." I also created a podcast by the same title and plan to expand that from an auditory version of my newsletter - to reviews, interviews, who knows? I have blogged since 2007 and have found Substack very user friendly. Currently, my newsletter will remain free.
Get back to normal.
I’m responding to a writer on Substack, Joyce Vance who unfortunately you can’t respond unless you are a paid subscriber.
So the comment I have is merely her suggestions about the insurrection. It seems like more people are wanting to see justice and find out more information about who set up this fight to White House with intent on causing harm. Well first off I think we all know who was behind the insurrection and there are people in prison for the physical attacks and the break in at White House.
However those people will be getting out of prison soon by Trump. My thought is “why in the hell” are we waiting four years to be so concerned now. We had time to put Donald in prison and keep him and all of his goons together where they belong. Now we get to see him again as president and get all of his goons out of prison and support their leader. So isn’t this going to be fun????? I just don’t understand how someone like him got back in office and we all are going to have to hell to pay for this now. So thanks to the supporters of our democracy but it may all be too late now. People like me, will be some of the first to suffer. I live on SSI and have disabilities and I’m 70 years old and not even wanting to face all the hardship I could suffer. So brace yourself for a very bumpy ride to hell!!!
I have been thinking about it.
How about sending it in FRENCH language ? Or is it only for english writers ?
This seems daunting. Starting a Substack is a lot including maintenance. I am an inventor with patent 12,187,574 published 1/7/25. The GIST is that there are alternatives to teflon® in water systems. Mine is but one, how do you unite the forces of many to do something about this PTFE contamination that has been deemed 'Okay' by hose manufacturers? How do we beat back the lobbyist win? What is this permitted and doesn't anyone else care?
I had to remove the friction known as back pressure from these high pressure hose systems in order to remove the, supposed, 'NEED' for PTFE linings. So, where is the response to this activity that needs harsh regulatory restrictions instead of manufacturing plants funded by .gov agencies? Just saying.
I intend to continue the good fight, speaking up and supporting causes and candidates who truly care about America and its future.
Theoretically, this will be the year when I start charging subscribers. It does give me the willies, thinking of it. But, I guess in order for this to become something sustainable, I'll have to do it. I was hoping an editor and/or agent would see my words and be bowled over. Well, not yet! Not sure anybody from the publishing industry is checking on Substack at all, although they should be. I'm here, after all!
Plans for 2025: Keep going, keep writing, keep loving
Hi. I have a Substack, which I rarely use. I produce and release music but have no idea how to share it via Substack. One or two basic ideas would be appreciated... Tanx!
That sounds so good! Let’s see how it plays out for me. Just started with zero audience 🤗
This year, I'm planning on being as consistent as possible! I am planning to have as many posts scheduled, so I can write more and be even more ahead
I'm Innnnnn!!!!👋🏾
I BEGAN "JESUS LETTERS" FOR A PRISONER I KNOW PERSONALLY. THEN I FOUND MORE PRISONERS WHO DO NOT HAVE BIBLES. THEN ONE OF MY 18 PRISONERS TOLD ME THAT THEY ONLY GET 15 MINUTES ON THE KIOSK TO READ MY 2,000 WORD LETTER AND DO NOT GET A HARD COPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS MORE THAN DISTURBED. I WOULD LIKE TO PRINT THE JESUS LETTERS I POST ON SUBSTACK (WITH ONE MORE PROOFREADING) BUT HAVE NOT YET FOUND A PUBLISHER... DARLENE JUNE RANCK MUMMA
Substack is a great platform for free speech and information—as long as it doesn't get purchased or controlled by the autocratic tech broligarchy or flooded with AI generated garbage posts. And yes, it still has a big problem as being a platform used by with far right and antivax propaganda, but thankfully, most users are intelligent enough to recognize the claptrap and then block it. Aside from those issues, I've been pretty happy with using Substack now for almost 3 years. As long as you go into using this app knowing that the subscription model is dubious at best for most writers here, then you'll be happy with it.
