Grow: How Anne Kadet grew her paid list without a paywall
The Grow interview series is designed to share the nuts and bolts of how writers have gone independent and grown their audiences on Substack. It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
We invited Anne Kadet, who writes CAFÉ ANNE, to share insights on how she runs her newsletter with all-free posts supported by paid subscribers.
What’s your Substack about in one sentence?
CAFÉ ANNE is a weekly mini-magazine with a focus on New York City that takes a fresh look at the everyday, delights in the absurd, and profiles remarkable people who do things their way.
Who reads your Substack?
Smart, curious people who like to have fun.
What do you uniquely offer readers?
Profiles of NYC’s most original and least famous citizens. Pictures of weird trash heaps; interviews with overly opinionated pigeons; food experiments; a running account of the exploits of Eric Adams, the city’s super-weird mayor; an opinion-free, politics-free, controversy-free zone of fun.
Growth by numbers
Started Substack: October 2021
Launched paid subscriptions: From the start, in October 2021
Free subscribers: 4,103
Paid subscribers: Today I’ve got 178 paying subscribers. I’m very proud of that.
Meaningful growth moments
Guest post and shoutout. I wrote a “guest prompt” for Rob Walker’s Art of Noticing Substack, and he gave CAFÉ ANNE a huge plug. My newsletter jumped from 100 to 700 subscribers within a week!
A story with great resonance. After the Rob Walker plug, my subscriber base was flat for nearly three months. I felt worried! Then I had my first sort-of viral story: a series of interviews with NYC Chess Hustlers. I posted the issue on the r/nyc subreddit, and it spread from there. My subscriber base doubled to 1,800 in less than a month.
Newsletter shoutout. Bari Weiss recommended CAFÉ ANNE to her readers in an issue of Common Sense. This brought in 300 subscriptions over a week, including 40 paid subscriptions.
Why did you start on Substack?
I’d spent a decade covering business for the Wall Street Journal’s NYC section. In July 2021, the paper folded the section, and that was the end of my gig. I wanted to keep writing about NYC, but I wanted to do it my way for a change, and I knew that no mainstream outlet would publish the stories I wanted to write. Substack was really the only option. It never occurred to me to not go paid. I’ve always been paid for my work, and I know I’m a good reporter and writer.
I had no real following or mailing list to start with—I just emailed a link to my first issue to about 200 people, mostly friends and family. That won me my first 61 subscribers—including 16 paid. Things grew from there. You don’t need an established following to do well on Substack!
It never occurred to me to not go paid. I’ve always been paid for my work, and I know I’m a good reporter and writer.
What’s your content strategy?
Schedule: Mondays at 11 a.m.
Involve readers: Half my ideas come from readers. Once they realized I’d investigate anything they were curious about, they had me interviewing NYC chess hustlers, tracking down an obscure donut factory in Queens, and launching an investigation into a mysterious billboard from the 1970s. I also get lots of material by requesting reader submissions. One of the newsletter’s most popular recurring features is “Weird Trash Heap.” Readers from around the world submit photos of odd trash piles they spotted on the street.
Free vs. paid: I wanted my newsletter to be free because the CAFÉ ANNE vibe is, “Everyone Welcome!” The newsletter’s fundamental premise is that people in general are decent and kind, not to mention generous. My hope is that those who can afford to support CAFÉ ANNE will voluntarily pay to keep it free for those who cannot—like public radio!
What’s the sharpest insight you can offer other writers about growing a Substack publication?
My observation is that the most successful newsletter writers combine an original and highly idiosyncratic point of view with a disciplined, consistent format and publishing schedule. The freedom expresses itself in the content, not the container.
Readers value writers who have a unique voice and follow their own vision, but they also want us to be trustworthy and professional. My newsletter really started growing after I adopted a consistent schedule and format while doubling down on my commitment to create the newsletter I’d want to read—rather than trying to please others.
My newsletter really started growing after I adopted a consistent schedule and format while doubling down on my commitment to create the newsletter I’d want to read—rather than trying to please others.
What advice have you received about growing your publication that didn’t prove to be helpful?
Littering my newsletter early on with multiple comment and subscribe buttons felt desperate. Also, it did not work. These days I typically eschew the comment buttons and stick with one subscribe button at the bottom. I get better results without annoying readers.
What surprised you about writing on Substack?
I’ve met so many great writers through Substack’s weekly Office Hours, the summer Grow program, the Substack meetups in NYC, and through reading and commenting on other writers’ newsletters.
There is truly a community of thoughtful, inspiring, and supportive writers on Substack. Publishing and growing a newsletter can feel challenging, but I never feel I’m facing this challenge alone.
I’ve gotten several of my largest growth surges after fellow Substackers recommended CAFÉ ANNE. Check out the chart!
