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So You Want to Launch a Newsletter: Tips From Substack Writers

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Sep 17, 2020

Join Patrice Peck, a freelance journalist known for her COVID-focused newsletter, Zach Haigney, an acupuncturist illuminating the world of medicinal psychedelics, Edith Zimmerman, an artist sharing life through comics, and Lenny Rachitsky, a former Airbnb product manager, as they discuss their newsletter journeys. They delve into the nuances of audience engagement, the decision-making ballet of monetization, and the challenges of standing out in a crowded market. Their insights highlight the transformative power of independent voices in today's media landscape.

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ANECDOTE

Launch of Coronavirus News for Black Folks

Patrice Peck launched her newsletter, "Coronavirus News for Black Folks," on April 5th.
She aimed to highlight the pandemic's disproportionate impact on the Black community, a concern she felt was being overlooked.

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ANECDOTE

Zach's Inspiration for The Trip Report

Zach Haigney was drawn to Substack's model.
He saw an emerging trend in psychedelic-inspired medicine and wanted a platform to monitor news and evergreen issues.

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ANECDOTE

Lenny's Newsletter Origin

Lenny Rachitsky started his newsletter to document learnings from his previous job.
Initially unpaid, he monetized it due to COVID-related job loss and market downturn.

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Empowering Voices: The Journey of Newsletters in Underrepresented Communities

01:52 • 2min

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From Jobs to Newsletters: A Transformative Journey

03:24 • 5min

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Navigating Expertise and Creativity in Newsletter Writing

08:25 • 2min

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Navigating Paid Newsletters

10:02 • 11min

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The Evolution of Media: From Traditional Journalism to Niche Newsletters

20:57 • 2min

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Navigating the Newsletter Landscape

22:39 • 10min

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Diverse Perspectives in Newsletter Culture

Ione Skye's memoir, "Say Everything," offers a candid look into her life, from her childhood as the daughter of musician Donovan to her experiences navigating the complexities of Hollywood. The book delves into her early acting career, relationships with famous figures, and personal struggles. Skye's honest and often humorous reflections provide insights into the challenges and triumphs of growing up in the public eye. The memoir also explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery, offering a relatable and engaging narrative for readers. Through her personal journey, Skye shares valuable lessons about resilience, self-acceptance, and the importance of forging one's own path.

Drawing Links is a newsletter by Edith Zimmerman that includes comics about her life. It combines storytelling with illustrations, offering a personal and humorous perspective on everyday experiences. The newsletter was started in 2019 and has been mentioned in several notable publications.

No book found

Dov Charney

Dov Charney is a prominent figure in the fashion industry, having founded American Apparel and later Los Angeles Apparel. However, there is no record of him publishing a book titled 'Dove Charney's Works'.

The Intersection

Adriana Lacy

Coronavirus News for Black Folks

A Newsletter on COVID-19 and the Black Community

Patrice Peck

Coronavirus News for Black Folks is a newsletter created by Patrice Peck to provide information and insights on how COVID-19 affects the Black community. It includes curated news, interviews, and perspectives relevant to the Black diaspora.

The Best of Lenny's Newsletter: Volume 1

Lenny Rachitsky

This book compiles some of the most impactful articles from Lenny's Newsletter, offering actionable advice and real-life examples on product management, growth strategies, and career development. It includes topics such as positioning, hiring growth teams, and managing oneself effectively.

2PM

Studying where media meets commerce.

Newsletter by Craig Mod

Craig Mod

Craig Mod's Ridgeline newsletter explores themes of walking, culture, and personal reflection. It is part of his broader work as a writer and photographer, which includes books like 'Things Become Other Things' and 'Kissa by Kissa'.

Maybe Baby

A Newsletter and Podcast Series

Haley Nahman

Maybe Baby is a weekly newsletter and podcast series by Haley Nahman that delves into the complexities of modern life, culture, and personal experiences. It includes essays, interviews, and advice columns, offering a unique perspective on contemporary issues.

