I was already writing daily on other platforms before launching my newsletter on Substack, but I found the perfect balance between newsletter and blogging platform with Substack. Writing articles is a real pleasure with the editor, and I also appreciate all the new features that are offered by the Substack team to improve user experience and engagement.
I love this platform. I’m finally publishing my fiction consistently, and I’ve noticed this makes a difference. Though I don’t have a huge readership, those who do read my work are loyal — and it makes it all worth it for me.
Just completing my 5th month on Substack! Plus, I only joined Twitter and FB, too, in August, and am amazed at who can not only see my articles, but comment on them, as well! Writing about my behind-the-scenes days in '70s FM rock radio & the record biz, I also do deep dives into various little-known artists and albums.
One, titled "Audio Autopsy: What Grounded the 1979 Starjets?" was seen by Starjets guitarist/vocalist Paul Bowen on Twitter, and he applauded my article. I DM-ed him and asked him some questions, which he generously answered, which I was able to add to my piece!
This past week, I wrote "Audio Autopsy: What Drove 1999 Aussie Band Taxiride to a Grinding Halt?" drawing attention from former '70s rock scribe, Bud Scoppa, who was a Sire Records VP of A&R '97-99, and was part of signing and developing Taxiride! He, too, was complimentary, and answered some of my questions, as well, his direct quotes being inserted immediately into my article!
His comments got the attention of Taxiride guitarist/vocalist, Jason Singh, who also contacted me, and offered his contributions, including a soon-to-be-booked Skype interview (his idea)!
Thanks to all that attention and re-tweeting, my Taxiride article has eclipsed the 1,000-page-view milestone, my first to reach that lofty zone, but a couple are following close behind!
Bottom line: Even after publishing, be bold in "friending" high-profile folks on social media who might be flying in the general or specific orbit of your piece's topics, and either ask (via DM preferably) for their input and answers, or hope they find you like my two did me! I actually prefer waiting till I publish, because then they can see my work, and be (hopefully) more likely to add their 2 cents!
THEN, what I do is send an exclusive e-mail to my subscribers scooping them on these cool updates as they happen, including giving them a several-hours jump on adding new direct quotes from the execs and musicians, themselves, into my articles!
Hope these tips help, and can be incorporated into your writing and publishing for '22!
2021 is my second year writing on Substack, and I'm really proud of the work I've done. I've published at least once a week, every week, and my work has been consistent. My readership now is 5 times what it was at the end of last year, and most of that growth has come in the last few months. I've connected with some amazing Substack writers and I now feel that I'm really part of a community. I'm looking forward to what I might be able to achieve in 2022.
So many amazing milestones! I too started my Substack this year and I’ve been amazed by the company itself as well as everyone’s incredible accomplishments! Great job writers and good luck in 2022! 😊
Other year-end wrap-ups... yes! I was delighted to see my friend, Resident Contrarian, courting continued engagement with people-whose-tribe-is-not-like-his! ("...if at some point all I have around are people who agree with me because I’m on the right side, I’m not really where I want to be.")
In that post he also shared problems to solve in the new year: One is the overall focus of his blog. ("ideas welcome," he says!) Well, I have the inside scoop that 4 article topics he has "in the works" are... "vulnerability, heuristics, jokes, and philosophy." So yeah, I'm not sure what to tell him! XD
It’s my first six months on Substack and it was amazing to come from nothing in January to launching in July, finding a community, and doing guest posts. It’s been great and while I’m still a small fry, growth is happening slowly and steadily.
I like the advise of finding an aesthetic. Your Substack is immediately identifiable and marketable just off style or oft-used images (or artists). Also, consistency! That can be challenging but really pushes you into a rhythm of creating and releasing content. It’s the good type of stress.
Excited to apply some of these tips and see what develops!
My second month on substack and it’s been such a blast! For 2022 I hope to strike the contradictory balance of consistently delivery valuable content while also being playful enough with the platform to keep evolving. :)
There are lot of comments saying how great substack is....but for me its been useless so far. Seems they take off negative comments though? I dont see HOW its a useful site and there a has not been any subscribers to my channel apart from people i already know and have asked to join. Plus no paid subscribers at all. And i am a moderately known writer with more than 200,000 sales of my books, so far....its a well designed site but not useful for earning money, in my experience.
Hi! Do you also track sources of new subscribers? Does substack as a platform contribute to getting new subscribers or it's only your effort on twitter, other social networks?
Coffee Times is a publication on Medium with thousands of followers, we think Substack offers a unique environment for our writers to connect to readers beyond a single platform. As such we plan to leverage Substack as a platform for our writers to set up their base here. Our first step is to help our writers to set up shop here and use it to connect with readers across different platforms. Subscribe or visit our Substack page to see how we are featuring our writers and helping them spread their roots on Substack.
I was already writing daily on other platforms before launching my newsletter on Substack, but I found the perfect balance between newsletter and blogging platform with Substack. Writing articles is a real pleasure with the editor, and I also appreciate all the new features that are offered by the Substack team to improve user experience and engagement.
Keep it up in 2022!
I love this platform. I’m finally publishing my fiction consistently, and I’ve noticed this makes a difference. Though I don’t have a huge readership, those who do read my work are loyal — and it makes it all worth it for me.
My goal for 2022: keep writing & stay consistent.
