#How to grow audience on Substack

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

Inspiration: 61 New Paid Subscribers on Substack in 10 Days & Sold A$8K Value of Books with ZERO Ads

I explained how freelance writers can become book authors on Substack and book authors can sell their books with great success. This article aims to inspire aspiring writers to benefit from Substack’s serendipitous sales engine and book authors to use it deliberately.  Self-publishing experts advocate for paid advertising through platforms like Google or Facebook. They can be costly, producing…

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Thom Hartmann at The Hartmann Report:

Have you heard that Comcast is planning to sell MSNBC? Is Rupert Murdoch planning to buy it? Will America’s media landscape soon resemble those of Hungary and Russia? Without the rightwing media juggernaut, Donald Trump probably wouldn’t be president next year and wouldn’t have won in 2016. That said, the progressive media landscape looks like it might be about to get a whole lot worse. Comcast, which owns NBC and its subsidiaries CNBC and MSNBC (among other media outlets) announced this week that they’ll be spinning off MSNBC (among others) next year. And the consequences are already showing up. It was reported this week that Rachel Maddow just took a substantial annual pay-cut because of the uncertain future of the network. In part, this probably reflects a belt-tightening at Comcast, but is also an indication of how legacy media — which now includes cable properties — are taking a hit from newer digital media, from social media to podcasts to web-based networks and programs.

[...]

While NPR goes to great lengths to avoid political bias in their news (the Corporation for Public Broadcasting even hired last month, “in response to right-wing criticism,” multiple editors specifically to spot and stamp out any progressive perspectives that may creep into their reporting), if they were crippled, it’s safe to assume the roughly 1,500 rightwing hate radio stations in the country stand more than ready and willing to pick up their radio audience. Rightwing billionaires brought us Fox “News,” Sinclair, two other web- and cable-based rightwing TV channels, nationwide networks of hate radio (now also in Spanish), tens of millions of dollars in subsidies to rightwing podcast hosts, and the destruction of about half the nation’s local newspapers. Not to mention an entire network of billionaire-funded hard-right phony “pink slime” newspapers that pop up around the country every election year.

There’s no equivalent politically-tilted media systems on the left; Democratic-leaning billionaires have stayed out of the media space ever since Romney’s company took down Air America.

The closest TV and radio counterparts we have are Free Speech TV (available on the web, Dish, Sling, Roku, AppleTV, and DirecTV) and the Progress Channel on SiriusXM (my daily program is carried on both).

In the print media space, Substack is growing (although they also carry hard-right content) and provides a solid community of progressive publications (like HartmannReport.com), but that’s a drop in a much larger ocean; even The Washington Post and The New York Times don’t come close to the strength of editorial bias found in the Murdoch family’s The New York Post or The Wall Street Journal. Publications like The New Republic, Mother Jones, The Nation, and The Guardian provide solid progressive content, but all have funding bases that are trivial compared to conservative publications supported by rightwing billionaire networks. Ditto for websites like Raw Story, Common Dreams, Alternet, LA Progressive, Democratic Underground, and Daily Kos.

Thom Hartmann wrote a excellent yet frightening piece about how progressive journalism and media has ossified.

[queerlilchinchin]

Vote For My First Short-Form (Free Subscriber) Story For Substack

I wanted to give you all the option to request the genre I start with on substack. I still struggle to know what genre(s) my readers actually enjoy reading from me. All I know is I tend to lean toward darker topics/genres, but I wanted to see if you all had opinions on what genre you think would be most entertaining to see for my first short story.

So!

Since I'm trying to have the first story post posted by the middle of next week, I figured I will post a poll for this question and make it voteable within the next 3 days.

If you have never read my stuff, and would like samples of how I write/what kinds of topics I tend to go for, you can find my author site below:

Click on "Click Here to View WIP List" to see a list of my WIPs listed on the site to go to their respective pages.

If you're interested in subscribing to my substack, you can find it linked below:

Thank you in advance for the votes and I look forward to creating something fun and entertaining with whatever you vote for!

[mjjune]

author ask tag

thanks for the shoutout @vsnotresponding <3

What is the main lesson of your story?

this isn't really for me to decide, but the audience. screenshots below are from a few beta readers from avof! you can read and decide for yourself (ID in alt text!)

What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding?

oh man, everything vampire i've ever read. twilight, carmilla, dracula, the anita blake series, true blood, anne rice, what we do in the shadows... but also all my stories have influence from east asian and chinese mythology and culture because i'm a tad obsessed lol

What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, or help the reader grow as a person?

in avof, the mcs are mostly trying to survive, figure out who they are, and stop an apocalypse. as the writer, there were a lot of themes i wanted to explore including self-discovery and self-acceptance, found family, accepting that you are worthy of love--and if the readers can learn about themselves or grow as people from that, then that's wonderful. i know i certainly grew while writing it.

How many chapters is your story going to have?

35 chapters plus a few bonuses~

Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

it's all original, baby. patreon and substack starting in august/september! follow for updates <3

When did you start writing?

according to my mom i was telling stories before i could write and she would write them for me. my earliest memories of it are writing short stories and novellas in 2nd-3rd grade

Do you have any words of encouragement for fellow writers of writeblr? What other writers do you follow?

it's rough out there right now, i feel like interaction just keeps getting lower and i'm sure the state of the world and politics isn't helping... but some of my friends and fav writers are @vacantgodling @stjohnstarling @bebewrites @isabellebissonrouthier @sleepyowlwrites @inks-books @garthcelyn @moondust-bard @saintedseraph a bunch of others i'm forgetting... lol

open tag for anyone who wants to!! especially the writers above please i'm nosy ;)

[cssnder]

Tag Game: Author Ask Tag

I am late at this but thank you to @tildeathiwillwrite for the tag.

Question Template: 1. What is the main lesson of your story? Why did you choose it? 2. What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding? 3. What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness or help the reader grow as a person? 4. How many chapters is your story going to have? 5. Is it fan fiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it? 6. When did you start writing? 7. Do you have any words of encouragement for fellow writers of writeblr? What other writers do you follow?

What is the main lesson of your story?

