Review: one year on Substack

We made it! Fifty-two weeks of consistent publishing and 52 weeks of consistent reading—thank you so much!

Photo by Kelly Common on Unsplash

Hitting this milestone has given me the idea that this post should be a bit different from any others you’ve received from me so far.

It’ll be a year in a review without too much stretch. 

What does a year in review mean to me? I started my Substack journey 52 weeks ago and have published every week without a break. Why?

In January, I read the article by the first-ever publication I chose to pay for, KRISTINA GOD. Kristina wrote this article:  Write a Newsletter 52 Weeks in a Row and Watch It Change Your Life¹.

The promise of consistently publishing for 52 weeks was too intriguing to pass on. So here we are. 

This review is a departure from the usual. I won't overwhelm you with numbers because they can be as unreliable as the digits on a scale. You know what I mean: up 5kg, down 5kg - a never-ending cycle.

I'll share this graph with you, which summarizes my newsletter's growth so far.

Note: I don’t have paid turned on, so I am not sure what that 1 paid is; maybe me? To access the graph on your publication, go to Dashboard → Subscribers → All Subscribers

Is it a great representation of the past 52 weeks? Yes. Could it be better? Absolutely.

Some publications’ reports show much faster growth, which is incredible.

I have changed a lot over the past year, and in the grand scheme of things, I am happy I did. It has been a year of learning and improvement for the better, so I am not going to beat myself up for not meeting my 'unrealistic' expectations.

Over the past year, eighteen publications have recommended my work, and I always try to reciprocate the support. If you haven't already, please consider recommending the Coffee Break newsletter.

Here’s how to add a recommendation

Dashboard → Recommendations → Manage → Add recommendation

Here's a tip from

Mika

she recently shared in the article, Substack Diaries: The impact of recommendations², on how to add your custom recommendation button. So, I’m testing it out.

Three different names

Over the past year, I have renamed my publication multiple times, gained and lost subscribers, and written about productivity, time management, and burnout. I have also faced insecurities about my writing. Additionally, I got stuck in a rut with my logo and branding until I decided to give it up (more about that in a future article).

Writing Classes

I have enrolled in writing classes with

Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette

and

The Mindful Writer

. I have also started following the guidance of Substack experts such as

Claire Venus

from

Sparkle on Substack

,

Sarah Fay | Writers at Work

,

Kristina God's Online Writing Club

, and

The Author Stack

by Russell Nohelty.

Joining the Essay Club to remain consistent

A couple of months ago, I joined

Sparkle on Substack

’ Essay Club, which helped me stay consistent in publishing. Claire was also kind enough to feature one of my essays in her roundup: Essay Club Round Up - Summer '24³.

Commenting, liking and supporting other writers

I used to never comment on anything I read online. It just never occurred to me. Being on Substack has changed that. Now, I make an effort to comment whenever I have something interesting to say. If I don't, I thank the author for sharing and giving the post a like. Substack has taught me to appreciate the work of others and the value of showing appreciation through comments, likes, or reposts. It's a nice and supportive gesture, so I will keep doing it.

My blocks around the Notes

One challenge I still face is being active on Notes, but I'm making an effort to change my mindset about it. Any tips are always welcome in the comments section.

Collaborating with the fellow writers

I've taken the first steps toward collaborating with other writers. I've written a summary of Tiny Habits that includes my main takeaway from the book.

Spooky with Izel

graciously crossposted it and used my post to kick off her tiny habit challenge.

Next week, I will begin the Behind the Substack series with several writers whose publications I admire and read regularly.

As I said, this is a different review than you used to. Instead of talking about what’s been done, I am going to include links to some of the articles I published in the last 52 weeks, and I think you might enjoy them.

Some of my articles you might have missed in the last 52 weeks

What's the point of being productive if it makes you miserable?

Everyone is insecure about something.

Closing the stress cycle

Time smart: “How to reclaim your time and live a happier life”

My journey on Substack so far

What’s coming up in the second year? 

In my second year on Substack, I plan to launch the Behind the Substack series, which will feature interviews with other Substack writers. 

I will also report on some of the most popular Substack publications and strive to understand and share with you what makes them successful so we can learn from their strategies.

My plan is to test the available tactics and see what works. I will start with

Tom Kuegler ⛺🪵🔥

's Notes challenge⁴ next week.

My goal is to write my way into my dream job of making a living as a writer and becoming the journalist I've always wanted to be.

Along the way, I hope to create a community of like-minded people, including those who have a passion for coffee and need a reminder to take a break from their busy work routines. I also want to include those who are enthusiastic about learning through books and want to make their substacks a part-time or full-time job. 

Take a Break Thread

I am considering starting a regular weekly Take a Break Thread in August, where we can hold each other accountable and motivate each other to persevere and accomplish our big and small goals. Would you be interested?

Take a break. Threads would be an excellent opportunity to share links to your articles if you wrote about the discussed topic.

Here are some ideas that we could discuss during our virtual breaks. You can vote in the poll on what stands out to you the most. Apologies to the UK friends; I know you voted last week. 

Ideas for the threads:

1. Thread idea #1: What if my problem isn’t saying “no” but saying “yes”? I turn down many opportunities because I’m scared. 

2. Thread idea #2: One single goal? If I pick just one, won’t I miss out on so many others?

3. Thread idea #3: My partner says I’m a workaholic. What is the right way to schedule things to make sure I’m balancing family time with publication goals?

4. Thread idea #4: I put everything I need to do in my calendar, but I don’t stick to it. Do you have any suggestions?

Dear coffee breakers, thank you for sticking with me through multiple changes and for getting involved by liking and commenting on my posts. Your support keeps me going, and I hope not to disappoint you in my second year.

Thank you for reading and supporting my work. 

1. Write a Newsletter 52 Weeks in a Row and Watch It Change Your Life

2. Substack Diaries: The impact of recommendations

3. Out of our drafts and into the ether...

4. How To Become A Substack Notes Master In 12 Months