The Best Platform You’re Not Using: Substack

Upcoming writers, journalists or simply people who just like to journal need to learn about Substack. A lot of aspiring writers are not aware of this platform and how this platform can help reach a wider audience, get sponsorships and even get paid to write.

The Platform

Substack is a subscription-based platform that lets writers publish newsletters directly to their audience, or whoever wants to type out their thoughts and share them with the public. It also allows users to build a community or fan base around their own writings.

Articles on Substack are completely free to read and anyone who wants to publish their own can do so without paying. However, if you begin to gain traction with your articles, authors can create paid content only, and users will have to pay a subscription to access.

You may be thinking this is similar to a personal blog, but Substack is primarily a platform for publishing and distributing email newsletters. This means content is being delivered directly to subscribers’ inboxes with a more curated, community-driven experience compared to a traditional blog.

Empowering Writers

Unlike traditional media jobs where writers normally rely on salaries, Substack allows them to interact and earn directly from their audience. They are able to set their own subscription prices and offer free and paid tiers. Basically, this means they don’t rely on advertisers, more control over their income and successful Substack writers can make a full-time living like Matt Taibbi or Heather Cox Richardson.

If writers use traditional platforms like social media or news outlets, they have to follow strict editorial guidelines or be constantly chasing trending topics. Substack removes these barriers. Writers can cover niche or underreported topics, aren’t restricted by editors and build a personal and authentic connections between writers and readers.

Challenges Holding Substack Back

It’s obvious that Substack hasn’t reached mainstream popularity yet and it has to do with a number of issues. Unlike social media, Substack doesn’t have a strong recommendation algorithm to help users find new writers. This means readers have to actively search for newsletters so there is no easy way to “go viral.”

Writers have to be their own marketers, since these writers aren’t working in traditional media where publications promote their writers, they are required to do all the marketing themselves. This means that writers need to have strong personal brands or even existing audiences to succeed. It can be discouraging for great writers who aren’t comfortable with self-promotion.

Must-Reads

VALLEY loves Substack and wants to give some recommendations for you to get started on this platform:

• All Over The Place
  • This is a great one if you struggle to find others who relate to your niche problems.
• The Every Girl
  • Amazing for girly girls obsessed with the latest gossip and trends. Also good for wellness.
• The Naive Edit
  • This is a hot girl’s guide to life.

Have you tried Substack yet? Let @VALLEYmag know on X!

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