Online Writing Club Show

Picture a freezing Sunday morning on Long Island, New York. Chris B. Writes is sitting with the cold and the quiet, sick of the grey winter that won’t let go. Instead of scrolling his phone, he opens a blank page and writes a poem about mountains, about sunrise, and about climbing something that feels impossible.He calls it Alpenglow. He posts it on Substack and it goes viral.But let’s back up. Because the poem isn’t the beginning of this story. The beginning is a hospital room, two years earlier, and 26 days in the pediatric ICU watching his son fight for his life.A Father, a son and a reason to write poemsOnline Writing Club member and today’s podcast guest Chris B. Writes joined Substack seven months ago with ..* zero following* no email list* no strategyWhat got him started was the a feeling he couldn’t shake…that his son Brayden, who everyone calls Bray Bray, deserved to have his story told.Bray Bray was born with a rare genetic disorder, DNAI1. He uses a wheelchair. He doesn’t walk or talk. But I asked his father about him and listened to what comes out:He's a shining light and the happiest kid on the planet.Two years before joining Substack, Chris almost lost him. Twenty-eight days in hospital. Twenty-six of them in the pediatric ICU. The kind of experience that reshapes a person completely, that makes everything before it feel like a different life.And yet, here is what he said when he finally sat down to write:I joined to give him a voice, to be a witness to the miracle that he is.That word, witness, carries the entire weight of what makes his Substack work.The one post that started everythingHis first post was called His One Smile.He describes it as his “hero post”, the one where he put all his cards on the table.I'm just like, you know what? I'm going to lay it all out there. I'm going to share Bray Bray's story. I'm going to tell them exactly what's going on and why I'm here.No easing in. Straight to the heart of it. That, right there, is a masterclass in how to launch a Substack with something so real people have no choice but to feel it.And then came Alpenglow.It went viral a couple of weeks ago. And I think it's just a very relatable poem because there's an ethereal message here of the imagery of the Alps. We had a very, very cold winter here in Long Island, New York, and I wrote this poem on a very frigid Sunday morning. I was sick of the cold weather. There's a metaphor here of climbing that impossible mountain that maybe isn't so impossible.One poem. A frigid Sunday. An impossible mountain that maybe isn't. Over 200 likes. Over 100 comments. People sit with Chris’ peoms.The “Writer’s Thumbprint”: your human superpower in the “age of AI”Here is a phrase worth writing on a Post-it and sticking to your screen: writer’s thumbprint. We’re often talking about this in the Online Writing Club since I talked with a Google expert two years back and he already empasized the importance of it with AI. Chris has it and that’s why he’s rising on Substack and growing his audience.Writer’s thumbprint = the quality that makes your writing recognisably, irreplaceably yours, the thing AI can approximate but never replicate, the thing that makes a reader feel like they know you before they’ve met you. As my friend Karen Salmansohn said in our podcast interview: “The YOU-ier, the better”Chris has this in abundance. He describes his approach with an elegant simplicity:I always tend to say more with less. And you can tell my writing by the personality between the lines. I write with specific imagery and I try to ground those images. But then I also have an abstract or emotional component to my writing.That’s the structure of his poems, and it’s worth studying closely.Take his poem Shave. I thought I’d teach you how to shave as you ask me about cologne. You’d say it’s only men’s perfume.It opens with something universal: a father teaching his teenage son how to shave for the first time, that timeless rite of passage. Almost every reader can place themselves there.Then the poem pivots and everything changes.But then as we get towards the end of the poem, there's a shift that talks about, you know, all of a sudden I'm lifting you from your wheelchair. We won't be able to do certain things that we imagined.From cologne and teenage swagger, to a wheelchair lift. That gap, that distance the poem travels in a few lines, is where all the emotion lives. And then the poem comes back, circles around to the original image. It always returns home.There's always a specific image that I have in mind... really tying in my unique experiences as Braden's dad or as a caregiver to then express a larger point that anybody can really hold on to and interpret it.That's Chris’ top-secret formula for his Subsatck poems he shared with me. * Begin in the particular. * Arrive at the universal. * Let your reader bring their own story to meet yours.Grief, grace and who Chris writes forChris knows exactly who his reader is. They're poetry lovers and people in the middle of something hard…sandwiched between raising their own kids and watching their parents' health decline, or caring for someone who needs them full-time, or simply living with losses they don't have language for yet.My community, I feel like, is the later millennials into the Gen X crew. So I'm talking probably 35 to about 65. A lot of them are sandwich (caregivers). They have their own kids and then all of a sudden their parents have issues and they're thrust into those roles. And really people who understand that there are different ways to express what you're going through, but you can still do it with grace and humility.He writes toward their pain but he never leaves them there. Even when he's expressing the anger, the exhaustion, the nights he nearly falls into despair, there is always what he calls "a tinge of hope." Because there is Bray Bray's smile.His smile is the closest thing you can get to pure innocence on this planet. And really that carries us through during all of the harder times... But we learned a long time ago to grieve the life he would have had and embrace the life he does have.That sentence: grieve the life he would have had and embrace the life he does have…is itself a poem. It's also, quietly, the philosophy of his entire Substack.It's okay to have those feelings. It's valid to feel angry, frustrated, tired, exhausted. And what I try to do is express those feelings, but I always just naturally also provide that tinge of hope, that tinge of perseverance, and his smile shows that too.Chris’ 3 tips for writing poems on Substack and make your fist $1000It happened. Chris made the first thousand dollars in seven months. from poetry. From a wheelchair-bound boy’s shining smile. From a father who decided the world needed to witness something.When asked directly: what would you tell other poets who want to share their work here? Chris gave three answers. #1 Connect with other writers and actually pay attentionI write naturally, I write in waves, and I’ve been very prolific because when I read the other people on Substack, they’re inspiring me to then write in different ways that I hadn’t even thought of before. Don’t just scroll through. Like, scroll through.Pay attention, sit with some of them for a while and you’ll be surprised what you come up with based on being inspired by them.#2 Write from an audience of ONE firstDon’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Just be honest. Don’t worry about the reception because you should write from an audience of one first. If you write from that audience of one first, the rest will follow. Be true to yourself.#3 Collaborate, it leads to only great thingsI’ve collaborated with so many people over the past few months and it’s led to only great things... collaborations are amazing and I really recommend aligning with those people and then going that extra mile and collaborating with them.What built Chris’s paying audienceI joined Substack seven months ago with no prior following on a whim, right? But I figured it out. I honed my craft. And the biggest key is being real, being present, being yourself, showing empathy, building community, doing those things consistently. So don't go for those cheap things. You know, subscribe for subscribe... lend a unique perspective.And then, about vulnerability, specifically about being a man sharing vulnerability in public, which is its own kind of brave:A lot has to do with me just going all in on the authenticity of it and just being me, but being consistent with it. I am on Notes, I am present on Notes... just being accessible and knowing that everyone started somewhere is huge.And when the unsubscribes come and they will here's how to hold your nerve:For every one or two I lose for every time I post, I tend to gain like five, six or seven back from people who discover me anyway. So again, I think it's just a natural realignment going on.Your right readers finding you, and the wrong ones making space for them.BONUS tip: Substack Notes as your poetry teaser machineOne of the most practical and most underused tactics Chris has mastered is using Substack Notes not as a replacement for his poetry, but as a window into it.My poetry is definitely shareable in snippets. And it's perfect for notes when I do teasers of my longer posts. I can have like four different stanzas in a poem and tease it on notes with certain stanzas that emphasise certain things.My poetry is definitely shareable in snippets. And it's perfect for notes when I do teasers of my longer posts. I can have like four different stanzas in a poem and tease it on notes with certain stanzas that emphasise certain things.People know they don't have to spend too much time reading it but they can sit with it, digest it further and then emotionally respond to it in a way that I think fits with their lifestyle.Tease on Notes. Let them want more. Send them to the full poem. That's the loop and it works.Substack for Beginners (Substack School) opens May 7, here’s how to get accessChris ended our conversation with something I have not stopped thinking about. I asked him about Bray Bray, about what it means to build something on Substack around a person you love this much. And he said:I truly feel like he was born to be my miracle. There's a great movie called Winter's Tale and it's basically about that concept where some people are born to lift others up in ways that you might not expect. And that's what he does for us.Some people are born to lift others up in ways you might not expect.Chris’s secret sauce: Show up. Be real. Do the hard work. Share the scary thing. Repeat …for as long as it takes.But knowing the template and executing it are two very different things. That is exactly why I built Substack School, so you don’t have to figure it all out alone, the way Chris did on a whim seven months ago. You get the map. You get the community. You get me in your corner.On May 7 you’ll have access to THE Substack for Beginners course. My signature course as a Substack coach and top 15 #International Substack educator. Totally updated for 2026… because Substack keeps changing, and so does everything inside.Here’s the TOC: Substack School: Substack for Beginners♥ Find your niche, your voice, and your writer’s thumbprint ♥ Set up your Substack the right way, from day one ♥ Grow on Notes and turn readers into your community ♥ Collaborate, cross-promote, and get discovered ♥ Monetise and earn your first $1,000* weekly Q&As and monthly masterclassesWhat’s new in 2026?Starting in May, I am adding weekly live Q&A sessions with me.Me, live, answering your exact questions every single week. And if there is something inside the course I do not cover? I will record it and add it. This course breathes and grows, just like your Substack will.In addition, I’ll open up some slots for 1:1 support and coaching. I f that’s you, please send me an email at [email protected] Press Freedom Day Deal — open until this Sunday evening only:The full value of Substack School is $499. Until Sunday, you get it for a fraction of that — bundled with your full annual Club membership.Get it for about $100!One upgrade. Everything included:* The complete Substack School course — fully updated for 2026* Weekly live Q&A sessions with me starting in May* Full annual Club membership with everything that comes with it* All future updates, additions, and recorded answers, yours automaticallyHow do you get access?Simply upgrade to an annual Club membership. That’s it. You’re in!Want Substack School as a standalone purchase instead? Just hit reply and I will send you the details directly.See you at the launch!Hey, I’m Kristina, the heart of the The Online Writing Club.I started writing on the internet in December 2020, newborn in arms, during one of the most disorienting and beautiful seasons of my life. What began as a creative outlet quietly became something I never expected: a 6-figure business, a global community of 18,000 writers, dreamers, builders, and work I genuinely fall in love with every single day.In my corporate life, I’m an award-winning marketing professional and brand strategist. Here, I pour everything I know about writing, growing an audience, and building something real into every post, every lesson, and every conversation.If you’ve ever believed your story deserves to be heard and want to get paid to be you, you’re exactly who I built this for. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

There's a Substack note that stopped me mid-scroll:First, because it’s a simple template that works on Notes. Second, I read it three times because it was true. The kind of true that sits in your chest for a minute before you can scroll past it.That Note was written by Ryan Hennessey from The Unsteady Ascent. And if you weren’t in this year’s Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp, you missed one of its absolute rockstars.Who is Ryan Hennessy and why his story mattersOne year ago, on April 9th, 2025, Ryan showed up on Substack Notes for the first time.Just a former science teacher from Minnesota who had spent 10 years in public education, burned himself out, was trying to get his doctorate, teaching night classes and one day looked up from all of it and asked himself why.He had 18 subscribers in week one. Friends. Family. People who showed up out of love, not because he had earned it yet.And then he just kept going. Every single day. For 365 days.In this week’s podcast episode he shared with me that his mentor had told him early on:“Commit, if you’re going to commit, commit to a year. Can you do that of like showing up every single day on Substack Notes?”Ryan’s answer, looking back:“It’s the first thing in my life where I’m just like, this is my commitment and I’m going to stick to it. And I stuck to it.”He didn’t write to grow. He wrote because he needed toThis is the part most growth content leaves out.Ryan didn’t sit down and build a content strategy. He didn’t study the algorithm or reverse-engineer viral Notes. He wrote because a therapist told him to.“The way that I actually started writing was in private through a therapist. When I was going through a really dark time. And that’s when like that note about writing is nervous system work — that’s where it actually all started for me was writing when I was in a really dark time, and trying to get myself a little bit of separation, pull my ego out of it, to write the other person’s narrative from their point of view. So it kind of forces empathy and allows you to process it all.”That was almost 10 years ago. A divorce. The hardest period of his life.And here’s what got me: even when he wrote about that divorce recently, eight years after the fact, he still found things to work through.“Even when I was writing about it a few months ago, they’re still like, I’m finding these little charges and I’m finding these things that are going on inside my body and it’s allowing me to work through those that I didn’t even know — like I assumed it was all good and I moved past that and I learned my lessons and it’s great. But you never quite do until you actually go through. And there’s always a little something left there to work through.”That is someone using writing the way writing was always meant to be used, to understand yourself better than you did the day before.In our conversation, Ryan also described his Substack this way:“It kind of was to a large extent a classroom that I felt like the world kind of needed where I could be unfiltered, where I didn’t have to choose my words and I didn’t have to write for anybody other than myself and write about the things that I’m passionate about learning and exploring myself.”The performance gap that is silently killing your growthRyan spent 10 years in a classroom where, in his own words:“You’re not allowed to have an opinion on anything without fear of retribution from parents and students and admin.”A decade of shrinking, filtering and performing.Sound familiar? Maybe it wasn’t a classroom. Maybe it was a corporate office, a toxic relationship, or a family that had very specific opinions about who you were supposed to be. The result is the same: you learned to perform.Ryan described it this way and this is the part I keep coming back to:“There’s still going to be a me that is performative to some degree, that’s going to not say all of the things that are on my mind. Then there’s going to be me that’s more raw and authentic, the one that my close friends and family would see. And for me, I’m trying to close that gap of like, I don’t want to be performing, you know, 90% of my life and then get home and get to breathe and like not be entirely sure who I am.”That is the whole f*cking point of writing on the internet. if you do it right.The point is to close that gap.And he also said something that I think is the most important thing any writer on the internet needs to hear:“The more distance there are between those two yous, the more friction there is in your life and the more it feels like you have this incongruence that you’re trying to work through.”The real Substack Notes growth timeline, from 18 subscribers to 8,000Nobody talks about the slow part. So here it is, honestly.Months 1–4: Ryan was stuck under 100 subscribers. Four months of showing up every single day for almost no one. During this period he spent twice as much energy engaging with other writers as he did on his own Notes.“Typically in a day, I would spend twice as much energy on outreach as I would on my own notes. I would be engaging with other writers and commenting on their work and through that kind of building a community that actually supported."The first click: Around 100 subscribers, something shifted.“It felt like after I got to 100, it was about two weeks later, I got to 200. And then it was like three weeks later, I got to 500. And then at 500, it just kind of like something hit, right? One or two notes kind of caught fire. And then that fire kind of spread across everything.”The growth that followed:“Instead of just getting like one or two subscribers a day, it was like, sometimes it was as much as like a hundred subscribers a day. And sometimes it was like a consistent 15 to 20.”Today: 8,000 subscribers. 97% of that growth from Substack Notes alone.“When I compare my notes subscribers to my essay subscribers, it’s like 97% of growth has come from notes alone.”In my opinion, the algorithm did not randomly reward Ryan. He educated it through consistent behavior and it started showing his Notes to exactly the right people.The 3 Substack Notes tips that actually moved the needleTip 1 — Show up on Substack Notes every single dayNot most days. Every day. This is the non-negotiable.“The first one we’ve already talked about to death is just that consistency of showing up on notes every single day.”Ryan also described how he uses Notes as the building blocks for everything else:“A lot of times that’s what I’ll do is I’ll have the different parts of a story as notes. And when I write a note, I try to keep it just one succinct idea and then put it out there. And what I love about that is then I labor over the word choice and I get it exactly how I want for this little, usually it’s like seven or eight lines and I get it exactly how I want. And then those pieces are the larger part of a story that I’m working on for a long form story.”Tip 2 — Spend twice as much energy on outreach as on your own writingThis is the most overlooked part of any Substack Notes strategy.“There is something to be said about — when I kind of get into these lulls of just like I show up for like 10 minutes, I write a note, and then I just sign off of the app, everything responds. So if you’re actually looking at your stats, and you’re looking at your growth. Growth slows as soon as you stop that outward energy. You stop interacting with other people. You stop doing any kind of collaboration because you really are kind of stimulating those connections. And when they are commenting with you and you’re commenting with them, you show up in each other’s feeds. And as soon as that lever kind of dials down, it dials down for them as well.”Tip 3 — Share the thing you are most scared to say“Third one would be share the thing that you’re scared to say. I mean, share it, be honest with it. If you need to write from a pseudoname or something to build that muscle, do that. But you’d be so surprised by the amount of people that are actually like they resonate with yourself. Message they feel seen they feel validated even if it’s like your deepest darkest fear you’re not alone in that and it actually is energizing when other people are like I feel seen in that thank you so much for speaking that truth I know that had to be hard and just by witnessing from the readers or being witnessed there’s this profound power of just like an exhale that happens after you put it out into the world and slowly but surely you become a lot more confident in your writing.”The first time Ryan wrote about his divorce, he hit publish and then:“I think I went back to the app like three times at night. And I’m like, I can’t, I got to, maybe I should edit this. And I didn’t sleep that night. And I had to like get up in the morning and go for a run to like work through that frantic energy.”Then the comments came in. And now:“Each time I share something vulnerable it scares the s**t out of me to put it frankly — every time that I do it anyways I gain the confidence in myself to like hold that ground and to continue doing it.”Substack for Beginners (Substack School) opens May 7, here’s how to get accessRyan ended our conversation with something I have not stopped thinking about.I asked him where he would be in a year. His answer:“I’m going to answer this as honestly as possible, and I don’t know, and that excites me. My life is kind of in this, like I said, following the breadcrumbs, doing the next right thing.”That is what writing on the internet can give you back. The permission to follow the breadcrumbs, to build something that grows with you instead of something you have to shrink yourself to fit inside.Ryan’s story is not the exception. It is the template. Show up. Be real. Do the outward work. Share the scary thing. Repeat for 365 days.Let me upgrade and get the Substack for Beginners Course!But knowing the template and executing it are two very different things. That is exactly why I built Substack School and why hundreds of students have already gone through it.This is THE Substack for Beginners course. My signature course as a Substack consultant and top 15 #International Substack educator. Totally updated for 2026 — because Substack keeps changing, and so does everything inside.What’s new in 2026?Starting in May, I am adding weekly live Q&A sessions with me. Me, live, answering your exact questions every single week. And if there is something inside the course I do not cover? I will record it and add it. This course breathes and grows, just like your Substack will.In addition, I’ll open up some slots for 1:1 support and coaching.The deal — open until this Saturday only:The full value of Substack School is $499.Until Saturday, you get it for a fraction of that — bundled with your full annual Club membership.One upgrade. Everything included:* The complete Substack School course — fully updated for 2026* Weekly live Q&A sessions with me starting in May* Full annual Club membership with everything that comes with it* All future updates, additions, and recorded answers, yours automaticallyHow do you get access?Simply upgrade to an annual Club membership. That’s it. You’re in!Want Substack School as a standalone purchase instead? Just hit reply and I will send you the details directly.The 6-year-old version of you already knows what they want.Time to go get it.Hey, I’m Kristina, the heart behind The Online Writing Club.I started writing on the internet in December 2020, newborn in arms, during one of the most disorienting and beautiful seasons of my life. What began as a creative outlet quietly became something I never expected: a 6-figure business, a global community of 18,000 writers, dreamers, builders, and work I genuinely fall in love with every single day.In my corporate life, I’m an award-winning marketing professional and brand strategist. Here, I pour everything I know about writing, growing an audience, and building something real into every post, every lesson, and every conversation.If you’ve ever believed your story deserves to be heard and want to get paid to be you, you’re exactly who I built this for.P.S. Go follow Ryan at The Unsteady Ascent on Substack. Read his Notes feed from the beginning. You will understand immediately why he was this bootcamp's rockstar and why I found him on Reddit at 8,000 subscribers and immediately thought: the world needs to hear this guy.P.P.S. If you love video, here’s our video interview for audiovisual learners. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

I want to tell you something I don’t say often enough.Most people think I’m an extrovert.I run live Bootcamps. I host a podcast. I show up on Substack and Notes. I start conversations with strangers on the internet for breakfast.But…I am an introvert. A living, breathing one who learned a long time ago that the answer was never to become someone else.Because if you are too, you’ve probably heard this your whole life:“Just be more extrovert.”I wrote my MBA thesis on identity-based brand building. The idea that your brand grows from your DNA — your values, your voice, your lived experience. I’ve taught this to hundreds of writers. I help all Beyond Members from the Online Writing Club build their writer thumbprint from exactly this.And yet.I still see the best writers I know going quiet. Not because they have nothing to say. Because they keep trying to say it in someone else’s voice.This is what I call The Quieting.And during my last Bootcamp, I met someone who has spent 30 years studying exactly how to stop it.Melitta Campbell’s entire life’s work is the thing I wrote my MBA thesis about. Values. Identity. Building your brand from the inside out.“I’m known as the Value Whisperer because I help people to really understand the value that they bring and how to communicate that in a way that resonates deeper instead of shouting louder.”That’s the antidote to The Quieting.Not more noise. More you. “The YOU-ier, the better.” So I’m jumping out of my skin excited bringing to you this week’s podcast guest and LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel Bootcamp grad Melitta Campbell who shared:“If we are an introvert and we’ve been told just be more extrovert, you’re trying to be someone else and that’s never going to be the way that you’re going to connect with the right people.”Amen! 🙏🏻So let’s stop doing that.Who is Melitta Campbell and why should you careMelitta Campbell is known as the value whisperer.30 years in marketing and communications. The UN. Fortune 500s. A TEDx talk: An Introvert’s Guide to Having Quiet Impact. Author of A Shy Girl’s Guide to Networking and Value Whispering: The Smarter Way to Market Your Business. Twice named Most Influential Business Coach for Women in Europe. Based in Switzerland.So let’s bust some myths now, shall we?!MYTH #1: You need to be loudMelitta’s words:“I help people to really understand the value that they bring and how to communicate that in a way that resonates deeper instead of shouting louder.”You don’t need more volume. You need more resonance.MYTH #2: Marketing means selling yourselfMelitta’s truth:“If marketing does well, it doesn't feel like marketing. It feels like connection, building a relationship, having wonderful conversations.”That’s what you’re aiming for.MYTH #3: Hide your storyShe explains:“But over time, we've been told too often that, you know, don't be loud. Don't tell people about your successes and your achievements. No one loves people who brag. So we hide that away. And then on the other hand, we're told don't tell people about your weaknesses and the way you failed because that shows you're not good enough. But if we're not allowed to talk about those two things, we end up stuck in the middle, the same as everyone else.”And the middle? That’s where no one notices you.Your value sweet spotMelitta’s framework:“You want to look at the overlap… that’s what I call your value sweet spot.”* Your skills* Your experience* Your lessons* Your clientThat’s your edge.Why introverts get stuckNot because they lack skill.Because:“Introverts have a bias for overthinking so they can stay stuck just go in this sort of downward spiral.”So what’s the move?“The antidote is action.”The 4 golden rules of communicationCampbell boiled decades of experience down to this:* “Have a purpose”* “Know your audience”* “Keep it clear and simple”* “Plan”Simple. Powerful. Enough.The AI trapIn our comversation Melitta said:“I see people say, oh, I don't know what I'm about. So I asked ChatGPT and it said, oh, this is what you're all about. This is your ideal clients is like no it shouldn't be telling you because it's the average of the average you should be telling it and helping it help you amplify that voice”And:“It shouldn’t be telling you because it’s the average of the average…”Use AI to amplify your voice. Not replace it. You don’t need to be louder.“As I mentioned, it's all about not being louder, but resonating deeper.”Melitta’s words:“You can get out there and share your voice.”So do it! Hype up yourself. Will you?We go much deeper in the full podcast conversation 👀→ Finding your value→ Stopping overthinking→ Marketing without burnout→ Turning your ideas into real offersAnd…I’m bringing Melitta inside the Online Writing Club.* Exclusive masterclass* Small group* Personalized feedbackSo you don’t just read or listen to our conversation … you actually apply it.Become a paid member of the Club and join our exclusive masterclass ($199 value) for FREEIf you’re an introvert…🙋‍♀️ raise your hand in the comments.Tell us what makes you feel stuck and what could unstuck you.And if you have questions…drop them below.👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻PS. Want to get instant access to the LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel course Melitta attended? Grab it here.PPS. As an indie publisher, your feedback is a spark that keeps me going. Drop a comment to share your thoughts. For some extra love 🔁, re-stack (share) this with a friend who might need to hear Karen’s message today! 🔁 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Hey, quick heads-up. I know a lot of you skim (no judgment) and maybe just want to listen instead of reading. If that’s you, that’s fine.But… if you stick around, we’ve got something fun: ENGAGEMENT PRIZES!🅱️3 readers can win FREE access to thee Online Writing Club. Everyone who’s leaving a comment, sharing this podcast on Notes or forwarding this to a friend can win!Today’s podcast guest is this year’s Substack Notes Kicksatrter Bootcamp co-host, behavioural change expert and bestselling author (2M books sold!) Karen Salmansohn.65-year-old Karen doesn’t shy away from the truth:“So, you’re alive. Congrats. Now what’s your game plan?”Her mission is simple: to help you dust off your “Someday” goals and build a life that’s more than wake, work, and worry.She calls herself a Middle-of-Life Doula (and sometimes a Beginning-of-Life Doula too). Her work is about mortality awareness as fuel.If you share freely of yourself, you will leave a very big ripple. But if you don’t share fully of yourself, then a very small ripple will be left behind.”That’s the heartbeat of her new book, Your To-Die-For Life.How I found Karen Salmansohn on the Internet streetsThis all started with an article she wrote: Death is Like Getting Laid Off from the Best Job Ever published in The Stand Up Philosopher: Weighty Musings, Lightly Served.Tribe member and viral Bootcamp alum Patricia Ross (86yo!) shared it.It hit me so deeply that I reached out right away to ask for an interview.Only later did I realize how wildly successful she is.* 1M followers on Facebook* 85,000 Substack subscribers* Rising in #Philosophy and Substack Bestseller* Featured on Oprah, CNN, Psychology Today, and the New York TimesEven Deepak Chopra praises her writing style:So the numbers and the praise didn’t drew me in.It was that personal essay and the way it made me stop, think, and want to bring her to you.We became friends. For this interview as preparation for our Substack Notes Bootcamp together we talked 3 hours in total. 3 hours of sitting and not going to the bathroom. This means something… don’t you think?And today, we had Day 2 of the Substack Notes Bootcamp. Karen was joining us from her sleek New York City skyscraper to talk about the weirdest, truest, most scroll-stopping thing she's figured out about Notes and writing online and all 50+ bootcampers loooved our “faboulous” session together…The bootcampers learned how to write scroll-stopping notes and visuals that convert followers into subscribers and subscribers into paid ones and make a huge impact in the lives of others…If you couldn’t attend the Substack Notes Kickstaretr Bootcamp or missed it, this is the last chance to join with:LASTMINUTEThen the next chance is in 2027.🎙️ Can’t wait any longer and want to listen to the full conversation?Oh and did I mention Karen once even met Madonna. Yes, THE Madonna.The YOU-ier you are, the betterYes. YOU-ier. It’s a word. Karen made it one. And she’s been right about weirder things.Karen didn’t sugarcoat it.“You have to stand out. You have to find your own voice. And this is where AI can be a curse and not a benefit.”Because AI is generic. Slick. Stepford wife content, as she calls it. You can feel it when you read it that uncanny valley of perfectly structured paragraphs that somehow say nothing about anyone.Karen calls the antidote being YOU-ier.“The YOU-ier you are, the happier you will be. The more authentic you’re living your life, the more happy you’ll be. The YOU-ier you are about who you pick as your partner. The YOU-ier you are about what you eat for lunch. The YOU-ier you are about your Substack. People can feel the YOU-iness in you.”She tests AI on her own writing sometimes. Just to see how good it’s getting.AI still can’t write “like Karen Salmansohn”. She’s glad about that.If AI can’t write like you, be glad. That means you have your own voice.The weirdest writing framework that actually worksKaren was a film major in college. And she says every piece of writing, even a three-sentence Substack Note, is act one, act two, act three.She shared one she’d posted:Act one: “The brain has a charming habit of confusing familiarity with safety.”Act two: “That’s how people stay in jobs they hate and relationships that shrink them.”Act three: “Your comfort zone is another form of Stockholm syndrome.”One. Two. Three.Scroll-stopping. Human. Unmistakably Karen.That’s the formula. A three-act story, even when it’s three sentences long.Inter-PainmentThis is the part of the conversation I didn’t expect.Karen told me she’s shedding a skin.“I’m not writing like a personal development author anymore. I’m writing like a person in development.“She said it and then immediately laughed because she’d just thought of it.She started as a novelist. Became an accidental self-help author. Built a career around it. Then looked around at the crowded personal development landscape and thought …no more listicles. No more do these three tips. More stories. More memory. More weird.She’s been writing about her 30s. The hilariously stupid mistakes. A narcissistic, controlling ex who her readers are apparently obsessed with.“My pain is your entertainment. I call it interpainment.”People are asking for more. And now Karen will write another book!Of course there’s so much more you can learn in today’s episode. That’s just a sneak peak. Also if you want to join the LIVE Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp 2026 last minute because you fogot to sign up, thougt you would have grabbed a ticket but didn’t, this is the last call.Join withLASTMINUTEto join Day 3 with Ellen Scherr, viral Notes writer who went from a Bootcamp grad with zero subscriber to 21,000 and a bestseller badge. She found her “so Ellen” voice on the internet streets. So can you become YOU-ier!PS. 🅱️ As an indie publisher, your feedback is a spark that keeps me going. Drop a comment to share your thoughts + win an engagement prize! 2–3 people can win FREE access to the Online Writing ClubPPS. For some extra love 🔁, re-stack (share) this with a friend who might need to hear Karen’s message today! 🔁Hey, I’m Kristina, the heart behind The Online Writing Club.I started writing on the internet in December 2020, newborn in arms, during one of the most disorienting and beautiful seasons of my life. What began as a creative outlet quietly became something I never expected: a 6-figure business, a global community of 18,000 writers, dreamers, builders, and work I genuinely fall in love with every single day.In my corporate life, I’m an award-winning marketing professional and brand strategist. Here, I pour everything I know about writing, growing an audience, and building something real into every post, every lesson, and every conversation.If you’ve ever believed your story deserves to be heard and want to get paid to be you, you’re exactly who I built this for.Want to go deeper? Here’s how I can help:📲 Book a life-changing 1:1 Substack Strategy Session or FREE Discovery Call (email to [email protected]).🪩 Find me on YouTube and LinkedIn.🔵🟠 And if you want to fire up your LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel, grab a seat in the course. It’s now availble on-demand with weekly Q&As. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

