I get it. You want to make your Substack yours in 2026.

Your house. Your home.

Not rented space. Not borrowed land. A real home on the internet streets.

I feel the same as I’m buying property right now.

With spring coming, you want to be ready.

Ready to refresh. Ready to bloom. Ready to blossom.

Because as Dr. , Substack Bootcamp alum and this year’s co-host of our LIVE cohort in March, shared:

“Substack blooms for those who care”

Because most creators, dreamers, writers are missing out on the most valuable real estate they own online. Their newsletter homepage. Their Substack website.

They focus too much on posting and posting.

But when someone asks,

“Where can I find you?”

They quietly hope no one clicks their Substack homepage.

You’re not alone. Actually you’re in good company. Many members of The Online Writing Club feel this way.

Today a BEYOND member just told me:

“It’s embarrassing. I haven’t updated my newsletter site in forever. I link them to my LinkedIn.”

They’re proud of their writing. But not proud of their site ( hey, here, I raise my hand; me included 👋🏻)

And that needs to change!

You want to have that first impression that lasts.

So in landing on your page, you want to make it wildly clear what someone can expect if they keep scrolling.

You only have 3 seconds

And, guess what, from a data-driven marketing standpoint you only have 3 seconds (!) to convince them. 3 seconds!

So you want to make your beautoful Substack homepage super inviting for someone to stick around.

As I always say: Your Substack is not just a newsletter. It’s your home on the internet. A place you own. A place you control. An experience you can create.

Social media is rented space. You don’t control it. You don’t control the experience. You don’t control what people see.

Tell me one social media platform where you actually have your own website!?

Why your beautiful Substack homepage is so powerful

Your Substack homepage is yours.

• It boosts your credibility in the eyes of your readers

• It helps people trust you as we’re in a trust recession

• It helps readers become actual paying subscribers and increases the conversion rate

And now, everything is changing. I’m so pumped… because Substack helps you to create an experience to explain your offer and leads people on the path of going from just a passive follower into truly becoming a raving fan and client.

Substack just released powerful design updates. And most writers haven’t even noticed yet.

This is big news.

Because for the first time, you can truly shape the experience readers have when they land on your beautiful publication.

As the one from 🔶BEYOND member from She’s Not Done Yet:

In today’s power session, we set up her beautiful Substack homepage and shared her first post.

And the responses she got… AMAZING.

And Tamara is jumping out of her skin excited for what’s to come for her “gray divorce” community:

So let’s break all the changes down and how to implement the new design features to create a beautiful Substack website, house and home brick by brick.

If you want results FASTER there’s a path for you

Become a 🔶BEYOND member (founding member) and we design your stack together in 2 power sessions (I reduced the price (usually $999 so you can get 2x 1:1 with me for only $299.

Enjoy!

The smartes and affordable investment this year.

Also, it’s tax-deductible!).

This makes it radically easier and faster to see results!

You get direct access to yours truly and in our 1:1 session we’ll design your homepage together and build it like a real home.

Don't keep struggling alone. Don't try to figure it all out by yourself. And definitely do NOT give up!

The annual membership is 25% off today!

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Just a real quick update on the latest Substack news as someone called me last Friday in a cohort “Substack Queen”. Well, I need to live up on that expectation, don’t you think?

So, I LOVE this new app feature. Like love love.

First reason.
I was just asked about this in the Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp.

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This week was awesome. I had the please of kicking-off the LIVE Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp with the 2026 crew.

Bootcamp grad and co-host from Chicago got featured by Oprah Daily this week. And Jerry Keszka from Warsaw acted as our architect who showed us the bricks we need to build our house and make it a home on Substack.

In one of our calls he mentioned how much he loved my old Medium Tags List thatwent viral and stil attracts nots of new viewers although these tags on Medium are a thing of the past.

With the list, I explained exactly how tags worked and how to become a Top Writer.

That brought back memories, because back then some people even called me the “Medium Goddess.” (And during the Bootcamp, I’ve been jokingly called the “Substack Goddess”—probably because of my last name 😉).

I don’t share this to brag, but to show you the pattern:
As a newbie on Medium, I earned 50+ Top Writer badges

and helped my students become Top Voices.

Such as health and fitness coach Teresa.

On Substack, I’ve seen tribe members go from zero to 40,000 or even 50,000 subscribers, make their first $1K, $5 or $25K,

and becoming Substack bestselling authors and “rising” on the Substack leaderboard as tribe member Jerry.

My professional marketing background makes me love digging into data and sharing what’s often hidden.

Thanks to my hubby Patrick—who happens to be both a data nerd, a software developer and the CTO of our Writing Club —I still get the data I need.

When I asked Substack and their product team if they had a list of the most popular Substack categories (to spot what’s most and least competitive), they told me that list isn’t shared publicly.

That’s why I gathered the data with Patrick, and today, I’m breaking down the new Substack category system for 2026—so not only this year’s bootcampers but also you can choose your lane strategically.

This is key when you’re starting and when you’re already building a thriving list.

The Full 2026 Category List - Without Ranking

To zoom out and give you an overview, here are the 29 Substack categories you can choose from:

Art & Illustration · Business · Climate & Environment · Comics · Crypto · Culture · Design · Education · Faith & Spirituality · Fashion & Beauty · Fiction · Finance · Food & Drink · Health & Wellness · Health Politics · History · Humor · International · Literature · Music · News · Parenting · Philosophy · Science · Sports · Technology · Travel · U.S. Politics · World Politics

You can also download the list with suggestions HERE for FREE.

(Could you do me a favour? Would be lovely to get a review!)

I need this list!

Once you download the list, I bet you’ll gonna ask yourself:

“But how do they rank? What’s the most popular Substack category, and which are saturated? Which should I pick to be strategic right from the start?“

Let me save you lots of time and money.

I want you to see that you’re not picking a category blindly with this ranked list.

So you’re making decisions based on hard numbers.

And from my experience as a marketing and brand manager, a Substack Top 25 bestseller, and after supporting hundreds of list builders, I’m adding my two cents—so you can decide what works best for you.

So here’s the ranked list based on data.

Where the Data For The Ranked Category List Comes From

⬇️⬇️⬇️🔥🔥Level up your subscription NOW and become a member to ACCESS the guide to monetize your Substack categories + ALL coming tools to kickstart your email list and growth in Q1 of 2026. 🔥🔥⬇️⬇️⬇️

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I’m screaming in the best way!

Substack Bootcamp grad Ellen from just got featured on Oprah Daily.

This is one woman’s mission getting delivered to millions of women who needed to hear it.

Ellen Scherr, this year's co-host and Bootcamp grad, just had her viral Substack essay…

… about the midlife moment when you stop pretending and why your brain is doing it, published in the front of millions of readers.

