In that same phase myself, Chrissy. So, right here with you, questioning everything. I told myself when I started my newsletter that it was for me. It was a place to work through thoughts and just say the things I needed to say. I was not going to build a "brand," because I'm not a brand, I'm a person. I wasn't going to worry about what would get more followers or subscribers or whatever. But it's a struggle to stay true to that vision.
And as someone who has also written quite a few novels that have failed to be traditionally published (I self-published one of them last year), I find that I keep coming back to my newsletter because it's so much faster and simpler and more rewarding than writing a book and then querying it or sending out short stories that take 9 months to be rejected. So, it's instant gratification and I think given that everything else in a writer's life is so, so slow, that's totally okay.
"I find that I keep coming back to my newsletter because it's so much faster and simpler and more rewarding than writing a book and then querying it or sending out short stories that take 9 months to be rejected." YES, THIS EXACTLY. The newsletter is the bit of writing people are most likely to read and respond to - and with real care and thought as well! Which is not a bad thing, just different from how I imagined my writing life. Trying to be okay with shifts and evolution, but change has never been one of my strengths! :)
This it 100% it for me too. There are times when I sit and think about it, after publishing a post, and I'm like, "this thing I've written, within a few minutes of me pressing 'Send,' is on a device in people's pockets in New York City, Jakarta, Jerusalem, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, London, San Francisco,...." and you get the picture. I'm not sure if I'd be able to replicate that in a million years if I tried the traditional way of publishing.
And thought I'd share it, because there's so much wisdom in it. Here it is:
"I appreciate this analysis. I started at zero on Substack two years ago and now have 2,000 free subscribers, which feels like meaningful growth. What’s kept me there is the sense of community. My posts get regular engagement, I have collaborated with several other writers and have forged meaningful new friendships.
This is all vastly preferable to the lit mag world with its submission fees, months-long delays in responding, and largely pro bono publication model. I don’t make a primary income on Substack yet, but I make more every month than I made total over twenty years of publishing in more than 50 lit mags. I never heard from readers, even after publishing in prominent venues like Kenyon Review and Missouri Review. Now I get substantive responses every week and hear privately from readers who would never otherwise have followed me in lit mags.
So it’s much more than platform-building, though I have thought about leveraging my email list on Substack for book marketing when I have a new release. It’s also made me think differently about self-publishing. I’m presently weighing whether to do all the revisions a university press recommends for my novel (with no guarantee of publication even with those revisions) or to self-publish and promote the book to my subscribers.
Even so, you are right that Substack sometimes gaslights its smaller authors with success stories from the big fish, encouraging a fantasy about earning a primary income from the platform. And the insular nature of Substack means that some people have special access to the founders and can then sell that inside knowledge as a consultant (which seems grossly undemocratic).
For my own part, I’ve made peace with this by following my own sensibility, not worrying too much about optimizing my growth strategies, and keeping a long view in mind. If you are consistent and maintain a steady growth arc, you could write your way toward a meaningful income on Substack in 8-10 years. That’s not quite the Kool-Aid that the company itself likes to peddle, but it does beat every other option that I have tried."
I cannot remember how I found my way to your newsletter, but it is always a delight. I do miss seeing it every Sunday, but can't imagine how much work it is to keep up that pace. Just confirming that it is indeed a pleasant surprise every time.
YES to all of this. You've articulated very well my feelings of creative ambivalence about my own Substack, which has been dormant for months because one day I just..stopped, a bit unintentionally. I know it's the only way people have read and probably will read my writing but there's something about it that just seemed too much. I'm always thinking about going back, for the reasons you list, but I haven't gotten there yet. I'm glad you're still writing!
If/when you come back, I will definitely read. I'm trying to remember that everything - even creativity - ebbs and flows and has seasons. The work will be there when we're ready, in whatever form it needs to take.
In answer to two of your questions I am a writer and a reader. My day job is book editing (content/structure editor, not copyeditor). I have a Substack and wonder the same things about my readers, so I thought I'd volunteer some information about myself.
In that same phase myself, Chrissy. So, right here with you, questioning everything. I told myself when I started my newsletter that it was for me. It was a place to work through thoughts and just say the things I needed to say. I was not going to build a "brand," because I'm not a brand, I'm a person. I wasn't going to worry about what would get more followers or subscribers or whatever. But it's a struggle to stay true to that vision.
