There are so many newbies who need to read this. The theme days you mentioned skyrocketed my views and engagement. Also, if you're happy to be a team player and support other writers, this is a wonderful place for all fiction.
Commenting on other people's posts helps, too. That's how I found you! Substack is a lot like the real world, there are many people we've never met and many stories we've never read, simply because this place is so big it's impossible to know what's out there. You were about to shut down The Circus out of frustration, and just happened to mention it in a comment on another Substacker's essay... I'd never heard of you before, but I thought it would be sad for you to kill off a baby story like that, so I took a peek at your Circus series and got hooked!
I know there is so much more out there, but I can't dig around Substack all day. All the work on here is like a big jumble of books at a book sale, all piled up in a random mess - everything that I read, I've found randomly. A Substack librarian would be useful! But pretty much everything I read here, I've found by happy accident. Substack is a community, a digital world. It's easy to get lost in here, but there are all kinds of wonderful rewards for the adventurous reader...
Nicely put. Thank you so much, Jeannine! Substack is this beautiful mess of stories, and it’s hard or probably even impossible to read all. I am grateful you chose to read mine.
This was great! I’ve had a similar experience and would tell people the same thing. Well, the theme groups is new. Thanks for that. One thing that made me laugh though, 300% of one is three. 😉
Well, technically, there were 2 of my own e-mails like test subs too, along with my buddy’s it was 3. But I didn’t count those. I should’ve made that clear. I should stop living in my head so much and remember other people can’t read my thoughts.😂
It feels like you were writing directly to me! I honestly have been getting discouraged because I just don’t know how to find my readers, and I know they’re out there. I’m covering an entire genre! I even tried reaching out to other mystery writers but it’s been hard going. I’ve made some friends and actively participate in Notes. I’m hoping SmallStack will really take off and I’ll be able to find some people that way? Idk. Thanks for writing this, I subscribed because you seem so genuine and encouraging. Thanks for writing this when I needed to hear it the most!
Do not give up! If mystery is your genre, have you tried Macabre Monday? They are pretty flexible. The novel I first shared there wasn’t horror at all - more like urban fantasy with dark wibes. People who write mystery - @Bridget Riley and @S.E.Reid, also @Scoot.
I don’t want to be a “nay-sayer”, but I don’t believe these big community projects, like Smallstack. There’s already a thousand (?) members, I think. How are they going to help each individual stack to grow? I don’t see how it can work technically. I’m afraid it will be a big slush pile to get lost in. Smaller, more niché community projects work better, I think. Not because I happen to host Thorny Thursday.
PS very useful. thank you Kathrine. Can't bring myself to promote myself, I was born in a different culture, it's like really really going against myself. Not in the mood to hang on Notes-very rarely there.
Also arrived here with two people one of them me)) But yes you're right all these things they do help. Communities, if one can find one. Etcetera
I think your knowing, being very sure that you just have to write-that's the most important thing. I've spent my life telling myself I shouldn't, and the switch is hard sometimes.
I don’t like to promote my stories. I really don’t. But I’ve become quite shameless over time. I just approach it as a neccessary sacrifice to the good cause. Like I said - swallow that toad and just promote your stuff.
As if you can read my mind. I do feel un-seen and un-heard sometimes, then there are days that I get a sub or 2 and I feel so positive again. Thank you for sharing this.
LOL, your first piece of advice to me was about putting chapter links into each story! Gosh, what a steep learning curve! But you gave it so kindly, and it was such a positive push in the right direction!
I myself have yet to learn a lot of things about the Stack. My page is chaotic. But I have learned a few things. I want to share them, especially with those feeling lost in Substack, like I was when I started. Since I’m seeing some vultures lately trying to trick the newbies into subscribing, because those vultures claim to know “new tricks” to grow readership, I decided to share my experience. For free. Because if those people really wanted to help, like they say, they wouldn’t be asking for subs or even paid subs, to share their wisdom. Yeah, I got pissed by that.
Damn, this was actually really informative and great advice. I was able to make connections through Macabre Monday too, but I'm still trying my best to interact with much more!