It’s bold, real, and honest!

Ellen stands for eactly this. She told us in today’s session she got fired multiple times in her life because she simply couldn’t shut up.

You’re in a meeting. Someone says something objectively wrong. And instead of doing your usual dance—the soft correction, the diplomatic phrasing, the careful preservation of everyone’s feelings—you just... say it.

“That’s not accurate.”

No cushioning. No apology. No emotional labor to make your truth more palatable.

And everyone looks at you like you’ve grown a second head.

Welcome to what I call the Great Unfuckening—that point in midlife when your capacity to pretend, perform, and please others starts shorting out like an electrical system that’s finally had enough.

You might think you’re becoming difficult. Impatient. One of those “bitter older women” you were warned about.

But here’s what’s actually happening: your brain is restructuring itself. And thank god for that.

Source: Aging Out of Fucks: The Neuroscience of Why You Suddenly Can’t Pretend Anymore

Do you know what I love even more than Ellen telling the truth…

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You know that moment when you walk into your favorite quiet cafe, ready for a long sit with a good book, and someone sets up a tripod to film a “Day in the Life” vlog right next to your gluten-free muffin?

Yeah. That.

A lot of folks on Substack are feeling like the writers-only treehouse they climbed into just got a ring light installed.

Online writers like me came to Substack for writing. For calm. For depth. For a corner of the internet that did not yell at them.

And today Substack drops a big update via email that says:

“Surprise. We added more social media.”

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I picked up There’s Nothing Like This from Harvard Business editor Kevin Evers at the Frankfurt Book Fair a few weeks back and oh. my. god.

I underlined.

I gasped.

I whispered “holy marketing genius” while eating gluten free pretzels.

Taylor is famous because she understands humans. Attention. Story. Timing. Culture. Identity. Relationship.

And every online writer building an audience and growing a newsletter today can learn from her.

So today you’re getting:

Swift Strategy Playbook: 10 Marketing Moves You Can Steal

Use these for your Substack growth, your brand identity, your content rhythm, and yes, even your Substack Notes.

And if you’re reading this while listening to Ophelia and imagining what color friendship bracelet you’d wear to the Kelce-Swift wedding… you’re in the right place, my friend.

👉 Black Friday Weekend is live and everything is 50% OFF

Your newsletter deserves Swift-level obsession.

Myke the internet scream your name!

• Online Writing Club membership + Substack course 50% OFF

• Substack Notes Bootcamp 57% OFF for $129 instead of $299 + payment plan

• Founding members also get access to Patrick’s brand new Substack Notes Scheduler so you can batch, schedule and repurpose Notes like a pro.
  

If you’re serious about growing your audience, this is the moment.

This is my moment!

Alright. Let’s talk Taylor. Oh and psst… according to some insiders, Taylor Swift will soon also write on Substack.

1. Start With a Vision, Not Permission

Taylor was 13 walking into Nashville boardrooms with 15 (!) finished songs and a clear idea of her audience.

Everyone told her the audience didn’t exist.

She made the audience appear.

Your Move:

• Don’t wait for proof. Write for the audience you want.

• Name them. Talk to them again and again until they find you.

2. Know Your Category… Then Break It

Country music was a tight culture with strict rules.

But Taylor blended tradition with novelty. Old country chord patterns + a teenage POV + a title named after a famous singer.

Predictable and surprising.

Safe and disruptive.

Your Move:
Your Substack shouldn’t be chaos.

Find:

• One thing people already love

• One twist no one else is doing

3. Treat Fans Like Participants, Not Followers

Swifties decode. Predict. Participate.

Easter eggs. Colors. Inside jokes. Rituals.

Your Move:
Build participation cues:

• Repeated phrases

• Running jokes

• Rituals in Notes

• Secret handshakes for paid readers

Fandom is built on identity.

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“Where’s the replay??”

I know, I know… I was busy baking Halloween muffins, reading RUNED (spoiler: you’ll learn more about my indie fiction writer friend I met at the Frankfurt Book Fair tomorrow as a Halloweekend surprise!), and watching my boy playing trick-or-treat.

So yeah… finally our spooktacular replay of this week’s Halloween LIVE session is here.

Over 40 people joined us live on Thursday for our deep dive —and now, for everyone who was haunting the waiting list… the replay about Substack Notes is here! 👻

Just a few minutes ago, I also got this email from a new Substack writer:

“I am getting absolutely zero visibility with my notes – it seems anything posted (…) just falls on no eyeballs at all.”

If you’re feeling this or are frustrated about all the “advice” and tips out there, I’ve got you.

I’m an award-winning marketing and brand manager AND indie publisher myself who grew my audience with two kids from zero to 15,000, top #25 global education writer. Meaning I monetized my marketing brain and my writing heart as a trained journalist.

Subscribe now

Here’s what we covered:

💡 How Substack’s NEW algorithm now actually decides what gets seen (and what disappears into the void)
🧠 The 8 archetypes of Notes posters and which one will get you NOTICED
📈 Real examples from community members (not writing about writing 😃 as this market is saturated!) from tech, to AI, to health, to personal essays and comics who grew by hundreds (and even thousands) of subscribers using Notes
💬 We talked about the elephant in the room, unsubscribes, and also all the latest stats you need to know

I love the chatty Chat thread, guys!

Thanks to for taking care of it!

One participant said,

“I can’t believe you’re giving all this away as part of the membership! This could have been part of your Bootcamp, don’t you think?”

Well, my Notes Kickstarter Bootcamps always take lots of time, heart, and sweat to prepare, that’s why I love our short and sweet masterclasses with yours truly and experts like TikTok, fiction writing, and marketing rockstar (coming soon!!)

🍬And because it’s Halloween weekend… I’ve got a little treat for you. 🍬

🕓 Tomorrow, Sunday, Nov 3 — 10:30 am ET / 7:30 am PT / 4:30 pm Berlin, I’ll be hosting a SURPRISE Halloween session about SUBSTACK’S FUTURE and QUIET TRANSFORMATION you need to know about!

Let me snag my spot!

Let me snag my spot!

We’ll explore Substack’s latest frightfully fun new features they quietly shipped & updates (and yes, the Notes algorithm will be a topic again!).

I’ll show you how to capitalize on the latest new features before everyone else catches on.

ALL paid members can join live, and yes, I’ll invite a few free subscribers to sneak inside the haunted house (our membership experience) for FREE again.

Let me join!