When I started, I didn't write with a clear message to communicate, but that's the beauty of it: in good novels, the message will find it's way from your subconscious into the page. It is effortless. And I believe, many different things happened there. But as pretentious as it'll sound, I do not think it is right to tell people what to get out of a story. I like art that respect its audience's intelligence. People are intelligent enough to derive their own interpretation from what they read, whether it was what I intended or not. As Margaret Atwood once said, you do not put out one book into the world, you put out millions, for your book will be interpreted differently by every single person who reads it. It's out of your control. It's not yours anymore.

What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding?

I romanticise the gothic, architecture, the old, and the melancholic a whole lot. I like to daydream about places, whether real or not, about gloomy weather, and I have a certain fondness for aesthetics as long as they do not bind me. I simply came up with places I'd like to be sad in lol. And decided to make my sad and lonely characters live there.

What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness or help the reader grow as a person?

Oliver, my main character in Thus Saith The Lord, clearly suffers from what is known as Bovarysme. The condition is often described as being a state of emotional and social dissatisfaction, seen in particular in certain young neurotic people, which results in vain and excessive ambitions, and an escape into the imaginary and romance. Like Emma Bovary, he wants to live. He falsely believe that his unhappiness is indigenous to that place he's stuck in — his family home, the countryside he grew up in. He looks to the external to fulfill him internally, and because of this, as well as the belief that he'll die at home if he doesn't get out one way or another, he thinks leaving is the only way to be truly happy. That life will be better somewhere else. That it has to be, right? He has all those ideas of what the city is like based on what other people told him and what he read in books and watched on TV, about the way his life will surely take off if he just flees his hometown, how he'll finally feel free. That's what pushed him down that road in the first place. And while it does certainly start to take off at some points in the story, reality quickly shows him that he is unprepared for that world and so starts a series of disappointments and bad choices which, ultimately, lead him to his own downfall.

As for what my motivations are, you can read all about it here.

How many chapters is your story going to have?

Ten.

Is it fan fiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

Original content, always. And I plan to post the very first version on Substack. I'll keep the final, revised version for traditional publishing.

When did you start writing?

I was around nine when I started writing my first novel, though I was already telling stories and writing lyrics prior to that. It was a fantasy novel about a girl named Patricia who ended up joining a little group of creatures and sorcerers as they embarked on a journey to look for a mythological stone that a villain and his army were also looking for. I can't remember why exactly they were looking for it nor what were the properties of this stone but I remember it beared the name Helios because it shone like the sun and I also remember getting the idea for it after watching Barbie Mariposa, with its Illios antidote. I wrote 100+ pages. My parents read it and apparently that's when they realised I was actually surprisingly skilled at it. I never finished it though, for around that time I was still learning about what genres I liked to read and write, and fantasy was not something I had fun writing unfortunately. But it made me realised that writing was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Do you have any words of encouragement for fellow writers of writeblr? What other writers do you follow?

Trust yourself, goes for writing and pretty much anything else in life. Do not forget that whatever the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve, have the guts to get it done and put your whole being to it. There'll always be someone to read you.

I follow way too many so I apologise in advance if I didn't put everyone but the first ones that cross my mind are:

@inkedwingss @mysteryofvampires @theink-stainedfolk @goodluckclove @words-after-midnight

@illarian-rambling @drchenquill @isabellebissonrouthier @aalinaaaaaa @nbwriteschaos

@messrsage @monomorphilogical @seraphinesaintclair @dellevigne @mikathewriter

@francineiswriting @monstrousorchids @hellisheavenwithyou @syrensaft @rcsthewriter

@faeriecinna @amaralionelli @poethill @apolline-lucy @spideronthesun

Tagging anybody who wants to do it of course.

[larissa-the-scribe]

Hey! I'm looking into potentially starting a newsletter for writing related stuff, do you have any advice on where to start?

Yeah, for sure!

So, I'll be dividing this response into several parts: the technical details, the content details, and the growing details. (disclaimer that I am by no means an expert, this is just stuff I've learned and/or observed and/or heard about)

Also sorry this is so long adfasdasdadfa it kept building on itself

The important thing throughout, though, is to have fun and be yourself. I'm only partially joking.

Technical details:

So what program do you use? How and why? Personally, my criteria for this was pretty simple: what was the cheapest but still functional option, and/or what option offered the best features for free (without being overcomplicated)?

The answer to this will vary depending on what you want to do. For example, Substack, from what I know, seems good; it's free, simple, straightforward. However, I wanted extra features that Substack didn't provide (automation sequences,* landing pages, etc), and so for me the best fit was Mailerlite. As far as I know, it's the only free option that offers automation, and besides that it seems like it has all the features I'd need. No need to pay until 1,000 subscribers, and after that it's still one of the cheaper options.

Some other possibilities include Mailchimp (though their pricing system can get a bit wonky), Brevo, Sendpulse, ConvertKit, HubSpot and like a gazillion others.

Basically, figure out what features you need/want, and go from there, but personally I'd recommend MailerLite. It can be a bit clunky at times, but overall I've found it more intuitive than Mailchimp, and it has a handy assortment of free features.

Honorable mention: Canva is a free service for graphic design, and that can be helpful for setting up any backgrounds or banners you might need.

*["automation sequence" refers to emails you can set up to send automatically without you needing to do extra manual work. For example, if someone signs up for your newsletter, you can set that up as the "trigger" for a sequence of emails that will deliver a freebie to the new subscriber, give them information, welcome them, etc, without you having to remember to do it every time someone new shows up].

Content details:

One of the other big questions that you'll have to answer for a newsletter is 'what am I going to be talking about for the next forever?'

An idea of how to start brainstorming is to sketch out broad categories, and then once you figure those out, see how many related ideas you can list out for each category (say, if you want to write about book publishing, how many topics or details can you cover?). If you can't list more than like 10-15 ideas for a shortish "post" off the top of your head, you may want to look at a different category.

Also, one of the best ways to answer this question is by asking the follow-up question of "what do I want to talk about for the next forever?" If you don't like writing about a topic, it's going to be an absolute chore, and the less you like doing something, the more of a drain that will be on your time and mental resources. And it will be harder to think of things to talk about. Don't worry about what you should write. That's a trap and only helpful in select cases.