A few days back I chatted with new Substack #Science Bestseller (109 paid subscribers!) Rémi from Feed your Mind and I’m still buzzing! SO many lessons, learnings, and thoughts from a small young guy living in Paris who went from the ground to $10,000/year that I need to get out of my brain.One sentence stuck with me:“For me Substack is like a raft on which all the other people from all the other social networks came, where all people want to escape the matrix”If you’ve been following me for a while you know I’m a tastemaker. I curate, and selectively choose who I interview and the stories I tell to show what’s possible.Today’s podcast episode is a great reminder about the power of showing up as a small guy and building online for FREE FREE FREE to then finally get paid at some point.I didn’t dare to go paid for more than 52 weeks as I always said: ❌Write 52 newsletter episodes in a row and watch it change your life.As today someone asked me on LinkedIn again, I can only tell you: ✅Go paid from day 1!Getting paid on Substack is strongly connected with Substack Notes! A few hours back, I officially launched this year’s Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp - Get More Reach + Paid Subscribers From Your Newsletter. From our 50 tickets, we have 36 left. One 🎟️ is for YOU!Snag your ticket for the 2026 LIVE cohort for only $149 withEARLYBIRDfor the next 24 hours only + NEW: “From Beginner to Substack Bestseller in 2026” course (value $129)On Day 4 of the LIVE Bootcamp (all session are recorded, lifetime access) you can meet 6 Paid Substack Bestsellers. Rockstars like Rémi from categories ranging from #Science to #Food & Drinks.The goal? To help beginners better understand how small guys are building paid newsletters from the ground up with Notes.What’s worrying meWhat’s worrying me right now is that we only see the success stories of the suuuuuuuuuuper big and at massive scale. But we don’t know all the stories of the small guys who have built five-figure, six-figure revenue doing simple things…. doing what they love, being nerdy, starting super niche as today’s podcast guest and rockstar Rémi.That’s what’s really exciting because I think the average human just wants to know: “Can I do what I love and make money?”You know what unites all rockstars I bring to you in my podcast and Bootcamp? An entrepreneurial, builder mentality. This is something I also discovered during my chat with Rémi from Paris (yeah, not Emily in Paris) who can now afford buying his groceries with the money he makes on Substack: * He understands inherently that building an audience and having distribution will help him move whatever ventures he want to pursue. * He wants to do more than just play small. You want to have a good living, do something you love, and you know it's possible to build that.Maybe you feel the same?3 Lessons Going from Zero to 100 Paid Subscribers in #Science on Substack3 thoughts that I need to get out of my head after talking with the small guy Rémi about how he went from rock bottom to Substack Bestseller earning $10,000/year.#1 It’s fine to talk about what you love for free for a long time* The pattern I see with Rèmi is:talk about what you love online → build an email list → become a prolific writer → continuously create content → draw an audience → offer them to pay you at some point → turn your free audience into a paid audienceIt's as simple of an arc as that. Ask yourself: how do I differentiate myself? How do I give away so much value that people want to stick around?For Rémi it all started with a personal pain point as he was suffering from depression and anxiety when he was a young adult. These are very prevalent conditions that few people want to talk about.He found out:Chronic anxiety isn’t always psychological.It can be biochemical.Low:MagnesiumGABAZinc#2 Capitalize on social media to drive to your high-quality, long form assetsOver the years, Rémi done the hard work of sharing long form science stories. He built a huge high quality library of long form content through posting in Facebook groups, answering questions and translating a science book.He got those long-form assets right first, put them on his newsletter, and then use social media to drive back to them. So when he blows up on Notes, he knows casual readers will check his long form posts out and will subscribe.He told me he’d enjoy writing on Notes and shared:“For me Substack is like a raft on which all the other people from all the other social networks came, (…) where all people want to escape the matrix”#3 It’s fine to build fandom based on what you loveIn the saturated Subsatck newsletter category #Science where for instance also evolutionary biologist Dr. Colin Wrightor Phd Nick Norwith …writes in, Rémi doesn’t have a degree. However, 20 doctors and 20 students in biochemistry are following him and he’s winning news subsrcibers fro inside Substack’s network and Notes every day! Why? Because from a patient’s perspecitve he’s reading everything he can about his passion topic and he has a clear mission: helping every single subscriber on his list. These are human beings with pain points. They might “go to a psychiatrist and take medication, which often works. But in the long term, people no longer feel like “themselves”; their emotions are flattened by this chemical straitjacket. Even worse, they may experience long-term side effects. Faced with this, people are looking for effective and inexpensive alternatives.”So even if you’re not a MD or PhD, your audience feels if you really burn for a topic, care and can save them lots of time by curating information and translating the latest studies in a way everyone in his audience understands so they become raving fans who open their wallets.🙏🏻Thanks so much for being on this amazing journey with me. 🙏🏻I get so much energy from helping the small guys, beginners and every (part-time) solo creator who knows how important audience building is and want to learn from my Online Writing Club Show that I’m excited to keep building with 100,000 downloads.New to writing on Substack or only hearing crickets?Want my NEW digital course From Beginner to Substack Bestseller (value $129) based on my interviews, BTS of the beginners I coach and my own experience? Get it for FREE when you join the Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp 2026 with * bootcamp grad and psychotherapist Ellen Scherr (zero to 21,000 subscribers and bestseller) and* bestselling autor and visual storyteller Karen Salmansohn (zero to bestseller in just a few months).To become a prolific Notes writer that gets discoevred, finds his people and gets paid.You can do what you love and make money! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Hi online writer 👋🏻I see you there. You've been dreaming about making money (writing) online for ages...Today’s podcast episode with Jerry Keszka might what you need to know to FINALLY make that…* $1* $10* $100* or $1000on the internet in 2026, especially if you’re 50plus!Table of Contents* Making money online 50plus is doable* Why you’re not too old to earn money with 50plus* 1. The “human internet” is coming back* 2. 1:1 expertise is about to explode* 3. The email list is becoming the most valuable asset* 4. The freelance economy is growing fast* 5. It has never been easier to earn your first dollar onlineMaking money online 50plus is doableOne morning Jerry opened Facebook and half of his audience was gone.No warning or explanation. Just gone.Years of building a community wiped out overnight when Facebook changed its algorithm. (We already talked about how the LinkedIn algorithm changed and how to dominate it in 2026.)For most people, that would have been the end. For Jerry, it became the beginning.Today’s guest on The Online Writing Club Show is Jerry Keszka. Former scientist. Fashion and beauty industry veteran. Over 50.Jerry spent years building audiences on platforms he didn’t own.Until that one day, when Facebook changed its algorithm.That was the moment he decided to stop building on rented land.He worked behind the scenes at London Fashion Week. He worked with brands featured in Vogue, Marie Claire, and Vanity Fair.But none of that gave him something he truly owned.He failed 4 blogs. Nothing worked. Most people would have stopped.Jerry did the opposite: He kept writing online anyway. Wrote every single day.Then it clicked.Today, Jerry is one of the most interesting voices rising. He’s a Substack #Business bestseller with Plus 50 Forward A viral and paid Notes writer. And proof that it is never too late to build a life that fits you.He now helps hundreds of people over 50:* Earn their first dollar online* Then their first $1,000* Then grow from thereReinvention doesn’t have an expiration date. And neither does possibility.👂🏻Listen to today’s Online Writing Club ShowWhy you’re not too old to earn money with 50plusJerry helps people in midlife and over 50 do something most think is impossible: Earn their first dollar online. Because from my own experience I can tell you…that first dollar ….changes everything.It proves your experience matters. It proves people will pay to learn from you and it proves reinvention does not expire.Most people think starting online in your 50s is too late. Jerry believes the opposite: It might actually be the perfect time.Trends for 2026 Jerry’s seeingDuring our conversation, Jerry and I talked about a few trends in 2026 that are quietly changing everything.Here are the ones that stood out the most:1. The “human internet” is coming backAI can create content all day.In fact AI-created content surpassed human content last week! Many said the internet would be “dead” as there are only robots talking with robots now.Millions of articles. Millions of posts. AI slop.Now something interesting is happening: People are starting to crave real voices again.Jerry believes this will drive huge demand for:• personal newsletters• communities• coaching and consulting• live sessionsIn other words: The internet will become more human again and those will stand out that can show their true colors.2. 1:1 expertise is about to explodeJerry predicts that coaching and consulting will boom in 2026. Why?Because we live in a so-called “trust recession” and people are overwhelmed.They don’t just want information anymore. They want someone who can guide them.Someone who can say:“Here’s exactly what to do next.” I’ve been there before.That’s why the creator economy is shifting from content to expertise (as we also saw in yesterday’s story about the new LinkedIn algorithm).3. The email list is becoming the most valuable assetPlatforms change constantly. Algorithms shift. Accounts disappear or get restricterd, as it happened to co-host of the very first LinkedIn-Substack Bootcamp with Melanie Goodman and her LinkedIn of 40,000 people.Jerry experienced this firsthand when Facebook changed its algorithm and wiped out half of his audience overnight.That’s why newsletters and email lists are exploding as Tyler Denk, CEO of beehiiv showed this in his The State of Newsletters 2026 report.When you own your audience no platform can take it away.4. The freelance economy is growing fastAnother trend we talked about: Freelancing is becoming the new normal.Many experts predict that a large percentage of people will work independently in the next few years. 1.57 billion people by the end of 2026, representing nearly 47% of the total global workforce.Companies are realizing something important.Instead of hiring huge teams, they can hire experts when they need them.* Writers* Strategists* Consultants* Creators* People from all walks of life* and the list goes on and onThat shift opens the door for millions of people to earn online.Freelancing can be your GATEWAY to more freedom in your life.5. It has never been easier to earn your first dollar onlineJust a few years ago you needed:* Websites* Funnels* Complicated techNow you can start with something very simple.Start writing about what you’re passionate baout. Build an audience. Help people solve a problem.Platforms like Substack make that possible. Which is why Jerry believes something simple: The opportunity window on Substack right now is huge. Especially for people who are willing to start small and stay consistent.Earn money with Substack and LinkedIn Have you been dreaming about making money (writing) online for ages...For the first time ever, I’m hosting the LinkedIn + Substack Flywheel Bootcamp.This is the only live experience that shows you exactly how to moneitze both platforms with one clear PATH, 2 platform-addicted women who love their fave platforms and you seeing results, fast.📅 March 10–13⌚ 11:00 AM ET | 8:00 AM PT | 4:00 PM UK/Scotland | 5:00 PM Berlin time, 120 min each day!As a member of the Club you can use the special code: KRISTINAFRIEND13 spots left. Snag yours!We wanted to make this a no-brainer. There’s even a 6-installments plan. If you’d like to attend but money is an issue, please send me a DM or email [email protected] yes…If you join as one of the next 5 people, you’ll also get the #1 Substack Notes Scheduling tool StackBuddy.Because success means freedom to work, live, and explore on your terms. (Jerry Keszka)🫶🏻It’s your turn!Have you been dreaming about making money (writing) online for ages...Are you already making money?👇🏻Are you 50plus? Hit reply to connect with Paul Cobbin’s our new 50plus connector inside the Club, so we can put you on our list. 👇🏻Any tips on how to make money or trends you’re seeing?If this helped you, support an indie writer and part-time mompreneur and ♻️ SHARE ♻️ this podcast with a friend, colleague, family member or stranger on the internet🙏🏻1 person can win 12 MONTHS FULL ACCESS to the Club. So leave a comment and join the conversation! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

LinkedIn is changing fast. Substack is exploding. And most still feel stuck.If you want to be seen and paid to be you in 2026, you need a simple and reliable PATH that works and unstucks you.That’s exactly what we talked about in my latest podcast with LinkedIn expert and consultant Melanie Goodman from The Link Tank™️.And honestly… it might change how you think about growth forever.🤫Psst.. if you’re a skimmer, Melanie and I are inviting you to our first ever LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel in March. Wanna come?The big 2 in 2026Before we go deeper, here’s something you need to understand.The big 2 in 2026 are simple.Newsletters (you know my fave ESP, Substack!) + LinkedIn.Newsletters are becoming the new newspapers and magazines. LinkedIn is becoming the new professional town square. A place to meet and have a good hang.Newsletter readership has grown massively in the last few years. Millions of people now read newsletters daily.Email still drives a huge part of online sales. For many it’s even the #1 driver, as for me. And most marketers say email gives the highest return of all channels. $36 per $1 spent!Why?Because when someone joins your newsletter, you own that connection. No algorithm stands between you and your reader.LinkedIn does something different. As the most trusted social media platform on planet earth, it gives you discovery. Visibility. Credibility.Put both together and you have something powerful.Why you should listen to this episode with MelanieMelanie is a true LinkedIn powerhouse with more than 40,000 (!) followers.She built her business there. She built her Substack from it. And now she monetizes both.In the episode we talk about:* How she grew 24k subscribers from LinkedIn* Why she never sounds salesy* How to invite people naturally* How to monetize your expertise* How to build a real flywheel that lastsIf you want real growth in 2026, don’t skip this one!🎧 Want more subscribers and clients?Press play and take notes. This conversation is packed.Start with this episode and then join our LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel BootcampWatch the video…Or keep reading…The truth no one tells youMost people treat LinkedIn and Substack like separate worlds. I did too! I don’t want to lie.But I know from helping so many professionals in 2025, they aren’t. They work best together.Melanie knows this from her clients, too. And she’s living proof! She built more than 24,000 Substack subscribers in just months after her account got restricted! I know what you think. But she didn’t import a list or run ads.She used LinkedIn as her (professional) discovery engine and Substack as her home base.That’s the flywheel.People discover you on LinkedIn. They subscribe on Substack. They become loyal readers and clients. Then some move back to LinkedIn and follow you there too. It goes both ways. And that’s where real growth starts in 2026.Why this works so well right nowLinkedIn gives you visibility. Substack gives you ownership.On LinkedIn, you build credibility and reach. On Substack, you own the relationship and the email list.Melanie calls Substack a mini website for your expertise. You can publish. Sell.Book clients. Build recurring income.(You heard me right… doesn’t need to be all about paywalling and paid subscribers. You can also earn money beyond paid subscriptions as so many do so well already.)LinkedIn alone can’t do that easily. Substack’s closed system alone is harder to discover.Together they’re powerful.Like peanut butter and jelly for your business, as I love to say.The reality of building an audience in 2026Here’ssomething else you need to accept.If you’re not exceptional at at least one core channel, building a (writing) business (even if you might not feel like a writer, as Melanie also stated, is very hard.You can’t master everything at once. You can’t be everywhere.If you’re a solo creator or small team, focus on one to three channels max. If a platform doesn’t drive people to your main channel (e.g. Substack or LinkedIn), it’s a distraction.Choose one main engineMost successful creators have one main engine. One place where most of their energy goes.It could be a Substack newsletter. A LinkedIn page.Over time you can grow more. But you need a strong core first.If your main engine is a newsletter, you need discovery (beyond Substack Notes). That’s where LinkedIn becomes essential.LinkedIn brings people in. Your newsletter keeps them and makes them customers, clients, raving fans who want to buy from you.🎧 Listen to today’s Online Writing Club ShowListen now and learn the exact flywheel strategy that built her audience.And that’s exactly why we created the LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel Bootcamp 2026Melanie and I decided to stop just talking about this. We’re teaching it LIVE.For the first time ever, we’re hosting THE FIRST EVER LinkedIn + Substack Flywheel Bootcamp.This is the only live experience that shows you exactly how to grow on both platforms with one clear PATH, 2 addcited women who love their fave platforms and you seeing results, fast.Bootcamp dates: March 10 to March 13Time: Right now we have an EARLYBIRD with 55% OFF.We wanted to make this a no-brainer. There’s even a 6-installments plan. If you’d like to attend but money is an issue, please send me a DM or email [email protected] yes…If you join as one of the next 10 people, you will get a special surprise from us.We can’t wait to show you what’s possible.Because the goal is simple:Get seen. Earn more. Build something you own. And thrive in 2026.🫶🏻It’s your turn!Don’t put all eggs in one basket. Use LinkedIn to get seen. Use Substack to build something you own.If you’d like to join the Bootcamp, let us know in the comments, please!And tell us:Are you already posting on LinkedIn or still thinking about starting?Are you already posting on Substack or still thinking about starting?Would you like to combine both worlds?Share your LinkedIn profile/Substack site with us in the comments and let’s connect!If this helped you, support an indie writer and part-time mompreneur and ♻️ SHARE ♻️ this post with a friend, colleague, family member or stranger on the internet🙏🏻1 person can win 12 MONTHS FULL ACCESS to the Club. So leave a comment and join the conversation! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Hey online writing friend,I’ve got a confession.I’ve been so busy the past weeks that I couldn’t write long form posts.Boxes everywhere. Life everywhere. Kids everywhere. Brain nowhere.But today I’m back at my laptop.And this feels huge.For the first time in my life, I’ve got my own creativity hub. My own studio. My own space. Never ever before.At our old place, my “office” was the attic. Suuuuuuuper hot in summer. And my hubby and I shared one room. Which meant calls, keyboards, sighing, and very polite versions of “are you done yet?”Now this new house is a real home for my kids. And this room is finally a home for my creativity. Which feels perfectly aligned with today’s story.Because I want to tell you about my podcast conversation from two weeks back with my Substack Bootcamp alum Ellen Scherr from Life Branches.She’s a therapist, a writer, a midlife truth teller…And WOW WOW WOW WOWEllen went from basically zero to 10,000 Substack (now already 15,000!!) subscribers in just a few short weeks.One minute: “hello? is this thing working?”Next minute: phone exploding, notifications flying, people clutching their pearls.And this freaking bonkers growth explosion didn’t happen because she had a big launch. Or because she gamed the system. But because she kept showing up (and maybe also dancing), talking about the messy middle of life when no one, ZERO people were was watching.In her words:“I’m just plugging away, just, you know, still hearing crickets and just keep plugging away. And next thing I know, my phone is like blowing up, lit up from all the notifications.”If you want the full story, go listen to the podcast episode. That’s teaser #1. There are more coming.Here are the biggest things I learned from Ellen.🎁HOLIDAY FLASH SALE: Substack Notes Kickstarter BootcampWant to earn money with Notes? Want to be seen and get more people read your long form stories? Substack Notes is the gate. Learn how to capitalize on it for $129 instead of $299! This is my late Christmas gift to you! 1) Use the exact words your audience is already sayingThis is the strongest lesson.Ellen’s a therapist. She hears the same phrases every single day in her practice.She said:“I know what they’re saying. I know what words they’re using. I know what they’re telling me.”And she doesn’t translate that into fancy writing. She uses it as is.One line she shared that shows up again and again in her work:“Many women start with, I’m stuck. I just, I don’t know what to do.”That’s why her intros hook people instantly.Readers don’t think, “That’s well written.”They think, “That’s me.”2) Write to connect and build trustEllen didn’t plan for her post Aging Out of F***s: The Neuroscience of Why You Suddenly Can’t Pretend Anymore to go viral.She said:“The title got people to look at it, but I didn’t realize that the content was going to resonate so much.”And when it did resonate, people shared it everywhere.She realized:“It was coming from everywhere. People had posted it.”Including places she didn’t expect.“I was a little embarrassed because people were posting it and loving it on LinkedIn.”Her takeaway is simple.Make it shareable. Make it human. Make it something people want to send to a friend and say, “Read this.”3) Practice headlines until your brain learns the patternEllen was very honest about how she learned to write headlines.She said:“I would go into ChatGPT and just ask for examples.”And also:“A lot of times it just didn’t resonate, but it taught me different words and different things.”She didn’t copy. She practiced.Now she mostly uses it like this:“I’ll come up with a title and say, what do you think about this?”Also yes, she takes her time.When I asked her how long one post takes, she said:“Sometimes two to three hours.”So if you’re slow, you’re not doing it wrong. You’re doing it seriously.4) Your overnight success is built on invisible effortEllen started writing on Substack in August 2025. She posted long form posts. She posted notes. A lot of them.And at first, nothing happened.Her words:“So all those notes, I was pumping out like three a day and nothing.”And:“I mean, you know, maybe three likes or whatever.”Then her long form post Aging Out Of F***s took off.And suddenly everything changed.“But now all the notes that I wrote back when that had no visibility, now people are seeing all the notes.”Let me share one example with you from Ellen’s Notes feed:That part really stayed with me.Effort compounds quietly. Until it doesn’t.If things feel slow right now during the holidays, it doesn’t mean it’s not working. It might just mean it’s loading!5) When it blows up, you’ll feel overwhelmedEllen was very real about this part.After the viral post, she said:“When I went to go post a post right after the one that went viral, I was like, oh, crap. Now what am I going to write?”She also said:“It’s overwhelming.”And:“I thought I’d have more preparation time to build up to get to a certain level.”Totally normal.This is why community matters. Growth is heavy when you carry it alone.And yes, you can meet Ellen inside the Online Writing Club community. She’s also a Substack Bootcamp alum, which makes this story even better.If Ellen’s story lit something up in you, go listen to the podcast episode. Then come hang out with us.I’m back at my laptop. In my own studio. In my own creativity hub. And it feels really good.PS: If you listen to the episode while eating leftover Christmas cookies and thinking about New Year goals, that’s the way to do it.If you loved this episode and this post, here are 3 ways I can HELP you even MORE:1) 1:1 CoachingSpots are open for January 2026. Grab yours while they’re still there.2) StackBuddy Substack Notes SchedulerSchedule your Notes effortlessly. About 15 minutes per week. Visibility without the chaos. I also was visible and got lots of new (paid!) subs via Notes while moving houses, celebrating Christmas and writing this newsletter. Go get the life-changing, Substack-tastic tool by becoming a founding member3) HOLIDAY FLASH SALE: Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp🎁Want to earn money with Notes? Want to be seen and get more people read your long form stories? Substack Notes is the gate. Learn how to capitalize on it for $129 instead of $299! This is my late Christmas gift to you! 🎁4) LIVE Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp - January 2026Learn Substack from A to Z. Not only from me, but from WOW-worthy alumni and community members who are already flying on Substack and Notes. Let me know in the comments, chat or via email, if you’d like to join us in January. WOW! We’ll have an early bird offer of $129 for 4 days flat with me + 10 implementation days! Done playing nice and ready to be heard? Support an indie writer and part-time mompreneur and ♻️SHARE ♻️ Ellen’s story! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Can writing on the internet change your life?Today’s podcast episode is with someone who proves that it can.Sean Kernan is one of the most interesting and consistent online writers I know.He has:* over 500,000 followers on Quora* more than 1 billion views on his content* 100,000 followers on Medium* part of Yahoo’s Creator Program* a fast-growing Substack newsletter called Thrive by Sean Kernan with 13,000 subscribersAnd here’s the funny part.For years, before I ever talked to him…before I ever knew his name…before I knew him personally……I knew him by a nickname many others used, too:“The son of Quora.”That name stuck because he answered thousands of questions and became one of the most well-known writers online.🎉 GRAB YOUR BLACK FRIDAY DEALIf you want to level up your writing and actually take action, here is what you get right now:🔥 57% OFF the Notes Bootcamp On-Demand with Sara Redondo, MD, MS and Gail K. Normally $299 — now $129 with the code BLACKFRIDAY57OFF🔥 50% OFF the Club Membership & Founding Member BonusUpgrade before Cyber Monday, and you’ll also get the Substack Notes Scheduler (StackBuddy), value about $250The Writer Behind a Billion ViewsNow… let’s talk about today’s guest.And the reason I asked him for an interview about the Substack-Quora-Flywheel, as I call it, is that he’s THE expert!To give you even more social proof, yes… sometimes an Uber driver recognizes him in the offline world, too, and asks:“Oh my gosh, are you that writer guy on Quora?”Sean laughs about these moments and says he doesn’t feel like a celebrity. But still, it happens.Today’s episode is packed with real lessons for writers who are interested in Quora and Substack, want to grow an audience, and earn from their work. And of course, everyone who loves Sean Kernan’s work!The Moment Not-So-Glamorous Moment Sean’s Life ChangedSean shared that he was fed up with his job as a financial analyst. He said:“I literally dropped my two weeks and I told my boss.”Then she asked:“Where are you going?”Sean answered:“Nowhere.”He didn’t want to tell her he was trying to become a writer because he felt like it sounded ridiculous.Two weeks later, the Quora Earnings Program cut creator payouts.His first thought:“Did I just screw my whole life up?”That moment didn’t stop him. Instead, it pushed him forward. He joined Medium in 2019 and kept going.🎧 Listen to the Epic Episode with SeanClick to play and explore the mindset, platform strategy, and the reality behind building a long-term writing career by turning followers into subscribers:Sean’s Writing Philosophy and Why Momentum MattersSean didn’t explode overnight.“I wrote on the side making no money for three years before I ever started making money.”For him, momentum mattered more than a single viral moment.He published every day during the peak, goldrush years of Medium. On Quora, he still posts almost daily. On Substack, he’s active every day on Notes (where he’s often going viral!)and sends his newsletters several times per week.I love that he’s turning his followers into subscribers now. Sean is already a Substack bestseller with 13,000 raving fans.What Writers MissMany writers wait for confidence or perfection.Sean takes a different approach.In our interview, he shared that writing publicly helped him open up more over time.At first, he wrote safe things. Later, he shared vulnerable stories about his own life.Readers responded to honesty.That’s why Sean encourages writers to publish even if the early results are small.Meaning grows through action, not waiting.The Substack-Quora-Flywheel ExplainedSean didn’t plan a system from day one. But over time, a pattern formed:* Answer a short question on Quora* Watch how readers react* Repurpose on Medium and later Substack (Notes)* Turn the best ones into full articles/newsletters* Build audience* RepeatThis predictable loop helped him publish quickly without burning out.He often takes one short idea, sees the reader's reaction, and then grows it into something bigger.Why Quora Still WorksMany writers look past Quora. Sean sees it as a playground for ideas because, as he explains, every topic exists there.Writers can:* test ideas* learn what readers care about* build skills through short answersSean also said Quora gives instant feedback through views and upvotes, which helps writers get better faster.I also tested Quora for a while when I started writing on Medium. It’s a great platform to repurpose your writing and link to your stories.Why Sean’s Work Feels HumanAs many Club members are interested in AI, I also asked Sean about his feelings.He shared strong thoughts about AI writing.He said in our interview, he hasn’t enjoyed the AI writing he has seen and shared that many readers also dislike it. His readers want a human voice and a human experience. That’s why he’s stating his writing is 100% human (maybe except spell check).To add even more human touch, Sean also records voiceovers for his Substack posts.He shared with me this helps remind people he’s a real person, not a machine or bot.Sean wants to keep writing 100% human-driven, stay consistent, and enjoy the work.He said to me:“My goal in life is I’d like to just remain a writer.”If you want momentum like Sean, you don’t have to do it alone.This is your reminder:🎉 BLACK FRIDAY DEAL IS OPEN (for a short time)🔥 57% OFF Notes Bootcamp On-DemandUse code BLACKFRIDAY57OFF🔥 50% OFF the Club membership — Notes Scheduler included for founding members if you upgrade before Cyber MondayYou’re closer than you think.Let’s build your writing momentum and make your next year the year everything starts growing.Your Turn* What do you think about the Substack-Quora-Flywheel?* Would you try Quora?* Or use it to repurpose what you already write?* Need more education on Quora? Sure thing! Let me know, and we’ll have a masterclassTell me in the comments!Liked this? Support an indie publisher and part-time mompreneur, and ♻️SHARE ♻️ this story to help us spread the word🙏🏻1 person can win FREE access to the paid tier of Sean’s Newsletter THRIVE. So leave a comment and join the conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

This week’s podcast hits a nerve if you’ve…* ever feel like you’re working your butt off online... and still no one cares?* …you’re writing post after post and the internet yawns?* …there are these “Top 1% writers” and somehow they got a secret map you didn’t?So what even ARE the top 1%? And what do they know that the rest of us don’t?* Top 1% solo creator Dan Koe says you need curiosity and courage, “if you want to belong to the top 1%, then you have to let go of fear, following curiosity, test your interests with action, committing long enough to see what sticks.”* Millionaire writer Tim Denning shares you need boring daily habits stacked like Lego bricks. Tim says in multiple articles, writing success comes from small, repeatable actions done daily and compounded over time.What if both are missing something huge?Get to know today’s guest: Dr. Julie Gurner Executive performance coach. Professional truth bomb dropper. And someone who’s know for NOT sugarcoating anything.“I think you have to be obsessed with things to get to the top 1%. I don’t think you have to be obsessed to be good, but I think you have to be obsessed to be great.”When she said this next line, I felt it in my throat.Like… oh.So maybe THAT’S why I’m stuck.Am I obsessed enough?Join me inside the Online Writing Club and level up your life as an online writer! Psst! Pre-Black Friday Deal! 30% OFF FOREVER!There’s a reason why the Wall Street Journal called her the “real-life Wendy Rhoades from Billions.” She’s the owner of the bestselling Substack newsletter Ultra Successful with thousands of raving paying fans who want to learn how top performers think and rise.and works with the world’s highest performers in tech, finance, and media, and in today’s new episode, she breaks down what separates the top 1% writers from everyone else.“Rather than looking external at all of those actions, which I think are all very important, I think it really starts with the self and understanding what you have to share with the world.”That’s not what most writing gurus tell you. They talk about the same old stuff…algorithms, hooks, AI-power, quantity, virality. Dr. Gurner talks about clear focus.“You have to kind of have like, what do you speak about and who do you speak for?”Most writers never reach that level of focus as they “ engage in what they see as like broadcasting”:“One of the mistakes that I often see is that people go too broad. So no one, they never get known for anything.”If you check out Julie, you’ll see that no matter where, wheter it’s on Substack, X or another platform, she’s always talking about the SAME thing!👉 Listen to the full episode now: If you’ve ever wondered whether you could be one of the top 1%… maybe this is your moment to stop wondering and start becoming.Inside Today’s Show, You’ll Learn:* The power of picking one thing and repeating it everywhere* The mindset traps that stop smart people* How to write with audacity and stop watering down your message* The underrated skill that helps you build connection and real audience loyalty* How to think like top performers and reverse engineer success* Why your unique point of view is your biggest advantage* Why engagement beats broadcasting* And why one troll is never a reason to stop⚠️Warning: After this episode you may feel a sudden urge to email your list something bold and slightly terrifying. Send it anyway!I’m Celebrating ONE Year of Podcasting With You🥳This month, we’re also celebrating something personal: one year of podcasting.🥳When I started this show, I was a part-time writer with two children at home. I’ll be honest, my life was (and still is!) messy, upside down, and I was wondering how on earth I could find the time to start my own show, and with millions of podcasts out there… who would care!Pre-Black Friday Sale! I want you to level up your writing. So you’ll get 30% OFF FOREVER to celebrate 1 year of podcasting! Come hang out with me…I doubted whether I could keep it going. But today, thanks to you and thanks to Linda Lebrun from Substack, who encouraged me to start a Substack-native podcast, we’ve reached 87K downloads and belong to the top 5% of podcasts worldwide.🙏🏼🙏🏼THANK YOU!🙏🏼🙏🏼I Wanted to Quit, but Didn’tThere were days I recorded episodes with dirty hair, a crying toddler in the hallway, and a voice note in my head screaming:“You’re not good enough. Who do you think you are?”But then, I’d get a message from a writer asking, “How can I become one of the top writers?”And that’s why this episode hits so hard. Because Julie doesn’t sugarcoat it.“No one can beat a person who never gives up.”“You just have to believe in yourself that if you just keep doing it, you’ll figure it out.”She calls out the fear we all feel when we put our words out into the world:“Putting it out there in the world is risky. There’s a lot of risk. And people are not always so nice. But if that’s the worst, can you manage that? One jerk is worth it. Ten jerks is worth it.”Joining the Online Writing Club is worth the risk! Take the plunge and get 30% OFF as Pre-Black Friday Deal as THANK YOU for 1 year of podcastingThat’s the mindset that builds careers.👉 Tune in here to hear Dr. Gurner explain how to think, act, and perform like the top 1% of writers.Most Suggest Doing MORE, This Won’t Save You!Dr. Gurner doesn’t tell you to write MORE. From my own experience I can tell you, this can’t be the cure.She tells you to see yourself differently.“I think that most people don’t really see that they can be top 1% at something. And to me, you carry the secret around with you.”She reminds us that what comes easy to us—our natural perspective, our lived experience—is what others value most.“We overlook the easy stuff. But that’s the stuff that people would love to learn and learn more about.”Being real is what counts.“Audacity for a writer looks like saying the things that you truly want to say. Sometimes we are too tender with our words. When we are a little unvarnished and a little more straightforward, it’s when people really can ingest the impact of what you have to say.”If you say: I want to learn that! Join the Club and get 30% OFF TODAY!That’s the truth few will tell you, as they sell their templates, proven framworks and systems. But in the end, if you want to join the top 1%, you have to stop writing like everyone else.I see this with so many community members. They learn from me and others. Then they evolve, spread their wings and fly. Do their own thing and offer their own tips, tricks and frameworks.👉 Sooooo, listen now — this conversation could change how you think about writing forever.Is Obsession Healthy or Dangerous?We’re one year in, and this show has become a space for honest conversations about creativity, growth, and what it really means to be a (great or top 1%) writer.I’m deeply thankful for every listen, every share, every note of encouragement.Now, I’d love to hear from you:* Do you think obsession is healthy—or dangerous?* Are we losing our edge by trying to be “nice” with our words?* Can a writer really reach the top 1% without being obsessed?Obsessed with writing, growing your email list, and growing your audience? Me too! Get 30% OFF TODAY. Celebrate with me 1 year of podcasting.Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s make this next year even better—together.🎧 Listen to “How to Join the Top 1% of Writers with Dr. Julie GurnerYour next level starts here.🎁One more thing! If you leave a review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐on Spotify or Apple, take a screenshot, send it to me to get a surprise 🎁Here’s how I can help you even MORE:* ⭐Calm Your Stack (FREE tool) Hide the annoying column on your Substack homepage. Free tool built by my husband.* ⭐StackBudy Collaborations (FREE tool) Find collab partners in 30 seconds. No excuses. Free.* ⭐Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp with alums and Notes rockstarsSara Redondo, MD, MS and Gail K. NOW as on-demand course + Q&As with yours truly!* ⭐ VIPer Let’s level up your Substack (1x 1:1 + StackBuddy access + WhatsApp fast lane access + discounts on Bootcamps* ⭐1:1 CoachingLiked this? Support an indie publisher and part-time mompreneur and ♻️SHARE ♻️this story and help us spread the magic.🙏🏻1 person can win FREE access to the paid tier of Julie’s Newsletter. So leave a comment! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

