The Business of Your Substack in 2024

"Do you have a plan? I don't even have a pla..."

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Your Five Year Substack Plan

Welcome to Sparkle on Substack where we talk about and explore joyful, sustainable growth on Substack. We do this with articles, chat, Notes, meet-ups, workshops and with community collaboration and support (lots of support). We get to know each other, we spend time answering queries and questions, we lean into goals and what’s possible and we celebrate each other when we get there. 🎉

If you’re new to Substack; go here.

I know, I know it’s a lot… it’s January, we are bleary eyed and slightly confused but hear me out.

The reason I set intentions and some gentle goals this month is that it acts as an anchor. An anchor for my wellbeing, for my focus. It supports me to climb out of the cheese and chocolate depths and connect to what the year might offer.

Last year, in January, I ran a public workshop inside which I worked out and stated;

“I would love Substack to be a big part of my year”.

I was curious and slightly shocked; back then Substack was a quiet place for writers; Notes didn’t exist. What happened next I couldn’t have made a goal for. I didn’t have the self belief at that point.

Substack was a HUGE part of my year in 2023 and by December, I was a Substack bestseller, had two commissions reflecting that and over 4000 of you to talk to with 200 of you paying to connect to my teaching. 🥰

It was organic, congruent and was fed wholly by co-creation. I worked within milestones in this space last year because here on Substack it feels pleasing to me to do that. Perhaps you have a ‘next milestone’ you’re working towards? How will it feel when you get there? For me the process and the lead up feels expansive and exciting, hitting the number feels like just a regular Sunday if I’m honest.

You can absolutely set measured, concrete goals this time of year but if that feels slightly terrifying, come meet us as we set our intention and start to put the feelers on our intention for 2024 and our 5 year plan for Substack.

Sparkle on Substack WORKSHOP - Goal setting and our 5 Year Substack Plan - Mon 15 January, 9.30-10.30am.

Here is your membership section. It’s a different type of space over there - it’s like an online course but delivered in real time with real responses to this ever changing platform If you’re new here there are 10 videos to catch up on if you’d like to.

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2024/ 2025/ 2026/ 2027/ 2028

Never before have we had a platform to use that does all the things Substack does for our creative career.

We can’t predict the future, but I’ve been here nearly two years and I can tell you ONLY good things have happened; for me and for others. ✨

I watched at least 10 of my peers become bestsellers in the same time period, I’ve just seen another couple hit the next level (over 1000 paid subs). I’ve watched people tear down their Substacks and build new ones that fit better, I’ve heard people’s reason’s for not going paid and enjoying the process.

I watched writers pivot and put everything behind a paywall and start to earn 6figures in subscriptions. I watched new friends and colleagues cheerlead each other’s work, I saw beautiful collaborations and folks leaning into curiosity. I’ve seen people become and step into being INCREDIBLE writers without a book deal or a published book.

I supported clients to ‘go paid’, to reach quiet milestones, to improve their craft and better understand the opportunities here.

It was BEAUTIFUL to be part of.

Here are my top 3 tips for emerging out our your cocoon into what this space on Substack could be for you in 2024 and beyond…

1. Have a look at this article I wrote on reflection and planning. Download the free reflection tool.

2. Grab a new notebook and your favourite pens; write out the months of the year in 2024 and anything you know about yourself and your Substack in that time. Perhaps you have a collaboration planned or you publish Sundays once a month; write it down; see it written out. Step back and see how it all fits in; what else have you got space for?

3. Look for the paradox; lean into the feelings of envy and possibility; someone started a podcast, got a book deal; you want to do that? Write the steps down to make it happen. Now you see them in black and white, do you still want it? When? Someone’s post went viral… what was it about their writing, the connection, the way they wrote. Do you want that? Why? Perhaps you need to write the first line of that piece and move into the space of understanding how it might feel to get there? Anything is possible on Substack!

£10.50 or two payments of £5.25 - instant download

Your Substack planner for 2024 is available here; I am so looking forward to supporting your journey on Substack this year. I will write one free post a month and there’ll be twenty podcast episodes, everything else will be behind a paywall - I’m super excited to get started!

Sending sparkles

Claire x

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PS; F.R.I.E.N.D.S - “Do you have a plan? I don’t even have a pla…”.

PPS - some beautiful and kind words about my teaching here…