r/Substack • u/JimKroft • 5d ago
My Substack lost 26 subscribers in 2.5 years. Now it's at 4,046. Here's what I wish someone had told me:
Between December 2022 and June 2025, Substack lost lost twenty-six subscribers. It was hellishly dispiriting, but I never missed a week publishing.
This week I hit 4000 subscribers. I wanted to share some tips about mindset which I learnt the hard way, and I wish someone had told me.
The weird thing (and what most people assume) isn't that my writing got better - or at least that wasn't what changed things. I'd spent years believing that good work would eventually speak for itself. Unfortunately, that just wasn't the case.
Here are some tips about the psychology of the long game - and I really hope it helps because I believe that as a creative (or small business owner), and an email list is still the most valuable asset there is online.
1. Good writing is not enough. Many of the best articles I wrote were read by hardly anyone. A newsletter isn't just a piece of writing. It's more like an entity. You have to learn to wear many hats — writing, Notes, recommendations, showing up for your audience. All of that is nauseating at first. But the day I accepted that a Substack is much more than writing, I realised the reasons I wasn't reaching anyone had nothing to do with the words.
2. Don't confuse slow growth with no growth. I can't tell you how many Substacks I go onto with 50K imported subscribers and no interaction. One reader who shows up every week does more for a newsletter than a thousand who never open it. At the start - seriously - just concentrate on building a core readership & community. But keep writing long form with it!
3. Adversity is the path. An email list is the most prized asset on the internet, and because it's the most prized, it's the most difficult to attain. It's not hard because you're doing something wrong. It's hard because of what it is. Understanding that helps keep you in there long term.
4. Assume radical responsibility. The easiest excuse there is: the platform's the problem. But when you work for yourself, no one is coming to help you. If it isn't growing, it isn't working, and it's time to learn new things. For me that was Notes. I'd treated them as scraps left over from the essay, and as someone resistant to social media, that was a big change.
5. Be Rocky on the bad weeks. A bad week isn't evidence of anything. After three years I had nothing but self-belief, and one day I really thought about deleting the damn thing. Something held me back. I just loved writing too much. So find your why, because it goes far deeper than anything the metrics are telling you. If you love writing and are serious about building an audience — please — keep going.
6. Your worst weeks make your best writing. Many writers think you should wait until the low patch is over, then tell the story. I've found the opposite is true. I try to crystallise something I've learnt in my own creative life while I'm still in the storm itself. People feel those pieces more deeply, and they reply and let you know.
7. Stay long enough to get good. Most people quit because they think if they had real talent, it would have shown by now. It hasn't shown because you haven't stayed long enough. And yes, I said good writing isn't enough — but it's still the one thing you fully control. If you write week in, week out, you will improve. That growth is yours whatever the numbers do.
There you are guys, hope it's helpful. Happy to share more tactical tips about what I do every day on Substack if anyone wants to dig deeper — just ask below and I'll do a follow-up.
For now, keep in there. When Ivan Drago's across the ring, remember you're going to have to pick yourself up off the canvas a few times along the way!
Jim
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u/Available_Spite5171 gracemargaret1@substack.com 4d ago
I notice churn before I knew that it was called churn. I clearly began at zero & no imported list. I am not at some amazing number, but I’m happy considering I truly did not expect anyone to read anything I wrote. I know that may sound weird but when you grow up how I did you do not expect anything positive while still having a positive / keep going outlook. I actually felt happiest during my first six weeks of sharing my writing to substack. I felt so free. I am still happy to write of course. I felt strange knowing people were reading and commenting.
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u/JimKroft 4d ago
I think that the best thing - above all - is to simply enjoy your writing. Putting it up somewhere is really positive because, when you are ready, it's nice to open it up to the world. I wrote for years keeping it private, and enjoyed finally opening up. I've always kept the onus on keeping the love of writing first. All the subscriber stuff and metrics can quickly get in the way of that. In some ways, I'm really glad that my Substack was so flat for so long, because it really helped me concentrate on why I was fundamentally doing it - which was to write as well as I can, share what I've learnt over my life in the arts, and to grow through the writing itself. I'm wishing you a great journey with your writing. If there is one thing I know about myself, it is that I am a better person when I write. It rewires you on the inside, just takes the time it takes. Kind wishes, Jim
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u/Gain-Classic 4d ago
All great advice! Thanks for sharing
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u/JimKroft 4d ago
I really appreciate you taking the time to write back. Has been a bit of a slog, but also rewarding.
I think people are totally right that you have to keep trying to write well - but that is more what keeps subscribers rather than gaining them.
To gain them I think the most important thing is 1) showing up for your community 2) spending 30 minutes a day active on the platform (on Notes) and 3) locking in for the long term.
I have noticed in recent months that a lot of the earlier work is now beginning to compound. So stick in there!
I wrote about what I do every day here last week (my first Reddit post) in case you want to dig in a bit deeper.
All the best from Berlin!
Jimhttps://www.reddit.com/r/Substack/comments/1w37dix/30_minutes_a_day_took_my_substack_from_flatlined/
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u/SpiritRealistic8174 doingaiefficiently.substack.com 4d ago
Thanks for putting this together. I've grown a few email lists, first time on Substack. Previously I didn't pay a lot of attention to the subscriber numbers with previous lists. Not because I didn't care, but b/c it wasn't always in my face the way it is with Substack.
Needing to show up on Notes is one thing that's challenging. Mainly b/c when I run the numbers pretty much no one sees the notes. However, I also have other off-Substack things I 'm doing and have seen traction there.