For paid subscribers, remember:
✅ You already have access to all replays, that’s over 100+ expert trainings on everything from writing better headlines to growing your list to 1,000+ subscribers per month.
✅ Every month, you get access to new live sessions, deep-dive masterclasses and weekly community Q&As.
✅ You’re be part of our cozy (and a little spooky) inner circle of creators learning, growing, and earning together.

👻 3 Quick Treats Before You Go:

1. 🎥 Watch the Replay

2. 💬 Join Tomorrow’s Halloween Session about Substack’s quit transformation — Free for paid subscribers. Free subs can win a seat!

3. 🎓 Grab the Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp with and and 50+ bootcampers On-Demand — Use code HALLOWEEN to save big and unlock 8 hours of training that’s helped hundreds understand Substack’s #1 growth engine and grow faster with Notes.

   ➕ weekly Q&A sessions to take ACTION

   ➕1:1 session available!

I want to join the Notes course!

I want to grow FASTER!

This is an example of one of our bootcampers. YAY!

Want more candy? Sure, tomorrow!

See you tomorrow🎃 ho ho hoooo,

P.S. The Bootcamp discount with code HALLOWEEN vanishes at midnight on Sunday. Don’t ghost on it. 👻

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Someone from our community asked me yesterday if evergreen content still works.

I said,

“Well, it used to. But that was before October 2025.”

Let’s talk about it, with my marketing brain but my writing heart.

Because what used to be set it and forget it content… now just gets forgotten.

The End of Evergreen

Evergreen content used to be gold.

You’d post something like “The Utlimate Guide to Fishing” or “The Most Beautiful Libraries in The World” and let it sit there for years.

It kept ranking and performing. And of course, I recommended 30% or even more of your content should be “evergreen” content.

But that playbook’s gone.

Should we panic?

Noooo!

Not as Online Writing Club member, as I’m gonna even help you increase your visibility by 50%!

Let Me Explain How 17 Million Data Points Changed My Opinion about Evergreen Content

I felt it first on YouTube. Then I got some screenshots from Medium writers and now I also see it on Substack.

Search engines (that are of course ALL now AI fueled) don’t want evergreen. It wants right now.

Let me explain this to you, based on over 17 million data points and real-world statistics analyzed. Plus, let me show you how you can now make money with Medium’s new “external traffic” payments and Substack’s latest changes.

My goal with this story is to future-proof your writing strategy for Q4 2025 and 2026.

(🤫Pssst! You can also book a 1:1 strategy session with me! I have 5 spots left for the last quarter of 2025).

As Christmas is around the corner, I’m giving away my 12-Month Substack Content Calendar with hundreds of hooks for the last quarter of 2025.

The Data That Changes Everything

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I’m participating in the world’s largest industry gathering, where (indie) publishers from more than 90 countries have come together.

It’s day #3 of the Frankfurt Book Fair, and I’m writing this straight from the bed of my hotel room, still buzzing from everything I’ve seen (and everyone I’ve met). My kids are snoring as I took them with me today for a few hours!

Oh… and I already crossed paths with Axel Scheffler, yes, The Gruffalo and Snail and the Whale!, and chatted with so many other incredible international authors.

In our Community Chat, I’ve shared a few pictures, and if you want videos, livestreams, and impressions, follow me on Substack Notes.

Writing with AI is a huge topic here, too.

Some even call it digital colonialism, the way technology is reshaping creativity across borders.

But one thing is clear from the conversations I've had so far:

• Publishers are using it.

• Authors are using it, e.g., to speed up the process of writing the next book in a series, or to research faraway places like the Antarctic or train rides in Japan without leaving their desk.

• ChatGPT, Claude, and all other AI writing platforms aren’t here to replace you. But they will change how you write online…forever.

• The writers who learn to partner with AI will be the ones who grow, connect, and stand out.

And that brings me to something I’m jumping out of my skin excited to share…

After the success of our podcast episode 🤑 Old Emails = $30,000, which belongs to the top 5% of podcast episodes, I’m beyond thrilled to bring you this year’s Inbox Award for Innovation and Revenue winner from TextHacks, German journalist, storyteller, and now certified AI expert (yes, officially!).

Anne-Kathrin spent years in major online newsrooms before becoming one of the sharpest minds helping creators and brands write smarter online.

But she got fed up with all the “AI gurus” pushing lifeless and douchy prompts.

So she rebuilt them with real journalistic insight and made them sound human again to support writers, creators, all kinds of employees, and journalists to make their writing instantly better.

So, for the FIRST TIME, I bring you some real AI prompts to test.

Inside the 1-Hour “Write with AI” Masterclass

Anne-Kathrin walks you through 7 exact prompts from her Write with AI Prompt Library that Anne-Kathrin uses to turn AI tools into a thinking partner instead of a content mill or pure AI slop!

YIKES!

If you’ve ever asked:

Are there specific prompts from an actual expert to help me get the most out of ChatGPT/Claude and all the other tools?

Is there anyone who can de-douchify the “write with Ai” world?

This is your moment!

Here are 3 of 7 prompts from the masterclass from an actual journalist to get you started on your AI writing journey today:

Oh, and as an annual subscriber, you’ll get access to all 7 prompts as text to copy and paste and a growing library of AI prompts from creators, writers, journalists, experts, indie publishers, + my husband’s humanize prompt to avoid ALL AI trigger words) in our invite-only Inner Circle of the Club.👇🏼👇🏼

Here are 3 of 7 prompts we’re covering in the masterclass:

#1 How to turn 1 Substack post into 15 others

#2 Your headline/subject line is boring, let’s fix that

#3 Who are you even writing for? (Ideal reader and audience pain points)

Award-winning journalist, Anne-Kathrin, says it best:

“AI shouldn’t make you sound like everyone else. It should help you sound more like YOU.”

#1 Substack Micro-Idea Extractor

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When I get a guest post full of unedited AI text, I’m like… ughhhhhh.

Can you hear my sigh?

And now readers are not opening emails with emojis anymore (I love them sooo much!). What’s next?

If you’ve been with me a while, you’ll remember “18 Dead-Giveaway Signs You Used AI to Write That (According to Wikipedia).”

It got thousands of views and so many comments. Thanks for the patience in case you’re still waiting for a reply from me! Just give me some more days and see this as a SORRY.

This post is the follow-up and it’s a good one.

Especially for the new readers and members joining us this week from Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Some want to switch to writing in English and need help when it comes to translation.

Others felt lost when making their thoughts an actual newsletter that feel goooooood.

That's me! Let me join the Club!

Ans y ‘all somehow asked the same thing:

“Kristina, I’m using AI. How do I make it sound human, more like me? Any tips?”

Tomorrow, in our paid Inner Circle, you can meet my friend from Germany LIVE.

💡THIS is our very successful podcast episode with about 2000+ views!

