Useful advice. I’m content with Substack being a lead magnet for my coaching and just an outlet to share writing with my friends and readers. I do have a plan for 2026 focused on the medical humanities. But it’s mostly an itch I want to scratch that could also serve a need. Enough for me. I’m bad at gaming out scenarios and pitching value added content. So I need to think about the paywall strategy or whether to have one at all.
I will probably never be good at that. This week I had to scratch an itch about runaway spending in college football, which has nothing to do with my craft focus this year. But I recognize that it's the superior method for monetizing a newsletter itself.
Oh, you can write on anything. It’s all about how we present it now. It has to feel familiar and simple. One thing I’ll be talking about is creating a template (structurally) for your posts. We’ll be doing a workshop on it in December for all paid!
I use for similar reasons. For me it's important to remember to offer my coaching services- can be in my newsletter or directly to my contacts on my phone or orivate email- instead of trying to monetize substack.
I've come to understand that cold leads are less useful than long tail effects. People who book discovery calls have often followed my writing for months, sometimes years. By the time they reach out, they're effectively sold. Expanding that kind of reach is more useful than playing the paywall game, which is why I'm so frustrated by Substack's direct curating of subscriber lists. Mine had been gaining 1K a year quite steadily until June.
I can’t attach the image here, but I had a steady growth curve until May. Then it leveled off and has gone up and down. Substack began directly cutting inactive subscribers from what I read. Some of them were removed manually
This is such great advice. I've noticed a real influx of 'Substack predictions' posts recently and I'm sure there will be many more before the end of the year. I love that Substack gives us space to expand - into whatever we want it to be. There is a freedom and an expansiveness here that I don't think I have seen or felt elsewhere.
It's the best! My two loves: teaching writing and Substack. It's the same curriculum that I teach at Northwestern but you don't have to get 1560 on your SATs or pay 23k to take it :). Here are all the details: https://www.writersatwork.co/courses/craft-of-writing-on-substack
It's comforting to hear that even big names may struggle on Substack. Useful advice, thank you. It would be amazing to grow my audience and reach a larger readership. I have something to say, I write well and engagingly (I'm told) and gaining more paid subscribers is always an aim.
I admit to feeling scared about the future of Substack. My core audience is people in Iowa or from Iowa, and the most successful Iowa writer on Substack was part of the recent exodus to Patreon. Many of my subscribers also read her, and I worry about Substack becoming a platform that a lot of liberals will want to boycott.
I wouldn't call it an exodus. On Substack, we've had two moments now when people decided it's not the right platform for them due to various factors. This one is the fact that Substack is embracing Notes more and people don't like that.
Yes, in 2023, the Atlantic wrote a piece about how there were 6 Substacks with Nazi rhetoric and imagery (mind you, that there are hundreds on FB and who knows how many on X). That caused a stir because people wanted Substack to have more stringent moderation policies. Theirs is the same as most platforms and much more stringent than Ghost's or Patreon's.
And now it's that Substack has become social media.
I hear you. Some people are following a trend set by Substack writers (big accounts) who've been courted by Patreon and likely given money. This may not be your friend, but some of the people declaring that they're opposed to Substack on ethical grounds aren't telling the whole story.
I enjoy the posts I read and conversations I have on Substack and write about "Grandma Love" which is expansive, inclusive and the remedy for much of what ails us including loneliness. It's a back to basics approach highlighting self-awareness, connection and inner peace. My goal is to share my message, figure out when to add a paywall, and share books I've written. Thanks!
Amazing! I love it. You don't necessarily have to paywall as your paid strategy. You can do the NPR/PBS approach, which is to ask for support from readers ("Viewers like you make our work possible").
“Substack Nostradamuses” 😂Sarah you are a great example of what it takes! I’m in for the long haul. What is a Notes Growth Session? And Sponsorship program?
I have plans up my sleeve for growth. The Sponsorship Program is the big one. In a nutshell, who says that newsletters can only be sponsored by brands? Why not other newsletters? We'll be testing it as a growth tool in the Premier.
The Notes Growth session has to be live because (to my understanding--and of course I don't know for sure) early engagement on Notes makes a difference.
For a second I fell for those “Substack predictions,” but then I realized how much of a waste of time it all is!
It’s strangely comforting that you said Substack has always been difficult - it helps not to give up!
