A System That Builds Over Time

Here’s how I structure my week:

1. Start with a long-form post on a topic my audience cares deeply about.


2. Extract 3-5+ Notes and takeaways from that post.


3. Publish the Notes over a few days.


4. Let specific Notes and Posts convert readers into subscribers.


5. Watch what performs and do more of it.

That’s it. Simple, repeatable,... See more

Back in May, Ted Gioia wrote about the wave of cor­po­ra­tions and celebrities joining Sub­stack. Long­time internet readers will note the clear echo of 2000s blog tri­umphalism and/or 2010s Twitter energy, which is to say: enjoy it while it lasts.

I think it’s a notable that Ted’s post, though it’s titled Sub­stack Has Changed in the Last 30 Days,... See more

This shift is smart, maybe even necessary. But it’s also messy. Writers are now leaning into viral formats like listicles, roundups, and traffic-bait headlines. They spend time upskilling on new features so they’re not left behind. Substack Notes feels like a watercooler in an office where everyone’s job is ... Substack.