"Good Book/Good Bread": An Irresistible Newsletter Recipe
How Hannah Griffin bakes up a delicious Substack
Hello Bleeders!
I’m excited to share that I finally found a good home for my essay Sleeping With the “Enemy”? Maybe a Politically Mixed Marriage Is a Good Thing—a personal favorite in these divided times. I’m going to share the full story in a future edition, but for now, I’ll just say that it took 28 pitches before landing at PS (formerly PopSugar). I was determined to place it before the election, and I’m so glad I kept at it.
I also wanted to share a couple updates on my essay, Me & Amy Pascal’s Pubes, published on
’s . First, it was featured in a roundup of fantastic essays on ’s —a thrill for me as a huge fan of Sari and her work. Second, I read the essay on my podcast, Private Parts Unknown, for a special birthday episode and I love how it turned out.In the latest installment of our newsletter series, we’re diving into a unique blend of literary and culinary with
, the mastermind behind , a Substack that pairs book reviews with bread recipes. As a book lover and carb-fiend, of course, I love this premise, but my favorite part is how Hannah finds delightful connections between the narratives she reads and the loaves she bakes.In this Q&A, Hannah shares her inspiration for starting the newsletter, her audience growth journey, her approach to monetization, and more. Whether you love books, bread, Substack strategy, or all three, there’s something here for you to savor!
What’s the basic premise and tagline of your newsletter?
HG: Good Book/Good Bread is a twice-monthly newsletter where I review and recommend an awesome book and then bake a bread that matches an aspect of the story.
When and why did you start your newsletter?
HG: I started my newsletter in January 2022 because I wasn’t feeling creatively fulfilled in my life and wanted to do something that combined my passion for reading and bread. I found it to be a fun and engaging way for me to share what I was enjoying reading and recipes that I liked.
Who’s your main audience?
HG: People who either love books and reading or bread. My audience tends to be in their thirties and older.
How is your newsletter differentiated from the other newsletters in your niche?
HG: My newsletter is a bit different because it covers both books and baking. I also connect the two and try to find a common theme. I also use a lot of imagery in my newsletter to showcase the bread I bake, which is not something you’d see so much in literary newsletters. I also don’t focus on one kind of literature: I have a wide range of reading interests, from graphic novels to nonfiction to historical fiction.
What’s your editorial strategy?
HG: I honestly don’t have much of an editorial strategy. I just review books I’ve loved and bake bread I want to bake. As I’ve gotten more subscribers, it’s tempting to cover books I think are popular or that will resonate, but that could take away from the authenticity of the newsletter. I just follow my interests.
How many subscribers do you have?
HG: About 1,500.
[Editor’s note: This series of interviews was conducted earlier this year. Good Book/Good Bread now has over 2.2K subscribers.]
Do you offer paid memberships?
HG: Yes, I offer a paid membership, but it’s more of a show of support, and I don’t have many paid subscribers.
Have you tried any other methods of monetization?
HG: No, but in the future, I plan to offer text ads within the body of the newsletter. Ideal advertisers would be publishers or producers of bakeware.
Tell us about your newsletter’s growth trajectory.
HG: I think word of mouth has been super effective. People forward the newsletter to their friends or tell people about it. I also find the recommendations feature on Substack has been really good for driving growth. There are a few writers I have done cross-content with, like doing a guest post, and that has been useful for accessing a different audience.
What’s been your most popular content, and your guess as to why?
HG: I did a post on Alison Bechdel’s book called The Secret to Superhuman Strength along with a seedy whole grain bread. That keeps getting a lot of traffic. It was kind of surprising to me because it is a graphic novel, which seemed a bit niche, but people liked reading the post.
How has your newsletter served your career as an author/writer?
HG: It has kept me committed to writing, even when I’m feeling uninspired. It doesn’t contribute any income, so it’s more of a fun, creative side project. I’m working on a book right now about my canoe trip along the full length of the Columbia River, and I see the newsletter as being a good place to promote the book once it is published.
What’s your #1 tip for writers who want to start a newsletter?
HG: Find something you will actually want to write about a few times a month. It should be fun, not a chore.
What’s your #1 tip for writers trying to grow their existing newsletter?
HG: Be patient! Building an audience requires time and consistency. Connect with other writers.
Shout-out another writer-newsletter that you admire and enjoy consuming.
HG: I like
, , and .Thank you, Hannah!
➡️ Subscribe to and follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahmollygriffin.
Sign up for Courtney’s upcoming workshop:
Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns
I'm excited to teach my most generative one-day workshop this weekend!
It's a classic goal of writers everywhere to see their byline in a big, splashy outlet. But it's hard to land that big break. In my upcoming two-hour seminar, I'll teach you how to slip in the side door—through the column. This has worked for me and it has worked for previous students.
On Saturday, October 12th, I'll get you started with this strategy, and you'll leave class with ten ideas, early drafts, and editor emails.
It's just $75 to sign up!
So… ROLL CALL! 🗣️
Smash that like button and give Hannah some love in the comments below.
Let’s connect on social media! I’m @courtneykocak on Twitter/X and Instagram. For more, check out my website courtneykocak.com.
 | A guest post by
|
Oh, this was a nice surprise. 🙏🏼