💡 If You’re Reading This, You Can Write on Substack (And Here’s How)
Substack isn't just for professional writers -- it's for anyone with an ideas to share.
If you’re here, I’m going to guess something about you.
You might not even have a Substack yet. You might have zero drafts. Zero plan. Zero “brand.” Maybe you joined Substack because you saw something you liked — some person sharing their favorite journals, or a tiny essay that made you feel understood, or a deep rabbit hole about whether or not pilates is “in” this year or… literally anything.
And a small part of you thought, Wait… could I make something like this?
Then your brain probably did the thing brains love to do. It pulled up the mental image of “a writer.” The cardigan. The quill. The tortured genius energy. The person who’s been writing since childhood and has a secret novel in a drawer.
And you went: Yeah, no. That’s not me.
Good. Perfect, actually. Because I’m not talking to the imaginary Professional Writer With A Capital W.
I’m talking to you — the person at the entry point. The person who’s curious, but doesn’t know what the first step even looks like.
So let me say it clearly:
If you’re reading this, you can write on Substack.
Not “someday when you feel ready.” Not “after you take a class.” Not “if you’ve always wanted to write.”
If you’re reading these words, you’re already qualified.
Because Substack isn’t a writing contest. It’s not a literature gate. It’s not a club where someone checks your credentials at the door.
It’s a platform. Like Instagram. Like YouTube. Like X.
There isn’t one type of person on those platforms, and there isn’t one type of person here either. There isn’t “a Substack writer.”
There are just… people using Substack.
People with jobs. People with families. People who are retired. People who are exhausted. People who are obsessed with weird topics. People who are quietly brilliant and don’t feel like they “count.” People who’ve spent a lifetime being the helper, the behind-the-scenes person, the practical one.
Secretaries. Dental hygienists. Contractors. Teachers. Nurses. Managers. Artists. Accountants. Parents. People rebuilding their lives. People starting over.
And if any part of you has ever thought, I wish I had my own little corner of the internet, that’s what this is.
💻 “But I’m not a writer.”
When people say that, they’re usually not actually talking about writing.
They’re talking about the fear that they’ll sound stupid. Or boring. Or cringe. Or like they’re trying too hard. They’re talking about the feeling of stepping into a room where everyone else seems like they already know what they’re doing.
I get it. Truly.
But here’s what I’ve learned after watching thousands of people publish online: Substack doesn’t reward “writerly.” It rewards real.
People aren’t showing up because your sentences sparkle. They’re showing up because something you said made them feel seen, or made them smarter, or made them laugh, or helped them name a thought they’ve had for years but couldn’t quite articulate.
And honestly? Some of the best Substack writing comes from people who don’t even try to sound like “writers.” They sound like themselves.
That’s the magic.
✍️ You already write. You just don’t call it that.
Let me lower the bar so far it’s underground.
Do you text?
Do you ever send a message that starts with, “Okay so here’s the thing…” and then turns into a full explanation?
Do you ever write a caption that becomes a mini-essay?
Do you ever type something in your Notes app that feels a little too honest to publish?
Do you ever comment on something and think, That was actually a good point.
That’s writing.
And the funniest example is dads because dads are out here doing minimalist writing like it’s an art form.
“Dad, I had a baby.”
👍
“Dad, I got engaged.”
❤️
That is communication. That is meaning. That is a point of view. That is a style.
And if you can send a single emoji that carries an entire emotional universe… you’re not “bad at writing.” You’re just at the beginning of your own format.
In fact, I would absolutely read a Substack called “Life’s Biggest Moments, Summarized in One Emoji.”
🙌 Why This Can Actually Change Your Life
Here’s the part people don’t realize until they start.
A Substack isn’t just “content.” It’s not just you talking into the void.
It’s a way to attract the world you want instead of trying to chase it one person at a time.
I’ve told people for years: it’s easier to put out a net than to target each fish.
When you publish, you stop living in one-to-one mode — constantly explaining yourself, constantly repeating your story, constantly hoping the right people stumble into your orbit.