They’ll tell you it’s too late.Too saturated. Too hard to stand out.But here’s what they don’t know:Over 90% of podcasts are inactive!That means you’re not walking into a crowded market, you’re stepping into wide open territory.So if that little voice inside your head keeps saying,“Maybe it’s time to share my stories.”This is your sign.It’s time!But I get it…the tech, the recording, the editing, the platforms…it’s a whole bear to handle.”However, a podcast is a great way to become known for something.So if you say:* ✅I want to start a podcast!* ✅I want to get paid for telling my stories!I’ve got you covered! Not only with today’s podcast session, but also with my invite to…👉 Join the first “Substack Podcast 101 Bootcamp” with me and Dr. Colin Gray (starts Nov 17!)He’ll walk you step-by-step through launching a show that builds trust, grows your audience, and yes, makes you money.The “Substack Podcast 101 Bootcamp” OPENS its doors! Go from “no clue” to “Substack podcast & visible on all major platforms” in 4 days flat!We’ll help you get up and running ASAP, so you can start seeing downloads turn into loyal listeners who become subscribers and buyers.➡️Think minimal production.➡️Think time-saving guides, frameworks, templates.➡️Think how to leverage Substack as a home for your podcast and promotional vehicle🤫Psst! With…EARLYBIRD you’ll get 55% OFF!It’s a Whole Bear to HandleYou’ve got the ideas.The stories.The energy.But the tech? The editing? The fear of sounding awkward? The pressure? That’s the stuff that keeps most people stuck.Not you. Not anymore.Because today, we’re breaking down how to podcast the easy, human, no-overwhelm way—with Dr. Colin Gray from Scotland.He’s a 7-figure podcaster, entrepreneur, founder, teacher, speaker, and dad of two.He built his wildly successful podcast, PodCraft, and helped thousands of podcast starters, including those using The Podcast Host and Alitu, go from “uhh… where do I start?” to “oh wow, people actually listen to me now!”He uses something called the PATH framework—a simple roadmap for launching your podcast like a pro and growing an audience.All so you can build your authority, deepen trust with your audience, and grow your revenue with sponsors, brand deals, or your own offers.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy the show, which now has 87,000 downloads! Thank you, guys! 🙏🏻🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.👉 You can listen to the full episode right here:But first… let’s talk about what’s REALLY going on in the world of podcasting right now.The Truth About Podcasting in 2026People love to say podcasting is “dead” or “AI slop.”But here’s the thing: you can’t fake voice, tone, or connection.Not for 30 minutes straight.As Dr. Colin Gray told me:“Yeah, there’s a lot of people being quite fearful … it was something absolutely crazy like that … people are saying …podcasting, it’s now just AI slop like blogging … but I think there’s a lot more to read into that … podcasting is going to be one of the mediums that’s protected a lot from AI slop because it’s so reliant on knowing the host … it’s so much harder to fake that over half an hour or an hour than it is to just write a blog post or a short video.”That’s the point. Podcasting is human.It’s voice, tone, connection. You can’t fake that (yet).While everyone else is worried about AI, you’ll be building something AI can’t touch:authentic trust with your audience.And about that “saturation” myth?There are around 4 million podcasts total — but only 300 to 400 thousand active ones. That’s fewer than most YouTube channels or blogs.So no, you’re not too late. You’re early!“People often say that podcasting is saturated, but it’s actually far smaller than video or blogging … there are only about 4 million podcasts in total, and only around 300 to 400 thousand active ones … so it’s a tiny number and actually one of the least competitive spaces.”So if you start now, you’re not too late.And you don’t need a million listeners. You need the right ones.The PATH Framework — Your Shortcut to ClarityBased on decades of experience, Colin built a unique framework called PATH.It has helped thousands of new podcasters launch and grow. It’s simple, human, and proven.Here’s what Colin shared with me:1. Purpose“A lot of people who start a podcast actually don’t really know the purpose. It’s just a hobby … But often that purpose is a real driver behind your show….Do you have a concept for a podcast that actually stands out?”Your why is everything.* Do you want to grow your brand? * Build community? * Sell your book?Say it out loud. Own it.2. Audience“Audience is the big one. Like audience is where it all comes from…Who is it you want to attract based on your purpose?”Colin recommends to speak to ONE person. Not “everyone.”Because when you talk to everyone, no one listens.3. Topic“With a podcast … often it’s about a problem, a question, an issue that that audience has….If you know your audience well enough, you probably know the biggest problem … the biggest question … the biggest issue that they have right now….Design a season … say 10 or 12 episodes … around that question.”* Ten to twelve episodes. * One theme. * One question.Simple. Focused. Powerful.4. Hallmark“How am I going to bring my own angle to it? …The hallmark … like what’s going to make it stand out?…One is angle … So it could be like my own background … A lot of the content we create … the angle I have on it is coming from a teacher’s background. … I structure all of our podcast episodes as lessons … I give a wee intro … I do some examples and I do the homework at the end of every one.”* What’s your flavor?* Your style?* Your thing that makes listeners go, “Yep, that’s totally Kristina (insert your own name)”Why Substack Is the Perfect Home for Your Podcast in 2026Substack lets you host your podcast, run your newsletter, and grow your audience, all in one place.No juggling platforms. No stress.As Colin says in our interview:“Substack is obviously great for growth in terms of newsletter subscribers … If you are a podcaster who wants to run a newsletter alongside … it’s great because you can grow that newsletter … you can bring people to your podcast that way as well…What I love about Substack … you get some type of engagement … Even if you have the feeling you’re talking to the void … there is definitely one person out there who might be listening to every podcast episode.”Just you. Your mic. Your message.And that’s exactly what I’m doing.I Went From Zero to Top 5% PodcasterI started my Substack podcast as an experiment, as Linda Lebrun, an insider at Substack, recommended it to me during one of our conversations in 2024 (I’ll share more soon).I’m thankful for this little nudge as this small step was definitely in the right direction!The results were mind-blowing! I went from zero downloads to more than 1,000 per episode in the first 7 days. That’s so crazy.If that’s not proof it’s possible, I don’t know what is.Since I’m doing this part-time, I've produced (only) 30 episodes in 14 months.My tip:“Do yourself a favour and take the time to listen to the show so you can eliminate the fear of the unknown from the equation.Because even a small step in the right direction can make a significant shift in your life and writing business.”So taking inspir-ACTION is crucial. That’s why…Here’s your ACTION plan (or homework 🤫)* Write your one-line purpose.* Name your dream listener.* Pick one burning question for Season 1.* Add your unique spin.* Grab a USB mic.* Record your first 10-minute “pilot.”* Publish it on Substack and ask your audience one question at the end.That’s it. You’re rolling.Ready? Let’s goooo!Join the Substack Podcast 101 Bootcamp with Dr. Colin Gray (starts Nov 17!)In just 4 days, you’ll go from “no clue” to “Substack podcast, live and visible on all major platforms.”🤫Psst! With… EARLYBIRD you’ll get 50% OFF!You’ll learn how to plan, record, publish, and grow your podcast on Substack, without burnout or tech overwhelm.We’ll lay out what it takes to start, maintain, and profit from your podcast.If you’re still reading this, here’s your sign:* You’ve got the voice.* You’ve got the story.* Now go share it.The only thing missing is the record button.Your future listeners are waiting.See you in the Bootcamp,P.S. You don’t need a million listeners. You need one who cares.Need help with your podcast?* ⭐1:1 Coaching (3 spots left for 2025!)* ⭐StackBudy Collaborations (FREE tool) no excuses! My husbandPatrick God built a tool for us to find podcast guests in no time (without paying any money to book). We’re now 290+ collab-interested people from Substack.* ⭐The Substack Podcasting 101 Bootcamp doors are OPEN! It’s time to (finally) get you on the mic and launch or level up your podLiked this? Support an indie publisher and part-time mompreneur and ♻️SHARE ♻️this story so more people like you can read it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

I know a lot of you skim (no judgment) and maybe just want to listen instead of reading. If that’s you, no problem.But if you stick around, I want to tell you a little story.A few days ago, I was curled up on the couch scrolling through Substack Notes with a cup of tea in one hand and a toddler climbing my leg. And there she was. Witchy author and magical fellow mompreneur BREANNE ✨ RANDALL.To be honest, I didn’t know her. But I saw she was rising fast in the #Education category on Substack. I read some of her posts and though to myself“I want my Club members to meet BREANNE ✨ RANDALL !”🥳UPDATE: Today, Bre became a Substack bestseller with 100 paid subscribers. Congrats, Bre!🥳 In the DMs she told me she’s still looking for an email from Substack, but until then we can go with this:✨To get her some more, 2 READERS CAN WIN 365 days of Bre magic! Win a paid subscription to Bre’s newsletter Alchemy Era™.How to win? Listen to the pod, leave a comment and share this podcast episode with your friends.✨Pssst! As we’re celebrating 1 year of podcasting, you can also meet Bre and all her practical magic on Wednesday, November 5th at…🕓 15:30 UK | 10:30 ET | 7:30 PT | 16:30 Berlin …inside the inner circle of The Online Writing Club.Our Biggest Dreams Live In The Hearts of The People Who Raised UsWhen I was little, it was my (grand)dad who bought me a journal and asked me to start writing the moment I could hold a pencil in my hands.Michael Lim’s grandma always said to him: “Travel while you’re young”. And he did! 💡Here's my conversation with Michael about building a soulful one-person writing business.Now Bre’s another perfect example of what it means to keep showing up when no one believes in you (yet). and you don’t feel seen. Of how sometimes our biggest dreams live in the hearts of the people who raised us.“One day I’m going to see you on the New York Times list,” her late grandmother said to her.She was her best friend.Since Bre’s a goal-getter, she said:“Okay, I’m going to take the deal.”But before that?500 (!) rejections in a decade.500 No’s.Even more than comedian Kevin Hart!One small press finally offered her a $4,000 book deal.As she had no money for ads or other bigger promotional activities, she knew she had to do her own marketing and build her own audience.So she started posting on Instatgram and TikTok in the cracks of time. This magical episode is the behind-the-scenes story of how she “made it”. How Bre went from 0 to instant NYT bestseller (her grandma was right!) as a debut with 11,000 preorders as a promise to the woman who cheered her on.From 0 to 7M Monthly Views (!)From scratch, Bre cracked the code on what Gary Vee calls interest media (social media is dead!):Free platform. Free attention. Free content. Free momentum.In 2.5 years Breanne Randall built:* 650,000+ followers* 7 million monthly reachAnd her key to it all?Hooks + Gilmore Girls meets Practical MagicWe can learn soooooooooooooo much from her, especially about failing… hard.I want to learn from Bre in the LIVE masterclass! And also want to access all the confetti- and WOW-worthy replays from LIVEs and masterclasses from Evelyn Skye to Justin Welsh, indie publishers and big creators and dreamers. As we’re celebrating 1 year of podcasting, you’ll get 40% off!🎙️In Today’s Episode, You’ll Learn* How to turn rejection into fuel: Bre shares how she faced over 500 rejections, stayed relentless for 10 years, and finally became a New York Times bestselling author as an underdog.* How to build an audience with emotional connection, not ads: Breanne explains how “hooks, not plots” helped her grow from zero followers to hundreds of thousands. Think Taylor Swift and someone would say: “It feels like one of Taylor’s songs..”. Would you read it?* How consistency beats virality: Bre reveals why posting often and showing up daily matters more than chasing one viral moment.* How to market your work with heart: From hand-addressing 500 envelopes to treating every reader like a friend, Breanne shows how to sell without losing authenticity and while homeschooling her kids.✨Ask Bre Anything LIVE: Join Us Inside the Online Writing ClubWant to ask Bre your own questions? “I started Alchemy Era because I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel to be an author in today’s world. Writing the book is hard enough and then comes publishing, and suddenly you’re told you also need to be a marketing expert, a content creator, and a full-time cheerleader for your own work. It’s… a lot.”Join us LIVE inside the Online Writing Club Inner Circle where we’ll meet Breanne on Wednesday, November 5th at…🕓 14:30 UK | 9:30 ET | 6:30 PT | 15:30 BerlinGive her an hour and Bre will teach you how to make your publishing and marketing dreams come true.🔮7 Personal Highlights From My Conversation With Bre1. “Tomorrow could be the day.”Breanne stayed hopeful through ten years and hundreds of rejections. Her mindset was about showing up, believing that each new day could be the breakthrough. In her head she heard her late grandma’s voice saying: “One day I’m going to see you on the New York Times list” 2. “I had to separate my worth from my work and recognize that just because someone is rejecting my work does not mean that they are rejecting me.”Bre learned early that rejection doesn’t define who you are. Detaching your identity from your output is the only way to keep creating through failure. Many now hire failure managers to experiment and do things differently. So why not fail more, as Bre did?3. “It’s not about that. It’s about the consistency. It’s about the repeatable actions.”Going viral didn’t make Bre’s caree, consistency did. She built her audience one small post, one small action at a time.4. “Using a hook is going to be the way to create your ideal audience.”Instead of trying to summarize her books, she crafted emotional hooks like “Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic.” Hooks connect faster than plot summaries ever could.5. “Nobody’s going to care about something as much as you care about it.”Her marketing worked because it came from her heart. Breanne didn’t wait for her small publisher to care more. She took full ownership of her success. Amen to that!6. “I hand addressed each envelope for the first 500 people who pre-ordered.”Personal touches turn readers into fans. Breanne’s handwritten notes built a community around her work which left a lasting mark. Lots of time goes into manually DMing readers (I can tell!), but this shows it’s worthwhile. It’s rough though not having an automation.7. “One post can change the entire trajectory of your life.”Bre’s story is a reminder that effort compounds. Every post, every connection, every act of showing up can be the one that changes EVERYTHING.Bre Answers 4 ✨✨✨✨Community Questions1. What do you think about Substack, and why did you move here?“I think that Substack is incredible because it gives you this opportunity to be able to connect with your audience in a completely different way. (…) You get to share your thoughts, your journey, your feelings, and it’s all in one place where people actually want to read. (…) I wanted a place that felt calmer than social media, where I could write and connect without worrying about algorithms.”2. Why do you post so often on social media though?“It’s about the consistency. It’s about the repeatable actions. (…) I will post four or five times in a day on TikTok. (…) It is just all about repetition, honestly. (…) It’s about the touch points of somebody seeing my video and thinking, “Oh, that sounds good.”Then I keep posting about it.They see it a third time, a fourth time.They think, “Dang, you know what? I’m going to get that.”So I just kept posting every day with variations on the hook.3. What are the three types of posts you rely on most?“POV clips, slideshows, and then memes and quotes. (..) I think the seven second videos with a POV style work in particular because statistically, you’re going to get (…) a higher response rate if you show your face.4. Who made your creativity hub, your office space?“My office is 200 feet from the house. (…) I have my office here. And this is where I am for, you know, most of every day. (…) My husband built it all for me. (…) Yes, this is love. Absolutely.”🫵🏻Your Turn!Alright, alright, alright…your turn.* What’s your big dream right now?* What’s that thing you keep saying you’ll start… but haven’t yet?Or let’s make it fun:* Tell us your favorite Gilmore Girls scene.* Or be honest…what’s the hardest part about marketing your work?No wrong answers.Just drop it below. 👇You never know who you’ll inspire.And If Bre’s Grandma Could See Her Grandkid Now?She’d probably just smile and say,“I told you so!”As Bre shared on Notes:LET’S MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!With excitement and a little witchy sparkle,Here’s how I can help you even MORE:* ⭐Calm Your Stack (FREE tool) Hide the annoying column on your Substack homepage. Free tool built by my husband.* ⭐StackBudy Collaborations (FREE tool) Find collab partners in 30 seconds. No excuses. Free.* ⭐ VIPer Let’s set your Substack up for success and make you a bestseller (1x newsletter audit, quarterly 1:1 + StackBuddy access + discounts on Bootcamps* ⭐1:1 CoachingLiked this? Support an indie publisher and part-time mompreneur and ♻️SHARE ♻️this story and help us spread the magic.Let’s make Bre’s grandma proud, together.🙏🏻1 person can win FREE access to the paid tier of Bre’s Newsletter. So leave a comment! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Hey, quick heads-up.I know a lot of you skim (no judgment) and maybe just want to listen instead of reading. If that’s you, no problem.But if you stick around, we’ve got something fun to celebrate 1 year of podcasting with the Online Writing Club show… 🎉 Engagement Prizes!You can win a FREE subscription to Anne-Kathrin Gerstlauer’s paid newsletter TextHacks.👉 To enter: leave a comment, review, share this podcast on Notes, and/or forward it to a friend.Why This Episode Is Sooooo SpecialI’m excited, for the first time ever, to introduce a fellow non-native writer friend from Berlin in Germany on the podcast! Germany is my home country.I know many of you actually enjoy our German accent, so we’ll call that a bonus for us. And we’re in good company: Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), or Matthias Schweighöfer (Army of the Dead). And if we count Austria, there’s Christoph Waltz and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not bad company to share an accent with.In my heart, I feel more like an international. But it’s still extra special to spotlight someone who’s building something groundbreaking in the German-speaking world.You love video? Here’s the video interview!Meet Today’s Guest: Anne-Kathrin GerstlauerAnne-Kathrin Gerstlauer is a Berlin-based journalist and consultant.She has spent the last years editing and shaping hundreds of texts for the internet, and more precisely, for the smartphone. First as Head of top-tier magazine ZEIT Campus ONLINE, then as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of watson.de.And she jokes about her time in the newsroom with this line:“I want to apologize to everyone I ever tortured with my favorite sentence: Let me read this out loud to you.”Also, she turned a side project into one of Germany’s largest newsletters about writing. Her German-language newsletter TextHacks has grown to more than 18,000 subscribers.Also, she belongs to the top #29 bestsellers in the Substack category International!She monetizes in two familiar ways:* A paid subscription tier.* Advertising slots.But what really sets her apart and why she won this year’s Inbox Award for Innovation and Revenue from our mutual friend and newsletter expert Dan Oshinsky , is her third revenue stream which is a model no one is using (yet! because NOW you can capitalize on this!):👉🏻Licensing her newsletter content to companies, just like a photographer licenses their photos!If you say: I love this Club and Anne-Kathrin. I want to meet her, subscribe and also get accee to the Substack Beginner Course (as annual member). BONUS: All paid subs will get access to The Substack 12 Months Content Calendar (worth $57 for FREE)Here’s how it works:* German businesses buy old issues of TextHacks.* Others pay Anne-Kathrin to personalize an issue specifically for their employees.* These companies then redistribute the content — often inside their own internal newsletters.The results?She’s already signed 4- and 5-figure deals ($30,000 in Q1 alone), all from content she originally published for free.In my opinion, this move is bold, brilliant, and proof that there are always new ways to think about what your words are worth.ℹ️ I think it’s a nice addition to Anna Wharton's approach to get her posts that people already paid for in newsletters and get FREE Money. Syndication is one form of licensing. Anna: “It was already written. I did it for my paid subscribers and the iPaper asked me if they could use it. It required no effort from me. And so, in my mind, that’s free money."Anna Wharton, HERE’S our podcast episode on getting your newsletter posts in magazines and newspapers.Can’t wait any longer and want to listen to the full conversation?Meet Anne-Kathrin Live Inside the Club: Master AI Text Hacking and Licensing📅 Wednesday, October 8🕓 16:45 Berlin | 15:45 UK | 10:45 ET | 7:45 PT | 01:45 Sydney (Oct 7)Inside this members-only session, Anne-Kathrin will:* Share how she built her revolutionary licensing model that’s already landed 4- and 5-figure deals and made her $30,000 in the first quarter of 2025.* Show us how she as a journalist and course instructor writes and text hacks with AI and why it matters for speed, clarity, and creativity.* Explain how she combines journalist-level precision with AI tools and hacks to make writing sharper and more engaging.You’ll also have the chance to ask her your own questions in the Chat and Q&A.Replay of Master AI Text Hacking and Licensing with Anne-Kathrin Gerstlauer will be available!7 Highlights From My Conversation With Anne-Kathrin✅ The Licensing Model That Changes the Game“I’m selling the articles that I’ve already written to companies who then send out those as kind of an internal newsletter… I already made like 30,000 euros just with the licensing model this year.”✅ Tripling Her Prices Thanks to TextHacks“I tripled the prices. I can choose with whom I work just because of my newsletter.”✅ Why Sharing Beats Growth Hacks“My newsletter has grown just from sharing. There is no big secret growth hack. It’s just people like it, people feel educated, people share it with their friends and with their colleagues.”✅ The Ego Trap in Writing“The best hack for a newsletter writer and every writer is like, take back your ego. Most people are writing for themselves… but if we really want to sell something, educate people, we really have to think on what should other people learn and then put that at the top of the article.”✅ Storytelling? Sometimes Overrated“I think storytelling is a little bit overrated. I educate people in a snackable content format… I think the most important thing in writing is: do you have something to say? Is what you say really a clever thought?”✅ The Challenge of Paid Content in Germany“People in Germany are not very willing to pay for content. They got a lot of free content on the internet for a very long time. So you have to have like a really specific model to make them pay.”✅ Thinking Internationally About Growth“I feel like if I’d have the same newsletter in English, I’d probably have between 50 and 100,000 people.”Anne-Kathrin Answers Your Community QuestionsQ: How do I get more readers without spending on ads?Anne-Kathrin: “My newsletter has grown just from sharing. There is no big secret growth hack. It’s just people like it, people feel educated, people share it with their friends and with their colleagues.”Q: What if I struggle to get people to pay for my newsletter?Anne-Kathrin: “People in Germany are not very willing to pay for content… so you have to have like a really specific model to make them pay. That’s why I have not just the paid subscribers, but different income streams that work for me.”Q: Do I need to use storytelling to succeed?Anne-Kathrin: “I think storytelling is a little bit overrated. I educate people in a snackable content format. Sometimes I share a little bit about myself, but not a lot. The most important thing in writing is: do you have something to say?”Q: How do you keep writing consistently without running out of ideas?Anne-Kathrin: “The content from the newsletter is actually coming from those workshops… But also I’m writing a newsletter episode and then I’m like, oh, that’s a great idea. I should include this in my next workshop. So it’s kind of a full circle moment.”🫵🏻Your Turn!* If you could license one piece of content you’ve already written, an article, a newsletter post, or a post on Notes, which one would it be, and why? Share the link in the comments for us to check out!I think licensing is such an exciting model and I know so many of you are eager to learn how to write with AI, grow your newsletter faster, and become better writers.That’s exactly why I’m thrilled Anne-Kathrin will be joining us live inside the Club next Wednesday. Don’t miss it!Join the Club, meet Anne-Kathrin, learn how to write with AI, hack your texts so more gonna love it and get access to the Subsatck Course for Beginners (annual members!) + ALL subs will get the Substack 12 Months Content Calendar (worth $57 for FREE!). See you inside!With excitement,Here’s how I can help you even MORE* ⭐Calm Your Stack (FREE tool) to get your zen back on Substack to hide the annpying column on the left on your home feed. Thansk to my hubby* ⭐StackBudy Collaborations (FREE tool) no excuses! Patrick built a tool for us to find collab partners in no time.* ⭐1:1 CoachingLiked this? Support an indie publisher and part-time mompreneur and ♻️SHARE ♻️this story so more people like you can read it. 🙏🏻1 person can win FREE access to the paid tier of Anne-Kathrin Gerstlauer’s TextHacks! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Hey, quick heads-up. I know a lot of you skim (no judgment) and maybe just want to listen instead of reading. If that’s you, that’s fine.But… if you stick around, we’ve got something fun: ENGAGEMENT PRIZES!🅱️3 readers can win FREE access to the paid tier of Karen Salmansohn’s The Stand Up Philosopher: Weighty Musings, Lightly Served. Everyone who’s leaving a comment, sharing this podcast on Notes or forwarding this to a friend can win!Plus, with the code KARENFRIENDyou’ll get 40% off The Substack Notes Bootcamp (and Karen will hopefully join us there too).So now let’s talk about today’s guest.Today’s podcast guest is behavioural change expert and bestselling author (2M books sold!) Karen Salmansohn.Karen doesn’t shy away from the truth:“So, you’re alive. Congrats. Now what’s your game plan?”Her mission is simple: to help you dust off your “Someday” goals and build a life that’s more than wake, work, and worry.She calls herself a Middle-of-Life Doula (and sometimes a Beginning-of-Life Doula too). Her work is about mortality awareness as fuel.“Life is short. And when you realize you don't have like 700 bonus years stored away in a drawer somewhere, and if you want to do something, you've got to do it now, it lights a fire under your tush. It's about the ripples you leave. If you share freely of yourself, you will leave a very big ripple. But if you don't share fully of yourself, then a very small ripple will be left behind.”That’s the heartbeat of her new book, Your To-Die-For Life.Psst! If you order her book, you’ll also get a FREE gift from her (I’m not an affilate. Just love her book, although I almost died reading it, but you’ll hear more in today’s pod).As Karen shared in our interview:“(…) Start off writing your own eulogy (…) We write five-year business plans, but we don’t write a mission statement for our life. Aristotle said: if you want to live a good life, you have to imagine who you want to be on your deathbed. Begin with the end in mind and then reverse engineer it.”How I Found Karen SalmasohnThis all started with an article she wrote: Death is Like Getting Laid Off from the Best Job Ever published in The Stand Up Philosopher: Weighty Musings, Lightly Served.Tribe member and viral Bootcamp alum Patricia Ross (86yo!) shared it.It hit me so deeply that I reached out right away to ask for an interview. Only later did I realize how wildly successful she is.* 1M followers on Facebook* 30,000 Substack subscribers* Featured on Oprah, CNN, Psychology Today, and the New York TimesEven Deepak Chopra praises her writing style:So the numbers and the praise didn’t drew me in.It was that personal essay and the way it made me stop, think, and want to bring her to you.Funny thing: in our conversation, we didn’t talk about social media at all. (I know, you expected something different from me.)Instead? We talked about me falling off the hammock while reading her book… and (since I almost died)… death. Or actually… life. Your life.🎙️ Can’t wait any longer and want to listen to the full conversation? The Marble Jar That Stopped Me in My TracksI interviewed her from my attic at the West Coast oif Germany, while she was sitting high up in a sleek skyscraper in New York City.But if you look closer at her window shelf, you’ll notice something unexpected…Karen bought 432 marbles and two glass jars.Jar #1: The Future → all 432 marbles went in.Jar #2: The Past → empty at first.Each month, she transfers one marble from Future to Past.Visual and nforgettable. That’s from her book, too.Love my podcasts? I’m an indie part-time publisher. Your support is the heartbeat if this newsletter. You’ll get everything I can give: writing classes, live classes, weekly Q&As, community access, FREE Substack & Medium course for beginners and sooo much moreJoin The Live Writing Workshop With Karen: Write With The End In Mind (& Euology)📅 September 23🕘 4 PM Berlin | 3 PM UK | 10 AM ET | 7 AM PT | 12 AM Sydney (Sept 24)Inside the members-only session, Karen will * share her writing process, * why “writing your eulogy” is her favorite exercise, and * how you can use it to create your most meaningful work with “the end in mind”.You’ll also have the chance to ask her your own questions in the Chat and Q&A.Replay will be available!Mortality Awareness: The “Live Now” ButtonKaren calls mortality awareness your Live Now Button.“Being mortal means there’s no time to dawdle, so start now & learn how to use death as a life hack!”It sounds heavy, but research shows that reminders of death don’t depress us. They inspire us.* People get more generous.* They procrastinate less.* They choose kindness, courage, and authenticity.For writers it’s gold. Every “someday” you delay is really a “no” to your dream. Mortality awareness reframes that. It whispers, Do it now.Want to meet Karen live for a writing class? Join the Online Writing Club. Become a better writer and grow your list with Kristina God, #25 Education worldwide, marketing pro, mompreneur and indie publisher.7 Highlights From My Conversation With Karen✅The Identity Trick That Makes Habits Stick“Your identity is the puppet master for your habits, not the other way around. Frank Sinatra sang Doobie Doobie Doo, but he’s a backwards personal development author. It’s be doobie doobie doo. First you have to own the identity to do the habits. And you’re more likely to do the habits if you own that as your identity.”✅Seven Core Values That Erase the Regrets of the Dying“I realized there were seven core values that if you do them, you will not die with the top regrets of the dying.A = Authentic.B = Brave.C = Curious.D = Discerning.E = Empathic Love.F = Fun.G = Grateful.”✅Why Humor Helps Us Handle Hard Things“Studies say humor helps to free up your mind. One group got to watch serious videos, the other funny videos. Then they got puzzles to solve. The group that watched funny videos were better at problem solving because it loosens up your brain. Humor and playfulness are meditation on steroids. They help you deal with difficult topics better.”✅Sloppy Copy Beats Perfect Chapter One“I believe you have to get sloppy copy. Just get it out there. And then go in and polish it. And when you polish it, a lot of people start at chapter one. Just start at chapter 11, start at chapter two. Otherwise the front of the book starts off strong and then it’s all over the place.”✅Why Karen Designs the Cover Before Writing the Book“I do the cover of a book while I'm writing it. And now it's more easy for people to do that — you just go on Canva. It kind of gets me feeling like it's a book. And then that motivates me.”✅The Secret to Books Readers Actually Flip Through“Even if you don't have illustrations in your book, people still are visual without even knowing they're visual. You need to have short paragraphs and bullet points or single sentences. Make the page feel visual… so it feels like it's going to be easy to read. If your book has large paragraphs and somebody sees it in a bookstore, it's going to accidentally communicate, ‘This is a hard book to read.’”If you say: I LOVE that Kristina is bringing me all these amazing authors, dreamers and makers! Why not join the Club as a member. As an annual member you’ll also get access to ALL paid perks & the LIVE with Karen.Karen Answers Your Community QuestionsQ: How do I deal with procrastination?Karen: “Saying I don’t have enough time is like the adult equivalent of ‘the dog ate my homework.’ You do have time. You’re just not prioritizing it.”Q: What if I get stuck trying to write perfectly?Karen: “I believe you have to get sloppy copy. Just get it out there. And then go in and polish it.”Q: How do I figure out what really matters in life?Karen: “Nobody’s going to read your Google Calendar at your funeral. And nobody’s going to read your LinkedIn profile at your funeral. You know what they’re going to do? They’re going to tell stories that have to do with your core values.”Q: What if I feel like I’m just drifting?Karen: “The main one I recommend in the book is to start off writing your own eulogy… Begin with the end in mind and then reverse engineer it.”Karen Reminded Me of Something Simple But Profound“Writing your eulogy now helps you live the life you truly want, today.”That’s why she’s teaching this writing class. And that’s why we gather in the Club…to write words that last, and to live more alive in the process.See you (and Karen!) in class.Take care,P.S. Don’t forget: Order Your To-Die-For Life now and get a FREE gift. (No affiliate)P.P.S. 🅱️ As an indie publisher, your feedback is a spark that keeps me going. Drop a comment to share your thoughts + win an engagement prize! 2–3 people can win FREE access to the paid tier of Karen Salmansohn’s The Stand Up Philosopher: Weighty Musings, Lightly ServedP.P.P.S. For some extra love 🔁, re-stack (share) this with a friend who might need to hear Karen’s message today! 🔁Plus, with the code KARENFRIENDyou’ll get 40% off The Substack Notes Bootcamp (and Karen will hopefully join us there too). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