So, what can you talk about and what do you want to talk about?

If that's still a lot of topics, you can ask people for their opinions on what they'd most be interested in hearing about, and in general asking 'the audience' for questions can also be a good way to find content ideas.

You'll also want to find a way to talk about your books regularly, too, since you're trying to cultivate an audience that will enjoy the stories you tell. That can be sharing snippets, updates, or even just talking a lot about similar types of books and have a line at the end of "if you liked--" etc.

What I do is I have three categories: 'updates', 'recommendations', and 'content'. Updates is behind-the-scenes stuff of the progress I've made on my creative projects (and a personal touch of things from my non-work life); recommendations is all about other peoples' books, with reviews, collaborations, and such; and content is a serial story I kinda designed for the email format (semi-inspired by podcast stories). I like talking about my projects (and that also makes the audience aware of and invested in my projects), I like reading and talking about books, and I like writing stories and am fairly fast at writing individual scenes. All three of my chosen categories are things I like to do with a lot of options for content, and that makes it easier to work on it regularly.

A lot of marketing-type people will also bring up that what you're sharing needs to 'bring value' to the audience, so that people will want to open your email; but that's really broad, and the 'value' you bring can just be... entertainment. It can be fun to hear someone talk about something they like (or dislike, depending). So like, it's a consideration (you don't want to just be saying "buy my book" over and over again, you want to be giving back to people), but also it is not that deep.

Also! Don't be afraid to talk about stuff you're 'selling'. As long as that's not most of what you ever talk about, people normally don't mind--and also, how else will they know.

Also also: You will want to figure out an upload schedule that you can stick to. Typically, you want to find the sweet spot between 'regular enough that those who signed up don't forget you exist and unsubscribe because they can't remember who you are' and 'spamming.' That can be anything from once a week to once a month. Conventional wisdom states that you don't want to go longer than a month without sending an email, but there can be exceptions.

Addition to the schedule idea: I've found it helpful to figure out a consistent routine so I'm working on my newsletter regularly, and don't have to panic-write an email the night before sending out. I try to work on my next email for 10-15 minutes a day as kind of my warm up for other writing stuff. Sometimes I really need that time every day, sometimes the consistent schedule means I finish early and don't have to worry about the next email for a bit. You could also try dedicating a day a week to focusing on the email versus your story, etc. Basically, play around with it until you can fit it into your schedule in a way that works for you.

[DISCLAIMER: I have a "category three" content system with more or less weekly updates, and I landed on that because I am an over-achiever who can't make up my mind on a thing to focus on. You do not have to make my mistakes. You can just focus on One Thing and do it like every two weeks or something. That would probably be a good idea for starting out]

Growing details:

Then..... the other hard part (on top of the other hard parts lol). You have a newsletter now. How do you get people to join and follow you?

Well, some sites/services make it easier. For example, currently I'm with StoryOrigin, which is a service that allows you to do newsletter swaps with other authors (they promote your book, you promote their book, etc). This does require you to have some kind of "reader magnet," though--that could be a paid one, like your book, but those can be harder to find swaps/followers for, etc. Another similar platform is Bookfunnel, I think, though I don't know much about them (I did research once upon a time but that was Ages ago and I have ADHD lol)

[Disclaimer: I linked to both, but the link for StoryOrigin is an affiliate link, which just means I get something if you go with them. But I do legitimately recommend them]

The downside to both of those is that they are paid. StoryOrigin is 100$ a year, and Bookfunnel is 20-250$ a year. Bookfunnel has a more tiered system, and StoryOrigin has one price and you get everything.

Now, you might find that to be a worthwhile expense, but it is nonetheless an expense. It also isn't a magic way to get your book promoted; sorting through the different groups and swaps takes time, and it takes even more time if you do what I do and try and read anything you swap with (you don't have to do that, and most people don't; you can usually get by with some quick research), but I have chronic "what if I recommended the worst thing ever" disease, so.

However, while SO doesn't magically solve your problems, it does offer steady growth. I only properly started using their services in September, and I'm up to 215 subscribers. I'm also taking it fairly slow; I keep a tighter limit on my swaps (I don't want to spam readers with options, since I make a larger space to talk about the swaps), but I know other authors do like five swaps/groups at a time (basically just sharing the cover), and that can make you grow a lot faster. It kind of is what you make of it, but also it's still going to take patience and effort.

Other methods of growing your newsletter subscriber count: growing a following on social media and hoping that translates with landing pages and promotion and the like; directly contacting other authors you might know to do a swap; doing guest appearances on podcasts or blogs etc to get yourself better known; and most of all, be very patient, and be willing to make mistakes until you get good (those last are for any form of newsletter growth, tbh). I've, uh, only ever done the one way, so this part isn't as good as it could be.

NOTE: Feel free to experiment. You might not get it right the first time. You might need to drastically change your content to something you enjoy more, if you find out that your idea didn't work as well as you'd hoped. That's okay! Now's the time to learn and figure out, when you still have a small audience. Also, I've found that as long as you communicate with people, they tend to be pretty forgiving.

OTHER NOTE: While newsletters typically have a higher "return on investment" than regular social media, you're still going to be dealing with less numbers than you might think. For example, a good, healthy mailing list will have like 60% of people actually opening the email; more often it's about 50%. That doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong (actually it means you're doing well), it just means that the further you expand, the more you're going to get normal people who forget to open emails.

Other things to consider:

What email are you going to use for email list?

Typically, it's recommended that, if possible, you try and get a domain name email (connected to a website), because that will make it seem more legitimate and help it get through peoples' spam filters. Using something like gmail, since it's so easy to get an email from them, is associated with spam and as such it might have a higher rate of being blocked/flagged as spam. Getting a domain name email is a whole other can of worms, but it is something that should be considered. You can also start with gmail and then switch later once you have a more stable platform, but switching things like that can be difficult/a pain depending on what all is going on.

(also I think MailerLite requires you to have a domain name email?? I can't remember. But that it is another thing to consider when looking for an email provider)

Reader magnet?

