Behind the Substack with Lucy Werner

Read the full interview with the author of Hype yourself.

Welcome to the edition of Behind the Substack. Today,

Lucy Werner

from Hype Yourself shares her approach to creativity, growing her readership, staying organised, favourite books, and self-care habits. If you enjoy this series, please let me know by leaving like, comment or subscribe for more conversations like this.

1. What’s your favourite coffee?

I’m a tea gal. 

2. Can you tell me about the moment you decided to start writing? Where were you, and what inspired you?

I actually started to write short stories around the time I was 7 years old. 
My Dad ran a business from home and he would use his invoice binder to help me ‘print’ them. I was a member of the Funday Times Club (it was a newspaper aimed at young children part of The Sunday Times).
I also aspired to be part of The Press Pack, which recruited young journalists for the BBC. 

I  journaled every night from a young age. Before it was trendy. I was given a journal with a lock as a Christmas present. That gift was instrumental in me wanting to be a writer. Academically, I drowned and lost my confidence as an adolescent. When I moved to France in mid-life I started thinking about the things I loved as a child and how could I do more of that and I was able to merge my business expertise with writing which felt magical. 

3. How has using Substack changed or influenced your writing style or topics?

Because in childhood, I harboured dreams about writing stories, I enjoy getting to tell more personal essays. I still aspire to write a few fiction books, but I need to tweak a few things in my life to do that.  

4. What strategies or efforts have been the most successful in growing your readership on Substack?

Paying for external advice. Not always perfect. But usually, there is a gem in there that has helped push me forward. I think my biggest weapon is keeping consistent. The beauty in the boring isn’t that sexy. I don’t get overnight viral successes but I do keep showing up with my hype yourself billboard. 

Other things which I am sure are common are recommendations, trying to keep some of your best writing free is an introduction and whenever I have hiked the price people tumble in. I’m trying to offer sign-on bonuses instead for 2025. 

5. Can you share an example of something you tried that worked better than expected?

I wrote a free to read piece on ‘Borrow everything I know about growing a newsletter’. It recently had a bit of a resurgence and now has 150 comments, 77 restacks and 708 likes with a total views of 14.6k. It has only converted 8 paid subscriptions according to Substack stats but I do believe it has brought people into my eco system

Borrow everything I know about growing a newsletter

6. Since you’ve started your publication, what do you consider your biggest learning so far? 

Less is more. 

7.  Can you walk us through how you plan and organise your content for your Substack publication?

I have a spreadsheet of all the topics my audience has ever told me they face challenges with, which form the PR recipes I write. Often, I will write a personal essay and let all the words flow, then split it up into 6-7 articles afterwards. At any one time, I have 30-40 ideas in a list, and I have 90 posts in draft. When I sit down to write I select the one I feel drawn towards. 

8. What tools or methods do you use to stay on top of your writing schedule?

I see it as my job so it is non-negotiable not to finish. All my readers are, in effect, my clients, and I don’t want to disappoint them. 

9. On average, how much time do you spend working on your Substack each day or week?

My combined hours are available 2-3 days a week, but this would include promotion efforts. The latter takes up most of my time.  

10. How do you juggle your Substack with other commitments in your life?

I’m a French student two mornings a week. After that, the next non-negotiables are my childcare responsibilities for my toddler on Monday & Friday.  I look after my eldest two children on Wednesdays as there isn’t a school in France that day. 

I have two afternoons and snatched moments before everyone wakes up / has gone to bed or weekends to get my Substack written.  I used to do shared parenting with my partner but he now has a good job for a technology company. I’ve given myself until September 2027 to turn my writing into an income that can replace what I made when I ran my agency. 

11.   How do you care for yourself?

Not very well. My dog Arlo is good at reminding me we must walk daily. I’m trying to explore where I live to find different routes and views of the hilltop villages.  I find cooking therapeutic, and batch cooking on a Sunday where possible, supports my week. In 2025, I will block out some alone and rest time. 

12.  What’s a book you’ve read recently that had a big impact on you?

10x is easier than 2x. The title usually makes me shudder, but it was actually great at getting me laser-focused on growing my newsletter and giving me the confidence to say no to other income. I may need to check in with you in 12 months to see if I’ve had the confidence to keep that going. 

13.  Where are you finding joy when things don’t go to plan?

I’ve been trying to regress back to things that childhood me loved. Singing at the top of my voice. Dancing round the house. Getting lost in books. Getting lost in woods where I live.  

14.  What are you working on right now?

This interview.

Thank you so much, Lucy, for sharing your stories with us! What are two things that stood out to you or that you’re taking away from this interview?

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If you enjoyed the interview with Lucy, you might also enjoy this one with Alexa:

Behind the Substack with Alexa

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As always, thank you for reading! If you enjoy this series, please let me know by leaving like, comment or subscribe for more conversations like this.