That was an epic, but interesting, read and I will be taking several of your points away with me.
I'm relatively new to Substack and, in a flurry of enthusiasm, subscribed to a load of newsletters. I confess I am now suffering inbox overload and am slowly filtering out what resonates with me or interests me; anything that doesn't resonate/interest me after two or three reads is going. Mercenary, I know, but unsubscribing from said newsletters will prevent me from spontaneously combusting! You passed the test though 😂😂
Thank you so much for reading this and for your comment, too. I'm glad you've found some of it useful, too, which makes me happy.
I, too, have the problem of reading too many letters. I've set up some filters in my email, but it is still a terrible mess at the moment. I have so many posts saved on the app to read too. Still, I'd rather be inundated with great writing and interesting people than the opposite problem! You are right about having to be mercenary, ruthless in the face of overload, however. I had a pruning of my subscriptions a while ago, but might have to revisit again at some point! Really happy I passed the test, too!
Thanks for this in depth perspective of your experience. As someone fairly new here, I appreciate hearing from those who have been around awhile. My sense so far is this is a much healthier place than most social media. The community feel, the positivity, and the encouragement all contribute to an environment I want to be a part of. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much for this comment, Matthew, it is wonderful to read. This space really is much healthier than social media, this community feels strong and varied. While there is still work to be done on discoverability and search function and other things, I really believe this is a great home to have on the internet, especially when I dip back into other places I have frequented, it just feels cleaner.
Thanks again, I'm really glad you read this and took the time to comment.
Lots to think about here. I only started on Substack a few months ago, so my journey is just starting. I, too, started out with just a few subscribers, almost all of whom were friends and family. When I started sending daily posts of one kind (my 2-Bite Stories) and a daily serialized novella, I lost a few. I concluded, as you did, that it was inbox overwhelm, and at that point split off into separate publications people can subscribe to or unsubscribe from. It seems great minds think alike. On the other hand, I've had more subscribers come from Substack, and they wouldn't have found me otherwise.
I'm still working out how to approach paid vs free. I don't believe anyone should work for nothing. That's slavery. On the other hand, a few freebies add value to those who like your work. When you go to a restaurant, you pay for the meal but usually get free refills of coffee, and maybe a cupcake with a candle if it's your birthday.
I'm constantly tweaking, looking for the perfect balance. But I'm sure I've found the right medium.
Thank you so much for this comment. It's great to hear from someone who has experienced similar things here, and has a similar outlook, too. I suspect we'll always be tweaking, reworking our offerings here on Substack--I also think that this is a healthy way to do things, rather than stagnating. And, like you, I know I've found the right medium, I just need to keep working out the details!
This was a remarkable and insightful post, thank you.
I too draw out maps for fantasy worlds (and scifi) but only recently drew one clean enough to share. It needs colouring and I'm glad you shared your method on a different post. Watercolours hadn't crossed my mind but seems obvious now, thank you.
While I started my SubStack back in Arpil 2021 it felt like an archipelago without any means to traverse the stormy seas until Notes arrived which opened up a whole world of writers (some of whom have become friends) I didn't know existed. (Part of this was my own fault for not looking hard enough.) I like seeing how others have experienced SubStack, whether it be growth of readership - or not - as there is always insightful parts to take away and similarities. Write well, write consistently, find a niche, engage with people, and if this doesn't result in growth it should, at least, result in committed readers.
"Answer, ‘What do you do? With ‘I’m a writer/author/artist’ and you get very different reactions depending on geography." - Here in the United Kingdom I answer with writer/artist/painter and receive reactions ranging from 'That's so cool!' to a look of bewilderment that says 'People still do that?'
Ah, thank you! This is a great comment to read, I'm really happy you shared your thoughts here.
I shall have to check out your fiction, along with the map you mention. I love watercolours--they never seem as severe or blocky as other options and, when combined with a simple filter via a photo and an app (or more GIMP or Photoshop etc, but no need), they can be remarkably effective.