Like to write a book about Grieving
My plans for 2025 aren’t that much different than 2024 but probably a bit more amplified: so, in essence, continuing to be honest, ask questions, inspire kindness and — hopefully — create a safe space for conversations.
I need Substack on Nvidia to use it
My plans for 2025 as of right now is to continue doing what I have.
Nothing grand or ambitious. Just write. Simple.
I am waiting on funding for a new computer system after a complete meltdown during my last post. I was just supported by an award from The Authors Guild where I’ve been a Professional Member for many years.
Once I am set up again, I am planning to focus on making up all this lost time to my many subscribers who have so kindly waited on me through cancer treatments and then this technology problem! Great stories are in the works! I’m excited and hope to create for everyone quite soon. A hopeful and healthy New Year to all.
I subscribe to many people and some of the subscriptions are paid. Recently, all my subscriptions were transferred to a friend. It was not her fault. I tried to alert Support and was told that Support had moved. Support did move to becoming a stupid Chat-Bot who could and would do nothing about the situation. I eventually told one of the people I was subscribed to about it, and somehow I was able to get all my subscriptions back. But, I lost almost all of my Followers. I now have only three.
Another extremely vexing development is the CENSORSHIP. If I reply to anyone's Substack email address, Substack sends the email back to me and tells me to get a Substack account and/or leave Comments. I already have a Substack account and sometimes feedback needs to be private. How dare you interfere in our correspondence with each other?? It is none of your business!! Is this Facebook (aka Fascistbuch), or the Communist States of America??
Is there a tutorial on Substack? I am a newbie and follow a couple writers but this is the first I’ve heard of recipes and videos on Substack. I don’t have a lot of time for it but feel I’m missing a lot.
Happy New Year Everyone!! 🎉
At Vinyl Culture, we believe that music transcends mere sound; it embodies the essence of our humanity. It is authentic, emotional, and meant to be shared among people, not just machines or algorithms. We invite you to join us in celebrating The Soul of Music by subscribing to our Substack. Your support will help foster a community that values the raw and real connections that music inspires.🤝🏼
Your platform is brand new, I think you still need to think about subscription issues. I speak as a very small "Substacker", since to date I only have 260 subscribers. Since I started writing on Substack (March 2023), I have of course had an upward curve of subscribers, but I have only had two promises of paid subscriptions; I have been very reasonable, since I start with 5 euros per month (but maybe it is still too much?)
What I would like to be able to do is to continue to offer my work for free and to let those who would like to help me financially, like that, without compensation. For the beauty of the gesture.
I also understand that you, for your part, the administrators of Substack, must find an economic model to make your platform viable.
Yes, there is a lot to think about this.
I really enjoy working on your platform, and I hope it will last.
I wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2025!
PS: off topic: for several months (whatever my browser) I can no longer check the little hearts to "like" (but I can comment!)
I plan a hopscotch of my mind
Without predawn boxes
Doesn’t fit that I can see
In substack structure
It's the same ol' thing, isn't it? Those of us who write fiction wallow in despair, while those who don't, those who have something to offer that is more than just a "story", well, people are willing to up-grade for them because they feel they're getting more out of it. I get that, and I don't mind. It's hard to find good fiction. When you do, I've learned if you don't save it, you lose it.
But I'm willing to wait it out. I'm here for the long haul. I'm consistent with my stories which is the only promise I can give you. I put them out twice a week, on schedule. My subscribers and followers deserve that commitment from me, having signed up expecting that from me. Yes, I have a paywalled area that I've decided will not be coming down. If people want to read my serial novels, I charge the lowest Substack allows. My numbers are growing ever so slowly, but continuously. I might not be able to afford more than a $50 bottle of wine with my earnings, but I don't mind.
