Substack: good for marketing and/or publishing?

[M Corbett]

I’ve been trying to think of ways to find an audience for my first book, as I write it. Does anyone have pros, cons or advice for considering Substack?

My book is urban low fantasy, with some science fantasy (one such plot line so far). Likely to be about 100k pages in 40-50 chapters. I’m currently 20k pages into the first draft. I like the idea of more of a blog approach to marketing, as opposed to the shorter sharper stuff on Twitter, Instagram or Reddit. Then again, maybe it’s a combination.

Thoughts, Giant Mythic Brain?

 

[Prince of Spires]

I don't use Substack, I only glanced at it from a distance. From that it seems like a fine blogging and Newsletter service. So if you want to blog and send newsletters, then it looks like it fits the bill.

The main thing (which is universal across all platforms by the way), is that it doesn't automatically give you an audience. You still need to find a way to get people to your blog / newsletter. Which is still a lot of work, and either means finding a way to rank in search results, using ways to build a newsletter audience (there are lots), trying to get traffic from other blogs (by commenting or guestposting for instance), or drive traffic there using shorter sharp stuff like Twitter and Reddit.

 

[Ned Marcus]

I came across one fantasy writer who was publishing her novel, section by section, with AI-generated art, on Substack. She had mostly non-paying subscribers, but a growing minority of paid subscribers.

 

[M Corbett]

Surprised how quite this thread has been, would have thought this was a hot topic for writers…

 

[Rexenm]

I think it is a stress ball scenario. How about the amazon route, in time. It seems just a little too comfy over there, in the reading corner.

Or is it a case of making appearances and networking? You got to push the buck, right the way to the top, to smell this cheese.

To my mind, there are two options. But the third, is doing nothing.

 

[Ned Marcus]

would have thought this was a hot topic for writers…

For some writers. I'm interested but so busy on other stuff. Perhaps later. How about you? Have you started anything on Substack yet?

 

[pmmg]

I have no opinion on substack. But as i go through my journey ill post about in my scribbles thread. Maybe stuff their will come around to help you.

 

[M Corbett]

For some writers. I'm interested but so busy on other stuff. Perhaps later. How about you? Have you started anything on Substack yet?

Not yet, planning to give it a go soon. Reckon I’ll use but that as Medium to begin with, possibly switching to Substack paid later. So far it seems easier to reach an audience on Medium but no replacement for engaging elsewhere.