I really do think discoverability here on Substack is getting better, and I think it will continue to do so as the technology develops.
My favourite response to that question and answer was on a train to Edinburgh from London, where the man who had asked got very excited (the first time I'd experienced more than a blank expression, outright condescension, or vague 'ah, cool'), asking 'Technical writing?' Then, when I replied with a negative and began to explain all I DID write, his face fell and he clearly was no longer interested. I found that quite telling, that some people reserve excitement over writing for that of a more technical bent, rather than travel, or narrative non-fiction, or fiction.
I suppose that's one reason I love this place--every writer is accepted here, after all.
Thanks again for your comment, really appreciate it!
Many thanks! It was a long write, but I think it was worth the time. I also know that I will find it useful myself, in the future, to remind me of these years of writing and change/focus of direction. It can be all too easy to forget these things. And yes, I certainly have evolved over that period, it was an interesting and rather busy four years!
You are very welcome. It's always good to look back and reflect on our work, our lives. Your post gave me a lot to think about as my own Substack continues to evolve.
Oufff! I read this on Saturday, sat down to comment immediately because I knew I’d forget the details if I didn’t... just as I started typing our WiFi decided it wasn’t playing any longer and that was that for almost the whole weekend... so I’ve just had to read it again!
I love facts and figures, (and maps... agreed, a map will draw me too...) especially when I can figure out a complication that’s been niggling me through them… I can’t imagine how long it must have taken you to compile all this information though… bravo from me for your stamina!
I too arrived here, at the recommendation of a friend Pipp (who writes @Pipp Vineyard Tales) with no following at all other than a handful of loyal and very dear Instagram friends - I sent a handful of letters to family and friends with the idea of keeping them updated with my going’s on abroad… as we spoke of in Notes recently, I used to write to them by hand, then emails etc… which they loved, strangely though, most have never even opened even my first Substack letter! I published my first post on 17/01 this year (I was aiming for the first but simply didn’t have the courage or the faith in what I was writing) and since then have gathered almost 200 subscribers… personally I’m delighted.
As you say, ‘everyone has a different journey’ and though I would love to think my letters could gather thousands, in paying terms and subscribers, I am not that naïve! And thankfully never was… or I would be sorely disappointed. My journey is purely for the love of words and their powers of description, too many have a far more eloquent way, more knowledge, more imagination than I ever will but I’m happy to keep my old brain working as it should by continuing and if I gather a few more subscribers along the way, well that would be amazing and I’m so very grateful for every single one of them.
OK so now I’m rambling, when all I really wanted to say was a huge thank you for sharing your Substack journey! And good luck (of course) with ‘la suite’ !
This is a lovely comment, thank you so much Susie! I love your words and the way you tell your own stories, I know your subscribership will continue to grow, and flourish, too, good stories, well told, will always do well here. Consistency helps, of course, but I think that once the habit is set, this becomes second nature.
I don't think I'll write a post like this one again, at least not for a while. Maybe for the 5th anniversary, but that will mostly be the same again, with the coming year tagged on. It was rather exhausting to work out the data, but I think it was useful to show this, rather than simply list my thoughts on 'how to Substack'.
We're all so different here, in what we write, and how we write and share it. Yet I truly believe the ability to share and talk to each other here can do wonders. Too often, people class this 'outreach' as a necessary evil as a part of marketing but I think that completely misses the point--my readers, and those writers I in turn read, are a community which I find supportive and inspiring, day after day. This is a true magic - knowing that there you are, for example, with your hill and home in your corner of this country, and I'd never have known of you had Substack (and your own bravery in sharing your words) not existed.
Here's to the next four years! I think we can all do great things. It might (won't!, I'm sure!!!) be overnight, but I think growth will occur if we just keep showing up.
Thanks again for this comment, I really appreciate it (and you!) so much.
