150k Subscribers and The Joyful Substack Growth Round-up
14 Substack writers that will stop you in your tracks and teach you more about GROWTH, seizing the day and what's true for you!
“When people make generosity part of their daily routine, they refashion who they are.”
David Brooks
Hi all,
How’s your break going? Are we all ‘allowed’ to be back online now? 😉 ✍️
I thought I might share a joyful growth round up every couple of months. We’ll see how we go. There is some REALLY great reading for your Substack journey in here…
We are all come to Substack with different internet experiences, different exposure levels to what social media can/ should/ be. I’m so passionate about us re-writing what is true about ‘being online’ here because it’s possible but also because lots of us already are. There are mixed responses to ‘growth’ posts here; I personally love them!
I adore hearing from creatives making it work and celebrating their wins. If you enjoy that too then this post is for you.
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Introducing your (unfair?) advantage
I’ve been introduced to a concept recentally called your ‘unfair’ advantage. It’s not really unfair or anything like that it’s more around recognising your gifts and other people leaning in to learn from you.
For example, I really enjoy reading pieces from people who have bigger followings than me because they have learnt some incredible lessons in their craft and there is so much growth is that. I teach here about joyful growth and I’ve learnt that in real time. I started here April 2022 and have grown my subscribers to over 4500 since January 2023 consciously. That’s more (numerically) than I’ve ever had connect on instagram or anywhere else but to be fair, I never tried to make instagram my job.
Within that, there have been miscommunications, the odd troll and the realisation the more my work is read, the more I need to snuggle up to the craft of writing, communicating and being more savvy in the business of what I do. Everything I read on growth here polarises me. Everything!
That’s a good thing because my true north is not the same as yours or the person I’ve just read. Polarising thoughts can bring us closer to our why, our reason for writing, showing up, connecting. We don’t have to dismiss or cancel someone for their experiences; there are lessons if we’re ready for them.
Hands up; I also have an advantage2 in that I have dedicated my career to supporting artists, creatives, writers and makers (in person) so it feels ‘easeful’ for me to take up space here on Substack and do the same for you. It’s not really unfair as it’s been a conscious choice as your work will have been for you… Knowing it and walking the path in service is both advantageous and beautiful. ✨
Mid 2023, I made Substack my part time job, launched this space and replied to every single comment, reply, email. I also missed some and there were moments where I wondered how I could keep my self-made promise to support everyone who asked. When Russell Nohelty asked me to guest post for him, I struggled with imposter syndrome until I told the real story; then the piece resuscitated itself. 😅
It’s a privilege to be in conversation with readers and customers as we are learning the platform together; I simply couldn’t have done that if I had a bigger online “following” or at different point in my career and my ability to show up paved the way for more readers and members here.
Top Tip - you HAVE to help your readers to understand both Substack and your why for writing here. If you want your work to be read, you need to gently encourage them to put the distracting noise of other platforms down and be here more.
“My first mountain was an insanely lucky one. I achieved far more professional success than I ever expected to…
Our society has become a conspiracy against joy. It has put too much emphasis on the individuating part of our consciousness—individual reason—and too little emphasis on the bonding parts of our consciousness, the heart and soul; that’s the second mountain.”
David Brooks
Online stories and the ones we tell ourselves
Kat River and I are very passionate about making the internet work for us. We are showing up in the spaces in between full time motherhood in our business, on instagram AND here on Substack.
We met here and we took our conversation to instagram. Instagram is solely responsible for our friendship being able to blossom between the UK and Australia. It’s been a brilliant tool for us to connect on a deeper level and that’s why we chose to offer you a free training on how we use social media (instagram and Substack Notes) for connection and more importantly why;
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You know, I always remind myself it’s relatively new to be navigating online life and business. It’s all possible but we don’t have elders to call on. When I was at school, there was a local factory which my peers aspired to work in because the adults said;
“if you get in there, you’re set for life.”
Imagine building a foundation or walking through a factory door and knowing that? I never aspired to work there as I have always wanted to work in service of other’s creativity and so I made that true. Am I set for life? I’m not sure, maybe but I’m wholeheartedly fulfilled in my work and always have been.
14 writer recommends for your joyful growth
I’ve been self employed since 2008 and in 2023, I pivoted my business because the cultural sector couldn’t support my work in the way it once did. We all have our motivations for being here on Substack and they are all welcome.
If you are (like me) interested in other people’s experiences of joyful growth and lessons here on Substack and more generally… you’ll enjoy these shares. I selected these articles as I believe there to be a soulful and wise human behind each one. I’ve not met any of them IRL.
There are also back stories, ‘unfair advantages’ and support networks behind the scenes as there are with me and with you. We paint the picture we are ready to paint in that moment.
The words that make it to the page are result of years of experience we can never know. It’s a gift; lived experience of being online that is different to yours and mine. There are golden nuggets within and the writers spent time and crafted them just for you; how generous and beautiful of them! ✨
If you want to (and you’re reading in the app) you can hit ‘save’ to read and refer back to these articles again and again. Over one hundred thousand subscribers connected to 14 writers; probably way more; today wasn’t a day for maths. 🤓
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Thank-you Beth Kempton , Tess Guinery, Rachel Katz, Kat River, Sarah Fay, Laura Kennedy , Russell Nohelty , Sara Tasker - Me & Orla, Emma Gannon Tara McMullin , Elin Petronella, Jeannine Ouellette The Deeper Call Molly Ella What To Read If for writing your words. ✨
“There’s always something flowing out of the interiority of our spirit. For some people it’s mostly fear or insecurity. For the people we call joyful, it’s mostly gratitude, delight, and kindness.”
Thanks for being here.
I’d love to hear from you in the comments if you’re called to share how these words and thoughts connected for you as we look towards wrapping up our year. How are you being invited to share your work, your growth (in all it’s forms) and your journey because there is really only that isn’t there. The journey I mean. The real success is within the process of the joyful growth?!
Happy New Year to you and yours, I hope you have a wonderful time!
Claire
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PS - My next members WORKSHOP - Goal setting and our 5 Year Substack Plan is Mon 15 January, 9.30-10.30am GMT. I am so excited to hold space for your BIG dreams and quiet ambition. Hope you can join us. Until then, I made you a reflection tool so you can get right into the essence of the beauty you’ve already created here!
PPS - If you are brand new to Substack and like ‘woah Claire; this is all lovely but where do I start?’ go here.
Article quotes from ‘The Second Mountain’ by David Brooks. A book about generosity.
Blurb; What does it mean to look beyond yourself and find a moral cause? To forget about independence and discover dependence - to be utterly enmeshed in a web of warm relationships? What does it mean to value intimacy, devotion, responsibility and commitment above individual freedom?
BOOK - The Unfair Advantage - How you already have what it takes to succeed.
Thanks so much for including me! I feel honored 👏✨ haven’t read it all yet but just wanted to make a quick note on your “unfair advantage” which I personally don’t think is unfair at all.
You clearly state that you’ve dedicated yourself to this space which is nothing but an effort worth to be saluted and recognized NOT apologized for. This is where I find our culture confusing sometimes...
I’ll get back to reading now 🤓
This is an incredible list you've put together Claire! One thing I've noticed that each of these authors has in common is the ability to be authentic. Authenticity trumps relevancy every day. I'm inspired to continue to just be me. Thank you. Xo