What if the thing you’re writing about, even if it feels niche, could take you all the way from starting at zero to signing a book deal?That’s exactly what happened to runner and running coach Raziq Rauf, creator of the Substack newsletter Running Sucks.Raz Rauf started from scratch, with the hope someone out there would care.Two years later, he landed a book deal with UK publisher Batsford — turning personal essays and cultural commentary into a book that will be out in May 2026.I thought to myself:More people need to know about Raz, because his journey shows how Substack can take you from zero to book deal. That’s why I asked him for an interview.👉But here’s the best part: you can meet Raz live inside the Online Writing Club membership for a writing workshop this Wednesday, * at 11 AM–12 PM CST (US), * 5 PM–6 PM UK, and * 2 AM–3 AM Sydney.👈Replay will be available!This will be a one-of-a-kind writing session where Raz also shares how he turned his essays on running culture into a book coming out with Batsford in 2026.Why Raz’s Story Matters To YouWhen Raz started Running Sucks in February 2023, he had no platform in the running world.As he told me:“I started from zero, hence the title From Zero to Book.” (His planned second newsletter)That resonates with so many inside the Online Writing Club. Writers who think:* What if no one cares about my words?* Do I need a huge following first?* Is my niche too small?Raz proves the opposite. You don’t need to start big. You just need to start writing about your passion.3 Highlights From My Conversation With Raz✅ “It’s a very fulfilling grind.”Raz compares writing a book to filling a wall with post-it notes. First, you cover the wall with messy ideas — then you rearrange and refine. The key? Grind it out.✅ “If you make the worst thing better, then everything’s going to be okay.”This is Raz’s coaching philosophy (and life philosophy). Whether in running or writing, start by fixing the hardest part. Once you solve that, everything else feels lighter.✅ “I started from zero, hence the title From Zero to Book.”Raz didn’t have a public persona, an Instagram following, or a platform in the running world. He literally began from zero and within two years, Substack opened the door to a book contract.🎙️ Want to listen to the full conversation? 🎙️Inside today’s episode, Raz opens up about:* How his background in journalism shaped his newsletter strategy* Why Substack was the perfect place to write about running culture* How he grew from 500 to 4,000 subscribers — and landed his book deal along the way🎧Listen to today’s conversation here!Let us know in the comments how you like today’s conversation!Running: From Subculture To MainstreamRaz sees running as more than a sport. It’s culture.“Running is a niche. It’s a subculture, but it’s moving into the mainstream. And that’s a really interesting moment in the sport.”That’s why his newsletter and upcoming book are so powerful: he’s documenting running as culture. Just like music was when punk broke out.For writers in any niche, this matters. Your subject doesn’t have to be “big” already. When you capture the cultural shift, that’s the story publishers (and readers) want to see.Based on my interview with Raz, let’s answer some of the questions from the community:Raz is Answering Your QuestionsQ: Writing feels like a grind. How do you keep going?Raz: “It’s a very fulfilling grind… I need to grind it out, I need to get all my ideas onto the page. While I’m doing that, I’m already rearranging in my head.”Q: I’m scared my audience is too small. Do numbers even matter?Raz: “Maybe when the publisher first got in touch with me, I had less than 2000 subscribers. I’ve always had the idea that if one person is reading my work, that’s great. This many is great. Also great.”Q: I don’t want to sound salesy. How do I treat my newsletter as a business?Raz: “I approached it as another part of my job… treating myself as a business, essentially. Took all my training as a journalist to create a good product, something people want to read, something I want to write.”Q: What’s your best advice for new writers (or new runners)?Raz: “Think about the thing that was making it suck the most… and try to figure out a solution for that. If you make the worst thing better, then everything’s going to be okay.”Join The Live Writing Workshop With RazOne of the biggest opportunities inside the Club is that you don’t just read about the writers I interview — you get to meet them LIVE (or watch ALL the replays).This week, you're gonna meet Raz…📅 Wednesday, September 27🕘 10am–11am Pacific (US)🕘1pm–2pm New York (EST/EDT)🕘11am–12pm CST (US)🕘2am–3am Sydney (AEST)Inside the session, Raz will share his writing process, writing tips and tricks, and how documenting running culture via Substack made him pitch a publisher. You’ll also have the chance to ask him your own questions in the Chat and Q&A.What’s Next Inside The Inner Circle of the ClubIf you like today’s podcast, you’ll also like this!Book marketing! Inside the Inner Circle of the Online Writing Club, you’ll find a new dedicated space for authors..…where you can connect with other writers and meet our very own tribe member + book coach Fleur Hull from collab publication The Substack Bookstore.Better writer: Our next writing masterclass is with Karen Salmansohn at Sept 24th!NEW💡 Weekly Office HoursSubstack recently closed its office hours for bestsellers (!). I didn’t want you to miss out on that kind of support, so I’m bringing it straight into the Club.Every week, I answer your questions live or, if you can’t make it, I pick them up from emails, DMs, and community threads and answer them for everyone.Couldn’t attend? No stress. Replays are always available inside the community experience.Master Substack: 3 (!) Upcoming Bootcamps:* Sept 8–11 → Substack Notes Bootcamp with superstars Sara Redondo, MD and Gail K. * Sept 29–Oct 2 → Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp with Jerry Keszka and Gail K. * Oct 27 → Substack Podcast Bootcamp (for anyone ready to start a show!) with a podcast influencer who recently spoke at the biggest podcast conference in EuropeIf you like this, join the Online Writing Club and meet teachers, artists, writers, and authors who inspire you to create your best work!See You On WednesdayRaz reminded me of something simple but profound:“As good as a newsletter is, it’s not forever. I’ve had so much work that’s online that doesn’t exist anymore. If they just stop paying the domain fees… my work evaporates into nothingness. So having something tangible like this, I think is important in the digital age that we’re living in.”That’s why he’s writing his book. And that’s why we gather in the Inner Circle of the Club: to make our work last, and to build something real together.See you (and Raz!) on Wednesday.Take care,P.S. 🙏🏻As an indie publisher, your feedback is just a spark, but enough to keep me going, so it would be wonderful to hear from you in the comments 🙏🏻P.P.S. For some extra love🔁, re-stack (share) this with a friend who might need to hear this today!🔁 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Put a hand up if you’ve ever…🤚🏻felt burned out as a teacher — whether you teach yoga, art, music, writing, or anything else — this episode will show you what’s possible.Jo Hutton was a yoga teacher running on empty. Like so many teachers, she’d poured everything into her students and had nothing left for herself. I found her through a viral video post on Notes and thought to myself:More people need to know about Jo because she truly knows the pain points of her audience and how to hype herself via Substack!Jo Is Beating The Glass Ceiling of Yoga Teachers in The UKBecause…in the UK, the average yoga teacher earns around £20–£40 per class — and many other teaching professions face similar limits on income and reach.Jo found another way. Today, she’s the creator of Yoga For Tired People, a soulful Substack newsletter with 1,400+ paying subscribers — earning far more than a traditional teaching schedule could bring in, while serving many more people than she could ever fit in a studio.Her newsletter is about giving tired, overwhelmed people a place to rest, reconnect, and breathe -no yoga mat needed. And the best part? The model works for any teacher who wants to share their skills with the world.🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”🎙️In our conversation, senior yoga teacher Jo pulls back the curtain on the exact tool she uses alongside Substack to run her business, and we break down her “Substack House” — from the roof to the foundation:* ✅Content pillars that keep her ideas flowing.* ✅Atomic newsletters that hook readers instantly.* ✅Videos and live classes that deepen connection.* ✅The welcome email that invites new readers into her “Yoga for Tired People” world.* ✅And the foundation that holds it all together — her About page and her powerful paid subscriber invitation.You’ll learn exactly how Jo transformed from burnout to building a soulful, sustainable email list and 36,000-subscriber newsletter on Substack and how you can borrow her blueprint to serve more people, earn more, and teach in a way that lights you up again.We’re celebrating our collab with the Substack Bookstore from book coach Fleur Hull and for the next 7 hours, you have the chance to get 50% OFF.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?The Online Writing Club Show now belongs to the top 1% of podcasts globally! YAY!🎧 Listen to the full conversation here 🎧 Catch the episode on your favorite podcast app You can listen to it as Substack podcast or on Spotify.Enjoy the show!If you’re listening via Spotify it would be awesome to get a review from you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. You can really make a different with this small gesture. Thanks 🙏🏻Join The Inner Circle of The Online Writing ClubAnd if you love meeting inspiring creators like Jo, you’ll feel right at home inside the Online Writing Club. This week, we had a livestream session with bestselling author and beautiful soul Karen Salmansohn on how to write with the end in mind. Gail K. was excited!And soon, we’ll be talking with runner and soon-to-be-published author Raziq Rauf about going from zero to book launch in a live masterclass.✨ Join the Online Writing Club and meet teachers, artists, writers, and authors who inspire you to create your best work!P.S. 🙏🏻🙏🏻Your feedback is just a spark, but enough to keep me going, so it would be wonderful to hear from you in the comments 🙏🏻🙏🏻P.S. For some extra love🔁, re-stack (share) this with a friend who might need to hear this today!🔁 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

A woman stepped into an elevator in San Francisco and asked,“What’s up there?”Linda Lebrun, still at Substack back then, smiled and answered:“Substack.”The woman had never heard of it.Back then, Substack was a small idea with a big dream. No fancy office. No millions of users. No $100M headlines in The New York Times.Fast forward to today:* Substack has a gorgeous office in California (as shown in the cover photo on the New York Times) with an orange leather couch* Just raised $100 million in new funding, valuing the company at $1.1 billion* Powers over 5 million paid subscriptions* And the Notes feature is turning Substack into the go-to app for discovering writers, authors, creatives, artists, and dreamersThings are changing fast—and that’s why this week’s podcast episode is so special.🎙️ I sat down with Linda Lebrun from Substack’s Writer Partnerships team for her final podcast interview before leaving Substack. We talked about how to grow on the platform right now, what’s changed, and what still matters.She didn’t just bring behind-the-scenes insights. She brought the basics we all need to remember.Because yes, everything is shifting—what’s trending, how Notes works, and who’s getting discovered.But the 101 still matters—and no one explains it better than Linda.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy the show, which now has 70,000 downloads! Thank you, guys! 🙏🏻🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.👉 You can listen to the full episode right here:You can also continue reading but…What You Don’t Want to Miss1. Why Notes Is the #1 Growth Engine on Substack“Two years ago, I’d start the conversation with recommendations,” Linda told me.“But today, I start the conversation with Notes and with the app.”That’s exactly how 25% of my subscribers found me.And I’m not alone—many tribe members are seeing the same or even more growth through Notes.WOW-Worthy Substack Notes Writers from the Club🌟Sara RedondonoOne WOW-worthy example is Sara Redondo, MD who is about to hit 30,000 subscribers with Zenith Within | Sara Redondo, MD. Substack Notes is a huge driver for this impressive success, keeping in mind that she just started this year. Go, girl!🌟Gail K.Another one I’d like to highlight (of course there are more) is Gail K. The creator of The Old Black Lady Chronicles made $16,000 in only a few weeks by constantly showing up on Substack Notes. Super!!🌟Jerry KeszkaJerry is growing fast. He even got his first sponsorship deal! With Plus 50 Forward he’s building a wonderful community driven by Substack Notes where his tribe finds him. Congrats!🌟Fleur Hull - Fleur Hull I’m seeing her posts more and more in my Substack Notes feed. She’s doing a fantastic job of starting her Substack Bookstore and inviting people via Notes. Amazing what you’re building! (I picked this note because you told me about it a few hours back!)Based on our interview, here’s what to keep in mind:Notes = DiscoveryDiscovery = GrowthGrowth = Your tribe finally finding you2. How Often Should You Post?There’s no secret formula. Some writers post every day, others go quiet for a while.Linda’s advice?“Have fun. That energy translates.”“Short and sweet is king.”In other words, show up when you can. Be human. Engage.It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being present.3. That Elevator Story Again 😄That moment when no one knew what Substack was? It’s already history.Now, Substack is in the New York Times with $100M in funding, and the world (maybe except Germany ^^) is finally catching up.🚨 Substack’s $100M MomentSubstack just raised $100 million in a funding round that pushes its valuation to $1.1 billion.And this time, the bet isn’t just on newsletters—it’s on Substack’s social network side, especially Notes.“We’re in a new phase,” said co-founder Hamish McKenzie.“People can come to Substack not just to publish—but to find new audiences and opportunity.”🥁 Coming: The Notes Kickstarter BootcampYou asked for it—and it’s coming back! 🎯The Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp is happening this summer, and this time:* I’m building it with WOW-worthy alumni* Inviting top collab partners (from the leaderboard)* And, of course, offering hands-on, step-by-step support for growing your audience through Notes* Checklists, templates, customized support, and Notes post power idea bank* Instead of a 5-day live cohort, we’ll do it in 4 days flat + surprise workshops + specials* Spoiler: We’ll have more surprises and FUN than ever - at the same time it’s super organized and structured based on hundreds of coaching sessions in the past months(If you’re already a paid subscriber or founding member and want to join, hit reply or send me a DM to get a special bonus!)(David McIlroy doesn’t have time this round, so I’m building a dream team to help you thrive.)🆓 Bonus: Substack Notes Quickstart GuideAre you a smallstacker or midstacker? (1, 10, 100, or 10,000 subs?)I made a short + sweet Get Started on Substack Notes guide just for you.If you haven’t yet…📥 Grab it here Reply and Let Me Know…Have you tried Substack Notes yet?What’s working? What’s confusing?Drop a Notes post you’re proud of, something that sparked a convo, or just tell me your story in the comments or Club Chat.I might feature you in an upcoming post or video!To everyone reading this:You don’t need a (social media) following to grow. You need a starting point. And Notes might just be it.Yours truly,P.S. Linda—thank you again for this conversation and all the behind-the-scenes wisdom you’ve shared with so many of us. 🙏🏻 Hugs!P.P.S. Smallstacker or midstacker? Join the Bootcamp waitlist. This round will be 🔥Oh….If you loved this news or think someone needs to read this, please share 🔁 it with your friends, colleagues, and family, as this means A LOT to me as a part-time mompreneur. Thanks so much! 🔁 Hugs! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Lately, I have the feeling everyone is shouting about their funnels, growth hacks, and flashy subscriber counts...And (although I should know it better as a professional marketing manager) the truth for my part-time newsletter business is…* I’m often just over here trying to hit “publish” on my next email in the middle of the night😅, * in the tiny cracks of time, or now during my vacay in Italy (just 20 minutes from Venice) with the family during “riposo” (midday break as we have 34°C! today).🎧If you can relate, you’ll love today’s podcast episode.Because I sat down with Dan Oshinsky, former newsletter lead at BuzzFeed and The New Yorker, since 2019 founder of Inbox Collective, with the tagline “Together, let’s make better newsletters”.Dan has built…* a wildly successful one-person newsletter business, * grown to over 10,000 subscribers, * and has helped everyone from indie writers to major NGOs build email strategies that actually work … all without icky sales tactics or spending every waking moment online or on Substack Notes and social media.In today’s episode, Dan shares the behind-the-scenes of how he built his newsletter from 0 to 10,000+ subscribers, without hustle, burnout, or doing things that didn’t feel good.If You’ve Been Telling Yourself:✅ “I want to start my newsletter, but I don’t have time.”✅ “I want to start my newsletter, I’m too old.”✅ “I hate selling, but I still want to earn.”✅ “I want to build something that lasts.”Then this is your episode because there’s no better time to start a newsletter than right now.I hope you’ll walk away with a new definition of success, one built on trust, consistency, and invisible marketing (Dan loved this question!).🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?The Online Writing Club Show recently hit 50,000 downloads, which is incredible. We are now among the top 1% of podcasts globally. Thank you all so much for your ongoing support of my part-time Online Writing Club!Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. 🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.You can also listen to it as a Substack podcast or on Spotify.But wait, there’s more if you love reading, too:Why Slow Growth WorksWhat I love is…Dan didn’t go viral. He didn’t buy ads. He started with a super simple tech stack: a free email tool (TinyLetter) and a public Google Doc.He chose a cadence he could stick with. For Dan, that was once a month. Written during early mornings or flights. Just an hour here or there (similar to me).The lesson:Don’t wait for the “perfect time.” Start where you are. Show up consistently (even if it’s just once a month!). Tiny cracks of time can build big results.“It doesn’t work unless it works for you.” Invisible Marketing = Real ResultsDan doesn’t do pushy launches. No fancy funnels. No hard sells.Instead, he shares tons of free value, like..* deep-dive articles, * newsletter audits, and * behind-the-scenes strategies.And guess what? That’s what grows his list and his business.When people are ready to hire him, they already know, like, and trust him. The “sale” (so many writers struggle with) happens naturally.So if the idea of selling your work makes your stomach flip……Dan’s approach will feel like a breath of fresh air. “The more I give away for free, the more business comes in.”Tech Stack? Keep It SimpleDan shows: You don’t need a complex setup to get started.Dan's first newsletter used TinyLetter and a public Google Doc. These days, he uses Mailchimp, WordPress, Google Forms, Airtable, and Zapier, but only because his clients do too.For beginners, Dan recommends tools like Substack or Beehive.They’re free, user-friendly, and perfect for solo creators.So if tech overwhelm is your biggest blocker, take a deep breath. It really can be this simple.Not Feeling “Salesy”? Good!If you've ever said,“I don’t want to push. I don’t want to sound like a marketer. I just want to write.”Dan gets you.He built a thriving consulting business without plastering sales messages everywhere.In fact, I had to dig to even find his services. And still, clients reach out weekly. Why?Because he teaches first, shares generously, and builds trust over time.“When you write consistently, opportunities come knocking, even when you’re not actively ‘selling.’” Defining “Enough”Dan isn’t chasing leaderboard spots (as on Substack) or vanity metrics.His focus is on a business that supports his life, not the other way around. Amen to this! 🙏And that’s something we all need to hear.Whether you have 10 or 10,000 subscribers, what counts most is showing up with care and serving your audience well.“Slow growth is still growth. And sometimes, it’s the best kind.” 🙏🏻Many thanks to Dan for this inspiring interview! It was a breath of fresh air.🙏🏻🎤LIVE Masterclass with Dan Oshinsky in 2025Later this summer, Dan will join the ranks of more than 25 brilliant and soulful creators and teach a masterclass within the Online Writing Club, all about building a newsletter business without the hustle. Also, he’ll share some exciting news with us.Come join 14,000 smart writers, creators, and artists, and grow your soulful and thriving newsletter in your own way.As an annual member, you can join our inner CIRCLE community of 350+ smart and soulful (part-time) newsletter writers who have access to the upcoming summer events and ALL 50+ previous pods, masterclasses and workshops from New York Times Bestselling authors, 6- and 7-figure solopreneurs, freelancers, creators, artists, top writers, and more inspiring personalities I find for you. You’ll also gain access to the Substack Course for Beginners called Substack School.Take care and keep writing (“Stammi bene e non smettere di scrivere”, as they say in Italy, where I’m currently writing and drinking my milkshake 🧋under a huge “ombrellone” while the kids are asleep),P.S. Any Qs? Hit reply and leave a comment.P.P.S. If you loved this interview or think someone needs to read this, please share 🔁 it with your friends, colleagues, and family as this means A LOT to me as a part-time mompreneur. Thanks so much! 🔁 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Whenever I open YouTube in non-member, non–ad-free mode, I get a Fiverr ad telling me I can find a freelancer for almost everything.Of course, also for writing and copy.And since I know many of you are curious about offering their copywriting services on Fiverr in 2025, I’m excited to share my interview with Maya Sayvanova from Smarter Solopreneurs , one of the top-rated copywriters on the platform.Maya has worked with over 2,200 clients, and her Fiverr business was featured in Business Insider.She’s also part of Fiverr’s Sell Pro community, with direct access to Fiverr employees who show her how to optimize her profile and gigs.But first, let’s bust a big myth.“Fiverr is a few levels below content mill…”“I’ve always written off Fiverr as being a few levels below a content mill. I know some people do well on it, but I’ve never heard anything about pitching yourself high to begin with.” Bruce Hoag If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.During this week’s podcast interview, I talked with Maya about Fiverr, which used to have a reputation for $5 gigs and race-to-the-bottom pricing, and that things have changed.And Maya is living proof with these amazing earnings to date:🎧What we cover in this week’s episode In our interview, Maya shares:* The mindset shifts that helped her grow* How she 4x’d her income with Fiverr + LinkedIn* Why distraction nearly ruined her career* How she sets boundaries and works on her terms* What beginners need to know to avoid undercharging (and why Maya gives high prizes right from the get-go)And yes—she shares how she made $12,000 from a single gig, with no paid ads or big audience.🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.👉 You can listen to the full episode right here:You can also continue reading…Why Fiverr is made for (copy)writersCopywriting, when done right, can be highly profitable.And Fiverr makes it simple to:✅ List your services✅ Attract global clients✅ Get paid to write (without chasing invoices)Whether it’s:* Newsletters* Book writing* Social media copy* Website messaging* Brochures, magazines* Landing pages and funnels* B2B and email campaignsAs a beginner, you can start with a small scope of work, then expand, specialize, and scale from there.If you check out Fiverr’s resources, you’ll see they even support you with onboarding tools, profile guidance, and reviews that build trust quickly—something most beginner freelancers struggle with.The NEW small business survey shows…Maya thinks Fiverr is one of the best platforms to launch a copywriting business, even if you're brand new. The new Fiverr Small Business Month Survey 2025 confirms this.The survey shows (copy) writing, content creation, and translation belong to the most ordered Fiverr services…Because “creating engaging content” is what small businesses want from freelancers on Fiverr.From imposter syndrome to $250K+Back in 2014, Maya quit her 9–5 to go freelance. She was raising two kids, had no idea how Fiverr worked, and nearly gave up a dozen times.She set her prices way too low.She thought about going back to a “real job.”She got distracted chasing other offers that weren’t aligned.But over time, she found her groove. And today?✅ She’s made over $240,000 on Fiverr✅ She’s in the top 1% of all sellers✅ And she once earned $12,000 from a single gigHere’s how Maya puts it:“(…) although I’m in the top 1% of sellers, there are service providers who’ve made over $1 million. Yes, on Fiverr, of all places. (…) If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend you go create a few gigs on the platform. Worst case, you’ll get a good feeling of how to structure a service offer. Best case, you can outearn your job in a couple of months.”🙏🏻🙏🏻Many thanks to Maya for this inspiring interview!🙏🏻🙏🏻Join the inner circle of the Online Writing ClubInside the Club, you can find the recording of our live masterclass with Maya:Also, you can find our masterclass with 7-figure copywriter Elna Cain!If this resonates with you, I’d love to invite you to join the Online Writing Club community of 14,000 like-minded, soulful, and passionate (part-time) solos, writers, artists, dreamers, and creators.It’s the space I wish I had when I started back in autumn 2022.We’ve grown to a membership of 350+ writers and creators from 159 countries who meet LIVE every week for:✅ Live sessions and masterclasses with creators (I interview for my Substack podcast and YouTube channel) who have gone before you, such as Maya.✅ Q&A, Chat, and help setting up your list and writing habit✅ Built-in CIRCLE community support and accountability✅ The Substack School on-demand course for Beginners (12 hours+) for annual members (!)✅ HOT & NEW: Kickstart Your Email List in Just 5 Days! (On-Demand Signature Course)To help more new-ish (part-time) writers, creators, artists and dreamers like you, starting today, you can get my signature cohort-based course, The Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp, as on-demand course!I know many come to Substack because they want to start their writing business. They see the opportunity and want to start capitalizing on the buzzy platform, as it’s a growth driver for copywriters like Maya.Still, most feel overwhelmed, have no clue where to start and what to do - although NOW is the BEST time to start your list (and you’re not too late!).The Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp helps you go from zero to newsletter in only 5 days.Real people, real resultsHere’s a screenshot of one of my founding members and Bootcamp alumnus:FAQ: The best combo is BOOTCAMP + MEMBERSHIP! Bootcamp will help you in the short term. Membership will help you long-term to hold you accountable. You’ll also get a DM when I see you need a drill instructor or cheerleader.See you inside the Club and Bootcamp,PS Any Qs? Hit reply and leave a comment.PPS ♻️ Repost this to your network if you found it insightful!Subscribe if you don't want to miss out on such posts. Thanks so much! 🔁 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Have you ever wondered if your personal story is worth something?Not just to your friends or your journal… but to actual readers—and yes, even publishers who will pay you for your words?Today, I want to introduce you to two incredible women who are doing just that—and helping hundreds of others do it too.Meet Jessica Smock and Steph Sprenger in today’s podcast episode.They’re authors……and the co-creators of Midstory and Midstack, two powerful Substack publications focused on midlife stories. And they believe—wholeheartedly—that your voice matters.Whether you're in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or beyond, your life is filled with stories that connect, inspire, and even heal. The messy middle of life isn’t just something to survive… It’s something to write about.👉🏻Want to write and connect with others doing the same? Come join the Online Writing Club and 14,000+ other writers, creators, and artists (in midlife) turning stories into paid and published work.👇🏻There’s also a list with publications that pay and our masterclass with copywriter Elna Cain!Why Personal Essays MatterWe live in a noisy world obsessed with hot takes and quick tips. The connections often feel empty.But as Jess and Steph shared in today’s interview, personal essays cut through the noise. They make readers pause. Nod along. Laugh. Sometimes cry.The mompreneurs Jess and Steph know that from experience. For over a decade, they’ve been helping women write, publish, and even get paid for their stories. From blog posts and anthologies to colourful Substack publications, they’ve seen the power of storytelling unfold again and again.And guess what? You just have to dare to share your messy stories and make your mess your message.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy the show, which now has 50,000 downloads! Thank you, guys! 🙏🏻🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.👉 You can listen to the full episode right here:You can also continue reading…How to Start Writing Personal EssaysJess and Steph teach how to start writing personal essays and memoirs in today’s podcast episode, but since (as a busy part-time writer) I know you love good checklists, here’s the short version from the interview:* Zoom in on a small, real moment. Something that changed you.* Be vulnerable. Don’t just tell what happened—share how it felt.* Make it universal. Your story is personal, yes, but others will see themselves in it.* Show, don’t just tell. Let readers walk through the scene with you.* Don’t worry about being perfect. Worry about being honest.And if you’re still thinking, “But my story isn’t important. There are so many out there,” Steph said it best:“Everyone else is talking about it. But only you can say it your way.”That’s what makes your writing valuable. That’s how you get paid to be you.What Is Midstory on Substack?Midstory is a Substack magazine that publishes honest, beautifully written essays from women in the messy middle of life. Think of a tag cloud of: love, loss, friendship, health, parenting, aging, reinvention, and everything in between.They accept original essays (750–2,000 words) and pay $75 per accepted story. That’s not bad for writing about your real life, is it?But it’s not just about money. It’s about a meaningful connection. About being seen and finding your people.Wait, What’s Midstack on Substack Then?Midstack is a growing directory of Substack newsletters written by midlife women. It’s a discovery tool, a network, and a warm welcome mat for anyone who's “Substack curious” but feeling a little intimidated. It’s for smallstackers and midstackers with teeny tiny audiences to growing lists.Over 200 writers are already listed—and it’s growing fast. The goal? To help women find each other, learn the platform, and amplify voices that are too often overlooked.“Our lives of juggling family, caregiving, and jobs and writing are much like yours. We know what it’s like, as midlife women, to want to carve out space in our lives for just ourselves.”👉🏻Want to get paid to be yourself? Come join the Online Writing Club and 14,000+ other writers, creators, and artists (in midlife) turning personal essays into paid and published work.👇🏻🙏🙏Many thanks Jessica Smock and Steph Sprenger for this wonderful interview and our time together. Sorry it took so long to publish this. Good things take time. 🙏🙏Where to Start* ⭐Want to submit to Midstory? Here’s their submission page.* ⭐Curious about Midstack? Join the directory here.* ✅ Want to write and connect with others doing the same? Come join the Online Writing Club, where women in midlife and 14,000+ other writers are turning stories into paid and published work. Join here.* 💎Inside the Online Writing Club paid membership experience, there are so many other midlife writers and writers 50+. Meet them, join monthly calls and lives.Join here.Want to Build Your Own Home Base on Substack Right Now?Are you a new writer? Do you have no clue where to start with Substack or do you feel stuck? When today’s show resonates with you—if you're done being perfect, and ready to build something imperfect but soulful and sustainable—I’d love to invite you to the The Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp, now as on-demand course!I offer this Bootcamp to help more new-ish (part-time) writers, creators, artists and dreamers (in the messy middle) like you, starting today, you can get my signature cohort-based course with an early bird discount! Also, you can meet me in the monthly Q&A sessions and also in 1-2-1s!The Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp helps you to go from zero to newsletter in only 5 days.No matter your age or writing experience, there’s a place for you.And here’s our Become a Better Online Writer Challenge while I’m traveling:Take care and keep writing,PS Feeling “midlife-ish” but still in your 30s? That’s okay. As Jess says, it’s not about numbers—it’s about the feeling. And if you’re in the messy middle (as I am), you’re welcome to get paid to be yourself.PPS Any Qs? Hit reply and leave a comment.PPPS If you loved this interview or think someone needs to read this, please share 🔁 it with your friends, colleagues and family as this means A LOT to me as a part-time mompreneur. Thanks so much! 🔁 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

I’m jumping out of my skin excited because you’re about to hear from someone incredibly special. 🎉For the very first time, Justin Welsh sat down to talk about his move to Substack. We talked last week (and since my little ones running around in the house during our (early) summer break, it took me hours to produce and create this podcast post) and Justin shared insights every (part-time) creator, writer, solo, dreamer needs to hear right now!So grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and enjoy this value-packed conversation!Two weeks ago, I spotted Justin Welsh in the Substack Bestseller chat.Yes, that Justin Welsh. The LinkedIn legend. The solopreneur who built a $8 million content business with zero employees by monetizing his skills and creating in public.The guy with 175,000 newsletter subscribers and 740,000+ followers on LinkedIn.Naturally, I was curious—why would someone so successful in the algorithmic trenches start all over again on Substack?So we started chatting. Then we sent some DMs. And what I found out honestly felt like a sign of the times.Because Justin isn’t just experimenting with Unsubscribe.He’s seriously considering this his next main business.“If this goes well, this is what I would like to make my main business.”Here’s why—and why it matters for every creator, artist, mompreneur, “part-time) writer, and solo entrepreneur right now.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy the show which now got 50,000 downloads! Thank you, guys! 🙏🏻🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.👉 You can listen to the full episode right here:Or watch it on YouTube.You can also continue reading…Burnout BTSEven at the top of the game, Justin’s experience on traditional platforms was starting to feel… empty.“X has become really driven by outrage bait, division, politics, culture wars…(…) That’s just not personally interesting to me.”And LinkedIn?“Much in part thanks to me, so I can only really blame myself, it’s become a place where people are building personal brands. It used to be more about thought leadership. (…) it’s about performance and posturing.”Can you relate? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️If you’ve felt the shift too—the flood of AI-generated content, the shallow interactions, the treadmill of performative posts—you’re not alone. Justin said it out loud:“Most of the folks who have been around creating on social media…If you pulled them behind the scenes, they would tell you that they’re tired.”This is the tension so many tribe members feel: the reach is still there, but the resonance is gone.New to the Club? Join as a free subscriber and get access to the first chapter of Substack School, my online course for beginners that shows, step by step, how to start your newsletter in 2025! Enjoy!So What’s the New Game Plan?Instead of forcing it, Justin did something radical:He walked away from trying to win the social game and leaned into a soulful, creative one.“It’s not what I would call a strategic business decision.Justin wanted to write again. For the joy of it.With barely 1,300 words across 11 Substack Notes and one short essay (creds to tribe member Finn Tropy for this analysis), Justin gained over 12,000 subscribers and made $100K in ARR in his first days on Substack.The kicker? He didn’t even try to optimize the launch:“The easiest way to lose joy around creativity is to make it all about profit, right?”That mindset shift—joy > metrics—is the quiet revolution happening on Substack right now.The Power of Creative RealnessWhat I love most about Justin’s new Substack is that it’s personal. Even the name - Unsubscribe - has a real-life backstory:“We live in a small thing called a hamlet. It only has 552 people.And (my wife) was talking about how expensive a salad was at a restaurant and it was like: “A $41 for a salad this is wild”. And she said: “I unsubscibe from that!”It became our inside joke. And then, the name of the newsletter.He’s not just unsubscribing from overpriced lettuce. He’s opting out of the noise, the posturing, and the old way of building.And he’s inviting others to do the same.His posts are short, deep, and conversational. They don’t follow a rigid framework as on his main newsletter. They’re built to spark reflection.“I don’t jump out of bed wanting to talk about funnels.(…) I want to give people something impactful, short and sweet that they'll read and it will prompt them to have a conversation with their partner, talk to their kids. Think about their life in a different way. That's the goal.”The New Soulful Substack Operating System for CreatorsBased on our interview, here’s what Justin is modeling that we can all learn from:* Start small. But start real.His first days weren’t a mega prelaunch runway campaign—it was 11 Notes and one heartfelt post.* Create first, optimize later.He wrote 30 posts before launching so he wouldn’t feel pressure to write and chase metrics.* Build with people, not just for them.His “Inner Circle” membership includes live chats, intimate workshops, and eventually—real-world meetups in London and everywhere he’s traveling with his wife. * Don’t be afraid to reset.Even if you’ve built a $10,000 or $100,000 online business (or million-dollar empire), it’s okay to change direction when your heart says so. I’ll also change directions.* Embrace the second mountain.This isn’t about building bigger. It’s about building truer. Justin just wants to have some fun in the chat and enjoy being creative.And if he can meet smart people (IRL) and build a little business, that’s a bonus.The Bigger Trend: The Great Creative MigrationWhat’s important.Justin’s not the only one who recently joined Substack.Jay Clouse. Dan Koe. Jack Butcher. Lewis Howes. All have joined or shifted toward Substack in the past weeks.“By the end of 2026, we’ll look back at this moment as the great creative migration.”They’re building potential future home bases. Real communities. New ecosystems for creator-led businesses.And Justin is doing it with heart.🙏🏻🙏🏻Many thanks to Justin for this inspiring interview!🙏🏻🙏🏻Want to Build Your Own Home Base on Substack Right Now?If this resonates with you—if you're done performing on social media, being a slave of the algorithms and platform Gods, and ready to build something soulful and sustainable—I’d love to invite you to join the Online Writing Club community of 14,000 like-minded, soulful and passionate (part-time) solos, writers, artists, dreamers and creators.It’s the space I wish I had when I started back in autumn 2022.We’ve grown to a membership of 350+ writers and creators who meet LIVE every week for:✅ Live sessions and masterclasses with creators (I interview for my Substack podcast and YouTube channel) who have gone before you. Yesterday we talked with Colette Jane Fehr who got a book deal with Penguin Random House + gave a (not so perfect but still perfect!) TEDx talk!✅ Q&A, Chat and help setting up your list and writing habit✅ Built-in CIRCLE community support and accountability✅ The Substack School on-demand course for Beginners (12 hours+) for annual members✅ HOT & NEW: Kickstart Your Email List in Just 5 Days! (On-Demand Signature Course)To help more new-ish (part-time) writers, creators, artists and dreamers like you, starting today, you can get my signature cohort-based course, The Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp, as on-demand course!I know many come to Substack because of a specific creator, such as Justin Welsh. But most then also see the opportutnity and want to start capitalizing on the buzzy platform since it’s a growth driver.Still, most feel overwhelmed, have no clue where to start and what to do - although NOW is the BEST time to start your list (and you’re not too late!).The Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp helps you to go from zero to newsletter in only 5 days.That’s why I want to open the doors for YOU this spring!As anonymous insider and Substack bestseller, William A. Finnegan, shared with me in our popular interview with 7,000 downloads (!) :“Stack like there’s no tomorrow"!”Real People Real ResultsHere’s a screenshot of one of my paid members and Bootcamp alumnis I got just yesterday (on the Bootcamp page, you’ll see more + I’ll add new WOW-worthy examples in the next days, too):Or this one from just a few minutes ago:Build Your Home NowAnd yes—Justin is now also part of the Online Writing Club.In his own words:“Start building your home base now before the rush.Because the creative entrepreneurs who own their relationships will have an incredible advantage in the years ahead.”The future isn’t louder. It’s deeper.And it starts with one click.See you inside the Club and Bootcamp,PS Any Qs? Hit reply and leave a comment.PPS If you loved this interview or think someone needs to read this, please share 🔁 it with your friends, colleagues and family as this means A LOT to me as a part-time mompreneur. Thanks so much! 🔁 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Substack is on fire.More (larger) creators (as Justin Welsh or Dan Koe) are signing up. More readers are subscribing. And behind the scenes, traffic from search engines is going way up.But the big question is: Are we still early? Or are we already too late?In this new podcast episode, I’m joined by Casandra Campbell. She loves results-oriented strategy and analysis and has 10+ years of experience driving growth for companies such as Shopify. Casandra has a proven track record of increasing revenue, launching successful startups, and scaling businesses.Also, she’s the owner of the successful Substack newsletter Really Good Business Ideas. To explore what’s really going on with Substack in 2025—and why now might be the best time to double down on writing on the platform, we met for a chat.We talked about the big picture, but also the nitty-gritty—how writers are finding success, what’s working right now, and how to actually build an audience and make money on Substack.I’m enjoying the heck out of Substack. I went from zero to 14,000 subs as a non-native, part-time writing mom. I know how it feels to be talking into the void and not being seen! That’s why I built this Club! Join us inside & get access to the Complete Beginner Substack Bootcamp.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy the show hwich now got 50,000 downloads! Thank you, guys! 🙏🏻🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.👉 You can listen to the full episode right here: You can also listen to it as a Substack podcast, on Spotify or YouTube with all the slides and data.But here are 3 big ideas from our conversation I think you’ll love:#1 Substack Is Becoming a Social Platform (and That’s a Good Thing)A lot of people still think of Substack as just a place to send email newsletters.But Cassandra and I agree: Substack today feels more like a hybrid between Medium, X, and Patreon—with built-in tools for growth, discovery, and connection.The true value is in Substack’s version of X, the short form feed Notes and its network effects and built-in discovery engine. That’s why huge creators like Justin Welsh or Dan Koe joined the platform a few days ago.As Jay Clouse shared in his main newsletter:“…not only are you not penalized for sharing your long-form writing, Substack does it for you. (Notes) a discovery/growth engine that you don't get on any other platform.”#2 Substack Has Officially Gone MainstreamCassandra and I talked about how we’ve reached a tipping point. More and more readers are discovering newsletters on Substack—even without knowing what Substack is. Here’s an example from my DMs:People are subscribing to friends, journalists, creators, influencers, authors, experts, and even their favorite podcasters—all from the same platform.Former Substack employee Linda told me in our popular interview and on Notes that Substack would be in “its second inning”.Here are signs it’s now mainstream and early majority.* Substack links are everywhere—from social bios to YouTube video descriptions to podcast interviews.* Even traditional writers and authors are leaving legacy platforms for it.* It had a noteworthy influx of creative entrepreneurs entering.* “Subscribe to my Substack” is starting to replace “follow me on Instagram.”It’s no longer a bet on the future. It’s the place to build your writing business now.That’s why $5M solopreneur Justin Welsh shares:“…my advice is simple: start building your home base now, before the rush. Because the creative entrepreneurs who own their relationships will have an incredible advantage in the years ahead.”#3 Substack Is Trending on GoogleSubstack launched in 2017, and like many startups, its early growth was modest. But things changed in 2020 when the world suddenly shifted online. Since then, Substack hasn’t just grown—it’s kept growing.* In April 2020, search interest in Substack spiked.* Unlike other pandemic-era apps like Zoom or Clubhouse, that interest hasn’t faded—it’s only gone up.* Reader demand and writer earnings are both rising fast.I’d love to meet Casandra Campbell inside the Online Writing Club & join the Subsatck Strategy session.Just look at these numbers:* As of March 2025, Substack has over 5 million paid subscriptions. Just four months earlier, it was at 4 million. That’s lightning-fast growth. Bet soon it will announce to have hit 6 million or even more.* More than 50,000 publsihers now earn money on Substack.* The top 10 publishers earn over $40 million per year combined, up from $25 million just two years ago.This shows: Substack is a platform with real staying power, real money, and real opportunity.Need a deep dive?Why This Matters for YouIf you’re already writing on Substack—or thinking about starting—this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and a few new ideas to try. No tactics that feel gross. Just real talk about what’s working now and how to surf the Substack wave 🏄🏻‍♀️ as we do to have an advantage in the years ahead. Owning your relationships is key, especially if we’re thinking of Medium now not letting us export new subscribers, as I talked with Patrick B. Stewart about, and giving us CSV files with lots of asteriks.I’m enjoying the heck out of Substack but I also know how it feels with no community, zero subscribers, zero earnings, zero views. You don’t have to be a lone wolf. Join our tribe today & also get access to The Substack Beginner Bootcamp!So listen to today’s episode.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.👉 You can listen to the full episode right here: You can also listen to it as a Substack podcast, on Spotify or YouTube with all the slides and data.🔴 Save the Date: Live Masterclass in July 2025Cassandra and I are teaming up again for a live Substack Masterclass this July:“Build a Real Business on Substack — The Strategy Behind Growth & Monetization”We’ll go deeper into the topics from the episode and give you actionable steps, templates, and strategies to grow your Substack with intention.🗓️ Coming July 2025: July 3rd, 1pm ESTJoin the inner Club Circle. Become a paid member to access the strategy session.Keep showing up. Keep writing. Keep building!PS Liked this interview? Share it with a friend who needs to see this! You can also share the newsletter as a gift when you’re a paid subscriber or become one. 🙏🏻PPS Engagement award: To celebrate 50,000 downloads you can win to get featured in my podcast (A). Also you can win getting mentioned with your products and services (if they are a fit for the Club audience)! Leave a comment. My baby will pick the winners! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

