A brief word on subscriber count
(it’s been nearly a year!)
My one-year anniversary on Substack is coming right up (September 29th!) and I can’t believe I’m at just about 100 subscribers (currently 99)!
I took the time to poke around the settings page and the data after realizing the amazing survey feature built into the platform (NO ONE TOLD ME, it’s amazing — you can build them in-post, as you’re writing, it’s so convenient), and lo and behold I actually am growing. 🙏
Do you do this to yourself? Plod along, ignoring the small wins and forgetting to reflect and see how far you’ve come? Well I’m here to give you the ‘the speech’ this week, and tell you that you deserve better. Count those lucky stars, I bet there are more than you think.
Classic me, I see a thread and I pull a little harder: More than half of my subscribers are actually super well-rated when it comes to engagement (including regularly opening my emails)! I’m seeing a slew of 4 & 5 stars. The trending punchline about Substack (on and off the platform) is that 1 or 2 likes on a post is “good actually". So, color me a rosy shade of smiling.
A brief word on gratitude
(a giveaway! I’m so excited)
So that brings me to the celebratory milestone giveaway. I have full faith that I’ll get to 100 subscribers, but what I really want to celebrate is me sticking with something ‘just for me’ for a whole year. Nice job, me.
I’m so grateful that you deem some of my little words as worth some of your time. Fan of both esteem and gift-giving, I want to give 3 of you a book from your own wishlists!
There will be three ways to enter — you may enter some or all for 1-3 entries, but I wanted options for non-Substack-ers as well.
Entry method #1: Substack-ers
Like, & Restack this newsletter (at the bottom of the page):
Subscribe to it for free, if you’re not already
Follow me on Notes, if you’re not
And message me a link to your Amazon books wishlist (privately or in the Struggling Writer chat — do not add it to the public comments on this post, I don’t want anyone doxing themselves)
Never set up an Amazon wishlist before? They look like this, and you can find instructions on how to set one up here.
The giveaway winners will be selected on Sept 15th! :)
I’m also doing giveaways on both Instagram and Threads.
Feel free to join in for another entry over on those platforms!
IDK, I’ve also been told that I should start TikTok, but I’m really over the social media hill as it is and while I have an account I only consume tiktoks at the moment. While I have a penchant for the embarrassing (it’s kind of fun that way) I worry I’ll be too annoying or the target of bullying. What do you think?
A Stacktember Update
(Week 1)
It’s official, lots of folks are interested in Stacktember (it’s a busy, enthusiastic season, I’ve learned this myself through trial, error, and experience)! And they’re not just interested here, on Substack. So while only time will tell exactly how many flash fiction pieces come this way, I can be absolutely CERTAIN that this little activity (the prompts mostly) has done two things:
Provided value to others with a few prompts to spark some creativity 💖
Gotten the good word out there about Substack.
What we really need on this platform is more community. And the community we need are not already here. We need other folks who enjoy writing and reading on this platform, and we need to show them the possibilities if you don’t intend to monetize your newsletter (ever, such as I intend, or at least for a good long while, as may be right for others).
With everything that Substack provides: The analytics, the tools for writing (now on the go for Apple users, and Android method in dev), and a free location to both create a newsletter and act as a hub of sorts (with the creation of individual pages), we need to start discussing the platform in this light: A fully-fledged website and creator’s space. Right now some joke that Substack has the reputation of a bit of a cash grab at best, and predatory at worst. And if you’re in the wrong circles, it might feel that way.
“[W]e need to start discussing the platform in this light: A fully-fledged website and creator’s space.”
This is not to disparage everyone that offers paid tiers. I have seen good models with strong value provided for the subscribers. But not every periodical that offers paid pledges provides the value they’re collecting for. And I know my readers who exist here (as opposed to my email-only readers) have seen as much.
SO! I’ve finished my flash fiction piece (prompt: A ______ Wizard, title: “The Depot Wizard”) and I’ll probably create a page for it, to start adding in links to the pieces that I’m tagged in. Then either at the end of each week or maybe the end of the month I’ll do a round-up post of everyone. But this post is getting long as it is, so that will be saved for later this week!
For those that are interested: There’s no wrong way to write! 😎
Until next time,
Nico
Congrats! And great idea to run a giveaway!
Happy anniversary 🎉🥳🍾