This would probably go in the "growth" section, but basically--what extra incentive/reason do you have for people to sign up to your letter? That can be a short story or a guide or a piece of art or whatever, but it is helpful to have something to pique peoples' curiosity. Also, it's a good way to present what you have to offer in terms of setting their expectations for type of story, quality of writing/content, your knowledge of a subject, etc. And you tend to get more subscribers this way than if you don't have anything to share upfront.

YouTube:

Mailing List Research is a playlist of all the videos I looked at when researching. There are. a lot of them with varying degrees of quality and helpfulness, and it's a pretty messy overall. But there's some helpful stuff in there on a variety of mailing list topics. I was going to pick out the best ones but unfortunately I can't remember which those were. I think I removed the worst ones, though.

Podcast suggestion:

For marketing in general (and Instragram), it might be worth checking out Book Marketing Simplified (by Jenn Hanson-dePaula). She covers a variety of topics, and since she basically has a few core principles that she keeps coming back to, it can get repetitive after a while, but she's a good starting place. She has some episodes on email marketing and ideas for doing that.

Joanna Penn is another podcaster people talk a lot about, but the few episodes of hers I listened to were pretty supportive of AI so I got miffed asdfasdfas I should probably give her another go because I still have a lot to learn about everything, but I might go back to some of her older ones, pre-AI, if I do lol

If you'd want more resources, I could go digging more, but a lot of what I've used to learn has gotten scattered over the years, or is like a single episode from a longer podcast series, etc.

[theambitiouswoman]

Hey sweet girl! I just wanted to say at the top that I LOVE your blog! It's so helpful and inspiring 💞

I was just wondering if you had any tips on how to start a blog? I'd love to try but have no idea where to begin or what to do and would greatly appreciate any help from you. ILYSM 🎀

Hey lovely!

Thank you SO much for the sweet words, I’m excited for you to start your blog!

Starting a blog can feel like a lot, but what makes a blog successful is actually staying true to your words. People can tell when you FEEL what you are saying.

Pick a niche you love & can talk about for days. Within that niche, talk about things you wanted to learn/ needed to hear, because other people might be looking for the same thing. Without a niche, it's very hard to attract the right audience because people wont feel like they can connect.

When I started this blog, It was when I had started a business and I wanted to document my journey and feelings. I am actually insanely vulnerable here with you guys than I am with most my friends IRL hahahha But I am so grateful for putting myself out there because I thinks thats what really helped me connect and find people who "get me" on this platform.

As your blog grows and people interact, you will see what subjects they are most interested in and can format your contact towards that. But most important is to first put A LOT of content out there. Even now, I post 5-10 times a day even though my blog has grown so much by the grace of God.

Pick a blog name thats cohesive with your niche and catchy.

Pick a platform you want to use to post in... Substack, Blogger, Wordpress, Blogspot, tumblr

Pick a theme you like that feels cohesive.

If you aren't using tumblr, you will need to buy a DOMAIN name and a HOSTING plan. I use Godaddy for everything.

You will also need to create key pages: About page, Contact page, Blog page, Privacy Policy

Then once everything is set up, you can start writing :)

If you need writing ideas, search for posts on instagram, x, tiktok, answer the public etc in the niche you are interested in, see whats popular and then write your own thoughts and opinions since you know its a popular subject.

SEO helps people find your blog through Google. To optimize your content, make sure your posts include relevant keywords, meta descriptions and other SEO basics. When you are writing quality content, the SEO will naturally follow tbh.

You can promote your blog on social media platforms, I don't do this.. but it definitely helps drive traffic!

Stay consistent with your posts. Don't put a lot of pressure on yourself, maybe bulk create and schedule them... but being consistent is very important.

In Short.. pick a name for your blog and start writing. If you don't start, you won't know how to optimize & make it better.

You’ve got everything it takes to make your blog a beautiful space for inspiration and connection. Don't overthink it. Take it one step at a time and enjoy the creative process.

I am so excited for you! 💞

[attemptingtowritefanfic]

HELP WANTED

Hey there, everyone! I know it's been a hot minute since I've posted anything (try ten years, maybe?!).

But I'm coming out of retirement for a brief moment to ask for your help.

While I haven't been writing SPN fanfic, I've been working on original stories and novels, and I'm excited to announce that I'm seeking publication for my fantasy novel, Hands of Fire. The publishing world is a very different beast than it was a few decades ago, and these days, social media is an important part of the process. Publishers look at an author's platform to see if they have an audience and if there are people out there who want to read their writing. The more followers and traction you have on your social media, the more likely you are to get a publisher to take a chance on you.

And that's why I'm here. Hands of Fire is currently a serialized fantasy novel on Substack. Subscribers on Substack look really great to publishers, and the more subscribers I have, the better my chances.

I am including the first part of the prologue here, as well as a link to the rest. At the bottom of the page, you'll see a subscribe button where you can enter your email. I know the odds of this even making it into your dash are slim, but on the off chance you see this, on the off chance you remember me, on the off chance you still remember the fanfic I used to write fondly and want to support me as a writer today, it would mean the world if you would click that subscribe button and help me gain traction with more publishers.

THANK YOU for your time. I hope all of you are well and thriving and living your best lives. While I haven't been active here, I'm still continuously blown away by how supportive and amazing this community is.

****

She had a name once, before the tower. She had a life, and she had a family, and she had light and air and trees and space to run. She had the grass that tickled the space between her toes and the wind at the crest of the hill behind her home and the smell of lilies in the gardens mixed with freshly tilled soil.

There had been a woman, she remembers, a mother with cornsilk hair in a long braid and a voice that sang more than it spoke.

She had a name once.

She tips her head back until it thumps against the dark stone walls. She does it again. Again. Again. Again. The shadows wreathe and tighten around her, a dark caress in the still darker room.

She had a name once, and it is the loss of this that bothers her the most. She remembers the mother and the cornsilk braid and snatches of song that linger like fog, but she can’t remember her name. 

Thump goes her head against the curved tower walls. Again. Again. Again. Again. The shadows whisper at the dull pain, hiss and whisper and beg for more.