"Readers will most likely choose to read a short story or even flash fiction over a long-serialized novel."
I gotta admit, I am one of those readers. I'm short on time and energy, so as much as I'd love to read longer stuff, I don't always have enough gas in my tank to do so. But shorter stuff, it's a lot easier to steal a minute here and there.
I'm not exactly a newbie, but I still feel like one. My readership is small, but feeling more like a community every week. Your advice about not giving up is solid gold. I still have to remind myself of this when a post I've worked hard on (say a deep dive into a subgenre of fantasy) doesn't do as well as I'd hoped.
But I wrote first for myself, and had to force myself to share (in an authentic way) my newsletter. That helped. Being true to my vision for my newsletter, and staying consistent, and Notes all helped. As did recommendations, and being myself within comments I made elsewhere across Substack. Patience, consistency (in whatever form works for each writer), and putting oneself out there in an authentic way all yield results, as long as we remember that it's a long game.
Having said all that, your advice feels as though you and I were sitting down having tea, so thank you for that!
I've considered putting aside writing on my Substack. I'm terrible at self-promotion/networking and I spend a lot of time writing, so it can feel like it's not worth it. But until I decide one way or the other, I'll keep writing for myself. And hey, maybe someday other people will like what I write too.
There are so many newbies who need to read this. The theme days you mentioned skyrocketed my views and engagement. Also, if you're happy to be a team player and support other writers, this is a wonderful place for all fiction.
Commenting on other people's posts helps, too. That's how I found you! Substack is a lot like the real world, there are many people we've never met and many stories we've never read, simply because this place is so big it's impossible to know what's out there. You were about to shut down The Circus out of frustration, and just happened to mention it in a comment on another Substacker's essay... I'd never heard of you before, but I thought it would be sad for you to kill off a baby story like that, so I took a peek at your Circus series and got hooked!
I know there is so much more out there, but I can't dig around Substack all day. All the work on here is like a big jumble of books at a book sale, all piled up in a random mess - everything that I read, I've found randomly. A Substack librarian would be useful! But pretty much everything I read here, I've found by happy accident. Substack is a community, a digital world. It's easy to get lost in here, but there are all kinds of wonderful rewards for the adventurous reader...
I love your work, Kathrine!
Nicely put. Thank you so much, Jeannine! Substack is this beautiful mess of stories, and it’s hard or probably even impossible to read all. I am grateful you chose to read mine.
And I am very grateful that you chose to post them. I count myself very lucky to have found your stories among the beautiful mess! 💜
There is The Library here on Substack, and I've found some terrific fiction through there. Have you found it yet? Terrific place to hang out!
And authors can submit their work to it, too (https://thelinklibrary.substack.com/p/submit)! Very, very cool! Thank you again for this!
I found it! This looks cool! https://thelinklibrary.substack.com/
It’s very cool.
No, I haven't. Thank you for telling me about it. Now I'll need to go looking for it! 📖
This was great! I’ve had a similar experience and would tell people the same thing. Well, the theme groups is new. Thanks for that. One thing that made me laugh though, 300% of one is three. 😉
Well, technically, there were 2 of my own e-mails like test subs too, along with my buddy’s it was 3. But I didn’t count those. I should’ve made that clear. I should stop living in my head so much and remember other people can’t read my thoughts.😂
It feels like you were writing directly to me! I honestly have been getting discouraged because I just don’t know how to find my readers, and I know they’re out there. I’m covering an entire genre! I even tried reaching out to other mystery writers but it’s been hard going. I’ve made some friends and actively participate in Notes. I’m hoping SmallStack will really take off and I’ll be able to find some people that way? Idk. Thanks for writing this, I subscribed because you seem so genuine and encouraging. Thanks for writing this when I needed to hear it the most!
Do not give up! If mystery is your genre, have you tried Macabre Monday? They are pretty flexible. The novel I first shared there wasn’t horror at all - more like urban fantasy with dark wibes. People who write mystery - @Bridget Riley and @S.E.Reid, also @Scoot.