Who’s another Substack writer you turn to for guidance and inspiration?
I started reading Michael Estrin’s Situation Normal newsletter early on. I loved that he writes about everyday things—like an absurd conversation with an Uber driver—in a funny and insightful way. I wrote him a note to say hi, and he’s been very supportive ever since. I feel like I have a counterpart in LA!
Takeaways
Consistency is key. While Anne’s posts differ in topic, sticking with a consistent Monday posting schedule and staying true to creating the newsletter she wanted to read unlocked growth.
Write with your readers. Anne treats her readers like collaborators, soliciting photos of odd trash and drawing inspiration from their correspondence.
People pay for work they love. Anne offers all CAFÉ ANNE posts for free and pitches paid subscriptions as a way to support her work. Great writing is valuable, and true fans are excited to support Anne’s work, even if they don’t get anything extra. She has maintained about a 4.5% conversion of free to paid subscribers.
What questions do you have for Anne that we didn’t ask? Leave them in the comments!
To read more from this series on growing your publication, see our interviews with Category Pirates, BowTiedBull, Justin Gage, Noah Smith, Carissa Potter, Jørgen Veisdal, Anne Byrn, Nishant Jain, Michael Fritzell, Glenn Loury, Erik Hoel, Jessica DeFino, Mike Sowden, Elizabeth Held, Jonathan Nunn, Polina Pompliano, Michael Williams, Judd Legum, and Caroline Chambers.
Yay, Anne!! CAFE ANNE is like a wonky grown-up version of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood and I will always sing it’s praises! When my husband hears me chuckle out loud and asks me what I’m laughing at, about two thirds of the time it’s CAFE ANNE. Also--love hearing from a successful Substacker that didn’t come in with a huge following.
I love the Mr. Roger's Neighborhood comparison Samantha! Thank you!
Love this description!! That makes me so excited to read it!
"My newsletter really started growing after I adopted a consistent schedule and format while doubling down on my commitment to create the newsletter I’d want to read—rather than trying to please others."
100% YES to this! Consistency has been a huge part of growth for me as well. Writing something I'd like to read had made that ride much more fun.
:)
I found that being consistent also just FELT better. When I committed to every Monday at 11 am, the daily debate over what to do next just ended. It was a huge relief!
Yes, I'm trying (and for now even manage) to keep a very consistent schedule. I think that works. Also a +1 to the writing the newsletter I'd want to read. Oh, and about Kevin here above: he also writes a newsletter I like to read. Highly recommend it :)
Thank you!! 😀
Yep, I second this. It's so important to stick to a schedule, but also — and probs most importantly — just writing about what you are actually genuinely interested in. Otherwise why expect others to care if you don't?
Cafe Anne is like a very cool under the radar super secret coffee shop full of the coolest people who are also somehow super nice and welcoming and each have the most amazing stories to tell. All curated by the great Anne Kadet, friend, inspiration, and all around great human who also knows a ton about coffee and tea and every other thing in the coffee shop somehow.
Excited to watch it grow more and more and more. Congrats Anne!!
Thank you Friend Alex!
Everybody, Alex is one of my two Substack accountability buddies—along with Jane Radcliffe who writes the "Beyond" newsletter. We set goals every week by email, and check in on our progress, and commiserate. We also have a monthly Zoom call. I met them both in the "Grow" program over the summer. I recommend EVERYONE get Substack accountability buddies. It really helps!!
Sounds very good. What kind of goals are you setting? Do they have to do with growth or editorial development? Or....?
Hi Arjan! I no longer set goals for growth as that is not something that is under my control. I try to pick one or two actions I can take every week to improve the newsletter or my habits.
This week, for example, my goal is to add two pages to my home page menu—a theme song page and a statement of values page.
Last week, my goal was to figure out whether or not to participate in Substack Boost.
The week before that, it was to write out my CAFÉ ANNE values statement.
Sometimes the goal has to do with trying a new promotional strategy, or reaching out to another newsletter writer with whom I'd like to collaborate.
I try to pick just one or two goals every week so I don't get overwhelmed.
Hi Anne!
First of all: from this article here it really sounds like your substack is wonderful. I love the beauty of the "ordinary", the things that seem like a one person's absurdity, but are in fact priceless gems. I don't live in (or near) New York, but next time I visit, I will use your newsletter as a guide.
The goals sound really useful. Now I understand why I might need an accountability buddy. Thanks for your kind explanation.
Oh wonderful! Glad to be (maybe!) a little helpful!
Very!
I just subscribed to Anne's Substack after we interacted on last week's recommendation thread. I read one of her posts and was completely charmed by it! Definitely a unique, fun publication.
One of the best growth interviews you guys have done and right after this I’m heading over to Cafe Anne to subscribe!
