Notes Boost Challenge

* (00:00:22) Introduction to the Notes Boost Challenge

* Created when Substack introduced notes

* Notes is now 2 years old and offers phenomenal growth potential

* (00:01:21) Purpose of the Notes Boost Challenge

* Created to connect Substack writers with each other

* Helps writers gain visibility through engagement

* Not about frequency but quality of engagement

* (00:03:11) How the Notes Boost Challenge works

* Writers share notes in comments

* Others can boost notes they genuinely like

* Creates community and connection between writers

* (00:04:05) Mental health considerations

* Emphasis on keeping Notes a mentally healthy space

* Recommendation to limit time in the main notes feed

* Notes Boost helps avoid toxic aspects of social media

* (00:06:01) Participation process

* Post your note in the comments

* Others find and boost notes they genuinely like

* Will separate into categories (culture, health, literature, etc.)

* (00:07:32) Timing of Notes Boost

* Emails go out at 9 AM daily

* Being early increases traction

* Will add afternoon boost at 2 PM (everything closes at 5 PM)

* (00:09:49) Types of notes that get traction

* Tweet-like short posts

* Facebook-style life updates

* Instagram-style photos with captions

* Longer text-only posts with a story/narrative

* Avoid links in posts

* (00:14:13) SEO in notes

* Using keywords helps visibility

* Search for your topic to see what works

* Curate your feed for better experience

* (00:16:44) Importance of authentic voice

* Don't use AI - readers can tell

* Voice and tone are what AI can't duplicate

* Personal stories and authentic voice get traction

* (00:18:01) Growth potential

* Example of client gaining 5,000 subscribers from one note

* Email lists are valuable assets for authors

* (00:20:59) Export your subscribers monthly

* Critical safety tip after someone accidentally deleted their Substack

* Export CSV files regularly to protect your subscriber list

* (00:22:54) Time management advice

* Don't engage with notes constantly

* Just be in Notes Boost once a day during the 21-day challenge

* Takes about an hour a day to participate meaningfully

* (00:36:33) Final tips

* Post an "introduce yourself to Substack" note

* The challenge runs for 21 days, then you get time off

* Take advantage of the growth opportunity while it lasts

Thank you all for being on our live about why Notes and a carefully chosen community are the key to real Substack growth.

Our amazing guests also shared how going viral—when done right—can lead to meaningful connections.

Katherine discusses her Substack The Wild and Holy Moment and shamanic practices and how one of restacks went viral. Jessy talks about her Substack AFTER/WORDS by Jessy Easton, her memoir, writing process, and how being personal and authentic has helped her engage more readers. Lucy discusses her note that went viral, gaining over 15,000 likes and 251 subscribers, and the importance of being seen and engaging with her audience.

I’ll have a full post about what’s going viral on Notes and the Notes Boost Challenge for you tomorrow; in the meantime, below are some of the featured Notes. Everyone featured participated in the April Notes Boost Challenge.

Join us for May’s Notes Boost Challenge, May 7-28.

* 00:00 Introduction and welcome

* 00:17 Introducing the Substack: The wild and holy moment

* 01:26 Exploring shamanic practices and death initiations

* 03:03 Highlighting the Substack's impact and community engagement

* 04:31 The power of Notes: strategies and success stories

* 06:18 Katherine's viral Notes and their impact

* 12:32 Restacks and their potential

* 20:51 Jessy’s journey: sharing hard stories on Substack

* 27:09 Publishing industry challenges

* 27:37 Substack and personal branding

* 28:08 Engaging with your audience

* 28:59 The importance of voice

* 31:32 Notes Boost Challenge insights

* 33:32 Consistency and intentionality

* 42:45 The power of authenticity

* 49:50 Preparing for the Notes Boost Challenge

* 51:43 Final thoughts and encouragement

Subscribe to Substack Writers at Work: www.substackwritersatwork.com

Today, we talk about subvocalization and how important it is to reading and voice and how important it is to writing. Voice is one of the hardest craft skills to teach and learn. If more Substack writers and authors had it, a lot more of them would be earning an income.

The most profound subvocalization-causing effects—your authentic voice, i.e., you—are rendered during the messy middle of the writing process. Past brainstorming and drafting, we get into revision and editing, where you render your voice into silent words.

I loved getting to talk about the importance of really (really) tending to your mental health on Substack.

Mental health is a word that gets thrown around a lot. It’s different for all of us. We get to decide what being “mentally healthy” looks like.

And Substack is such a wonderful platform, but it’s still a platform, meaning it is visible and very public and that can do weird things to our brains.

The amazing Alyssa Polizzi came on and shared so much wisdom for how to manage the mental and emotional strain that comes from being a human on this thing we call the internet.

01:38 My personal mental health journey

03:37 Serialization and Substack

05:28 Navigating Substack as a writer

11:25 Understanding jealousy and envy

15:13 Engagement and authenticity on Substack

24:17 Harnessing emotions for creative fulfillment

24:47 Learning from famous Substack creators

25:36 The importance of asking for support

26:39 Authenticity in writing

27:51 Dealing with envy and jealousy

29:19 Substack growth strategies

32:52 The early days of Substack

35:01 Interview with Alyssa

36:34 Building a sustainable creative practice

45:03 Final thoughts and community support

A summit on what it means to have a 100% human-produced Substack with Rosana Francescato and Matthew Long!

Thank you Joy Sullivan, Henry Oliver, Danielle Bean, Britany Robinson, Aimee Liu, and many others for tuning into my live video with Seth Werkheiser!

Should Seth and I turn this into a regular show?

If so, what should we call it???

Suggestions:

* S&S on Substack

* Substack Entrepreneurs at Work

Subscribe to Substack Writers at Work www.substackwritersatwork.com to get real Substack guidance and proven strategies that have worked for thousands of Substack writers and creators.

Today, I talk with david roberts and Gregory Garretson about how to get engagement on Substack.

So much great advice from two great Substack writers who have vibrant comments sections.

Live!

Writers at Work on the street: Punctuation from the people.

Thank you Joy Sullivan, Jo Hutton, Dr Kondrot, Beth Spencer, Diana Spechler, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.