Steal Their Secrets: 22 Newsletters That Will Help You Succeed on Substack
Learn directly from the writers who’ve cracked the code. These newsletters are packed with insights on growth, monetization, and building a loyal audience.
👋 Hey, I’m Casandra. This is a ✨ free edition ✨ of my newsletter. I share research-backed ideas to help you start and grow a business, including on Substack. Subscribe for weekly ideas to help you grow faster, write better, and earn more on Substack.
When I hit publish on my first Substack post, I was terrified.
Would anyone read it? Would anyone care? Was I shouting into the void or quietly building something real?
It turns out that that mix of doubt and hope is familiar to just about every writer who starts on Substack. Even the most successful ones.
That’s the thing most people don’t realize at first: even the pros started out unsure. But along the way, they figured out what works through trial and error…and a lot of persistence. Lucky for the rest of us, many of them have documented that journey in their own newsletters.
If you’re serious about building a successful Substack, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Some of the best knowledge lives inside newsletters run by people who’ve already done it: growing real audiences, testing strategies, and sharing what works.
In this guide, I’ve rounded up the most useful Substacks for anyone looking to grow faster, write better, and actually make money on the platform. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to scale, these are the creators worth learning from.
22 Top Publications by Substack Experts
These writers aren’t just using Substack; they’re building businesses on it.
Each publication in this list offers firsthand insight into what it takes to grow and monetize a newsletter. From behind-the-scenes breakdowns to thoughtful interviews and strategic deep dives, these newsletters will help you write with more confidence and grow with more intention.
1. By
Why It’s Worth Reading: Russell offers a compelling mix of deep creative insight and hard-nosed business strategy. As a USA Today bestselling author and serial creative entrepreneur, he shares real-world lessons on topics like trust, direct sales, reader ecosystems, conference learnings, and balancing art with income support. His voice is generous, candid, and anchored in decades of publishing experience.
Recommended Read: The Publishing Industry Is Broken – Russell doesn’t hold back in this honest critique of traditional publishing. He breaks down how the current system fails most authors, offering little support, poor transparency, and even fewer opportunities for long-term growth. But this isn’t just a rant—it’s a roadmap. Russell lays out what’s actually working today, from creator-owned ecosystems to direct reader relationships. Essential reading for any writer thinking beyond gatekeepers.
2. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Wes Pearce provides actionable tips for creators to "escape the cubicle" using Substack. His newsletter covers crucial topics: writing viral Notes, LinkedIn for growth, monetizing with fewer subscribers, and sustainable Substack strategies. He focuses on efficient content visibility and income generation for a profitable online presence and fewer work hours.
Recommended Read: How I Make $100/Day on Substack by Writing to Fewer People (Not More) – A compelling and counter-intuitive strategy for monetizing a Substack newsletter effectively without solely focusing on massive subscriber numbers. It offers insights into how to generate significant income by focusing on value and engagement with a smaller, dedicated audience.
3. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: David believes writers deserve to be paid for their passion. His publication offers guidance on transforming writing into a viable income stream, focusing on content creation, audience engagement, and the business aspects necessary for a sustainable writing career.
Recommended Read: Write When You're Mad – This article advocates for using strong emotions as a "catalyst" for powerful writing. David suggests writing when angry, sad, or joyful to tap into authentic connection, but with a crucial caveat: "write when you're mad, edit when you're not." The piece also highlights that readers prioritize a message's impact and authenticity over technical perfection or minor errors.
4. How We Grow by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Ana Calin, a former executive turned entrepreneur, offers a proven roadmap for building a thriving online business. Her newsletter provides actionable insights on attracting high-value opportunities, monetizing audiences, and optimizing operations. Ana shares her journey of $1M+ in brand deals and 41,000+ subscribers, making it a Forbes-cited resource for freedom-based wealth.
Recommended Read: How I Became a Substack Bestseller in 3 Months (and What They Don’t Tell You About Growth) – The real story behind achieving Substack bestseller status in under three months, detailing the foundational work, consistent effort, and specific strategies (like leveraging Notes and building creator relationships) that led to significant growth.
5. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Lucy Werner, a PR and marketing expert, offers actionable, no-nonsense content on authentic self-promotion. Her newsletter provides real-world tactics for securing media opportunities and understanding press relations, helping you increase your public profile without feeling "cringey."
Recommended Read: What the Substack Growth Mafia don't tell you – An insider's perspective on Substack growth strategies, cutting through myths for a realistic understanding of audience expansion on the platform.
6. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Landon Poburan shares his expertise on how to grow a newsletter and generate income on Substack, even without paid subscribers. His content focuses on practical, real-world tactics for lead generation, crafting compelling headlines, and overcoming invisibility in the crowded online writing space. It offers tangible methods for building an audience and monetizing your writing, making it highly valuable for those seeking concrete growth strategies.
Recommended Read: How I Hit $10K/Month On Substack Without a Single Paid Subscriber – This article offers a unique and insightful strategy for generating significant income on Substack without relying on traditional paid subscriptions. It provides a compelling alternative approach to monetization that challenges conventional wisdom for newsletter creators.
7. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Veronica Llorca-Smith blends personal insights with actionable strategies for creators. Her newsletter covers growing paid communities, building digital products, and leveraging platforms like Substack, all while transparently sharing her own journey to make her suggestions highly valuable and relatable.
Recommended Read: How To Grow A Thriving Paid Community of 250+ – A detailed look into Veronica's strategies for building and sustaining a significant paid community, invaluable for creators aiming to deepen engagement and increase paid subscriptions.
8. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Burk, a linguist and prolific writer, offers a broad spectrum of content, primarily focused on empowering fellow writers and content creators with actionable advice, tools, and ideas for digital product creation. Beyond writing, the newsletter also delves into personal interests like minimalism and science, providing a well-rounded and engaging read.
Recommended Read: I Publish on Substack Every Day, I Only Send Emails Once a Week – Burk's strategy for leveraging Substack as a blog-first platform while maintaining a weekly email schedule. It details how to publish daily posts to benefit SEO and build a consistent body of work without overwhelming subscribers' inboxes, offering a practical approach to content management on Substack.
9. Newsletter Circle by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Newsletter Circle provides in-depth interviews with successful newsletter creators, revealing strategies for starting, growing, and monetizing paid subscriptions. It's a comprehensive guide, blending exclusive insights with best practices to professionalize and profit from your newsletter.
Recommended Read: Reset Button: What 21 Top Newsletter Creators Would Do If They Started from Zero – Candid insights from 21 successful newsletter operators (including 15 Substack bestsellers) on what they'd do differently if starting over, offering invaluable lessons on growth, monetization, and content strategies.
10. The Online Writing Club by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Kristina God offers actionable content for writers to expand their online presence and earnings. Her Substack covers a diverse range of topics, like optimizing Substack, selling on Amazon, leveraging LinkedIn, and navigating platforms like Fiverr. It provides tangible methods and motivation for building a sustainable writing business.
Recommended Read: The BEST Newsletter Platform To Earn Money | with Business Strategist Casandra Campbell – I sat down with Kristina to talk about Substack in 2025, why it presents such a big opportunity, and how writers can make the most of it to build a business on the platform. You can listen to the entire podcast or read the summary.
11. PubStack Success by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Karen shares comprehensive, actionable insights from her successful Substack journey. The newsletter offers clear tutorials on features, subscriber growth, and monetization strategies, helping creators at all levels enhance their Substack presence and income.
Recommended Read: Stagnant on Substack? Do These 6 Things – This article offers direct, actionable steps for creators whose Substack growth has stalled. Karen provides actionable advice on how to revitalize a publication, increase engagement, and attract new subscribers, making it an essential read for anyone looking to overcome common Substack challenges.
12. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Claire Venus offers actionable strategies for creatives to thrive on Substack. Her publication offers resources such as "Stay Creative" posts, podcasts, and free tools, as well as accountability co-working, community chats, tech support, and personalized support, all designed to foster sustainable and joyful growth.