No book titled 'Beauty IRL' found

Darian Symoné Harvin

Darian Symoné Harvin is a prominent figure in beauty journalism, particularly through her newsletter 'BEAUTY IRL', which explores beauty at the intersection of politics and pop culture. However, there is no book with this title associated with her.

The Browser

A Daily Newsletter

Robert Cottrell

The Browser is a daily newsletter founded by Robert Cottrell, which selects and shares five outstanding articles each day. It focuses on providing readers with high-quality content that is both informative and enduring.

A Media Operator

Insights into Digital Media Entrepreneurship

Jacob Donnelly

This book would likely explore strategies and tactics for building successful media companies, including business models, audience development, and niche media. It would draw from interviews with entrepreneurs and operators in the digital media space.

Carefree Black Girls

Zeba Blay

Clara Amfo

In 'Carefree Black Girls', Zeba Blay explores the impact of Black women on American culture through personal essays and critical analysis. The book celebrates figures like Josephine Baker, Cardi B, and Serena Williams, while also delving into the challenges faced by Black women in a society dominated by white supremacy. It offers a powerful blend of cultural critique and personal narrative, highlighting the complexities of Black womanhood.

Dearest

History and gossip about cool stuff at auction

Monica McLaughlin

Dearest is a Substack publication that delves into the history, craftsmanship, and big stories behind antique jewelry and other unique items. It features pieces from upcoming auctions and dealer websites, highlighting both the beauty and the historical context of these items.

Alex Danco's Newsletter

Innovation Trends and Insights

Alex Danco

Alex Danco's Newsletter provides in-depth analysis of innovation trends through essay-long articles. It is published every Sunday and offers original content and curated links related to innovation and entrepreneurship.

Sinocism

Newsletter on China

Bill Bishop

Sinocism is a widely respected newsletter that delivers expert insights into China, covering news, analysis, and commentary. It is trusted by diplomats, policymakers, investors, executives, journalists, and scholars for its comprehensive coverage of Chinese affairs.

This episode, part one in a two-part series on the Creator Economy, explores the process and economics behind creating an independent newsletter. In this candid conversation, host Lauren Murrow talks with four Substack writers—an artist, a technologist, a journalist, and a clinical researcher-turned-psychedelics scholar—about how to find and foster an audience, the calculus behind going paid versus unpaid, the pressure to produce, and financial benchmarks for making a living from newsletter writing.

The pandemic has prompted a reckoning within traditional media and, in parallel, a surge in the newsletter ecosystem. On Substack, readership and active writers both doubled from January through April. The newsletter hosting platform now has more than 100,000 paying subscribers.

This episode reveals the behind-the-scenes experiences of four newsletter creators, all of whom launched roughly within the past year:

Software engineer Lenny Rachitsky, most recently a growth product manager at Airbnb, whose tech-focused dispatch is called Lenny’s Newsletter.

Artist and writer Edith Zimmerman, creator of the Drawing Links newsletter, which chronicles her life and musings through comic-style illustrations.

Zach Haigney, an acupuncturist and researcher whose newsletter, The Trip Report, explores the science, policy, and business behind medicinal psychedelics.

And Patrice Peck, a freelance journalist—previously a staff writer at BuzzFeed—whose newsletter, Coronavirus News for Black Folks, highlights the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on the black community.

Listen to the end of the episode to hear more about Patrice, Zach, Edith, and Lenny's top newsletter recommendations:

Patrice’s newsletter recs:

The Intersection by Adriana Lacy

Beauty IRL by Darian Symone Harvin

Carefree Black Girl by Zeba Blay

Maybe Baby by Haley Nahman

Zach’s newsletter recs:

Stratechery by Ben Thompson

Sinocism by Bill Bishop

A Media Operator by Jacob Cohen Donnelly

Off the Chain by Anthony Pompliano

The Weekly Dish by Andrew Sullivan