Like many writers I have an email newsletter (though unlike many of my more disciplined colleagues I am not fastidious about posting to it regularly). It is not the platform I use, but the highest-profile longform email newsletter platform is Substack. It is also the one that tries hardest to engage with the writing and publishing community in an endeavor to make the case that it is both a valuable tool for engaging with readers and a (financially) valuable medium for writing in and of itself.
ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway
This week there was a very interesting piece in the Bookseller outlining Substack's efforts in this regard as it seeks to position itself as a natural home for writers looking to do different things. The specific news in this case appears to be a series of direct events between key Substack staff and industry figures. The first of these, to be held in November, will be for agents looking for ways to engage with successful Substack writers, but there seem to be plans for others bringing writers and other publishing professionals into dialogue with Substack.
A Platform for All Writers
The platform's “Head of International” Farrah Storr has some noteworthy comments in the piece, including stating, “There is a real need for a place that can offer additional creative and financial opportunities for writers.” Substack of course very recently announced a new advertising revenue stream for its writers, with advertising partnerships available to writers who meet a minimum requirement of 100 paying subscribers.
One of the things I have seen questioned in the past is the relevance of a platform like Substack for fiction authors. So it was heartening to hear Storr (though as someone with a vested interest) emphasize the presence of successful fiction and nonfiction authors. It was also clear that not only are authors “content marketing,” connecting with readers, and finding representation—they are also self-publishing books in serial form.
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