My Substack Summer
How Substack changed my reading
Six months ago, I moved what I thought of as “my blog” and “my newsletter” to Substack. I anticipated that it would change my writing world, which it did.
It also changed, unexpectedly, my reading world.
As the graphic above illustrates, I have taken to reading on Substack, by which I mean the Substack app. I am not someone who loves to read emails. Thus, most newsletters I subscribe to languish half-read in my inbox. Not so with the Substacks to which I subscribe, because those I can read on the app.
They have become my morning reading material, after I’ve checked WhatsApp messages from family and friends. Reading and answering those comes first, but then, balancing the phone on my knee, I sit on the porch (ideally), sip my first cup of coffee, and read Substack.
I only have a few favorite writers, but I have gotten used to their publishing schedule.
On Monday mornings, I look forward to Marco North’s missives from Tbilisi:
Impressions of an Expat
His Substacks are almost always short, feature a mundane yet evocative photo, and briefly transport me to another world, which, to me, the best writing is all about.
According to Substack’s metrics, Impressions of an Expat did not make my top reading list—perhaps because its brevity takes less of my time. Yet, his is one of those voices I’d gladly pay to read. I’m almost upset that Marco does not give me the option for a paid subscription. Goes to show that Substack’s paid subscriber model does work somehow.
The Jewish Table
appears in my Substack inbox midweek. I’ve long been a fan of Leah Koenig’s cookbook Modern Jewish Cooking. Several of her recipes have become family favorites, such as the chocolate-poppy seed filling for Hamantashen, so I was thrilled to find her on Substack. Her recent Zucchini Coconut Soup post alerted me to the story of the Vilna Vegetarian Cookbook—the kind of story about cooking and Jewish history that makes my heart soar. More on that soon as I have been trying out one of those old recipes!
Friday morning I can rely on reading
The Creative Shift by Dan Blank
Helping writers and creators share their work and connect with readers in meaningful ways. Digging deep into marketing, book launches, and platform development. Get my weekly newsletter every Friday.
Top post this summer: No one knows what works, but doing stuff works
Dan always has something interesting to say about the creative process that is writing. Some of it is elementary but still, it never hurts to be reminded, and, occasionally, inspired. Plus he rocks in terms of showing newbies like me how to consistently show up and participate in the Substack world via Notes.
Weekends usually feature:
THE KUREISHI CHRONICLES
Dispatches from my hospital bed. Writing on writing; sex and drugs and music, TV shows and writers I admire, my memories, among other matters.
Top post this summer: A PAT ON THE HEAD
The Kureishi Chronicles originally got me onto Substack and the grand idea of supporting a writer by subscribing to his work. I love Hanif Kureishi’s curmudgeonly voice, his tragically unique perspective, his amazing perseverance and fortitude. As a lover of memoir, I appreciate his tale from the front of life as a sudden quadriplegic.
I owe the tip-off to Kureishi’s fate and writing to Katherine May, see below, who really was my Substack entry point. After I discovered and loved her book Wintering, I looked where I could find more of her work. Turns out that was on Substack, which in the beginning I did not realize as it was just another newsletter to me.
The Clearing by Katherine May
A newsletter and community for wild minds, winterers and enchantment-seekers with internationally bestselling author Katherine May.
Top post this summer: Why awe matters
By the way, I still do read the newspaper, but that comes with breakfast…
Pray share your favorite Substack in the comments—discovering new voices has been one of my great pleasures here.
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Annette - oh, my what a lovely post to find, and I'll have you know I read it with great interest (as usual with your posts) having no idea I would be mentioned in it!
You know, I have been writing Impressions of an Expat every Monday since 2009, rain or shine, in order to call myself a writer (books take me forever, years and years in the making). As you know so well, a writer writes and I just saw these weekly missives as "having some skin in the game." And yes, when a book eventually comes out, I hope that readers will consider buying it.
You are dead right, if you do not monetize on Substack, they truly bury you and make you fairly invisible. I have been urged by quite a few people to turn on that pay button - while I adore the freedom and simplicity of a "take it or leave it" free post, it really does have its downside. Dragging my feet for years - I finally do feel ready to turn that button on. I am mostly thinking about keeping the Monday posts free as ever, and provide some exclusive, behind the scenes posts for paying subscribers. Does that sound wise to you?
I am happy to say I also subscribe to Dan Blank and The Kureishi Chronicles, we're all birds of a feather is seems!
Thank you again.