This week’s digest was curated by Helen Lewis, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of The Bluestocking, a weekly roundup of links and mini-essays that goes out every Friday.
It's boring to see the same big names repeatedly here. I love this community, but we must work harder to promote the smaller publications. Those with large audiences or at the top of the "leaderboards" don't need more attention. They are already making money and gaining readers. Let's highlight some lesser-known publications and get them some attention to help their audiences grow. There is a great deal of fantastic talent on this platform. I know there was a call for submissions and there were so many great recommendations in that thread. Seeing the same big names repeatedly gets frustrating.
https://aprivatechef.substack.com/ - Will Cooper is simply a phenomenal chef and a brilliant writer. He has a unique story working for a ultra-high net worth family on their organic farm.
https://anarrativeoftheirown.substack.com/ - Kate Jones writes beautifully about women in literature and the arts. Her articles are meticulously researched and often highlight lesser known women writers.
https://johnhalbrooks.substack.com/ - John Halbrooks is an English professor who has tremendous talent. His recent series on Tolkien's Lord of the Rings was a masterclass on diving deep into literature.
https://billdavison.substack.com/ - one of the best nature writers I have encountered anywhere. His writing focuses on his love of birds and always includes his outstanding photography as well.
https://eleanoranstruther.substack.com/ - Eleanor Anstruther is a writer who has serialized several work here including a memoir. Her writing is heartfelt, genuine, and brilliant.
https://encouragementmanifesto.substack.com/ - Barrie is building a community based around encouraging others and living a vibrant life. His Encouragement Manifesto should be required reading.
https://jamalrobinson.substack.com/ - Jamal Robinson has one of the most unique approaches to writing you will find. He reads deeply the works of others and finds poetry to express the hidden meanings in their works.
https://kentpeterson.substack.com/ - Kent Peterson is simply the most brilliant writer on this platform. His typewritten pages are funny and philosophical. He is also the inventor of the Stacky stamp.
Honestly, this is just the tip of the iceburg. I could write for hours expounding on the amazing publications I see here every day.
Thanks for the feedback Matthew Long. I sometimes see this type of response posted here in the comments so wanted to reply as the main editor and curator of Reads.
I'm sorry that you feel this way about this week's edition, and previous editions. We have always worked extremely hard to ensure every week has a range of writing amplified—including always lesser known voices. The weekend Reads digest is an editorial series—which means reads are hand-picked by staff, readers, and guest editors, aimed at highlighting a range of new writing, podcasts and video each week, and showcasing what's new on Substack.
There may be occasions where we might want to highlight a new writer who has joined the platform—which can sometimes be a well-known name like Stephen Fry or Nick Hornby—as some readers might not be aware they are here, plus showcase what they are posting here. But these are usually one-offs: in fact, more than 80% of the featured reads each week are from writers with less than 500 subscribers. Sometimes we feature a new writer with less than 10 subscribers on their first or second post. If you want to learn more about how I scour Substack looking for great writing, I would encourage you to listen to this podcast with Mia Q (also on Substack!) where I talk about it in more depth: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-art-of-curation/id1585741706?i=1000623772257
Without sharing subscriber numbers on the posts (which would look very crass and sort of wrongly pitch writers against others based on these numbers rather than showcasing their actual work), it's not always easy to tell that so many in each digest are what you call "smaller publications" (though I don't think of them this way), as the writing (or podcast/video) is so good. I also wanted to check you aren't talking about the weekday Reads "Weekly Stack" which is roundup personally selected for you based on your reading (so not handpicked editorially).
We have recently opened up Reads to guest editors—which brings a whole new well of tastes, ideas, and discoveries to a wider readership. This diversity of editors has opened up Reads in a brilliant new way (I'm very keen to hear feedback!), and despite years of digging deep into Substack, I had never come across some of the writers and podcasters Helen selected above.
That all said—I (and the rest of the Substack team who work on editorial with me) are very very open to your feedback, and listen very keenly when we see comments like this posted here. We often run spot surveys every six months to our readers to make sure our emails are ones you always want to open. This has been a great way to understand the feedback of some folks who don't like to comment. I was bolstered by the responses to our December 2023 survey, where the top reason people loved Substack Reads was discovering new voices and the diversity of writers featured. I hope we can continue to help you and other readers discover what's out there on Substack. Please do keep sharing your feedback or concerns.