Anne, I’ve thought about posting my work to Reddit but I fear it will feel spammy and people will hate it. How did you do it gracefully with effect?
I agree Reddit can be BRUTAL! Most of my posts sink like a stone, as Ben put it, or get removed by a moderator. But I've had three instances where a post caught on—which made the other 90% that were misses worth it.
I don't do anything special, though maybe I should. I just post the link to the relevant subreddit and cross my fingers.
Nothing like a little persistence in both writing and promotion. Thanks, Anne!
I'm also curious about how to utilize Reddit. I tried sharing a new post there yesterday and it sank like a stone.
“...an opinion-free, politics-free, controversy-free zone of fun.”
THEM: “That’ll never sell.”
ANNE: “Hold my NyQuil Chicken and watch.”
Seriously, I love CAFE ANNE. Anne connects with her readers, and that makes all the difference. She makes me want to travel to NYC to meet some of the people she interviews and places she writes about. Her posts inspire me to write what I want and to keep my voice authentic, and my goodness the laughs! They are the words you read aloud at gatherings to get everyone laughing.
Yeah: opinion and politics free raised an eyebrow...in a good way
Oh that is so wonderful to hear. Thank you Holly! And you know I'm a big fan back at you!
Anne, I probably already said it, but you're an inspiration! And I really appreciate the way you approach monetization. If I ever decide to go paid, I'll most likely follow your example and keep all content free for all.
Thank you Oleg. You know I'm a big fan of Fictitious as well! Looking forward to the next report on your self-imposed literary gavage!
Another great thing about Anne’s newsletter is that she really engages with her readers’ comments (as exhibited in this thread). The comments section really feels like a buzzy cafe.
Great point, Jillian! Anne puts out great work AND she works hard to make the comments in her Cafe a really fun, welcoming place.
Thank you Jillian. Now I have to go walk the dog—haha!
This is the best compliment! Teach me your ways, Anne! 👏☕️
This insights are SO GOOD. I love Anne's newsletter, and so grateful she's sharing these insights.
Thank you Jason! New York Cartoons! I gotta check that out!
I really like the point about writing a newsletter that you'd want to read. I do my best to follow that advice, and whenever I feel that I'm staying true to that maxim, I really do see positive results in terms of growth.
Thank you Anne. You already know I love you and your newsletter, but this interview was particularly helpful as I've just "gone paid". Especially this: "...doubling down on my commitment to create the newsletter I’d want to read—rather than trying to please others." I mean, I *know* this is the way to go, but am I always remembering to do it? Thanks again.
Yes I agree it is VERY hard to avoid just doing more of what seems to work and vibe with readers.
But the whole point is that I get to have fun with this and do it my way. If not, I might as well get a real job where other people tell me what to do all day long (which I may have to do if this + freelance writing doesn't pan out.)
Precisely!
Cafe Anne: want NYC? Here's NYC! I don't live there, but do love to read about New York - and Cafe Anne is perfect.
And this is a great point: 'a disciplined, consistent format and publishing schedule' is the key to success.
Cafe Anne is one of my most favorite reads! I don't live in NY, but through her stories I get to pretend.
Such helpful advice, Anne. I especially found your experience with comment and subscribe buttons helpful. I’ve heard that putting that everywhere is the conventional wisdom but it annoys me as a reader so why would I do it as a writer? Thanks for calling that out!
Ryan, that's exactly what my thinking was. I noticed how annoying it was when an otherwise enjoyable read was interrupted by a big comment button. Why would I inflict that on others?
I like to think that the more enjoyable you can make the overall experience, the more of a halo effect it will have on your newsletter. People will have positive feelings toward it without consciously knowing why. At least that's the theory. And I'm sure there's still a lot I could do to improve on that front!
SO THRILLED to see Anne pop up here! I'm a huge fan and a paid subscriber, because there aren't many people who can make me smile on a Monday morning, and she manages to do it every single time. Plus I'm really invested in that rubber plant now. Congrats, Anne! Keep kicking butt!
Thank you Monica! Stay tuned for another rubber plant update this Monday. It's a doozy!
*GASP* A possible decapitation cliffhanger! I will be waiting by my Gmail!
It's great to see how others use Substack. I'm just starting out myself and am looking at doing something unusual - a fitness and health blog where I show older people how to recover their strength and health.
Not sure it will work and I definitely am not doing enough marketing or sharing. For example, I don't have an email list of 200 people to share my newsletter with. Anne got her start like this and it's great to note the events she went through after one year on Substack.
I wonder what the year ahead will bring for me.
What a great topic!
