The Only 4 “Tricks” to Success on Substack
Substack is so exciting right now
The platform is exploding. More and more people are reading and subscribing.
The other day, in my apartment building’s laundry room, someone asked me what I do and I told them I help writers and creators build a platform and get paid to do what they love on Substack, and for the first time, the person didn’t respond, “What’s Substack?” and instead said, “I subscribe to one of those.”
Why Substack is so exciting right now
The stats are in our favor:
We have (way) more than 2 million paid subscriptions (that doesn’t mean 2 million individual paying subscribers—one person often has multiple paid subscriptions) and 35 million active subscriptions overall—these stats are from 2023 and are the most reliable and recent I could find.
Why some people might not be excited
With all that excitement, we’re also attracting a lot of new people. (It’s like everyone at Medium and LinkedIn just got the memo.)
The stats are compelling. I don’t have exact figures but it’s something like:
In 2024, everyone and their brother started a Substack. :)
This stat can provoke all kinds of emotions like jealousy (fearing someone will take what I have) and envy (wanting what someone else has) and insecurity (lack of self-confidence) and general uncertainty, overwhelm, unease, and malaise.
Having more people starting Substacks isn’t a bad thing; it just is.
How to make the most of what Substack offers right now
Despite claims from many of the new people trying to sell you on how to get rich quick on Substack, success on Substack
is a long game,
doesn’t come from crunching numbers or over-analyzing metrics or begging people to follow or subscribe to you or pay you, and
doesn’t happen by copying what the top Substacks do or when other people post or what they write or how long their posts are.
It comes from these four things.
The Only 4 “Tricks” to Success on Substack
Know the platform—really understand how it works because having subscribers and communicating via email is totally different from having “followers” on social media or Medium
Know yourself—get clarity on how your gifts, talents, and expertise will work best on the platform and how to communicate what you do to subscribers
Have the support of a community of totally amazing, inspiring writers and creators (ahem, all of you!)
Receive real guidance from an expert in Substack strategy and the writing skills and craft techniques you need
Which is why I’ve designed all Substack Writers at Work posts, interviews, features, and workshops with all the recent platform changes and your success in mind.
Here’s a taste of what’s to come for paid subscribers:
→ New!
Monthly Substack Updates + the New Notes Viral Report
A roundup of what you need to know about Substack: What’s changed on the platform, what’s new, why it matters, and how to use it to grow
Notes Viral Report: Updates on what’s going viral on Notes now
Substack Strategies and Case Studies
Write less, convert more
Navigating Substack’s strange and beautiful ecosystem
How to write for readers, not just ourselves
Crafting recommendation posts and roundups that aren’t deathly dull
How to convert paid subscribers on the Substack subscriber checkout page (yes, there is one)
Why your content calendar isn’t just about “content”
Implementation Guides:
The 30-Day Reader Engagement Plan
Your 30-Day Networking Plan (even if you hate networking)
The 90-Day Growth Blueprint
The Next 1000 Subscribers
Real-time Support:
Live AMAs to get all your questions answered
Interviews with the Substack team
→ Favorites!
Substack Mastery Workshops
We start with proven strategies, then you get time to execute them and have the opportunity for feedback and connection—plus templates and implementation guides to ensure you follow through.
Your Substack DNA
How to Be a Featured Substack
Your Welcome Emails Are Your Greatest Asset
The First 100 Paid Subscribers
Highly Attractive Headlines
Viral Writing
Replays will be available for all workshops. To attend live, mark your calendars:
Substack Mastery Workshops are on the first Saturday of the month at 12:30 CT
Continued Headline Help 24/7 in the SW@W Chat
People will only read your posts, subscribe, upgrade, and stay subscribed if your headline draws them in
Quarterly Check-ins to keep you on track to meet your goals
This community is—you all are—the best. Your successes bring me so much joy. Thank you for being here. On to 2025!
All my best,
Sarah
P.S. If you don’t have the foundation you need to take advantage of all these resources and don’t want to DIY it, enroll in my live class: 5 Weeks to Substack Growth: Build the Foundation You Need to Get Traction Fast. January 3 - January 31 | Fridays, 12:30 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET
*Limited space available
Once I stopped comparing myself to other writers, I was able to get the clarity I needed. (This also works well in life, not just Substack!)
I decided when I stepped out on my own not to track what anyone else was doing. It's helped me keep my sanity and focus forward and not around me. Thanks for your wisdom, Sarah.