A Proposal for Substack Ethos and Strategy

I was reading a post which was responding to a post decrying ‘free readers’. The post I was reading mentioned that free readers do provide some services to paid writers, including liking and sharing their posts. I would like to propose an ethos for Substack free readers, and a strategy for Substack paid writers, which will, I think, improve Substack for both.

Free Readers

As a free reader and writer, speaking to other free readers:

1) If you enjoyed a post, hit 'like'.

-If you use the ‘like’ button as its name would indicate, it will tell people that you, personally, ‘liked’ this post. You enjoyed it. You took pleasure in reading it, and would read others like it.

2) If you think a post is important, hit 're-stack'

-There is no ‘name’ for re-stacking, so I use it (and I propose that you use it) for posts that have value… even if you disagree with them. To say to your audience, ‘This is an important issue, dealt with in an intelligent way. This might not be a post you will enjoy reading, but you should read it.’

- If both, do both!

Obviously, the two categories above are NOT contradictory. You might ‘like’ a picture of someone’s cat, and re-stack their compilation of vaccine evidence or Ukraine war maps… but there will be posts that are a pleasure to read, and important to read. So like and re-stack them.

3) When posting an important comment, hit 'also share as note'.

-Not some stupid ‘I agree’ comment, still less a stupider ‘You are an idiot’ comment (get a mirror). But when you have something you think is important to say on someone’s post, it helps both of you when you can post it as a note as well.

4) When writing a post about a subject, when you received info or ideas from another post... put a link! At the end, or in the text. Honour where honour is due!

-I can say that I, personally, am rather irritated when (as happens on FB), I post a meme and someone else just copy/pastes it without attribution. So if someone here on Substack writes a good article about a subject, and it inspires you to write a (hopefully just as good) article on a similar or related subject… put a link! Give credit!

Paid Writers

Free Reading Table of Contents with explanation

I would suggest that a paid writer make a table of contents specifically for their free readers. Put in it all, or at least your best, articles that you have made available for free. Make an intro that explains how much you charge, how often you post, and make it clear that the articles you posted there are the kind of thing that we can get (only more of) if we go paid.

Thank us for reading, liking, commenting, re-stacking and linking. I myself am researching which of the dozens of stacks that I subscribe to I wish to go paid on. I can’t go on all of them, and wouldn’t on some of them. But it would be easier with a help like this.

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Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!

Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.

If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!

Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von

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Links

Are free readers parasites on Substack?

Writers Rise Up!