Why Everyone Suddenly Wants a Newsletter in 2026
The shift from rented followers to owned audiences is happening fast
I’m not writing the thing I’m supposed to write today.
You know that one big piece sitting in drafts. The one I keep telling myself I’ll start tomorrow. Yes. That one.
Instead, I’m here writing this newsletter. At least I’m prolific here, haha.
A few minutes ago I spoke with the amazing Walter Rhein (I inspired him to join Substack and now he’s a bestseller and is live almost every day). We’re recording the Medium School course together right now.
He gave me a kind but honest PEP talk.
He said he’d rather see me write the messy thing than wait for perfect. Especially because I keep telling myself I might not be good enough. Non-native. Part-time writing mom. Busy life. Dunno how to squeeze in another project. All the stories.
He’s right of course. I know he’d rather see me writing the thing I’m avoiding.
But since I’m here anyway and clearly in a writing mood, let me share something important.
Because many of you asked me lately about the future of newsletters and today I shared a YouTube video about it.
So the question I get asked all the time:
Kristina, Is the boom over? Or are we just getting started.
So I put my journalist hat on and dug deeper.
Here’s what I found.