Hannah, thank you for the detailed reply. I sincerely appreciate it. I didn't expect my comment/Note to garner quite the response it did but it isn't a bad thing.
I want to say that I love Substack and I am so glad to be writing here. I left all other social media and I am retiring from the Navy next month. Substack is my online community AND it will also be my full-time work. So I am invested in seeing the platform succeed and I believe that the staff is very responsive and interested in working with writers. I am here for the long term and a part of my personal mission is to promote the excellent work of others. But my reach is still rather small.
I was talking about this curated version of Reads, not the "Weekly Stack" version. I do want this to be a valuable resource for readers/writers to discover new content. I am sure it is difficult with the number of publications out there to hand pick a few.
My frustration comes because it seems that across the platform there are multiple ways in which the well-known writers/publications already get attention. The Explore page and leaderboards in each category are inherently biased towards "popular" content. Neither are good methods of discovering the new and unknown writer.
I think that using guest editors is great. I don't have any complaints about that. I also want to say that my frustration is not with any of the writers mentioned. Some of the big names are people I am subscribed to so I am not complaining about their work. Everyone who was mentioned should be proud of that accomplishment. I also recognize that not everyone listed is a "big publication" or a well-known name.
My own inherent bias is always towards the underdog. While it is great to acknowledge the presence of the Stephen Fry's and Nick Hornby's of the world, they are already well-known and their publications are going to do great regardless. Within a day or two of being on the platform, Mr. Fry had thousands of subscribers, and rightly so. But word got around naturally without the need for internal promotion.
I believe that Substack has the potential to get away from the traditional elitism of the publishing industry and allow for the discovery of amazing content from previously unknown writers. My own ability to grow from zero to 1000+ subscribers in six months is testament to the platform's potential. Never in all my life would I have imagined 1000 people reading my work.
I agree that sharing subscriber numbers in the article isn't the right answer and that isn't really what I meant. When I said "smaller publications" I didn't have a specific metric in mind but probably something along the lines of less than 2,500 total subscribers and/or less than 100 paying subscribers. But numbers are only important from the perspective of visibility. I believe that if we give visibility to smaller publications, they will have the ability to grow faster once more people see the quality that is out there. Discoverability is the most challenging piece for many smaller publications.
I try hard to do my part by restacking, sharing, and in my monthly wrap-up articles I always list a bunch of folks I want to draw attention to. But I think it would be great if Substack also had a means to do the same.
Thanks so much Hannah for responding and taking the time to listen. It is appreciated. I am passionate about this topic and am excited about the possibilities Substack holds for all of us.
Thanks Matthew, I hear you on all points, and we fully take this on board. What you describe is something we do agree on and believe in fully—I hope you will see on a closer read just how many writers featured here fit that bill, and more. I can't call them out by name, but they have been many and plentiful by design, they amazing work, and have smaller lists of dedicated readers which we champion and value. We (and I!) hope to continue to unearth such great writers and creators on Substack in this space and other editorial surfaces, and will continue to work hard to do so. Thanks again for the reply.
Milli - you should be thrilled, absolutely. No personal offense was meant for you or any of the others mentioned. My frustration is with the process in which these articles frequently mention a lot of the same big names repeatedly. I love seeing lesser-known or smaller publications highlighted. I have always rooted for the underdog. It just feels to me that Substack has so many ways they highlight the top publications (checkmarks, leaderboards, an explore algorithm that highlights "popular" posts, and then some of the same names showing up in Substack Reads each week) and they do little to intentionally showcase smaller publications that are of really high quality. I guess I wish that instead of catering to the same top earners all the time, there would be some love for the little guy. Apologies if it seemed like a personal thing. It is more of an institutional frustration.
No one on substack cares to read what someone from the Altantic thinks is important. I could read the Altantic and the readers of the Altantic aren’t here on Substack seeking out the truth.
