The Substack Success Podcast

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.substackwritersatwork.comTo watch or listen to the full workshop, become a member of Substack Writers at Work, the only all-in-one membership to grow your Substack. No cheap tricks. No marketing "hacks" that don't work. Real expert guidance: www.writersatwork.net/subscribe.This workshop is so, so good.Watch or listen to get exercises to define your Substack niche, develop a profile of your ideal subscriber, and articulate the specific problem your writing addresses.The goal is to help you better understand your readership, which will inform your content strategy, strengthen reader connections, and make Notes and publicity much, much easier.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.substackwritersatwork.comJoin the Substack Writers at Work community to create a Substack that grows and earns an income: www.writersatwork.com/subscribeThis is great to listen to while driving, walking, cooking, etc. Someone else’s questions are likely your own.And I just love the Substack Writers at Work community. Such wonderful people here—like you!Timestamps:(00:00:34) - Targeting a niche for your Substack(00:09:38) - Incorporating a community aspect into your Substack(00:12:41) - Defining your audience for your Substack…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.substackwritersatwork.comIf you’re struggling to grow your subscribers in the sea of Substacks… Just know that you don’t need to be “great” writers to succeed. You don’t. » All you need is a distinctive voice. Your voice.This workshop is an opportunity to refine how you express your uniqueness, helping your writing resonate more deeply with your readers.* Free subscribers, get ac…

Subscribe to Substack Writers at Work: www.writersatwork.net.I’m so pleased to bring you my interview with Laurie Stone. She writes the literary Substack Everything Is Personal. In this conversation, we talk about how she grew her Substack so quickly—plus her writing process, her approach to “marketing,” Notes, publishing, the nature of narrative, and how she seduces the reader.She also shares her checklist for writing posts and Notes that resonate with her readers:* Start in the middle,* fail to arrive,* remember to love something,* make the reader hot,* make the reader laugh.She was a longtime writer for the Village Voice (1974-1999), which comes up here. She’s also the author of six books, most recently Streaming Now, Postcards from the Thing that is Happening (Dottir Press, 2022), long listed for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. She writes for The Paris Review, Evergreen Review, and Galerie. You can join her monthly Zoom conversations on writing craft by contacting her at lauriestone@substack.com. Subscribe to Everything Is Personal here: https://lauriestone.substack.com/Timestamps:00:15 Laurie’s Substack success02:14 Narrative techniques04:39 Using Notes and social media05:51 Teaching and workshops09:41 Laurie’s writing process17:37 Building a sustainable Substack25:47 What’s next for Everything Is Personal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.substackwritersatwork.com/subscribe

