People like to say there’s no one “trick” to success on Substack, but there is: support.
I don’t like absolutes, but it’s fair to say that Substacks don’t succeed without help. Some people on Substack had
a hefty email list they imported,
hundreds of thousands of social media followers they converted, and/or
onboarding assistance directly from Substack.
Some have been highlighted as Featured Substacks. Some people have had top-notch training as writers. Some exude charisma or honesty or authenticity or kindness and it comes across in their Substacks. Some have created networks with others on the platform to like and share each other’s posts in a simulated effort to boost each other’s presence.
My goal is to give you the help and support you need whether you’ve had these advantages or not.
Which is why I’ve designed all Writers at Work posts, interviews, features, and workshops in 2024 with your success in mind.
Here’s a taste of what’s to come for paid subscribers:
Substack Mastery workshops
So you stop feeling overwhelmed and/or frustrated and grow.
Building Community the Substack Way (latest developments)
The Substack Emails that Matter Most (that you aren’t paying attention to)
How to Know If What You’ve Written Will Engage Readers Before You Post
Optimizing Video and Audio on Substack
Behind the Dashboard: Understanding Substack’s stats
Notes and Beyond: Your simple, stress-free 12-week social media plan
Writing on Substack workshops
So you can discover and experiment with the types of posts that work well on Substack, even if you don’t consider yourself “a writer.”
Viral essays (and how words go viral)
How-to posts (that don’t feel false)
Recommendation posts (that don’t feel superficial)
Opinion essays (that aren’t pedantic)
Food essays (that make us want to eat)
Humor essays (that actually make us laugh)
Features (and how to focus outside ourselves)
Travel essays (that take us with you)
Flash essays (and how to distill the richness of the longest essay in the fewest number of words)
Top tips in posts and interviews
So you can earn an income from your Substack and have it serve you and your career.
Why you don’t have to be “a writer” to write on Substack
My 8 top tips for success on Substack
Soulful social media
How to have confidence in your writing
Why punctuation is the key to being a Substack bestseller (yup)
Quarterly check-ins
So you have support in reaching your goals (plus access to the magical Writers at Work Planner for those who are interested)
Monthly Substack Platform Changes Updates
A monthly roundup of the changes and developments on the platform (I keep up with them, so you don’t have to)
Continued inspiration in the amazing Headline chat
So people want to read your posts
Paid subscribers get all of this and more.
This community is the best. Your successes bring me so much joy. Thank you for being here. On to 2024!
All my best,
Sarah
p.s. Replays will be available for all workshops, so you can watch them at your convenience.
To attend live, mark your calendars:
Substack Mastery workshops: first Saturday of the month at noon CT—replay available (except in January—1/13)
Writing on Substack workshops: third Sunday of the month at 5 pm CT—replay available
p.p.s. The boys love and support you too.
Wow, so much content! I love it all! And, so many great sessions I’ve missed that I’m now going to need to watch! Thank you Sarah.
Please keep doing this.
Amazing! So looking forward to all of this x