Substack 101: An Overview of the Platform That Made Blogging and Newsletters Cool Again

By Elisa Lorello, http://www.elisalorello.com/

In 2007-2008, blogging was the thing. If you were an aspiring author, a more established author, editor, or publisher would advise you to “Start a blog so you can get your work out there and build a following before you publish your book.”

Professionals, literary agents, consultants, etc., also used blogs as a means of attracting clients, speaking engagements, and even book contracts.

Five years later, blogs were out and newsletters were in. Authors and entrepreneurs turned their attention to newsletters to launch and sell new books/products, services, and/or classes. Aspiring authors were now given tips and tricks to grow their newsletter lists with reader magnets, catchy content, cross-promotions, and contests.

However, many authors ultimately dreaded writing their monthly newsletters, and many newsletters wound up sitting unread in readers’ inboxes – or worse, sent directly to Spam folders.

Here’s the good news: Thanks to Substack, both blogs and newsletters have made a comeback, and with more creative potential than ever.

If you’re interested in exploring new avenues of creativity and connection, Substack has your back.

I am by no means an expert – I’ve been active on the platform for a year – but I can give you a basic introduction and an overview of Substack so you can determine if it’s the right platform for you.

Although Substack launched in 2017, it didn’t see exceptional growth until 2020-2021, during the pandemic. Despite the influx of high-profile writers to the platform with tens and even hundreds of thousands of subscribers, it’s still possible for lesser-known writers to carve out a space for themselves and provide readers with a meaningful experience.

What is Substack?

Generally speaking, Substack is a platform that combines the best of blogging and newsletters, allowing writers to publish content directly to subscribers’ email inboxes while also hosting it on a dedicated webpage. Think of it as a hybrid between a traditional blog and an email newsletter service, with social media features and SEO/monetization tools. Writers can publish content ranging from weekly newsletters to serialized fiction, podcasts, or long-form essays, building direct relationships with their audiences.

Here is a sampling of what you can do on Substack:

• Traditional newsletters: Weekly/monthly updates, insights
• Nonfiction: Blogs, essays, opinion pieces, journalism
• Fiction:
  • Novel excerpts and/or teasers
  • Short stories
  • Serialized fiction
• Podcasting: Audio content with built-in hosting
• Mixed media: Combining text, audio, and images
• Building community:
  • Notes (similar format to Twitter/X, Threads, BlueSky)
  • Comments and chat with readers
  • Cross-promotion and collaborative opportunities

You can take advantage of as many or as few of these features as you want, and tailor them to your needs or goals.

Some writers use Substack solely as their monthly newsletter platforms in the way one might use sites like Mailchimp or MailerLite. Others blog monthly, weekly, or even daily. And some use every feature available.

Monetization

Monetization on Substack can be seen as the frosting on the cake rather than the cake itself. It’s an option for those who want to be paid for their writing, and many writers use the paid option as a way to offer exclusive or bonus content.

Monetization especially works well if you have a problem-solving niche, such as educating people on how to invest in the stock market, or if you’re an author who writes serials in which you post the first installment for free and charge a subscription price for the remaining installments.

Some writers’ monetization efforts have been so successful that they’re able to make a full-time living from their Substack. And while I believe it’s absolutely possible to achieve, it also takes considerable time, effort, and trial-and-error; thus, I recommend setting realistic goals to achieve that big goal.

My Substack

I started my Substack blog series, Dancing When the Bomb Drops, a little over a year ago. Because I haven’t published a novel since 2022, I wanted to connect with my readers in a personal way.

In September of this year, I surpassed 100 subscribers, 10% of whom are paying subscribers. On the Substack continuum, that’s a modest (some might even call it meager) following. But one Substacker put it into perspective: “Imagine speaking to an audience of 100 people every month. Suddenly, that number is quite impressive.”

I’m currently deliberating on relocating my monthly author newsletter, which I’ve published via Mailchimp for at least eight years, to Substack, just to keep everything under one roof, so to speak. (And yes, you can import your email list from one platform to another.)

Subject Matter

Your Substack subject matter could be a pro and a con. You can showcase just about anything you want, be it your books, politics, cooking, etc. Some niches are so nuanced that it might be difficult to find your audience. Others, like writing craft, could be so ubiquitous that it might be a challenge to stand out.

My advice is always to write what most genuinely interests you and trust that your readers will find you. Of course, you want to give your readers the most value and connection you can, but I believe the first fan you need to please is yourself.

Also, keep in mind that you’re not limited to one Substack. If you have multiple interests, you can have multiple series or newsletters, or you can have subsets under one main umbrella. For example, in addition to Dancing When the Bomb Drops, I’m planning a subset that is more appealing to readers of my romantic comedy novels.

Is Substack Right for You?

So, how do you know if this is the right platform for you? Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

• Direct audience ownership (although I recommend you save/update your subscriber list, should the platform ever fold or crash)
• Built-in email delivery: when someone subscribes, your posts go directly to their inbox
• An engaged community
• Multiple content formats
• Earning potential

Cons:

• Starting at zero: like the Kindle, the platform is flooded with content, and the competition for attention is staggering. Although there are ways to grow your following (Notes, reader magnets, cross-promotion with other writers, consistent posting, etc.), it takes time and effort to build momentum.
• Platform dependency (like any platform).
• It’s become like another social media platform in that algorithms often determine who sees what if they’re not subscribers.

First Step

I recommend you go to Substack and peruse subjects that are of interest to you or similar to what you already write about to get a feel for what’s already there and perhaps give you additional ideas. You can also check out (and subscribe!) to Dancing When the Bomb Drops to see my approach.

Substack has many resources about how to get started, use the platform’s features, and grow your following. Also, many creators’ Substacks are all about how to be successful on Substack.

Overall, I think Substack has the potential to be a writer’s paradise and, when you tailor it to your needs and interests, could be a fountain of opportunity. With planning, dedication, and attention, it’s a win-win for you and your audience.

Elisa Lorello is the international bestselling author of twelve novels and one memoir. Since 2010, she has sold over 500,000 units. In addition to being a speaker and teacher, she has been featured in the Charlotte Observer, Woman’s World magazine, the Montana Quarterly magazine, Writer’s Digest Online, Jane Friedman’s blog, and as a guest on multiple podcasts.

Learn more about her at her website.