I'm telling you. Sports Square is one of the best sports publications there is. They have some of the best writers, frequent specials, have a sense of community, and best of all they talk about the latest happenings. Please put it on Substack Reads. https://sportssquare.substack.com/
This is me: "Substack has introduced me to many writers who are happier tending their own little patches—writing about their niches with precision, wit, and love—than competing in the hot-take circus."
Stop by Calmgut.Substack.com for delicious commentary for GI issues! The veg photos are spectacular. The content is comforting, calming, centered. Bellissimo recipes!
Hi Helen, This will be the 18th consecutive year I have held a picnic at Orwell's grave in Sutton Courteney in Oxfordshire. It's called the 1984 symposium. It's a very casual affair that attracts an eclectic bunch of people. You are more than welcome to join us. More info here. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/george-orwells-grave)
Israeli genocidal expertise makes the Nazis appear angelic! Israel & Biden avid disciples of Goebbels. Lord Cameron lapdog of the Israeli War Cabinet, Starmer alias Judas Iscariot. Grant Shapps low life scum determined to mix with a Ukrainian mass murderer
We've removed your comment. We want this publication to support thoughtful discussion around writers’ work. It is not a place for irrelevant rants or off-topic digressions. That includes spam and repetitive self-promotion. You can learn more about how we approach decisions for this publication here: https://on.substack.com/p/community-guidelines
Whilst I accept that my comments may not always be relevant, in this particular case I am using the novel by George Orwell regarding 1984 as a focal point so I would disagree with your remark
It's boring to see the same big names repeatedly here. I love this community, but we must work harder to promote the smaller publications. Those with large audiences or at the top of the "leaderboards" don't need more attention. They are already making money and gaining readers. Let's highlight some lesser-known publications and get them some attention to help their audiences grow. There is a great deal of fantastic talent on this platform. I know there was a call for submissions and there were so many great recommendations in that thread. Seeing the same big names repeatedly gets frustrating.
Curious to know: who would you love to see here?
https://aprivatechef.substack.com/ - Will Cooper is simply a phenomenal chef and a brilliant writer. He has a unique story working for a ultra-high net worth family on their organic farm.
https://anarrativeoftheirown.substack.com/ - Kate Jones writes beautifully about women in literature and the arts. Her articles are meticulously researched and often highlight lesser known women writers.
https://johnhalbrooks.substack.com/ - John Halbrooks is an English professor who has tremendous talent. His recent series on Tolkien's Lord of the Rings was a masterclass on diving deep into literature.
https://billdavison.substack.com/ - one of the best nature writers I have encountered anywhere. His writing focuses on his love of birds and always includes his outstanding photography as well.
https://eleanoranstruther.substack.com/ - Eleanor Anstruther is a writer who has serialized several work here including a memoir. Her writing is heartfelt, genuine, and brilliant.
https://encouragementmanifesto.substack.com/ - Barrie is building a community based around encouraging others and living a vibrant life. His Encouragement Manifesto should be required reading.
https://jamalrobinson.substack.com/ - Jamal Robinson has one of the most unique approaches to writing you will find. He reads deeply the works of others and finds poetry to express the hidden meanings in their works.
https://kentpeterson.substack.com/ - Kent Peterson is simply the most brilliant writer on this platform. His typewritten pages are funny and philosophical. He is also the inventor of the Stacky stamp.
Honestly, this is just the tip of the iceburg. I could write for hours expounding on the amazing publications I see here every day.
Thanks for the feedback Matthew Long. I sometimes see this type of response posted here in the comments so wanted to reply as the main editor and curator of Reads.
I'm sorry that you feel this way about this week's edition, and previous editions. We have always worked extremely hard to ensure every week has a range of writing amplified—including always lesser known voices. The weekend Reads digest is an editorial series—which means reads are hand-picked by staff, readers, and guest editors, aimed at highlighting a range of new writing, podcasts and video each week, and showcasing what's new on Substack.