If you’re sharing your writing on LinkedIn (or even thinking about it), this week’s episode of The Online Writing Club Show is your go-to listen.So many of you are showing up, posting, engaging on LinkedIn—and wondering:👉 Is this worth it?👉 Is anyone even reading?👉 How do I stand out?That’s exactly why I invited tribe member, 6x author and book coach Neera Mahajan on the show.Neera didn’t come from a writing background. In fact, someone once told her:“You’ll never make it to senior management because of your written English.”Ouch!But instead of letting that stop her, Neera took it as a challenge. She joined a life story writing group, practiced every day—and eventually quit her job early to write full time.“The writing bug bit me hard,” she told me.“I never thought I’d come this far.”And then? She became a LinkedIn Top Voice—that little blue badge that made all the writing and unpaid hours feel seen.What Is a Blue LinkedIn Top Voice Badge?This is what LinkedIn shares:LinkedIn Top Voices are a select group of global experts, leaders, changemakers, public figures and innovators on LinkedIn. The badge identifies writers who consistently educate, inspire, and inform the community.But here's what most people don’t know:In 2024, LinkedIn changed the program.Top Voice status now lasts only 6 months.Yes—you can earn it.Yes—you can lose it.Yes—it can feel like a game you didn’t know you were playing.And yes… Neera had the badge when we spoke in autumn 2024. A few weeks back she told me the 6 months were up.So what happens next?You can meet Neera on May 5 and talk with her about winning (and losing) the Top Voices badge, plus how to grow on LinkedIn without it by joining the Online Writing Club as a paid member.Neera’s Top Tips for Successfully Writing on LinkedIn During our interview Neera shared five smart strategies for writers who want to grow without burning out:#1 Master the scroll-stopperYou have three seconds to hook the reader.➡️ First line: a bold claim, question, or pain point.➡️ Second line: blank. (Yes—on purpose.)➡️ Third line: a curiosity gap that makes them click “See more.”#2 Use the 7-step post formulaNeera builds her posts with:* A hook* A re-hook or explanation* A credibility line (Why you?)* 3–7 value-packed points* A summary/power statement* A CTA (like: try this today)* A P.S. question to spark comments#3 Rotate between 5 storytelling types:* Origin story: Who are you? Why are you here?* Transformation story: How did you improve?* Reflection story: What did the journey teach you?* Purpose story: Why does this matter to you?* Client story: How did you help someone else?#4 Comment with intention, not fluffAvoid generic “great post!” comments.Instead, respond to the person, not just the post. Ask questions. Reflect back their story.#5 Show up consistently—but sustainably* Post 3–5 times/week* On non-posting days, engage for 5–20 minutes* Use in-between time (like coffee breaks) to build connectionsWhat’s The Best Way to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Substack?If you check her profile, Neera uses 2 simple placements:* Her banner* Her profile with “Join my newsletter” link* Her featured section* A link in her posts and comments🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?Want to dive deeper into Neera’s story and learn how she got the Top Voices badge? Listen to the full podcast interview where the book coach and ghostwriter shares her journey and actionable tips you can start using today when you’re writing on LinkedIn.Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy!🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.You can listen to it as a Substack podcast or on Spotify.You can also watch it on YouTube.Enjoy the show!🔍 LinkedIn Top Voices FAQHere’s what LinkedIn shares:Q: How long does the Top Voices badge last?A: As of 2024, it’s valid for 6 months. After that, LinkedIn may review your activity and decide whether to extend it.Q: Do you have to apply?A: No. You can’t apply. You’re selected based on your consistency, insights, and community engagement.Q: Do you need to join a LinkedIn editorial program?A: Not at all. Neera happened to be invited into one, but it’s not required. Anyone can be selected organically.Q: Is it available in every country?A: No. The editorial programs rotate across countries, but the Top Voices badge itself is global.Q: Can a Top Voices badge help grow your audience?A: Yes! Neera saw a steady increase in followers, higher-quality connection requests and new clients after earning the badge.Q: Do you get anything else with it?A: Top Voices get free LinkedIn Premium, worth over $180/month (AUD). Plus: more visibility and authority.Q: What happens if you lose the badge?A: It doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. The badge expires after 6 months unless renewed. You can absolutely regain it with continued original (!) writing and making an impact that fits to what LinkedIn is looking for.Masterclass: LinkedIn (Top Voices) & Substack FlywheelOn May 5 at 5 pm EST, you can learn how to:* Write posts on LinkedIn that stop the scroll* Win your first clients with LinkedIn* Earn the Top Voices badge (and get it back (or not) when you lose it)* Build a content flywheel between LinkedIn and your Substack to gain more subscribers and generate leads✨ Stay tuned—this one’s going to be so good especially because tribe member Gunnar Habitz who’s also writing on LinkedIn and building a LinkedIn-Substack flywheel is gonna join the session too and many more who are having a LinkedIn presence.Until then,Keep showing up. Keep writing. Keep building!P.S. If you know someone who could benefit from this podcast episode, please forward this newsletter. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Here’s a question for you: What if you spent 10 years writing every single day, sharing your story, and offering value—without earning a dime? Would you keep going?That’s exactly what tribe member and fitness and health writer Valentin Bunea did. He didn’t jump into the world of paid newsletters overnight. He didn’t even have a fancy email list when he started. He spent 10 years writing on Facebook for free—just because he loved it and wanted to help others with his weight loss story.The story of a man who went from being clinically obese to being fit and healthy. Fast forward to today, and Valentin is now ranked #17 in the saturated market of Health & Wellness on Substack,with more than 1000 (!) paid subscribers, an orange bestseller badge and a thriving six-figure business. Today, he even shared with me that he’s #1 rising in the Health & Wellness category on Substack. See it for yourself!That’s not all!Valentin is from Romania and is now the #1 writer in his country!Also, today’s post is trending.But it wasn’t easy. And it wasn’t overnight.Valentin’s success is a testament to the power of free content, persistence, and the importance of building a community of raving fans who love what you do—and (finally) are willing to pay for it. In today’s podcast episode, Valentin walks you through the key steps he took to turn his passion for fitness into a business:Social Media Was His LaunchpadSocial media doesn’t have to be bad. For Valentin, it was a launchpad.Valentin started writing on Facebook. He posted one science-backed blog post every single day on health, wellness, and fitness. He didn’t have a huge following at first, but he stayed consistent. After Facebook, he branched out to Instagram, sharing life snippets, funny memes, and motivational posts. By using social media to connect with his audience, Valentin built trust. And when it was time to ask for support, his followers were more than happy to convert into subscribers and then paid subscribers.That’s how we went from zero to bestseller in a few weeks.He Built Raving Fans Based On Free ContentMany say free content is a bad thing and you shouldn’t offer everything for free. Well, Valtning did. For ten years straight.But he was smart. Valentin didn’t just want people to follow him—he wanted them to love him. And you can’t get that kind of loyalty by cutting corners. So Valentin went above and beyond by providing value in every single post. He shared everything from fitness tips to personal health stories, always going the extra mile to create an exceptional reading experience. His audience fell in love with what he was doing and the results they achieved by following his advice and tips. And that’s why they’re willing to pay for his insights now.There’s a lot of free content out there. AI can now also write you a story about fitness and health but not on the personal level and with the context information Valentin writes it.No Hustle Porn!Valentin is anti-hustle porn—and he’s proud of it. He doesn’t glorify 18-hour workdays. Instead, he shares his commitment to balance.Valentin talks openly about his sleep routine and shares his moments spent with his kids, showing that you don’t need to sacrifice everything for success. In fact, he believes in going to bed earlier to get the most out of your day. It’s not about working harder, it’s about working smarter especially when you’re a fitness influencer you need to walk the talk. He’s sharing his sleep results and shows when he goes to bed and when he wakes up. For him, sleep is wellness.No AffiliatesWhile others are accepting brand deals and affiliate offers, Valentin wants to stay true and real and doesn’t include ads, sponsorships, or brand deals in his newsletter or writing.This level of authenticity and connection is what made his community feel like they were part of something special—and made them willing to pay for access to his writing.Valentin Spends 6 Hours Per Day WritingValentin started out offering one-on-one coaching and courses, but eventually he made the bold decision to go all-in on writing. He now spends six hours a day writing newsletters—yes, six hours a day!—and he loves it. Valentin’s advice? Daily repetition is key. It wasn’t easy at first, but showing up day after day is what eventually led to his success. He didn’t quit after his first 10 newsletters or even after his first 50. He kept writing, and that consistency built momentum.🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?Want to dive deeper into Valentin’s story and learn how he built a six-figure Substack business? Listen to the full podcast interview where the orange badge Substack bestseller shares his journey and actionable tips you can start using today.Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy!🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.You can listen to it as a Substack podcast or on Spotify.You can also watch it on YouTube.Enjoy the show!Want To Meet Valentin Bunea?Valentin is a friend and tribe member. You can meet him inside the Online Writing Club membership experience for paid subscribers.Here you can watch the replay of our LIVE masterclass with him:🐰 EASTER SALE Get 40% OFF (for 24 hours) We now have a community of 13,000 writers, artists, dreamers, creators, and action-takers, ranging from 18 to 87 years old! We’re #21 in #Education and are also often rising in Education. Thank you all soooo much for your trust.🙏Because I want to help you kickstart, grow, and monetize your email list and words, I’m offering 40% off and access to the entire Online Writing Club experience.✅ Get instant access to:* The Substack Notes Masterclass* The Substack LIVE Masterclass* The Podcasting Masterclass* The Recommendations Masterclass* Access to the whole library of Masterclasses* The full Substack School course* The full Medium School course* Private community access* Access to 1-2-1* All paid postsNEXT MASTERCLASSESThe upcoming LIVE Masterclasses with couple therapist Colette Jane Fehr on TEDx talks, and yours truly on becoming a Substack BESTSELLER in 2025. Also, we’re gonna cover how to write an atomic newsletter, make money with Gumroad, SEO on Substack, How to Write for Google, Use AI for good and….* ✅Substack’s New Leaderboard - What is it? What does “rising” mean? What do I need to know?, April 28th, 2 pm EST, 11 am PT* ✅How to Start an Atomic Newsletter, April 29th, 2.30pm EST, 11.30am PT* ✅Why Substack Is Owned By Billionaires And When It Will Go Down, William A. Finnegan, April 30th, 2pm EST, 11am PT * ✅Become a LinkedIn Top Voice & Build a LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel - Neera Mahajan May 5th, 4pm EST, 1pm PT* ✅Speak on a TEDx Stage! Reframe Rejections: If Others Say NO, say “Watch Me” with Colette Jane Fehr, May 20th, 3pm EST, 12am PT * ✅Become a Substack Bestseller in 2025 with white badge bestseller Kristina God Q&A session with mini masterclass, tbd* ✅Gumroad, SEO, GOOGLE, Medium, tbd* ✅Resources (with discount): The Almost Daily Notes Writer, Get Started on Substack Notes, Notes Scheduler, Opened!, 1 Month Substack Content Planner, 12-Month Content Calendar, Substack Notes Analyzer…I’m not joking! You get this ALL!* Hands-on masterclasses with ALL amazing writers, creators, dreamers, and artists I interview (+ access to all past events, replays).👉 Click here for the Easter Sale 🐰 + claim your 40% offI hope Valentin’s story has inspired you to keep showing up—because you never know what could happen after 1 or 10 years of sharing your words with the world. Maybe it’s your turn next!What do you think?Talk soon,P.S. I’ll offer “Become a Substack Bestseller in 2025 “with white badge bestseller Kristina God for paid members! I know many want it (faster) so I’m gonna share some tips and tricks and insights on how to get the shiny badge. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

I don’t have time. You don’t have time.Nobody ever has time.It’s the world we live in now—high stress, low time, low income, high inflation.So yeah...Side hustles are everywhere, and honestly? I don’t blame anyone for wanting one. Jamie Northrup totally gets this. He’s been trying side hustles since the mid-90s.But after dozens of experiments—online and offline—he’s finally landed on a system that works, even for people who are super busy. Like, really busy. Like two-kids-while-juggling-a-job-and-trying-to-write busy. Sound familiar?It’s called the Atomic Newsletter system.And here’s why I love it:✍️ What’s an Atomic Newsletter?You might have heard of atomic essays—popularized by Dickie Bush and Nicolas Cole in “Ship 30 for 30.” One idea, 250 words, written fast. Inspired by “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.Now, take that same idea and apply it to newsletters.Super short. Easy to write. Easy to read.Here’s how it works:* You write a 1–2 sentence email with a curiosity-driven headline* It links to something: maybe a curated article, or something you created* You send it off* You check which links people clickThat’s it. That’s an atomic newsletter.And guess what? It works.⚡ Why The Atomic Newsletter System Works (Especially for Part-Time Writers)Let’s be honest: Most traditional content systems don’t work for busy people like us.You’re told to write a 1500-3000-word newsletter post, spend hours editing, formatting, optimizing, and hope it gets picked up or goes viral.But what if you had a way to test ideas quickly before spending all that time?Every atomic newsletter is a data point.Every open and click tells you what resonates.That’s how tribe member and minimalist side hustler, Jamie Northrup, has been writing and sending his daily newsletter Minimalist Hustler Daily at 8:20 am ET—for over 1000 days in a row (!).That’s also how Evan Kelly, one of Jamie’s friends, used the system to build an audience and monetize smartly with Newsletter Alchemy.Here are the 4 most important things to know about atomic newsletters:1. Keep It Tiny on PurposeThey’re short by design. Sometimes just a sentence and a link. Readers love it because it’s quick. Writers love it because they don’t need to block off an entire afternoon to hit “Publish.”Example:"I Sent This Newsletter While My Baby Tried to Eat My Phone" = 1 link. Done.2. It’s Easier for You and Your ReadersCreators like Jamie and Evan Kelly love this minimalist system because it frees up time and mental energy: no burnout. No empty phrases. Just quick wins for everyone.3. You Can Monetize from Day OneYou don’t need 10,000 subscribers or a huge social media following. Jamie and Evan started with things like:* Affiliate links (Gumroad, Amazon)* SparkLoop for paid referrals* Simple sponsorships (even at $10–$50 per slot)You can even monetize before your first issue—just add a paid offer to your thank-you page.4. The Format Is Flexible—but FocusedHere’s what a typical atomic newsletter might include:* A headline with a clear benefit* One sentence about something you made* One link to something useful* One short affiliate or sponsor blurbThat’s it. Most are under 100 words, and they still bring value.💥 Why This Format Is Perfect for Part-Time WritersI think traditional advice doesn’t help busy writers and dreamers much.“Start a newsletter.”“Write long-form SEO posts.”“Create content pillars.”Cool. But… when?Atomic newsletters flip the script.You get to test ideas fast, see what clicks (literally), and then go deeper on what actually works. Every issue becomes a mini data point.It’s like Jamie says:“This is the easiest one you can start right now. It’s free. You don’t need special skills. And you can scale it as much as you want.”🎧 Podcast with Atomic Newsletter Writers Jamie & EvanListen to today’s podcast interview with Jamie Northrup and Evan Kelly, where they break this all down:* How they got started* What makes the system work* How you can start your own atomic newsletter todayCan’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy!🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”……now you have the chance to listen to the interview.You can listen to it as a Substack podcast or on Spotify.You can also watch it on YouTube.Enjoy the show!Curious to Learn More From Jamie and The Atomic Newsletter System?Join the Online Writing Club today and get access to the recording of our LIVE workshops, too:Also, get access to “Atomic Newsletters. Make money the easy way!”We’re still celebrating 12,000 subscribers, and as a thank you, I’m happy to offer you 40% OFF the annual subscription forever!Let me help you make money on the side with your writing - even if you don’t have your newsletter and everything figured out yet.🎁 Get 40% OFF (Limited Time!) to CelebrateWe now have a community of 12,000 writers, artists, dreamers, creators, and action-takers, ranging from 18 to 87 years old! Thank you all soooo much for your trust.🙏Because I know firsthand how hard it is to start an email list and make money with your words, I’m offering 40% off and access to the entire Online Writing Club experience.✅ Get instant access to:* The Substack Notes Masterclass* The Substack LIVE Masterclass* The Podcasting Masterclass* The Recommendations Masterclass* Access to the whole library of Masterclasses* The full Substack School course* The full Medium School course* Private community access* Access to 1-2-1* All paid postsBONUS:The upcoming LIVE Masterclasses with TEDx speaker, author and integrative physician Tanmeet Sethi, MD and also couple therapist Colette Jane Fehr and yours truly on becoming a Substack BESTSELLER in 2025 (as I know so many of you want to earn a decent recurring income and earn that badge)* ✅Finally, Dare to Share Vulnerability in Your Writing with Dr. Tanmeet* ✅Reframe Rejections: If Others Say NO, say “Watch Me” with Colette Fehr* ✅Why Substack Is Owned By Billionaires And When It Will Go Down, Mr. Anonymous* ✅BONUS: Become a Bestseller in 2025!* ✅Resources (with discount): The Almost Daily Notes Writer, Get Started on Substack Notes, Notes Scheduler, Opened!, 1 Month Substack Content Planner, 12-Month Content Calendar, Substack Notes Analyzer…I’m not joking! You get this ALL!* Hands-on masterclasses with ALL amazing writers, creators, dreamers, and artists I interview (+ access to all past events, replays).👉 Click here to celebrate with me + claim your 40% offSo next time you sit down to write, ask:“How short can I make this and still deliver value?”Because short doesn’t mean less.It often means more.Happy Easter 🐰,PS 👉Maybe this will make you smile! 🐰 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Rejection hurts.It’s in our wiring.And yet, today’s podcast guest, Colette Fehr, a licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health counselor, didn’t let it stop her.When we first spoke, she shared the raw truth:“I never heard anything back from anyone except one. And I didn't hear back until I'd already applied to the seventh. And that's when I got the TEDx talk.”Fast-forward to today—Colette just gave her first TEDx talk, and while the moment was meaningful, it also didn’t go the way she imagined.What Actually Happened OnstageHere’s how Colette from The Vim Life put it:“I gave my first TEDx talk last week.Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next:* mic didn’t work* slide clicker wasn’t turned on 😡* a staff member started clicking through my slides at the wrong timesSkipping over key things.I was rattled.It felt like my moment had been taken from me.”That red dot moment—the one she had worked for, visualized, manifested—it got messy. But then came the lesson:“The show must go on.Flexibility is everything.I can always make it through. ☀️”🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”🎙️Now you have the chance to listen to the interview or continue reading, if you prefer this.You can listen to it as Substack podcast or on Spotify.Enjoy the show!Why Her TEDx Talk Mattered So MuchColette didn’t stumble into this opportunity. She set a clear goal in 2024:“Book a TEDx talk by December 31st.”After six rejections, she started to worry it wouldn’t happen. But then:“On December 20th—just before the deadline—I got the yes.Not because I’m the smartest or the most accomplished.But because I refused to stop trying.”That moment wasn’t just about standing onstage. It was about sharing something deeper:“This moment isn’t just about checking off a goal.It’s about sharing something bigger, something that I hope will help others navigate their relationships with more clarity, confidence, and depth.”Because for Colette, it all comes back to what matters most:“At the end of the day, our relationships are everything. Not just the romantic ones, but our friendships, family bonds, and the people who make our lives meaningful.”Fear Moved With HerHer message is one we all need to hear:You don’t have to feel brave. You just have to be willing.That quote from her TEDx talk cuts straight to the heart. Colette explains how fear didn’t stop her—it moved with her:"Be afraid. You can't stop your feelings anyway, but go for it and let the fear kind of just move with you as you pursue your goals."She didn’t wait to feel fearless—she took action in the presence of fear, not the absence of it.Chapeau, Colette! You’re an inspiration.But of course, there’s more than “just” the TEDx talk as a reason to showcase Colette in this week’s podcast.Yes, standing on that red dot is a milestone—but it’s just one piece of a much bigger picture. Colette is also about to publish her first book with Penguin Random House, The Cost of Quiet (yes, a Big Five deal!), after six years of sitting with chapter zero. And she’s now stepping into the TV world, bringing her message of emotional connection to an even wider audience (thanks to manifesting the **** out of it).So I asked today’s podcast guest:If you had to distill the core message behind all three into one sentence, what would it be?Here’s what she told me:“You can make anything you want happen.”When I asked how that quote has shaped her life, she told me this:“When I was younger, I was really afraid to step into discomfort. Anything I didn’t already feel good at, I avoided—because I thought I’d embarrass myself. I saw talent as fixed, instead of something you can grow. But over time, as a therapist and just as a human doing the work, I learned that anyone can do anything if they’re willing to persevere.”That mindset shift—from what am I good at? to what lights me up?—changed everything.And her journey is living proof.On Paper Colette Had A Great Life But what I know about Colette, and what makes all of this even more powerful, is how deeply she’s shared about her first marriage. Because while the TEDx stage, the book deal, and the TV future all look amazing from the outside—her story didn’t start there.It started in a place that looked perfect on the outside... but felt lonely on the inside.“I got married very young. We met in college. We grew up together. And on paper, we had a great life—two beautiful daughters, wonderful friends, a lot of fun. But I started to feel a void. Emotionally, I felt very alone. I didn’t yet have the language for it. I didn’t know about attachment science or that we’re wired to bond as humans. When I did try to share what I felt, it didn’t land—and eventually, everything fell apart. I got divorced.”Her Divorce Became A Turning PointAnd yet, like many painful things, that divorce became a turning point.A renaissance, as Colette calls it.“It led me back to myself. I became a therapist because of that divorce. And now, helping others with their relationships—whether that means staying or letting go—that’s my mission.”She believes not every relationship is meant to last. But every person is meant to discover themselves deeply. Because it’s through that inner knowing that we truly connect with others.“And that,” she says, “makes for a happy life.”Rejection Isn’t A STOP SignColette’s journey is a powerful reminder that rejection isn’t a stop sign. It’s a signal that something even better might be around the corner—if you keep going.🎙️ Listen to the full episode for:* Why “willingness” matters more than confidence* How Colette turned divorce into a new life mission* The behind-the-scenes chaos of her TEDx talk—and what she learned from it* And the unexpected moment that made her pitch her first TV idea at a sushi barSo if you’re out there wondering if the door will ever open for you…Remember this: the ones who get the “yes” are often the ones who just kept knocking.🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”🎙️Now you have the chance to listen to the interview or continue reading, if you prefer this.You can listen to it as Substack podcast or on Spotify.Enjoy the show!If you’re listening via Spotify it would be awesome to get a review from you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. You can really make a different with this small gesture. Thanks 🙏🏻You can also watch the video!Want To Meet Colette In Our Masterclass? Colette is sharing everything she learned from her TEDx experience in a live masterclass inside the Online Writing Club—from pitching and publishing to stepping onto that stage and owning your message.✨ Join the Club today to meet her live in May and connect with a community of 350 members who get you.🎉Psst! Two weeks ago, we crossed 12,000 subscribers in the Online Writing Club. Twelve. Thousand. People. I'm honestly so grateful and excited that I wanted to give you something super special. Some of you asked me to extend my offer. So here we are.🎁 Get 40% OFF (Limited Time!) to CelebrateTo thank you and because I know how hard it is to start an email list and make money with your words, I’m offering 40% off access to the entire Online Writing Club experience.✅ Get instant access to:* The Substack Notes Masterclass* The Recommendations Masterclass* Access to the whole library of Masterclasses* The full Substack School course* The full Medium School course* Private community access* All paid postsBONUS:The upcoming LIVE Masterclasses with TEDx speaker, author and integrative physician Tanmeet Sethi, MD and yours truly* Finally Dare to Share Vulnerability in Your Writing with Dr. Tanmeet* The Podcasting Masterclass* The Substack LIVE Masterclass* BONUS: Become a Bestseller in 2025!* Resources (with discount): The Almost Daily Notes Writer, Get Started on Substack Notes, Notes Scheduler, Opened!, 1 Month Substck Content Planner, 12-Month Content Calendar…* Hands-on masterclasses with ALL amazing writers, creators, dreamers and artists I interview (+ access to all past events, replays). Maybe Mr. Anonymous will join us too!👉 Click here to celebrate with me + claim your 40% off📌Your Turn!* What’s one thing you’ve been willing to do lately—even if it scared you?* Have you ever had a moment where everything went wrong, but you kept going anyway?* What’s your version of “stepping onto the red dot”? That big, slightly terrifying goal you can’t stop thinking about?Hit reply—I read every message. Colette loves to connect with you, too!🙏🏻Your feedback is just a spark but enough to keep me going so it would be wonderful to hear from you in the comments 🙏🏻🙏🏻PS Tell us in the comments! This is a safe space. You can also meet us in the Chat.👈🏻 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Put a hand up if you’ve ever…🤚🏻Felt like everything is jacked.🤚🏻Thought Substack is a space to make sense of it.🤚🏻Felt like what you’re reading and watching in the news is not normal.For today’s podcast I invited tribe member William A. Finnegan (William A. for “Anonymous”; Finnegan is his nom de plume) from The Long Memo and Borderless Living to share his insights.Besides being an ad exceutive, father and writer, he used to be a political appointee under President Bush, known for his bluntness and experience in Republican politics. He has testified before Congress, briefed Presidents, and met with top officials—including foreign leaders and intelligence officers. Though he stayed out of the spotlight, he worked behind the scenes in high-security settings like the White House Situation Room, the Pentagon’s “Tank,” and ultra-sensitive Gang of Eight briefings.We chatted for over 1.5 hours two weeks ago, and since then, Mr. Anonymous (as I like to call him) has been growing like crazy —already at 7,500 subscribers—even though he’s writing completely anonymously. He’s not offering anything fancy (although he could) —no courses, no coaching, no book, no extras. Just a text-based newsletter and his insights. Which is why I needed to introduce you to this member of the Online Writing Club.He also had a viral post on Notes with 3.000 likes and 875 restacks three days back I told myself—I had to bring you this conversation today.It fits perfectly with all the new things happening on Substack: the leaderboard (is it a good thing? a bad thing?), the new in-app payment option, graphs, and how About pages and tags are suddenly more important than ever.So if you were one of the people who raised your hand when I asked how you're feeling about everything going on in the world—and about Substack still being this sacred little corner where we can make sense of it all and have fun, even though it's clearly going through some big changes…This is what Mr. Anonymous had to say:Let’s not sugarcoat it. Things are jacked.*Warning ⚠️ Side effects of reading and listening may include sudden clarity on what migh be going on (I still want to be believe in Substack’s mission and vision), the urge to finally launch your Substack you've been overthinking for months and write with the end in mind.This Podcast Interview is a Bombshell On Many LevelsI promise you—today's podcast episode will open your eyes on so many levels.This isn’t one of those “same old, same old” interviews. Nope. This one’s a bombshell. It sparks conversations. It challenges assumptions. It’ll make you stop, think, and maybe even re-think everything you thought you knew.Because Mr. Anonymous shared that everything you’re watching, reading, and living through right now is not normal. And deep down, you know it too. You feel it in your gut. That creeping sense that something is off. The world’s spinning, the headlines are breaking, and all the while, creators, dreamers, artists, solos—especially writers—are trying to carve out a space to make sense of it.Substack is the latest promised land for writers. A place where people like you and me can own our audience, build a thriving, soulful, sustainable and healthy newsletter, and finally bypass and exit the noise of social media.But here’s the harsh truth Mr. Anonymous shared with me:Substack won’t stay like this forever.🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”🎙️Now you have the chance to listen to the interview or continue reading, if you prefer this.You can listen to it as Substack podcast or on Spotify.Enjoy the show!If you’re listening via Spotify it would be awesome to get a review from you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. You can really make a different with this small gesture. Thanks 🙏🏻You can also watch our video interview:To break it down for you, here are five core truths from Mr. Anonymous about what’s happening with Substack —right now—and what (new) writers can do about it:1. Everything Is Jacked—And That’s Why You’re HereI don’t even tell people who I am. My growth? It’s been purely because of the content. And the reason that content resonates? Because I make people feel like they’re not crazy.You’re not crazy for feeling that this moment is not how it’s supposed to go. Something’s broken. And Substack—for now—is where people come to feel sane again. To find others who are quietly screaming the same things you are. That’s power. That’s community. That’s why you’re here.But don’t mistake now for always.2. Why Bestsellers Win (And Will Keep Winning)If you’re already a bestseller on Substack, you’re probably going to be just fine.You’ve already done the hard part:* You built an audience.* You kept them.* You turned them into paying subscribers.* And—hardest of all—you kept those people happy.That is incredibly hard to do. That’s why Substack will favor the winners when the platform starts shifting. Because shift it will. As the ecosystem matures, Substack will need to pick winners and losers. That’s how the money works. That’s how the game works. And that’s what VC-backed platforms always do.If you’re not a bestseller yet, your job is simple (but not easy):Focus on your audience. Focus on value. Think like a publisher.Reward people for giving you their time.3. Substack Is Owned by Billionaires—Don’t Be NaïveLet’s clear something up.There’s this myth going around that Substack is this pure, indie haven for free expression. “The only thing not owned by billionaires,” they say.You people jacked? Of course it’s owned by billionaires. That’s not a conspiracy. That’s venture capital.Venture capital is not altruistic. It’s not romantic. It’s not about vision. It’s about amplifying what already works, extracting maximum value, and exiting with a 20x return. That’s it.So yes, Substack is currently friendly to writers. Yes, they let you keep your email list. That’s rare. That’s generous. That’s smart.But let’s not pretend this platform isn’t following the same path as every other social media company:* Growth ➡️ consolidation ➡️ monetization ➡️ control.They give us a beautiful field to grow our crops in. But eventually, they’ll decide who gets the water and the sun.4. How Substack Will Go Down (and Signs to Watch For)So how will it happen? Mr. Anonymous knows.It starts with subtle changes. Alarming signs. Revenue squeezes. Algorithm tweaks. Pay-for-placement. Leaderboards tied to promotion. Boosting posts for visibility.The red flags will be slow and quiet at first:* A 10% cut becomes 15%.* Data becomes the real currency.* Discovery gets gated behind pay-to-play.* Algorithm shifts to favor “premium partners.”* Political pressure from governments mounts.You and I? We’re the “dumb fools” doing the hard part: writing content people actually want to read. Substack gets a cut. But more importantly, they get the data. What we read. What we click. What we subscribe to. It’s a massive data-gathering machine—and it’s brilliant.But it also means this:At some point, when the stakes are high enough, the mission will bend to the money. The idealism will bow to the investors. And that’s when the platform you trusted starts to turn.We’ve seen it happen before. Facebook. LinkedIn. Medium. YouTube. Nothing stays indie forever.5. What Writers Can Do To Prepare (While It’s Still Early)Here’s the good news: we’re still early.Substack is right between the early innovation stage and the scale stage. This is what I shared on Notes and Linda from Substack re-stacked and replied to it (before she left the company):There’s still time to build. Still time to grow a loyal audience. Still time to own your email list and your message.But here’s the play:Build trust. Build connection. Build value.Don’t just aim for numbers and being part of the new leaderbord. Aim for bonding. Your ability to influence, grow, and earn will be tied to how deeply your readers trust you and what (value) you bring to their lives.Want to future-proof your writing?* Diversify when you can.* Focus on what you help people feel.* Own your audience (email list first).* Stay awake. Watch for platform shifts.* Keep experimenting—formats, topics, tone.* And never assume a tool will stay what it is forever.From Zero to Bestseller JUST With WritingOnline Writing Club tribe member Mr. Anonymous went from zero to bestseller only with his content. I think this is a great sign that Substack’s build-in audience rewards the unique thoughts, ideas and topics we’re writing about. We don’t need to add aything fancy such as coaching sessions, coffee chats, access to a community, books, freebies etc. we can become a bestseller entirely on the basis of our WRITING and content - even if we use a pen name, want to stay anonymous and/or don’t want to go live, share a video or audio/podcast.Substack is giving us tools. We can use them. Play with Notes. Try video. Go live. Add audio. Or only build our writing empire while the doors are still open. All I want you to understand is: Don’t sleep on the reality that every creator platform has a cycle—and we’re almost halfway through it.Smallstacker? The Window Is Open. It Won’t Be Open Forever. So Make Your Move Now.You’re new, a smallstacker with only a handful subscribers, you have a book laucnh coming, want to sell or keep selling your book, are retired and want to earn some extra bucks, you need an accountability buddy, initial help and 365 days support on your way? Join our souldful membership experience and 350 writers struggling with the same things as you do.🎉 A few days ago, we crossed 12,000 subscribers in the Online Writing Club. Twelve. Thousand. People. I'm honestly so grateful and excited that I wanted to give you something super special.🎁 Get 40% OFF (Limited Time!) to CelebrateTo thank you and because I know how hard it is to start an email list and make money with your words, I’m offering 40% off access to the entire Online Writing Club experience.✅ Get instant access to:* The Substack Notes Masterclass* The Recommendations Masterclass* Access to the whole library of Masterclasses* The full Substack School course* The full Medium School course* Private community access* All paid postsBONUS:* The upcoming LIVE Masterclasses worh yours truly and powerhouse Dana DuBois from Medium and TEDx speaker, author and integrative physician Tanmeet Sethi, MD.* Building a Medium-Substack Flywheel with Dana* Finally Dare to Share Vulnerability in Your Writing with Dr. Tanmeet* The Podcasting Masterclass* The Substack LIVE Masterclass* BONUS: Become a Bestseller in 2025! (As we heard in the inteview, bestsellers will be winners. Let me help you!)* Resources (with discount): The Almost Daily Notes Writer, Get Started on Substack Notes, Notes Scheduler, Opened!, 1 Month Substck Content Planner, 12-Month Content Calendar…* Hands-on masterclasses with ALL amazing writers, creators, dreamers and artists I interview (+ access to all past events, replays). Maybe Mr. Anonymous will join us too!👉 Click here to celebrate with me + claim your 40% offYour Turn!👉🏻Do you think Substack will stay writer-friendly forever?Have you ever seen a platform “turn” before? What did it feel like? What made you leave or stay?🙏🏻🙏🏻Your feedback is just a spark but enough to keep me going so it would be wonderful to hear from you in the comments 🙏🏻🙏🏻PS Tell us in the comments! This is a safe space. You can also meet us in the Chat.👈🏻 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Have you ever hesitated to share your story? Have you ever questioned whether other people want to hear it? Do you think it's scary to share your mess publicly?If that's a YES, I feel you! That’s why you should definitely listen to this week's podcast episode to understand that your story, every detail of it, matters!You’re the expert of your own life and the only one who can share YOUR story with the world!Because when her friend first suggested she give a TEDx talk, my guest on today’s podcast, Tanmeet Sethi, MD, hesitated, too. "Who wants to hear about this?" she asked. "I can't go on stage and talk about this painful thing."That moment of doubt, of questioning whether her story was worth telling, is something every (newish) writer can relate to. But what happened next is proof of the power of making yourself vulnerable and that’s why it’s so important to for me to share Tanmeets’s story with you today.Turn Your Pain Into PowerI had the privilege of sitting down with board-certified Integrative Family Medicine physician and author of Joy is my Justice, Tanmeet Sethi, for an incredible conversation about turning pain into power—and how she ultimately found herself on the TEDx stage. Guess what? You can't build a personal connection if you don't dare to be vulnerable.Your readers want to get to know the real you.Her journey is one of courage, storytelling and deep transformation. And…* ✅if you've ever wondered how to tell your own difficult story or bad things that happened to you, * ✅or even dreamed of taking a TEDx stage yourself, then this episode is for you.I promise you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed our deep and soulful conversation - even if you might shed a tear while listening to it.The Story She Was Afraid to ShareI met Tanmeet on Substack Notes where she shared a mini anecdote about her little boy. Being a mother of two myself, this post on Notes kept me busy for days and I asked Tanmeet for an interview because I knew she had turned a catastrophic moment in her life into something good.As she told me, Tanmeet’s life changed forever when her son was diagnosed with a rare degenerative neuromuscular disease. A disease that, much like ALS, progressively weakens the muscles and is ultimately fatal. She was nine months pregnant with her third child when she received the news about her second son—news that shattered the vision she had for motherhood and life itself.For a long time, she struggled to believe she could ever feel joy again. "How could a mother be happy when her child is dying?" she asked herself. But what she discovered was something deeper than happiness: joy. A joy that is not dependent on circumstances, but rather, something that can be cultivated even in the hardest of times.Getting On StageWhen she was first asked to talk on a TEDx stage, she resisted. She wanted to talk about her professional expertise, not the personal pain she carried. But a mentor told her, "It’s not about your career. It’s about sharing your vulnerability." That nudge changed her life…forever.In the months leading up to the TEDx talk, Tanmeet worked with TED coaches to refine her story, struggling to condense something so deeply personal into just a few minutes. She even tried to change the topic at the last minute, but the coaches guided her back. She had to share this story—not just for herself, but for everyone who needed to hear it.What Came NextThe talk changed everything. It resonated deeply, not just with those in the audience that day, but with about 300,000 who watched it online. It opened doors she never expected.Her book Joy Is My Justice soon followed, earning recognition from Oprah Daily!She then launched her Substack newsletter, Your Integrative Physician, a space where she brings together science, medicine, and the deep emotional resilience she has cultivated.The Stories We Are Most Afraid To Tell Are Often The Ones That Need To Be Heard The MostIn our new podcast, Tanmeet is sharing everything she has learned about storytelling, resilience, and getting on a TEDx stage on The Online Writing Club podcast.Don't miss this episode - it's a conversation that could change the way you look at your own story and, if you dare, could change your whole life. Based on this interview, I now also dare to weave in more personal anecdotes.Here’s what Tanmeet shared a few minutes ago:🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”🎙️You can listen to it as Substack podcast, on Spotify or watch it on YouTube.Enjoy the show!If you’re listening via Spotify it would be awesome to get a review from you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. You can really make a different with this small gesture. Thanks 🙏🏻You can also watch out interview:🎙️Meet Tanmeet LIVE in our MASTERCLASSTanmeet opened my eyes when we talked about how important it is to be human, show that we're human, sharing the messy stories, the bad things (even if people tell us not to).Writing can help us feel present. For me it's also meditative.I love to let my heart lead, not my brain.Even if you're sharing educational stuff like me you can weave in your personality, soul, let your heart speak and let it shine through.Especially on Notes people connect with YOU! And you're more than your newsletter topic! Soooo much more. 🙏Meet my friend Tanmeet Sethi, board-certified Integrative Family Medicine physician, TEDx speaker and author of Joy is my Justice, in April 2025 for a LIVE masterclass inside the Club!In this 60min+ masterclass we’ll discover together “the magic and challenges of vulnerability and joy and how they all merge into your most powerful writing”.* Monday April 21* 12 pm PST / 3 pm EST* (replay will be available)Upgrade to become a paid member of the Club and join our weekly masterclasses! Also, you’ll get access to Medium and Substack School for Beginners + the invite-only community. See you inside!2x Substack Growth Masterclasses For Paid MembersAlso, I want to celebrate a huge milestone (12,000 subscribers 🥳🥳🥳 THANK YOU!!) with you and invite all paid members to 2x Substack growth tool Masterclasses with yours truly on:* How I Grew My Substack to 12,000 Subscribers with Notes – And How You Can Too - Wednesday, March 26 3pm EST* Substack Growth on Autopilot: The Power of Recommendations – Thursday, March 27 3pm ESTDon’t Take My Newsletter and Podcasts for Granted, PleaseNow is the time to join more than 300+ members. As you know, I’m building and growing this newsletter and community part-time. I know from talking with you, you’d like to join but often money is an issue. So I'm offering 40% OFF!However, please keep in mind that I’m offering soooo much support and help inside the membership experience.And look what tribe members shared:Besides my content library with more than 80 posts, you’ll get:* Access to all 35+ replays* Access to 50+ video tutorials* Access to Medium and Substack School (value $399)* 1 Month Substack Content Planner (value $29)* 12 Month Substack Content Calendar (value $59)👉🏻What led you here? Which struggles, circumstances, bad decision? Are you scared to tell your story?Tell us in the comments! This is a safe space. You can also meet us in the Chat.👈🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Your feedback is just a spark but enough to keep me going so it would be wonderful to hear from you in the comments 🙏🏻🙏🏻PS Hungry For More? Here’s Tanmeet’s TEDx talk. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Let me ask you a simple but powerful question: "Are you happy with what you're doing?"Scared of the answer? You are not alone! Actually, you're in good company. This question has ruined the life of today's show guest Michael Lim.His 90-year-old Chinese grandmother from Singapore asked him this exact question at the beginning of last year. Michael answered: “Yes.”…at least he thought he was happy.* Michael had the fancy corporate title - he got promoted to a Director (wow!). * He had the house. * The income. * On paper, he "made it." He Had All These Things That Society Tells You Should Make You HappyAlso, she always had one piece of advice: "Travel while you're young." And not just once, but every time she saw him, she'd say it again and again. “She stared, silent and waiting.She used her Asian grandmother powers on me.So I admitted I wanted to travel the world,and pursue a new business idea.She asked, "What’s stopping you?"I listed the reasons—work, routine, responsibilities.She shook her head and said,"Excuses.""Life doesn’t wait for you to be ready."She was right.I was holding myself back.”Deep down, he felt stuck and his grandma felt it with her Asian grandmother power."I had all these things that society tells you should make you happy… but I was miserable inside," he told me.Michael Wasn't Building a Life He LovedThat's when he realized: He wasn't building a life he loved—he was chasing titles, promotions, and a version of success that wasn’t his own. Within 30 days, he quit his corporate job, and booked a one-way ticket to Singapore.He became a rock that rolls down a hill and no longer stays in the same place.He traded boardrooms for beaches. Suits for swim trunks. A rigid schedule for freedom.And while that might sound bold (or terrifying, I know!), Michael said something during our interview that really stuck with me:"The worst-case scenario is I go back to my old life. But the best case? I live the life I actually want."Isn’t that the truth? Sometimes the real risk is not taking the leap of faith!Now Michael is “High on Life”After already building and selling multiple one-person-businesses, Michael is now building a new thriving one-person business and scaling it to $100,0000+ by writing online and helping others create freedom for themselves. He wakes up every day with what he describes as a "high on life," saying:"I feel unburdened, unshackled… it's an intense level of freedom that I've never had before."Look at him!Can You Imagine That Kind of Freedom?Here’s my takeaway from my chat with Michael:* Sometimes the most "secure" path is actually the riskiest, because it keeps you stuck.* Taking a leap isn’t about being fearless. It's about deciding which risk you're willing to live with.* The worst-case scenario is rarely as bad as we imagine.So, let me ask you so you can tell us in the chat: “What’s your version of freedom? What would it look like to design a life you actually love?”Michael’s story is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to pivot. To choose yourself and create something in the cracks of time. To create something that might only exist as a daydream.Are You Dying a Slow Death in Your 9-5? Want Your Life to Look a Whole Much different?By listening to Michael sharing his life lessions and the 6 most valuable steps he took to set up his one-person business you’ll take one step today toward the life you want - even if you have only a few minutes or hours a day.Once you listened, you’ll have a plan how to build a one-person business and how it could feel like.So hopefully this is the kick in the butt to let your life look different.Because those small steps? They add up to something big.🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”🎙️You can listen to it as Substack podcast, on Spotify or watch it on YouTube.Enjoy the show!If you’re listening via Spotify it would be awesome to get a review from you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. You can really make a different with this small gesture. Thanks 🙏🏻Here’s the video interview:🎤 Meet Michael Lim LIVE - MASTERCLASS2025 will be the year of the solopreneur.So see this interview as a nudge to finally start it!The majority of writers, creatives, influencers and dreamers are solo publishers. And more and more are entering the market. So it's time to build a soulful and joyful one-person business to finally feel the freedom you deserve.Join the paid member’s masterclass with Michael Lim on * finding the courage to quit and start a one-person business on the side as a normal person, * finding the time,* quitting your 9-to-5, * building the life you love, * monetizing your existing skills,* experiencing the freedom you’re craving for * building a soulful and joyful one-person business in 2025.Bring all your questions and get them answered by Michael in our LIVE masterclass.* 📅Tuesday, March 18* ⌚7am EST / 6am CDT / 5am MDT/ 4am PDT/ 12 pm CET * 🔗ZOOM link: If you’re an annual member, you can add the event to your calendar HERE or find the Zoom link HERE.* ⏺️Replays: Michael is joining us from Asia so it’s a bit earlier than usual. You can’t make it live? No worries. You can catch up and also send me your questions beforehand in the comments or via email/DM.Become an Annual Club Member and Grab ALL BonusesBesides my content library with more than 80 posts, you’ll get:* Access to all 35+ replays* Access to 50+ video tutorials* 1 Month Substack Content Planner (value $29)* 12 Month Substack Content Calendar (value $59)* Invite-only community access ticket (value $29/month)* NEW Substack Course “From Beginner to Substack Pro” (value $149)* NEW “Medium School” Course (value $199)* Invite to weekly LIVE workshops with my interview guests & with me and the tribeI’m not kidding!That’s ALL included in an annual membership!Similar to Michael's relationship with his grandma, my grandfather also played a big role in my decision to leave everything behind, move to the west coast of Germany and live a simple life with my children at the beach and working from home. I’m grateful for all the wonderful conversations we had. Helmut, my granddad, already crossed the rainbox bridge, but I can feel his spirit in my part-time business. I even have a photograph of him on my desk. It shows him, sun-tanned and in swim tanks, at the beach with me and my brother. I know, grandpa would be proud of me.Maybe there’s one person in your life who triggered a change? Who asked a questions or told you a story that would change your life forever?See you in the show & our masterclass with Michael!PS We’d sooo love to hear from you! Hit reply and let us know your thoughts! We’ll answer all your questions and reply to everyone.PPS Say 👋🏻in the comments, Chat, or via email. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