And I think the "wondering what the year ahead will bring "attitude will make the ride a lot more fun. A few times my own year one, I got very set on reaching certain goals and my level of enjoyment sank so fast. When I was more about, "Let's have fun and experiment and see what happens" everything felt so much lighter, and I usually noticed my stats suddenly improving as well.
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm sure I can help many people. I hope Substack is the avenue where this happens.
This is the most useful interview for me so far. NYC is about as far removed from my little mountain village in northern New Mexico as one can get -- but I love reading about it (just subscribed)! NOTHING behind a paywall is my philosophy too, and it's great to know that it can work! Finding the balance between what one wants to write/would want to read and pleasing one's subscribers is so good advice. And to know that Anne succeeded without having a huge following to start with -- well, that gives me hope. Thank you, Ann, and Substack Team!
Same page here. I feel you!
Thank you Jessica! Isn't it great all the different locations we are writing from?
I don't know yet if my strategy will really "work." To compensate for the hours I'm putting into my newsletter every week (roughly 20, all told), I'd need maybe 4-5x the number of paying subscribers I have now. But I don't think that's entirely unrealistic. Meanwhile, this is by far the most fun "job" I've ever had!
What I love about this is that when I first started my newsletter, the primary models were business-focused ones like Stratechery, and all of the advice I remember seeing was around occupying a specific niche and providing value to readers, or else no one would pay. So I probably tried to twist myself into a pretzel to make my own newsletter fit that paradigm.
But you’ve clearly carved a new path just by being yourself and following your curiosity, and that’s a wonderful thing to see happen.
Thank you Terrell!
It's interesting. I for sure think BOTH models can work. Maybe it's about making a decision and taking it ALL THE WAY rather than fence-sitting. They say you can't serve two masters. Maybe its true in this context as well!
Congrats on all your success, Anne! Well deserved. I love that you're using the public radio patronage model with sustained success. Hoping to do something similar in the not-too-distant future.
Thanks Amran! Let me know how it goes! It'd be interesting to see how conversion rates compare between all-free and paywalled Substacks.
This was a great story showing that you don’t have to lock away your writing and hammer your readers with requests to go paid. I decided to go with the “patron” method of support after I asked my paid subscribers and they said they didn’t pay to get any extras, they just wanted to support my writing. I am still relatively small potatoes, but I am fine with that. I am publishing the newsletter I would want to read. My Daughter’s family lives in New York so I will be subscribing.
That's great Mark! And I'm not that surprised to hear that response from your readers. No matter how much I love any given Substack, I'm seldom happy when they increase their publication frequency or start adding extras. I have trouble keeping up as it is!
Me too! Once per week is perfect. More newsletters is not an incentive to me. I follow too many. I can’t keep up. 🤣
I really loved this issue—and the focus on growth without the hard sell. Very inspiring too. Thank you.
A brilliant read. It shows that there is no need to get worried about a paywall. If people appreciate a writer’s work, and given the opportunity to support, they will pay.
Yes it's interesting. I've had people who subscribed for free for nearly a year and then suddenly, something I write in a particular issue just puts them over the top and they go paid—and write me a nice note to tell me why. I just need to trust that this will continue. It requires some patience!
I think I was reading for five or six months before I even realized there was a paid option. I think you put out your quarterly report, and I was like, you can pay?! The minute I realized that, it was a no-brainer because you create something I love and I just had to support it!
I have just subscribed and look forward to reading your posts.
Follow up q: what were the metrics you used to identify the right fellow writer to do a guest post with? My struggle is that the people I am aware of who I feel write to a similar audience are too big for me.
Hi Lula! No metrics involved!
I asked Ryan Broderick of Garbage Day to do an interview with me about Friendster even though his newsletter is WAY bigger—because I was genuinely curious to hear this thoughts on the topic.
I asked another Substacker with a smaller subscriber base, Tad Thurston of First Excited State, to contribute a response to a physics question, because I really needed help with a (very ridiculous) physics question.
So it's really about who has the insight I want to share with my readers. I've done maybe a dozen collaborations now, in different ways, with newsletters of all different sizes. I've only once had someone turn down a collaboration request, even when my newsletter was tiny. Substack is a very generous community!
Anne, your “who is Jordan Peterson?” feature gave me a really good chuckle. Your posts always remind me of the HBO show, “How To With John Wilson”, in some strange way. Thank you for being so transparent about your subscriber growth and monetization journey!
Thank you Diyanah! I've heard the John Wilson comparison quite a bit. I think the difference is I can do everything with just myself and a $2 notebook while he needs a whole TV crew. I am so glad to just be an old-fashioned writer!
Aren’t legal pads the best? I suspect my earstwhile husband of 49 years, liberated them from a municipal office during his long tenure as a highly valued member of the home team.
