Two magical years
of substacking :) and a discount if you sign up today
Two years ago, on March 2nd, I pressed ‘publish’ on this Substack page. I’d imported a bunch of previous subscribers from an old newsletter list and now, in just two years, I have thousands of paying subscribers supporting my work here. Running this Substack is pretty much my full-time job. Meanwhile my Instagram has stayed exactly the same and I no longer post there myself. The platform never really suited writers anyway.
Substack has changed a bit in the past two years, there is Notes (which I post on occasionally but try not to scroll) and some other fancy tools, but the energy is still the same. It’s a newsletter to write freely directly for the people who want to hear from you. Times are changing, and writer’s can now reach their readers much more easily outside of social media and books. Many publishing houses are downsizing and struggling while Substack booms. Designer hubs like Matches Fashion are closing down, while Vinted (a marketplace for selling secondhand items) is on the rise. There are less middle men between consumers and the thing they want to consume. Perhaps this suggests we are being more careful with our money, and wanting to spend on things that make us feel good about ourselves and the planet.
I’m currently on a little Substack break to refuel and gather new ideas, but I am offering a big discount to anyone who subscribes in the next 24 hours so you can read my back catalogue and sign up for the year. I’d be thrilled to see you there, and please do introduce yourself here if you’d like to — it’s so nice to hear more about those who sign up.
It’s an exciting time to be on Substack. Bestselling chef
’s success on Substack led to opening her own IRL grocery shop. Former Manrepeller writer ’s readers supported her while she took maternity leave. TV writer (And Just Like That) writes for her readers without any likes or comments turned on. Former Lucky magazine editor writes for her super engaged readers that she’s had since the launch of Lucky in 2000. himself is publishing here with personal voiceovers.Thank you for subscribing to The Hyphen. Your support of my work has made space for me to write for you more and it’s allowed me to turn down other jobs that look shiny to the outside world but take me away from writing. Writing is the centre of my work again, and I’m just getting started.
Here are some previous posts to read in the mean-time:
I published the Q&A below last year, so I thought I’d repost for you here.
Q: Hi Emma, is it worth starting a Substack? Have I missed the boat?
I find this question interesting in itself, because what something is ‘worth’ is inherently different for everyone. It depends what you are wanting to get out of it, and therefore that determines whether it’s ‘worth’ doing. What would make it worth it, to you? If you connected with like-minded people? If you could show your writing to an agent? If it makes you feel more joyful about life outside a soul-sucking job? You get to define what makes something worth it. For me, any side project should make you more energised or at least add something to your life, not feel like a chore or that it’s robbing you of your time. A side project that feels worth it to me is one that I want to do, that I look forward to doing, it’s never a ‘should’. It’s a really personal thing, and only you can work that out.
Q: What do you think the future of Substack will be?
A lot of my friends who are really enjoying Substack are already worried about it being ruined/too popular/bought by Elon M*sk or something else bad, because it feels almost too good to be true. It’s an amazing product, run by an amazing team, many of whom I’ve been so lucky to meet. In reality I think for at least the next five years (at the very least!!) it’s going to boom in a wholesome way. Either way, I know that I own my data and words, and can go where the wind takes me at any time, but for now, I think Substack is the place to be.
Q: What’s your best piece of newsletter advice?
Don’t worry if people unsubscribe. It’s actually a good thing! It’s not about growing numbers for numbers sake, or trying to make people stay by changing what you’re doing, it’s about attracting (over time) people who want to stay and want to invest in your work. No hard feelings ever, bless and release! 🪄
Q: What do you think readers respond to most when reading your Substack in terms of audience engagement?
My community threads are a regular place where people can chat and I really enjoy it - it feels like a little meet-up in a café, or a little workplace canteen, full of people who are on their lunch break who fancy a little chat, or an opportunity to share a thought or a recommendation. Someone shared with me recently that she’d made a new friend in the comment section and they were meeting up IRL the following week. I love that.
Q: Do [your readers] prefer "article-like" newsletters that feel more glossy and editorial? Or do you find that Substack readers like a personal letter arriving in their inbox each week?
A: I don’t think anything on Substack necessarily needs to be glossy or stringently routined. Of course, you have paying subscribers so the pieces need to be thorough, proof-read, and well-thought out. But I don’t think Substack is like a magazine, it’s more like your online ~home~. And homes can be glossy, messy, real and everything in between. The important bit is that it feels like you and your showing up in a way you feel comfortable with.
Q: I wondered if you could share a bit more on how you gain subscribers organically?
The best way is for other people to recommend you. This is organic, as I’ve never asked anyone to recommend me, and find it weird when people ask me to recommend them. I don’t really like the ‘scratch my back I’ll scratch yours’ thing, I just think, recommend people you genuinely like! Simple! So far, other people’s recommendations have brought me thousands of new subscribers which is incredible. Concentrate on making your Substack a place you enjoy and are proud of, and I promise you people will start recommending it. People love to pass on things they enjoy, it’s human nature.
Q: I’d love to hear what you think your best success has been with the paid subscriptions. Like, what is something you did that seems obvious now, but you were questioning at the time?
The main thing for me is putting all my best stuff behind a paywall. Then it is clear that paying subscribers get access to everything. It fosters a real sense of community when it’s not accessible to just anyone. If you become a member, you get access to an entire hub and back catalogue and you’re ‘part’ of something. It’s nice to offer bonus things too, like giveaways, or exclusive announcements to things (my paying subscribers will know about my creativity retreats first, for example) plus I’m hatching some plans on how we can meet up IRL ❤️