If there’s one takeaway from my interview with Simon Owens it’s this: The web is evolving. Followers are no longer the end goal—subscribers, genuine relationships, finding “your tribe” and real engagement are. Owens is a media strategist, journalist, newsletter expert and someone who grew up with the old-school blogosphere.In his opinion, subscription-based platforms like Substack are giving creators a way to build sustainable businesses without being at the mercy of an algorithm. An email list is protecting us from the ups and downs of social media.That’s why I’m psyched about today’s podcast interview.Let me explain.The Rise and Fall of the FollowerThe golden era of "followers" as the primary metric for creators is fading fast. What’s replacing it? Subscribers. Paid communities. Sustainable businesses. But how do you transition from chasing followers and virality to building a reliable audience that likes, loves and trusts you and actually votes with their wallets for your work?To answer that, I sat down with Simon Owens who has written for The Atlantic, Politico, and Forbes. He also helped building a social media network and built his own thriving subscription-based business through Substack with Simon Owens's Media Newsletter and media podast with top long form creators in the industry.Our conversation covered everything from leaving Medium to the rise of Notes on Substack, how Patreon proved people will pay for creators they trust to the future of social media and the use of AI.Here are three moments from our interview that I hope will make you rethink your content strategy for 2025:1. Substack Notes is More Than Just "Twitter for Writers"Simon believes the internal short form social media network, Substack Notes, might be the next big thing for creators looking for engagement without the toxicity of traditional social media. Unlike X, where you're battling an algorithm designed for outrage, Notes creates an environment where content is naturally distributed to an audience interested in the topics you cover and eager to learn more about you.“I’m seeing posts get thousands of likes and hundreds of comments. That’s real reach."As engagement on mainstream social platforms declines to sometimes even less than 1%, Notes is offering a powerful alternative—one that is designed for depth and not just fleeting clicks.In my podcast with insider Linda @ Substack from Substack’s Writer Partnerships team she shared:“Two years ago, I would have started the conversation with recommendations… but today, I start the conversation with Notes and with the app.”It's the #1 growth tool on Substack.About 25% of my subscribers found me through Notes! Most of the tribe members of The Online Writing Club see a huge amount of subscribers coming via the app that now belongs to the top downloads in America.We now also have analytics to check how our posts on Notes are performing and also see if we created a post that paid, meaning converted a casual reader, follower or free subscriber (which is already awesome to have!) into a paid member.Here’s an example from tribe member Jim Clyde Monge 2. Goodbye Medium! Substack Is The Place To BeThe buzzy publishing platform Medium once seemed like the holy grail for writers, but Simon left after years of inconsistent pivots and algorithm changes. At first, he had over 15,000 followers on Medium, but as the platform deprioritized individual writers in favor of mainstream publishers, his reach plummeted."They pivoted too often. They couldn’t figure out what they wanted to do, and they kept on pivoting. Like first they tried to court mainstream publishers… And then, you know, like a year into that, they completely abandoned all those publishers and p****d those off and went back to a social network. But then it was like trying to have like an algorithm that figured out what you wanted to read. But the algorithm was just really bad.”This is why Simon transitioned to Substack: * control over his audience* no reliance on a central algorithm* protection from the ups-and-downs of social media* and a direct connection with readers who genuinely want his insights and analysis.Moral of the story?You shouldn’t grow your writing business on rented land, AKA social media.It’s smart to build a Medium-Substack Flywheel (a term I coined) or Hourglass though.3. “The Subscription Economy” & Why People Feel Stressed by ItHowever, Simon acknowledges that people are getting fatigued by the endless stream of monthly subscriptions. Some call it “subscription fatigue”.Every new tool, course, or piece of content asks for another recurring payment. This has led many to reconsider: “Do I actually get enough value upfront to justify paying every month?So “forever transactions”, as the “Queen of subscriptions”, Robbie Kellman Baxter, calls them, are trending:"I think it's a really good option in any kind of subscription strategy because there are a lot of people who are becoming more skeptical of subscriptions because then they have to be constantly monitoring. Every time their subscription is up for renewal, am I getting enough value for that? They find it very stressful. (…) Offering a lifetime subscription… could create some cushion in your bank account that can help you get through those first six to 12 months as you're trying to build up your recurring subscription base.”Long before Substack, in 2013, Patreon kickstarted the whole “subscription economy” and changed the game for creators by making it easier for them to earn recurring income from their “true fans”. Before Patreon, artists, musicians, writers, and other creators had to rely on big platforms, advertising, or one-time brand deals to make money. Patreon introduced a subscription-based model, where fans (or "patrons") could support their favorite creators with small, recurring payments—like $5 or $10 per month, allowing creators to focus on their work without worrying about making every single project a big hit.It’s all about creating * a community, * providing ongoing value, * and making subscribers (members of your tribe) feel like they belong. 🎙️If you say, Kristina, let me listen to the interview!🎙️You can listen to it as Substack podcast, on Spotify or watch it on YouTube.If you’re listening via Spotify it would be awesome to get a review from you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. You can really make a different with this small gesture. Thanks 🙏🏻Enjoy the show!🎤 Meet Simon Owens LIVEOh, want to learn more about…* the future of social media * the “right” social media strategy* the use of AI when creating content* what the generic word “value” means for YOUR newsletter and writing * what to put behind the paywall (based on the topic you’re covering and time you have)Meet Simon Owens inside The Online Writing Club.One of our key pillars is making you a (freelance) writer, kickstarting your business and getting paid to be you.* Join our workshop with Simon Owens on the future of social media, the role of Substack and how to be strategic about using social media.* Wednesday, March 12* 2pm EST* ZOOM link: If you’re an annual member, you can add the event to your calendar HERE. Zoom room link will be shared in the Chat and via email for monthly members* Replays: You can’t make it live? No worries. You can catch up! The replay will be available within 24 hours!Become an annual Club Member and Grab ALL BonusesBesides my content library with more than 80 posts, you’ll get:* Access to all 35+ replays* Access to 50+ video tutorials* 1 Month Substack Content Planner (value $29)* 12 Month Substack Content Calendar (value $59)* Invite-only community access ticket (value $29/month)* NEW Substack Course “From Beginner to Substack Pro” (value $149)* NEW “Medium School” Course (value $199)* Invite to weekly LIVE workshops with my interview guests & with me and the tribeI’m not kidding!That’s ALL included in an annual membership!In March 2025, inside The Online Writing Club…Today you can join our Notes Rockstar Session with Claudia Faith Walter Rhein Wajeeha Nadeem Jo Taylor Derek Pharr Peter William Murphy (he told me he’s using only half of his head anyway and I should keep it “on brand”, so the headshot would be fine ^^).These 6 smallstack rockstars are writing Notes (about):* satire* poetry* humor* politics* nursing* writing* productivity* motherhood* book publishing* self actualization* entrepreneurshipI promise: * You’ll get a dose of sanity* You will have a good laugh* You'll feel seen, connected and like you belong* You’ll feel inspired to joyfully start writing and keep writing on Notes.* You’ll connect in our breakout sessions with bootcampers, tribe members and rockstars for a meet & greet, finding friends and your tribe📅As member CLICK HERE to add it to your calendar.You can meet solopreneur Michael Lim for a woskshop on how to GET AHEAD OF 99% of most creators and writers by starting a one-person-business and join the 9-5 quitter club - full of freedom and true wealth.📅As member CLICK HERE to add it to your calendar.You’ll meet me for a SUBSTACK RECOMMENDATION MASTERCLASS (value $49). In addition to Notes, the recommendation function is a growth driver on autopilot! I see this in my 1:1 sessions, many are missing out on this.Together we’ll update our list of more than 300 smallstackers and midstackers who’d love to grow on autopilot by connecting with people in their niche and recommending each other.Your turn!Are you doubling down on social media in 2025, or are you shifting toward a subscriber-first model? Let’s chat about your plans and strategies in the comments! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Many smart writers don't want to use X formerly Twitter anymore.They feel frustrated about what's been going on.That’s why they join Substack and the new ‘Twitter for writers’, as I call it.I also quit writing on X and am now happy sharing my thoughts on Substack Notes, get in contact with interesting people around the world, connect and engage.Solopreneur and indie fiction author David McIlroy joined Substack in 2019, and as many can relate, was just there.He focused on Twitter and spent 2022 growing his following on Twitter by showing up every day.He started with three followers and ended up with 16,000. Now, 20,500.He became a renter because you don’t own your following on social media.On Substack where you can own your audience, he was just flailing around and didn't see real growth.Then, his audience growth shot upwards.In less than two months, he gained over 1,400 subscribers.His newsletter turned him from a renter into an owner.BONKERS, isn't it?And look how many likes, restacks and how much engagement he gets. These are just a few examples of many. In 2024, he had lots of stories with more than 2,000 likes and lots of restacks (shares).David Went from Flailing Around to 16,000+ Subscribers Using Substack NotesDavid started making regular use of the Notes feature, the new ‘Twitter for writers’.Notes is Substack’s internal social media network dedicated to short form.It’s for writers and authors who are sick and tired of, well,… social media.How does that come together?Well, it’s social media like in the good old days.* It's ad free* It helps you discover new writers* It helps you and your writing get discovered by othersIn my opinion, Substack Notes is definitely a viable X (formerly Twitter) competitor and alternative.Maybe that’s one of the reasons Elon Musk doesn’t show Substack posts as embed anymore. He even wanted to buy Substack.In April 2025, Substack Notes will Celebrate it’s Second Birthday!I know Notes has changed the lives of so many people.Although baby Substack still has to wait some more months until it turns two, I’d love to celebrate this awesome social media network and its network effects in the next posts, videos and this podcast with you.David and I Agree…* The strength of Notes lies in the community and the network effects.* We discovered so many great authors through Notes that I could identify with very well.* As you might now, I love short form posts. (As a busy part-time creating mom, every day I share one easy digestible short post on Medium.) It’s the perfect place for me.* You’re ill-advised if you play the subscribe-for-subscribe or subscribe-unsubscribe game some influencers recommend at the moment.There Are Four Types of Substack WritersThose who…* don’t know about Substack’s Notes feature* don’t capitalize on it* write a handful of posts and then think their posts don’t get tracion, suck or it’s worthless to be there* don’t “get” itMy tip: Don’t sleep on Substack’s Notes feature because (besides Substack Recommendations) it’s a powerful internal growth engine.Grab you favourite beverage 🧋and listen to today’s podcast episode.Enjoy!🥳Invitation to The Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp 2025 with David McllroyStarting at March 3, David and I are leading you through a private 5-Day LIVE Bootcamp designed to help you (FINALLY) kickstart your Substack Notes journey.✅March 3-7, 2pm EST, 5× 90min + 5 implementation days and BONUS sessions🥳ROCKSTAR SESSION with bootcampers who have gone before you (and went viral!) and alumni sharing insights about Substack Notes!🚀Substack Notes Kickstarter BOOST Challenges🥳6 BONUSES! I’m not kidding…See you inside!P.S. I was the first to interview David last year on Substack Notes. He inspired me to keep using it (although I never went viral the way he did). I’m now at 11,000 subscribers, earning $33,000 ARR and have 114,000 monthly views (most are coming from network effects). It’s so worthwhile and I know many are missing out on using this wonderful social media network. It’s the best I’ve ever been on. So join us and the other bootcampers. Let’s connect, collab and grow together.P.P.S. Substack is growing sooooo fast, so does baby Substack Notes. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

In today’s podcast episode, I talk about the Substack world with none other than Ciler Demiralp, creator of Newsletter Circle and author of a groundbreaking report analyzing 75,000 Substack newsletters. Yes, you read that right—75,000.Did you know Substack has over 4 million paid subscriptions, and its top 10 writers collectively earn more than $40 million annually? 50,000 newsletter writers make money on Substack.As a Substack bestseller myself with 11,000 subscribers earning $2,700 monthly, I can confirm it’s absolutely possible to make your newsletter dreams a reality. But navigating the Substack landscape is a lot easier when someone hands you the map—and that’s exactly what Ciler can do.Around Christmas, I already shared a guest post from Ciler and the feedback was mind-blowing!A few hours ago, I shared our video interview on YouTube to illustrate her findings. Guess what happened? It’s trending!So it’s a topic that needs to be covered inside The Online Writing Club podcast.As a marketing manager myself, I love those data to make informed decisions for my own pricing or activity on Substack (Notes).Here’s what Ciler is saying about the WHY behind her report and the WHATIntrigued by the usage statistics, I got my hands dirty and analyzed publicly available data from 75K Substack newsletters and created a free comprehensive report.The report gives answers to questions such as:* How many newsletters are actively publishing new issues and how many of them are just staying inactive?* How frequently do creators publish new issues?* What are the subscriber ranges?* What is the usage rate of Substack Notes and Substack Recommendations?* How many newsletters offer a paid subscription?* What are the average paid subscription prices?* What are the social media channels most preferred by different categories?🎙️Enjoy the show and learn all you need to knowYour feedback is invaluable to Ciler and me. So it would be great to hear from you in the comments.You can listen to our interview or watch our video interview in which we I have illustrated the report for you - in a nutshell.» Past podcast episodes live HERE.⭐Table of Contents 0:00 Intro 1:16 Ciler Introduction 3:34 How many newsletters are actively publishing? 4:36 How many newsletters have paid subscriptions? And what are the average prices? 6:09 What's the usage rate of Substack Notes 7:18 What social media channels are preferred by different categories?Hungry for more? Meet Ciler on Friday, Jan 31Ciler is definetly a PLUS - someone better than you to guide and critique. So I have surprise for you! We gonna discuss our pricing strategies, activity on Notes and publishing cadence with Ciler inside the Club.Club members can add the event (with Zoom link) to their calendars inside the membership experience. Bootcampers are all set as well.If you want to join, mark your calendar:* January, 31* 3pm EST (usually we meet at 2pm!)* 45 minJoin the Substack + Medium Bootcamp: Your Map to Success 🚀I also invite you to my Substack Flywheel Bootcamp 2025 together with co-host and PLUS Derek Hughes.We’re handing you the map to navigate Substack and build a content flywheel.The best part? You won’t do it alone. You’ll connect with 50 fellow bootcampers inside, all working toward the same goals.Most come for the skills, the guidance, and the strategies to grow their writing. But they stay for the incredible community inside the Online Writing Club.🌟Ready to join? Let’s build something amazing together. 🌟Christie Sausa M.S. Alma Gabriela Trofin-Tatár Janet Ridsdale 5 spots are left. One is for YOU!❤️‍🔥Your feedback is just a spark but it’s enough to keep us going.❤️‍🔥We hope this interview inspires you and helps you become clearer about your Substack strategy.Yours truly,P.S. Liked it? Please share, like, and let me know what you think about this podcast episode💗 Your feedback is important and can spark many ideas. Thanks sooooo much! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

If you’ve ever hesitated to pitch your story to The Writing Cooperative on Medium, let me start by saying this: Justin Cox does not bite. He’s probably one of the nicest people you’ll meet in the Medium writing world. Pitching to him and his publication could change the course of your Medium journey.Let’s start with a fun fact: The Writing Cooperative is not just any publication. With over 264,000 followers, it’s one of Medium’s top 10 publications, and its mission is simple yet powerful: helping writers improve their craft.Who Is Justin Cox?My guest today is Justin Cox.Justin is the founder of The Writing Cooperative, a seasoned writer, author of “Write Now: How To Pursue Your Dream And Start Writing Today!” and a Star Wars fan :) He’s been on Medium for 10 years (yes, an entire decade!)……and runs the publication solo. That’s right—it’s a one-man show. Justin reads 75 to 100 submissions weekly and somehow still manages to reply thoughtfully. Impressive, right?Here’s what Justin believes about writing:“Great stories come from personal experience. They’re not just about what you’ve learned but about how those lessons can help others.”Why Writers Are Afraid to Pitch (And Why You Shouldn’t Be)Justin knows pitching can be nerve-wracking, especially for newer writers. He hears this often:“I’m worried my story isn’t good enough.”“What if I get rejected?”Let’s get real for a moment: rejection is just feedback. Justin himself says:“It’s not a value judgment on your writing. It just means it’s not the right fit for our publication.”Plus, if you’re rejected, Justin often leaves helpful notes to guide you. (And yes, you can resubmit!)✅What Justin’s Looking ForIf you want to write for The Writing Cooperative, here’s the secret: follow the submission guidelines (tribe member and Medium mastermind Walter Rhein loves them because they are so detailed!). Seriously. Please don’t send off-topic pieces about your cat’s yoga routine (unless it’s a metaphor for writing!).What gets accepted? Stories that:* Share personal experiences about writing.* Offer lessons others can learn from.* Are well-written and thoughtful.As Justin puts it:“Clarity comes from engagement, not thought. Take action, and the words will come!”✖️What Justin Is NOT Looking ForJustin has a strict “no AI-generated content” rule. Why? Because he values the heart and soul behind every word you write.“If I think something could have been written by AI, it’s not for us. I want human stories that come from lived experiences.”🎙️I hope you enjoy the show!Let us know in the comments if and how you like it. Your feedback is invaluable for Justin and me as we both are doing this part-time.NEW: Video version: Click on the video above to watch now* Captions and transcripts are available for all video episodes. (A button on each episode makes this easy for you).Audio version:* You can also listen on Spotify Podcasts (will you be the first? Please leave a rating for me on Spotify 😍 Thanks!)» Past podcast episodes live HERE.👇Meet Justin LIVE on Monday, Jan 20th, 2pm EST! - Pitching “The Writing Cooperative” Made Easy 👇Pitching to a top-tier publication like The Writing Cooperative might feel intimidating, but remember: Justin isn’t just an editor. He’s a writer who’s been in your shoes. He’s cheering for you.I hope I can inspire you to take a deep breath, polish that draft, and hit submit. As Justin says:“The best way to start writing is to start right now.”This is my first story for The Writing Cooperative, when I wrote a lot of parenting and kids stuff after I gave birth to my baby:Pitching Justin is not as complicated as it sounds, all you need to do is….. join us for our LIVE writing workshop with Justin on * Monday, 20th January * at 2 pm* members will see the link inside the membership experience and in the chat* new members, just sign up and get the Zoom inviteHappy writing and pitching!See you on Monday!KristinaP.S. Want more help with your writing journey in 2025? Join The Online Writing Club and learn how to craft irresistible stories that publications like The Writing Cooperative can’t say no to! 🚀 👇Medium top writer and million dollar entrepreneur Ayo joined today :)! YAY!Oh… one more thing before you enjoy your FRI-YAY!I’ll host a Substack Bootcamp with Medium superstar Derek Hughes (haven’t talked about it much, sorry ^^)It’s the complete guide to get started on Substack and the systems Derek and I use to build a Medium-Substack flywheel and quadruple our earnings writing on both sites. Join us, About 14 spots left. One is FOR YOU! You can also watch my testimonial video and flywheel video on the page. Maybe Sunday morning with a coffee in your hand. Enjoy!Join my for a collaborative LIVE Video Chat with Derek Hughes & AyoDerek and I wil go LIVE in the next days.You can also see me tomorrow at 2pm EST talking with Ayo LIVE. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

