This past weekend, I reached a milestone for my Substack ‘Listening Sessions’: 1,000 subscribers, my primary goal this year for it.
Two years ago, when my subscriber count was stuck at around 40, reaching the 1,000 mark seemed beyond fanciful. I am sure there are many here who feel that right now which is why I thought I would share some thoughts on building my Substack audience in the hopes that it offers some encouragement to others.
It took me just over 28 months to hit the 1,000 mark for ‘Listening Sessions.’ I am probably one of the few writers here who almost exclusively focuses on older music and I am fairly sure I write longer essays than just about everyone else here who focuses on music. All that is to say is that what I do is probably counterintuitive to all accepted wisdom for writing these days (thankfully, Substack is built to reward those who buck accepted wisdom) and has made building an audience more challenging than it perhaps should have been. But, in so approaching my newsletter, I hope I have carved an important niche in writing about the music closest to my heart.
Getting the first 100 subscribers is the hardest step in the journey. It took me 10 months to do so. While I sometimes felt like I was writing into a void, having a small audience also allowed me to experiment with ‘Listening Sessions.’ I initially planned to publish twice a week but quickly discovered I couldn’t possibly keep that pace up so I eventually went to a once-every-10-days pace. As well, I used to include a main essay with shorter pieces, approaching ‘Listening Sessions,’ as a cross between long-form criticism and quick news-y hits. I gradually dialed back the news to focus exclusively on criticism. Having a small audience allowed me to make this shift without feeling like I was alienating my readers. It was a time to hone ‘Listening Sessions’ without fear.
Taking advantage of all the opportunities Substack provides to interact with other writers is priceless. Taking part in the Substack Go series in February 2022, participating in Writing Hours, providing a playlist for one of them and trying to participate as much as possible in Office Hours lit the spark that fueled my subscriber growth. Once I got 100 subscribers, growth became more organic. At some point, it just took on a life of its own.
Writing regularly is key. It’s a cliche, but dedicating oneself to “do the work” makes all the difference. In doing so, you can build the process that works for you.
We create our own luck. By being dedicated to building a Substack and taking advantage of opportunities that come one’s way, it opens the possibility for luck and serendipity. In my case, enrolling in Substack Go connected me to other music writers here provided the opportunity to secure recommendations for ‘Listening Sessions’ (gratefully and heartily reciprocated). 26% of my subscribers have come from recommendations and help to keep growth steady and ongoing.
Find the approach that works best for you and dedicate yourself to doing it as best you can. I approach ‘Listening Sessions’ like a column in an arts paper, trying to write each essay to the highest standard I can. The two writers most influential for what I do are Gary Giddins and Robert A. Caro. That is not to say that what I do is even a one-hundredth of what these two giants of letters have done but that it gives me something to aspire to and to be inspired by. Envision what you want your Substack to be and go for it with gusto and determination.
Substack is not just for established writers. I started ‘Listening Sessions’ without any published music writing to my name. I just had a passion for music and writing, a lifetime of listening to music and a burning need to take my shot at pursuing a dream. I did not have an existing audience to start with (I got about 15 or 20 follows on Twitter to sign up before my first piece went out) or anything that made my growth easy. I think there is room here for anyone who has a passion for whatever one wishes to write about. That’s the best thing about Substack. It provides an opportunity that has not previously been available to those who wish to break into writing. It’s a community, it’s maybe even a movement, and it has allowed me to do something I never dreamed of being able to do. I think it can for you too!