Substack is the best thing that has ever happened for me. It has allowed me to reinvent myself from the Blue-Collar worker I was, into the writer I've always imagined myself to be. I've got, at best, 20-25 years left in me, and if I can make something out of it, that's great. If I can't, at least I will have died doing what I like more than anything else I could imagine--not trying, but doing. Growing my 'Stack is on me. It's a challenge I'm willing to face head on. But I don't let it get me down. I started with nothing coming in here and have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined in the 2 1/2 years I've been here. I've already succeeded as far as I'm concerned.
If you want to sign up and read my stuff, I'm happy to have you on board. If you want to up-grade, I'm happy you like my writing enough to feel I deserve whatever contribution you're willing to make. If you unsubscribe, I'm not going to chase you down. Life is complicated enough. You don't need someone like me asking you why you left me, like a date you stood up with no explanation. You don't have to explain your reasons.
I noticed lately that when I go to comments section (on unpaid subscriptions) I come to the annoying glitchy page that sometimes lets me comment, sometimes disappears. Anyone have that else happening?
My plans in 2025 are to develop my Substack publication "The Vivid Pen". I feel it will keep me motivated to keep writing new short pieces and connect with new readers and writers. The original fiction and creative nonfiction on Sundays will be paid posts and the mid-week posts on different topics like marketing and writing techniques will be free.
What's new are my speculative fiction and creative nonfiction directions after 30 years as a journalist and marketing writer.
I'm looking forward to sharing more with the community and wish you all an inspiring year.
Excelente plataforma para escritores y lectores. Espero en este año poder escribir aquí.
Feliz 2025 para todos.
Alejandro Torres
My goal for this year? Maybe to gain some understanding of how substack works. Seems like there would or could be more interaction. Maybe that only occurs if you're on here trying to make a living off it? Or paying for it? I would love to see a seperate section maybe of people like myself who are just writing to write. Or looking for conversation, that I could subscribe to. But then again that might make it too much like shitter or X or whatever it's called. I've only invited a couple of real life friends because the platform seems extremely difficult to navigate or make sense of and writing anything seems like it's only seen by the couple of friends who seldom even check in because of it...dunno maybe I'm just dense or so far out there that nobody bothers ...anyway I enjoy the reading, immensely!
Are there any plans to improve the gallery feature?
Unless I'm missing something it is impossible to add captions or alt text, which renders it pretty much useless.
I'm reading here in comments with a few complaints about what's wrong with Substack, and what about the platform that is not working for them. I don't think it can be all things to all people, including the models, because there's a wide range of how the platform is used and by whom. Most writers I hear from say having this type of writing platform with an ability to attract folllowers, an audience, is a golden nugget, and to make money from their work is an added value. Substack did a great job with this post highlighting the opportunities for giving all artists a place to be.
OK...so I'll make this copyleft, or throw a donation to MAP.
If you don't know yet they are Medical Aid for Palestine....on the grounds that eventually I$ra€£ will lift its jacKKKboot$ off Gaza's throat.
Unless we get to vapourise the planet before February.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f7NRyQ5YbDAvBKJeNMvSt7F7c5bfbNP0/view?usp=sharing_eil_se_dm&ts=674c253e
Very good post. I thank you for sparking the light on this issue. I have big plans to use Substack to build a community of like-minded individuals that want to drive their businesses to the next level. I want to build my email list and share connections with people that resonate with my content. Let's see what 2025 has to offer.
No more “drive businesses to the next level” please 🙏 🤦🏻♀️😭😭😭😭 go to LinkedIn and let writers have a place !!!
I recently was banned from X for opining that If I was president I would have had Trump,
arrested tried and shot before a firing squad. I was immediatly banned and X/twitter's kangaroo court has kept my account in limbo as a violator of their violence rules. Now I may be confused,
but I think the whole concept of free speech has been twisted inside out. To the best of my knowledge I never said I was going to hurt anybody and I never encouraged anybody to hurt anybody I was making a statement based on a question that was asked.
I felt my thoughts were being censored! Coming back to substack I feel like I may have come home again. Thanks Dan and the rest of the opportunity to speak truth to power.
