You know what’s funny? When trying to share my own content with people from the app, the link I get is directly to reading via the app. But when I click on this link to the Note? It gives me the web version.
I would actually prefer the opposite to what your app currently allows.
The other great advice was to customize the welcome email asking subscribers to tell me why they subscribed. I've developed some meaningful relationships from that alone!
Because folks are subscribing for the daily love notes, I’m currently sending folks one in the body of the email text, plus a link to where they can download a free copy of one of my books but I can see the advantages of linking them out instead.
Perhaps the only piece of advice that really matters in the end: Substack is a long game--think in terms of years, not months, i.e., keep going!
The best part about staying with your Substack and not giving up is that the more you write the better a writer you become, so there's absolutely no downside. What we're doing here as writers is old-school learning on the job the way the masters did before graduate programs took over and (arguably) made people think writing had to look and sound a certain way. We're right where we're supposed to be.
I had a newsletter 5-8 years ago that I had to kill because of a non compete clause. I restarted a similar project, but I'm definitely way further behind than I would be if I were allowed to plug away on that over the past half decade or so.
To be consistent, and to support others’ work and build a community of writers alongside building your Substack. This has changed the way I think and work.
Ha, how's it been going for you? j/k most often I get a reply back, and learn more about the person, remembering the interaction vs just liking and hoping they come back.
True to your word! Yes, I do this sometimes, and I think you’re right that it does make for a memorable interaction. However, I have no further questions at this time.
I think weekly is definitely the best place to position yourself, especially as a new writer. Keeps the commitment up whilst (hopefully) not feeling overwhelming. Plus it's a good pace as a reader, too.
The best advice I got was to stay consistent and not too much all over the place. So that your readers can expect what you’ll be posting. And also appreciating every single subscriber without focusing too much on your numbers. Every single subscriber shared their email information with you, or they gifted you some of their daily time to leave a comment. In today’s fast-paced world genuine interaction, without any hurry, seems more rare.
Best advice: Write truly, honestly and authentically, and also: Promote your work! Don’t buy into the myth that it’s ‘bad’ to self-promote. That seems to be a new trend. Don’t be spammy; don’t just not engage and add your links to everything. It’s not a binary. Engage and add something meaningful to someone’s post and also promote your work if it’s appropriate, meaning if you wrote something connected to the topic you’re commenting on. No one else will do this work for you. Most of us will never have 10,000 subscribers. We build slowly. We advocate for ourselves.
Recently a reader reminded me that the lack of distance between writers and readers does not make the readers Managing Editors. It's a good piece of advice, as following reader preferences too closely could lead the author astray.
Obviously it's important to listen to feedback and engage, but dramatically altering a newsletter because of the loudest fans may be a major mistake.
Share your advice with us here!: https://substack.com/@substackwriters/note/c-17348630
You know what’s funny? When trying to share my own content with people from the app, the link I get is directly to reading via the app. But when I click on this link to the Note? It gives me the web version.
I would actually prefer the opposite to what your app currently allows.
The other great advice was to customize the welcome email asking subscribers to tell me why they subscribed. I've developed some meaningful relationships from that alone!
Fab idea! Thank you ☺️☺️ I’ve already customised the welcome email so folks don’t get the default but love the idea of asking for that feedback.
Thanks El! Yes I get about 1 email back for every 40-50 who subscribe
Genius
Yeah this one was something I ignored that helped a lot.
Same here - better late than never though.
That is a great idea!
I've also heard to personalize the photo in the thank you for subscribing email.
More great ideas! Thank you both! ☺️
Because folks are subscribing for the daily love notes, I’m currently sending folks one in the body of the email text, plus a link to where they can download a free copy of one of my books but I can see the advantages of linking them out instead.
Yes! I also include a link to a popular article of mine/ eg "start here"
Oooh that’s interesting! Noting 🥰
Totally
Perhaps the only piece of advice that really matters in the end: Substack is a long game--think in terms of years, not months, i.e., keep going!
The best part about staying with your Substack and not giving up is that the more you write the better a writer you become, so there's absolutely no downside. What we're doing here as writers is old-school learning on the job the way the masters did before graduate programs took over and (arguably) made people think writing had to look and sound a certain way. We're right where we're supposed to be.
long game, no race. still, gotta network, cross-promote, guest post, collaborate and above all be genuine.
And find those coincidental connections ;)
I had a newsletter 5-8 years ago that I had to kill because of a non compete clause. I restarted a similar project, but I'm definitely way further behind than I would be if I were allowed to plug away on that over the past half decade or so.
👌👌👌
👍!
The best piece of substack advice? Well, a dear friend told me to start a substack, and that was solid advice.
To be consistent, and to support others’ work and build a community of writers alongside building your Substack. This has changed the way I think and work.
Yes!!!
Best advice: when you get feedback or a comment, ask a question back to keep the engagement going!
How has that been going?
Ha, how's it been going for you? j/k most often I get a reply back, and learn more about the person, remembering the interaction vs just liking and hoping they come back.
Do you do this George?
True to your word! Yes, I do this sometimes, and I think you’re right that it does make for a memorable interaction. However, I have no further questions at this time.
That is a good bit of advice!
Write weekly!
I think weekly is definitely the best place to position yourself, especially as a new writer. Keeps the commitment up whilst (hopefully) not feeling overwhelming. Plus it's a good pace as a reader, too.
I think so too. Thanks for commenting. It is nice not to be writing into a void.
The best advice I got was to stay consistent and not too much all over the place. So that your readers can expect what you’ll be posting. And also appreciating every single subscriber without focusing too much on your numbers. Every single subscriber shared their email information with you, or they gifted you some of their daily time to leave a comment. In today’s fast-paced world genuine interaction, without any hurry, seems more rare.
Best advice: Write truly, honestly and authentically, and also: Promote your work! Don’t buy into the myth that it’s ‘bad’ to self-promote. That seems to be a new trend. Don’t be spammy; don’t just not engage and add your links to everything. It’s not a binary. Engage and add something meaningful to someone’s post and also promote your work if it’s appropriate, meaning if you wrote something connected to the topic you’re commenting on. No one else will do this work for you. Most of us will never have 10,000 subscribers. We build slowly. We advocate for ourselves.
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
writing is the easy part. ;) the real work starts when you are done writing.
Excellent advice—thanks, Michael.
Recently a reader reminded me that the lack of distance between writers and readers does not make the readers Managing Editors. It's a good piece of advice, as following reader preferences too closely could lead the author astray.
Obviously it's important to listen to feedback and engage, but dramatically altering a newsletter because of the loudest fans may be a major mistake.
Very valid point 👍
Consistency is key.
word
Sentence
question
Phrase
Milieu
Quotation
To keep expanding yourself thru your writing
According to Substack, the best advice is to be famous and an established successful writer with a massive following.
Only then will you be featured and...well, grow your audience more!
That's kind of how most of the world works.
https://substack.com/@writersatwork has really great tips for the fundamentals of the substack platform!
No advice received yet via Notes in particular, but I’ve gotten a couple restacks that way, which is nice.
So cool!
Advice received and repeated many times - Keep writing, and post regularly.
Yeah 👍