What 10 Months of Writing on Substack Has Taught Me About Growing a Newsletter
It's more than just staying consistent
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It’s been 10 months since I started writing my Substack newsletter.
Today, I’m sitting at 1,800 subscribers, with my eyes set on hitting 2,000 in the next few weeks.
Am I one of the fastest-growing newsletters on the platform?
Not even close.
I’ve seen creators hit 5,000 or even 10,000 subscribers within a few months of launching.
But I’ve also seen many others who started around the same time as me… and gave up just a few months in.
Not because they weren’t talented, but because they didn’t see the growth they were hoping for.
That’s the thing about growing on any platform online; it’s not always about talent or luck.
It usually comes down to a few simple principles:
Know exactly who you’re creating for
Show up consistently with helpful content
Engage with other creators
Keep going, even when growth is painfully slow
The funny thing? Most people already know these things.
You’ve probably heard them a dozen times before.
But hearing them isn’t the same as living them.
So instead of repeating the same advice, here’s what I would do if I were starting a brand new Substack newsletter today, from scratch.
1. Start With a Clear Goal
Every fast-growing newsletter on Substack has one thing in common: a clear reason to subscribe.
People don’t wake up in the morning thinking, “I need a new newsletter to sign up for today.”
Most of the time, they stumble across your content.
And if it speaks to a specific problem they have, or delivers something they want, then they’ll hit subscribe.
Your newsletter needs a purpose.
Is it going to educate? Inspire? Entertain? Help people take action?
Whatever it is, make that goal crystal clear.
Write it down.
Put it at the top of your Substack page.
Let people know what they’ll get if they join.
The more specific and focused you are, the more people will feel like, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
That’s how growth starts.
2. Use Substack Notes Every Single Day
Substack isn’t just a newsletter platform, it’s also a social platform.
That’s what makes it different from tools like Mailchimp, Beehiiv, or ConvertKit.
Substack Notes is like a mini version of X (Twitter) or LinkedIn. And if you use it well, it can become your most powerful growth engine.
In my case, about 90% of my subscribers have come directly from Notes.
I post 3–5 short notes per day around my niche; sometimes tips, sometimes questions, sometimes thoughts, or mini-stories.
If you’re serious about growing your newsletter, make Notes part of your daily habit.
You don’t need to be a genius or write anything long.
Just show up, post consistently, and engage with others.
Most new writers spend hours trying to grow on social media.
Meanwhile, Notes can bring you subscribers on the same platform you’re publishing your newsletter.
That’s a huge win.
3. Decide How You’ll Monetize—From Day One
Writers often struggle with monetization.
I did too.
At first, it feels weird to charge for something you love doing.
Writing starts as a passion project, and you might feel like asking for money taints it somehow.
But here’s the truth: writing takes time and energy. A lot of it.
And if your work is helping people, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making money from it.
Whether you plan to sell digital products, offer coaching, turn on paid subscriptions, or partner with sponsors, think about this early on.
You don’t need to launch a product on day one, but have a direction.
If you wait too long to monetize, you might build an audience that doesn’t value what you offer enough to pay for it later.
Even if your goal is to write for fun, fun doesn't have to be free.
4. Play the Long Game
Let’s be honest: social media is full of people promising overnight success.
But building a successful newsletter doesn’t happen overnight.
From what I’ve seen, most newsletters that pass 10,000 subscribers have been around for at least a year, and often longer.
If you go into this thinking, “I’ll try this for a month and see what happens,” you’ll almost definitely be disappointed.
Instead, make a real commitment: write one newsletter a week for the next 6 months. That’s it.
Six months is enough time to see if you’re improving, if your audience is resonating, and if you’re building momentum.
By then, most of the people you started with will have already quit.
But if you stick around, if you keep showing up, improving your writing, testing new ideas, you’ll be one of the few still standing.
And those are the ones who succeed.
Final Thoughts
If you’re thinking about starting a newsletter or already have one but feel stuck, just remember this:
Growth isn’t always fast. But it’s almost always possible.
Know your niche.
Use Notes.
Monetize with intention.
And play the long game.
That’s what I’ve learned from 10 months on Substack.
And I’m just getting started.
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Love number 3, Mark!
Exactly what happened when I first started my online journey.
I was so deep into churning out content day after day, thinking that the revenue will come.
When, in fact, I completely ignored the one thing that moves the needle of the business, the offer itself.
This: "Growth isn’t always fast. But it’s almost always possible."