Ian Grindey

I developed a simple reuse framework:

1. Identify your top-performing Notes for each type (Community, Educational, Motivational)


2. Create 2-3 variations of each, changing the:
   
   
   • Hook (different opening line)
   
   
   • Formatting (bullets vs. paragraphs)
   
   
   • Call to action (different question or invitation)


3. Rotate through these variations on a 10-14 day cycle


4. Track which varia

... See more

The CTA

Every Note needs a clear next step. But here's where most writers get it wrong: your CTA shouldn't be about subscribing.

The most effective CTAs on Notes are simply inviting a conversation:

Questions that invite response: "What's one writing rule you've broken that actually worked for you?" "Share your biggest Substack win in the comments bel... See more

The Body

Once you've captured attention, deliver value immediately. The body of your Note should be:

• Scannable - Use white space generously


• Specific - One clear point, not five vague ones


• Visual - Strategic bold and bullet points guide the eye

The mistake most writers make is trying to cram too much into a single Note. Your goal isn't to be comprehe... See more

The Hook

The first sentence of your Note is everything. If it doesn't stop the scroll, nothing else matters.

My best-performing hooks fall into a few categories:

The Contrarian Statement: "Consistency is killing your newsletter." "Most writing advice is making you worse."

The Specific Result: "I gained 127 subscribers last week using this one Note fo... See more

Community breeds growth

The most unexpected outcome was how Notes fostered genuine connections with other writers, which in turn led to more organic mentions, recommendations, and growth. This created a beautiful flywheel effect that continued driving subscriber growth even on days when my Notes didn't perform exceptionally well.

Format matters more than you think

Notes with clear visual hierarchy – short paragraphs, strategic bold text, and bullet points – consistently outperformed wall-of-text Notes, even when the content was similar. Making your ideas instantly scannable is crucial in the Notes ecosystem.

Engagement breeds engagement

Notes that received comments and likes in the first 30-60 minutes after posting were significantly more likely to be shown to a wider audience. I started engaging actively in the comments section of my own Notes, which further boosted their visibility.

Consistency matters more than perfection

Posting Notes daily – even if they're not perfect – created momentum that the Substack algorithm seemed to reward. After about two weeks of consistent posting, I noticed my Notes were being shown to a wider audience.

Note #11

Substack growth isn't always linear.

Some writers explode to 10K subscribers in a few months.

...And others build steadily for years, earning every reader.

The fastest-growing newsletters aren't always the most valuable.

Some writers with 50K subscribers struggle to convert 1% to paid.

...While others with 1,000 loyal readers build a sustaina... See more