I think it’s even better if you are not a substack guru and are doing something meaningful that isn’t coaching other people to coach people to coach people to grow 🤣
This makes me look at other pathways too :) Thank you Katharine, for putting up such important piece together. i loved when you wrote "The newsletter wasn’t where the value was created. It was where the value finally became visible.". The newsletter just became a distribution channel, not a creation!!!
I think this is an important reminder. Readers don’t subscribe because someone has mastered every Substack feature—they subscribe because they consistently learn, think differently, or feel understood. The platform matters, but the value you create matters far more.
Beautiful concept for s Substack Penny, and I think that intersection can be your advantage... your writing builds connection, trust and offers the readers a reason to subscribe.
To monetize you can then layer in time paid posts, creative guides, workshops, curated affiliate shops, books etc.
Such an inspiring and helpful post, Katharine. I loved the "This is your pathway if...", it makes it so much easier to see ourselves in some of them. And thank you very much for the feature, I'm very honored! 🙏🏻
Hi Katharine. Just wondering how you feel about using AI to write your posts. I see a few telltale markers in this post that it’s partially written by AI.
Thanks for responding, Katharine. I guess AI works for you. Sadly, I’m sure novelists are using AI, too. The point imo is your voice lacks authenticity if your words are written by a robot trained to create pithy sayings, etc. To me, to be authentic is what separates man from machine. It makes us human and creative and personal. BTW - What’s your definition of “better content”?
I really enjoyed this, Katharine. What stayed with me most was the idea that the value already exists. So many experienced professionals aren't starting from nothing. They're learning to recognise, organise and express what they've spent years building. That feels like a much more honest starting point.
Good framework. Noticed historical accounts didn’t make any of the seven pathways. Guess those of us writing about the dead and the long-ago just don’t fit the current success model. Or maybe we should keep our big mouths shut. Either way, still writing.
Not at all, historians have their place, absolutely... super interesting reads!
Heather Cox Richardson is a professional historian and is one of Substack's biggest creators with 2.9M subscribers (!)... I just didn't include her as she is so big I would maybe class her as an outlier.
But yes I did have to compress the Pathways or there would have been too many to cover every angle.
I'd place historians in The Educator Pathway also perhaps The The Analyst, but again, everyone has their own unique offerings based on their own expertise/angles, this is just meant to be an overview.
Apparently, that’s how I’ve seen it.
It’s everywhere. You get paid, because you assumed to be teaching how to make money.
Thanks for your comment!
Love this article! So many great insights into Substack and new career paths 💜
I think it’s even better if you are not a substack guru and are doing something meaningful that isn’t coaching other people to coach people to coach people to grow 🤣
Excellent! This will be my August study material! Thank you Katherine!
Aw, such a lovely comment, thanks Ivana.
Wishing you the best.
You cooked on this one!
Hey, thanks for your comment! Really means a lot :)
This makes me look at other pathways too :) Thank you Katharine, for putting up such important piece together. i loved when you wrote "The newsletter wasn’t where the value was created. It was where the value finally became visible.". The newsletter just became a distribution channel, not a creation!!!
Genuinely one of the most insightful pieces I've read so far! Nice work. I think I fit into Pathway #7
Hey, thanks for your comment, appreciated.
I think this is an important reminder. Readers don’t subscribe because someone has mastered every Substack feature—they subscribe because they consistently learn, think differently, or feel understood. The platform matters, but the value you create matters far more.
Very true.
This is a valuable post, Katharine. And so inspirational for all types of people.
I sit across the creative and writer pathways. Is there a way to mix the two and make them both work?
Beautiful concept for s Substack Penny, and I think that intersection can be your advantage... your writing builds connection, trust and offers the readers a reason to subscribe.
To monetize you can then layer in time paid posts, creative guides, workshops, curated affiliate shops, books etc.
I love this, Katharine. Thanks for the clarity ✨
Such an inspiring and helpful post, Katharine. I loved the "This is your pathway if...", it makes it so much easier to see ourselves in some of them. And thank you very much for the feature, I'm very honored! 🙏🏻
A pleasure Ilham, love your work.
Hi Katharine. Just wondering how you feel about using AI to write your posts. I see a few telltale markers in this post that it’s partially written by AI.
Thanks for responding, Katharine. I guess AI works for you. Sadly, I’m sure novelists are using AI, too. The point imo is your voice lacks authenticity if your words are written by a robot trained to create pithy sayings, etc. To me, to be authentic is what separates man from machine. It makes us human and creative and personal. BTW - What’s your definition of “better content”?
I am open about my use of AI, it is not something I shy away from. I am not here to be a novelist and it helps me research and write better content.
I really enjoyed this, Katharine. What stayed with me most was the idea that the value already exists. So many experienced professionals aren't starting from nothing. They're learning to recognise, organise and express what they've spent years building. That feels like a much more honest starting point.
Thanks Pia, yes I’m not a fan of burning it all down or feeling like we have to start from zero.
Thanks for the shoutout Katharine. Excellent curation. Love the positioning and to learn the different actors in the field. Great job.
Thanks Juan!
Good framework. Noticed historical accounts didn’t make any of the seven pathways. Guess those of us writing about the dead and the long-ago just don’t fit the current success model. Or maybe we should keep our big mouths shut. Either way, still writing.
Not at all, historians have their place, absolutely... super interesting reads!
Heather Cox Richardson is a professional historian and is one of Substack's biggest creators with 2.9M subscribers (!)... I just didn't include her as she is so big I would maybe class her as an outlier.
But yes I did have to compress the Pathways or there would have been too many to cover every angle.
I'd place historians in The Educator Pathway also perhaps The The Analyst, but again, everyone has their own unique offerings based on their own expertise/angles, this is just meant to be an overview.
Thanks so much for the feature Katharine! You're a legend!
So important for people to build competitive (writing) advantages by stacking credentials and sharing insights. Lots more to come!
Absolutely… looking forward to your interview coming out on Wednesday 9th September!
👊🏻🙌🏻