Setting up home on Substack
Crafting your words, your way, in a community of storytellers
We can no doubt agree that the first time we hit 'publish' on Substack is a moment charged with anticipation, excitement and vulnerability, all wrapped up in the promise of sharing something fresh and new.
I recently wrote about my first six months on Substack. And, as I reflect back on my first days on the platform, I thought it would be helpful to ask others what they would say to someone starting out today. The response was heartwarming. Confirming that we each have a place in this neighbourhood of creatives.
The advice in this post—wisdom gathered from your fellow writers—serves as a guide, inspiring the practice of consistency, the freedom of abandon, and the power of intention. Whether you plan to take your time or dive right in, there is something for you.
On beginning
Consistency lays the groundwork for connection. But there's much to be said for the spontaneity that leads to unexpected magic. As Claire Venus highlighted, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
“Start exactly where you are. Ignore the internal voice insisting that what you share here needs to be revolutionary or reinvent the wheel. There is divinity in even the smallest details.”
“Start, and set yourself a routine so before you know it you’re on 5, then 10 posts. Don’t worry about them being absolute genius! Once you get started you’ll have ideas on how to change them and make them better, but you might not get those ideas if you don’t start.”
― Tom Fish
“Just go for it, you’ve nothing to lose, it’s such a lovely community…and don’t get hung up on the numbers.”
“You either get criticism and survive, or get praise and it feels nice. You can’t celebrate post #100 without publishing post #1.”
— Lizzy Co
On community
Tending to the conversation between you and your audience is vital, though as Lindsay Johnstone pointed out, it’s best to go gently. Don’t show up in Posts, Notes and Chat all at once!
“Truly build a community, make friends, be happy for them. And most of all, be patient.”
“Sharing your creativity here on Substack is like bringing a covered dish to a potluck dinner - the food you bring doesn't have to be the best thing on the table the main thing is that you contribute. And you don't have to feed and entertain the entire potluck gathering - just find a few people that you can mutually connect with and maybe collaborate with as time goes.”
“You are welcome and wanted here. If you ever feel alone, I’m someone you can reach out to. I want to be part of your community and bet many other people here do as well.”
“Don’t overthink, trust and go play, try things out. Ask for help and support others. It’s a shared journey, not a lonely path.“
On rhythm
Embrace your own pace and allow your voice to develop naturally. Your approach to writing, whether steered by spontaneity or strategy, can lead to meaningful growth.
“Be gentle with yourself. Whatever you do is absolutely enough and never too much.”
“This is a slow medium. Open a page, a document, or a spreadsheet and churn out ideas. Sleep on them and write some more. When you have many, start highlighting the ones that seem REALLY important and interesting to write. Start your drafts and see how they feel. Sleep on them and do some rewriting.
When it’s pleasing to you, schedule the first one for a month out. Pretend it’s published and write your follow-up. Schedule that. Go back to your big list of ideas and cross out the ones you actually DON’T want to write. Add better ideas. Write more, schedule more.
Be surprised when your first post actually drops, and then go promote the heck out of it! Now you are in the game.”
“The more you write, the more you’ll learn about yourself, your cadence, and your energy.“
On writing
Your voice is needed. And as Melanie Mackie noted, Substack offers the chance for us to be seen and heard. So let these words be your ’nudge’ to write more you-shaped content.
“Write, write, write in all the ways you haven’t been able to before. It’s magical to be able to connect with your true voice and have other people hear it.“
“You are the only you the world has. No one else can say what you can say the way you can say it. Everything you produce is a unique contribution to the world that will not exist unless you create it. It will never be - and will always be - good enough.”
“Don’t hesitate to write your words, your way. There are people looking for what you have to share, and they will need your help to discover you. Along the way, you will find your voice by creating it, and there will be people who will delight in it.”
“Forget the numbers. There isn’t a magic one that will make you happy. Take writing here as a path to learning.”
On strategy
Having a strategy can serve as a blueprint, guiding you to approach content creation with meaning and purpose. These shared insights might offer some pattern and structure to help establish a presence and grow an audience over time.
“Just write. Don’t give yourself time to think about it, and hit publish.”
“Have more than one piece ready. Sometimes the overwhelming relief of actually doing the thing has then catapulted me into post-start freeze. Pre-prepare flow, so those feelings can exist should they come up. It's one less ‘should’ to contend with.”
“Write something, finish it, don’t look at it for a week, revise it, then repeat. Time is the best editor.”
“Your story and the unique words and phrasing you use to tell it are valid and valuable here.”
On trust
Belief in your voice and your message is paramount. This concluding advice highlights the importance of confidence, resilience, and the power of communicating your unique perspective with the world.
“The best way forward is through the fear. The pressure of publishing regularly is the process through which one’s work will find its voice. And don’t worry about contribution. We can only do the work. The results are up to the gods.”
— Justus
“Your fear is your beautiful brain trying to protect you. Nurture your inner mentor and tell your inner critic it’s safe for you to press publish: you’ll find support, community and encouragement here. Creativity is as much about commitment and discipline as it is about inspiration. Just keep showing up.”
“We all grow with experience. Stay true to yourself and your writing. The things we learn and the people we meet when we are brave enough to give something a try and take a leap of faith will always somehow be worth it.”
— Nika
Our writerly voice emerges with practice. And your words are a vital part of this rich fabric of storytellers.
Let your curiosity and creativity guide you as you build a home here, one post at a time. And through it all, hold onto the belief that your voice matters—because it does.
As Éadaoín Lynch shared, “…there’s a community of people out there who are invested, and those people deserve to read your work”.
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This is a beautifully composed newsletter! I love seeing all the comments of actual writers and it makes me happy to see how supporting this platform is of each other. Thank you for including me in this uplifting text!
I love this post. So many words I want to hang on the wall in front of my desk to keep me going. Thanks for including me too ☺️