There’s now a new way to make money writing on the internet.
I recently made more than $250 within an hour writing on Substack Notes, Substack's internal social media network. Let me show you how!
You can see from my recent notifications:
"Your note made you $112"
"Your note made you $157"
But what is Substack Notes, and how did it impact my growth on Substack?
What is Substack Notes, and why use it?
Substack is THE platform to start and grow your email list. I joined a bit late, around fall 2022. Before that, I was writing on Medium since December 2020, shortly after giving birth to my baby.
In fall 2022, I decided to diversify my efforts and not put all my eggs in one basket. I was a top writer on Medium, earning a decent income from writing ($800-$1,000+), but I wanted to explore other ways to add more income streams to my online business.
After giving birth to my second baby in 2024, I was ready to open a new chapter in my life in January 2024 and my part-time online writing business. So, I turned on the paid button on Substack, offered a premium newsletter, and started writing on Substack Notes.
My growth on Substack came with using Notes
That's when the hockey stick effect kicked in. Before that, I was experiencing slow but steady incremental growth. Then, my subscriber count soared from around 3,800 to 8,800 subscribers, where it stands today.
You can also see this reflected in the money I'm earning through Substack — there's a clear upward trend that I absolutely love! 🎉
I also became a Substack bestseller in March 2024.
I sacrifice sleep and time with my hubby
Now, I could tell you the "sexy story" that it only a few weeks to reach this point, but the "unsexy story" is that I've been writing since I was six. I studied journalism, worked as a PR and marketing consultant, and became a brand and marketing manager. After giving birth in 2020, I returned to writing part-time, and by the time I became a Substack bestseller, I had been writing for three years.
This is an important reminder: if you're reading all these "overnight success" stories, remember that there’s often an unsexy side to them that isn't shared.
Mine is that I write in the morning when my baby is asleep, during lunch breaks, while pushing the stroller, and in the evenings. I sacrifice sleep and time with my hubby for my part-time business.
Substack gifts me a week with my sick dad
However, it gives me more freedom. Last week, I visited my sick dad for a week and I’m eternally grateful for all the time I spent with my family.
The funny thing is, I also met my boss at an apple market with my family. I love my corporate job as a marketing manager. Still, I’m also happy that I’m flexible and can spend a week with my family if someone needs me.
What is Substack Notes?
Substack Notes is like a social network for writers and readers. You can connect with other writers and, importantly, their readers. This creates a network effect that can help grow your audience exponentially.
As Steve Jobs once said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward."
I trusted that the dots would connect, and by actively engaging on Substack Notes, I started to see growth not just for myself but for my entire community.
Shoutout to
andSubstack Notes drives my subscriber growth
When you write on Notes, you can generate both paid and free subscribers.
For example, I recently wrote a note, and soon after, I received a notification that "Jacob became a free subscriber." From there, Jacob can explore my writing and, if he enjoys it, choose to become a paying member.
This is the cycle:
people follow you
read some stuff
engage with your content
and eventually become paying members.
WOW-worthy Substack Notes success stories from the community
I’m not the only one experiencing growth. Take my friend
, for example. He has been writing on Medium for years, focusing on AI, and recently started writing on Substack after I inspired him.Now, he’s seeing incredible growth on the platform. Within 30 days, he gained 25 new paid subscribers, increasing his annualized revenue to over $3,000.
And there are countless other examples of how Notes can drive real engagement and revenue.
Why write on Substack Notes?
People often ask me:
"Is it worth writing on Substack Notes? Isn't it just another social media platform?"
Yes, it is social media, but it’s a different animal.
On traditional social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, only 1-3% of your audience sees your posts, and engagement rates are notoriously low (e.g., 0.43% on Instagram, 0.06% on Facebook).
Substack Notes is a different animal. More people engage, more people see your content, and there’s no algorithm dictating visibility. Substack has shared that Notes uses an engagement-based algorithm, rewarding writers who actively interact with their audience.
Examples of engaging notes that are lovely and will make you smile
Here are some inspiring examples of engaging notes by
and which show how awesome Notes can feel and that you can get paid to be you:Substack Notes isn’t just about sharing content.
It's about showing different facets of your personality and building a community around it.
🤔Are you using Substack Notes? If so, how are you faring with it? If not, what makes you stuck? 🤔
🎉Become a Substack Notes Rockstar!
Want to make your writing dreams come true and get paid to be you with the help of Substack Notes?
All you need is clarity, guidance, and a little push.
You can start a writing career and build an email in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.
You’re never too old to make your wild, crazy dreams come true.
If you're afraid of the bad impact of social media, I feel you. I also try to spend as little time on social media as possible. Notes is different. It’s a lovely social place on the internet.
I’m in my 30s, two kids and a hubby in the house. I write for 2-3 hours in the evening, during lunch break, or whenever I can make time. Helping others showing the world how incredible they and their stories are is what drives me.
I’d love to help you use Substack Notes to get more subscribers and learn how to share mini anecdotes, mini memoirs, slices of your life, and facets of your personality with the Substack Notes world.
All premium subscribers get a bit deeper and have access to my “Online Writing School” membership with the Substack School.
Be a part of it and join a lovely and vibrant community of more than 300 (!) wonderful aspiring writers.
Inside Substack School, I’ll show you the EXACT (baby) steps to use Substack and go from zero to Substack hero.
I’ve grown my email list to over 8,800 subscribers within 23 months. Became a Substack bestseller with hundreds of paid subscribers and earn 5-figures with my newsletter - part-time with two kids in the house.
🥳Surprise! To celebrate this crazy life and grow together, you can get 20% off if you’re joining us this week:
You need an exclusive 1-on-1 session in October?
Become a founding member, get access to ALL the goodies plus a 60-minute strategy session with me (value: $187) to set your Substack up for success:
🚀This month, inside Substack School…
you can join us LIVE or catch the replays of 3 LIVE workshops, and 1 LIVE session with
on Wednesday “100K without Traditional Social Media” (here’s our podcast interview).Also, 1 new cohort for audio-aficionados who want to add voiceover, audio/video, Substack Live, or a podcast to their Substack.
Make sure to subscribe, like, and see you in the next short and sweet Substack School video post.
Hugs🤗,
P.S. If you're interested in starting your journey on Substack Notes, I’ve got you covered. Inside the School is the Notes Club as part of my paid membership experience. It's a space where you can learn, have fun, and kickstart your Substack Notes writing journey.
P.P.S. I also run a Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp with
for those who want to dive deeper and need intense training. No matter where on your writing journey you are, my Online Writing Club got you covered and will support you every step of the way.
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