If you’ve ever dreamed of ditching the 9-to-5 grind, working from home, and getting paid to write, this is your chance to learn from one of the best in the business.My friend Elna Cain started her freelance writing journey in 2014 as a mom of twins, driven by a desire to stay home with her newborns. Fast forward to today, she’s a six-figure writer with clients like Walmart, OptinMonster, and Blogging Wizard—and she’s sharing her incredible story and tips with us.In today’s exclusive podcast interview, Elna reveals:1. How to Land High-Paying Clients"When I started, I pitched daily—it was my job to get jobs. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that clients want to pay for good content."Elna shares her step-by-step approach to pitching clients that transformed her inbox into a steady stream of opportunities—including how she perfected her “client magnet” strategy to stand out in competitive markets.2. The ONE Mistake New Freelancers Should Avoid"If I could go back, I’d tell myself: stop trying to write for everyone. Focus on the clients who value your niche."Learn from Elna’s early mistakes and how she narrowed her niche to grow her income. She explains why trying to be a “jack of all trades” could hold you back and how to avoid the same trap.3. Where to Find Lucrative Writing Opportunities ($3,200 per article)"You don’t have to chase clients forever. Once I found the right communities and platforms, clients started coming to me."Elna uncovers the platforms and networks that helped her land jobs paying $3,200 per article, and she shares tips for building long-term relationships with clients who keep coming back.Why This Interview Matters For You:Elna’s no-nonsense advice will show you how to:✔️ Find your writing niche and attract clients in booming industries like SaaS and digital marketing.✔️ Build a professional online presence, even if you’re starting from scratch.✔️ Turn a part-time side hustle into a full-time business—on your terms.Ready to make 2025 the year you finally get paid to write? Don’t miss this inspiring interview packed with actionable insights and hands-on strategies.If you say, Kristina, let me listen to the interview!You can listen to it as Substack podcast and/or watch our interview on YouTube.Enjoy the show!Oh,… want more from Elna?Meet Elna Cain inside The Online Writing Club.Inside the Online Writing Club Membership, one of our key pillars is making you a freelance writer and kickstarting your business and getting paid to be you.* Join our writing workshop with Elna Cain on how to make your first $1,000 as a freelance writer.* Get access to replays and live sessions with Fiverr freelance writers, such as Maya Sayvanova or Ayodeji from Medium.BONUS: + Get the NEW Substack Course “From Beginner to Substack Pro” + 1 Month Substack Content Planner + 12 Month Substack Content CalendarThis month, inside The Online Writing Club…* Medium Will SHIFT! My Uncensored Predictions for 2025 - with Walter Rhein * Hot & New Substack Features, Newsletter Trends, and Predictions for 2025 - with Kristina* Monetized! Monetize your Substack newsletter in 2025 (and become a bestseller) - with Kristina* Grow! Masterclass on boosting your Substack recommendations engine - with Kristina* Substack-Medium Flyhweel Bootcamp - with Derek Hughes and Kristina👉 Click here to watch the full interview and start your freelance writing journey.Table of Contents 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:24 How Did Elna Start Writing? 00:05:48 What Lessons Would Elna Tell Beginners? 00:09:39 What to Do if You’re Afraid to Start Writing 00:14:13 How to Find High-Demand Topics 00:16:51 How to Create an Optimized LinkedIn Profile 00:26:29 How You Can Make Sales in DM’s 00:28:42 Which Platforms Should Writers Be On? 00:31:32 What Elna’s Funnel Looks Like 00:34:21 How Elna Created Her Website 00:42:51 How Elna Gets Her Clients 00:48:08 What Sites Pay for Writing? 00:51:14 How Elna Became a Full-Time Writer 00:52:20 Is $1,000 a Good Amount to Make as a Writer? 00:54:38 Does Elna Use BeeHiiv? 00:55:33 How Elna Has Got 20,000 Newsletter Subscribers 00:57:20 How Important is Having a Business Plan? 01:00:12 Results from Elna’s 10-Day Challenge on YouTube 01:01:20 What Marketing Tools does Elna Use? 01:04:20 What Does a Day in the Life of Elan Look Like? 01:10:11 How Many Websites Does Elna Have? 01:14:16 Personal Questions for ElnaEnjoy the show!P.S. Freelance writing isn’t just a side hustle—it’s a path to financial freedom. Elna’s story proves that if she can do it, so can you. Let’s make it happen together! Join our Online Wrtiing Club and 10,500 like-minded writers today. Are you an action taker? Join more than 300 members for support, guidance and fun! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

I'm so pleased to end our 2024 Online Writing Club podcast season with an author who is living the dream of many writers.He’s a seasoned writer, book author, editor, columnist for The Writing Cooperative (one of Medium’s top 10 publications) and one of Medium’s top Boost Nominators.Also, he got Boosted more than 150 times!Essentially, Boost is ideal for individuals who have important stories to tell, but who haven't yet developed a following. It allows you to get more visibility even if you're new to the scene. It's also good for individuals who already have a following as it can increase your earnings.Join me as I sit down with my friend Walter Rhein, to unpack the secrets behind the platform’s success. With over 20 years of experience in writing and editing and 50,000 Medium followers,…In today’s episode, Walter shares insights on:* What makes Medium the go-to platform for writers in 2025?* How does Medium stand out in the sea of publishing platforms?* Why the Boost has been in a constant state of evolution since the program was launched.* How human curation on Medium keeps the platform authentic and AI-free.* The magic behind the Boost program that amplifies quality stories.* Building a thriving writing career on Medium and Substack.* Why storytelling and community are the heart of a writer's journey.Plus, Walter gives us a sneak peek into his solopreneur life, balancing creative freedom, family (two kids and a dog), and meaningful connections through his writing.I bet you won’t want to miss Walter’s inspiring journey and actionable advice, especially when you keep in mind you can earn decent money with your Boosted Medium stories, as Walter does, or even CRAZY GOOD money as friend and tribe member Untrickled by Michelle Teheux did in 2024:🎧 Tune in now and let Walter show you how to level up your writing game in 2025, as soooo many of our tribe members did in 2024. I hope you enjoy the show. Want More From Walter and Meet Him?Inside my Online Writing Club Membership, we have a Medium course, you’ll get access to as an annual member.In addition, Walter and I will offer our popular Medium Kickstarter Bootcamp in 2025 one more time!Want in? Click here to join now and start your journey to becoming a Medium writer who gets paid to be seen and heard today!The BEST thing: You can meet tribe member Walter inside!In January 2025, we will have our first Q&A session with the Medium writing king. You can also watch the replay of an exclusive workshop we hosted a few months back.Here's a special New Year's surprise note from Walter just for you!I'm delighted to announce that I'll be partnering with Kristina on some offerings in the early part of 2025. I'll be hosting a Q&A for her subscribers. Normally I only do these for my paid subscribers, but this will be an opportunity for every member of her tribe. Please come with questions, and I can help you get a better idea of how to succeed both on Medium and Substack. I'm happy to discuss almost anything you want to ask.Just come and drop your questions into the chat, and I'll answer them in the order they are received.Kristina will share the Zoom link to her paid subscribers, and I'll share the link to mine.I look forward to talking with all of you! This will be a nice way to build community, create a plan of productive action, and generate some momentum that will help us get the most out of 2025!Also, watch out for a guest post from Walter with MORE insights, which will land in your inbox in the next few days!Challenge: What You Can Do TodayAs we turn the page to 2025, I want to remind you of your incredible potential. This year is your chance to chase your goals, tell your stories, and make an impact in ways you’ve only dreamed of. Thanks to Medium, I was featured by AOL and BoredPanda in 2024. I became a Substack bestseller and have an incredible paid community of 300+ amazing people.Remember, every small step you take matters. Whether it’s refining a single paragraph, engaging with your audience, or exploring new opportunities like Boost, know that you’re building something meaningful.Let’s make this year about growth, bold creativity, and supporting one another. I’m excited to see all that you’ll achieve, and I’m here to cheer you on every step of the way.If you’re serious about growing your Medium writing career, ask questions about the Boost and the platform.Here’s an exercise for you:* Tell us what you’re writing about and share the link to you Medium account in the comments to get seen by Walter and other Boost nominators.* Tell us what’s holding you back from joining Medium if you're not yet on Medium.* If you want to get Boosted, ask your Qs. Walter will answer them here in the comments section and in the Q&A session.Learn about the Boost as much as possible so you can crush it in 2025. If you don’t do it, others will get Boosted!Here’s to a remarkable year ahead and making your dreams come true in 2025,P.S. In our live Q&A session in January, Walter will reveal how Medium will change in 2025 and his predictions as a writer and nominator. You won’t want to miss this session. Join us today and get access to our hands-on Q&A with Walter and many more to come in 2025.P.P.S. Click here to watch now.P.P.P.S. Please share this and invite anyone else who might enjoy our community! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

I'm so pleased to bring you an author who is living the dream of many writers.My guest today is Ayodeji.Four years ago, in December 2020, I started writing on the buzzy publishing platform Medium with no audience, online reputation and zero earnings. Fast forward to today: I had the chance to sit down (virtually) with Ayodeji, a Medium top writer with 122,000 followers, dad, freelance writer and entrepreneur, who went from college dropout, making $10/hour and $147 in his bank account to making over $1.5 million online.I alluded to the dream that “Ayo the writer” is living proof that building a sustainable, thriving business and earning $10,000/month as a writer is not fiction.In our conversation, we agreed on one thing: We never believed in the “build it, and they will come” myth.We knew that writing great content wasn’t enough. You can’t just hope your words will magically find readers. You have to show up, promote, and hype yourself.And here’s a truth bomb from Ayo: He wouldn’t have even done this interview with me if he hadn’t “seen” and “heard” me on Substack, Medium, and YouTube.Why Most Writers Stay StuckAyo and I both see it too often:* Talented writers who never step into the spotlight.* Creators stuck in their 9-to-5s who dream of writing full-time but never make it happen.What’s the difference between writers who succeed and those who stay invisible?It’s self-promotion.Yes, it feels uncomfortable at first. But here’s the reality: No one else will hype you.Not Medium, not Substack, not YouTube.You need to be your biggest cheerleader.Ayo’s Secret to SuccessToday, Ayo shares how he: * Built his audience from scratch while working a dead-end job.* Monetized his writing through platforms like Medium, freelancing, and creating high-ticket offers.* Grew a thriving community of writers through his programs and mentorships.Ayo didn’t just rely on great writing. He learned how to market himself—without feeling salesy and earn more than $10,000 monthly!His ambitious goal was to hit $100,000 monthly this year. While he didn’t quite reach it and plans to chase it again in 2025, Ayo shared an impressive milestone with me:In March 2024, his best month yet, he brought in a staggering $74,000. He even sent me the screenshot to prove it!I hope you enjoy the show. Enjoy! Want More From Ayo and Meet Him?Inside my Online Writing Club Membership, we focus on exactly this:* How to market yourself without feeling icky.* Building your audience and creating offers that sell.* Joining a supportive community of more than 300 creators, authors, entrepreneurs, writers who share their (small) wins, like Ayo and I do.Want in? Click here to join now and start your journey to becoming a writer who gets paid to be seen and heard today! The BEST thing: You can meet Ayo inside! In February 2025, we will have our next live session with the writing king. You can also watch the replay of an exclusive workshop we hosted a few months back.Challenge: What You Can Do TodayIf you’re serious about growing your writing career, start by celebrating your wins. Even the small ones.Here’s an exercise for you:* Think of one achievement you’re proud of as a writer—no matter how small.* Share it in the comments! Post it on your Substack Notes (and tag me (and Ayo). I’ll re-stack (share) your comment or Substack Notes post and celebrate your win (no matter how big or small) with you.Hype yourself the way you’d hype a friend. Because if you don’t, who will?Here’s to hyping yourself and making your dreams come true in 2025,P.S. In our live session in February, Ayo will reveal his blueprint for earning $10K+ per month as a writer. You won’t want to miss this session. Join us today and get access to our hands-on workshop with Ayo in February 2025.P.P.S. Click here to watch now.P.P.P.S. Please share this and invite anyone else who might enjoy our community! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

In 2020, my good friend Veronica Llorca-Smith hit rock bottom. Burned out from climbing the corporate ladder, she felt like she was losing herself. By 2021, life had thrown her another curveball: she was unemployed, stranded abroad with her two young daughters without her hubby by her side, and grappling with uncertainty as COVID restrictions made returning home impossible.But Veronica didn’t give up. She refused to let her circumstances define her. Instead, she asked herself:“What can I do? What’s under my control?” And then, she took action.One day on the beach of the Gold Coast of Australia she thought to herself:“I can do something about my misery. Sitting here without my husband. No job in sight. I can write a book!”So she put pen to paper and started writing.This is how “The Lemon Tree Mindset” (a quick and inspiring read; also available via Kindle Unlimited) was born. Veronica self-published it via Amazon KDP in January 2023.Fast forward through her incredible transformation:* 2022: Veronica started writing. She poured her experiences into words, published her first article on Medium, and found her voice. She also stepped into public speaking, sharing her journey to inspire others.* 2023: Not only did she write, but she published four books in one year, each offering actionable lessons to help readers unlock their own potential. Also, she started writing on Substack.* 2024: Besides becoming a Substack bestseller, Veronica achieved the ultimate milestone: landing a book deal with Penguin Random House, the world’s top publisher, for her book The Anti-Procrastinator (Jan 2025) —a topic she lives and breathes. With this book, Veronica wants to de-douchify the self productivity and self improvement space.🎧 In this podcast, Veronica opens up about:🍋 How she flipped the script on adversity. Stuck abroad and jobless, Veronica stopped seeing herself as a victim. She dug deep, reframed her mindset, and planted the seeds of a new career.🍋 Her bold approach to landing a Penguin Random House deal. Veronica didn’t wait for her book to be perfect. Instead, she reached out, pitched herself confidently, and asked publishers what they needed. She collaborated with her editor to bring a fresh, much-needed perspective to the douchified self-improvement space.🍋 What it takes to reinvent yourself. Veronica doesn’t sugarcoat it—reinvention is messy. But she proves that when you embrace clarity, lean into your strengths, and take risks, you can build an entirely new path. 🍋 How she wrote her book in just 3 months. With a tight deadline, Veronica juggled writing, public speaking, and motherhood by staying laser-focused and disciplined.“When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Use the seeds to plant your own lemon tree.”Veronica’s journey is living proof that your present doesn’t define your future—you do.🎧 Join our chat as Veronica shares her incredible story, from being jobless, getting rejections to resilience, and how she’s empowering others to achieve their dreams.This is the conversation you didn’t know you needed. You can decide how to dive in: listen to the Substack podcast for an in-depth audio experience or watch the video on YouTube if you love engaging visuals. The choice is yours!CLICK here to watch our interview and learn more about Veronica’s unique approach and strategy:✅TABLE OF CONTENTS 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:10 Who is Veronica Llorca-Smith? 00:02:09 How Veronica Left the Corporate World 00:05:17 How Veronica Got her Impressive Testimonials 00:05:56 What is Veronica’s Newsletter and How She’s Growing It 00:07:51 Going Over Veronica’s Books 00:13:38 How Veronica’s Books became Amazon Bestsellers 00:15:10 Is Pre-Launching a Book Important? 00:20:40 Veronica Getting Published with Penguin Random House00:26:26 How Long It Took Veronica to Write Her Book 00:27:07 Day in the Lift of Veronica 00:28:47 Switching Between being a Writer and Entrepreneur 00:32:00 How Much Does Veronica Make from her Books? 00:33:59 How Veronica Balances Writing and Traveling 00:37:02 Advice to People Wanting to Publish a Book 00:39:27 The Triangle of LinkedIn, Medium, and Substack 00:41:47 What is Veronica’s Marketing Funnel 00:43:15 Long-Form Content vs Short-Form Content 00:45:58 Does Veronica Read a Lot? 00:47:09 Talking about Veronica’s Public Speaking 00:49:36 How Veronica Got Her Paid Subscribers 00:51:01 Personal Questions for Veronica🍋Hugry for more lemonade?You can watch our live workshop here. We talk about:* 3 Powerful Mindset Shifts to Overcome Your Biggest Challenges as a WriterJust upgrade and join us for 60 min+ insights, fun and lots of lemons(see what I’ve got in my hand!).Just do it! Join more than 300 soulful Club Members and get access to 25 workshop replays, unique email marketing insights, inspiring live sessions with all podcast guests, Q&As and access to our invite-only community for paid members.“When life gives you lemons…use the seeds to plant your own lemon tree!”I hope this story inspired you.Your lemonade-drinking and the growing lemon tree watching🍋P.S. Veronica hosted a webinar with the VP of Penguin Random House (PRH) SEA, Nora Nazerene, on practical questions related to publishing. Click here to watch the replay.P.P.S. This is me. Honeymooning in Bella Italia back in 2018. I’m oaking up the romance while sipping bittersweet lemonade. Those unforgettable Italian vibes…🍋❤️ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

While typing this, I’m drinking my chai latte ☕and watching my hubby, Patrick, raking up those yellow, brown, and bright red fall leaves in our garden.🍂As we settle into our fall routines, listening to podcasts while watching the colorful leaves fall is on my list right after sloooooowing down.If this resonates with you, grab your favorite beverage and listen to this week’s interview with the wonderful Anna Wharton.She’s not only a bestselling author of ten books and a journalist, but she's also mastered the art of getting her previously on Substack published stories featured in major newspapers like The Telegraph and The iPaper.For her, this is ‘free money.’ “It was already written. I did it for my paid subscribers and the iPaper asked me if they could use it. It required no effort from me. And so, in my mind, that's free money.Anna added:“I think everybody should be paid for their words. I always expect to be paid for my words. I've been paid for my words since I was 18. I'm now 48.So, yeah, I think that everybody should be asking, well, what's the fee?An assumption that you will be paid.”Anna found it hard to make ends meet with a single income householdAnna started her Substack WHITE INK (An exclusive creative writing community blending feminist thinking with writing craft (memoir, non-fiction, and fiction) and personal essays.) back in September 2021. “It was at a moment when I was going through a difficult time in my career, finding it increasingly hard to make ends meet as a single income (parent) household"Fast forward to today, she’s a Substack bestseller earning more than $10,000 ARR with her newsletter.I found Anna via Substack Notes and just needed to introduce you to her. Tribe member Untrickled by Michelle Teheux is already a fan. She used to be a journalist and is now thinking about pitching her Substack and Medium stories to the media to reach a wider audience.In this episode, Anna spills the tea on what it takes to go from writing your thoughts on Substack to seeing your work in print.In today’s episode, she’ll teach you:* What it takes and how it feels to go from writing your thoughts on Substack to seeing your work in print.* How much money you can earn when you get published in print* The free content dilemma and why Anna is offering paid posts only* What the pinnacle of success on Substack, being a featured publication, actually means (and how you can become a featured pub, too) - Anna got featured three times within 6 months!* Insider secrets on catching the eyes of editors* Why it’s essential to link to your Substack newsletter if you get featured by the mediaGrab your favorite (spicy) beverage and dive into the conversation on Substack, or watch our interview on YouTube.TABLE of CONTENTS01:11 Getting Featured in Newspapers with Your Substack Story 02:55 Getting Paid by Newspapers While Also Getting Paid on Substack 03:56 Making "Free Money" 04:37 How to Get Featured on Substack 09:28 Anna's Paywall Philosophy for Substack 17:00 Tips for Smallstackers? 30:15 How to Grow Your Substack Newsletter 36:50 Personal Questions for Anna Wharton👑Hugry for more? Meet Anna Wharton in our WOW-worthy LIVE Workshop for Writers👑I want you to learn from the best. Anna Wharton is a true expert. I bet you have many Qs. Anna will answer them in our 60-minute rockstar session.Bring your spicy latte and writing dreams, and join us! Upgrade to get the invite and join us inside.You’ll also get access to ALL replays from our 25+ workshops this year! So join us on the other side.🍂Binge-listen this fall to “The Online Writing Club” podcast🍂🎙️#7 - 10x Your Medium Views Now | Learn New Boost Publications and Hacks From Robin Wilding🎙️#6 - 7 Headline Hacks That Will Make You More Money Than 97% Of Writers | Learn From Derek Hughes🎙️#5 - How to Get Published in The Huffington Post in 2024 | Learn From Ashley Broadwater🎙️#4 - 7 Mental Models To Make $1 Million As A Writer | Learn From Michael Simmons🎙️#3 - From Beginner to First Book Deal | How Evelyn Skye Became a 6-Figure NYT Bestselling Author🎙️#2 - 100K/Year Without Social Media | Writer Tom Kuegler Shares His Eye-Opening Journey🎙️#1 - From Medium Post to Bestselling Book | Interview with Debut Author Michael Thompson🍵Feeling the autumn vibes?Ready to slow down and embrace the cozy season? It's time for some spiced treats, a good book, and a podcast.As Cal Newport says in his book Slow Productivity,This seasonal approach to work, in which you vary the intensity and focus of your efforts throughout the year… feels natural.Enjoy a slow fall, PS Psst! Have you heard about my Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp with Derek Hughes? Check it out now.PPS Now is the best time to join our Online Writer’s Club membership by becoming a paid subscriber, sharing your writing dreams with us, and reaching your goals. NEW! This fall, I’ll offer LIVE Q&A sessions (thanks for the nudge Robin Wilding ) as an add-on to community, courses (Substack and Medium School), workshops and 1:1 sessions. Just hang out with me and our writer’s group, drink your spicy latte, and enjoy yourself.PPPS Sooooooooo cute! Here are Anna’s dog Tilki and her seven puppies This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

She's not just making waves but creating a splash on Medium. You know what's super cool? Medium's CEO Tony Stubblebine often leaves comments on her stories.And what if she were the CEO? Well, she's got plans, and we are hearing all about them in today’s podcast episode with Medium top writer and “New Writers Welcome” editor Robin Wilding. When we did the interview, she had about 13,000 followers. Fast forward to today, she has 17,000 followers on Medium and is a boost nominator.We'll chat about the latest and greatest changes on Medium, the updated Partner Program, the winner-takes-it-all boost, and making money with this week’s podcast guest Robin, who has earned over $250,000 only by writing online.I think it's boost or bust. The new boost program is so powerful that people are making 10x what they are on a boosted article than a non-boosted article. So that's a lot of money, and this program is getting bigger, not smaller.In addition to this week’s podcast and video interview, Robin also shares a list of boost-eligible publications in her guest post.How I Got Boosted…RepeatedlyIt’s cooler than a cucumber wearing sunglasses to be boosted. It’s instant serotonin from the gratification of validation. It gives me all the feels to have my work recognized, and it showers me with enough money to buy fancy-pants things, like avocado toast and 12-ply toilet paper.It isn’t the be-all-end-all on Medium though.Let me tell you the tale of two stories. One given the booster juice, one not.Ok, that wasn’t much of a story, just a brief yet hopefully effective pictorial representation of the boosticles being pretty awesome. The moral of the story is that you don’t need a boost for a story to reach a wide audience…but it pays more. And I like moolah. It helps me buy shiny things.If that short story was too short, here’s another one. I had a post go viral earlier this year and it got an amazeballs 26K views.I’m over the moon at how well that story did, it’s my top-performing story ever (by a lot). The exciting thing is that it was unboosted. This isn’t to make you jealous of me, but to show what’s possible with and without boostitude. And to hopefully get you jazzed up about what I have to say next.There are publication-based boost nominations that go un-used every month.How I Started Getting Boosted MoreHere’s where I say I’m the most boostacular splendiferous writer on the planet and my writer milkshake brings all the boosts to the yard. I do write interesting things, which is a requirement. But I have a secret weapon — I started submitting to pubs that recently joined the boostology nomination program.Ta-da.You’re underwhelmed? Fair enough. But it works.I submitted to pubs like Pragmatic Wisdom, Write Under the Moon, CanadaEH, and Muddyum — when they first joined the boostular program.It’s simple boosty math. Boost nominators (‘nommers’) have 20 nominations per month. Where do you have less competition and more chance to be boosted — a pub with 1,000 stories a month, or a pub with 35?So my advice to you is this — look at the boost pubs that haven’t blown up yet. Not only is your boostatunity higher, but you can get in at the ground floor on a pub that’s likely to grow.You also have to write a boostworthy story, because nominators can, and do, nominate outside of their publications. They won’t nom-nom an unboostiferous story. But if you submit to their pubs, your piece will be reviewed for its boostential.Why are some of these boost pubs not drowning in pieces? I guess because people don’t know about them yet. They’re awesome pubs just waiting to be discovered.The reason people don’t know about them yet is that nommers are selected to join the program based on things like their niche and experience — not on their ability to be a rockstar marketer. Marketing is hard. And time-consuming.So, look for nom-nom publications with fewer submissions — and grow with them.Boostiful ExamplesI’ll get you started by giving you a few whirly examples of boostaphilic publications with lower submission volumes. This list isn’t exhaustive, and new pubs are being added every month — so keep checking Medium’s official list.Ai-Ai-OhPublished articles last month: 5Topics: AIhttps://medium.com/ai-ai-ohAnalysts CornerPublished articles last month: 15Topics: business analyticshttps://medium.com/analysts-cornerAll 4 InclusionPublished articles last month: 15Topics: Disability, inclusion, societyhttps://medium.com/disability-and-societyCanadaEhPublished articles last month: 4 (2 were mine)Topics: Canada (you don’t have to be Canadian)https://medium.com/canadehLives Well LivedPublished articles last month: 3Topics: obituaries, stories of those who have passed onhttps://medium.com/lives-well-livedManagement MattersPublished articles last month: 10Topics: leadershiphttps://medium.com/management-mattersLive ViewPublished articles last month: 7Topics: Photographyhttps://medium.com/live-viewMinds Without BordersPublished articles last month: 8Topics: Culture, society, politics, economicshttps://medium.com/minds-without-bordersThe Mom ExperiencePublished articles last month: 6Topics: Momminghttps://medium.com/the-mom-experienceThe New OutdoorsPublished articles last month: 9Topics: Outdoors, environment, health and wellnesshttps://medium.com/the-new-outdoorsPhilosophy TodayPublished articles last month: 4Topics: Philosophyhttps://medium.com/philosophytodayThe Political PrismPublished articles last month: 5Topics: Politicshttps://medium.com/the-political-prismRE-ThinkerPublished articles last month: 5Topics: varioushttps://medium.com/re-thinkerSimply WildPublished articles last month: 16Topics: Wildlife, wildernesshttps://medium.com/something-simpleThirty Over FiftyPublished articles last month: 15Topics: Life lessons, mindfulness and spirituality (for writers over 50)https://medium.com/thirty-over-fiftyPolicy PanoramaPublished articles last month: 5Topics: Policy, law, systems, normshttps://medium.com/policy-panoramaLife Without ChildrenPublished articles last month: 12Topics: …life without crotch goblinshttps://lifewithoutchildren.com/RootedPublished articles last month: 24Topics: Food and drink culturehttps://medium.com/rooted-publicationNamaste NowPublished articles last month: 20-ish (my eyeballs can’t count anymore)Topics: Inspiration, life lessons, healthy living, wellness, +https://medium.com/namaste-nowMore…Ok I’m going cross-eyed, so here’s a rapid-fire list of a few more:* New East (Asian art & culture)* Cantor’s Paradise (Math and science)* Corporate Underbelly (Corporate misconduct)* Dancing Elephants Press (Varied)* Fashion Police (Fashion)* Grief Book Club (Grief)* I Taught the Law (Law shtuff)* Nursing Notes (Nursing, caregiving)* Speaking Bipolar (Bipolar)Bonus PubsThese pubs aren’t on Medium’s list yet but they will be soon. I just happen to be a nosy nelly and have heard about them already. Medium is updating that list regularly (so be sure to check it from time to time), but they aren’t as quick as my Medium-obsessed, list-loving ass.Wedding AffairPublished articles last month: 7Topics: Weddingshttps://medium.com/wedding-affairScreenwriting & StorytellingPublished articles last month: 9Topics: Storytelling, screenwriting, writing tipshttps://medium.com/screenwriting-storytellingThat’s it. What are you still doing here? Go check out some of the pubs listed above, especially if you have a story that fits into their niche.Also, listen to my interview with the amazing Robin Wilding.🥳You don’t have to be 100% ready to take the first step and build an email list AND personal blog 🥳Don’t waste your time.Sometimes, the only thing standing between you and your dreams is that first small move. Let’s do this together!Inside my membership experience (paid subscriber = member), there are the “Substack School Course” and the NEW “Medium School Course” waiting for you, where I’ll help you start your blog and grow your email list. Also, you can connect with 300+ other like-minded writers.Here’s what Robin said about my latest BootcampPsst! In November, I’ll offer my next Bootcamp. This time with my British friend and top writer Derek Hughes. If you’re interested in creating your Medium-Substack flywheel, this is for you. You can sign up HERE (pls bear with me; because of work and family, I wasn’t able to create the whole page. The site isn’t ready yet, but if you want to save a spot, you can snag yours already!)🌟Binge-listen to “The Online Writing Club” podcast🌟🎙️#6 - 7 Headline Hacks That Will Make You More Money Than 97% Of Writers | Learn From Derek Hughes🎙️#5 - How to Get Published in The Huffington Post in 2024 | Learn From Ashley Broadwater🎙️#4 - 7 Mental Models To Make $1 Million As A Writer | Learn From Michael Simmons🎙️#3 - From Beginner to First Book Deal | How Evelyn Skye Became a 6-Figure NYT Bestselling Author🎙️#2 - 100K/Year Without Social Media | Writer Tom Kuegler Shares His Eye-Opening Journey🎙️#1 - From Medium Post to Bestselling Book | Interview with Debut Author Michael Thompson❤️‍🔥Your feedback is just a spark, but it’s enough to keep me, a part-time writer, going.❤️‍🔥I hope this guest post and chat inspires you,PS Liked it? Please share, like, and let me know what you think about my new show 💗 Your feedback is important and can spark many ideas. Thanks sooooo much! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