✦ If you haven’t yet joined Substack Writers at Work, subscribe right here: https://www.writersatwork.net/about❡ I’m thrilled to bring you this interview with Elle Griffin. Elle talks about building a following, defying traditional publishing, handling criticism, and staying creative. She also shares her advice for aspiring Substack writers.Elle is something of a Substack icon. In 2022, she was awarded one of 10 places in Substack’s now-defunct Grow program, which launched her Substack into the stratosphere.(The Grow program is similar to Substack’s current Creator Studio Program, which we talked about in the “Create Connection Using Substack Video Workshop.”)Her dogged pursuit to bring back serialized novels made mainstream media take notice of Substack as a platform for fiction. Her Substack, The Elysian, has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, Business Insider, Fast Company, The Information, Publisher’s Weekly, Means of Creation, and Morning Brew.She describes The Elysian as a kind of living newsletter salon:“[A] utopian garden where we can study philosophy and debate politics and rethink capitalism and enjoy contemplative leisure and be part of a new enlightenment. It’s a place where we can think through a more beautiful future through essays and literature and discourse.”Her TEDx talk “What if we release books episodically?” has garnered 25,000 views.Enjoy this interview with Elle Griffin.01:33 Elle's Journey to Substack02:20 The Challenges of Traditional Publishing05:04 Discovering Serialization on Substack06:52 Building a Following and Promoting Work09:04 Pivoting to New Projects14:44 Handling Criticism and Staying Creative17:34 Advice for Aspiring Substack WritersIf you haven’t yet joined Substack Writers at Work, subscribe right here ⤵https://www.writersatwork.net/about This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.substackwritersatwork.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.substackwritersatwork.comBe inspired by creators using Substack video in innovative ways. Find at least one way you might use video in your Substack. Get the most inexpensive, time-efficient way to produce video.As you watch the replay, I want you to imagine how video might be a way to connect more deeply with your subscribers and yourself. If you’re already doing it, maybe go deeper.Substack Writers, Sophia Efthimiatou, and Katie O'Connell. It was so fun to put this together and see the great video that’s out there, the types and genres video tends to fall into, and the many innovative ways Substackers new to video might use it in their own Substacks. Workshop highlights: 1. Be inspired by creators using Substack video in innovative ways * We go through the video artists chosen for Substack’s Creator Studio, and you get to choose your favorite:* Jenny Gorelick, Night Out* Kellerman, The F*ckin' News * Coco Mocoe, Coco Mocoe* Kit Lazer, Movies Are Therapy* Gabi Jones, The Vintage Vault* Miguel Peña, Build a Boy Workshop* Patrick Hicks, Patrick Hicks Music Stories* Justice Jackson, The Curl Diaries* Jeauni Cassanova, With Love, Jeauni Cassanova* God, The God Pod2. Find at least one way you might use video in your Substack (or double down on how you’re using it)- Talking/thought-wandering/touching base with your subscribers* Patti Smith, Happily talking about nothing* Marya Hornbacher, Riffs & Rants from the Road: Episode 10- Workshops, co-working sessions, silent retreats, writing groups, etc.* This video from Substack Writers at Work- Memoir documentary* Lynn Chen, Not So Perfect Pitch (from Taegan MacLean’s One Word) - Responding to subscribers’ questions * Priya Joi, The Art of Freelance- Food and travel sensory stimulation * Sunnyside Breakfasts and Desserts- Introducing a written post * Mary Joan Cunningham, “Fun Weekend Vibes: Inspiration from Awesome People”- Video essays* Taegan MacLean, One Word, Names, Nothing, Path- Author reading (and essay) * Marya Hornbacher, “Truckstop, Fireworks, Stories, Night (take 2)”- Interview/conversation/podcast* Evelyn Skye’s interview series * Robert Reich’s Coffee Klatsch3. Get the most inexpensive, time-efficient way to produce video* A simple, inexpensive way to produce video that isn’t flashy or self-indulgent and expresses you. (I believe in zero-to-little overhead for your Substack.)Important!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.substackwritersatwork.comSuch a fun strategy session!In this Strategy Session: 00:09 Understanding Your Audience's Reading Habits00:44 Checking Your Dashboard for Reader Insights02:46 Adapting Content for Different Mediums09:54 The Importance of Quality Content11:42 Strategies for Writing Shorter, Impactful Posts16:06 Editing Tips for Clarity and Engagement31:53 Exploring Workarounds for Audio Posts33:43 Setting Up a Podcast for Discoverability36:01 Managing Paywalls and Free Content with Audio40:47 Podcasting Tips and Best PracticesWrite Less, Say More Challenge WorkflowDRAFTING STAGE* Talk out your post to a friend or yourself.* Write your post.MACRO EDITING STAGE* Write that one thing you want the reader to remember if it’s all they take away.* Using that, cut anything that’s unnecessary. Of every paragraph ask, Does my reader really need to know this?* Revise generalizations to make them specific.MICRO EDITING* Cut cliches* Check it’s, this, that for antecedents* Create two sentences for every sentence with and that has two ideas* Fight for every adverb and adjectiveEnjoy the replay!All my best,SarahP.S. We have an exclusive 24/7 Cohort-only chat to connect, ask questions, and publicize your latest posts! Find it here.In this Strategy Session:00:09 Understanding Your Audience's Reading Habits00:44 Checking Your Dashboard for Reader Insights02:46 Adapting Content for Different Mediums09:54 The Importance of Quality Content11:42 Strategies for Writing Shorter, Impactful Posts16:06 Editing Tips for Clarity and Engagement31:53 Exploring Workarounds for Audio Posts33:43 Setting Up a Podcast for Discoverability36:01 Managing Paywalls and Free Content with Audio40:47 Podcasting Tips and Best Practices

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.substackwritersatwork.comThis is a free preview. To listen to the full amazing workshop, become a paid subscriber: www.writersatwork.net/subscribe* We want devoted readers, listeners, viewers, and/or clients (depending on your category and what you do)—a.k.a. “superfans.” (Don’t love that term, but you get the idea.) But Substack doesn’t offer a clear path on how to find and keep them. You have to pave that road yourself, which is what this workshop will help you do.Highlights:* What and who are your devoted readers, a.k.a. “superfans”* How to give them the highest quality writing even if you don’t think of yourself as a writer* The 2 types of “great writing” on Substack* How to pitch other Substacks to get your exceptional writing out into the world

To upgrade to listen on Apple, go to www.writersatwork.net/subscribe. I’m absurdly excited to bring you my interview with Miller Coffey. Miller is a digital marketer who helps established authors start a Substack. He’s also incredibly genuine and real and smart and…I could go on. Miller is the president of the marketing firm Bellflower Media, a trans and queer-owned business that’s dedicated to equity and social justice.We discuss everything from what every Substack should have to what he does for his clients to which social media platform writers should be on to branding and logos. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.substackwritersatwork.com/subscribe

To upgrade to listen on Apple, go to www.writersatwork.net/subscribe. For you: A 15-minute pep talk for those who may feel like there’s a lot of noise on Substack.The amazing Claire Venus and I guide you through my top, top Substack tip of all time: Don’t subscribe to or follow a bunch of Substacks that talk about how to be on Substack.For those who may not know Claire, she’s the mastermind behind Sparkle on Substack and Creatively Conscious. She’s a creative who also writes and a Substack enthusiast. She describes herself as being powered by sustainability, slow living, big dreams, and quiet ambition.Claire is the real thing. She’s a Substack educator I often recommend, especially for creatives.Sparkle on Substack is “a bespoke space to help you stay creative on Substack with co-working, workshops, weekly posts, chats, a podcast, and all the tools to help enhance your journey to growth on Substack in a joyful sustainable way.”We encourage you to follow/subscribe to one Substack guide (two max) for a year. Sure, it’s great to get lots of perspectives and ideas, but when you listen to everyone, you risk not hearing yourself.Some of you do well with noise. Blessings.For those who don’t, listen to or watch this conversation with Claire.Subscribe to Sparkle on Substack here.Subscribe to Creatively Conscious here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.substackwritersatwork.com/subscribe