I completely agree on both counts!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses in this interview. I'm afraid my question is a very technical and noob-y-ish question... I'm still very new to understanding all the ins and outs of Substack, and paid vs non paid. I'm curious about how you ask for payment, while not putting up a pay wall? It seems most of your lovely posts are public/free, correct?
Also I love what you've said about being yourself, and writing/doing what you love. That is precisely why I started Swallow. "...while doubling down on my commitment to create the newsletter I’d want to read—rather than trying to please others." A thousand times yes to this!
Hey Jes,
We shared some examples how great writers, including Anne, ask for payment and structure their free vs. paid offering. You might find this helpful:
https://on.substack.com/p/free-vs-paid
Hi Jes!
Thanks for your question. As you may know, you can edit the header or footer that is automatically added to every email that goes out.
I wrote a footer that goes to my paid subscribers that says, "Many thanks for being a CAFÉ ANNE paid subscriber! This post is public, so please feel free to share it."
I wrote a different footer that goes to free subscribers. It says, "CAFÉ ANNE is published every Monday by Brooklyn journalist Anne Kadet. If you’re enjoying the newsletter, please consider a paid subscription for $5 a month or $50 a year. I’ll send you a surprise in the mail!"
For the version that appears on the web, after I publish an email I manually add a footer that says, "CAFÉ ANNE is a free weekly newsletter created by Brooklyn journalist Anne Kadet. Subscribe to get the latest issue every Monday!"
Last but not least, in my letter to readers every week, I thank the new paying subscribers, which I think acts as a subtle reminder to those who are not paying that its COOL TO PAY. Haha!
Seems like a great way for people who enjoy and love NY City to feel that "City-vibe" while relaxing all-the-while down in Florida !! ( or Flori-DUH -depending on your location). No Offense. Thank you Anne Kadet for a great idea , and a great read.
Thank you Vern! I know FLORIDA is full of interesting weirdness. I'm sure I'd have a great time covering that state if I lived there.
Thank you for your amazing insight. I started my Substack a few weeks ago in order to publish a few past and present endeavors. But now I’m hooked! And I’ve met a few wonderful folks in my niche. Best of luck all. Keep writing!
Thanks Jim! So happy to hear you're having fun!
I love CAFE ANNE. I lived in NYC for nearly three decades and left a piece of myself there when I moved 15 years ago. Anne's writing transports me back to my beloved city and allows me to see it in a whole new magical way! Deep gratitude for Anne's gorgeous writing, insights, and sense of humor!
Wow thank you Jane! I'm so glad you're my Substack buddy!
Just subscribed to Cafe Anne and already loving the content! I'm a new New Yorker so solving mysteries like where the donuts from the breakfast carts come from are so fascinating to me. Very much looking forward to receiving this newsletter :)
Hi Rebecca! Welcome to NYC! I hope you enjoy the newsletter!
Anne's newsletter is the best! I love it so much, and I'm proud to be one of her paying subscribers! I'm also really honored for the shout out -- THANK YOU, Anne! You do have a counterpart in LA, and I feel like I have a counterpart in NYC.
I've learned so much about how to newsletter (newsletter is a verb, right?) from reading Café Anne. No matter what you write, Anne has something to teach about how to engage with readers and turn community sentiment into compelling stories. She is 🔥🔥🔥
Also, I highly recommend her Jordan Peterson essay. I'm not a fan of Mr. Peterson, but I think Anne may have written the very best Jordan Peterson take on the whole damn internet. But if you can't (or won't) go there, check out Anne's piece about tracking down the source of the donuts sold in NYC street carts. It's got humor, shoe-leather reporting, and answers to questions no other publication would dare to cover. A must-read! 🍩
Thank you Mr. Estrin! Those are for sure two of my own favorites! And they both felt like big risks when I wrote and posted them. I wasn't sure how folk would react. But people seemed happy to come along for the ride.
Also, It's interesting—I agree "Newsletter" is a verb. While newsletters have been around for a while, I think we are still at the beginning stages in terms of learning what they can do or be. It's so fun to be in on the early days, when there's a lot of experimenting and weirdness going on.
I know what you mean about taking risks. Some of my best performing pieces were ones I wasn't sure about posting. But one of the great things about newsletters is that they can foster a healthy relationship between writer and community that encourages taking risks. Ultimately, I felt like the risk was worth taking because I knew that even if I missed badly, my readers would be there to pick me up the next week.
Ohhh I need to read this Peterson essay...
What a PLEASANT surprise. Usually there is one dose of CAFÉ ANNE per week so a bonus on Wednesday was great. I've been a steady reader for a while. We all, regardless of our age submit in some way to time. Anne's outlook is this Newsletter is positive, enjoyable, and embraces the quirkiness of the world. She has clearly applied the lessons of time and presents her better self and it shines through in her writing. I read a wide array on Substack. This is wonderful without being preachy, angry or simply dwelling on that we cannot change and hence should roll with. It is not surprising she has embraced the always free mantra and pay if you can. Reminding us of the Public Radio inspiration is just a bonus.
