My Journey to Become a Successful Substack Writer
If you don’t push your limits, you will never know where your limits are.
Time flies like water. With a flick of our fingers, half of 2023 has already passed, and it is time again for me to take stock of my progress as a writer and my life in general. Like many of you, I am only an Average Joe, an unknown fellow with a dream of making it on Substack. During the last twelve months, I have tried many things; some I have failed, some I succeeded, and some I hesitated.
Life is short. Letting out the brilliance in our living years is what life is all about. This is our mission, and it is also the purpose of many people who write, helping to document and appreciate the little things happening around us. It is a way for us to enhance our individual self-worth and collectively contribute toward the positive evolution of our writing community.
Everyone should strive for personal development to enrich their thinking, intelligence, knowledge and experience to improve their comprehensive abilities and qualities, more mature thinking, and more rational behaviour. Constantly challenging and surpassing oneself.
I have been writing on Substack since the end of 2021, chasing after my dream with the intent of enriching my life and driving my personal development. Writing has not been easy for someone who doesn’t write from a young age. It has been a difficult journey, and I have only managed to start writing consistently in the second half of 2022. The progress was painfully slow, yet it was also mind-opening.
My routine for the past twelve months has been to publish every other day. This writing routine can be tight and demanding for leisure writers who have to juggle a day job. One should take it at your own pace, one that is both comfortable and sustainable for yourself. Writing is a delicate dance between inspiration and depletion. Some days, creativity flows through effortlessly, ideas pour onto the page, and the words seem to write themselves. These are the days when I feel invincible, basking in the glow of inspiration. However, there are also days that challenge the very essence of the craft.
There are periods when inspiration seems elusive, and the mind feels barren. These are the times that really test my resolve and make me question my decision. It is in these moments of despair and demoralization that I see the real purpose of writing. Such moments force us to find solace in the struggle and confront the blank page head-on, battling against our own helplessness. It is a journey fraught with hardship and self-doubt, but the satisfaction of overcoming those obstacles and producing something worth publishing is unparalleled. It is this relentless pursuit of creation that pushes us forward, helping us to surpass our old selves to be better and one step closer to our dreams.
This month marks the one-year anniversary of my consistent publishing. It has not been an easy journey. Based on statistics provided by Substack, Coffee Times has clocked over 200’000 views in the last twelve months, and Coffee Times is now read in 102 countries and 48 US states. The bulk of my readers are predominantly residing in the US. With UK and India a distant second and third apart. It may be a staggering achievement, or it may be an underperforming number; it all depends on who you compare me with. But I am not here to compare. I am here to run my own race.
The statistics also show that Coffee Times is being read regularly, clocking 20’000 views in the month of Jun, with about 500 views on any given day. According to open literature, the healthy open rate for a newsletter is somewhere between 17% to 28%. Coffee Times hovers around 26% - 32%.
Being an Average Joe with no credible track records, no authored books, no journalism experience and not a celebrity or influencer, my journey on Substack is fated to be arduous. Sometimes the statistic does paint a motivating picture, but many times it doesn’t. It is filled with many moments of self-doubts and despair. To succeed, I have learned to cope and overcome these self-imposed expectations. Writing, when utilized for personal growth, can be a sanctuary for my thoughts and emotions to find their voice. It opens up the mind, allowing for introspection, self-reflection, and a deeper understanding of myself and the world. Writing in this context becomes a means to explore, unravel complexities, and find clarity.
On the other hand, when writing becomes solely focused on monetary rewards, it can take on a different path. The pressure to meet deadlines, chase statistics, compete with fellow writers or adhere to readers’ demands can be overwhelming. In such cases, the joy of writing might become overshadowed by the necessity to produce popular content. The pursuit of financial gain through writing can inadvertently cause a writer to lose themselves, compromising their creative integrity and personal satisfaction.
I believe that focusing on introspection and sharing to inspire others is critical on this personal development journey. It is where I can find my niche and space to build an alternative path for the future. But it is important not to fall into the trap of chasing after popular trends that deviate from the original course and end up losing myself in the process.
I am pretty happy with my progress to date, and I am pleased my heart is still at the right place while my passion for writing continues to burn bright. Building a viable writing gig on Substack as an Average Joe is an exhilarating and challenging journey. If you are like me, who is not known to this writing community but hopes to explore this gig as a viable path in the future, let me tell you this, “With dedication, perseverance, and the adoption of effective strategies, any Tom, Dick and Harry can leverage this platform to achieve professional success.” As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Substack will continue to improve with more avenues for commoners like you and me to showcase our talents and make our mark in the world of writing.
I still have a long way to go, and I hope my sharing will bring you some comfort along your own journey. We are all in this marathon together and remember, we did not join this run to win the race. We are here to test our own limits and to fulfil our own promises. It doesn’t matter if you choose to walk or sprint. What matters is to keep pushing yourself forward. If you don’t push your limit, you will never know where your limit lies.
If you find my articles to be worth your time, it would mean the world to me if you refer friends.
Whether or not you will receive benefits shouldn’t be the reason you refer your friend because that would be selfish. Refer them to Coffee Times because there is something they can gain from hearing about my stories, my journey, my struggles. Or when my writing inspires others to be better versions of themselves.
Thank you for helping to get the word out about Coffee Times!
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Looks to me like you're way ahead in this race!