Start here!

Your definitive guide to Substack growth from the world's leading Substack Strategist Sarah Fay

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✨ 36,000+ subscribers in a thriving online community

✨ One of the Top 10 Substacks, globally

✨ A bestselling Substack featured by the Substack team

✨ Trusted by Substack writers and creators since 2022

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You’re in very good hands…

I’m so glad you’re here!

Substack is the most amazing platform to come around in a long time. You have so much to give and share, and have finally found a place to share it.

But it can be overwhelming, confusing, frustrating, dispiriting, and all of the above.

I will save you from wasting years, flailing around, trying to figure out what works.

All my guidance comes from the advice Substack gave me and the years I’ve spent working one-to-one with over 700 private clients and thousands here on Substack Writers at Work.

I’m the leading Substack Strategist, meaning I have a gift for seeing how your gifts will work on the platform so you can build a platform, earn an income, and engage and connect with your readers/audience. I’ve been on Substack for half a decade and know it inside and out.

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If you’re already a paid subscriber, here’s where to start:

• Get your Substack Strategy Handbook, A-Z here.

• Choose your lane: either the Substack Newbie Pathway or go straight to the Substack Core 4 to help you grow authentically and long-term.

• Access our amazing paid-subscriber-only Substack community.

• Check out our full calendar of events here, including lives with the Substack team and my signature Substack Growth Program Workshops.

If you’re a Mastery Level Member, you get everything in the paid subscription—plus:

• 12 months of group mentoring from me,

• monthly live calls with hot seats and breakout rooms to connect with other highly motivated Substack writers and creators, and

• DM access to me.

• You’ll find the full calendar of Mastery Membership events and register for calls here.

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No matter which level you’ve chosen, be sure to bookmark our homepage for easy navigation and to get the most out of your subscription.

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About me

I’m Sarah Fay (MFA, MA, PhD). All the guidance you receive is based on the advice Substack gave me and my experience as the world’s leading Substack Strategist, who’s helped 700+ writers and creators double and triple their subscribers, sharply increase their revenue, get real engagement, and be chosen as Featured Substacks—the pinnacle of quality on the platform.

I’m also the creator of two bestselling, featured Substack publications; an award-winning author at HarperCollins; a member of the creative writing faculty at Northwestern University; a former advisory editor at The Paris Review; and a freelance writer at The New York Times, The Atlantic, et al. You can check out my author Substack here.

I live in Chicago with my two beloved cats—Sweets and Baby Theo. Both are on staff at Substack Writers at Work. More than anything, I want a t-shirt that says, Ask me about my cats. (All typos in all posts are Baby Theo’s fault.)

Baby Theo (left) and Sweets (right) hard at work editing our next Substack post.

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Substack is a long game. Period.

I’m here not just to show you how the platform really works but how to make it work for you—long-term.

Let’s do this

All my best,

Sarah

P.S. The fastest way to get subscribers and earn an income is to get personalized guidance from me 1-to-1. I see a select number of private clients. Book a 1:1 here.

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*I subsidize a 3-month paid membership for anyone on a fixed income. If this is you, email me: sarah@substackwritersatwork.com.

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What paid subscribers are saying:

“Sarah knows Substack inside and out, and combines her knowledge plus intuition, smart strategy, and incredibly generous vision to help Substackers reach more readers with less struggle! Super helpful!” —Jeannine Ouellette, Writing in the Dark

“Sarah is a remarkable expert on Substack. If you’re interested in growing your Substack and/or learning more about this platform, she’s your woman.” —Esmé Weijun Wang, The Unexpected Shape

“Substack Writers at Work is invaluable for all those looking to write on Substack.” —M.E. Rothwell, Cosmographia

“Sarah’s Substack workshops are BRILLIANT—her Substack knowledge is deep, considered and so generous. Join her community—don’t pause, just get in there, I’ll meet you there!” —Claire Venus, Sparkle on Substack

“Sarah Fay knows pretty much everything there is to know about Substack, including how to use it to develop your writing skills, and advice on publishing.” —Linnhe Harrison, Sails on the Horizon

“Sarah Fay’s teaching style is top-notch! Even if you have a strong writing background, it’s easy to get lost on Substack. Following Substack Writers at Work gives me guidance each month on how to boost my newsletter.” —The Naked Page

“Sarah Fay is a gifted teacher. She has the ability to make everything clear, she turns the grey zone into black and white while providing very useful tools I can use right away. She provides the greatest value for a paid subscription of anyone on Substack.” —Donna McArthur, The Bright Life