What Substack is and why people use it
Substack is a platform that lets you write and send newsletters directly to readers who sign up for them. You write on Substack's website, hit publish, and the platform automatically emails your writing to everyone who subscribed. Readers can sign up for free, and you can choose to charge them a subscription fee if you want — Substack takes a cut of paid subscriptions, but keeps nothing from free ones.
People use Substack to share regular writing about topics they care about: politics, parenting, technology, personal essays, whatever. Some writers use it to build an audience before pitching to traditional publishers. Others use it as their main income. The appeal is simplicity — you don't need to build a website, manage a mailing list software, or figure out payment processing. Substack handles all of that.
Key Takeaways
- You need an email address and a Substack account to start; the account itself is free to create.
- Your first step is choosing a name for your newsletter and writing a description that tells readers what they'll get.
- You can publish when ready with just one post, or write several drafts before your first public issue.
- Substack takes 10 percent of revenue from paid subscriptions, but charges nothing if you only offer free newsletters.
- Readers find your newsletter through Substack's directory, through links you share, or through word of mouth — Substack does not promote newsletters for you.
Setting up your account and choosing your newsletter name
Go to substack.com and click the button to create a new account. You'll enter an email address and password. Substack will send you a confirmation email — click the link in it to verify your account. This email address is your login; it doesn't have to be the one readers see.
Once you're logged in, you'll be asked to name your newsletter. This name appears in readers' inboxes and on your public page, so choose something you're comfortable with long-term. You can change it later, but it's easier to get it right the first time. Substack will also ask you to write a description — one or two sentences explaining what your newsletter is about. This shows up when people search Substack's directory or when you share a link to your newsletter.
Writing and publishing your first post
Click "New post" to start writing. Substack's editor is straightforward: you type in the main area, and formatting options (bold, italic, links, headers) appear in a toolbar above. You can paste in text from another document, and Substack will usually preserve basic formatting. If you want to add an image, click the image icon and upload from your computer.
Before you publish, you choose who sees the post. You can make it free for all subscribers, paid-only for people who pay for your newsletter, or free for a limited time before it becomes paid-only. You can also save a post as a draft and come back to it later. When you're ready, click "Publish" and Substack when ready sends it to everyone subscribed to your newsletter.
Setting up payment if you want to charge readers
You don't have to charge for your newsletter — many writers keep everything free. If you want to offer paid subscriptions, go to your Settings and click "Payments." You'll need to connect a bank account so Substack can deposit subscription revenue. Substack takes 10 percent of what paid subscribers pay you; the rest goes to your bank account.
You set the price yourself. Some writers charge $5 a month, others $15 or more. You can offer a free trial period so new readers can try before they pay. Substack handles all the billing and sends you a monthly payout. If you change your mind later, you can turn off paid subscriptions and keep your newsletter free-only.
How readers find and subscribe to your newsletter
Substack has a directory where readers can browse newsletters by topic, but Substack does not promote newsletters for you — you're responsible for getting the word out. The most common ways people find newsletters are through links you share on social media, your personal website, or in conversations. If you mention your newsletter on Twitter or LinkedIn with a link, people can click through and subscribe.
You can also embed a signup form on your own website if you have one. Substack provides code you can copy and paste. Some writers ask friends to share their newsletter, or mention it in other communities where their topic is relevant. Growth is usually slow at first — you might get a handful of subscribers in the first month, then more as people share it.
Understanding what Substack does and doesn't do
Substack handles the technical side: hosting your writing, sending emails, processing payments, and storing subscriber data. It does not promote your newsletter, sell ads for you, or help you market. You own your writing and your subscriber list — if you leave Substack, you can export your subscriber emails and take them with you, though you'll need to move to a different platform to keep sending them newsletters.
Substack's terms of service prohibit certain content: you can't use it for spam, harassment, illegal activity, or explicit sexual content. Beyond that, you have editorial freedom. Substack does not edit your work or tell you what to write about. If your newsletter violates the terms of service, Substack can remove it, but this is rare for straightforward writing projects.
Common mistakes to avoid when starting out
The biggest mistake is publishing one post and then disappearing. Readers subscribe because they expect regular writing. If you go silent for months, they unsubscribe. Decide on a schedule before you start — weekly, twice a month, monthly — and stick to it. You don't need to publish constantly; consistency matters more than frequency.
Another common trap is writing for an imaginary audience. Your first readers are usually people you already know. Tell friends and family about your newsletter. Share posts on social media. Ask people to subscribe. Early growth comes from personal networks, not from Substack's algorithm. Once you have a few dozen subscribers, word of mouth and search engines start to help, but you have to prime the pump first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to write about a specific topic or can I write about whatever I want?
You can write about whatever you want. Some newsletters focus on one topic; others are personal essays or a mix of things. Readers are more likely to subscribe if they know what to expect, so being clear about your focus helps. But there's no rule against changing direction later if your interests shift.
Can I schedule posts to go out at a specific time?
Yes. When you're writing a post, you can click "Schedule" instead of "Publish now" and choose a date and time. Substack will send it automatically at that time. This is useful if you want to write several posts in advance and space them out, or if you want your newsletter to go out at a specific time of day.
What happens if I stop writing — does my newsletter disappear?
Your newsletter stays live as long as your account exists. Readers can still see your old posts and subscribe. If you want to delete your newsletter entirely, you can do that in Settings, but it's permanent. Most writers just leave their newsletter up even if they're not actively writing.
Can I make my newsletter private so only certain people can read it?
Not through Substack's built-in tools. All newsletters are publicly discoverable unless you don't promote them. You can keep your subscriber list small by not sharing links widely, but anyone with the link can subscribe. If you need a truly private group, Substack is not the right tool.
How much money can I actually make from a paid newsletter?
That depends entirely on how many people subscribe and what you charge. Someone with 100 paid subscribers at $10 a month makes roughly $900 a month after Substack's cut. Someone with 10,000 subscribers at $5 a month makes roughly $45,000 a month. Most newsletters start with zero paid subscribers and grow slowly. Treat it as a long-term project, not a quick income source.