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Should you serialize your memoir on Substack?

Yes! Why? Five reasons:

* Memoirs are well suited to the platform.

* It’s an opportunity to show proof of concept to agents and editors (i.e., that people are interested and will buy the book). Right now, publishers don’t consider writing on Substack previously published. My editor at HarperCollins encouraged me to serialize my new memoir Cured (the sequel to my journalistic memoir Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses) before we go to sell it. My powerhouse agent and I ultimately made the decision to do so together—I mention that she’s a powerhouse to reassure you she knows her stuff.

* You’ll become a more attuned memoirist.

* It will make you a sharper editor of your work.

* The result will be a more mature book.

Yes, you’ll build your platform and email list, but the best part about serializing a memoir on Substack is the way it will change you and your book. Let me explain.

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