17 months ago my friend and Medium top writer Derek Hughes made his first dollar writing online.Okay, it didn’t pay off his mortgage, but it did something more valuable: It caused a seismic shift in his mindset.“Maybe this could work? Grow my audience and make a nice side income.”He wasn’t oozing world-beating confidence. But he’d started to believe. And self-belief supercharges your writing engine. Guess what happened next? He suddenly earned about $1,000 writing on the buzzy publishing platform Medium.“Today is Medium payday and $961 has landed in my account. I find this astonishing. Because I’m nothing special.”In this week’s podcast, we talk headlines.Derek knows it’s not sexy, but writing non-sucky headlines that people click on is vital.It’s a skill anyone can develop!Derek took a scientific approach to online writing and studied top writers on Medium and other platforms. * What tricks do they use? He devoted hours to crafting his (viral) headlines. “Your headline is the most important sentence you write. Don’t treat it like an afterthought. Don’t use the first idea you have. It's takes time to craft a winner.”17 months ago Derek was a struggling writer. Now he makes over $2500/month and quit working full-timeWhat’s super cool is that Derek shared in an exclusive guest essay for my Online Writing Club that he now earns enough with his part-time business that he can go part-time in his main job. “It’s so exciting to be in control of what I do.This hasn’t been easy. It took 18 months of hard work. And a zillion mistakes. But my little writing business is flourishing. 12 months ago I was a struggling writer earning $25/month. But now I make over $2500/month.Derek loves templates. They are an easy way to write faster headlines and in our podcast interview, he shared 7 proven templates with you.“Don’t rush your headlines. Devote time to your headliness, steal my templates and something magical could happen!”Ready to be better than 97% of writers?You can listen to this week’s interview on Substack and/or watch our interview on YouTube - ⚠️but be warned. You might become overwhelmed with a flood of new readers and subscribers:✅ What we talk about:00:00:00 Why Headlines Are Important to Get Clicks00:01:05 Who is Derek Hughes?00:02:30 Is Writing a Full-Time Job for Derek?00:03:15 Biggest Mistake that New Writers Make00:05:56 How Consistency Has Changed Derek’s Writing00:07:42 Derek’s Formula for an Irresistible Headline00:10:36 Derek’s Thoughts on Clickbait and How to Avoid It00:12:56 How can Writers’ Headlines Stand Out?00:15:08 The 4P Approach to Headline Writing00:18:06 Headline Examples from Derek00:25:08 What is the Rule of 10?00:28:52 How Derek Infuses Emotions in His Writing00:32:40 How Derek Fights Procrastination00:35:02 What is Derek’s Writing Process and Is Repurposing Worth It?00:42:25 Personal Questions for DerekUse Derek’s 4P Framework to draw more readers to your writingTo reward you for sticking with us for so long, here’s Derek Hughes's 4 P’s Template you can steal:1. Problem - What’s this about?Be crystal clear on the problem you’re solving.Never write about a topic. Always solve a problem. This gives you an angle. And a reason for people to read it.How do you know what problem to solve? Listen to your readers. Read their comments. Ask them questions. If you don’t have a big audience. Read comments on bigger writers in the same niche. Use numbers or emotive words to dial up the power.2. Person - Is this for me?People wonder Am I the sort of person who should read this?Help your readers know this is for them. A common mistake is being too general. You think this widens your appeal. That more will click. But the opposite is true. Being narrow strengthens your attraction.Knowing who you’re writing for helps you frame your title.Compare these titles:3. Product - What are you offering?This is where you show what type of writing this is.People need to know what they’re getting. This makes it more attractive. Vagueness repels. Is it:* a listicle* your life story* actionable advice* lessons from a book* what you’ve learned from doing something4. Promise - What’s the reward?Readers are selfish.They’ll read if they gain something. New writers focus on themselves and their content. This is a big mistake. Zoom out and think about your reader. Why should they spend time reading this? What will they get from it?People are looking to:* solve problems* make money* save time* ease painIf you help with these, people will read your stuff. Find a way to make this clear in your title. Use numbers. Or powerful, emotive language. Avoid clickbait by overpromising. You serve your readers by making the promise clear.Derek started writing online with ZERO followers or experience“You won’t believe how bad my writing was when I started. (Please don’t look it up). I was 51 with no experience and decided to give it a go.”His only advantage was his curiosity and willingness to learn. So if he can do this. Anyone can! As a Medium writer myself, I decided to not put all eggs in one basket in fall 2022. Now I’m a Substack bestseller and garner 85,000 views with my newsletter. Luckily I inspired Derek to start writing on Substack and now he’s building his Medium/Substack flywheel too.As I always say:“Substack and Medium go together like peanut butter and jelly!”5 days ago, Derek reached the amazing milestone of 15,000 followers on Medium:On Substack, he’s growing rapidly too.Inside our writing community with more than 300 members, Derek shared a few weeks back (now he has already 600+ subs):As tribe member Derek, you’ll get:* access to the members-only community of 300+ like-minded writers and creators ($97 value p.m. )* access to all expert-led LIVE workshops, e.g. our special and hands-on “Headline Writing Like a Pro” session with Derek; next session “Pitch The Media Like a Pro” will be with Ashley Broadwater, Weds, Oct 16, 1 pm EST.* access to all Kristina-led LIVE workshops, e.g. this month: Canva for Substack Level Up Your Home with Guest Posts, From Zero To Recommendations Hero.* access to The Substack Halloween Party in the last week of October with spooky surprise guests* access to all replays of past LIVE workshops* access to all courses, e.g. Substack School, Medium School, Freelance School ($700 value)* quarterly earnings reports, next one will come in 2-3 posts* discount on Bootcamps for annual members, e.g. Derek and mine NEW “Substack Curious? The Medium/Substack Flywheel Kickstarter Bootcamp” (starting Oct 18) and a $90 discount on 1:1 coachingNEW: Founding Members get a 1:1 strategy session with Kristina ($187 value)I’d love to have you on board and support you every step of the way.🌟Binge-listen to “The Online Writing Club” podcast🌟🎙️#5 - How to Get Published in The Huffington Post in 2024 | Learn From Ashley Broadwater🎙️#4 - 7 Mental Models To Make $1 Million As A Writer | Learn From Michael Simmons🎙️#3 - From Beginner to First Book Deal | How Evelyn Skye Became a 6-Figure NYT Bestselling Author🎙️#2 - 100K/Year Without Social Media | Writer Tom Kuegler Shares His Eye-Opening Journey🎙️#1 - From Medium Post to Bestselling Book | Interview with Debut Author Michael ThompsonAre you giving your headlines enough attention? Are you thinking hard enough? Share a headline (and link to your post) that worked or a question.We want you to get better and better and better!PS You did it. Nice! If this wasn’t the worst podcast episode of all time, give us a like. Even better: share it with a friend who needs some headline help. Thanks!PPS Watch out for our “Substack-Curious? The Medium/Substack Flywheel Kickstarter Bootcamp” starting November 18. I tripled my income and will have a 10,000 subscribers year. I want the same for you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Do you want to get featured in the Huffington Post?You are not alone.You are in good company.There are so many writers who want to get featured in the publication of their dreams.* But how to reach out to the media outlet?* How to write a pitch that gets noticed?* And what to do if they accept your cold pitch?Ashley Broadwater can take you by the hand.She has been writing since she was a little girl. In her 20s, Ashley graduated from one of the top journalism schools in the US (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in journalism and media), got featured in Rewire, Yahoo, Well and Good, Buzzfeed, and is a writer for the Huffington Post with 117M visits per month.Covering mental health topics is her passion.I think it's just something that affects all of us and is under-talked about. There's so much stigma. And so I really just like educating people and learning more myself too about how we can support people and all that kind of thing.Ashely is also getting her master's in clinical mental health counseling.Take inspir-ACTION with Ashley BroadwaterLet's take action and do this big scary thing and send a cool email to the Huffington Post and have your mind blown by the results.Ashley went from beginner to writing pro. She has been published in Huffington Post, PopSugar, Men's Health, InShape, Yahoo, BuzzFeed, Well and Good, Hello Giggles, Rewire and Medium, Yoga Journal and so many more.During our conversation, she shared tangible and actionable insights for any writer aiming to get published in top-tier online magazines and beyond.As a former CommsMarketing professional, in the biggest agency in the world, Edelman, I pitched hundreds of media outlets.I think Ashley’s tips are super valuable and can help you kickstart the last quarter of 2024 with a cold email!Here are 7 steps to get published in the HuffPost in a nutshell:* Research the HuffPost: Start by exploring the Huffington Post's sections, especially the one related to your topic. Familiarize yourself with their tone, style, and the types of articles they publish.* Find the Right Editor: Search for editors on social media platforms like X or use Google to find their contact details. * Craft a Pitch: Write a short, 2-paragraph pitch. Focus on a unique angle of the topic rather than a broad subject. Mention potential experts you would interview for the piece and include links to any writing samples that showcase your creds.* Handle Rejection Positively: Rejection is common. Keep pitching new ideas, and don’t take rejection personally. It’s part of the pitching game.* Engage with the Community: Network with other writers and engage with editors on social media. Building relationships can increase your chances of getting noticed.* Submit Writing Samples: Include links to your previous work, even if they’re from platforms like Medium. This gives editors a sense of your style and expertise.* If Accepted, Write the Article: Once your pitch is accepted, follow the guidance from the editorial team and submit your article. Be open to feedback and revisions.If you say: Let me listen to the interview to learn more!You can listen to it as Substack podcast and/or watch our interview on YouTube:00:00 Introduction 00:37 Who is Ashley Broadwater 02:30 Why Ashley Writes about Mental Health 03:03 Why Ashley Writes about Body Positivity 04:25 How Ashley had Lots of Momentum when Starting to Write 05:22 Would Ashley Recommend Posting on X? 06:07 The Process of Getting Published in the Huffington Post 08:08 Recommendations for Writing Headlines for the Huffington Post 09:57 How to Reach Out to an Editor 12:57 How to Write a Story for the Huffington Post 16:00 How to Deal with the Fear of Rejection 17:05 Different Ways to Add Credibility to Yourself 22:37 The Timeline of Getting Published on the Huffington Post 23:53 Benefits of Being a Freelance Writing with the Huffington Post 25:32 How to Get Paid for Writing Articles 28:01 How to Find a Unique Perspective when Writing 32:14 Ashley’s Goals for the Next 2-3 Years 32:54 Tips for Building Relationships with Writers 33:53 How Much Time Ashley Spends Writing 35:10 Personal Questions for Ashley⭐BONUS: As a member (paid subscriber) you’ll get access to ALL of these:⭐* Writing Checklist Set* Examples of Edited Pitches* Worksheet Package for Writers* Approved Pitches….bonus resources from Ashley, value: $55.You’ll find them inside The Online Writing School membership for paid subscribers.🎙️Join Kristina’s Exclusive Podcast Launch Club Go from nervous noob to podcast hero.My podcast is hot & new. This is my fifth episode. I’m a podcasting noob.However,…* I have already produced radio trailers for clients and my brands* I already got more than 2,000 views on multiple of my episodes* Got a sponsorship deal * Got collab offers* Was approached by a huge network* I will interview amazing writers, creators and public figures in fall 2024 and winter of 2025 for youDo you want to join my Podcast Launch Club? You’ll get discounts on future bootcamps, challenges, and exclusive webinars. We’ll meet and discuss your and my pod together to make them better.* Start a Substack native podcast* Pick a niche and a title* Where to find interview guests* How to record and edit your podcast, audio, voiceover* How and where to publish your pod* How to market your podcast* How to pitch your podcast to sponsors* How to make money with your Subsatck podcastIf you say:“Kristina, I want to join your Podcast Launch Club!”Let me know in the comments. I’ll then invite you to join my exclusive group inside my Online Writing School.I want to make my pod better.Let’s grow together and meet inside:Jeanette Gower Kathleen Thorne RN, LMT Alexandre Zermati - 📩 Histoire Lulu deCarron Despina Siahuli Alberto Cabas Vidani and many more.What’s going on inside Substack School?We’re gonna meet my friend Tom Kuegler and talk with him about the future of Substack and traditional social media.Also, based on the questions I received, I’ll host 4 masterclasses on various Substack topics, plus one about podcasting/adding audio for noobs. 🌟Binge-listen to “The Online Writing Club” podcast🌟🎙️#4 - 7 Mental Models To Make $1 Million As A Writer | Learn From Michael Simmons🎙️#3 - From Beginner to First Book Deal | How Evelyn Skye Became a 6-Figure NYT Bestselling Author🎙️#2 - 100K/Year Without Social Media | Writer Tom Kuegler Shares His Eye-Opening Journey🎙️#1 - From Medium Post to Bestselling Book | Interview with Debut Author Michael Thompson🎉Winners of Autographed Book from Evelyn Skye Jeanette Martin and Daphne Peña ❤️‍🔥Your feedback is just a spark but it’s enough to keep me, a part-time writer, going.❤️‍🔥Do you want to get published in the HuffPost or another top-tier media outlet? What’s your dream media outlet you’d like to pitch? Let us know in the comments.I hope this interview inspires you to take big, bold inspir-ACTION.P.S. Liked it? Please share, like, and let me know what you think about my new show 💗 Your feedback is important and can spark many ideas. Thanks sooooo much!P.P.S. Ashley Broadwater belongs to the category “I knew her when”. Make sure to subscribe to her newsletter Ashley Broadwater All You Need to Freelance for pitches, freelance jobs and requests.P.P.P.S. Shmuel Chaim Naiman this is Ashley. Happy to connect you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Do you love the book Deep Work from Cal Newport? Then you’ll love Cal's high school friend and writing business partner Michael Simmons.Thought leader and award-winning entrepreneur Michael has built multiple seven-figure businesses. He learned to think clearly and strategically through mental models to boost his productivity.Michael became famous for the “Five-Hour Rule.” This is when you spend five hours a week learning something new, as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Oprah do. It helps you keep getting smarter. Michael believes lifelong learning is important When Michael was 16, he started a business with his friend Cal Newport, now famous for writing the book Deep Work. They didn’t know much about business back then, but Michael realized that you can learn what someone has spent years figuring out for just a few dollars. That’s why Michael loves reading. He read thousands of books across every topic you can think of.He had his first published article when he was 20, then published a book at 21, and it sold about 10,000 copies.Later his big ideas were featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Time Magazine. Want to make good decisions and become a more strategic thinker and writer? What is a mental model?Mental models are descriptions of reality that apply to every area of our lives, do not become outdated, and deliver immediate results by helping us to make better decisions.They are like little miniature mental maps that show how a particular area of life works.And when you learn them, it changes everything.How to apply a mental model to your life?Here are two of the seven mental models Michael talks in this week’s interview:* The Explanation Effect: Michael says that when you explain something to someone else, you learn it better yourself. Writing about what you learn helps you understand it more deeply.* Paradigm Shifts: A paradigm is the way we see and understand the world. A paradigm shift happens when you change how you think about something. Michael believes that these big changes in thinking help you grow and see new possibilities.Michael has his newsletter called Blockbuster Blueprint with Michael Simmons where he shares smart ideas with 133,000 subscribers. He teaches how to think clearly, work better, and make good decisions, all by using mental models. Take action!Want to become a mental powerhouse?Michael learned from personal experience that it takes years to develop true mastery of the mental models.If you want to learn faster, think better, and be smarter, our interview is for you.Michael says: learning can change your life!If you say: Let me listen to the interview!You can listen to it as Substack podcast and/or watch our interview on YouTube:⭐Table of Contents00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:50 Who is Michael Simmons 00:03:46 How Michael met Cal Newport 00:06:03 Internal and External Milestones Michael Set for his Career 00:09:11 Michael’s Story Becoming a Writer for Forbes 00:12:28 Does Michael Feel Famous? 00:14:16 How Michael Defines Quality 00:21:26 Does Michael Feel More Healthy Writing on SubStack? 00:23:39 The Time Michael was Broke 00:25:27 How Being a Famous Writer has Helped Michael 00:26:45 How Michael Approaches Learning and its Role in His Life 00:32:59 The Power of Integrative Complexity 00:37:38 How Michael Uses the Explanation Effect 00:42:36 Why Top Performers Work Together vs Alone 00:45:47 How Learning Challenges can Transform Your Life 00:47:19 Creating an Environment that Helps You Learn 00:49:18 Michael’s Opinion on Substack Notes 00:52:16 Pillars of Michael’s Business 00:53:33 Michael’s Opinion on Setting Goals 00:56:30 How Michael Built his Email List from Scratch 00:59:50 Michael’s 80/20 Rule for Writing and Life 01:05:07 Rapid Fire QuestionsThis month, inside Substack School……you can join us LIVE or catch the replays of 3 LIVE workshops, and 1 LIVE session Also, get the opportunity to register for the NOTES Kickstarter Bootcamp with David McIlroy:🤑You’ll also have the opportunity to meet Michael Simmons LIVE this fall!🎉Become a Substack Rockstar and Join 250 Members!Many don’t know that all premium subscribers get a bit deeper and have access to my “Online Writing School” membership with the Substack School.Be a part of it and join a lovely and vibrant community of more than 250 writers.Find an A to your Q, chat with me, watch exclusive tutorial videos with insider tips, grow and make money writing on Substack with clarity, fun, and by doing what you love, writing.Inside Substack School, I’ll show you the EXACT (baby) steps to use Substack and go from zero to Substack hero.* I’ve grown my email list to over 8,200 subscribers within 21 months. * Became a Substack bestseller with hundreds of paid subscribers, earn $ with my newsletter - part-time with two kids in the house.* Have 60,000 monthly views and 5,000 podcast downloads.* 🔥I’m handing my tactic over to you so you can start putting structure behind your 2024 list-building goals.* ✨If I can make your newsletter transformation a little easier, I’m 100% here for it.* 🏆As a member, I’ll recommend your Substack to my audience. You can connect with other tribe members (in your niche) and find collab partners. In addition, you can write a guest post in the “Hype Yourself Up Substack Summer” for my newsletter to be seen by more people.Don’t take it from me, here’s what my paid members say:❤️‍🔥Your feedback is just a spark but it’s enough to keep me, a part-time writer, going.❤️‍🔥I hope this interview makes you smarter and more productive.Watch mental models change your life!P.S. Liked it? Please share, like, and let me know what you think about my new show 💗 Your feedback is important and can spark many ideas. Thanks sooooo much!P.S.S. A few months ago, Michael Simmons sent me a DM and wanted to connect with me. I was like: Wait, what? Michael Simmons wants to connect with me? We met via Zoom. I became a panelist for his Notes Campfire and Michael became my interview partner. He’s a great guy, loves playing pickleball, mental models, and sharing what he’s learned. Make sure to subscribe to his newsletter. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Being a writer is one of the world's most desired careers. It’s the second most popular career search in the world. Want to know how to start writing your book and make a living from it? This week’s podcast guest is Evelyn Skye and she has all the answers. She's gone from zero to New York Times bestselling author, number one Netflix film and literary collaborator with Damsel (one of the most watched Netflix films ever).“It's really important for aspiring writers not to look at where a successful author is now and think: “I need to jump from point A to point M.” There are so many steps along the way.”She’s an incredible example of what you can build when you wholeheartedly believe in your vision. I bet you'll be totally inspired after this interview that you can write the book that’s inside you. Before our conversation, Evelyn told me that she would be happy to talk to me about “really anything”. So here are my top #3 highlights from our interview:Evelyn’s own magical bookstore love storyI asked Evelyn about her magical first date with her husband Tom in a bookstore which most people don't know about, but which was every book lover's dream come true.Their love story began with a blind date set up through an app. They planned to meet at a cafe next to Kepler's, a local bookstore. Before their date, Evelyn was hosting an author event at the bookstore. He, being a huge book lover, decided to attend the event to see her.As she walked onto the stage, she spotted him in the audience before he noticed her. That was the first time they saw each other, and it felt special.After the event, Evelyn had some work to finish, so she told him she would be back soon. When she returned, he stood up with a big bag full of books and admitted, "I can never leave a bookstore without buying books." She thought:Who is this guy? Like, is he for real? So yeah, it was a wonderful first date. Obviously it worked out. 18 months later, he proposed.A few weeks later, Evelyn almost lost the love of her life, Tom, a man who had always lived life with a certain curiosity, as if there was a miracle to be discovered at every moment.In her 30s, Evelyn started writing with a kid in the house and quit her job as a lawyer Evelyn is 45 years old.As I’m also in my thirties, it was very inspiring to me that Evelyn started her writing journey in her thirties when her daughter was still in the house.She was on maternity leave from her job as a lawyer in a giant international firm when she rediscovered her love for books. With some help from her parents, who babysat her daughter, Evelyn started writing her first novel—a young adult (YA) fantasy about a time-traveling Russian prince. Although she loved the story, her writing skills weren't quite there yet, and she faced many rejections from agents.Determined to improve, Evelyn decided to learn as much as she could about writing. She read everything she could find online and bought books about writing techniques. Over time, she wrote more manuscripts, each better than the last. She faced setbacks, but she never gave up.Finally, Evelyn's perseverance paid off. Her ninth manuscript, The Crown's Game, caught the attention of a new agent, and she landed her first big book deal with a major publisher. This book led to more opportunities. Evelyn continued to write more YA novels and brought a new princess for Disney to life.Evelyn cracked the code of how to become a New York Times bestselling authorMany writers dream of becoming an author and if they dare to dream even bigger, they wish they’d be on the New York Times bestseller list.For this, traditional publishing is usually the way to go. It's almost impossible for a self-published author to get on that list because of how the New York Times selects books. They use a special formula that isn't just about how many books are sold.Success means different things to different writer.For Evelyn, success meant aiming for big goals, like a six-figure deal and becoming a New York Times bestseller. But she knows this isn’t everyone’s dream. Some writers are more focused on the joy of creating and sharing their stories, no matter how many people read them. For those writers, self-publishing might be a better fit.For Evelyn knowing your Ennegream type is keyEvelyn also told me about the different paths writers can take: traditional publishing, self-publishing, or a mix of both called hybrid publishing. Each path has its own challenges and rewards and her’s where the Ennegram types come to play. They help you find out more about your personality.Evelyn encourages you to think about what drives you and to choose the path that aligns with your personal goals and values.It's all about knowing what makes you happy and sticking to that. Whether you're aiming for a bestseller list or just want to share your story with the world, there’s a place for everyone.Of course we talked about so much more.In this week’s interview you’ll find an A to your Qs:* Is Evelyn Skye her real name?* What to wear on the red carpet?* Is preselling books still worth it?* How to celebrate a launch party for my book?* Can I quit my job if I get a 6-figure book deal?* Self-publising vs. traditional publishing - what’s better?* Is it true that Evelyn wrote “The Hundred Loves of Juliet” for her hubby Tom?If you say: Let me listen to the interview!You can listen to it as Substack podcast and/or watch our interview on YouTube:✅TABLE OF CONTENTS 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:07 Evelyn’s Love Story with Her Husband 00:04:26 Who is Evelyn Skye? 00:05:41 Evelyn’s Story of Being an Author 00:20:52 How Evelyn Uses Real Stories in her Books 00:26:38 Backstory Behind “One Year Ago in Spain” Book 00:29:15 Self Publishing vs Traditional Publishing 00:44:40 Evelyn’s Marketing Strategy 00:47:15 The Reality of Making Money as an Author 00:53:11 Does Evelyn Have other Income Streams? 00:55:24 Evelyn’s Opinion on Pre-Selling Books 01:01:08 Does Evelyn Have a Book Club? 01:03:25 How Evelyn Hosted Her Recent Book Launch 01:07:57 What Was It Like Being on the Red Carpet? 01:11:35 Evelyn’s Magic Superpower 01:14:01 How Evelyn is Using Substack 01:21:35 Importance of Guest Posting 01:26:33 How Evelyn Uses Substack Notes 01:32:28 Evelyn’s Goals for 2024 and 2025 01:34:26 Advice to Someone Wanting to Start a Writing Business 01:40:29 What’s the Deadline for Writing a Book? 01:42:24 What's Evelyn's Favourite Thing To Do With Her Daughter and Hubby on a Date Night🥳You don’t have to be 100% ready to take the first stepWant to start writing your first book or need help promoting it?Don’t waste your time.Sometimes, the only thing standing between you and your dreams is that first small move. Let’s do this together!Inside my “Online School Membership” you can connect with 250+ other like-minded writers in our “community of family”, find an accountability buddy, share your dreams, failures and wins and learn from book authors, freelance writers and other successful writers who have gone before you in our LIVE sessions.⭐Win a signed book from Evelyn Skye!Today’s interview is already included in Evelyn Skye’s Google Knowledge Panel, which is amazing.Amazing is also the feedback we already received:🙏🏻🙏🏻Thanks for being such an amazing and supportive community 🙏🏻🙏🏻Surprise! For the first time in my Online Writing Club show you can win a signed book.How to win a signed book of “Last Year in Spain”?You can win Evelyn’s fiction for adults book by… ⭐ Leaving a thoughtful comment here and/or on YouTube*⭐❤️‍🔥Your feedback is just a spark but it’s enough to keep me, a part-time writer, going.❤️‍🔥Want to win a signed book? Then jump in the comments.Keep believing in yourself and never give up, P.S. Liked it? Please share, like, and let me know what you think about my new show 💗 Your feedback is important and can spark many ideas. Thanks sooooo much! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Did you know that on social media only 1-3% of your followers are actually seeing your posts? PHEW! 😥Many are struggling, so it's no wonder many creators are quitting social media right now.Algorithms have turned the follower into a ghost town. Creators are sick and tired of wasting their valuable time.And where do they go? They get on the newsletter platform Substack. Tom Kuegler quit YouTube, Facebook, Medium and LinkedInThis week’s podcast guest is Tom Kuegler who ditched hundreds of thousands of followers on YouTube (160K), Medium (63K), Facebook (500K), and LinkedIn (20K) to chase real connections on Substack - instead of feeling pushed to create content he hated just to gain more followers, views, and likes.Tom is no longer chasing 100K a year with just followers and feeding the algorithms. Now his goal is to hit that mark with subscribers instead. It’s an honor having Tom on the show because I’ve been a fan since my first day on Medium in December 2020. Together with writing rockstar Tim Denning he was the one I saw in my feed 👋🏻all 👋🏻the 👋🏻time.Fast forward to today, Tom built one of Medium’s biggest publications called The Post Grad Survival Guide (PGSG) with 44K followers.In 2023, he left Medium with 63K followers because he no longer wanted to write for a platform that didn't value him the way he wanted. He went to a platform that cared. Substack.I just feel like I'm kind of so sick of what I see on social media half the time, and I feel like Substack is that next evolution in social media where to a more real type of content. Why not become a paid member today and meet Tom Kuegler in an exclusive workshop and Q&A session this summer?Substack is the next evolutionTom started blogging in 2016! He's built up a large following on multiple platforms, and from the outside looking in, you'd say he's successful.But he didn't feel successful. He thought it would never be enough. He would never be enough.Eight years later, I love seeing this thirty-something grown man who has lived so many lives, traveled the world, paid off his student loans and learned so many valuable lessons.Now he's even ready to go back to the US with his wife. What I love most is that his relationship with his family has grown stronger and that he has reconnected with his father through his newsletter Letters With My Father.For the veteran content creator who has published videos, short posts, long posts, online courses, live webinars, recorded webinars and everything in between, Substack is a place where people are more real. Want unexpected and real answers from a former social media rockstar?Similar to Tom who wanted to be vlogger Casey Neistat, I bet many want to be Tom Kuegler. Traveling the world, embracing freedom, writing every day and growing a massive following.In our interview, Tom gives an honest behind-the-scenes look at a very successful online rockstar who struggled to make money, wanted to support his wife, hated the stories he pumped out for the algorithms, lost the connection to himself and is now reconnecting to the real Tom Kuegler.100K/Year Without Social Media is a raw and honest interview with unexpected answers, insights and future plans.If you say: Let me listen to the interview!You can listen to it as Substack podcast and/or watch our interview on YouTube:Table of Contents00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:02 Tom Kuegler's Attempt to become a Medium Bost Nommer 00:06:31 Advice that Tom would Give to Medium 00:10:36 Would Tom Ever Come Back to Medium 00:12:33 Advantages of Substack having No Algorithm 00:16:19 How Much Time Tom Spends Writing 00:19:37 How Tom Plans to Reach $100k a Year 00:24:00 How Much Money Tom Spent on Marketing his Courses 00:28:53 Tom’s Journey to Making a Living from Writing 00:32:04 How Tom Gained 20,000 Followers on LinkedIn 00:37:07 What is a LinkedIn Sprint and Why Tom Started them 00:44:19 Explaining the Flywheel between LinkedIn, YouTube and Medium 00:47:12 What Else Tom is Planning for 2024 00:49:26 When Tom Started his Email List and Its Current Size 00:52:48 Tom’s Experience Living in Mexico City 00:58:13 What Tom Loves about America 01:00:37 How People can Connect with Tom Kuegler🥳You don’t have to be 100% ready to take the first step and build an email list 🥳Don’t waste your time.Sometimes, the only thing standing between you and your dreams is that first small move. Let’s do this together! Inside my “Substack School Course” I’ll help you start and grow your email list, write non-sucky emails, get your first paid subscribers and connect with other like-minded writers.🎙️Join Kristina’s Exclusive Podcast Launch Club My podcast is hot & new. This is my second episode.Do you want to join my podcast launch club? You’ll get discounts on future bootcamps, challenges and exclusive webinars. We’ll meet and discuss the pod together to make it better. You can win prizes!If you say:“Kristina, I want to join your Podcast Launch Club!”Let me know in the comments. I’ll then invite you to join my exclusive group.I want to make my pod better.❤️‍🔥Your feedback is just a spark but it’s enough to keep me, a part-time writer, going.❤️‍🔥I hope this eye-opening interview inspires you.Dare to be YOU!P.S. Liked it? Please share, like, and let me know what you think about my new show 💗 Your feedback is important and can spark many ideas. Thanks sooooo much!P.S.S. Tom Kuegler belongs to the category “I knew him when”. Make sure to subscribe to Tom’s publication Mind Of A Writer. It’s a wealth of wisdom from a thirty-something writer and creator who has done it all. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe

Do you feel like you’re not living up to your full potential because you’re afraid of putting yourself “out there”? Is being an introvert stopping you from taking action on your dreams? Do you want to break out of your shell?I feel you. I've been where you are too.Although you may not believe me, I’m a massive introvert at heart. People often ask me where I get the energy to connect with others, network and talk to them all the time, both in my job and on the side.In my time at the agency Edelman, I was even once a Relations Specialist.But that wasn't something I was born with. I just learned a few secret tricks to navigate this noisy world.Building relationships as an introvert is your “unfair advantage”I know relationship building feels awkward at first, but it really is the "unfair advantage" when it comes to building a successful business, especially a writing business.No one knows this better as Michael Thompson.“In a world that lionizes loudness, it’s actually the quiet and shy among us who are best set up to thrive. Thompson provides an important new way of understanding what it really takes to stand out," says Cal Newport, NY-Times bestselling author of Deep Work and Slow Productivity…about Michael Thompson’s debut book Shy by Design.Introvert Michael learned how to quietly stand out in a noisy worldAs a shy stuttering kid, Michael Thompson never would have guessed that some of the biggest moments of his life would come from gaining the confidence to talk to strangers, and feeling a little bit uncomfortable.This helped him discover the love of writing and become a top writer on Medium, meet the love of his live and get two boys, become a career coach plus achieve the visibilty he was seeking for.In late 2019, Michael Thompson had under 1000 followers on the publishing platform Medium but received a note from a literary agent after she read a few of his articles.In particular, this one article was to change the course of Michael's life:She asked if he’d ever considered writing a book as she said he had “the seed.”Fast forward to today, it turns out, Michael had “the seed”.His debut book is called Shy by Design: 12 Timeless Ways to Quietly Stand Out and it shows introverts are pretty excellent just as they are!Writing became Michael Tompson’s natural placeIn our interview Michael shares how it felt growing up as a shy, stuttering kid, that hids kids are shy as well, how he lost $250,000, found his wife, quit Medium to learn how to become a professional writer and how messy and awesome his lifestyle as a writer living at the Spanish coast can be.“Writing is my natural place. I communicate strongest writing," says Michael.In our interview he shows that hyping yourself, being seen and showing off for yourself can actually feel fun and easy.Shyness isn’t a weakness. It’s a superpower.I bet Albert Einstein, as an introvert and shy genuis himself, would say:“Amen to this!” As Cal Newport states:“In a world that lionizes loudness, it’s actually the quiet and shy among us who are best set up to thrive.Let’s explore how to quietly stand out in our interview:Table of Contents 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:07 Who is Michael Thompson? 00:06:22 Why did Michael Write His Book? 00:10:40 Michael Turning from a Content Creator into an Author 00:12:21 The Importance of Authenticity in Writing 00:16:07 What Michael Did before Writing 00:21:31 How did Michael Approach his Wife with His Stutter? 00:26:18 Why You’ll Never be Ready for your Future 00:28:03 Where did Michael’s Stutter come from? 00:33:07 What it was Like Growing Up with a Stutter 00:39:15 Why Being an Introvert Helps You with Writing 00:45:50 Dealing with the Feeling that You’re Never Good Enough 00:52:07 What is Michael’s New Book About? 00:54:22 What Else are Words for Michael? 00:58:00 How is Michael Marketing his Book? 01:03:16 Does Michael have an Agent to Help with the Book? 01:07:45 How Many Subscribers Michael Currently Has 01:08:47 Michael’s Book Writing Process 01:10:10 Personal Questions for MichaelWhy not become a paid member today and meet Michael Thompson in an exclusive workshop and Q&A session this summer?🎙️ Hot & New: My new native Substack Show 🎙️Michael Thompson as well as my “Medium Kickstarter” bootcampers know, it took me hours to create this week's show.Thanks for your love and encouragement! 😍It’s not easy as a part-time creating mom. I’ve been sitting here for almost 5 hours today on a Sunday writing this newsletter and sharing this Substack podcast episode. Although it took me hours to figure out how to hide my previous videos from my Substack podcast, add the right categories, sync with Spotify (and Apple) and then decided to wait a few weeks, and create the interview plus video, I'm proud to present to you my first Substack podcast episode that you can listen to on the go.If you want to watch it, you can do so on YouTube.I know the show isn't perfect yet. It’s a living breathing thing.The recording was a bit messy, maybe you can hear birds chirping because it was super hot in Germany and I had to open the window. Michael was in Spain and had to switch the air conditioning on and off because it was producing hot air. 🥵First my interviews were meant for YouTube.Now they’re home on Substack, as suggested by Linda @ Substack in a conversation in Notes (that’s where it all happens😁) a few weeks back.I'm super proud to share my first Substack show today!Thanks to my husband for helping me set it up. As always, I'll be helping YOU set up your Substack podcast for success with a guide when I’m a few weeks in and also am visible on Spotify and Apple.🥳🎙️Join Kristina’s Exclusive Podcast Launch Club 🎙️🥳As a marketer, I not only recommend book authors to start a Book Launch Club as Matt Tomporowski did, I also recommend future podcast hosts to start a Podcast Launch Club to get reviews and feedback.Do you want to join my podcast launch club? You’ll get dicsounts on future bootcamps, challenges and exclusive webinars. We’ll meet and discuss the pod together to make it better. You can win prizes!If you say:“Kristina, I want to join your Podcast Launch Club!”Let me know in the comments. I’ll then invite you to join my exclusive group.I want to make my pod better. Just let me know in the comments:How do you like the show?Any suggestions?Do you like to listen or to watch it?Do you plan to start your own pod?❤️‍🔥Your feedback is just a spark but it’s enough to keep me going.❤️‍🔥I hope this interview inspired you.Yours truly,P.S. Liked it? Please share, like, and let me know what you think about my new show 💗 Your feedback is important and can spark many ideas. Thanks sooooo much!P.S.S. Make sure to subscribe to Michael’s publication and check out his debut book Shy by Design. Why? Because he’s cool, super dad, an awesome writer and stutterer. Here’s Michael with his two boys Luc and Liam who he never wants to stop using their “brains for thinking” and drawing “giraffes without a neck”. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe