How I Use Substack as a Author [+ Tips for Readers]

There’s all the time a brand new device, platform, course of, you title it, that you simply simply have to attempt.

It’s exhausting as a content material creator to attempt to sustain with the newest traits and time-consuming to learn to use fully new platforms. It will probably additionally really feel dangerous to begin creating content material someplace new when the place you might be is already working for you.

However it’s my skilled opinion that in case you are a author (or reader), you should get acquainted with Substack.

Self-described as “a brand new financial engine for tradition,” it launched in 2017 and has change into a well-liked house for everybody from famed, skilled authors to younger 20-somethings searching for a spot to air their grievances.

It’s the proper mix of weblog, journal, and publication, with the bonus of a form and thought-provoking neighborhood. Nonetheless skeptical? Learn on for extra details about Substack and a few suggestions and finest practices for writers and readers alike.

Desk of Contents

Substack does greater than permit writers to curate an area for his or her content material — it additionally gives instruments for authors to ship and handle electronic mail newsletters.

Content material creators can even uncover new writers on the platform, and pay the love ahead by subscribing to different writers.

As a author, I wrestle to know the place I ought to share my writing. I might keep on with social media and submit content material on X, however this limits my viewers to followers and related thinkers.

Whereas there are various methods to earn a living on social media, they usually contain partnering with manufacturers on sponsored content material or paid adverts, which takes away among the autonomy in your writing.

The fantastic thing about publishing content material on Substack is that it’s designed to offer creators freedom of thought and speech whereas serving to these creators monetize their work. You’d be hard-pressed to discover a platform that’s as decided to assist writers succeed — in any case, Substack solely makes cash for those who do.

Substack is widespread amongst writers, journalists, and creators seeking to publish unbiased content material digitally. On Substack, writers personal their mental property whereas nonetheless publishing it in a public house.

It differs from opponents like WordPress as a result of it lets writers arrange podcasts, add movies, and construct a constant viewers.

One thing that units Substack other than different content material creation platforms is the prospect to attach authentically along with your viewers. George Saunders talked about in an Esquire article, “With Substack, I’m speaking to the identical folks nearly every single day, each week. It’s given me a deeper expertise of my readers.”

If you happen to’re a fan of Saunders’ work, you’ll be happy to listen to he’s one in all many celebrated writers and creators who publish on Substack, together with Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

In keeping with Backlinko analysis, Substack has greater than 2 million paid subscriptions and greater than 500,000 paying subscribers. Greater than 17,000 writers receives a commission for his or her newsletters on Substack, and the ten highest-paid authors on Substack collectively make greater than $25 million per yr.

Whilst you might not have plans to be in that high 10, it’s evident there’s a marketplace for subscribers prepared and excited to pay for entry to your authentic content material.

The flexibility to publish and simply ship electronic mail newsletters of your work through Substack is a big plus, because it helps you attain audiences that might not be on Substack.

E mail newsletters will be tough to handle and excellent, so you possibly can check with our information to electronic mail newsletters to make sure you apply the most effective suggestions and tips to your Substack publication.

I particularly loved the “When ought to I activate paid subscriptions?” information, which detailed some nice choices to make the most of a paid subscription, resembling pay-walling your posts however utilizing the free preview device to offer readers a pattern of your work to entice them to subscribe.

Your author’s dashboard can also be the place you possibly can edit your Substack’s title, look, and really feel. If you happen to toggle to the tab “Settings” you possibly can replace your publication title, website design, about web page, emblem, branding, and way more.

3. Create your first submit(s).

Lastly, we’re on to the enjoyable half! I made a decision to write down a brand-new submit for my Substack debut (which you’ll take a look at right here!) however many writers might think about importing an current piece of content material to start.

This may both be a bit you’ve beforehand written that has but to see the sunshine of day or, extra usefully, a bit you’ve already printed that has gained traction elsewhere. If there was a likeability and shareability to the subject on a unique platform, that’s signal that it’ll carry out properly on Substack.

If you happen to resolve to go the paid route, you might repost some current posts as free content material to seize the eye of recent subscribers, after which begin posting new content material underneath a paid subscription mannequin.

4. Take a look at and publish your submit.

When you’ve completed your submit, you possibly can preview how the submit will look in varied codecs: cellular versus desktop, internet versus electronic mail, and free versus paid subscribers.

If you happen to’re proud of how the submit seems in its varied codecs, you possibly can ship a take a look at electronic mail to your self to make sure the textual content and picture formatting seems appropriate. I additionally used this to confirm my first submit didn’t seem too lengthy on cellular.

I knew it might be a 4-minute learn, however I didn’t need subscribers to be deterred by a prolonged electronic mail.

After you’ve examined, you possibly can lastly publish your submit! Substack will deliver you to the under display, the place you may have the choice to share your submit to many platforms, resembling Instagram or LinkedIn, or copy the hyperlink for those who’d choose to distribute it your self.

Substack creates free photos you possibly can obtain and share on Instagram Tales or in-feed to advertise your submit. It’s one other instance of how Substack can supply a lot to content material creators at no cost that helps you promote your work.