Thank you Mark! And I have to say, no matter how eclectic my own newsletter can be sometimes be, it will NEVER top yours!
Thanks for your fun comments and support week after week. I'm so glad we met on Substack!
You are welcome. Being very new to writing, I am so glad to have discovered the Cafe. It has TAUGHT me to just be inquisitive and positive and that is really fun. I only have a handful of Newsletters that I CONSISTENTLY enjoy. When I look at the four I recommend, it was difficult to identify what they had in common. I concluded I always feel better after reading them for wildly different reasons and yours is at the top of the list. Thanks for the compliment. I think eclectic is a kind way to say "ease up rando!"
LOL
Others have already zeroed in on this quote, "My newsletter really started growing after I adopted a consistent schedule and format while doubling down on my commitment to create the newsletter I’d want to read—rather than trying to please others."
It is sometimes difficult to remain focused on why I started my newsletter project - especially because it is about food and recipes...and we all know there are plenty of sites out there that are free to access. Creating something different than all that stuff out there flooding the internet is not always easy to convey to readers...but, it is the kind of work I want to do and read. I definitely appreciate seeing the quote from Anne...it reminds me that no matter how much has already been written about my topic, no one can write it from my perspective and that keeps me going...keeps me writing...keeps me motivated.
Thanks, team Substack for putting these newsletters out there with golden nuggets of information and motivation that help little ones like me to remain focused.
I agree Jack! It's about us—you and me—not so much the topic. I read Substacks on all kinds of topics I don't really care about because I find the writer interesting or funny. I think we just need to relax and be ourselves when we write, and the rest will take care of itself.
Great story and really inspiring.
I’ve been writing for the last two months and being consistent with a Thursday morning release. Seeing your growth trajectory gives me hope that eventually I will see my readers grow.
Just got to keep going I guess!
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Martin! Best wishes for your newsletter!
Can I ask about your growth chart.
I’m interested in the flatlining part before it took off. During this time, did you post about it at all on social media? Or were you reliant on organic and word of mouth?
Thanks
Martin, during the flatlining period, I was very inconsistent in my posts, and sort of on the fence on how committed I was to the whole endeavor. I had not yet committed to a weekly publishing schedule. I was posting here and there on social media, but only when I felt like it.
Now I publish every Monday at 11 am no matter what, and I post on social media (FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit etc) every Wednesday morning no matter what. It's just so much easier when I don't have to think about it.
Congrats Anne! What great stats!
Thank you Paul! The insights I got from your newsletter definitely played a role!
Thank you!
so what is it about NYC that charms you the most? if you had to pick only one thing :)
PS: well done on your success - I feel that this newsletter is very much loved and inspires many people out there!
Thank you Kaia! I think what charms me about NYC the most is the people—how direct they are, and straightforward. You never have to wonder what they are thinking. And they often display everything about their personality on the outside as well, so they are fun to look at, too.
It’s always about the people, isn’t it?
Thanks Anne!
Thanks for all of this fabulous advice!
Really enjoyed this article and that I've been introduced to your work!
Interested to learn how you selected Mondays as publishing day (and how you narrowed it down to 1 post a week).
Hi Andrew!
Thanks for your questions. I picked Monday because I like to finish the issue by Friday at 5 pm and then let it sit for two days over the weekend. I DO NOT WORK ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
Then, when I start work at 9 am on Monday morning, I have two hours to re-read and edit, with *fresh* eyes.
That is the only reason I picked Monday morning. I imagine that in terms of competing for a reader's attention, it is possibly the worst time slot imaginable. The point is, it works for me.
I went with weekly because that is how I'd prefer other newsletter writers to schedule their publications. I find that more than once a week feels like a burden—I can't keep up. And less than that I don't have a sense of a weekly publication that is sort of recurring theme in my life.
Thank you so much for your response. Intuitively that makes sense to me! (I'm asking because I do three posts a week and am starting to feel that it may well be a burden - people can't keep up... just like I can't keep up with all the great writing and writers I'm subscribed to). I'm leaning toward the less-is-more approach and think I should test it out... and your experience is instructive and helpful!
Curious to hear how it goes!
So inspirational! Thanks for sharing. So many useful reminders.
Hi Freya. What a great name for your newsletter! Checking it out now!
Thanks!
