Celebrating & accelerating writers ❤️🔥 Bailey Richardson reflects on her time at Substack
Jul 2, 2024
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Bailey Richardson reflects on her time at Substack, discussing transitioning to the platform, fostering writer communities, in-person meetups, office hours, and building connections. The podcast highlights Substack's evolution in supporting writers, identifying target audiences, and prioritizing direct support for writer success.
Substack has evolved into a diverse platform with tools like recommendations and an app, reaching millions of subscribers.
Community building on Substack includes virtual office hours, educational workshops, and in-person meetups for writers.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Substack: From Newsletter Tool to Network and Destination
Substack has evolved from a simple newsletter tool to a network and destination, supporting not only writers but also podcasters, video makers, musicians, scientists, and culture makers. The introduction of new tools like the recommendation system and the Substack app has expanded its reach, with over 35 million active subscriptions, including more than 3 million paid subscriptions.
The Writer Community on Substack: Diverse and Enriching
Substack hosts a rich community of writers, including celebrated names like Margaret Atwood and George Saunders, alongside lesser-known but equally passionate individuals. Examples include Jolene Handy cooking through 1970s cookbooks, Matt creating original music monthly from the Pacific Northwest, Natalie Love -Cruz exploring food in New York City, and Will Dow's poetic writing about the moon.
Building a Writer Community: Office Hours and Workshops
A key strategy for community building on Substack involved hosting 103 office hours, allowing writers to interact, ask questions, and form connections. Additionally, workshops like the Grow educational program and in-person meetups provided writers with educational resources and platforms to share their work, fostering a sense of connection and camaraderie.
Unifying Writer Success: Bridging Support, Education, and Community
The establishment of the Writer Success initiative at Substack aimed to integrate customer support and community education programs, aligning efforts to enhance writer experience and engagement. By prioritizing writer satisfaction and cultivating evangelists within the community, Substack sought to ensure writers feel supported, valued, and empowered in their creative endeavors.