💬 Substack Notes Engagement Thread

We're going to need the extra sparkles!! ✨🧵

“You can’t build a fire without a spark.”

Bruce Springstein

Fancy an experiment?

We’re all in on helping you grow in a joyful way and we’re excited to try this out!

As you know it’s mindset month here at

Sparkle on Substack

. One of THE most beautiful things about being here is that it’s a breath of fresh air when it comes to connection and new sparks of conversation.

I’ve been running Substack Notes experiments and engagement threads for my members in chat for most of this year twice a week. Sure Notes can be a standalone thing but they can also provoke ideas for full articles, collaborations, friendships (and of course then there’s the more difficult side too…)

Right now, lots of you are finding it to be a ghost town over on Notes¹ and have stopped hanging out there all together. 😔

We want to support you so (

Mika

and I) are trying something new and fresh to help you feel less alone and more connected to your colleagues. More excited about discovering new kins, more aligned with the joyful growth possible with Substack Notes.

Artwork by Mika

IMPORTANT - please do not link to any notes that provoke controversy, mention harm of yourself or another, violence, politics or any other triggering topics.

Sparkle on Substack

is a space set up to be calm to nervous systems, to ensure positive interactions and kindle innate creativity so we can do our very best work.

✨

Here’s how to take part in 3 steps…

Step One

• Post a link (url) to a new Substack Note below in the comments below this post. Ideally a new one or one you’ve posted in the last 24 hours. Tell us in one or two words what it’s about. (e.g - connection, creativity, writing, a photo share)

Step Two

• Go explore the NEW notes categories (available on your app)² and scroll things that take your fancy for 10-20 minutes.

  Engage, comment, like, re-stack anything that piques your interest. Notice how you feel throughout this exercise. What is cropping up for you? Do you feel inspired, educated, in comparison? Do you want to subscribe? Pay for more? Note this down, tell us about it - let’s create a wonderful web of feedback right here in the comments. ³

New categories for scrolling, mingling, connecting.

Step Three

• Circle back here and find someone else’s comment then note to read, connect with. Make a genuine connection, just one is enough. Restack or comment or both it’s up to you.

  We’re not trying to go viral, we’re trying to better train our nervous systems to feel safe and engaged in showing up for joyful, sustainable growth. Pull up a chair, make a cuppa, chat, enjoy the experience here in a safe and welcoming space.

BONUS - Paid Members, as always I’ll choose 8 of you to feed back to help support your experience.

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A note on timelines - we have time, there is so much time - these types of posts can keep going for up to 3 days, sometimes longer so we will leave the comments open until Saturday then close them. The hope is that you find connection out there or in here - you are so welcome to be here and I know this will be a beautiful thing for the development of your experience here on Substack.

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If you are new to Substack Notes and what it can do to help you meet your colleagues and kindreds, there is more in this post and I loved this post from Mika too.

How to use 'Substack Notes'

Any questions, just ask. Thank you for helping us build a vibrant and nurturing community. We can’t wait to see what you share!

We hope you have fun!

Claire and Mika

✨

I use Notes everyday. When I have a break from Notes my average monthly subscriber and follower numbers plateau. I don’t use it to ‘get subscribers’ I use it to chat to the ones I have. New folks are a total bonus of course. 💫

1. There does seem to have been a shift in the algorithm this week and I’ve had some nice chats in Notes again with people finding my older notes and chiming in - phewf!

2. I think this is Apple only and not working on android yet so maybe try the regular explore page on your desktop.

3. How often would you feel comfortable doing this exercise? Can you work this into your weekly plan for Substack?