Dozens of creators, coaches, experts, and writers are launching their publications every day, hoping to grow an audience and get paid for their work.
The platform has never been more popular, and the opportunity to reach your ideal audience has never been bigger.
But here’s the painful truth: most Substack creators are confused about how to actually leverage the platform for their advantage.
They stick to the basics.
They write posts.
They show up consistently.
And yet they make mistakes that block their growth, limit their income, and leave them wondering why Substack isn’t working for them.
I’ve seen this pattern over and over again.
At Write • Build • Scale, we’ve grown to over 1,000 paid subscribers in 18 months.
We’ve helped hundreds of writers build thriving publications. And we’ve learned — sometimes the hard way — what actually moves the needle on this platform.
In this post, I’ll show you three of the biggest mistakes even experienced Substackers make, and exactly how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Treating Substack Like a Blog
The first mistake way too many writers make is treating Substack like it’s just another blogging platform.
Here’s the problem: Substack isn’t just a publishing tool. It’s an ecosystem. And if you’re only using it to post long-form articles, you’re leaving most of its growth potential untapped.
Think about it this way: WordPress is a publishing platform. Medium is a publishing platform.
But right now, Substack is a growth channel that also happens to let you publish your long-form pieces.
The distinction matters.
Instead of viewing Substack as a place to host your writing, you need to look at it as a network that allows you to reach entirely new audiences — people who would never find you through Google or social media alone.
When we launched the Write • Build • Scale publication, we didn’t just rely on posts. We leaned heavily into Notes and recommendations, and actively partnered with other creators from day one.
That’s a huge number, and it never would have happened if we had treated Substack like a static blog and tried to do it all by ourselves.
Here’s what to do instead:
Update your recommendations regularly. Don’t just pick a few creators once and forget about it. Think of recommendations as a living system.
Pay attention to who’s recommending you. Reach out to them. Start building relationships. Some of our best growth has come from writers we connected with simply because we recommended each other’s work.
Rotate your recommendations every few months so your readers always see something new and fresh. This keeps the system active — and it signals to other creators that you’re engaged in the community.
If you make recommendations part of your regular growth strategy, you’ll be tapping into one of the most powerful discovery features on Substack.
Mistake #2: Expecting Paid Subscriptions to Sell Themselves
The second mistake I see all the time is writers who set up a paid tier on Substack and then just... wait.
They turn on paid subscriptions, maybe write a welcome post, and expect people to magically upgrade.
But here’s the truth: paid subscriptions don’t sell themselves.
I wish they did.
It would make everything easier.
But the reality is that most readers (even loyal ones) need a reason to upgrade right now. Without that urgency, they’ll keep reading for free indefinitely.
At Write • Build • Scale, the #1 driver of our paid growth has been running dedicated promotions.
We ran an entire campaign called “Substack September” — a month-long bootcamp that gave us a reason to talk about paid subscriptions every single week. We created urgency. We offered bonuses. We made clear why now was the time to upgrade.
The result? Over a hundred paid subscribers converted within just a few days of launching the promotion:
We regularly run dedicated promotional events, and every single time we do, we see a spike in conversions.
Here’s what to do instead:
Plan your own promotion. Pick a specific week that aligns with your schedule and your readers’ needs.
Create urgency with a special bonus or a limited-time offer. Maybe it’s a discount. Maybe it’s exclusive content. Maybe it’s access to a live call. Whatever it is, give people a reason to act today instead of “someday.”
Send multiple emails during that week. One announcement isn’t enough. People are busy. They miss things. You need to show up consistently during your promotion window.
When you run a campaign, you create focus. You give your readers a clear decision point. And that’s how you actually build momentum in your paid tier — not by waiting and hoping, but by actively selling.
Quick note: If showing up consistently on Substack Notes feels overwhelming, we created something to help. Our 365 Substack Notes Templates give you one proven template for every day of the year — each one designed to drive engagement, spark conversations, and bring new readers to your publication.
