To Substack or Not to Substack: A Comprehensive Guide for Authors
A hot topic that’s been popping up in my DMs and comments lately is, “What do you think of Substack?”
This question started to flow in after I, once again, strongly encouraged authors to start growing a newsletter if they haven’t already. Recently someone on TikTok started impersonating me and created an identical account, using my content, headshot, bio - everything - in order to DM people and scam them.
It’s been a huge pain and I’m thankful that I could let my newsletter subscribers know directly what was happening.
I’ve been in marketing for over 23 years and I’ve seen dozens of new platforms, tools, and online resources claiming to help authors get in front of readers and sell more books. And Substack has been the latest outlet to draw in a massive amount of attention and interest among the publishing community.
But does that mean it’s right for you? Let’s talk through it and list out some pros and cons.
What is Substack?
For those of you unfamiliar with Substack, it can be described as a blog and newsletter combo. You write an article and it’s emailed automatically to people who have signed up for your Substack.
This is an attractive option for many authors who want something simple, easy to use and requires no technical set-up.
Substack also boasts a built in network with a “vibrant ecosystem of writers and readers,” which really appeals to authors wanting to grow an audience.
But what most authors perk up to is the possibility of monetizing their Substack subscriptions. Users can offer a free or paid subscription, which Substack and Stripe will take a cut from. I’ll get into the details of that in a minute.
So is Substack the silver bullet we’ve been looking for?
Pros of Substack
It’s easy to use. You simply sign up, add a logo, description, about page, write a “thank you for subscribing” email, and you’re off to the races.
It doesn’t require a website, but it does allow you to embed a Substack sign-up form on select websites.
It does offer some “discoverability” features like a recommendations option to suggest writers you like or follow. The idea is to also have other Substack writers recommend you in return.
There’s a discussion thread which allows readers to respond and interact with one another, which also helps with your visibility.
If your audience loves what you’re writing about in your Substack, you have the option to start offering paid subscriptions and make some money from your work.
Before we jump into the Cons, I want to go a little deeper into the making money on Substack because I know this is a big “pro” for many authors.
We need to remember that the outlet itself doesn’t automatically help us make money. You need to have a strong content strategy, you need to be very consistent, and show that what you’re offering is worth paying for.
Many Substack writers write multiple posts per week. For example, one writer posts three times a week - one free post a week and two posts for her paid subscribers. That’s a lot of content.
And while we are talking about money, let’s talk about Substack’s claim to help authors sell books. I’m not saying it doesn’t help, but again, they are crediting the outlet rather than the author putting out consistent, high quality content.
On Substack’s website they shared a success story in a post titled, “How Melinda Wenner Moyer’s Substack helped sell 25,000 copies of her book.”
In the article they highlight “meaningful growth moments” for her Substack:
The first big boost came from author Adam Grant (who has over 2.3 million followers on Instagram) discussing and recommending an article she wrote on his Instagram post - not on Substack.
The second boost came from Ryan Holiday (another very famous and influential writer) recommending her newsletter in his website’s newsletter - again, not on Substack.
There are two Substack accounts they mention that shared her articles, but they don’t come into play until a year after the Adam and Ryan mention her content.
I want to highlight this because the way Substack is marketing its service as the reason these authors are selling more books. Again, the outlet itself is not the answer. Her two big audience boosts came from outside of Substack and from very famous writers. And the fact that Melinda posts consistent, high quality content multiple times a week, and has stuck with it for over two years before things really took off, is what ultimately contributes to her success.
Cons of Substack
Substack has very limited email features. I honestly wouldn’t really consider it a newsletter service.
You can’t create automated sequences to nurture your audience
You can’t segment your list
You can’t personalize your emails
Very limited design elements
Substack can get expensive. If you decide to monetize your Substack, they take a 10% cut PLUS Stripe takes an additional 3% - so 13% of your earnings will automatically be taken out. This can become more than what you would pay for most monthly newsletter subscription services.
You’re driving traffic to Substack and not to your own website. Much like on social media, we don’t own our space on those outlets - we are on borrowed land. So if Substack were to go away, change its rules, increase its prices - you have no control of that and you’re at their mercy. And personally, if I’m going to be driving traffic someplace, I want it to be to my own website.
You still have to do a lot of work to grow your following and keep them interested.
So should you use Substack as an author?
It really depends.
I will never tell an author that they absolutely should do or shouldn’t do something. Every author is different and has different goals and needs.
If you’re an author who doesn’t have a website, blog, or newsletter list but you want to dip your toe in and try a simple solution, Substack is a fine option. But do remember that you have to be willing and able to consistently publish high quality posts in order to grow your audience and see the movement that you’re looking for.
But if you’re an author who already has a blog, website, or newsletter (even if you haven’t used it in a while) and you want to be able to be more diverse with your email marketing options, I would stick with a traditional email marketing model.
Is Substack the silver bullet? No. But it’s better than nothing. Ultimately, you need to look at your overall goals as an author and see what will help you reach those goals.
If you decide that Substack isn’t the route that you want to take, what can you do?
Be sure to check out my Newsletter Starter Kit for Authors. It removes the guesswork with setting up your newsletter, what to write about, what incentive to offer, and so much more.
