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

There’s at all times a brand new instrument, platform, course of, you title it, that you simply simply have to strive.

It’s exhausting as a content material creator to attempt to sustain with the most recent developments and time-consuming to discover ways to use utterly new platforms. It will probably additionally really feel dangerous to start out creating content material someplace new when the place you’re is already working for you.

However it’s my skilled opinion that if you’re a author (or reader), you will need to 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 in search of a spot to air their grievances.

It’s the right mix of weblog, journal, and e-newsletter, with the bonus of a sort 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

The mannequin permits writers to maintain roughly 90% of the cash from paid subscriptions, whereas 10% goes again to Substack.

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

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

Why Use Substack as a Content material Creator or Author?

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

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

The great thing about publishing content material on Substack is that it’s designed to present 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 spite of everything, Substack solely makes cash when you do.

Substack is fashionable amongst writers, journalists, and creators trying to publish impartial 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 possibility to attach authentically together with your viewers. George Saunders talked about in an Esquire article, “With Substack, I’m speaking to the identical folks virtually each day, each week. It’s given me a deeper expertise of my readers.”

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

In accordance 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 12 months.

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 power to publish and simply ship e mail newsletters of your work by way of Substack is a large plus, because it helps you attain audiences that might not be on Substack.

Electronic mail newsletters may be tough to handle and ideal, so you possibly can discuss with our information to e mail newsletters to make sure you apply the very best suggestions and methods in your Substack publication.

The best way to Use Substack as a Author

I’ll admit I had solely learn a number of free Substack posts earlier than and had by no means printed my very own, so I set off to just do that earlier than diving into this publish. See some steps beneath for tips on how to begin utilizing Substack as a author.

1. Create an account.

I do know; I’m actually beginning with the fundamentals. However, I feel it’s necessary to know how finest to arrange your account for achievement.

In case you have an present mailing listing from one other platform, like WordPress or Mailchimp, you possibly can add it if you arrange your account.

If not (like me), you possibly can manually add folks to your subscriber listing, when you so select. To get began, I included 13 associates as subscribers.

In case you have an present viewers, I strongly advise you to import it.

It’s attainable to construct your viewers from the bottom up on Substack (greater than 50% of all new free subscriptions and 25% of paid subscriptions come from inside its community, in response to the platform).

However it by no means hurts to start out with the cushioning of people that already eat and revel in your content material.

I additionally determined to arrange my account at no cost and never hook up with Stripe (but).

Since I don’t at the moment have an viewers on Substack, it doesn’t make sense to ask readers to pay to subscribe to my content material. They don’t even know what they’re signing up for!

In case you have a big viewers who already pays in your work elsewhere, you could think about instantly diving right into a paid subscription mannequin, however you possibly can at all times add this later. Why not give your followers a style of what they will count on, first?

2. Handle your author dashboard.

When you’ve created your account, you’re prepared to start your journey as a Substack author! However first, you must have a look in your author dashboard to see what steps are nonetheless pending your overview.

Since I’ve already written my first Substack publish and uploaded greater than 10 subscribers, you will notice that each are checked off on my dashboard. Different duties to work on are turning on paid (which you are able to do at any level) and sharing your Substack (which I like to recommend doing as quickly as you’ve written your first publish).

On the backside of your author dashboard, you’ll discover some assets that can assist you get began on Substack.

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, comparable to pay-walling your posts however utilizing the free preview instrument to present 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. For those who toggle to the tab “Settings” you possibly can replace your publication title, web site design, about web page, emblem, branding, and far more.

3. Create your first publish(s).

Lastly, we’re on to the enjoyable half! I made a decision to jot down a brand-new publish for my Substack debut (which you’ll be able to try right here!) however many writers might think about importing an present piece of content material to start.

This could both be a chunk you’ve beforehand written that has but to see the sunshine of day or, extra usefully, a chunk 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 a great signal that it’ll carry out effectively on Substack.

For those who resolve to go the paid route, you could possibly repost some present 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 publish.

