Substack writers often want to “get” subscribers, but it doesn’t work that way. There’s a difference between free subscribers and committed readers/paid subscribers. They’re both wonderful and very much appreciated and must be understood on their own terms.
A Substack that attracts free subscribers fulfills a human want; one with lots of paying readers taps into one of the six core human needs. (A substack that has few or no subscribers likely does neither.)
This isn’t some creepy marketing thing; it’s real. Read on to better understand others, yourself, human nature, and your Substack.