She peers at the gap set high on the walls, the bars that block it, the small rectangles of blinding white that provide her only illumination. She watches the shapes change on the floor of her prison—watches them grow and stretch and fight for dominance, those three shafts of burning light. They stretch further across the stones, and when they’re close enough to touch—to show her the bare feet pale as fresh cotton except for the soles stained black with grime—she curls in on herself, wraps the shadows around her shoulders like a quilt, melts into the darkness so she won’t have to burn.

The light makes its slow journey across the floor of her tower.

It crawls up the curved wall.

It fades.

At least the Laughing Woman didn’t come today.

Keep Reading and Subscribe

[writingbyrenae]

Chewing over my plans and desires for Briar and the Bastards today.

My original plan for this was to write 13 short stories - between 6k and 10k. The problem is I'm not good at writing short fiction. They always seems to grow longer on me. I want to write short stories to test the waters, to experiment and take some of the pressure off myself. And also, honestly, hopefully, I've heard short stories sell really good.

I think I'd like to get all thirteen stories planned out on a timeline before I start writing, because Briar has a bit of a journey to go on character wise. Her Bastards do as well. I also need to figure out the whole aspects of how the omegaverse works in this setting, since it's so different from most I've seen

I've got other stuff on my brain I could talk about but I'm having trouble putting them into words. They seem fairly trivial so part of me says to not even bring them up. But it does bother me a little that I'm not sure where to find my target audience - as much as I love the writeblr community, I feel my work might be the wrong kind of niche for them. Am I brave enough to branch out to other social media platforms to find them? Or will they find me?

I want to start a Substack incidentally. I'm not sure what I'd post on it but I do want to make one. Seems romance is very popular on there, which I think is pretty cool.

I'm gonna make a post later today to see if I can find more romance and erotica writers to follow on here. Fingers crossed I get some bites.

Oh yeah, and I wanna make that moodboard for Briar today. It might not go up until later this week but I think it'd be fun to make one for her ❤️

[aloneharper]

You Can Make Money With AI Without Quitting Your Job

Smart, Low-Risk Ways to Build AI-Powered Income Streams in Your Spare Time

The AI gold rush is here — and no, you don’t need to be a coder or quit your job to cash in on it.

Whether you're a teacher, marketer, designer, or accountant, you can use AI tools to create real income streams on the side. With the rise of user-friendly platforms like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Claude, and others, the barrier to entry has never been lower.

The best part? You don’t have to make a huge leap of faith or bet the house. With just a few hours a week, you can start earning from AI — and potentially scale it over time.

Let’s explore how real people are using AI to make money without leaving their 9–5.

AI-Powered Freelancing: Offer Fast, High-Quality Services What it is: Use AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, or Grammarly to provide faster and better freelance services — writing, editing, scripting, summarizing, and more.

How to start:

List services on Fiverr, Upwork, or Contra

Offer blog writing, LinkedIn ghostwriting, email copy, resumes, or chatbot prompts

Use AI to speed up 70% of the process — then polish it with your human touch Earnings Potential: \$100–\$1,000/month depending on volume Time Commitment: 5–10 hours/week

🧠 Example: A part-time teacher used ChatGPT to create lesson plans and sell them on Teachers Pay Teachers — making \$1,200/month within 6 months.

Build and Sell AI-Prompt Templates What it is: Prompt engineering is now a legit skill. If you can create smart, structured prompts that help people get better results with AI, you can package and sell them. How to start:

Create prompt packs for specific use cases (e.g., “ChatGPT for Therapists” or “Email Marketing Prompts”)

Sell on Gumroad, Etsy, PromptBase, or your own website

Use Notion or Canva to make them visually appealing Earnings Potential: \$100–\$2,000/month (and scalable) Time Commitment: 2–5 hours/week

⚡ Pro Tip: Use free tools like Canva to brand your product and ChatGPT to brainstorm niche ideas.

AI + Content Creation: Grow a Monetized Audience What it is: Use AI to produce short-form or long-form content faster — blogs, TikToks, YouTube videos, or newsletters — and monetize through affiliate links, sponsorships, or digital products. How to start:

Use ChatGPT to outline and script content

Use Midjourney or DALL·E for visuals, thumbnails, or storyboards

Monetize via Substack, Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee, or YouTube ads Earnings Potential: \$100–\$5,000/month (once you build momentum) Time Commitment: 3–6 hours/week

📈 Example: A 9–5 developer started a “Productivity with AI” newsletter using ChatGPT and now earns \$500/month via affiliate links.

Create AI-Powered Digital Products What it is: Use AI tools to help you quickly create and sell digital assets — like ebooks, planners, guides, courses, or templates. How to start:

Use ChatGPT to generate content outlines and draft copy

Use Canva for design, ConvertKit for email, and Gumroad to sell

Choose a niche you already know (parenting, productivity, budgeting, etc.) Earnings Potential: \$200–\$10,000+ (depending on the offer and audience) Time Commitment: 10–20 hours to build, passive after that

💡 Example: A side-hustler built a “90-Day AI Productivity Planner” using ChatGPT and Canva — now sells 100 copies/month at \$12 each.

Become a Micro-AI Consultant or Tutor What it is: Small businesses are desperate to understand how to use AI. If you can teach the basics of ChatGPT, email automation, or AI workflows, you can charge for that knowledge. How to start:

Offer 1:1 Zoom sessions or create mini-courses on Skillshare or Gumroad

Start with friends, LinkedIn, or local Facebook groups

Focus on specific industries: real estate, coaching, e-commerce, etc. Earnings Potential: \$300–\$2,000/month Time Commitment: Flexible — 1 to 5 hours/week

🎯 Bonus: Use ChatGPT to generate your slide decks and lesson plans.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Think Long You don’t need to quit your job to join the AI wave. You don’t need to be a coder. You don’t need a million followers. You just need:

Curiosity

A few spare hours

A willingness to experiment AI is a tool. The value comes from how you use it — and the opportunities are multiplying by the day.

So start small. Build something tiny. Monetize it. Then repeat. The side income might just become your main income — but only if you begin.

[donovancarlson]

The Rise of the Freelance Writer: Turning Passion into Opportunity with Donovan Carlson

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the traditional 9-to-5 writing job is no longer the only path for authors and storytellers. The rise of the freelance writer has reshaped the publishing industry, opening doors for creatives to chart their own careers and write on their own terms. At the forefront of this transformation is Donovan Carlson—an acclaimed journalist, author, and opportunity seeker who has spent decades uncovering stories where others saw none.