When you’ve completed your publish, you possibly can preview how the publish will look in numerous codecs: cell versus desktop, net versus e mail, and free versus paid subscribers.

For those who’re pleased with how the publish seems to be in its numerous codecs, you possibly can ship a take a look at e mail to your self to make sure the textual content and picture formatting seems to be right. I additionally used this to confirm my first publish didn’t seem too lengthy on cell.

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

After you’ve examined, you possibly can lastly publish your publish! Substack will convey you to the beneath display, the place you have got the choice to share your publish to many platforms, comparable to Instagram or LinkedIn, or copy the hyperlink when you’d choose to distribute it your self.

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

I shared my publish to my Instagram Story after which checked my e mail the place I obtained my printed publish as an e mail e-newsletter.

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

5. Preserve observe of your stats.

Your author’s dashboard has a Stats tab that’s a tremendous place to trace the efficiency of your posts and e-newsletter.

I can see the site visitors to my Substack after my first publish and the way these readers discovered it (outlined beneath), my e mail open price, information on my subscribers, and extra.

As necessary as our freedom of thought is, it’s equally as necessary to make sure persons are truly 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 may as well edit and create a New Reader Survey which can assist you get extra demographic details about your readers. This additionally allows you to perceive your audience and may encourage you to supply content material that will be most interesting to these audiences.

As an example, if I noticed most of my readers have been primarily based within the U.S. and aged 18-24, I might analysis what present American faculty college students are most fascinated with, 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 suggestion from one other author. That offers you a much-needed ego enhance whereas additionally opening you as much as the followers of that author’s work.

Subtack has an Discover function which you need to use to find different content material. Whereas this function is very useful for readers, it’s an effective way for writers to seek out different robust or related writers.

When you discover a author you are feeling keen 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. Under, you possibly can see that I’ve really helpful my buddy Ginny King’s Substack.

Recommending writers provides 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.

The best way to Use Substack as a Reader

Whereas I’ve completely loved my first expertise at writing on Substack, I’ve particularly liked exploring the platform as a reader. Learn on for a few of my finest suggestions for utilizing Substack as a reader:

1. Listing your pursuits throughout sign-up.

The toughest half about becoming a member of Substack as a reader could also be discovering the publications that spark your curiosity.

Like a social media platform, it takes a while for Substack to determine your “algorithm” and goal you with content material it believes you’ll take pleasure in.

You possibly can assist transfer this course of alongside by initially choosing your pursuits if you join your account.

Above, you possibly can see among the pursuits I chosen when organising my account. My first prompt publications have been curated primarily based on my most well-liked matters of Tradition, Information, and Well being & Wellness, amongst others.

You continue to might must do some digging, however it can assist weed out any topics you’re not as drawn to.

2. Seek for your favourite writers.

When you’ve created your account, you must see a flood of Notes in your homepage from numerous creators prompt to you primarily based in your pursuits.

Whilst you can learn by these ideas and discover some writers to start out subscribing to, I like to recommend first trying to find writers you already know and revel in.

I used the “Search” perform to seek for associates I knew had a Substack to indicate my love and help. Then, I looked for a few of my favourite writers to see in the event that they occurred to have a Substack.

Hetty Lui McKinnon is one among my favourite New York Occasions 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 prefer to, and it’s a easy solution to educate the platform on the sorts of publications you’d be fascinated with.

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

Whereas I’d like to financially help each author, I need to make sure that I choose and select the publications that the majority communicate 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 need to use the Discover function once more.

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

That is particularly useful if, as a reader, you have got made a Substack to learn extra a few explicit topic. I’m fascinated with 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 matter. It’s a fast and straightforward solution 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, when you’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 by prompt publications on the app and subscribe to those you like. You’ll get an e 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 e mail notifications, however you have got the choice to maintain each.

What I additionally admire in regards to the app interface is that Notes from each subscribed and prompt 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 most recent updates first.

