things to substack about that are not about how to grow your substack
20 ideas for writing about literally anything else
Okay, let’s talk about this for a second.
You know what I’m tired of seeing? Newsletters [and notes] about how to write newsletters. Substack posts about Substack growth hacks. “Here’s how I got 10k subscribers in 30 days” tutorials that make writing feel like a pyramid scheme instead of, you know, just sharing the things that make you human.
People don’t subscribe to you because you cracked some algorithm. They subscribe because you made them feel something. Because you reminded them of their own life, or showed them a piece of yours that felt real and interesting and worth fifteen minutes of their day.
So if you’ve been staring at that blank draft, wondering what the hell you’re supposed to write about, wondering if anyone cares about your thoughts on the perfect lazy Sunday or why you’ve been listening to the same album for three weeks straight — spoiler alert: they do.
Your life is interesting. Your obsessions matter. Your random thoughts, photo dumps, and strong opinions about reality TV—that’s the good stuff. That’s what makes people want to read your writing and experience your stories.
So here’s a list of things to write about that have absolutely nothing to do with growing your newsletter and everything to do with being a person worth getting to know:
“spend the day with me” posts featuring a really good day you had, with photos that make people feel like they were there with you (example)
a solo adventure you took: the coffee shop you discovered, the museum you wandered through, the nature walk that cleared your head (example)
that one outfit you’ve worn exactly the same way over and over again, styled the same way every time (we all have one, and yes, include pictures)
easy-to-follow recipes for food and drinks, with the stories behind why you make them
musical deep dives: why you’re obsessed with a certain album, why a particular artist hits different, what songs saved you, last five songs you saved (example 1, example 2)
nostalgic trips back to your before: high school drama, college mistakes, childhood summers that felt endless
embarrassing stories that make people feel better about their own mortifying moments
your top five lists for the places you love most: where to eat, shop, get coffee, read, and people-watch
tutorials for the random things you’re surprisingly good at: how to journal without cringing, how to host without stress, how to DJ a party, how to become the cool new person in a city where you know absolutely no one *wink* (example 1, example 2, example 3)
vacation recaps broken down day by day, blog-style, with all the messy details and photo dumps (example 1, example 2),
your personal life hacks for traveling light, making friends as an adult, saving money without feeling deprived (example)
the routines that keep you sane and organized (or the lack thereof)
annual birthday posts with a gazillion pictures from that year of your life and snarky captions that make you laugh. bonus points if you make this a tradition and do the same for anniversaries (example)
deep dives into whatever’s currently on repeat: the playlist that’s soundtracking your life right now and what it means to you
passionate reviews of the TV shows and series you’re binge-watching, complete with photos of you in your natural viewing habitat (example)
unhinged rants about topics nobody else cares about (trust me, your passion will make them care)
your take on whatever everyone else is talking about, but make it yours (example)
lists of your favorite things with the why behind each one: favorite pieces of clothing and how they make you feel, favorite flowers to arrange and what they remind you of, favorite journaling accessories that spark joy, books you can’t stop recommending
outfit documentation: your daily or weekly style choices, because your personal style is relatable to someone out there who needs to see it (example)
photo dumps with individual captions for each picture, bringing back the lost art of facebook albums, where every single photo got its own little story (example)
letters you write to yourself or the world: holiday updates, new year manifestos, letters to your past or future self, notes you wish someone would write to you
The best newsletters are the ones that feel like getting a text from your most interesting friend.
Write about the stuff that lights you up. Write about the things you can’t stop talking about at dinner parties. Write about your weird habits and why you think everyone should try that thing you’re obsessed with.
People will find you. Not because you optimized your subject line, but because you showed up as yourself and made them feel less alone in the world.
Let’s all stop overthinking it and write something good. ✨