I shared my submit to my Instagram Story after which checked my electronic mail the place I obtained my printed submit as an electronic mail publication.

Within the high proper nook of the e-mail, it says “Forwarded this electronic mail? Subscribe right here for extra.” That is one other nice tip — you possibly can ahead a duplicate of the e-mail publication to folks, freed from cost, to encourage them to subscribe (paid or in any other case) to your publication.

5. Hold observe of your stats.

Your author’s dashboard has a Stats tab that’s an incredible place to trace the efficiency of your posts and publication.

I can see the visitors to my Substack after my first submit and the way these readers discovered it (outlined under), my electronic mail open fee, information on my subscribers, and extra.

As vital as our freedom of thought is, it’s equally as vital to make sure individuals are really discovering and studying our ideas. Substack offers you some energy as a author with the Stats tab to determine the place most individuals discover your content material and meet them the place they’re.

You can even edit and create a New Reader Survey which can assist you get extra demographic details about your readers. This additionally lets you perceive your audience and might encourage you to supply content material that will be most interesting to these audiences.

As an illustration, if I noticed most of my readers had been primarily based within the U.S. and aged 18-24, I might analysis what present American school college students are most inquisitive about, and attempt to incorporate a few of my findings into my writing.

6. Uncover and advocate different writers.

Any author is aware of the worth of a advice from one other author. That provides you a much-needed ego increase whereas additionally opening you as much as the followers of that author’s work.

Subtack has an Discover function which you should utilize to find different content material. Whereas this function is very useful for readers, it’s a good way for writers to search out different sturdy or related writers.

When you discover a author you are feeling enthusiastic about, you possibly can click on “Advocate” on their Substack. In your profile, their publication will seem underneath “Suggestions” to anybody who views your web page. Beneath, you possibly can see that I’ve beneficial my buddy Ginny King’s Substack.

Recommending writers presents your readers different trusted publications to speculate money and time and positions you as a author prepared to help different writers. And that’s certain to encourage different writers to return the favor.

Hetty Lui McKinnon is one in all my favourite New York Instances Cooking recipe builders and cookbook authors, so I shortly discovered and subscribed to her Substack.

You possibly can repeat this course of for no matter writers you desire to, and it’s a easy method to educate the platform on the sorts of publications you’d be inquisitive about.

Professional tip: Wait to change into a paid subscriber to any accounts except you’re already a die-hard fan. Many writers can have a free subscription choice, even when it limits the content material you possibly can entry, and it might assist you get a way of their Substack earlier than you absolutely decide to paying.

Whereas I’d like to financially help each author, I need to be sure I decide and select the publications that almost all converse to me earlier than placing down my bank card.

3. Discover related new writers.

When you’ve subscribed to some already-known writers, you could need to discover new writers who poke your fancy. That is the place you should utilize the Discover function once more.

Right here, you possibly can browse underneath the For You tab, which incorporates publications that Substack thinks will align along with your pursuits. In any other case, you possibly can look via Workers Picks or, my private favourite, by subject, as I did within the instance above by clicking Meals & Drink.

That is particularly useful if, as a reader, you may have made a Substack to learn extra a few explicit topic. I’m inquisitive about spicing up my dwelling cooking, so I clicked on Meals & Drink to filter for food-related content material.

One other nice function is the Leaderboard on the right-hand aspect, the place you possibly can view among the high publications inside that subject. It’s a fast and simple method to discover and subscribe to among the hottest writers with out scrolling mindlessly.

4. Obtain the Substack app.

I extremely advocate utilizing the Substack app as an alternative of the desktop interface, for those who’re not already. The app mimics a social media platform and makes among the lengthier posts much less intimidating to learn.

It’s a lot simpler to scroll via steered publications on the app and subscribe to those you favor. You’ll get an electronic mail notification if you subscribe to somebody’s publication, alerting you that you simply’ve subscribed to a free plan however have choices to improve your subscription.

I choose to obtain push notifications from the app, so I turned off electronic mail notifications, however you may have the choice to maintain each.

What I additionally admire concerning the app interface is that Notes from each subscribed and steered publications seem in chronological order, much like your Fb Timeline or X Feed. This helps Substack really feel pure and present, with the power to compensate for the newest updates first.

5. Become involved locally.

I’m in a ebook membership, and I’ve found how way more excited I get to learn a brand new ebook after I know I’ll get to debate it for hours with my pals. People are naturally social beings, and there may be immense satisfaction within the dialogue of ideas and sharing of concepts.

I feel that is why the feedback sections in Substack publications are such a promoting level for writers and readers alike. And since Substack is a platform folks gravitate to for particular intentions, relatively than a big public medium like social media, the discourse is way more forgiving and considerate.

It’s a spot the place you possibly can voice your reflections with out concern of societal disgrace and cheer on beloved writers instantly, as you possibly can see under in a feedback thread on one in all Alison Roman’s Substack posts of readers congratulating her on opening a grocery retailer in upstate New York.

Karen Cherry wrote, “On your Substack publication to achieve success, you should have one thing of worth to supply your subscribers.”