There may be occasions where we might want to highlight a new writer who has joined the platform—which can sometimes be a well-known name like Stephen Fry or Nick Hornby—as some readers might not be aware they are here, plus showcase what they are posting here. But these are usually one-offs: in fact, more than 80% of the featured reads each week are from writers with less than 500 subscribers. Sometimes we feature a new writer with less than 10 subscribers on their first or second post. If you want to learn more about how I scour Substack looking for great writing, I would encourage you to listen to this podcast with Mia Q (also on Substack!) where I talk about it in more depth: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-art-of-curation/id1585741706?i=1000623772257
Without sharing subscriber numbers on the posts (which would look very crass and sort of wrongly pitch writers against others based on these numbers rather than showcasing their actual work), it's not always easy to tell that so many in each digest are what you call "smaller publications" (though I don't think of them this way), as the writing (or podcast/video) is so good. I also wanted to check you aren't talking about the weekday Reads "Weekly Stack" which is roundup personally selected for you based on your reading (so not handpicked editorially).
We have recently opened up Reads to guest editors—which brings a whole new well of tastes, ideas, and discoveries to a wider readership. This diversity of editors has opened up Reads in a brilliant new way (I'm very keen to hear feedback!), and despite years of digging deep into Substack, I had never come across some of the writers and podcasters Helen selected above.
That all said—I (and the rest of the Substack team who work on editorial with me) are very very open to your feedback, and listen very keenly when we see comments like this posted here. We often run spot surveys every six months to our readers to make sure our emails are ones you always want to open. This has been a great way to understand the feedback of some folks who don't like to comment. I was bolstered by the responses to our December 2023 survey, where the top reason people loved Substack Reads was discovering new voices and the diversity of writers featured. I hope we can continue to help you and other readers discover what's out there on Substack. Please do keep sharing your feedback or concerns.
Hannah Ray
Managing editor
Hannah, thank you for the detailed reply. I sincerely appreciate it. I didn't expect my comment/Note to garner quite the response it did but it isn't a bad thing.
I want to say that I love Substack and I am so glad to be writing here. I left all other social media and I am retiring from the Navy next month. Substack is my online community AND it will also be my full-time work. So I am invested in seeing the platform succeed and I believe that the staff is very responsive and interested in working with writers. I am here for the long term and a part of my personal mission is to promote the excellent work of others. But my reach is still rather small.
I was talking about this curated version of Reads, not the "Weekly Stack" version. I do want this to be a valuable resource for readers/writers to discover new content. I am sure it is difficult with the number of publications out there to hand pick a few.
My frustration comes because it seems that across the platform there are multiple ways in which the well-known writers/publications already get attention. The Explore page and leaderboards in each category are inherently biased towards "popular" content. Neither are good methods of discovering the new and unknown writer.
I think that using guest editors is great. I don't have any complaints about that. I also want to say that my frustration is not with any of the writers mentioned. Some of the big names are people I am subscribed to so I am not complaining about their work. Everyone who was mentioned should be proud of that accomplishment. I also recognize that not everyone listed is a "big publication" or a well-known name.
My own inherent bias is always towards the underdog. While it is great to acknowledge the presence of the Stephen Fry's and Nick Hornby's of the world, they are already well-known and their publications are going to do great regardless. Within a day or two of being on the platform, Mr. Fry had thousands of subscribers, and rightly so. But word got around naturally without the need for internal promotion.
I believe that Substack has the potential to get away from the traditional elitism of the publishing industry and allow for the discovery of amazing content from previously unknown writers. My own ability to grow from zero to 1000+ subscribers in six months is testament to the platform's potential. Never in all my life would I have imagined 1000 people reading my work.
I agree that sharing subscriber numbers in the article isn't the right answer and that isn't really what I meant. When I said "smaller publications" I didn't have a specific metric in mind but probably something along the lines of less than 2,500 total subscribers and/or less than 100 paying subscribers. But numbers are only important from the perspective of visibility. I believe that if we give visibility to smaller publications, they will have the ability to grow faster once more people see the quality that is out there. Discoverability is the most challenging piece for many smaller publications.
I try hard to do my part by restacking, sharing, and in my monthly wrap-up articles I always list a bunch of folks I want to draw attention to. But I think it would be great if Substack also had a means to do the same.
Thanks so much Hannah for responding and taking the time to listen. It is appreciated. I am passionate about this topic and am excited about the possibilities Substack holds for all of us.