And as someone who has also written quite a few novels that have failed to be traditionally published (I self-published one of them last year), I find that I keep coming back to my newsletter because it's so much faster and simpler and more rewarding than writing a book and then querying it or sending out short stories that take 9 months to be rejected. So, it's instant gratification and I think given that everything else in a writer's life is so, so slow, that's totally okay.
"I find that I keep coming back to my newsletter because it's so much faster and simpler and more rewarding than writing a book and then querying it or sending out short stories that take 9 months to be rejected." YES, THIS EXACTLY. The newsletter is the bit of writing people are most likely to read and respond to - and with real care and thought as well! Which is not a bad thing, just different from how I imagined my writing life. Trying to be okay with shifts and evolution, but change has never been one of my strengths! :)
This it 100% it for me too. There are times when I sit and think about it, after publishing a post, and I'm like, "this thing I've written, within a few minutes of me pressing 'Send,' is on a device in people's pockets in New York City, Jakarta, Jerusalem, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, London, San Francisco,...." and you get the picture. I'm not sure if I'd be able to replicate that in a million years if I tried the traditional way of publishing.
Incidentally, I found this wonderful comment that elaborates on what makes this such a great way to reach readers on Jane Friedman's blog, on this post: https://janefriedman.com/substack-is-both-great-and-terrible-for-authors/
And thought I'd share it, because there's so much wisdom in it. Here it is:
"I appreciate this analysis. I started at zero on Substack two years ago and now have 2,000 free subscribers, which feels like meaningful growth. What’s kept me there is the sense of community. My posts get regular engagement, I have collaborated with several other writers and have forged meaningful new friendships.
This is all vastly preferable to the lit mag world with its submission fees, months-long delays in responding, and largely pro bono publication model. I don’t make a primary income on Substack yet, but I make more every month than I made total over twenty years of publishing in more than 50 lit mags. I never heard from readers, even after publishing in prominent venues like Kenyon Review and Missouri Review. Now I get substantive responses every week and hear privately from readers who would never otherwise have followed me in lit mags.
So it’s much more than platform-building, though I have thought about leveraging my email list on Substack for book marketing when I have a new release. It’s also made me think differently about self-publishing. I’m presently weighing whether to do all the revisions a university press recommends for my novel (with no guarantee of publication even with those revisions) or to self-publish and promote the book to my subscribers.
Even so, you are right that Substack sometimes gaslights its smaller authors with success stories from the big fish, encouraging a fantasy about earning a primary income from the platform. And the insular nature of Substack means that some people have special access to the founders and can then sell that inside knowledge as a consultant (which seems grossly undemocratic).
For my own part, I’ve made peace with this by following my own sensibility, not worrying too much about optimizing my growth strategies, and keeping a long view in mind. If you are consistent and maintain a steady growth arc, you could write your way toward a meaningful income on Substack in 8-10 years. That’s not quite the Kool-Aid that the company itself likes to peddle, but it does beat every other option that I have tried."
This is such a great outlook on newsletter writing and writing in general! Thank you so much for sharing it!
I cannot remember how I found my way to your newsletter, but it is always a delight. I do miss seeing it every Sunday, but can't imagine how much work it is to keep up that pace. Just confirming that it is indeed a pleasant surprise every time.
Thank you, Jasmine! That is so lovely to hear.
Thanks for including, Living Small and my ring essay ❤️
YES to all of this. You've articulated very well my feelings of creative ambivalence about my own Substack, which has been dormant for months because one day I just..stopped, a bit unintentionally. I know it's the only way people have read and probably will read my writing but there's something about it that just seemed too much. I'm always thinking about going back, for the reasons you list, but I haven't gotten there yet. I'm glad you're still writing!
If/when you come back, I will definitely read. I'm trying to remember that everything - even creativity - ebbs and flows and has seasons. The work will be there when we're ready, in whatever form it needs to take.
Thank you so much! It means a lot. :)
In answer to two of your questions I am a writer and a reader. My day job is book editing (content/structure editor, not copyeditor). I have a Substack and wonder the same things about my readers, so I thought I'd volunteer some information about myself.
Thanks for sharing, Jennifer! I'm glad to know a little more about who is out there reading. :)