ENTER: Readers Hope You Will Lead Them Somewhere

A clear road map builds confidence for both you and your readers

Thank you, M.E Rothwell for permission to share this map

"Write what you want;

then, put on your reader hat and see if it’s ready for prime time.”

That bit of wisdom sprouted from a Saturday night Notes conversation with

Russell Nohelty

. One major determinant of whether a post is ready for prime time is if it’s aligned with the intent you’ve set for your Substack. First, you have to know what your intent is, a process that involves asking yourself a lot of questions. In the business world, this is called a strategy, vision, or mission statement. Let’s just think of it as a road map.

Recently our multi-talented (and generous)

M. E. Rothwell

of Cosmographia and  The Books that Made Us drew a fantastical map of the Isle of Substack where the major feature is Mt. Hope. That strikes me as particularly appropriate because I believe that hope is a writer’s major gift to the world. Regardless of our approach, even the most Mad Max of apocalyptic fiction and the darkest of poetic visions can carry with them a note of hope, lightening a load and making it bearable.

Assuming most of us on this Substack journey have a message, something we think will help our readers on their own journeys.  Whether we write fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, or graphic novels, we have a message, something we need to say and hope to have a receptive audience for hearing it. (There is, of course, the possibility of being here just trying to get rich by selling our words … however, here’s a clue: there are much easier and faster ways to fame and fortune.)

“Be a voice, not an echo.”

Apparently a real Albert Einstein quote,

this one could be a mantra for Substack authors. 

Getting clear about our message and how to get it to our readers

To take our messages to the world requires a plan … a strategy … a road map … especially if we want to be paid for the time and effort expended on articulating and distributing our message. Creating a road map is simply about clarifying our message and how to get it to our readers. There are actually two chunks to a newsletter road map … content and commerce … what we plan to write about and what we want to put behind a paywall.

Content and Paywall

The first challenge of our road map is matching what we want to write with what readers want/need to read … and are willing to pay for. The following questions are designed to help you identify factors that will help you clarify your direction. If you find a question that seems to suggest a roadblock, now is the time to find a way around it.

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions … there is only potential clarity about you and your writing life.

First, questions about YOU, the Substack author:

• What do YOU want to write about over the long-term?

  • What do you read and research for yourself?

  • What questions haunt you?

  • What conversations do you find yourself in repeatedly?

  • What is the message you feel passionate about sharing with readers?

• What is your personal goal for your Substack?

  • Build a free/paid subscriber base?

  • Attract an agent/publisher for a new book or writing project?

  • Develop a fan base for selling books or creative products?

  • Get reader feedback about a project?

  • Other?

• How often can you commit to writing a post? (1 or 2 per week is most common.)

  • Does your personal life situation allow you the time and energy to write and manage a consistent newsletter?

  • Is your message big enough to provide material for a long-term newsletter?

• What is your best strength?

  • Writing skills and talents.

  • Credibility in my field and understanding the issues I want to write about.

  • Dedication to getting my message out and empathy with readers.

  • Resilience in the face of disappointment in growth, engagement, or other setbacks.

  • Creative ideas and problem solving.

• What is your biggest barrier?

  • Imposter Syndrome saps my confidence.

  • Time: life is already over-committed.

  • Dealing with the technology required to use Substack.

  • Other.

• How does Substack fit your creative life?

  • It is or will be the foundation of everything I do.

  • It is how I relate to the world but I do a lot more than write.

  • I want it to open doors to other creative adventures.

  • I want to hang out with and learn from other creative writers.

• How important to you is being a part of a community of writers?

Next, questions about YOUR READERS:

• What do you think the biggest value you could bring to readers would be?

  • Information from your research or experience?

  • Inspiration and wisdom from your life experience?

  • Humor?

  • Connection, support, community?

  • Advice: financial, health, relationship, spiritual growth, writing, new perspectives on common issues?

• Who wants or needs what you want to write? (Everyone is not a good answer.)

  • Demographics - age, gender, place?

  • Hobbyists or people interested in: politics, climate, sports, music, travel, art/photography, and so on?

  • Personal issues - mental health, creative endeavors, work, family?

  • Literature, poetry, memoir?

• Is your niche of readers big enough to support your financial goals?

  • Is your area of writing interest growing or decreasing?

  • Are there magazines and newsletters already focusing on your area? (Could be a field of large interest or a suggestion to find an underserved corner.)

  • Substack has 27 categories of interest (at last count), does your work fit any of those categories?

• How many reader are on your current email list that you are bringing to Substack?

  • How many subscribers would you imagine you would have after 1 year?

  • After 2 years?

Third, questions about MONEY:

• Where does money fit into the Substack picture for you?

  • Critical … I need to make a specific level of income to meet living requirements.

  • Important but not critical. I have time to build up a paid subscription base.

  • I believe writers should be paid and this is the work I want to do.

  • I just want to write and get my message out; money is not critical.

• Right now, how do you see yourself organizing your pay walls?

  • All posts will be free, I’ll figure out other products to put behind the paywall

  • All posts will be paid except for occasional free ones; previews will be available for all or most posts

• What are your main sources of readers and possibly paid subscribers?

  • The email list I bring to Substack.

  • My interactions with various social media.

  • Interacting with the Substack community will be a major source of readers.

Intention Statement - Write a brief statement of what your intentions for your Substack. This may look like the Brief Statement you’ve written for your Substack … or it may be more personal.

Here’s my Brief Description:

Substack Guide Wednesday posts, and weekly Come Talk Substack discussion threads explore the integration of Substack elements with a simple marketing and growth process. Gratitude tips, insights and stories are posted on Saturday.

Versus my Intention Statement that guides my content strategy:

My intention as a Substack author is to share the lessons of my life in a way that brings inspiration and hope to my readers, especially to those other Substack authors who are standing up and raising their voices to help make the world a more just and livable place.