Meet Anne-Kathrin LIVE Inside the Club: Master AI Text Hacking and Licensing

📅 Wednesday, October 8

🕓 16:45 Berlin | 15:45 UK | 10:45 ET | 7:45 PT | 01:45 Sydney (Oct 7)

• She’s a journalist who knows how to write with AI instead of against it.

• She trains companies and editorial teams to do the same.

YAY! Let's write with AI

Kevin Kelly said it best:

“I find little joy in having AIs do everything when I am being creative, but I do get enjoyment in co-creating with them. Co-creation feels like real creation. My role still takes effort and significantly determines the quality, style and nature of what is created”

That’s exactly what Anne-Kathrin will teach. How to co-write with AI so your work won’t suck or bore your AI-aware readers.

She’s already helping companies, editors and all her clients how to use ChatGPT to write tighter emails, stronger presentations, and online posts that feels authentic.

Join us live for the full session with Anne-Kathrin and learn how to write with AI like a professional journalist, writer, blogger and author:
📅 Wednesday, October 8
🕓 16:45 Berlin | 15:45 UK | 10:45 ET | 7:45 PT | 01:45 Sydney (Oct 7)

I want to learn how to write with AI

Zoom link is also below the paywall + calendar invite.

How about me and AI?

Confession time. I use ChatGPT poorly and badly. I still spend 4 to 6 hours on a newsletter, sometimes 10 recording, editing and then cleaning up podcast transcripts quotes. I check every line myself. Many of my creator friends tell me:

“Kristina, WHYYY aren’t you leaning more into AI?”

My bad…!?

, my husband and now our CTO (Chief Technical Officer), is the opposite. He’s a full-time developer, loves LLMs and is a newish AI fanatic.

Since last week he already has helped hundreds of writers, authors and dreamers by building StackBuddy Collabs and Calm Your Stack!

And now something new: the foundational master prompt to humanize your AI writing.

Sounds awesome. Count me in!

It’s the one prompt every writer using ChatGPT should know.

Patrick as someone who doens’t sees himself as a writer and wasn’t trained (as I) to write, built it after reading my post on dead-giveaway AI writing habits.

He tested it in a clean incognito browser, no login or memory.

The result stopped him cold. His co-creator ChatGPT suddenly sounded way more human without all the AI signal words, phrases and telltales.

Exciting! For the first time I’m sharing a prompt with you.

Paid members, here’s the full prompt. Save it. Use it. Share it with anyone who wants their AI writing to sound like an actual person again.

I need this prompt & workshop access!

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• You’re pouring your soul into posts… and the only one reading is your bestie, mom, hubby, or dog?

• That little “paid subscribers” number sits there, taunting you?

• Everyone else is “crushing it,” while you’re wondering if you should just crush a bag of chips instead?

Yeah. Same.

When I started my part-time paid newsletter in late January 2024, my baby was 6 months old. I was typing during nap times and every crack of time I could steal. And I had zero paid subs. Zero.

I wondered if anyone would ever pay me to write. Or if I was burning precious nap-time minutes that should’ve gone to laundry, or, I don’t know, sleeping.

Fast-forward 20 months: I’ve got numbers, stories, and a few surprising moments worth sharing. Not the shiny “look how perfect everything is” kind. More like: the flatlines, the scary two-month break when my dad got sick, and the pie chart that proves half my income isn’t subscriptions.

So I sat down and made a 15-minute video that spills it all. No sugarcoating. Just what it’s really like to build a paid subscription business while juggling mom life and everything else.

Grab a coffee. Or wine. Or both. And come watch with me because….

2025 is just around the corner.

Like, really around the corner. As in: only 100 days left (depending on when you open this, it might be 99 or 98… time is rude like that).

We’re in that weird mid-season space. Not quite the fresh start of January, not the “wrap it up” of December. The perfect time to pause and reflect.

That’s exactly what I did.

Here’s a taste of what’s inside the income report:

• How I went from zero paid subscribers in January 2024 to x today

• The scary two-month break when my dad got sick (and what happened after)

• The whole pie chart of my income streams

• Courses, consulting, YouTube, digital products, paid subscriptions… — how it all adds up

• And why being in the top 50 in Germany and top 25 worldwide still doesn’t feel like “I’ve made it”

• Plus, what’s coming NEXT!

⭕Three things to circle in your calendar (FREE for paid members)

• Tuesday: The Future of Substack & Mompreneur Power w/ Ana Calin 💪

• Wednesday: How To Die Happy & Write With The End In Mind w/

  

• Thursday: Live Q&A Session
  Bring your questions. I’ll bring answers (and maybe a little tough love).

• ((For Bootcampers: Surprise LIVE))

If you’re not a paid member yet, this is the moment.

👉 Upgrade here and get instant access

Because the video, the pie chart, the nitty-gritty numbers, all of that is for paid subscribers.

And I even left a surprise for you on the sign-up page.

👉 Watch the full breakdown here (paid subscribers only)

Enjoy!

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Do you worry that starting with zero subscribers means no one will ever read your work?

Do you feel like an outsider in your niche, wondering if you even belong in the subculture you’re writing about?

Do you catch yourself asking:

Will this ever go anywhere?

In one of our exclusive writing workshops inside the Online Writing Club, Raz Rauf shared he had those exact same doubts.

What It Feels to Start From Nothing

When he launched his Substack, , in March 2023, there wasn’t an audience waiting.

“I had no audience when I launched. Zero. I just started writing because I wanted to figure out what I actually had to say.”

He had no profile in the running world. No bylines. No name recognition. Just an idea and a passion for running.

“I’ve never written about running before March, 2023. No bylines in Runner’s World, nothing. I have been a runner on a personal level for 20 plus years, but… I was coming in writing about runners writing about running.”

Consistency and Clarity Are Crucial

From the start, Raz committed to publishing regularly.

“I was publishing once a week… the main post with the profile, it’s well researched. I’ve got to take time interviewing the person, transcribing it, writing it in a way that is coherent. You know, it’s like the equivalent of a three-page magazine article.”

By summer 2024, he added a second post each week.

“Then last summer, about a year ago, I went to a second post. So two posts per week. But that post was much more personal. And, you know, it was less time consuming, essentially.”

Consistency mattered.

But clarity mattered just as much.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, if you don’t know what you want, if you don’t know what your publication is, if you don’t know what you’re trying to convey to your reader it’ll be very apparent. And the same with any pitches. If you don’t care, then they won’t either.”

And passion drove everything.

“If you don’t like what you’re writing, if you’re writing it to try to do something in particular that you don’t really care about, everyone can see that and no one else will care. If you don’t care about it, no one else will care.”