Great advice!! Glad I read this. I started my Substack about six weeks ago. I chose a similar route as far as offering my writing for free but asking those who feel compelled to pay to do so. I have about 110 subscribers, six paying so far. It started out with fifty friends but I’ve been gaining new subscribers over the past few weeks. I post every 3-4 days. I have done one guest post. I agree that the Substack community is fantastic. The gatekeeping ‘out there’ has just become so constricting and limited that I felt like this was the last logical solution. I wanted to write honestly and openly and freely and it just doesn’t seem feasible to do that in traditional publishing anymore. There are too many rules and restrictions on free expression at this point. I’m glad SS is growing. I really think it’s the future. Anne: Your story is inspiring. I subscribed to Cafe Anne :) I am currently posting my ‘fictional memoir’ about living in NYC during Covid (a rough part of East Harlem).
Michael Mohr
Sincere American Writing
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Oh that's very cool Michael. I love ANY writing, fiction or non, that takes place in NYC. Looking forward to checking out your work!
Thank you Anne! I’d be honored :)
I sort of "moved" here from Facebook. Realizing that writing what I want to write in social media is simply a way to lose friends and make enemies. I don't know what I expect. I have a lot of trepidation at this point. What I want to write about is something that sends up a lot of flags; depression, suicide. My writing is about labels; how the labels applied to people by the outside world sometimes come to define that person in ways they cannot escape. A person cannot get out from underneath a label applied by the outside, even when who they are in reality is not what the label describes.
I'm moving here because my head is filled with thoughts that need a place to be; sort of like the Zen riddle of the tree that falls in the forest where there are no ears to hear it: does it make a sound? I need to convince myself I'm making a sound without inviting madness into my world. Politics and religion being what they have become, I lay awake sometimes wondering if expressing myself, even with the most benign and non threatening terms, just to be candid and lend insight to things many people may not want to know, but would help them understand people; a person. However, I have found that although everyone expects honesty in their interactions, that most people are not comfortable with honesty about what is in a person's head. Being candid in public may not be a good idea in the final analysis. So I'm sort of in a holding pattern.
It's hard to talk about a problem, in order to give society insight or perspective into that problem. It is hard to be a canary in a mine, so to speak, to tell the outside world what is inside; to give them insight into who people are, without inviting them to think they ought to act on something that is not what they assume it to be.
Hi AFN. So far I've found that Substack readers—more than the folks you find elsewhere—read to learn and understand rather than criticize or react. I hope you have the same experience and find yourself a nice home here!
People in contemporary times--at least in public--are terrified of honesty, critical thinking, Truth. You are correct. Push past it and do your thing!
Just joined the Cafe and there are so many good things about each newsletter. I was bursting at the seams on the last one. Consistency and quality wins every time it seems so I’m taking that back. Also, involve the audience! I prompted my audience for feedback on my most recent newsletter. Let’s see what happens.
I look forward to her adventures ahead. Great job Anne!
Thank you Chevanne!
I've written for a few mainstream publications over the years but I've never had this level of interaction with readers before. I don't think anything beats Substack for building community. Folks are not just responsive, they're almost uniformly thoughtful and good-hearted. So different from what you get in other comment forums!
Exactly! It’s like the anti-Facebook!
Thank You, Anne, for this refreshing and hearty welcome to Substack. You have given me a valuable start for exploring this platform to see if I have a place in it. I hope so.
I saw you just signed up two days ago! Fantastic! Best wishes for having a lot of fun Sherry!
I saw the Cafe Anne site recommended a few times on the last substack post and went over and checked it out. I was leery to subscribe because I spend more time now reading other peoples stacks than writing my own LOL but this time I’m sold!
Haha I hear you Jean! There really ARE way too many great Substacks to realistically keep up with. I struggle with this a LOT. Thanks for making time for CAFÉ ANNE.
I guess we all need to remember how little time people have, and how many options. If even just a small number of people are reading our newsletters, that's a HUGE compliment!
What a great and helpful piece, especially to someone like me who’s just starting out. I’m glad to hear about the professional persistence aspect. I think there’s a ton of trust you build with an audience and letting them down by not providing consistency of publishing/quality is going to destroy any amount of growth. Good on you Anne for writing such meaningful material and showing the way for us independents!
Thank you Tobias! Part of what influenced me is my experience as a big podcast listener. I realized how much I treasured the podcasts that dropped at the same time every week and had a consistent format. It made me feel like it wasn't just a couple of yahoos goofing around—that I could trust the folks behind the production.
Also, life is so unpredictable and full of unknowns for everyone. When its possible, its nice to provide a little consistency for people, even in small ways.
Hands down my favorite newsletter on Substack!
Congrats Anne! Well deserved.
Wow thank you Sophia! The Q&A we did on your newsletter a ways back was so much fun! It's great to know I have a Substack pal in SWEDEN!
I Liked the interview very much. Thank you
Well done and congrats on your success.
