Substack for Authors
Pros and Cons and my impressions so far
When I first decided to use Substack, I took a month to explore the platform, experiment behind the scenes, and have someone show me the ropes. Now that I’ve been on it for a bit of time, I’m ready to share my take on the pros and cons of Substack from the perspective of an author and book coach.
To me, this is a platform that functions like a combination of a newsletter and a social media site, with a strong email-based distribution system. For creators, it's a bit like Patreon, but with a focus on writing and engaging an audience of readers.
I’ve even seen some authors even serialize stories here, similar to how they might use Patreon or Ream. I, on the other hand, am using it for teaching and offering mini-courses, making it an extension of my existing book coaching career. And I won’t lie, the social aspect of connecting with other writers has been so fun!
But for now, let’s get into the pros and cons that stood out to me the most.
Pros of Substack
The reasons I chose to start Fiction Focus here and not on another site.
1. Direct-to-Reader Model
One of the key reasons I chose Substack is that the platform is designed specifically for readers. People are here to read content—whether it’s newsletters, posts, or serialized stories. This direct connection to an audience that’s already primed to consume written content makes it easier to build a following compared to starting brand new elsewhere.
2. Monetization Potential
Substack offers an integrated monetization model. You can offer different tiers of subscriptions, from free content to premium, paid subscriptions. Personally, I offer mini-courses through my paid tier, with ideas of scaling that further by adding things like a monthly book club. You can even have “founding members” who get additional perks, though I haven't implemented that myself.
3. Creative Control
You have full creative control over how your content is presented. The platform provides different layout options (like blog, magazine, or newspaper styles) and allows you to customize your branding with logos and colors. I love that I can use my branding colors—black, white, and fuchsia pink—across the board. Additionally, Substack generates graphics for each of your posts, making it easy to promote them across social media without having to create visuals from scratch.
4. Community Building
Substack makes it easy to build a community. The platform emphasizes community engagement, and the ability to schedule posts and offer different types of content to various subscriber tiers makes it a versatile tool for fostering connections with your audience.
5. Low Barrier to Entry
One of the biggest draws is its low entry barrier—there are no upfront costs. The platform takes a percentage of what you earn, meaning Substack only gets paid when you do. This makes it a viable option for creators who want to monetize their content without having to invest heavily upfront in website hosting or design fees.
Cons of Substack
Of course, no platform is perfect.
1. Time-Consuming
Managing a Substack account is time-consuming. Creating content, scheduling posts, and promoting your publication takes effort. If you're offering something like mini-courses or a newsletter, it requires consistent output. For example, my newsletters take several weeks to create, from research to writing to getting case studies. If you're strapped for time, maintaining a Substack might not be the best choice.
2. Audience Building Could Be Challenging
While this is great for community building, it’s not necessarily easy to build a large audience quickly. The platform has a lot of creators, and standing out can be challenging. You’ll need to invest time in promoting your Substack outside the platform to grow your audience.
3. Competition
Substack’s popularity also means competition. There are many other writers, bloggers, and creators on the platform, which makes it harder to stand out. Before committing, I recommend exploring what’s already out there and finding your niche to differentiate yourself from the competition.
4. No Website Integration
One of the major downsides is the lack of website integration. If you already have a website, you can’t add pop-ups or widgets to drive people directly to your Substack. You can import email subscribers from other platforms, but it’s not always ideal, especially if your existing audience isn’t aligned with your new publication content.
5. No Automation
Another drawback is the lack of automation. Substack doesn’t allow for automated welcome sequences or drip campaigns. This means you can’t send a series of automated emails to new subscribers, which is a common feature in traditional newsletter platforms like MailChimp or ConvertKit. If you're using this platform to offer something like a course, you’ll need to manually manage and post your content.
Conclusion
Overall, Substack offers a great platform for writers, creators, and teachers looking to connect directly with an audience of readers. The ability to monetize content, build a community, and maintain creative control are significant advantages. However, the platform’s time-consuming nature, competition, and lack of automation may be challenging for some creators.
If you’re considering using Substack, I recommend thinking about your long-term goals and whether the platform’s pros outweigh its cons for your specific needs. They certainly have been for me and I have loved every minute of running Fiction Focus so far.
Happy writing friends!