You become a signal.
You become discoverable.
You become the kind of person who can say, “If you want to know what I’m about, it’s all right here.”
And the people who resonate? They find you.
That’s community. That’s leverage. That’s time returned to you.
Sometimes it leads to friendships. Sometimes it leads to opportunity. Sometimes it just leads to you feeling less alone in your own head.
Sometimes it becomes a hobby that gives your weeks a little shape and meaning. Sometimes it becomes a business.
The point is: it’s a door. And you don’t have to know exactly what’s on the other side to be allowed to open it.
📖 Okay. But How Do You Start When You’re at Absolute Zero?
Here’s what I want you to do: stop trying to “be a writer.” Start trying to be a person who hits publish.
Your first post does not need to be a manifesto. It doesn’t need to be smart. It doesn’t need to be long. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
Your first post just needs to exist.
If you want an easy prompt that doesn’t require any “writing personality,” try this:
Write as if you’re sending a letter to a friend on why you’re starting.
Something like:
“I’m new here. I don’t really know what this is going to become yet. But I’ve been thinking about ____. And I want a place to share what I’m learning / noticing / making.”
That’s a Substack post. Truly.
Then you do it again next week. And the week after that.
And here’s the secret: once you stop treating the blank page like it’s a judgement and start treating it like a practice… it gets fun.
🪶 You Don’t Need a Quill. You Need a System.
A lot of people stall because they assume every post has to be a brand-new performance.
It doesn’t.
You just need a repeatable way to show up.
Maybe every week you share:
what you’re learning
one story and what it taught you
one recommendation and why it matters
one question you can’t stop thinking about
Your format can be simple. Your style can be simple.
Consistency makes it powerful — not polish.
And if you need help, it’s okay to get help. Writing can look like dictating a voice note. It can look like rough drafts. It can look like talking to AI to get a first draft out so you can edit something there rather than a blank page.
The only thing that matters is that you make it yours.
💫 Writing Can Come From Anywhere and Anyone.
“Anyone can write, but not everyone is a Writer.” - Pretentious Hollywood Writer
Substack is the reverse version:
Not everyone has to be a writer… but great writing can come from anywhere.
Whatever your thing is — building, caregiving, organizing chaos, making people feel safe, keeping a family moving — you’ve got a point of view. That’s the part Substack runs on.
The internet is starving for that kind of writing.
Not fancy writing.
Real writing.
👋 If You Clicked This, You Already Feel It
If you’re still reading, it means something in you is awake.
You’re not here by accident.
You’re here because you can sense that having your own corner — your own signal — your own net in the water… might be meaningful.
And it is.
So please don’t let the imaginary opinion of imaginary critics keep you from something that could genuinely add depth to your life.
They’re loud. They’re not important.
You’re here. You’re curious. That’s enough.
If you’re reading this, you can write on Substack.
🚶🏻♀️ Want Me to Walk You Through It?
If you’re at the “beginner level” on Substack — no idea what to write, how to start, how to structure, how to find your people — this is exactly why I created The Six-Week Substack Sprint.
It’s a guided six-week process that helps you:
choose a clear starting lane (without overcommitting),
create a simple content system (so you always know what to write next), and
publish consistently enough to build momentum and attract the right readers.
You can access the Sprint by upgrading to a Founding Membership ($350/year), and you’ll also get replay access so you can follow along on your schedule and revisit any week whenever you need it.
And if you have questions, reply to this, or DM me, and tell me, in one sentence, what you’d want your Substack to be about — messy is fine. Even “I don’t know, but I like ___” is fine.
Because the truth is: everybody starts from scratch.
I started writing before I could even hold a pen. I used to tell my mom stories when I was a tiny little human — and pointed at stickers that felt like stories — and she’d write my ideas down for me.
We all begin with something small.
And now? The world can see your work.
You just have to hit publish.
And I can’t wait to read what’s on your mind.
-Amy