Your Friday Email - Stay Creative on Substack
Where would you start if you were starting again?
Morning everyone!
Welcome back to another Friday Email. You’re receiving this email as you signed up to my Slow Lived Growth on Substack section. You can unsubscribe from these in your settings if you’d rather not receive them.
I can’t believe how much there is to say about Substack!
I think my post last week on Video on Substack got some of you thinking and I was delighted it fired up my imagination too and I was able to share a beautiful shot of some woods and a river near us with my members at the weekend.
A friend asked me; “I think Substack will work for my project - it’s definitely for me, where do I start?” - I was in the super market with my two year old daughter negotiating the toy aisle with her at the time.
It was very much an art imitating life moment because in all honesty where DO we start? A blank space is SUCH a gift…
Substack has become such an incredibly spacious platform for us creatives.
There are places to chat, words to inspire, podcasts, video, notes to connect with…
So what would you say if you were giving advice to a friend?
Where did you start and where would you start now you’ve been here a while?
How would you re-curate your space, what would you do differently?
Let me know in the comments.
My advice was to download the app and subscribe to a couple of writers who inspire her to get a feel for the space. My next step advice was to either take my masterclass or to watch my video over on my YouTube channel on how to make a post!
I also gave the advice to NOT subscribe to anyone too similar or anyone that could trigger comparison and I give this advice to all my clients - we don’t owe anyone a subscribe.
Our online spaces need to be akin to our real life spaces - I always imagine my Substack like a beautiful walled garden where I’m relaxing and people come and tell me wonderful things about life and creativity and all that’s in between. It’s safe and it’s beautiful and I don’t have to work hard to keep it that way.
Incase it’s interesting? My way with all of this is to be really mindful about my subscriptions online.
Here’s how it all looks;
Linked In - anyone I’ve worked with or might work with - no limit on sign ups.
Instagram - I follow up to 750 accounts - gardening, permaculture, slow living, interiors, friends, mum life, colleagues (although I’m trying to connect with them on Linked in instead)
Substack - similar to above but lots of creatives and recipe publications and Substack writes/ reads etc. I don’t subscribe to people who offer similar services to me. I only read in the app or on desktop.
Twitter - pulls through from linked in, I don’t follow new people over there - I would delete my account but I use the stats in funding apps.
Email - I don’t get emails from anyone or any brands - I just use email for work.
If we want to stay as creative as we can we have to be so careful about what we’re consuming. A quick trip into the echo chamber is as inviting as it is pointless.
“Create before you consume… "always
Last Week…
I asked you where you were sharing your Substack…
The results were fascinating and we had some more chat about it all in notes….
On Substack this Week…
I really enjoyed these two posts on Substack (about Substack) this week from
and …
Annnnd…. look what happened to my publication… 🥳
I hit 1000 subscribers…
Other links/ spaces you might like as you grow your Substack
My Youtube Playlist - Slow Lived Growth on Substack - I published my 8th video this week it’s about headers and footers.
My ‘Raise your Profile’ on Substack GROUP on Linked In
My Slow Lived Growth / Stay Creative on Substack section right here on Substack. There are over 20 articles now.
Mailing List Magic Masterclass and Workshop - ways to grow on Substack WITHIN the Substack network - it’s discounted for you through this link.
I’ve got a wait list open to explore Substack membership and paid walled options and retention coming this September. It’s new territory for us all so let’s get curious about what it can all mean.
How’s your week on Substack been? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Claire x
Wow, that's brilliant, Claire! SUCH a great milestone - congratulations! 🥳
I always look forward to your Friday e-mails - thank you so much for your Substack insights!
And... since you asked... I've had a terrific week on Substack! ♥️ I've just passed a milestone of my own, and although I haven't yet posted a 'Note' in my own right, I DID dip a toe into those waters in the comments of both of the Substack Office Hours Notes threads last night. In terms of my online confidence, that's a pretty big deal for me! 🫣
1000 Subscribers 🥳🥳🥳
That's an amazing achievement Claire, congrats!
I love your advice today about creating before you consume. I find this so important.
I would love to hear your thoughts on Threads and where you think that fits in as part of a social media strategy. I downloaded it last night, you know, to be nosey and I can't make up my mind about it just yet!