Cherry goes on to listing 5 niches you possibly can align with, that are instructional (instructing expertise), informational (instructing data), leisure (offering humor, nostalgia, or pleasure), time-saving (bringing all the things they want into one place), or money-making (sharing suggestions for investing or companies).

You possibly can choose any subject you want, as long as it constantly delivers on one of many above objectives. This may additionally assist you uncover why you might be beginning a Substack, what you hope it does for readers, the way it will evaluate to different publications, and the way it can assist you earn a living.

Take former NBA participant Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has since began a Substack. He informed CBS Information, “There are occasions if you don‘t have any selection however to talk the reality…I’m at this level in my life, and that is precisely what I’ve to do.”

Whereas not all writing must really feel fairly as revolutionary, it’s an vital message that what you write about on Substack ought to be one thing you get pleasure from, admire, and discover vital.

2. Publish usually and constantly.

Summer time Brennan wrote, “Somebody [told me] it wasn’t honest to those that didn’t have the bandwidth to publish fairly often to should compete with extra established writers. They thought they need to be given some type of leg up by the platform, so they may obtain the identical consideration and development.

Whereas I can definitely relate to the frustration… the truth is that if you wish to construct a readership, you do should publish.”

Attaining success as a author on Substack whereas not an already-famed author means you could want to realize some type of virality or at the very least sturdy shareability to develop your subscriber base. The extra usually you publish, the extra doubtless you might be to submit one thing that resonates and will increase your recognition.

If you happen to submit one thing that goes “viral” — be warned that virality might look a lot smaller on Substack than on X — sustain the momentum. Trip the coattails of that widespread submit and use it as a possibility to encourage readers to maintain tuning in for extra of the identical.

If you’re attempting to supply a excessive quantity of posts and struggling to give you modern codecs and kinds, take a look at our full assortment of content material creation templates that may be utilized to all types of content material.

3. Join and construct relationships with different content material creators.

Being a author can usually really feel like a lonely, unbiased job. It’s one thing you do every single day by your self, and also you don’t usually obtain stay suggestions. However with Substack, you possibly can join with a large ecosystem of writers and readers.

Subscribing to different Substacks is important for a author. It reveals your willingness to help different folks in your trade, and studying their publications can shed some mild on completely different finest practices and assist you play with fashion, size, and codecs to draw new, wider audiences.

Commenting on and recommending different publications is a good way to attach with and present your help for different writers and construct your community, particularly in your early days. This may doubtless encourage these writers to take a look at your work and provide the similar badge of approval.

Substack is a welcoming place with room for everybody. Don’t deal with it like a contest — when your community grows, you develop with it, so increase your community as a lot as doable.

4. Don’t take it too critically.

I’m a author as a result of I really like to write down (you possibly can learn extra about that in my inaugural Substack submit). I hope that anybody who writes finds some pleasure in it, even when it brings frustrations and worries. Generally, you simply want a spark of inspiration to change up your writing and make it really feel contemporary.

Sophia Efthimiatou, the Head of Writer Relations at Substack, mentioned it finest:

“What’s going to you write about? Who cares… You’ll assume recognized writers with massive audiences have it simple right here, however the stress to succeed is felt extra amongst them. The stakes are low in case you are under no circumstances recognized. There is no such thing as a viewers to lose, just one to achieve. And acquire you’ll.

Maybe if you begin your solely subscribers can be your finest buddy, your lonely neighbor, and your aunt—who can’t even learn English. After which, in the future, a fourth subscriber will roll in, a complete stranger. That particular person can be there simply to learn you.”

If you’re beginning a Substack primarily as a brand new technique of revenue, that’s after all critical and one thing to take critically. But it surely’s very doable to be critical and enjoyable. Take some dangers and take a look at one thing new. You possibly can all the time attempt once more after.

The vital factor is that your viewers will come and develop, particularly if in case you have one thing to say and a real approach of claiming it.

I didn’t anticipate to like Substack as a lot as I did. I actually see the imaginative and prescient and why it has greater than 20 million month-to-month energetic subscribers.

There’s a vast breadth of content material to be consumed, from hilarious fictitious tales to exhausting political information to journey suggestions for each nook of the world. There’s a place for each author and each type of writing, and an viewers to match.

I’ve by no means used a platform that was so seamless to write down a submit proper throughout the platform. My debut Substack submit was one of many quickest items of writing I’ve ever written, and a large a part of that was how uncomplicated it was to make use of Substack.

It was additionally extraordinarily simple so as to add my family and friends as subscribers, preview and ship the e-mail publication of my submit, share it on social media, and even customise my Substack profile to make it really feel particular. I’ve used Mailchimp and WordPress, and neither is as easy to make use of or observe stats.

Whereas I created my Substack to check it for this weblog submit, I’ll completely proceed utilizing it to publish a few of my extra private and artistic writing (If you happen to really feel so inclined, I’d admire a subscribe).

I encourage any writers and content material creators to offer the platform an opportunity; it might deliver your audiences from blogs, social media, or different locations to a way more collaborative, accepting atmosphere.