Thanks Matthew, I hear you on all points, and we fully take this on board. What you describe is something we do agree on and believe in fully—I hope you will see on a closer read just how many writers featured here fit that bill, and more. I can't call them out by name, but they have been many and plentiful by design, they amazing work, and have smaller lists of dedicated readers which we champion and value. We (and I!) hope to continue to unearth such great writers and creators on Substack in this space and other editorial surfaces, and will continue to work hard to do so. Thanks again for the reply.
I completely agree.
Seconded.
I was thrilled to be given a mention and I don't think I'm a 'big name'?
Milli - you should be thrilled, absolutely. No personal offense was meant for you or any of the others mentioned. My frustration is with the process in which these articles frequently mention a lot of the same big names repeatedly. I love seeing lesser-known or smaller publications highlighted. I have always rooted for the underdog. It just feels to me that Substack has so many ways they highlight the top publications (checkmarks, leaderboards, an explore algorithm that highlights "popular" posts, and then some of the same names showing up in Substack Reads each week) and they do little to intentionally showcase smaller publications that are of really high quality. I guess I wish that instead of catering to the same top earners all the time, there would be some love for the little guy. Apologies if it seemed like a personal thing. It is more of an institutional frustration.
There’s my weekends reading sorted! I loved Nelly Bryce’s soft boy’ post.
And how did I not know Helen Lewis was on Substack? ❤️🔥😃
Joyce Wycoff at Gratitude Mojo in Action https://gratitudemojo.substack.com/p/joy-after-the-fire-segment-510?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=49svi&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email is sharing her memoir one chapter a week, a poignant story about loss, grief and healing. Her posts always leave the reader at the intersection of artistry and adventure.
No one on substack cares to read what someone from the Altantic thinks is important. I could read the Altantic and the readers of the Altantic aren’t here on Substack seeking out the truth.
Understand the sentiment, but it is wise to know what the opposition is feeding their minions.
"Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer."
Yay for Nelly Bryce!! If you haven’t seen it, the poem she reads is beautiful. Happy to see her featured here.
Curious though that my diss verse against Clancy Steadwell was not featured… gonna pat myself on the back for that one.
Thanks for mentioning my new book deal for Ultra Processed Women! Very exciting!!
I'm telling you. Sports Square is one of the best sports publications there is. They have some of the best writers, frequent specials, have a sense of community, and best of all they talk about the latest happenings. Please put it on Substack Reads. https://sportssquare.substack.com/
Thanks. When is the BBC series on Orwell landing?
June 8 — to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the publication of 1984.
Looking forward to this. Thanks.
This is me: "Substack has introduced me to many writers who are happier tending their own little patches—writing about their niches with precision, wit, and love—than competing in the hot-take circus."
Stop by Calmgut.Substack.com for delicious commentary for GI issues! The veg photos are spectacular. The content is comforting, calming, centered. Bellissimo recipes!
An Awesome Read.
Am I mistaken or has Substack linked someone else’s comment section to TML?
Hi Helen, This will be the 18th consecutive year I have held a picnic at Orwell's grave in Sutton Courteney in Oxfordshire. It's called the 1984 symposium. It's a very casual affair that attracts an eclectic bunch of people. You are more than welcome to join us. More info here. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/george-orwells-grave)
Thanks!
You look smart with a frisky wonder^^
Israeli genocidal expertise makes the Nazis appear angelic! Israel & Biden avid disciples of Goebbels. Lord Cameron lapdog of the Israeli War Cabinet, Starmer alias Judas Iscariot. Grant Shapps low life scum determined to mix with a Ukrainian mass murderer
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/1984/summary/
We've removed your comment. We want this publication to support thoughtful discussion around writers’ work. It is not a place for irrelevant rants or off-topic digressions. That includes spam and repetitive self-promotion. You can learn more about how we approach decisions for this publication here: https://on.substack.com/p/community-guidelines
Whilst I accept that my comments may not always be relevant, in this particular case I am using the novel by George Orwell regarding 1984 as a focal point so I would disagree with your remark
KR David Coleman UK Landline 01352 770787