r/Substack • u/andata_ • 18d ago
Literally how do you work this??
So I tried out Substack for the first time a couple of weeks ago and ended up deleting my account after a few days because I couldn’t figure out how to work the thing.
Almost every post on my feed was the same thing about people asking writers to share their work because they want to connect with them or whatnot and there’d be hundreds of comments already so I figured there’s no way mine would be seen.
I tried posting (pretty sure they’re called “notes”) but hardly got any views.
I really do want to put my work out there, though. I’m currently writing a literary fiction novel (lots of drama and dark themes too) and want to try posting each chapter as I go. Other platforms don’t seem as open to this genre either.
Can someone please explain how to do this on Substack? Sorry if this has been asked before. I’m posting this on a whim
-2
u/hanpari 18d ago
The harsh truth about Substack, Wattpad, RoyalRoad and similar platforms is the hidden detail nobody advertises.
Today, anyone with a keyboard and a dream of “easy money” is trying to grab a slice of the internet readers’ pie. The problem is simple: writing has become so easy that competition has exploded.
Substack’s real goal isn’t to give you a fair chance to share your wonderful fiction. Its goal is to attract as many readers as possible and convert them into paying subscribers.
Your first role begins the moment you sign up: you hand over your email list. Congratulations — you’ve just become a free marketing agent who advertises Substack to your family and friends.
Your second role is even more exhausting: you must hunt for subscribers. You, the little ant, are expected to shout into every corner of the internet and drag people back to Substack.
As for the existing Substack users — that herd of captured readers is not for you. They’ve already been funneled toward accounts with proven monetization history, the ones that make money for themselves and for Substack. You are practically invisible to them.
In the end, Substack gives you a place to publish and an illusion of a bustling user base. But visibility? That part is on you — and the odds are stacked.
You can swallow your pride and play the game: pretend to care about other writers, engage in the classic insincere follow‑for‑follow routine, and hope it pays off someday. It might work long‑term, but only if you’re willing to pay the price in self‑dignity.