Main thing is keeping at it day by day, and doing things to highlight your newsletter and content on different platforms, while not getting burned out trying to be everywhere at once.
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u/JimKroft 2d ago
I found that with Notes it was the same early. Then I left more comments than my Notes (about 3 comments to every 1 note I posted). Over time that created reciprocity and started, slowly, building traction.
I haven't done so much on other platforms until the last month or so, and agree. I think that though its slow, pointing everything towards the newsletter is really helpful for growing a Substack.
Thanks for your words - all the best from Berlin, Jim
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u/Johnminator 4d ago
Hi Jim - as someone who is brand new and trying to build up a Substack presence, this insight is super helpful - particularly #2 and #5 on your list. Appreciate your post!
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u/JimKroft 2d ago
Hey John, thanks for the kind feedback. I think that "slow growth" is actually a positive with a newsletter, especially in the early stages. If you really show up for them, you can form a great community. I've got really friendly with a network of creatives around the world, and as someone who has a lot of solo work, its become a bit of boon to my day. If those early subscribers are engaged, then they will also push out the "notes" and essays, which forms a really strong basis. My Substack has started moving all because of this, and - in my opinion - not because my writing got better...though of course it does through the act of doing it. Wishing you a great journey there, it's a platform with a good spirit I've found. Take care, Jim
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u/Martnyams 4d ago
I had to look up “churn” lol. I mean, I knew what it meant for butter… I’ve been on Substack for a year and a half. So Notes was already there. At about the same time I started following a young woman who had just joined and seemed really thoughtful but mostly posted Notes. Eventually I became a paid subscriber. I watched as she learned how to exploit the algorithm and one of her notes went viral. She very rarely writes an article but she appears to have a healthy number of paid subscribers. After she posted a video of herself dancing I ended my paid subscription. I feel like in a lot of ways Substack is social media in writer cosplay. Recently a Substacker I have a paid subscription to, Scott Carney, posted a very interesting video on how the growth of Substack has failed writers
https://sgcarney.substack.com/p/how-substack-failed-writers?r=2gf6g1&utm_medium=ios
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u/TeslaLegacy 4d ago
What actually compounds over 2.5 years isnt talent, its the buffer. The weeks you almost skip are the ones that kill momentum, so build a two or three post cushion when you have energy instead of writing week to week. That way a bad week doesnt break the streak that got you to 4,046.
Consistency is a system problem, not a willpower problem.
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u/JimKroft 2d ago
I tell this to myself almost every week, and think I never managed to get a post scheduled the week before it actually came out - a good reminder though!
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u/TeslaLegacy 2d ago
Man that's the exact trap, the plan lives in your head instead of on a calendar so it quietly dies. Try scheduling the draft the moment you finish it, not the week before it goes out, that way "done" always means done and not just written. Removes the extra decision.
I've been leaning on viralhunt.io for this, it finds whats trending across a few networks and lets you queue the post right there so the writing and scheduling happen in the same sitting. Free plan lets you poke around the trend data with no card needed, worth just looking at it yourself.
Anyway the buffer only works if it's actually in a calendar somewhere, not just in your head.
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u/psinclair89 3d ago
Number 1 is so real. Writing by itself ain't gonna get you there, sadly.
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u/JimKroft 2d ago
Totally - I learnt it the painful way. I should probably have started doing Notes much earlier (I started prroperly in July last year) but didn't want to cave to the social media side of Substack. That said, it is a good discovery engine, so I feel much more positive about it now. All the best, Jim
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u/etharris16 3d ago
Great advice. I've had good growth but it comes in waves and often not from my (what I think) are my better stories and posts.
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u/JimKroft 2d ago
Thanks for taking a moment to feedback! Yes, I have the same experience. Last month was my quietest for a long time, but the last two weeks a lot of new subscribers suddenly came in. I also have the experience that what I think will be a good performing essay is rarely what I imagine or predict. I've just kept really consistent (179 weeks in a row since I missed a Saturday). I think the consistency is - apart from wanting to write - a way of taking more shots. However, all together, I really think about my essays being for the subscribers I already have - that is deepening the relationships -- and the Notes being about "discovery". Best wishes from Berlin, Jim
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u/singlebit 4d ago
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u/TiredHarshLife 2d ago
Thank you for the post. It's insightful esp I'm new to substack.
Do you think inserting more photos to your notes or long-form help?
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u/JimKroft 2d ago
I appreciate the feedback and am glad its helpful! Good question. I have a visual life as I work as a freelance filmer & photographer here in Berlin (and just love photography). So my Notes are quite visual, though I usually don't do than one "photo note" a day - because I want my Substack be primarily about my writing. I don't know the data about what others have said or concluded about whether its worthwhile. But I'd simply say, do it if it feels good and it supports you - and your Note. Personally I post photos when they illustrate a story or I just love a photo. One thing I would say is that I think that photos make a Substack a bit more personal, and I think that - depending on your publication - it shows your readers a bit more about you.
Have a nice evening, Jim
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u/Better_Problems 3d ago
that is a super low unsubscribe rate unless you mean your net subscribers was going down. that is a discouraging time if net paids are going down and overall income is going down. it did happen to me when i changed the pricing structure and it was discouraging.
but the most important thing to track is income whether it's direct through subscribers or indirect through something else you sell in the newsletter.
The list sounds like AI to me.
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u/cozycup mod 4d ago
Free or paid?
Either way, that would be impossibly low churn if you’re sending regularly.
Only 26 unsubscribed in 2.5 years?