Raz Put Himself In a Position of Luck

Like many writers, Raz dreamed of a book.

And he didn’t wait for permission.

“I just found the emails, found the commissioning editor and emailed them… through being an internet creepy guy, I guess.”

His pitch was simple.

“It was a pretty well fleshed out idea. Let’s say 10 bullet points. Just about the book that I wanted to write. It wasn’t like super well developed. I didn’t, and I still don’t know what a pitch looks like.”

At first, nothing. Silence.

And then, the publisher came back to him.

“They did approach. They emailed me… And you’ll see on my about page the first thing is: get in touch with my email address. Because that’s the most important thing. I love it when people send me emails. It’s great. I try to reply to them all.”

Raz Started Writing His Book With Every Post He Shared on Substack

When asked how much of his newsletter made it into the manuscript, Raz didn’t hesitate:

“Loads of it. I’ve reimagined a lot. I’ve used some passages in there. I’ve used a lot of the ideas in there because it’s everything I’ve been writing about.”

And his first byline?

“My first byline is going to be my book.”

Raz’s Tip

What turned his “tiny” newsletter into the launchpad for a book deal was vision, consistency, and care.

And when asked what advice he’d give to other writers starting at zero, Raz said:

“Don’t wait to feel ready. The work you put out now is what opens doors later.”

Fast forward to today, Running Sucks has 4,000 subscribers, was named a Substack staff pick and featured publication, and opened the door to a book deal with his dream publisher.

⭐NEXT Writing Workshop With Superstar Karen: Write With The End In Mind (& Euology)⭐

📅 September 24
🕘 4 PM Berlin | 3 PM UK | 10 AM ET | 7 AM PT | 12 AM Sydney

Inside the members-only session, Karen will….

• share her writing process,

• why “writing your eulogy” is her favorite exercise, and

• how you can use it to create your most meaningful work with “the end in mind”.

You’ll also have the chance to ask her your own questions in the Chat and Q&A.

Replay will be available!

In our conversation Raz shows what can happen when you publish with clarity and stay rooted in your subculture.

The smallest newsletter can open the biggest doors!

Tell me how “small” is your newsletter?

What’s the subculture you're writing about?

What “sucks” right now?

Leave a comment

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I’ll never forget the first time I met .

It was 2021, in my very first Medium Kickstarter Bootcamp.

Patricia was already in her 80s, I was in my late 30s, but we clicked instantly. I’ve always felt like an old soul and she, with her wit and wisdom, became a true online friend.

She once said to me, during one of our calls in the pandemic:

“People are longing for deeper connections.”

And she was right.

That single sentence has echoed in my mind ever since because isn’t that what writing online is really all about?

Connection!

I love this!

👉 But before I share more about Patricia’s journey, let’s talk about the LIVE Substack Notes Bootcamp (replays will be available + community + support for 14 days to answer ALL your Qs!)…

…that has helped hundreds of new-ish writers, indie publishers and dreamers like Patricia to BE SEEN and GET RESULTS.

YEAH! ME!

I’d like to invite you to:

🚨 We’re just 1 day away from the 50% OFF deadline before I reveal more BONUSES — and after that, the discount will be less. 🚨

Just trust me: the 6 (!) BONUSES are awesome. We never had so many. This time it’s in collaboration with others.

🚨There are only 35 spots left.🚨

One of them has your name on it!

👇🏻With:👇🏻

EARLYBIRD

You’ll get 50% OFF.

Gimme 50% OFF!

From Medium to Substack

I first helped Patricia get started on Medium. She became a Top Writer, got Boosted, found her tribe, and made incredible connections.

Fast forward to 2024.
I had added Substack to my online writing platforms in 2022 and had been writing about the buzzy platform on Medium. Patricia saw me exploring this new space and — in her mid 80s — decided to join too.

And once again, I had the honor of showing her what’s possible with Substack and Substack Notes in my LIVE Bootcamps.

Subscribe now

From Hidden Gem to 20,000 Readers With Substack Notes

Patricia began online writing as a hidden gem. No one knew her name.

Fast forward to 2025. One Note changed everything.

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“Oh my God — I just became a Substack Bestseller!”

I’ll never forget that moment.

I went upstairs, my toddler was downstairs watching Peppa Pig, my baby was with my husband… and I just sat there, staring at the screen in shock.

I had the badge.

The Bestseller badge!

And right then, I knew two things:

1. I wanted to tell my story.

2. I wanted to help others get here too.

Because for me, success has never been about doing it alone.

My philosophy is simple:

“I succeed when you succeed.” (My members, especially the VIPers, know this.)

And that’s why I’m so excited about this year’s Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp starting September 8.

I’m seeing alumni get amazing results with Notes, and helping them get there is honestly just as exciting as getting my own badge.

Use this code for my early bird special:

EARLYBIRD

I want in!

When My Badge Popped Up, I Recorded a YouTube Video Right Away

That video has 21,000 views and over 600 likes now.

And the question I’ve been asked ever since is:

“Kristina, how did you do it? How do you become a Substack Bestseller?”

Here’s the truth: I could’ve slapped on a flashy headline like, “How I Became a Bestseller in 2 Months.”

But I thought this would be misleading. That’s what I also shared as guest speakers in cohorts from Tom Kuegler, George Kao and many more.

Because I thought:

“Yes, the badge came fast. But it was years in the making. Writing on Medium, building consistency, practicing in public.”

But looking back?

None of that was the real driver.

The real driver was…

Read more

“Do I have to collaborate, Kristina?”

I get this question all the time.

The truth is:

“No—you don’t HAVE to collaborate.”

But if you want to grow faster, get seen by more people, and actually build a movement around your writing…
Collaboration might be the rocket fuel you’ve been missing.

I hope this post helps you see that it might be the “right” decision for you- especially if you’re “small” and don’t feel seen.

Subscribe now

As Steven Pressfield said:

“If I’m not a little afraid, it’s probably not worth doing.”

That’s exactly how the best collabs feel—just the right mix of exciting and a little scary.

Why I Did Partner With Fleur Hull

Let me give you a real example.

I met Fleur Hull on Substack Notes. She’s a single mom of two and a book coach. We clicked immediately.

She became a paid subscriber, wrote a guest post for my newsletter, and boom—it got lots of engagement and new readers. On my side, it performed beautifully too.

I could introduce her to people in my community (like who became a triple Amazon #1 bestseller! with his new book Happy Habits), and soon an idea was born: the Substack Bookstore—a way to showcase Substack indie writers’ books.

On a call, I told her:

“Fleur, I want to support you. Let’s join forces. You bring the book-coach wisdom for indies. I’ll bring list-building and monetization for smallstackers and midstackers (with small accounts that have a huge potential to grow!).