As much as I hate Trump, I don’t think you’re allowed to suggest somebody get shot. That’s inciting violence. On January 6, that might be something to reflect on. We can’t be like them.
As a large GROUP…with body armour…attend the ‘show of fake patriotism’ on Jan 20/25, and CRY.
until Donald Trump lies with his hand on the Bible, you cannot be arrested, but…
…as soon as Trump makes a mockery of the Oath…HE CAN, as supreme DICTATOR, have you evicted from the ‘service’ and jailed…FOR CRYING IN PUBLIC.
ROCK BOTTOM ONLY HAS ONE DIRECTION LEFT.
Great post. Time to take my own efforts seriously, to honor my own efforts as valuable, if only to myself, as I continue to grow as an artist and writer.
Please eliminate the annoying autoplay feature where after listening to one Substack post you are automatically refed the recordings of other posts you have already listened to!! It greatly reduces the value of Substack because instead of getting to reflect on the post I have chosen to listen to, I am scrambling for my phone to shut down the autoplayed recording that I have no desire to hear again. I am visually impaired, so I mostly listen to posts, rather than read them. I have tried numerous ways to communicate this to Substack, to no avail. Is anybody out there?? If you somehow think some subscribers like this feature, great, at least make a way to turn it off. Begging you!!!
I have questions I bet most of you can answer. First, how can I see the most recent posts on the HOME page? And if I go to the ART section, how do I get my post to show up there? It's seems that when I post anything, it disappears into the quagmire.
I get lots of comments from people telling me they wish they could read my whole article but that there’s a pay wall. However they say this for FREE articles - they miss that there is a “continue reading” button.
This has happened so often that I think it would be a good idea for substack to make the “continue reading” button more prominent than the “subscribe” button when someone opens a free article. It just happened way too often where someone will only read one paragraph of my free articles because they didn’t realize they just need to press “continue reading” in order to see the whole thing. Thanks!
My goal, consistency but everything is free for me too. I’m just glad to find platforms with thinking people. I’m over the Instagram/FB thing.
I really like the Substack platform, I like the subscription option with the ability to get paid as a writer or to see posts for free as a reader, but what I like most is that I have been able to comment here without censorship so far, and that is surprising considering the comments I sometimes leave. If censorship hits here too, which is unfortunately likely, I will probably be gone.
I generally don't pay for content, and the reason is not that I don't value the content or the writers' time, but because I have spent a LOT of TIME on various blogs myself since at least 2012 without charging for it, and as long as I'm blogging or commenting and not getting paid for it, I don't want to pay others either. That may be stupid from your perspective, but that's how I see it.
Looking forward to seeing the platform improve!
As of now, I think the subscription model needs some work.
We’re so good. We’re so good. Everyone is scared of us. Believe us. Pay for us. Then we’ll show you. It’s like we’re Trump supporters who will believe and throw our money away without a shred of evidence.
Would anyone else who uses Substack love to have the option of being able to select the crop area of photos/images that appear as title-header images on their home page??
I certainly would!
The way some of my paintings look when auto-cropped are not so great.
Substack would be a dream blog/website if we could select the crop area even a little more intentionally.
Thanks!
Share inspiration to do the sacred work of making your home a warm and loving place.
Great ideas.
I love it here on Substack. The community and support are fantastic. In 2025, I am looking to grow my newsletter, The Naturalized Human, into a living income as I help people to understand how food influences their mind and body, where that food is coming from, and how they can grow their own. I am hoping to keep the majority of my work free, while offering some value-added components.
How were you able to grow your community?
I am finding that the best source of new subscribers is Substack itself. Time on the platform engaging, commenting on other people's posts and threads, seems to have better results for me than other social media. I still upload my post links to Facebook and Instagram. But Substack itself seems to be where it's at for me.
to be able to start a club where people everywhere can talk about doing things to help people who are homeless live in houses like habitate for humanity and the