(PS I have been Thinking, with a capital T, about my next season of Ancestral, Wild Empowerment, and I have come up with an idea I'm working on in relation to either guest posting, or collaborative posts. Your own woods and hills and valleys and, crucially, your own voice would fit this idea very neatly! I'll send more when I've fully worked out the idea but, if you're open to some sort of collaborative piece, do let me know! No worries if that's not your thing, however, I don't want this to be a stressful or negative thing at all, just something celebrating nature and how we move through and within it!)
Thank you, also, for your lovely reply... I agree entirely too, I find the whole Substack experience a magical one! I didn’t think I’d ever abandon Instagram and I haven’t entirely -yet- but the excitement there has been absent so long now that I post only when I have something to say here. Truthfully, when I look at the figures though, I’m no longer sure why I even bother with that anymore... the day is nigh when it will be abandoned definitively.
In answer to your question about collaborating, my answer is yes,! Absolutely yes! I love the idea online already and am looking forward to hearing more when you’re ready... with pleasure!
Yes, I had exactly the same feeling about Instagram (and also twitter). I did try to post things there to signpost here but, according to the stats, I haven't had a single sign up due to this (probably because all the people there were mostly those I know in real life, so were already following, but still!). I find I don't really miss either place, although I did go through a mourning period of sorts, with both.
And hooray for the collaborating! I'm still working on the idea, but I'll let you know soon I think (although I think I'll be starting it in the new year). Thank you!
The New Year is good for me, the run up to Christmas is always filled with frantic days here and au collège plus I am planning a newsletter/update (my first) to mark a year in Substack so maybe it will coincide which would be perfect!
That would be a good date! The run up to Christmas is always a bit frantic, yes. I'm quite excited about this idea and the thoughts I've had about it--just have to sort them into some sort of order, now!
That was an epic, but interesting, read and I will be taking several of your points away with me.
I'm relatively new to Substack and, in a flurry of enthusiasm, subscribed to a load of newsletters. I confess I am now suffering inbox overload and am slowly filtering out what resonates with me or interests me; anything that doesn't resonate/interest me after two or three reads is going. Mercenary, I know, but unsubscribing from said newsletters will prevent me from spontaneously combusting! You passed the test though 😂😂
Thank you so much for reading this and for your comment, too. I'm glad you've found some of it useful, too, which makes me happy.
I, too, have the problem of reading too many letters. I've set up some filters in my email, but it is still a terrible mess at the moment. I have so many posts saved on the app to read too. Still, I'd rather be inundated with great writing and interesting people than the opposite problem! You are right about having to be mercenary, ruthless in the face of overload, however. I had a pruning of my subscriptions a while ago, but might have to revisit again at some point! Really happy I passed the test, too!
Thanks again.
Thanks for this in depth perspective of your experience. As someone fairly new here, I appreciate hearing from those who have been around awhile. My sense so far is this is a much healthier place than most social media. The community feel, the positivity, and the encouragement all contribute to an environment I want to be a part of. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much for this comment, Matthew, it is wonderful to read. This space really is much healthier than social media, this community feels strong and varied. While there is still work to be done on discoverability and search function and other things, I really believe this is a great home to have on the internet, especially when I dip back into other places I have frequented, it just feels cleaner.
Thanks again, I'm really glad you read this and took the time to comment.
Lots to think about here. I only started on Substack a few months ago, so my journey is just starting. I, too, started out with just a few subscribers, almost all of whom were friends and family. When I started sending daily posts of one kind (my 2-Bite Stories) and a daily serialized novella, I lost a few. I concluded, as you did, that it was inbox overwhelm, and at that point split off into separate publications people can subscribe to or unsubscribe from. It seems great minds think alike. On the other hand, I've had more subscribers come from Substack, and they wouldn't have found me otherwise.