Best wishes for 2022, all!
Just completing my 5th month on Substack! Plus, I only joined Twitter and FB, too, in August, and am amazed at who can not only see my articles, but comment on them, as well! Writing about my behind-the-scenes days in '70s FM rock radio & the record biz, I also do deep dives into various little-known artists and albums.
One, titled "Audio Autopsy: What Grounded the 1979 Starjets?" was seen by Starjets guitarist/vocalist Paul Bowen on Twitter, and he applauded my article. I DM-ed him and asked him some questions, which he generously answered, which I was able to add to my piece!
This past week, I wrote "Audio Autopsy: What Drove 1999 Aussie Band Taxiride to a Grinding Halt?" drawing attention from former '70s rock scribe, Bud Scoppa, who was a Sire Records VP of A&R '97-99, and was part of signing and developing Taxiride! He, too, was complimentary, and answered some of my questions, as well, his direct quotes being inserted immediately into my article!
His comments got the attention of Taxiride guitarist/vocalist, Jason Singh, who also contacted me, and offered his contributions, including a soon-to-be-booked Skype interview (his idea)!
Thanks to all that attention and re-tweeting, my Taxiride article has eclipsed the 1,000-page-view milestone, my first to reach that lofty zone, but a couple are following close behind!
Bottom line: Even after publishing, be bold in "friending" high-profile folks on social media who might be flying in the general or specific orbit of your piece's topics, and either ask (via DM preferably) for their input and answers, or hope they find you like my two did me! I actually prefer waiting till I publish, because then they can see my work, and be (hopefully) more likely to add their 2 cents!
THEN, what I do is send an exclusive e-mail to my subscribers scooping them on these cool updates as they happen, including giving them a several-hours jump on adding new direct quotes from the execs and musicians, themselves, into my articles!
Hope these tips help, and can be incorporated into your writing and publishing for '22!
2021 is my second year writing on Substack, and I'm really proud of the work I've done. I've published at least once a week, every week, and my work has been consistent. My readership now is 5 times what it was at the end of last year, and most of that growth has come in the last few months. I've connected with some amazing Substack writers and I now feel that I'm really part of a community. I'm looking forward to what I might be able to achieve in 2022.
So many amazing milestones! I too started my Substack this year and I’ve been amazed by the company itself as well as everyone’s incredible accomplishments! Great job writers and good luck in 2022! 😊
Other year-end wrap-ups... yes! I was delighted to see my friend, Resident Contrarian, courting continued engagement with people-whose-tribe-is-not-like-his! ("...if at some point all I have around are people who agree with me because I’m on the right side, I’m not really where I want to be.")
In that post he also shared problems to solve in the new year: One is the overall focus of his blog. ("ideas welcome," he says!) Well, I have the inside scoop that 4 article topics he has "in the works" are... "vulnerability, heuristics, jokes, and philosophy." So yeah, I'm not sure what to tell him! XD
https://residentcontrarian.substack.com/p/on-the-first-full-substack-year
Jackie Dana of The Story Cauldron's done a nice reflection on her year here. https://storycauldron.substack.com/p/a-time-it-was-and-what-a-time-it
milestone update:
There are now 20 Great Movies Each Written & Directed By The Same Person (used to be 15)
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/fifteen-great-movies-each-written
It’s my first six months on Substack and it was amazing to come from nothing in January to launching in July, finding a community, and doing guest posts. It’s been great and while I’m still a small fry, growth is happening slowly and steadily.
I like the advise of finding an aesthetic. Your Substack is immediately identifiable and marketable just off style or oft-used images (or artists). Also, consistency! That can be challenging but really pushes you into a rhythm of creating and releasing content. It’s the good type of stress.
Excited to apply some of these tips and see what develops!
Also a nice reflection from Mike Sowden. https://everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/end-of-year
My second month on substack and it’s been such a blast! For 2022 I hope to strike the contradictory balance of consistently delivery valuable content while also being playful enough with the platform to keep evolving. :)
This was lovely. Finally had a chance to read one of your emails and click through. Very happy day. Thank you Substack.
There are lot of comments saying how great substack is....but for me its been useless so far. Seems they take off negative comments though? I dont see HOW its a useful site and there a has not been any subscribers to my channel apart from people i already know and have asked to join. Plus no paid subscribers at all. And i am a moderately known writer with more than 200,000 sales of my books, so far....its a well designed site but not useful for earning money, in my experience.
Thank you for this engagement with other writers. Incredible inspiring and helpful.
Sharing my reflections on self-publishing after two years on this platform:
Reflections on self-publishing [2021]: Year Two, Geneva Health Files
https://bit.ly/3HrQ0sJ
Lessons in self-publishing in 2020
https://bit.ly/3sg7KRN
Does it resonate with you? Write to me!
Priti
Hi! Do you also track sources of new subscribers? Does substack as a platform contribute to getting new subscribers or it's only your effort on twitter, other social networks?
Coffee Times is a publication on Medium with thousands of followers, we think Substack offers a unique environment for our writers to connect to readers beyond a single platform. As such we plan to leverage Substack as a platform for our writers to set up their base here. Our first step is to help our writers to set up shop here and use it to connect with readers across different platforms. Subscribe or visit our Substack page to see how we are featuring our writers and helping them spread their roots on Substack.