Recommended Read: Money Mindset on Substack – This article delves into the crucial psychological aspects of monetizing your writing on Substack. It explores common beliefs and mental blocks surrounding money for creators, offering insights and encouragement to develop a healthy mindset for earning from your work on the platform.
13. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Katja Groesser offers tactical content for online writers, focusing on effective content strategies, genuine reader engagement, and consistent routines. She emphasizes building a sustainable writing practice for lasting impact, not chasing trends.
Recommended Read: Write Your First Substack Post Easily with A Template – A step-by-step guide and a customizable template to help new Substack writers streamline their content creation. It emphasizes how templates can boost creativity, ensure consistency, and improve efficiency by guiding the writer through outlining, drafting, editing, and final formatting, including SEO considerations.
14. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Substack Mastery offers a unique, community-focused approach to online publishing success. It provides educational content, editorial tips, and crucial cross-platform promotion (Medium, Substack, LinkedIn, social media) to help writers gain visibility. It's a valuable hub for learning best practices and leveraging collective support to grow your newsletter.
Recommended Read: Why Your Substack Isn’t Taking Off & How You Can Find Inspiration via Community Engagement – Transparent insights into common reasons Substack newsletters fail to gain traction. It emphasizes the critical role of an open mindset, strategic planning, consistent effort, and meaningful community engagement (including using Notes and collaborating with others) to achieve growth and sustainability on Substack, Medium, and other platforms.
15. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Kate Darracott offers clear, actionable insights to optimize your Substack for tangible results. Her newsletter provides suggestions for boosting engagement, implementing one-time payments, and effective book promotion for authors. It's a go-to resource for creators seeking hands-on tips to improve publication performance and financial viability.
Recommended Read: How to Get More ❤️'s on Substack – Easy-to-implement tips designed to boost engagement on your Substack posts. It's a valuable resource for understanding how to encourage more interaction from your readers and increase the visibility of your content within the Substack ecosystem.
16. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Sarah, a leading Substack Strategist, provides proven methods for meaningful platform growth. Her newsletter offers in-depth workshops and actionable tips on topics such as optimizing your "About" page, creating viral Notes, paywall strategies, serializing content, and maximizing Substack’s potential.
Recommended Read: A Substack Notes Reality Check: When 1 Note Brings in 20,000 Subscribers – A comprehensive guide about Substack Notes, the platform's social feature. Sarah provides actionable strategies for leveraging Notes to increase visibility, gain subscribers, and engage with the broader Substack community. She covers best practices, common mistakes, and how to use Notes effectively as a growth tool, offering an essential resource for anyone looking to maximize their reach on Substack.
17. Unplugged by Yana G.Y. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Yana G.Y. offers a results-driven approach to newsletter growth, blending product strategy with effective writing-to-sell techniques and smart AI use. Her content offers actionable insights for boosting conversions, retaining paid subscribers, and automating management tasks. With transparent case studies and earnings reports, it's a valuable resource for profitable newsletters.
Recommended Read: I Became a Substack Bestseller in Just 3 Months – Yana G.Y.'s personal journey and the specific strategies she employed to achieve bestseller status on Substack. It offers valuable insights into the steps and tactics that can lead to significant success and recognition on the platform.
18. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Kristi Keller, the creator of Unstackit, positions herself as an ally rather than a guru, focusing on the often-overlooked backend and organizational tasks of Substack. Her newsletter provides detailed tips on a range of topics, including managing settings, optimizing your publication's appearance, understanding subscriber behavior, and implementing effective growth strategies. She aims to remove the intimidation of Substack's technical details, allowing writers to streamline their workflow and build a successful presence without getting bogged down by administrative chores.
Recommended Read: If You're Not Using This Space On Substack, You're Wasting An Opportunity – A simple guide with clear instructions and valuable insights on designing effective banner images for your Substack emails. Kristi breaks down the best practices for visual appeal and technical specifications, helping writers enhance their newsletter's professional look and engagement.
19. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Claudia Faith shares her journey from past failures to successful solopreneur, proving it's never too late to earn from your writing. She offers guidance on improving writing, building community, and crucial strategies for monetizing content. With impressive growth, Claudia provides actionable steps for aspiring and emerging writers to achieve similar success.
Recommended Read: The Straightforward (But Profitable) Way I Make Money On Substack – Claudia's proven method for earning income on Substack, with a focus on how to structure compelling paid offers, create products readers genuinely want, and strategically tier your offerings. It also highlights common mistakes writers make and how to avoid them to ensure your monetization efforts are effective.
20. by , , and
Why It’s Worth Reading: This publication is run by a trio of experienced online entrepreneurs and writers who provide actionable, high-level strategies for turning creative work into consistent income. They offer a blend of insights on writing improvement, audience building, and smart business models for creators. With articles covering topics like productizing expertise, launching digital products, boosting writing productivity, and detailed Substack growth breakdowns, "Write, Build, Scale" delivers valuable, real-world, tested tactics for serious creators aiming for full-time income.
Recommended Read: We Built a Bestselling Substack Publication in Less Than 60 Days. Here's the Week-by-Week Breakdown. – An incredibly detailed, week-by-week account of how the team behind Write • Build • Scale achieved bestseller status on Substack in just two months. It's packed with transparent insights and actionable steps, making it an essential read for anyone serious about rapidly growing and monetizing their Substack publication.
21. by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Orel Zilberman, a developer and solopreneur who built successful publications, created The Writing Edge to solve common Substack growth challenges. He offers purpose-built tools (like WriteStack Notes for 5x growth) and battle-tested strategies for subscriber acquisition, efficient content creation, and standing out from the crowd. This publication shares concrete methods, not just theory, for building a profitable online writing business with less effort and more impact.
Recommended Read: I Added 4,091 Subscribers in 73 Days – And I Still Regret It – A candid and counter-intuitive look at rapid subscriber growth. Orel shares his experience of importing a large list and the subsequent "bloat" it caused, detailing why fast growth isn't always real growth and providing a "Soap Opera Sequence" strategy for genuinely onboarding and engaging new subscribers.
22. The Writing Long Game by
Why It’s Worth Reading: Tom Kuegler, an experienced online writer, offers a blend of writing advice, growth strategies, and a focus on the "mental game" of being a writer. His Substack delves into how to write better, grow an audience, monetize online content, and leverage AI tools and prompts specifically for Substack success. It's a valuable resource for writers looking to build a sustainable career online, with an emphasis on current trends and future-forward approaches.
Recommended Read: The Secret To Great Writing Is To Make People Feel Something – A bold, counter-intuitive take on writing and editing, advocating for emotion over perfection. Tom reveals a minimal editing process, arguing that readers connect with feeling and story more than with flawless grammar or technical accuracy. It encourages writers to embrace a raw, intuitive approach, letting go of the need for perfection to connect with readers on a deeper, emotional level.
Learn from Those Doing the Work
If there’s one thing all these Substack creators have in common, it’s that they show up. They experiment. They share what’s working (and what isn’t). And they prove that there’s no one “right way” to succeed on Substack—just the path that works for you.
Whether you’re still drafting your about page or managing thousands of subscribers, these newsletters offer the kind of suggestions you can actually use. Read them not just for advice, but for perspective, encouragement, and creative fuel.
The best part? You don’t have to do it alone. The Substack community is full of generous, transparent writers who are figuring it out in public. Now, you’ve got a front-row seat.
If you found this list helpful, consider subscribing to Really Good Business Ideas. I share real-time experiments, growth tips, and behind-the-scenes lessons from building on Substack—plus tools and templates to help you do the same.
To endless possibilities,
Casandra
Can you do me a favor and tap the ❤️ below? It’ll help me out a lot!
Thanks so much for the mention, honoured to be included among these greats! 🙏
Wow. So many fantastic stories to get inspiration from.
Appreciate the mention 🤗