I'm still working out how to approach paid vs free. I don't believe anyone should work for nothing. That's slavery. On the other hand, a few freebies add value to those who like your work. When you go to a restaurant, you pay for the meal but usually get free refills of coffee, and maybe a cupcake with a candle if it's your birthday.
I'm constantly tweaking, looking for the perfect balance. But I'm sure I've found the right medium.
Thank you so much for this comment. It's great to hear from someone who has experienced similar things here, and has a similar outlook, too. I suspect we'll always be tweaking, reworking our offerings here on Substack--I also think that this is a healthy way to do things, rather than stagnating. And, like you, I know I've found the right medium, I just need to keep working out the details!
Thanks again, I really appreciate your comment.
This was a remarkable and insightful post, thank you.
I too draw out maps for fantasy worlds (and scifi) but only recently drew one clean enough to share. It needs colouring and I'm glad you shared your method on a different post. Watercolours hadn't crossed my mind but seems obvious now, thank you.
While I started my SubStack back in Arpil 2021 it felt like an archipelago without any means to traverse the stormy seas until Notes arrived which opened up a whole world of writers (some of whom have become friends) I didn't know existed. (Part of this was my own fault for not looking hard enough.) I like seeing how others have experienced SubStack, whether it be growth of readership - or not - as there is always insightful parts to take away and similarities. Write well, write consistently, find a niche, engage with people, and if this doesn't result in growth it should, at least, result in committed readers.
"Answer, ‘What do you do? With ‘I’m a writer/author/artist’ and you get very different reactions depending on geography." - Here in the United Kingdom I answer with writer/artist/painter and receive reactions ranging from 'That's so cool!' to a look of bewilderment that says 'People still do that?'
Your photo of the Alps is phenomenal.
Ah, thank you! This is a great comment to read, I'm really happy you shared your thoughts here.
I shall have to check out your fiction, along with the map you mention. I love watercolours--they never seem as severe or blocky as other options and, when combined with a simple filter via a photo and an app (or more GIMP or Photoshop etc, but no need), they can be remarkably effective.
I really do think discoverability here on Substack is getting better, and I think it will continue to do so as the technology develops.
My favourite response to that question and answer was on a train to Edinburgh from London, where the man who had asked got very excited (the first time I'd experienced more than a blank expression, outright condescension, or vague 'ah, cool'), asking 'Technical writing?' Then, when I replied with a negative and began to explain all I DID write, his face fell and he clearly was no longer interested. I found that quite telling, that some people reserve excitement over writing for that of a more technical bent, rather than travel, or narrative non-fiction, or fiction.
I suppose that's one reason I love this place--every writer is accepted here, after all.
Thanks again for your comment, really appreciate it!
Most insightful thing I’ve read in a while. Woah.
Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I know it is a LONG post, so this is a lovely comment to read.
Great post outlining your work here, how it has evolved and grown, as you too have!
Many thanks! It was a long write, but I think it was worth the time. I also know that I will find it useful myself, in the future, to remind me of these years of writing and change/focus of direction. It can be all too easy to forget these things. And yes, I certainly have evolved over that period, it was an interesting and rather busy four years!
You are very welcome. It's always good to look back and reflect on our work, our lives. Your post gave me a lot to think about as my own Substack continues to evolve.
Oufff! I read this on Saturday, sat down to comment immediately because I knew I’d forget the details if I didn’t... just as I started typing our WiFi decided it wasn’t playing any longer and that was that for almost the whole weekend... so I’ve just had to read it again!
I love facts and figures, (and maps... agreed, a map will draw me too...) especially when I can figure out a complication that’s been niggling me through them… I can’t imagine how long it must have taken you to compile all this information though… bravo from me for your stamina!