5. Become involved in the neighborhood.

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

I feel for this reason 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, quite than a big public medium like social media, the discourse is far more forgiving and considerate.

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

Substack Greatest Practices

My expertise testing Substack was extremely eye-opening. It’s a tremendous alternative for writers of all genres and ranges of fame to publish their work in a novel house for devoted, paying readers.

After all, simply because it’s a recipe for achievement doesn’t imply all of us have the suitable elements. See beneath for my 4 finest practices to assist get your Substack off the bottom and working.

1. Choose a subject which you can repeatedly ship on.

What makes an concept distinctive? It appears you possibly can’t think about something nowadays that doesn’t exist already — I lately expressed how cool it might be when you might “take a look at out” a ebook to see when you prefer it earlier than making a purchase order, then realized that’s what a library is for — which may make it troublesome to seek out your Substack area of interest.

My recommendation: Decide a subject you could possibly write virtually endlessly about. Don’t select a style that’s too area of interest simply to attempt to make your publication stand out. It’s important to discover a steadiness between a broad sufficient matter that permits for steady ideation and a hook that makes your content material distinctive to you.

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

Cherry goes on to listing 5 niches you possibly can align with, that are academic (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 matter you want, as long as it repeatedly delivers on one of many above objectives. This could additionally assist you uncover why you’re beginning a Substack, what you hope it does for readers, the way it will examine 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 necessary message that what you write about on Substack needs to be one thing you take pleasure in, admire, and discover necessary.

2. Publish usually and persistently.

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

Whereas I can actually relate to the frustration… the fact is that if you wish to construct a readership, you do need to publish.”

Attaining success as a author on Substack whereas not an already-famed author means you could want to realize some kind of virality or at the least robust shareability to develop your subscriber base. The extra usually you publish, the extra probably you’re to publish one thing that resonates and will increase your recognition.

For those who publish one thing that goes “viral” — be warned that virality might look a lot smaller on Substack than on X — sustain the momentum. Journey the coattails of that fashionable publish and use it as a possibility to encourage readers to maintain tuning in for extra of the identical.

In case you are making an attempt to supply a excessive quantity of posts and struggling to provide you with progressive codecs and types, try 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, impartial job. It’s one thing you do each day by your self, and also you don’t sometimes 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 exhibits your willingness to help different folks in your business, and studying their publications can shed some mild on totally different finest practices and assist you play with model, size, and codecs to draw new, wider audiences.

Commenting on and recommending different publications is an effective way to attach with and present your help for different writers and construct your community, particularly in your early days. It will probably encourage these writers to take a look at your work and provide the identical 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 broaden your community as a lot as attainable.

4. Don’t take it too severely.

I’m a author as a result of I like to jot down (you possibly can learn extra about that in my inaugural Substack publish). 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, stated it finest:

“What’s going to you write about? Who cares… You’d suppose recognized writers with massive audiences have it simple right here, however the strain to succeed is felt extra amongst them. The stakes are low if you’re in no way recognized. There isn’t any viewers to lose, just one to achieve. And acquire you’ll.

Maybe if you begin your solely subscribers will likely 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 individual will likely be there simply to learn you.”

In case you are beginning a Substack primarily as a brand new technique of revenue, that’s in fact severe and one thing to take severely. However it’s very attainable to be severe and enjoyable. Take some dangers and check out one thing new. You possibly can at all times strive once more after.

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

(Sub)Stacks of Alternatives

I didn’t count on 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 large 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 form of writing, and an viewers to match.

I’ve by no means used a platform that was so seamless to jot down a publish proper throughout the platform. My debut Substack publish was one of many quickest items of writing I’ve ever written, and an enormous 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 e-newsletter of my publish, 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 publish, I’ll completely proceed utilizing it to publish a few of my extra private and inventive writing (For those who really feel so inclined, I’d admire a subscribe).

I encourage any writers and content material creators to present the platform an opportunity; it may well convey your audiences from blogs, social media, or different locations to a way more collaborative, accepting setting.