I don’t want to be a “nay-sayer”, but I don’t believe these big community projects, like Smallstack. There’s already a thousand (?) members, I think. How are they going to help each individual stack to grow? I don’t see how it can work technically. I’m afraid it will be a big slush pile to get lost in. Smaller, more niché community projects work better, I think. Not because I happen to host Thorny Thursday.
Good luck!🩶
You cover an entire genre? Mystery???? Oooooh, I HAVE to come check your Substack out!
Yay!
First assocation, don't know why:
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row"
PS very useful. thank you Kathrine. Can't bring myself to promote myself, I was born in a different culture, it's like really really going against myself. Not in the mood to hang on Notes-very rarely there.
Also arrived here with two people one of them me)) But yes you're right all these things they do help. Communities, if one can find one. Etcetera
I think your knowing, being very sure that you just have to write-that's the most important thing. I've spent my life telling myself I shouldn't, and the switch is hard sometimes.
Thank you again
I don’t like to promote my stories. I really don’t. But I’ve become quite shameless over time. I just approach it as a neccessary sacrifice to the good cause. Like I said - swallow that toad and just promote your stuff.
for this, one must be sure his cause is good))
As if you can read my mind. I do feel un-seen and un-heard sometimes, then there are days that I get a sub or 2 and I feel so positive again. Thank you for sharing this.
This was exactly what I needed to read this morning. Sometimes when you scream into the void, the void screams back.
LOL, your first piece of advice to me was about putting chapter links into each story! Gosh, what a steep learning curve! But you gave it so kindly, and it was such a positive push in the right direction!
I myself have yet to learn a lot of things about the Stack. My page is chaotic. But I have learned a few things. I want to share them, especially with those feeling lost in Substack, like I was when I started. Since I’m seeing some vultures lately trying to trick the newbies into subscribing, because those vultures claim to know “new tricks” to grow readership, I decided to share my experience. For free. Because if those people really wanted to help, like they say, they wouldn’t be asking for subs or even paid subs, to share their wisdom. Yeah, I got pissed by that.
Thank you, V!🩶
“I felt unseen. Un-heard. Un-read.” Yep. I still do much of the time, except for that core of loyal readers who lift me up always. They keep me going.
Why though?! I liked the stuff you shared for the Thorny Thursday. Hm…🤔 That’s also another problem with Substack - so many good authors.
Thank you, Kathrine! Yes, so many good authors! The question has always been, how do we get readers in here?
Very relatable. I had a similar experience. It takes some time.
This was a helpful post! Thank you!
Damn, this was actually really informative and great advice. I was able to make connections through Macabre Monday too, but I'm still trying my best to interact with much more!
"Readers will most likely choose to read a short story or even flash fiction over a long-serialized novel."
I gotta admit, I am one of those readers. I'm short on time and energy, so as much as I'd love to read longer stuff, I don't always have enough gas in my tank to do so. But shorter stuff, it's a lot easier to steal a minute here and there.
I'm not exactly a newbie, but I still feel like one. My readership is small, but feeling more like a community every week. Your advice about not giving up is solid gold. I still have to remind myself of this when a post I've worked hard on (say a deep dive into a subgenre of fantasy) doesn't do as well as I'd hoped.
But I wrote first for myself, and had to force myself to share (in an authentic way) my newsletter. That helped. Being true to my vision for my newsletter, and staying consistent, and Notes all helped. As did recommendations, and being myself within comments I made elsewhere across Substack. Patience, consistency (in whatever form works for each writer), and putting oneself out there in an authentic way all yield results, as long as we remember that it's a long game.
Having said all that, your advice feels as though you and I were sitting down having tea, so thank you for that!
Oh! And my newsletter?
An Enchanted Life
https://carolynmcbrideauthor.substack.com/
All fantasy, all the time.
Echoing a lot of other comments to say that this was exactly what I needed to read today. Appreciate your honesty and willingness to share!
I've considered putting aside writing on my Substack. I'm terrible at self-promotion/networking and I spend a lot of time writing, so it can feel like it's not worth it. But until I decide one way or the other, I'll keep writing for myself. And hey, maybe someday other people will like what I write too.