From humble beginnings mowing lawns in the '90s Midwest suburbs to navigating the world of global business and technology journalism, Carlson’s journey is not just inspiring—it’s a roadmap for aspiring freelance writers looking to turn their passion into a profession.

Freelance Writing: A Career Built on Flexibility and Vision

The title "freelance writer" has evolved far beyond a side hustle or gig. Today, it’s a legitimate, respected profession allowing individuals to harness their unique voice, subject matter expertise, and personal interests to reach global audiences.

For Donovan Carlson, freelance writing was never about simply putting words to paper. It was about seeking out the hidden narratives in everyday life and using the power of language to reveal opportunities. From tech startups in Silicon Valley to cultural revolutions across Europe, Carlson used his journalistic lens to tell impactful stories that matter.

Freelancing gave him the freedom to choose which stories to pursue, to write with authenticity, and to maintain ownership over his creative process. It’s a freedom more writers are discovering—and embracing—every day.

From Lawn Mowing to Storytelling: The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Donovan’s story begins not in a newsroom, but on a lawn.

As a child growing up in a household where grit and perseverance were daily values, Donovan turned a $3 lawn-mowing chore into a thriving neighborhood business. What may have seemed like a simple summer gig at the time was actually the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of opportunity. That entrepreneurial mindset became his foundation, leading him to seek the stories behind success—and the untold narratives hiding in everyday frustration.

This early experience shaped the way he approached his writing career. To Carlson, each article, blog post, or book wasn’t just content—it was an opportunity to dig deeper and uncover something meaningful.

Mastering the Craft: Writing Across Borders and Niches

One of the greatest advantages of being a freelance writer is the ability to write across a wide range of topics. Donovan Carlson exemplifies this versatility. His writing portfolio spans industries and continents, from technology trends and global commerce to lifestyle features and human interest pieces.

This adaptability is one of the most critical skills a freelance writer can develop. It allows for a broader client base, a more diverse writing portfolio, and the resilience to survive in a constantly shifting content economy. Donovan’s career reflects this, showcasing how a writer can find relevance and readership across different niches while maintaining a consistent voice and purpose.

Freelance Writing in the Digital Age

The digital revolution has made it easier than ever for aspiring authors and freelance writers to launch their careers. Platforms like Medium, Substack, and LinkedIn allow for immediate publishing and audience engagement. Content marketplaces, blogging networks, and self-publishing tools have removed the gatekeepers that once blocked talented writers from finding their voice.

Donovan Carlson has harnessed these tools, not just to publish his work but to connect directly with his readers. His digital presence showcases a commitment to meaningful storytelling and provides a platform for others to learn from his experience. Whether it's a tweet that sparks conversation or a long-form article that explores geopolitical shifts, Carlson uses the internet as a stage for storytelling with purpose.

Lessons for Aspiring Freelance Writers

For those looking to follow in Donovan Carlson’s footsteps, here are a few key lessons from his journey:

Start Small, Dream Big: Every expert was once a beginner. Whether it’s writing blog posts for local businesses or managing a small newsletter, every project builds experience and credibility.

Find the Opportunity in the Frustration: Don’t wait for the perfect assignment. Look around. There are stories waiting in unexpected places—your neighborhood, your industry, your own experiences.

Build a Personal Brand: As Donovan has shown, your name is your strongest asset. Create a portfolio, maintain a professional website, and let your personal story shine through your work.

Keep Learning: The writing world evolves quickly. Stay updated with SEO practices, digital marketing strategies, and the latest tools that can make your content more impactful.

Stay Authentic: Readers connect with real voices. Let your personality, values, and curiosity shine through in every piece you write.

A Final Word from Donovan Carlson

“Writing has always been about more than just storytelling—it’s about exploring what lies behind the story. Every article I write, every interview I conduct, is a chance to uncover an opportunity that might otherwise remain hidden.”

These words from Donovan Carlson encapsulate what it means to be a successful freelance writer in today’s world. It’s not just about the hustle—it’s about the curiosity, the authenticity, and the relentless pursuit of stories that deserve to be told.

Conclusion

The world needs storytellers now more than ever, and the freelance writer stands at the intersection of creativity, independence, and opportunity. Donovan Carlson’s journey offers both inspiration and guidance for those who dream of living by the written word. Whether you're a budding author, a seasoned journalist, or simply someone who loves to write, the freelance path is full of promise—if you’re bold enough to follow it.

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

How to Be Successful on Substack: A Case Study

Featured Stories from Bestselling Substack Authors The First Curated Story of ILLUMINATION Writing Academy “In August 2024, I Made a Decision that Changed Everything” by Yana G.Y. A boosted story on Substack.com Yesterday, I introduced the initial submission guidelines of our first public publication, ILLUMINATION Writing and Reading Academy, on Substack. Although the story received only a…

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Robert Reich:

Friends, Mark Robinson, the GOP gubernatorial candidate in North Carolina and current lieutenant governor, is in trouble again. Not just because Robinson has referred to himself as a “black NAZI” and a “perv,” expressed support for reinstating slavery, said he watched transgender pornography, called homosexuality “filth” and the Holocaust “hogwash,” and has asserted that “some folks need killing.” He’s in trouble now because he blew off a vote on a declaration that would have granted Governor Roy Cooper key emergency powers ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. Robinson was the only member on the Council of State — a board of nine — who didn’t vote in favor of the declaration. Cooper got the power he needed, but Robinson is now criticizing him for not doing more in the wake of the storm.

Yet Robinson still commands the support of 63 percent of Republicans in North Carolina, according to an East Carolina University poll released Wednesday. Something seriously troubling has happened to the Republican Party. It’s become filled with wacko candidates for office who are being supported by large percentages of Republican voters. The trend started in the 1980s with Rush Limbaugh’s radio program, which attracted a wide audience with a toxic mixture of lies, conspiracy theories, fear-mongering, and thinly veiled racism. It accelerated in 1996 when Rupert Murdoch hired Roger Ailes to emulate Limbaugh with a new TV channel, Fox News. Additional media imitators followed.