Together we’ll help writers share the book that’s inside them, monetize their words, feel finally seen and build their emails list along the way.”

That was our bonfire collab.

She just told me on WhatsApp she went from 20 paid members to 60 (many of them founding members!) after less than two weeks of our collab:

That’s 40 new paid subscribers from one collaboration + the initial idea to start the Substack Bookstore from zero, which makes it 60 paid subscribers.

She’s now at ~2,200 subscribers and told me on WhatsApp:

“Kristina, the movement is rolling.”

That’s the power of collaboration!

Subscribe now

Why Collabs Work on Substack and Beyond

In my 20s, I was working for the biggest CommsMarketing agency in the world, Edelman. I learned: Collaboration isn’t networking in the evening or at trade fairs.

It’s:

• Passion

• Experience + skills

• Collaboration itself

When you do it right and really take ACTION, 1 + 1 = 3.
You win, your collaborator wins, and your audience wins.

And here’s the deeper reason: you collab to build your list.

Because no matter what happens to platforms, your list is the audience you can take with you. It’s also the bridge from online writing or newsletter to book.

Just ask my 86-year-old friend , who turned years of Medium stories into her book From There to Here.

That’s what I want for you, too.

Because remember:

“If you don’t show your talents, share your messy stories, your YOUness, people will choose someone else.”

Subscribe now

My Three Tiers of Collaboration on Substack

I’ll talk in my next Substack Live about it, but here’s a quick masterclass on how I like to think about collabs on Substack:

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That’s a lot.

You're a time billionaire.

But most people never make the most of it.

So if you've been waiting to write that book?
Or publish the one that's been sitting in a Google doc since 2018?

This summer is your time!

Let me tell you about my friend

She’s a licensed therapist.
She’s 51.
She runs a very successful private practice in Florida.

And up until recently, she had zero platform.

No social media.
No email list.
No marketing background.

She got countless rejections telling her:

“(…) you don't have a platform. You just don't have enough of anything. (…) I like your writing.

I like the book, but you don't have what we need in modern times to get a nonfiction contract.”

But she had a story.
And a voice. She kept going.

To really get it, you need to know what came before….

Subscribe now

💔 Colette’s Divorce Triggered Everything

Colette was the first in her community to get divorced from her cheating husband. It shook her whole identity.

But instead of staying silent, she turned that moment into a new mission:
To help people express their needs, use their voice, and build a real emotional connection.

She became a therapist in Florida.
She rebuilt her life.
And eventually… she found love again.

Twelve years later, she’s married to Steve, living proof that a messy middle can still lead to a powerful second act.

Colette Got A Book Deal With A Top 5 Publisher With 51

Colette is about to publish her debut book, The Cost of Quiet, with Penguin Random House.
And it all started with a forgotten journal entry from 2018.

She shared with us that it said:

“This is the year I’m going to write my book.”

Spoiler: She didn’t write it that year. Or the year after.

But in 2023, she picked it up again.

“(…) somehow that just clicked that I didn't feel ready, but that I had been making excuses.

And I also decided that in our modern world, I wasn't going to let all the publishing gatekeeping stop me.

I was going to write and publish my book, whether I self-published, got a publisher.

I didn't care.

This was about sharing something helpful and sharing my voice with the world in the hopes of helping people.

Guess what happened next?

She got rejected over and over again.

She found an agent.
She wrote a 120-page proposal herself (after crying almost every day).

And in the end, she won a bidding war between three major publishers.

She chose the one editor who felt most human.

“I liked her because she seemed like a warm and human person,” she shared in our masterclass.
And now her book is coming out in early 2026 with Penguin Random House.

I love the new cover design already:

In the pre-launch runway phase, Colette did another amazing thing…thanks to manifestation, she gave a TEDx talk (although she got rejected 6x, even by her Alma Mater).

Subscribe now

But…

Her TEDx Moment Didn’t Go As Planned

Colette practiced her talk for months.
She memorized every line.
She even hired an acting coach.

On the big day?

• The mic didn’t work

• The slide clicker was broken

• A volunteer started clicking through the slides out of order

Her heart was racing. She felt like crying. She panicked inside.

But you know what she did?
She kept going.

“I got to just ignore the slides and give my talk. And I found my center again.

I gave the talk. But I have to say, when I got off stage, I walked out of the room and I burst into tears as soon as I was alone.

I felt like it was ruined. I felt like it was a disaster.”

She stood on that TEDx stage… and not long after, TED shared her talk with 42 million people. Just 0.07% ever get that honor.

“This talk is so personal to me— it’s about what I wish every person knew about relationships before it’s too late.”

Why Am I sharing This Masterclass Today?

Because I know many of you are thinking about your books this year. Some inside the Online Writing Club are already writing (and publishing).

• Like , who found a hybrid publisher.

• Or , who self-published Happy Habits and is now an Amazon bestseller. (Bought the book today!)

And like Colette, who started with a journal entry and a decision to try, these are your people. Learn from the ones who’ve gone before you.

Inside our monthly Online Writing Club LIVE masterclass, Colette shared:

• How she pitched her nonfiction book with zero followers

• Why rejection was a painful but necessary part of the process

• What to do when things go wrong on TEDx stage

• Why Substack is the platform she’s now building on

Subscribe now

🥁 The Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp Coming This Summer

You asked for it—and it’s coming back! 🎯
The Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp is happening this summer, and this time:

✅ Built together with WOW-worthy alumni
✅ Featuring top collab partners from the leaderboard
✅ Step-by-step help to grow your audience with Notes
✅ Templates, checklists, post ideas, and customized feedback
✅ 3-day Bootcamp + surprise workshops + fun extras

📬 Join the waitlist here!

I want to get on the list!

And yes—there will alo be a Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp for Authors!
with a bestselling Amazon author, a professional book coach, and an editor
to help you get your idea out of your head and onto the page.

If you’re a paid subscriber interested in the Bootcamp/s, hit reply or send me a DM!

Your Turn

You have around 2 to 3 billion seconds on this planet.

That’s a lot.

You're a time billionaire.

So if you've been waiting to write that book? Or publish the one that's been sitting in a Google doc?

This summer is your time.

Let’s go!

P.S. If you loved this masterclass and post and think someone needs to read this, please share 🔁 it with your community, friends, colleagues, and family, as this means A LOT to me as a part-time mompreneur. It also helps Colette to be seen! 🔁

P.P.S. Every 🧡 or comment you share is like saying, "Hey, this mattered. Keep going." It means more than you know. Thank you.🧡

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$100M Raised. Valued at $1.1 Billion. And Yes… Ads Are Coming to Substack

Substack just closed a $100 million funding round at a $1.1 billion valuation — led by the big dogs at BOND and The Chernin Group.

