Common Mistakes New Substack Authors Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Starting a Substack feels simple. Writing and publishing is easy.

What is not obvious are the quiet mistakes that slow growth, confuse readers, or cause people to stop showing up altogether.

Most of these mistakes are not about talent. They are about structure, clarity, and expectations.

Here are the most common ones I see new Substack authors make, and what to do instead.

Starting Without Clear Positioning

The most common mistake is launching without a clear answer to one question:

Who is this for?

If your newsletter tries to speak to everyone, it ends up connecting with no one.

What to do instead:

• Write a one-sentence description of your newsletter

• Define the problem you help with

• Name the type of reader you want to attract

Clarity is more important than creativity early on.

Writing an About Page That Says Nothing

Many About pages are vague, inspirational, or overly personal.

Readers want to know:

• What will I get by subscribing?

• How often will this arrive?

• Why should I trust this writer?

What to do instead:

• Lead with reader benefit

• Set expectations clearly

• End with a direct subscribe invitation

Your About page is one of your highest leverage assets.

Publishing Before Having Any Back Catalog

Publishing one post and promoting it is a missed opportunity.

When someone subscribes, they almost always click around.

If there is nothing else to read, momentum stops.

What to do instead:

• Publish at least three posts before promoting

• Include a welcome or origin story

• Add one practical or evergreen post

Give new readers a reason to stay.

Overcommitting to an Unrealistic Schedule

Many new writers promise daily or multiple weekly posts.

Burnout follows quickly.

What to do instead:

• Choose a pace you can sustain for months

• Weekly or biweekly is enough

• Consistency beats volume every time

Your schedule should support your life, not fight it.

Ignoring Substack Notes

Notes are one of the most underused growth tools on Substack.

Many new authors either ignore them or treat them like throwaway content.

What to do instead:

• Post short ideas, excerpts, or questions

• Comment thoughtfully on other Notes

• Use Notes as lightweight publishing

Notes create visibility without pressure.

Treating Promotion Like Spam

Dropping links everywhere without context rarely works.

It also trains you to feel uncomfortable sharing your work.

What to do instead:

• Share ideas, not just links

• Quote a line or insight from your post

• Invite conversation, not clicks

Promotion should feel like contribution.

Watching the Wrong Metrics

Subscriber count becomes an obsession early.

It is also misleading.

What to do instead:

• Watch open rates and replies

• Notice which posts get shared

• Pay attention to reader emails

Engagement matters more than raw numbers.

Writing for the Algorithm Instead of the Reader

Trying to reverse-engineer what will “do well” often backfires.

Readers can feel it.

What to do instead:

• Write clearly and honestly

• Solve real problems

• Speak to one person, not a crowd

Depth builds trust. Trust builds growth.

Not Asking for Feedback or Replies

Many posts end abruptly with no invitation to respond.

You miss valuable signals.

What to do instead:

• Ask a simple question at the end

• Invite replies or comments

• Treat early readers like collaborators

Conversation is the fastest way to improve.

Quitting Too Early

Most newsletters die quietly after a few weeks.

Not because they failed, but because they never had time to work.

What to do instead:

• Commit to 90 days minimum

• Publish even when growth feels slow

• Focus on improvement, not outcomes

Momentum shows up late.

A Simple Rule to Remember

If you focus on:

• Clarity over cleverness

• Consistency over intensity

• Readers over metrics

You will avoid most beginner mistakes by default.

If you want a practical way to avoid these issues from day one, download the Substack Starter Checklist, a one-page guide to setting up your publication properly.