Substack promises a simple, elegant dream, that appeals to every aspiring writer or blogger wishing to make money.
“Write what you love, build an audience, monetize your newsletter, and make money on your own terms.”
It sounds perfect.
But here’s the brutal truth.
99% of people who start on Substack never build a real audience or make meaningful income.
It’s not because they aren’t talented or passionate. It’s because they don’t grasp the real challenges of building a paying audience.
If you want to survive and thrive on Substack, you need to understand exactly why most fail, and what you have to do differently.
There Are Thousands of Substacks Competing for Attention and Money
Here’s a reality check: there are literally thousands of active newsletters on Substack.
Thousands of writers, many with professional-level content, established audiences, and well-crafted offers.
The average reader is not subscribing to all of them. In fact, the average reader is going to subscribe to 2 or maybe 3, at most.
Why?
Because newsletters cost money.
A subscription to multiple paid newsletters quickly adds up.
So if you’re just another “writer on Substack,” with no established brand or track record, why should a reader spend their money on you?
If you want readers to choose you, you need a clear, compelling reason why.
They Think Writing Alone Is Enough
You might be a fantastic writer, but writing isn’t your entire job anymore, it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
Most Substackers treat it like a simple blog in email form, where they write, hit send, and hope people find and subscribe.
But hope doesn’t grow audiences. You have to make your audience.
If you don’t actively promote your newsletter where your ideal reader hangs out, you’re invisible.
Your brilliant words are trapped.
Great writing with zero promotion equals zero growth.
They Choose Topics Too Vague or Too Broad
Too many newsletters say something like “A weekly look at creativity, culture, and life.”
That’s poetic, but it’s also a death sentence.
If your newsletter doesn’t solve a problem to a specific niche, entertain with a unique voice to a specific niche, or provide clear non generic value to a specific niche, you’re competing with every other generic thinker on the internet writing about ‘morning routines’.
Successful newsletters are laser-focused.
They solve a problem or serve a community that’s underserved or hungry for fresh insight.
Without that clear value prop, you will go nowhere.
They Lock Content Behind a Paywall Too Early
Substack makes it easy to charge for subscriptions, but easy really doesn’t mean smart.
If you lock your best content behind a paywall when you have only a few dozen or hundred subscribers, most people won’t bite.
They want to try your writing first, see the value, and build trust.
People won’t pay for potential, they pay for proven value.
Build a portfolio of free, high-quality content.
Let readers sample your style and insight.
Then, when they’re hooked, start locking that content to entice them.
They Don’t Stand Out Vocally
Scroll through Substack and you’ll see a sea of sameness.
Minimalist designs, boring headers, polite and safe tones, recycled ideas.
You can’t win by blending in.
Obviously the design options are limited on Substack, but you can still have a distinct voice.
If you’re forgettable, you’re not getting subscriptions, however hard you try.
They Don’t Know Their Reader
Generic newsletters speak to no one in particular.
If you can’t describe your ideal reader’s fears, desires, habits, and struggles, your writing will feel vague and disconnected.
Great newsletters feel personal.
You don’t write for “everyone interested in X.”
You should write for a specific person.
They Have No Plan and No Patience
Substack isn’t a sprint.
Many quit after a few months because they don’t see immediate results.
They publish sporadically, get discouraged by low open rates, and jump to another project.
But growth takes time.
You need a content calendar, distribution strategy, and clear goals.
They Treat Substack Like a Hobby Instead of a Business
If you want real income, you need to treat your newsletter like a business, not a personal diary.
That means building funnels, creating offers, pricing strategically, and thinking about lifetime customer value.
It means learning marketing, sales, and get a proper domain name on Substack, too.
Substack is a platform, not a business model.
The business model is your job.
Don’t Be Like The Other Writers On Substack
Substack is a powerful tool, but it’s just that. a tool.
99% of people fail because they treat it like magic, not work.
They ignore marketing, niche, trust, and strategy.
They forget: your audience’s attention and money are precious and limited.
They have to choose you over better-known, trusted writers, and that’s a high bar.
If you want to succeed, stop hoping for luck or platform favors. Start building real value, clear positioning, and smart promotion.
Write less.
Market more.
Serve one real audience.
Build trust before you monetize.
That’s how you get chosen within a sea of thousands.
So, how exactly are YOU going to stand out?