This has inspired me. I just subscribed to the newsletter. Thank you very much for sharing this.
Thank you Patrick! I hope you enjoy it!
Me2.
Not a big fan of puns, but a can’t resist a good double entendre.
Reading your interview and words is a gust of fresh air (Thanks, Terry Gross, but that phrase is a bit stale at this point.)
My take on “all things particular “,
(Have l really stooped so low?), is at once cosmic and minuscule. The narrative is my matier and Substack as taken my work from the drawer into cyberspace.
Greetings, dear space cadet! It is entirely my privilege to make your acquaintance. Bon vivant, even as we pun our way through the dismal withe only a Blakean Flashlight to guide the way. I’ll take two!
The Blakean Flashlight! I love it!!
I Love you 😙😙
🐯🐯🐯
This is great! I just launched my newsletter and your words are a huge inspiration. Wild to see how many readers you have in just one year. 🤍
Thank you! The truth is, it's done better than I ever expected and was also a lot more fun!
It's super impressive - be proud. Just subscribed, excited to see where you take it.
Thanks for sharing Anne.
Really liked this part:
https://on.substack.com/i/77855809/what-advice-have-you-received-about-growing-your-publication-that-didnt-prove-to-be-helpful
It's actionable.
We'll implement only adding one subscriber button at the end.
Instead of annoying our readers with popups etc.
Thank you!
- SB
https://spontaneousbackpackers.substack.com
Such a helpful article. Straight up, useful advice. Thanks so much!
Great stuff there Anne
I'm hoping also. Sort of shell-shocked and wounded right now; as someone I'm close to has gone down the rabbit hole on current events.
Having held 20 years of things I want to say in check, the real conundrum is what to unload first.
Thanks for the encouragement.
I discovered substack recently and do write what I want to read - but I feel not many want to read what I want to read. LoL.
Honestly, I need to follow the tips given by you Anne - consistently is the key I guess.
Thanks for these honest tips.
Hi Romana,
The great thing about this, as you know, is that we don't need to appeal to a large percentage of potential readers. If my idiosyncratic tastes and creations only to appeal to 30,000-40,000 of the hundreds of millions of potential readers out there, that'd be a VERY successful Substack. And if just 5% of those readers go paid (which is roughly my current conversion rate) that's enough to earn a living. So I'm just going to trust and be patient. Best wishes!
These are really great ideas. And I'm reading this a year and a half later. Thank you. I'm sure you have only gotten better at your craft.
Anne! 👏👏👏
Thank you for sharing that. I just wrote my first post on Substack. So far I've only shared the link with a few people, mostly because I've been feeling insecure about whether anyone will want to read what I want to write about. This felt so affirming that writing what I'm interested in will be of interest to the right readers!
Anne, I created my Substack profile last year (October '22) and decided to just now go through my inbox. Talk about, procrastination? My punctuality proceeds me! Hence, the reason for this dated reply on such a dated, yet utterly informative piece. It really caught my eye, as I've recently been afforded the dreamlike opportunity to focus intently on a full-time writing career! Yabba-dabba-doooo! Right? It's beyond a blessing to bob and weave between a potential crowd-funded "whodunit" comic-book series and an original spec script pitch for the popular freelance comic, Heavy Metal. Both models of publication have their differences; however, a major parallel is that they are geared toward rooting for the underdogs, allowing talent to thrive and possibly even break into an extremely competitive and cutthroat industry. Personally, I have overcome more tragedy in the last six years than any modern civilized person should be forced to bear, and I would never waste your time with my life's unfortunate ills, as everyone has a story. I just want it to be known what a burdensome weight will be released and set eternally free once I am even moderately successful in any one of many current and future writing endeavors. Additionally, I have initiated the development of a free daily newsletter focused on elevating the craft of telling TRUTH as a writer. I yearn to pay my respects, channeling luminous vibrations throughout a series of free subscriptions to aid in the enlightenment of writers and storytellers alike. Everyday, creators in our likeness will undoubtedly hike those same trail-blazed paths we once hiked, to obtain invaluable wisdom. That same wisdom you selflessly took the time to share in this "Grow" article. THANK YOU!!! From the bottom of my heart, sincerely :) -- S.F.
I LOVE Cafe Anne! It's bizarre, delightful, and always cheers me up. It's like a warm hug. Not to mention the liberal use of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
helo from ethiopia
Great sharings there @Anne! Glad you got covered and congratulations on your growth around here. Besides being consistent and putting noteworthy content, what would be your advice on growing a newsletter and ensuring people actually subscribe!?
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We want this publication to support thoughtful discussion around writers’ work. It is not a place for irrelevant rants or off-topic digressions. Learn more in our Community Guidelines: https://on.substack.com/p/community-guidelines