The growing supply of this poison offered the (predominantly) white working-class an easy explanation for why the wages and status of many blue-collar men had hit the skids: They could blame immigrants, Black people, Latinos, “coastal elites,” government bureaucrats, pedophiles, women, secularists, Muslims, liberals, Democrats, and Satan. In the 1990s, Newt Gingrich saw an opportunity to build the Republican Party around similar lies and conspiracy theories. Gingrich’s efforts attracted the first group of modern crackpot candidates into the GOP.

Starting in 2016, Trump attracted another group, even wackier than the previous one. It’s become a doom loop. As both the demand and the supply of these lies, conspiracy theories, fear-mongering, and racism have grown, the Republican Party’s base has ventured farther from reality. Meanwhile, sane Republicans have left, reasonable people have drifted away, and normal Republican officials have been purged or voted out. If Trump loses the 2024 election, the Republican Party won’t change, because its base is filled with this poison. So it will continue to attract more crackpot candidates loaded with even more venom; it will nominate them, and some of them will win. In the current election cycle, the poison doesn’t begin or end with Trump. It includes a Republican vice presidential candidate who calls women who choose not to have children “childless cat ladies,” claims Haitian immigrants are eating people’s pets, won’t concede that Trump lost the 2020 election, and won’t commit to be bound by the outcome of the 2024 election.

[...] You see the problem. When the base of one of our two political parties both fuels and is fueled by crackpots, some of those crackpots get elected. The only way forward is with an entirely new Republican Party that rejects and detoxifies the old one and puts an end to this doom loop. Will Liz Cheney, Mitt Romney, and some as yet unknown young politicians lead the way?

Robert Reich has an excellent explainer in his Substack on how the GOP became the home of conspiracy theories of all stripes and where such thought is rewarded.

[jasomfjdkj]

The Ultimate Comparison: Yeet vs. Mailchimp vs. Substack – Which Newsletter Tool is Right for You?

If you're thinking about starting a newsletter, you've probably heard of a few popular tools out there—Mailchimp, Substack, and a newer option called Yeet. Each one has its own style and features, so choosing the one that fits you best can make a big difference in how easy (and fun) your newsletter experience is.

Yeet is a fresh face in the newsletter scene. It’s built for people who want something simple, clean, and easy to use. There aren’t a million buttons to click or complicated menus to figure out. You just write, hit send, and your message goes out. Yeet focuses on helping you grow your audience without getting in your way. If that sounds like your kind of tool, you can check it out here: https://yeetblog.com/sign-up/

Mailchimp has been around much longer and is known for its all-in-one features. It’s a great pick if you also want to send marketing emails, build landing pages, or manage multiple email lists. But it can feel a bit overwhelming for beginners. Some folks find the dashboard confusing, especially when starting out. Still, if you’re managing a business or already familiar with email tools, Mailchimp is strong and flexible.

Then there’s Substack. Substack has made a name for itself among writers, journalists, and independent content creators. If you want your newsletter to feel more like a blog or personal publication, Substack makes that easy. You can even charge people for your newsletter if you want to make money from it. On the downside, it doesn’t offer much beyond writing and sending – so if you like a lot of control over how emails look or want extra features, you might find it a bit basic.

So how do you choose?

It mostly depends on what you need. If you want to write quickly and focus on growing your list, Yeet is simple and gets the job done without unnecessary fuss. If you're running a business or need more marketing tools, Mailchimp might suit you better. And if you want to build a writing audience or share longform posts, Substack is a solid choice.

Try them out, see which one feels right, and remember—you can always switch later. Happy writing!

[xpressluna]

Why 95% of New Writers Can’t Build an Audience Even After “Trying Everything”

Every day, thousands of new writers publish blogs, launch newsletters, and post on social media in hopes of building an audience. They follow the advice: “Be consistent,” “Find your niche,” “Engage with your readers.” And yet, most of them — an estimated 95% — never grow beyond a handful of followers. Why?

It’s not because they aren’t talented. It’s not even because they’re lazy. It’s because building an audience is more strategic than most people realize. Let’s break down why so many writers struggle, even when they feel like they’ve “tried everything.”

They Confuse Activity with Strategy

Writing more doesn’t mean writing smarter. Many new writers pump out content without a plan. They blog weekly, post on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share personal stories — but it’s all scattered. Without a clear brand message, target reader, or long-term goal, all this effort just becomes noise.

Fix: Create a content strategy. Identify your ideal reader, the problem you’re solving, and how your voice stands out. Every post should tie into that core identity.

They Don’t Understand the Audience They Want

New writers often write for themselves, not for a specific audience. They treat their platform like a journal instead of a service. While authenticity is important, writing online is ultimately about delivering value to others.

Fix: Ask, “Who is this for?” before hitting publish. Learn what your audience needs, struggles with, or is curious about — and write for them, not just about yourself.

They Spread Themselves Too Thin

Trying to be everywhere — Medium, Substack, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok — burns people out fast. Most writers don't have the time, energy, or skills to grow multiple platforms simultaneously.

Fix: Focus on one or two platforms where your target audience hangs out. Grow deep roots there before expanding.

They Don’t Leverage Distribution

“Build it and they will come” is a myth. Writing great content isn’t enough. You have to market it. Too many writers publish and pray, without learning how to distribute their work effectively.

Fix: Promote your work intentionally. Repost snippets on social media, collaborate with others, write guest posts, and learn basic SEO. Build a content funnel that brings readers to your site again and again.

They Quit Too Early

Writing is a long game. Many people give up after a few months of low engagement. They assume they’ve failed — when in reality, they simply haven’t been in the game long enough.

Fix: Commit to at least one year of consistent, high-quality content creation. Keep learning, improving, and showing up. Most audiences are built slowly, then suddenly.

They Don’t Evolve

Some writers plateau because they never adapt. They repeat the same style, structure, or message, even when it’s not resonating. Meanwhile, others improve by studying what works — hooks, headlines, structure, storytelling.

Fix: Study what successful writers in your space are doing. Take notes. Experiment with formats. Track what gets traction and refine your approach.

They Focus on Vanity Metrics

Chasing likes, followers, or viral posts can lead to burnout and creative confusion. What matters more is building trust and connection — even with a small audience.