I’m writing contemporary fantasy thriller fiction, and genre fiction is probably (so they say) the hardest kind of Substack writing there is! But I’m still writing and hoping my audience is somewhere out there 😊
Absolutely the hardest kind of Substack writing, but it's amazing to have readers. Did you know that 99% of all books (including traditionally published) sell fewer than 1000 copies? Makes even 100 people reading feel amazing.
Hey Sarah, thank you for asking for what we want, listening to us, and following through (It's all I ever wanted in a partner LOL.)
However -- I'm a tad concerned about moving all CHAT functions, questions and conversations to your 'latest' post. This means hunting down a shifting target instead of a central link on our Home screen. Where's that last post? (click on archive). We'll have to reply there, too. (use activity alerts - the bell icon - to find replies). How long does that comment 'chat' last?
Typically comments on posts relate to the post topic. Now it's a catch-all.
Yes, we can shift -- and this is quite a change to adapt to. If it's harder, I'm less likely to pop in and see what's shaking with the community.
PS. As a former UX (user experience) producer, I'm nit-pickier than most!
I don't know which way is up with this place, honestly. I am just keeping my head down and publishing once a week (more or less). It's made me sad to see so many people move to Patreon.
Me too. And the big names aren't telling the whole story: many of them got a lot of money to move but say it's for moral or ethical reasons. That may be part of it, but Patreon has zero content moderation and is developing social media features to keep up with Substack so...
Yes, but we'll be here now! We've streamlined and centralized so that all comments are in that week's thread. Much better for all. This was by popular demand.
Comments are open now!
Thank you for this true vision 🙏
Useful advice. I’m content with Substack being a lead magnet for my coaching and just an outlet to share writing with my friends and readers. I do have a plan for 2026 focused on the medical humanities. But it’s mostly an itch I want to scratch that could also serve a need. Enough for me. I’m bad at gaming out scenarios and pitching value added content. So I need to think about the paywall strategy or whether to have one at all.
My mantra for 2026: Do one thing and do it well. I'll be talking about this (and how to monetize it) a lot.
I will probably never be good at that. This week I had to scratch an itch about runaway spending in college football, which has nothing to do with my craft focus this year. But I recognize that it's the superior method for monetizing a newsletter itself.
Oh, you can write on anything. It’s all about how we present it now. It has to feel familiar and simple. One thing I’ll be talking about is creating a template (structurally) for your posts. We’ll be doing a workshop on it in December for all paid!
I use for similar reasons. For me it's important to remember to offer my coaching services- can be in my newsletter or directly to my contacts on my phone or orivate email- instead of trying to monetize substack.
I've come to understand that cold leads are less useful than long tail effects. People who book discovery calls have often followed my writing for months, sometimes years. By the time they reach out, they're effectively sold. Expanding that kind of reach is more useful than playing the paywall game, which is why I'm so frustrated by Substack's direct curating of subscriber lists. Mine had been gaining 1K a year quite steadily until June.
I have never had a paywall and never will. The NPR model is does surprisingly well for me.
Interesting
Just to clarify—do you mean the lack of segmentation tools, or something else in how Substack curates our subscriber lists?
I can’t attach the image here, but I had a steady growth curve until May. Then it leveled off and has gone up and down. Substack began directly cutting inactive subscribers from what I read. Some of them were removed manually
removed from your email list? I didn´t know that
This is such great advice. I've noticed a real influx of 'Substack predictions' posts recently and I'm sure there will be many more before the end of the year. I love that Substack gives us space to expand - into whatever we want it to be. There is a freedom and an expansiveness here that I don't think I have seen or felt elsewhere.
I love how you put this Louise... about the opportunity for expansiveness. You are so right...
What does the Craft of Writing on Substack entail? Interested in getting on the wait list. Still navigating my way on the platform.
It's the best! My two loves: teaching writing and Substack. It's the same curriculum that I teach at Northwestern but you don't have to get 1560 on your SATs or pay 23k to take it :). Here are all the details: https://www.writersatwork.co/courses/craft-of-writing-on-substack
It's comforting to hear that even big names may struggle on Substack. Useful advice, thank you. It would be amazing to grow my audience and reach a larger readership. I have something to say, I write well and engagingly (I'm told) and gaining more paid subscribers is always an aim.
Everyone struggles, but more than any other platform, your Substack is your own. That's amazing.
I admit to feeling scared about the future of Substack. My core audience is people in Iowa or from Iowa, and the most successful Iowa writer on Substack was part of the recent exodus to Patreon. Many of my subscribers also read her, and I worry about Substack becoming a platform that a lot of liberals will want to boycott.
