If you’ve ever wondered why posting on Substack Notes feels like shouting into the void, or why managing replies can quietly eat your entire day, this conversation was for you.

I went live on The Substack Writer’s Salon with Orel, a full-time solopreneur building WriteStack, a SaaS designed specifically for busy Substack creators who want consistency without burnout.

What followed felt less like an interview and more like a masterclass in how Substack actually works under the hood.

Orel is also building in public on his way to $100,000/year from the platform (he’s currently 76% there), and he was refreshingly honest about what’s working, what’s hard, and how he thinks about building a “Substack-friendly” tool without turning the platform into a spam machine.

Here are the biggest takeaways, and how you can apply them.

The Origin Story: WriteStack Started as Something Else

WriteStack didn’t begin as a Notes tool.

Orel originally built an article generator because he personally struggled to come up with post ideas. The concept: a product that learns your writing style and topics, then generates article outlines.

But here’s what changed everything:

He sent it to a bunch of people (lots of DMs), asking for feedback, and almost everyone told him the same thing:

* “Writing articles isn’t my problem.”

* “Time is my problem.”

* And a few people added: “My real struggle is writing Notes consistently.”

That’s when Orel noticed something important: the growth engines on modern platforms are built on short-form consistency, not just long posts.

He looked at tools like TweetHunter, Taplio, and Hypefury and realized Substack didn’t have an equivalent.

So he pivoted.

What started as an article idea generator became:

* a Notes scheduler

* Plus AI idea support

* Plus performance insights

* Plus an “ecosystem” around Notes and engagement

And that ecosystem became WriteStack.

‘How Are You Doing This Without a Substack API?’

Substack doesn’t have a public open API, which is the first question most people ask.

Aurel’s workaround is clever (and very practical):

WriteStack uses a Chrome extension that sends Notes on your behalf—through your browser, from your IP address.

That’s why, at the moment, your computer needs to be running for scheduled Notes to go out. The action is happening through your Chrome session, not through Substack’s backend API.

What Happens If Substack Adds Scheduling (or an API)?

I asked the obvious question: “What if Substack builds this themselves?”

Orel’s answer was counterintuitive:

It would help him grow faster.

Why?

Because scheduling is only one feature. If Substack adds basic scheduling, it’ll likely be minimal—schedule/cancel, done. But WriteStack is designed to make the whole workflow faster:

* Managing lots of scheduled Notes without chaos

* Handling replies and engagement in a smoother system

* Having analytics and idea generation in the same place

In other words, even if Substack copies one feature, they’re not likely to replicate the convenience layer that makes a creator’s day easier.

The Most-Used Features (This Part Was Gold)

I asked what people actually use most.

Aurel ranked WriteStack’s usage like this:

1) Notes scheduling + Notes management

No surprise. That’s the headline feature.

2) The Activity Center (a close second)

This one matters because Substack replies can get tedious fast.

WriteStack’s Activity Center shows:

* What you need to reply to

* The context of the conversation

* All comments grouped under a Note

* Fast replies with keyboard shortcuts

Orel’s claim: Responding on Substack can take 30–60 minutes, but in WriteStack, it can take ~15 minutes.

3) Analytics

This is where creators get smarter about what to post—and when to repeat what works.

My Creator Workflow: Substack as the “Main Platform”

I shared how I’ve been using WriteStack analytics:

* Identify top-performing Notes on Substack

* Repurpose and schedule versions on other platforms (like LinkedIn)

* Compare performance across platforms

It’s a reminder of something many creators forget:

You can have multiple channels—but it helps to choose one main platform as the top of your funnel.

A Big Upcoming Feature: Buffer Integration

Aurel dropped a really exciting update:

He’s integrating Buffer into WriteStack.

That means creators will eventually be able to schedule a Note in WriteStack and have it sent to:

* LinkedIn

* X / Twitter

* Facebook

* Instagram

* and more

This is a huge deal for anyone trying to repurpose Notes across platforms without copying/pasting their life away.

How He Got to 261 Paid Subscribers (and 5,000+ Total)

Aurel currently has 261 paid subscribers for WriteStack, and over 5,000 subscribers on Substack (in about two years).

So what’s driving that growth?

He promotes daily

He writes at least two Notes per day about WriteStack.

He promotes in every newsletter

Every email includes some mention or call-to-action.

He sends DMs

Especially lately, he’s been DM’ing bigger creators to show them the tool and explore collaborations.

SEO is now a major lever

He said SEO has recently increased the number of people arriving at WriteStack, significantly.

The #1 Growth Tip for Substack Creators: Fix Your Profile

This was Orel’s strongest advice, and he repeated it multiple times:

If someone clicks on your profile and can’t tell in two seconds what you do and why they should subscribe… they leave.

He gave a great example of a profile that works because it’s instantly clear:

* The name signals the topic

* The bio delivers a promise

* The reader immediately knows what they’ll get

His point: your Notes may bring people to your door, but your profile converts them.

A weak profile silently kills your growth.

‘How Do You Never Run Out of Content Ideas?’

Even Orel admitted he fears running out of ideas.

But he’s built a system that protects him:

* AI idea generation

* inspiration page (seeing what others in the ecosystem are discussing)

* analytics (repeating what works)

* saving Notes/comments into a draft library

And here’s a feature I didn’t even know about until the live:

If you have the extension installed, you’ll see a light bulb icon on Substack next to the share button. Clicking it saves a Note or comment straight into your WriteStack drafts.

That means you can build a “content swipe file” in real time while scrolling.

What’s Coming Next: “Follows” and Better Discovery

Orel also teased an upcoming feature called Follows:

You’ll be able to follow specific creators inside WriteStack and see a feed of just their new Notes, so you can engage faster without digging through the whole Substack stream.

For creators who grow through relationships and visible engagement, this could be powerful.

The Honest Solopreneur Reality: Decision Fatigue Is Real

Orel was candid about his day-to-day.

He said time and energy management are still a work in progress, and that the number of things he wants to do can lead to decision fatigue.

So he relies on a daily checklist.

His “if I do this, I’m happy” list includes:

* Write 15 Notes

* Reply to all Substack comments

* Reply to all DMs

* Send 10 DMs

* Handle support tickets throughout the day

* Write one email

It’s intense—but it also shows why his growth is steady: he treats Substack like a daily practice, not an occasional marketing push.

Final Thoughts

This conversation reminded me of something I keep seeing again and again:

Growth usually isn’t about a secret hack.It’s about doing the basics obsessively well—and making it easy to stay consistent.

WriteStack exists because Orel saw a very specific creator problem:

Substack creators don’t necessarily lack ideas. They lack time, systems, and consistency.

And he built a product around that reality.

If you’re serious about growing on Substack, steal these takeaways:

* Make your profile crystal clear in 2 seconds

* Post Notes consistently (daily if you can)

* Collaborate with creators a few steps ahead of you

* Track what works, and repeat it

* Build systems that reduce friction

Thanks again to Orel, and to everyone who joined us live.

Thank you Kathy Small, Julie Smith, and many others for tuning into my live video with Orel! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Read and Write with Natasha is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming a paid subscriber and get free access to my writing courses and my exclusive webinars.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit natashatynes.substack.com/subscribe