Fix: Prioritize engagement over growth. Build relationships in the comments, reply to DMs, and write like you’re speaking directly to one person — not an audience of thousands.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a writer struggling to build an audience, don’t assume you're failing because you’re not good enough. Most writers don’t succeed because they treat audience-building like a guessing game instead of a learnable skill.

The ones who do grow their audience:

Write with intention

Serve a clear audience

Stick with it long enough to get good

You haven’t “tried everything” until you’ve tried those things well.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Data is gold for fashion brands — and now, there’s more places than ever to get it.Shoppers’ journeys from interest piqued to purchase vary: They may find a product in a Substack newsletter, reach out to a fashion sourcer via Instagram DM to secure an in-demand item or tap their way to checkout after watching a video on TikTok. With more hands helping fashion’s most discerning consumers shop, they’re also gleaning information about what consumers want and how they’re buying it. Inadvertently, this new generation of fashion brokers — luxury sourcers, shopping Substackers, stylists, Instagram tastemakers and more — have built little troves of consumer data. Many believe what they have access to is different than what’s already available and what brands can capture on their own because of their unique understanding of demand, intimacy with their carefully built audiences and birds’ eye-view of ebbs and flow of demand across brands, categories, and even between current season and vintage. “Beyond e-commerce players and department stores who see what’s selling out, there’s a much broader pool of contributors at play now,” said Erica Wright, founder of the UK-based sourcing app Sourcewhere, which expanded to the US last year. “For brands taking all of that into account can be overwhelming …[but] it’s a way to build a bigger picture apart from just seeing trends and predictions.” This information presents a business opportunity for these figures — though they’re still determining how best to use it. While brands have always been hungry for shoppers’ data, increasingly, there’s a growing appetite among consumers, too, fueled by a confusing, fast-moving trend cycle and a desire to make smart purchasing decisions. These data holders are testing ways to engage both: rolling out reports to satisfy their own audiences as well as building out strategies for working with brands.“Being able to graph things out, especially when things move so quickly, is helpful to contextualise and visualise all the craziness in fashion,” said Madé Lapuerta, who runs the Instagram account Data but Make It Fashion, which analyses fashion trends using Lapuerta’s own method and counts 500,000 followers. “Talking about data and fashion and fashion tech is becoming more mainstream.” What Shoppers Really Want Digitally-savvy fashion voices with unique views on what shoppers want are figuring out ways to harness that information more formally. Sourcers, who find rare items requested by clients, are one group looking to monetise their insights. Because sourcers act based on demand, they have a sharp view of what shoppers want (and are willing to pay a premium on) rather than what’s bubbling up on social media, what’s selling at retail or what people are searching for without real intent to buy, said Wright. That’s valuable information — with applications in forecasting and product and buying strategy — especially at a time many brands and retailers are feeling the pinch of uncertainty, she added.They’re testing out different ways to do so: Gab Waller, for instance, known for her ability to find sold-out Alaia flats and Chanel bags, launched Sourced By, an app that aids and tracks the work of other sourcers, last year, and is currently preparing her first report showcasing Sourced By’s insights in hopes of connecting with brands. The data also gives them a leg up in working with brands, even if it’s not providing it directly. Stylist and wardrobe consultant Allison Bornstein, for example, uses her understanding of shoppers’ pain points in getting dressed, gained through her popular virtual styling sessions (she estimates she’s done 25 a week since 2020) to work with brands on content, events for top shoppers and training salespeople on how to use styling to sell clothes. “I have the information on what people want … When you’re in the fashion industry, you don’t know what all is happening, boots on the ground,” said Bornstein, adding she knows what consumers already have in their closets, what they’re getting rid of and how they approach shopping. A community, particularly on Substack, can provide valuable information through engagement, affiliate sales, and active comments sections, even if just used to back up ideas: “It serves as reassurance for me in creative and editorial,” said Ali Pew, a stylist and the fashion editor-at-large of Cultured magazine, who writes “Uniform,” a shopping newsletter on Substack. “They are helpful insights to always have in the back of your brain.” Some are getting more precise. Last year, popular shopping Substack Magasin launched a data-driven index that scores brands it covers based on chat and post mentions, clicks and orders using a proprietary method to show what brands and products are rising in popularity. Data but Make It Fashion’s Lapuerta, a former consultant at McKinsey, has worked with labels including Tory Burch and The RealReal in a variety of ways, providing analysis on the success of campaigns behind the scenes, or partnering on posts. Sometimes, they ask her to do both. She says her understanding of language of the internet — trend lines and charts come alongside memes — is key.“My voice and the speed at which I talk about things is really important,” said Lapuerta. “I know how to communicate this information in a way that resonates, makes sense and intrigues people. People want to work with me instead of a guy that doesn’t have the knowledge of fashion even though he can do the software just as well.” The Data Hungry Shopper Shoppers, as well as brands, are more curious to see the data behind what is trending and why. Waller said the shift became evident to her when she was tapped to write a dispatch for Vogue on her top-requested products last year. While she’s looking to build brand partnerships, a big reason she’s formalising her data collection is so that she can post insights to engage followers. There’s a white space in fashion coverage, said Lapuerta. Consumers want a deeper, more concrete understanding of what’s really going on and why, beyond simply what’s in or out. “When I was becoming interested in fashion, I would read Vogue and listen to podcasts and it just felt like everyone’s opinion,” said Lapuerta. “When you see an article that’s like ‘Converse are in’ and then you see another that says ‘Converse are out,’ it’s a little confusing.” Retailers are catering to this growing interest, too; last week Vestiaire Collective published a buying guide that ranked products resale value, based on an analysis of 400 brands’ pricing, desirability and long-term worth. The goal was to help choosy shoppers make “informed decisions and invest in pieces that retain value over time” in a landscape where the price of luxury goods and awareness of the negative impact of fast fashion are both rising, said co-founder and fashion director Sophie Hersan in an email to BoF. Lapuerta has become a resource for her followers — who reach out via DM — on what to buy and when: “Especially with the rise of the microtrend, people want to feel good about what they’re putting their money toward,” said Lapuerta. Source link