Why the exodus?
I wouldn't call it an exodus. On Substack, we've had two moments now when people decided it's not the right platform for them due to various factors. This one is the fact that Substack is embracing Notes more and people don't like that.
Also the lack of technical support (since Substack now uses a chatbot for that instead of human beings).
Many thanks, Sarah. Do you know when where such 2 moments?
Yes, in 2023, the Atlantic wrote a piece about how there were 6 Substacks with Nazi rhetoric and imagery (mind you, that there are hundreds on FB and who knows how many on X). That caused a stir because people wanted Substack to have more stringent moderation policies. Theirs is the same as most platforms and much more stringent than Ghost's or Patreon's.
And now it's that Substack has become social media.
Ah, many thanks, Sarah.
I hear you. Some people are following a trend set by Substack writers (big accounts) who've been courted by Patreon and likely given money. This may not be your friend, but some of the people declaring that they're opposed to Substack on ethical grounds aren't telling the whole story.
That may have played a role but regardless of her reasons, our audiences overlap and include a lot of progressive Iowans.
I enjoy the posts I read and conversations I have on Substack and write about "Grandma Love" which is expansive, inclusive and the remedy for much of what ails us including loneliness. It's a back to basics approach highlighting self-awareness, connection and inner peace. My goal is to share my message, figure out when to add a paywall, and share books I've written. Thanks!
Amazing! I love it. You don't necessarily have to paywall as your paid strategy. You can do the NPR/PBS approach, which is to ask for support from readers ("Viewers like you make our work possible").
“Substack Nostradamuses” 😂Sarah you are a great example of what it takes! I’m in for the long haul. What is a Notes Growth Session? And Sponsorship program?
I have plans up my sleeve for growth. The Sponsorship Program is the big one. In a nutshell, who says that newsletters can only be sponsored by brands? Why not other newsletters? We'll be testing it as a growth tool in the Premier.
The Notes Growth session has to be live because (to my understanding--and of course I don't know for sure) early engagement on Notes makes a difference.
Thank you! Are these paid benefits or premium only?
For a second I fell for those “Substack predictions,” but then I realized how much of a waste of time it all is!
It’s strangely comforting that you said Substack has always been difficult - it helps not to give up!
I’m writing contemporary fantasy thriller fiction, and genre fiction is probably (so they say) the hardest kind of Substack writing there is! But I’m still writing and hoping my audience is somewhere out there 😊
Absolutely the hardest kind of Substack writing, but it's amazing to have readers. Did you know that 99% of all books (including traditionally published) sell fewer than 1000 copies? Makes even 100 people reading feel amazing.
I’ve heard that! And I’m trying not to think about that statistic ;-) Hopefully, this is related to very niche, obscure, non-fiction topics ;-)
Many hugs to you, dear Sarah, for all the times you’ve cheered me and everyone else on
Hoorah
Hey Sarah, thank you for asking for what we want, listening to us, and following through (It's all I ever wanted in a partner LOL.)
However -- I'm a tad concerned about moving all CHAT functions, questions and conversations to your 'latest' post. This means hunting down a shifting target instead of a central link on our Home screen. Where's that last post? (click on archive). We'll have to reply there, too. (use activity alerts - the bell icon - to find replies). How long does that comment 'chat' last?
Typically comments on posts relate to the post topic. Now it's a catch-all.
Yes, we can shift -- and this is quite a change to adapt to. If it's harder, I'm less likely to pop in and see what's shaking with the community.
PS. As a former UX (user experience) producer, I'm nit-pickier than most!
I don't know which way is up with this place, honestly. I am just keeping my head down and publishing once a week (more or less). It's made me sad to see so many people move to Patreon.
Me too. And the big names aren't telling the whole story: many of them got a lot of money to move but say it's for moral or ethical reasons. That may be part of it, but Patreon has zero content moderation and is developing social media features to keep up with Substack so...
I'm glad you're here!
Thank you Sarah! Also, did the W@W Chat thread (where we could ask questions) just vanish? I can't find it in my chat feeds and I used that weekly.
Yes, but we'll be here now! We've streamlined and centralized so that all comments are in that week's thread. Much better for all. This was by popular demand.
Okay Sarah, after 2 years of reading you, i finally subscribed 😉
I love this so much, Johanna! I'm so happy to have you.
Can I post this on Notes and use it in a post? It shows that even when we think we don't have enough subscribers people are reading us.
Of course Sarah ! I know that feeling :)