Add to that some very strategic names like Andreessen Horowitz, Rich Paul (the sports agent behind LeBron James), and SKIMS co-founder Jens Grede, and it’s clear:

It’s about a whole new phase of Substack.

For a long time, the company promoted itself as fundamentally ad‑free, built entirely around subscription revenue and direct reader‑creator relationships.

Over and over, co‑founder Chris Best said the team was focused on subscriptions and that ads weren’t central to their plans.

Since I know for many it’s confusing, while for others it’s even terrifying…I've started a Chat thread for you to participate in and discuss your hopes, dreams, worries, and concerns. All subscribers are welcome to join!

The REAL headline everyone (should be) buzzing about:

Substack is officially entering the advertising game!

In our Chat thread, we’re already talking about it:

Yes, native ads — the very thing Substack once swore off (similar to saying Substack will be FREE forever) — are now on the roadmap.
But before you panic, let’s break it down from a marketing and brand management standpoint:

What Exactly Are Native Ads — and Why Should I Care?

Good question. Many might be asking this.

Native ads aren’t annoying banner ads or irrelevant pop-ups.
Instead, they’re seamless, in-feed sponsorships that blend naturally into the reader's experience.

When I was working for the CommsMarketing agency Edelman in my twenties, native ads were hot and new, generating millions of views for our clients.

Why?

Because they aren’t so easy to spot.

This is an example from Germany’s top-tier media, BILD:

No one would think this story about amateur sports would be paid content! BILD incorporated it into their look and feel.

The featured image aligns perfectly with the online presence, and the texts and headlines could also have been written by a reporter from BILD (and this is often the case).

What Does This Mean for Substack?

Think ads that look and feel like part of your content, but clearly labeled and often creator-approved:

• A brand sponsor highlighted at the top of the Substack Notes feed

• A sponsored post in the Staff Picks section on the Explore page

• Tailored offers that match the theme of your newsletter so you’ll share a …

• A “Brought to you by…” note in your newsletter (you can manage)

• … in your podcast episode

• … (many more examples we’ll talk about in the following newsletter)

And here’s what we (me and the experts I’m talking with) think:

Substack won’t just allow native ads; they’ll likely help creators manage and place them.

Mike Kerns from The Chernin Group (the guy leading the round) said it straight in a New York Times story:

“We think it is a massive opportunity to launch a native form of advertising within the Substack ecosystem at some point.”

And you better believe that “some point” is coming fast.

Finnegan Told Us MONTHS Ago!

If you’ve been riding with The Online Writing Club, you already knew this was coming.

That’s because (or Mr. Anonymous, as I call him), one of our most trusted insiders, dropped this exact bombshell in one of my interviews and our members-only sessions months ago.

Besides being an ad executive, father, and writer, he used to be a political appointee under President Bush, known for his bluntness and experience in Republican politics. He has testified before Congress, briefed Presidents, and met with top officials—including foreign leaders and intelligence officers. Though he stayed out of the spotlight, he worked behind the scenes in high-security settings like the White House Situation Room, the Pentagon’s “Tank,” and ultra-sensitive Gang of Eight briefings.

He said the move to native ads was inevitable. He predicted brands would want in once Substack Notes and the app started to take off. And he explained how writers like us could benefit from it — if we play it right.

That’s why we recently hit 14,000 subscribers.
Because people trust The Online Writing Club to not only break the news, but also add context, insight, and a game plan.

Subscribe now

🎧 Wanna Hear It from the Source?

Finnegan didn’t just whisper the truth. He sat down with me for a deep-dive podcast episode and special class that covers it all:

• How native ads might work on Substack

• Who they’re good for (and who they’re not)

• And how writers can prepare to benefit instead of panic

👉 Listen to our podcast together here (7,000! podcast downloads so far!)
👉 Watch the YouTube breakdown here

👉 Watch our deep-dive masterclass today.

I’m releasing an exclusive replay of our most recent Strategy Circle with Finnegan, and when I say it’s jam-packed with real strategy and future predictions, I mean it.

In this private session, we dug into:

• Substack’s app evolution

• The truth about native ads and monetization

• What writers should be doing now (even before the ads go live)

And yep…Finnegan is an annual member of the Club. Because even insiders want to stay ahead of other insiders 😉

It’s My Daughter’s Birthday Weekend!

I’m in full celebration mode 🥳
So to share the love, you can join The Online Writing Club with 20% OFF an annual membership — just this weekend.

Because whether you’re trying to stay ahead of platform changes, get in on the ad conversation early, or just build your audience with heart… this community gets it.

Also, you’ll get access to the Substack Course for beginners!

I want to join with 20% OFF!

If this story made you whisper “DANG”…

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I just got a notice from Substack that I’m #63 rising in Business.

What!? I’m so surprised and stoked.

And what does Substack use to determine that ranking? Anyone know?

That’s what tribe member, online course instructor, and teacher shared together with this screenshot:

Rodney is relatively new to Substack, and I sooooo felt his excitement.

Maybe you also got one of these exciting messages and did your happy dance or you saw others sharing these mini successes on Substack Notes and were just thinking:

What the…

So let me explain what the Substack leaderboard is and what the new “rising in (category)” means.

I’m a global top #25 Substack writer. Currently, I’m at #21 in the Substack category #Education.

Funny story: Before I went on what became a two-month mini-retirement (as Tim Ferris would say) with my family, I was ranked at #24. Lessons learned: Take an extended break this summer! You’ll never be this young again, no matter your age and the Substack leaderboard ranking changes all the time.

I’m writing this at 6 am in a small hotel room in Austria. Here in Saalbach Hinterglemm (1000m) in the heart of the Alpes, near the famous ski village Kitzbuehel, we’re surrounded by 2000ers.

This high-altitude air always keeps waking me up early.

But now let’s get started by reading this post and by watching the replay of our LIVE masterclass where I answered ALL your burning questions…

What Are Substack Leaderboards Anyways?

On a meta level, the new leaderboards bring the Substack ecosystem to life.

They are tools that help writers and creators find…

• new peers,

• newsletters to subscribe to,

• potential collaborators,

• inspiration.

• help the Substack built-in audience discover fresh, compelling voices (like yours).

I think Substack’s leaderboards are amazing.

They can show you who’s….

• growing fast

• who’s earning big

• and give you ideas, inspiration, and

• even motivation to keep going (although your list is super teeny tiny).

However, at the same time, I know many stress too much about the rankings, so I hope with this post I can calm your nervous system.

If you zoom in, there are two main types of leaderboards:

What Does “Rising” On The Substack Leaderboard Mean?