No more staring at a blank screen and wondering what to post. Just pick a template, adapt it to your niche, and publish.
The third mistake — and honestly the one that hurts the most — is ignoring retention.
Too many writers are obsessed with getting more paid subscribers, but they completely forget about keeping the ones they already have.
I get it. New subscribers feel exciting. Watching that number go up is addicting. But here’s the math that nobody talks about:
If you gain twenty paid subscribers in a month but lose fifteen, your net growth is only five.
That’s painfully slow. And it means you’re working three times as hard just to tread water.
The real money on Substack comes from retention.
Think about it: if a subscriber stays for just one month, you earn one month of income. But if they stay for a year? That’s twelve times the revenue — without you having to sell them again.
This is the compounding effect that separates publications that struggle from publications that thrive.
At Write • Build • Scale, we focus heavily on keeping our paid members happy.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
We deliver consistently. No disappearing acts. No months of silence. Our paid members know exactly what to expect and when to expect it.
We make our members feel like insiders. They’re not just paying for content — they’re part of something. We share behind-the-scenes updates, ask for their input, and celebrate their wins.
We regularly ask for feedback and actually act on it. If multiple members request something, we figure out how to deliver it. That responsiveness builds loyalty.
We give them more than just newsletters. Paid members get access to premium posts, private chats, and live calls where we connect directly. These touchpoints create relationships — and relationships create retention.
When you take a look at our About page, you’ll see that our paid tier feels more like a membership than a “paid newsletter.”
This is what keeps people engaged month after month. And this is what turns Substack from a side project into a business you can actually rely on.
Here’s what to do instead:
Look at your current paid subscribers and ask yourself: “What would make them stay for the next six months?”
Maybe it’s more consistent publishing.
Maybe it’s giving them access to you through Q&A calls.
Pick one thing and focus on improving it this month.
Remember: every extra month you keep a subscriber is compounding revenue that adds up over time. A subscriber who stays for two years is worth 24x more than one who churns after a month. That math should change how you think about your publication.
Let’s Recap
Mistake #1: Treating Substack like a blog instead of a platform.
Mistake #2: Expecting paid subscriptions to sell themselves.
The best way to drive upgrades is to run dedicated promotions. That’s how we achieved Bestseller status within 60 days, and it’s how we continue to grow today.
Mistake #3: Ignoring retention.
Getting new subscribers is exciting, but keeping your existing ones is what makes your income stable and scalable.
If you avoid these three mistakes, you’ll be miles ahead of most writers on Substack.
🤝 Want Help Building Your Substack?
If you’re serious about growing a thriving, profitable publication on Substack and want personalized guidance to get there faster, our 1-on-1 coaching program might be the perfect fit for you.
It’s how we work directly with you over 8 calls to help you:
Set up a professional, polished publication that aligns with your goals
Develop proven strategies to attract at least 100+ new subscribers per month
Craft compelling offers, build your paid tier, and generate recurring revenue
You’ll also get ongoing email support between calls, plus a bonus pack of 30 Done-For-You Substack Notes to kickstart your growth.
This isn’t for everyone — it’s for creators who are ready to invest in building a thriving publication with their ideal readers.
Super helpful. Something I’m learning to change/adjust is also posting too frequently. If a note really hits, it seems best to let it breathe for a day or so and keep circulating. If I post again too soon, that seems to interrupt the process and also take the wind out of it. Perhaps when people get to a certain level they can post multiple notes a day and have them all hit. I’m not there quite yet 😉
Super helpful. Something I’m learning to change/adjust is also posting too frequently. If a note really hits, it seems best to let it breathe for a day or so and keep circulating. If I post again too soon, that seems to interrupt the process and also take the wind out of it. Perhaps when people get to a certain level they can post multiple notes a day and have them all hit. I’m not there quite yet 😉
This is so valuable. Thanks for sharing!