Why Every Writer Needs a Newsletter
We're living in the Substack era—embrace it & thrive
Hey Bleeders!
Some writers struggle with platform-building, viewing it as a necessary evil. For me, though, it's basically an addiction. At the cornerstone of my platform are three podcasts with over two million downloads and a popular newsletter,
, which serves as a revenue generator, networking tool, and way for me to continue developing my podcasting expertise—all while growing my email list. (And now I’m investing heavily in this newsletter, as well, and already reaping the rewards.)I’m obsessed with podcasting, but let’s face it: podcasts are a lot of work. Newsletters, on the other hand? They’re a no-brainer, especially for writers. I think every single writer should have a newsletter.
“Why?” you may ask. Well, for starters, a newsletter is an impressive platform asset to brag about in your book proposals. A solid newsletter not only helps you stand out to agents and publishers but also becomes your not-so-secret weapon when it’s time to sell your books. With a warm, engaged email list full of readers who trust you and want to support you, you’ve already laid the groundwork for successful book launches.
Unlike podcasts, newsletters are less production-intensive but equally valuable. Whether or not you pursue traditional publishing, they give you creative freedom and a direct line to your audience for sharing your work and growing your business, making them indispensable for building a sustainable writing career.
We’re living in the newsletter era
It's 2025, so we're not just living in the age of Substack but the newsletter era in general. Whether you’re on Substack, ConvertKit, Beehiiv, or Ghost, newsletters offer writers an owned media channel. For many, newsletters help generate extra income. For some, they’re not just side hustles but main gigs—providing a living wage or even life-changing exits.
Consider these success stories:
While business and tech newsletters grab the splashiest headlines in terms of dollar signs, literary newsletters are also making waves. Writers like James Clear,
, and have leveraged their newsletters into book deals, bestsellers, and thriving communities.Real-life literary success stories
Exhibit A: James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. His newsletter didn’t just help him land on The New York Times bestseller list—it got him the book deal in the first place. Clear told Tim Ferriss: “The truth is they would’ve never let me in the room if I didn’t have an email list of hundreds of thousands of people. That’s the thing that got me in the door.”
Another example is a newsletter success story I got to witness in real-time. I was an early subscriber to
before Delia Cai did a stint at Vanity Fair and became the author of Central Places. Her literary glow-up happened fast, and her newsletter was what put her on the map for me and many others. By March 2020, Deez Links had around 2,700 subscribers—a respectable but not massive number—yet Cai was quickly gaining a loyal following and attracting attention from mainstream media. Almost five years later, Deez Links has grown to over 24K subscribers and is a Substack bestseller with hundreds of paid subscribers. After being laid off, Cai’s newsletter became the perfect hedge against today’s uncertain media landscape.And let’s not forget
, another Substack rock star from the literary community. I’m sure many of you are already subscribers, but her Substack, , boasts over 58K free subscribers and thousands of paid subscribers and has earned recognition from The Best American Essays, the Pushcart Prize, and Don Van Natta Jr.’s The Sunday Long Read, in addition to being named a Substack Featured Publication multiple times. Botton also runs , which has amassed an audience of over 32K strong.Why I chose to host my newsletter on Substack
There are lots of options for newsletter hosting, as I mentioned above. When I launched Podcast Bestie in November 2021, I went with Substack for several reasons:
Easy monetization: Substack allows creators to start earning from day one. They’ve also created a cultural norm that makes it easier for writers to charge for their writing.
Growth opportunities: Substack offers built-in features designed to help supercharge your audience growth. The most influential tool for me has been Recommendations, which has driven a whopping 3K (over 50 percent) of my subscribers.
Critical mass: Substack’s growing popularity reassured me it was a platform worth investing in and assuaged my fear of setting up shop on a dying platform (RIP Mailchimp).
Professional aesthetic: Substack’s simple, clean design meant I didn’t need advanced design skills to create a polished product.
Today, I have four newsletters, all hosted on Substack, for the reasons listed above.
Where creative and business upsides collide
A newsletter isn’t just a business tool; it’s a creative haven. I’m always striving for sexy bylines in big publications, which are wonderful, but those opportunities often come with gatekeepers, and it’s frustrating that you can’t control which pitches and submissions are accepted. A newsletter gives you the freedom to publish on your terms and explore topics that might otherwise get overlooked.
In fact, that was the inspiration for
, which was originally called The Unpublishable because mainstream publications wouldn’t cover many of her signature spicy takes that might upset their sponsors (though her burgeoning readership proves there’s an appetite for this type of content).It can be hard to find a full-time job or even freelance gigs as a beat reporter, especially if you have limited bylines to showcase your expertise, but you can take a page from
even if you aren’t yet established as a writer.For instance, I’ve been eager to write about climate change, but getting commissioned for those stories has been tough. I’ve considered launching a climate-focused Substack similar to
’s or ’s . This would allow me to build a portfolio of work to showcase my interest, strengthen my credibility, and contribute to the cultural conversation—without needing permission from anyone else.A great example of using your newsletter to help brand yourself as an author while also developing a body of work around a specific topic is
’s . Jamison was so effective with this strategy that her Substack success helped her land an agent.Sustainable content strategies FTW
As bullish as I am on Substack and as much as I believe authors should have newsletters, I fully recognize that time and energy are finite resources, so sustainability is key. To protect as much time as possible for my memoir projects, I’ve developed a philosophy for putting out an awesome newsletter without it taking over your life or draining your precious writing bandwidth.
Since starting
, I’ve grown my email list to 5.5K subscribers (with thousands more across my other publications), attracted 77K podcast downloads, and earned over $7K directly (plus much more indirectly through sponsored events and well-paid freelance assignments solicited because of my newsletter writing). It’s been a learning curve, but those lessons have shaped my approach—and I’m eager to share them with you. I've made lots of mistakes along the way, and I want to help you avoid them!Join my workshop
If you’re ready to start or improve your newsletter, join me for Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network & Business this Saturday, January 4th.
This workshop is based on my experience and extensive research on top newsletter creators. I’ve been doing this newsletter thing for a while, and still, I’ve learned so much from putting together and iterating on this workshop. In just three hours, for only $75, I’ll share a wealth of practical strategies for launching, growing, and monetizing your newsletter—minus the rookie mistakes.
Hope to see you there!
Courtney Kocak
The original version of this essay appeared on Chill Subs’ Substack in January 2024.
So… ROLL CALL! 🗣️
Do you have a newsletter? If so, drop a link in the comments below. I’d love to connect!
In ‘23, I started a newsletter about overcoming midlife trauma….only to get hit with the fresh hell of new trauma a few months ago, which tanked my productivity. I’ve been losing subscribers ever since. However, this is not my day job, so it’s all for “fun” and not a monetary loss. (But man I’d love to be independently writing for money versus doing what I do now, which is editing information about hearing aids…)
"I’m obsessed with podcasting, but let’s face it: podcasts are a lot of work. Newsletters, on the other hand? They’re a no-brainer, especially for writers. I think every single writer should have a newsletter."
100%.