Since the beginning of 2025, Substack shows you the fastest-growing publications in each Substack category.

Substack has 29 Substack categories ranging from #Business to #History:

You can find these on the Explore page.

As you can see now, “New Bestsellers” is the first thing you see. That’s new.

“New Bestsellers” shows you trending newsletter writers who are “rising” on Substack as WOW-worthy tribe members to watch…

in #Philosophy (also already a global bestseller!):

in #Education (also a global bestseller already)

or in #Sports (on her way to become a global bestseller):

(Of course, many more members of the Online Writing Club are “rising” and trending on Substack. I SEE you all and cheer you all on, even if you’re not mentioned here. In case you have an incredible success story to share,, I might have missed, let me know in the comments. Hugs!)

Now, what does Substack use to determine that ranking?

Money!

This ranking is based on paid subscription growth (!) - updated on an hourly basis.

This is perfect for new writers starting to make waves on Substack who are not yet featured on the top bestsellers page.

Who Am I “Rising” With?

Also, it’s always interesting to see who you’re rising with. Since it’s updated on an hourly basis. This is where…

“Kristina I’m on the leaderboard… no I’m not “rising” anymore”

… is coming from.

I think it’s insane. So, for your mental health, keep this in mind. It’s changing HOURLY!

Here’s a WOW-worthy moment of my online writing life. I got featured together with #1 global bestseller in #Education and million dollar writer and ghostwriter, Cole from “Write with AI”:

He’s a legend.

My tip: Take a screenshot for your motivation and inspiration board and see it as a funny milestone rather than complaining or crying your lost your “rising” status.

It’s not worthwhile on Substack that is a river. People come and go. The river flows.

What Is A Global Top Bestseller?

Again, it’s about money!

The top bestseller ranking highlights the highest-earning publications, ranked by annual recurring revenue (ARR).

It celebrates sustainable, long-term success and subscriber loyalty.

Here, you can see that #20 is a writer who shares how to nourish your puppy. On #22 it’s about rhetoric, and on #23, it’s about teaching French.

To give you a feel for the money that is in the pot: The top bestsellers earn $200,000+ (depending on the category).

Where To Find The Substack Leaderboards?

• Click on your avatar

• Click on EXPLORE (https://substack.com/browse)

• Click on one of the 29 categories that interest you

• Check out the new leaderboards in this category

Here’s a full list of the 29 Substack categories for you:

I need this list!

Where Do I Find “Bestsellers” vs. “Rising” Newsletters on Substack?

Once you select a category that interests you, you can explore the two boards.

Let’s pick #Humor where you can see the top 100+ bestsellers globally…

and rising such as tribe member and humor writer who is often trending…

How Often Do The Substack Leaderboards Get Updated?

The Substack leaderboards are updated frequently.

“Rising” every few hours.

Global bestsellers daily.

You’ll get a notification when you appear in “rising”.

My tip: Don’t stress too much about it. Similar to Medium, where I became a Top Writer in multiple categories… it’s often a vanity metric and even the biggest substackers share they are experiencing high churns this summer. Ans many tribe members tell me their growth is super slow.

At the same time, others have one viral post on Notes and “rise” super fast as founding member who’s now a bestseller with almost 30,000 (!) subscribers within 6 months.

Here’s her guest post:

How Am I Ranking On Substack In My Country?

A few months back, I was talking with a Substack representative and this person told me I’d belong to the TOP #50 authors in Germany.

I was soooo surprised and stoked.

“I can show you… Most writers don’t know about this.”

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Or are you thinking about quitting LinkedIn as you’re not seeing any reason why you should continue spending time on the platform?

You're not alone.

But here's the good news: there's a way to make these two platforms work in harmony (without quitting one!) that no one talks about yet.

It’s by creating a powerful LinkedIn-Substack flywheel that turns casual readers into loyal subscribers—and eventually, into customers.

I want you to capitalize on both platforms - especially when you’re already on LinkedIn, you might be missing out.

In our latest masterclass, we sat down with the incredible , a book coach, author and founder of .

Neera has cracked the code on building a LinkedIn–Substack growth strategy that's both effective and manageable (while traveling).

We were also joined by from and who works for ActiveCampaign. He shared his own experiences and strategies and convinced me that most LinkedIn users and employees build something on the side, so it’s fine to publicly “market” it.

But before you watch the replay, here are three surprising takeaways from our conversation:

3 Surprising Takeaways from the Masterclass

1. Neera optimized her LinkedIn profile to drive traffic to Substack—without any gimmicks.
Neera shared how she set up her profile, banner, feature section, and "About" page to channel LinkedIn views into email subscribers, resulting in hundreds of new readers and subscribers.

Here’s more:

2. Neera recycles her content every 90 days—and no one notices.
She revealed a simple system that helps her fill three months of content in one go, reducing stress and increasing growth across both platforms (while traveling).

3. Neera became a LinkedIn Top Voice, then lost the badge, and now wants to win it back
LinkedIn’s NEW (!) Top Voice criteria emphasize writers who:

“Consistently educate, inform, and inspire.”

That means:

• Writing posts that teach something or tell a unique story

• Sharing personal insights, not just curated links or generic (AI-written) advice

• Providing practical tips—especially ones others can apply quickly

Now that the Top Voice badge is time-limited (6 months), the window to requalify may depend on:

• A rolling review of the past few months of activity

• Hitting a certain level of reach, engagement, or profile views

• Being active in a recognized niche (e.g. writing, book coaching, personal branding)

While LinkedIn doesn’t publish the exact criteria, they do reward momentum.

You can also watch our interview for more tips:

🎁 Special Gift from Neera for ALL readers - 30% OFF

Neera is offering a special discount on her products:
🛠️ The 90-Day Reusable Content System – a plug-and-play plan to simplify your LinkedIn content strategy, and 🛠️The LinkedIn Playbook - what she learned on her way to becoming a LinkedIn top voice.

👉 LinkedIn Playbook

👉 90-Day Reusable Content Creation System

With the code:

AUTHORCIRCLE

You’ll get 30% off!

(You can also contact Neera if you need a special discount!)

Ready to build your own Substack Strategy from scratch?

Join my Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp—the easiest and proven way for everyday (part-time) writers to launch (or relaunch) your newsletter and earn your first $1,000!

👉 Enrollment is open now with monthly calls and direct access via DMs.

Let me join!

Psst! If you’re thinking about becoming an annual member, you’ll get an extra 20% off! Just send me an email or DM when you join the paid member circle.

Let me join!

Right now, I’m up in the thousand-meter peaks, surrounded by the green giants of the Black Forest. It’s one of those places that makes you feel small—and full of stories.

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