Such good advice for newbies 😊 I'm planning an upcoming post about using your blog/newsletter/Substack as a workshop space for deeper writing down the road. All of my planned book projects have been drafted on my blogs. That's where I've workshopped ideas and processed and I want to encourage others to do the same 😀
Great idea for a post, Sarah. I use my blog space for writing almost everything, as well. I have MS Word and rarely use it, except as a sometimes back-up for those posts. If I'm submitting to a publication that requires Word, I cut and paste into a blank page at Word and give it a name. (I sincerely hate how complicated Word is to navigate.)
I've learned SO much about Word while working on my book and I'm really proud of myself. My blog/Substack is my workshop. Google Docs is for sharing work for publishing and my book projects with my beta team. Word is for the "real" work.
The subscriber option is the only way I know, too. I've heard that Substack pays some top writers, but they have to be way up there. The stars. They're effective promotional tools for Substack, so they're worth it.
I will say I make more here at Substack than I ever did at Medium, which isn't saying much because I never made much there.
The only writers I know of who make a good amount through subscriptions either have to hustle constantly or have content so important or so alluring they're irresistible. They're the ones who can afford to put their work behind paywalls with the assurance that people will stand in line to pay them for the privilege.
Substack is many things to many writers. Making a living at it would be at the bottom of most of our lists, I'm afraid. Realistically, unless we already had a strong following, a subscription service is a hard way to go about it.
But Substack is a good platform for writers. It works at many levels, including as a way of showcasing and validating our work. It doesn't have to be our only publishing venue, and usually isn't.
really, really helpful Ramona. Remembering the way you use it makes sense to me in terms of writing summary posts rather than duplicating what's elsewhere.
I really appreciate you taking the time to help me understand!!
Ramona, I just realized that that was an idea posted by HollyJahangiri, Coffee-Fueled Perspectives
She said she uses Substack to sort of round-up previous articles and articles on other platforms so that she's not getting too much overlap. I thought that was a great idea.
I appreciate you discouraging me from being discouraged! I’m just getting set up and have found your series for newbies very helpful. The comment thread is great too as it helps add clarity about why I want to do this in the first place.
I am looking forward to writing to folks who choose to be here because they appreciate what I do. Also, I have been doing things the same old way for too many years and I simply need a change, shaking it up by moving to Substack will help me go deeper in my writing.
I'm so glad it was useful to you. And aren't our Everlastings amazing? They're right there with the absolute best comments. I've learned so much from them. Please stick around, and feel free to add to our conversations at any time. And don't be afraid to ask questions. That's what we wait for!
I started working on my drafts yesterday! It felt liberating to start getting words on that blank screen.
That's wonderful! I love that word 'liberating'. Perfect!
Let me know when you've published, and if you want to add something to any of these posts as you go along, just do it!
Onward...
🫰🫰🫰
Such good advice for newbies 😊 I'm planning an upcoming post about using your blog/newsletter/Substack as a workshop space for deeper writing down the road. All of my planned book projects have been drafted on my blogs. That's where I've workshopped ideas and processed and I want to encourage others to do the same 😀
Great idea for a post, Sarah. I use my blog space for writing almost everything, as well. I have MS Word and rarely use it, except as a sometimes back-up for those posts. If I'm submitting to a publication that requires Word, I cut and paste into a blank page at Word and give it a name. (I sincerely hate how complicated Word is to navigate.)
I've learned SO much about Word while working on my book and I'm really proud of myself. My blog/Substack is my workshop. Google Docs is for sharing work for publishing and my book projects with my beta team. Word is for the "real" work.
❤️❤️
This is fun!!
I'm curious--i totally understand how I make money on Medium--i don't understand how you make money on Substack besides the subscriber option?
The subscriber option is the only way I know, too. I've heard that Substack pays some top writers, but they have to be way up there. The stars. They're effective promotional tools for Substack, so they're worth it.
I will say I make more here at Substack than I ever did at Medium, which isn't saying much because I never made much there.
The only writers I know of who make a good amount through subscriptions either have to hustle constantly or have content so important or so alluring they're irresistible. They're the ones who can afford to put their work behind paywalls with the assurance that people will stand in line to pay them for the privilege.
I don't expect I'll ever be one of those. 😉
hmmm...i'm still oonfused then. At $50/year for a subscription we'd need to have many thousands of subscribers to make money.
So substack is mainly to build a larger audience and hopefully help other people with whatever our expertise is, rather than making money?
Substack is many things to many writers. Making a living at it would be at the bottom of most of our lists, I'm afraid. Realistically, unless we already had a strong following, a subscription service is a hard way to go about it.
But Substack is a good platform for writers. It works at many levels, including as a way of showcasing and validating our work. It doesn't have to be our only publishing venue, and usually isn't.
really, really helpful Ramona. Remembering the way you use it makes sense to me in terms of writing summary posts rather than duplicating what's elsewhere.
I really appreciate you taking the time to help me understand!!
Any time, Robyn, but I'm not sure what you mean by 'summary posts'. Could you explain?
Ramona, I just realized that that was an idea posted by HollyJahangiri, Coffee-Fueled Perspectives
She said she uses Substack to sort of round-up previous articles and articles on other platforms so that she's not getting too much overlap. I thought that was a great idea.
Hey never say never!
LOL. No, I'll never say never.
It’s like you are talking to me, directly. Thank you.
Great! That's what I was hoping for! Thanks.
I appreciate you discouraging me from being discouraged! I’m just getting set up and have found your series for newbies very helpful. The comment thread is great too as it helps add clarity about why I want to do this in the first place.
I am looking forward to writing to folks who choose to be here because they appreciate what I do. Also, I have been doing things the same old way for too many years and I simply need a change, shaking it up by moving to Substack will help me go deeper in my writing.
Thank you Ramona!
I'm so glad it was useful to you. And aren't our Everlastings amazing? They're right there with the absolute best comments. I've learned so much from them. Please stick around, and feel free to add to our conversations at any time. And don't be afraid to ask questions. That's what we wait for!