Hey Everyone,
In 2023, we’ll see more Creators pivot into having a Substack, and I wanted to create a super-thread about it and here it is, feel free to browse through it for some context, coverage and collections.
I’m just a nobody on Twitter, but if you are thinking of building a niche, there’s increasing reasons to do so.
Super Thread (see the comments)
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
"Private Message from E. Jean Carroll: “Don’t start an affair, start a Substack” @niubi
If you were an early Substack Creator you have now seen the proof of this advice.
The crazy part is you are still "early" in 2023 to begin one. @SubstackInc
Building on Substack! 🚀🔥💡
5:35 AM · Jan 12, 2023
2 Reposts · 3 Likes
1. The Recommendation Feature of Substack (April, 2022)
Changed everything for first-comer Substacks.
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
Lenny @lennysan
Lenny Rachitsky @lennysan
Legit growth inflection right after Substack launched their recommend-other-newsletters feature. Thank you Substack. https://t.co/bU4dYkDkew
5:36 AM · Jan 12, 2023
2. Niche Creators ride current event waves
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
Movements like #FTXscandal or #TwitterFiles lead to new "Substack" Stars, the U.S. elections will drive further growth here in 2023 and especially 2024.
Let's think about how citizen journalism is accelerating:
washingtonpost.com
Influencers outshine traditional media on coverage of FTX implosion
11:45 AM · Jan 12, 2023
3. A Newsletter is a Minimum Viable Product
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
A Newsletter is a "Minimal Viable Product" that leads to other marvels like Podcasts. just ask @bmorrissey's voice! (easily my favorite).
Where are people writing @inboxreads
inboxreads.co/blog/state-of-…
5:55 AM · Jan 12, 2023
1 Like
4. Book Authors are making Substacks and Substack Creators are Becoming Writers and Starting YouTubes
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
Another #Tech writer who is a bit of an unsung hero of Substack is @bytebytego's team and @alexxubyte
He's taken the edutainment genre further in just a few months in 2022 into 2023.
40 episodes in, what is the limit for this design and education?
blog.bytebytego.com
ByteByteGo Newsletter
12:14 PM · Jan 12, 2023
5. Fiction Writers are finding their 1000 True Fans
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
How can actual literature writers make it in this digital world? Elle gave a good interview on YouTube. #writerslift #fiction
What if "pure-play" writers and poets could actually find their 1000 true fans? #1000truefans
youtube.com
How Elle Griffin Makes $15,000/Year on Substack
12:29 PM · Jan 12, 2023
6. TikTok and YouTube Influencers are Building Monetization Streams on Substack
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
2022 was also the year major TikTok and YouTube creators built Substack Newsletters.
Such as Internet Princess:
(who is awesome) and shows essay writing is still very much alive for GenZ as well.
@raynefq (256k followers on TikTok).
internetprincess.substack.com
internet princess
6:54 AM · Jan 12, 2023
7. Publishing is Dead, but Serializing your Books online is Going Strong and things like BookTok
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
“Publishing is dead,” says writer Elle Griffin. Fiction authors are thriving on Substack.
theinformation.com/articles/the-w…
5:48 AM · Jan 12, 2023
8. Substack Writers also Start Podcasts, and sometimes it goes well:
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
2022 was the year business and tech writers thrived on Substack. @lennysan started a Podcast and it became a hit, now on Spotify's top tech Podcasts in a very short period.
(see it at the bottom). 🔥 Clearly, Substack is no longer just for political antagonists.
11:58 AM · Jan 12, 2023
9. Politician Writers can build Media Empires out of Substack. Don’t underestimate this trend. The Dispatch and TFP are’t unique.
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
Bari @bariweiss launched The Free Press (TFP) literally a new way of doing Media in 2023 around the same time as @elonmusk launched the #TwitterFiles
All of this means Substack elevates Twitter.
Complements and transcends it.
freepress.net
Free Press
6:13 AM · Jan 12, 2023
10. As Audiences Mistrust Mainstream Media more, they are turning to Independent Voices
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
Is Substack new media ownership?
"The Substack boom is more likely to be in its infancy than at its end, for a simple reason: it may provide the best answers to some of the perennial problems of journalism."
newstatesman.com
Is Substack the future of media?
5:44 AM · Jan 12, 2023
1 Like
11. More Women and Female Independent Voices are thriving as Solo Entrepreneurs
Michael Kevin Spencer@MichaelKevinSp2
I'd like to think that women are powerful in this media. I guess we'd have to ask @HC_Richardson
She's a history professor but her voice is now a uniquely American voice.
Her Newsletter has 100s of thousands of paid subscribers.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
Letters from an American
7:03 AM · Jan 12, 2023
There are about 30 other topics on the thread.