I too arrived here, at the recommendation of a friend Pipp (who writes @Pipp Vineyard Tales) with no following at all other than a handful of loyal and very dear Instagram friends - I sent a handful of letters to family and friends with the idea of keeping them updated with my going’s on abroad… as we spoke of in Notes recently, I used to write to them by hand, then emails etc… which they loved, strangely though, most have never even opened even my first Substack letter! I published my first post on 17/01 this year (I was aiming for the first but simply didn’t have the courage or the faith in what I was writing) and since then have gathered almost 200 subscribers… personally I’m delighted.
As you say, ‘everyone has a different journey’ and though I would love to think my letters could gather thousands, in paying terms and subscribers, I am not that naïve! And thankfully never was… or I would be sorely disappointed. My journey is purely for the love of words and their powers of description, too many have a far more eloquent way, more knowledge, more imagination than I ever will but I’m happy to keep my old brain working as it should by continuing and if I gather a few more subscribers along the way, well that would be amazing and I’m so very grateful for every single one of them.
OK so now I’m rambling, when all I really wanted to say was a huge thank you for sharing your Substack journey! And good luck (of course) with ‘la suite’ !
This is a lovely comment, thank you so much Susie! I love your words and the way you tell your own stories, I know your subscribership will continue to grow, and flourish, too, good stories, well told, will always do well here. Consistency helps, of course, but I think that once the habit is set, this becomes second nature.
I don't think I'll write a post like this one again, at least not for a while. Maybe for the 5th anniversary, but that will mostly be the same again, with the coming year tagged on. It was rather exhausting to work out the data, but I think it was useful to show this, rather than simply list my thoughts on 'how to Substack'.
We're all so different here, in what we write, and how we write and share it. Yet I truly believe the ability to share and talk to each other here can do wonders. Too often, people class this 'outreach' as a necessary evil as a part of marketing but I think that completely misses the point--my readers, and those writers I in turn read, are a community which I find supportive and inspiring, day after day. This is a true magic - knowing that there you are, for example, with your hill and home in your corner of this country, and I'd never have known of you had Substack (and your own bravery in sharing your words) not existed.
Here's to the next four years! I think we can all do great things. It might (won't!, I'm sure!!!) be overnight, but I think growth will occur if we just keep showing up.
Thanks again for this comment, I really appreciate it (and you!) so much.
(PS I have been Thinking, with a capital T, about my next season of Ancestral, Wild Empowerment, and I have come up with an idea I'm working on in relation to either guest posting, or collaborative posts. Your own woods and hills and valleys and, crucially, your own voice would fit this idea very neatly! I'll send more when I've fully worked out the idea but, if you're open to some sort of collaborative piece, do let me know! No worries if that's not your thing, however, I don't want this to be a stressful or negative thing at all, just something celebrating nature and how we move through and within it!)
Thank you, also, for your lovely reply... I agree entirely too, I find the whole Substack experience a magical one! I didn’t think I’d ever abandon Instagram and I haven’t entirely -yet- but the excitement there has been absent so long now that I post only when I have something to say here. Truthfully, when I look at the figures though, I’m no longer sure why I even bother with that anymore... the day is nigh when it will be abandoned definitively.
In answer to your question about collaborating, my answer is yes,! Absolutely yes! I love the idea online already and am looking forward to hearing more when you’re ready... with pleasure!
Have a good afternoon.
Yes, I had exactly the same feeling about Instagram (and also twitter). I did try to post things there to signpost here but, according to the stats, I haven't had a single sign up due to this (probably because all the people there were mostly those I know in real life, so were already following, but still!). I find I don't really miss either place, although I did go through a mourning period of sorts, with both.
And hooray for the collaborating! I'm still working on the idea, but I'll let you know soon I think (although I think I'll be starting it in the new year). Thank you!
The New Year is good for me, the run up to Christmas is always filled with frantic days here and au collège plus I am planning a newsletter/update (my first) to mark a year in Substack so maybe it will coincide which would be perfect!
That would be a good date! The run up to Christmas is always a bit frantic, yes. I'm quite excited about this idea and the thoughts I've had about it--just have to sort them into some sort of order, now!