From Beginner to SUBSTACK EXPERT and $160,000 | Interview with Sarah Fay

In this video, I interview bestselling Substack author and award-winning writer Sarah Fay, who teaches creative writing at Northwestern University, about her success with Substack.
She tells us her story from beginner to hero with 12,000 subscribers and more than $160,000 ARR. Sarah gives newbies and advanced writers tips and tricks from an expert who is in close contact with Substack.
✅ Join Kristina God's "Substack School" to kickstart & grow your newsletter by becoming a paid subscriber: kristinagod.substack.com/ 📧
(The membership experience is included in Kristina's paid newsletter subscription.)
Sarah Fay is not only a professional writer and professor at the creative writing faculty at Northwestern University but also a private Substack consultant and a member of Substack's "Product Lab".
Today, she calls herself an "insider" because she's in contact with Substack all the time.
Back in the day, she didn't know what to do with her publication on Substack.
One day she sat down with the head of Substack Writer Relations and she helped her improve her publication.
In 2023, two of her publications were featured by Substack. In addition she grew her subscriber base to 10,000 subscribers and more than $100,000 per year.
🤝 SUBSCRIBE to my videos so that you don’t miss any updates. Also, don’t forget to like and share my videos. Thanks!
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🙋‍ Connect with Sarah Fay
📧 Writers at Work: substack.com/@writersatwork
📧 Less of More: substack.com/@sarahfayauthor
🖥️ Website: sarahfay.org/
🙋‍ Connect with Kristina God
📧 Online Writing Club: kristinagod.substack.com/
✍🏻 Medium.com: / kristinagod
🖥️ Website: kristinagod.com/
Let me know in the comments what you think! I'll answer every question.
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✅Table of Contents:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:41 Who is Sarah Fay
00:01:38 Why did Sarah Start Writing on Substack?
00:04:02 What Separates Substack from other Platforms?
00:04:28 How did Sarah’s Agent Help Her?
00:06:30 How Sarah became a Hero on Substack
00:08:20 What Makes a Hero?
00:09:08 How did Sarah Refocus Her Newsletter?
00:11:17 Does Sarah Recommend Having 2 Substacks?
00:11:50 What is Sarah’s Business Model?
00:15:32 What’s the Criteria to become a Featured Substack?
00:18:16 What are the Three Tiers of Bestselling?
00:18:26 Sarah's Response to Becoming an Overnight Success
00:18:55 Response to Becoming an Overnight Success
00:19:45 Difference Between Writing a Novel vs Newsletter
00:21:55 What Sarah Thinks of Substack being a Marketing Tool
00:22:23 What does a Private Substack Consultant do?
00:23:51 Sarah’s Advice for Newsletters
00:23:52 Substack Being the Literary Center of the Universe
00:26:00 Personal Questions for Sarah
#substack #newsletter #writing #money #books #emailmarketing #author #substack

Пікірлер: 54

  • @MelissaGWilsonNetworlding
    @MelissaGWilsonNetworldingАй бұрын

    I’m a 10-time traditionally published author and thought leader book creation coach. I have also had the pleasure of being coached by Sarah. She is so real, inclusive, and shares unconditionally with her support. In other words she is “the real deal.”

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    Ай бұрын

    Hey Melissa, and I checked your website and think you're the real deal too. Great service and courses for everyone who wants to make his book publishing dream come true. Would you be open for an interview? I'll connect with you via Substack.

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    Ай бұрын

    This week's interview is already about book publishing kzread.info/dash/bejne/Zq2F0c-CadSciLA.htmlsi=twQchC53_fo5kDxh And I wanted to give my audience more food for thought. Would be awesome. Kristina

  • @stephaniepeers321
    @stephaniepeers3213 ай бұрын

    Thanks Kristina! I’ve been following your wisdom of Substack and appreciate all the work you do for your community. Great info!

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Hello Stephanie 💕 so sweet. You made my day! Substack is a special place and I love the idea that writers can make a living with what they love Although Sarah had everything (professional writer, professor, author) she didn't know what to do to make her newsletter successful. First you got to play it. Then you can master it. So I'm happy she talked with me about her journey and the bond with Substack. Next week we'll feature David, a self made Notes expert. Notes is a growth machine and it can help anyone grow internally! Thanks so much for your comment. I wish you a wonderful Sunday 🌞 Kristina

  • @JennS-jscreative
    @JennS-jscreative3 ай бұрын

    I’m brand new to Substack (1 week), but already am so loving the features Sarah mentioned… supportive community, lack of demanding algorithm, no need to “scream” to be heard. I also love that it combines the blog + newsletter aspects so that there’s that “internal discoverability” that was mentioned, as well. It really does feel like coming “home”. (I’ve grown sooo tired of social media, tbh).

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Welcome to Substack then. I also love it. That's why I'm sharing all these videos. To inspire others and spark something so they take action. An email list is a way bigger deal than followers. Substack feels home for me too. Medium used to be my home. I still use both. They fit perfectly like peanut butter and jelly. However I feel more connected to Substack. All the best for your Substack journey. Would you mind sharing the link to your Substack so we can connect there? Hugs, Kristina 🌊🌊

  • @stavangelidis

    @stavangelidis

    22 күн бұрын

    The last part of your comment really resonates with me too - "tired of social media." That's why I started exploring other options.

  • @leecoleonline
    @leecoleonline7 күн бұрын

    Great info! Thank you!

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    7 күн бұрын

    @@leecoleonline Sure, you can also watch an extra session with her inside my membership experience. Are you on Substack?

  • @learningcommunitywithnancy
    @learningcommunitywithnancy2 ай бұрын

    Thanks for this interview Kristina God. A great resource.

  • @nausherwanghaffar6247
    @nausherwanghaffar62473 ай бұрын

    This was just incredible! What a tour de force! Thanks Kristina and Sarah!

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it! Yes it was. I'm grateful Sarah took the time to talk with me. We'll also have a live session with her in about two weeks. Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback and engagement. It means a lot. I wish you a sunny Sunday 🌞

  • @nausherwanghaffar6247

    @nausherwanghaffar6247

    3 ай бұрын

    @@_KristinaGod You too! Have a great Sunday!

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    @@nausherwanghaffar6247 Thanks! We made a nice cycling trip

  • @gecofy7220
    @gecofy72203 ай бұрын

    Loved it! Thanks so much. Never heard of her. Just subscribed to her newsletter! Looking forward to the next interview. Thanks

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Wonderful! That's what my interview series is for. Thanks for being a subscriber and I'm glad you found Sarah through my interview. She's a badass.

  • @walterrhein1048
    @walterrhein10483 ай бұрын

    I would have liked to hear more on the changes that she was told to make that really provoked growth. The "inside scoop" from Substack sounds really valuable. Great interview!

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Hi Walter, I feel a "new" and deeper connection to you since our zoom call on Friday. Do you feel it too? Why not ask her in our live session?

  • @walterrhein1048

    @walterrhein1048

    3 ай бұрын

    @@_KristinaGod certainly! it's always wonderful to take some time to chat with somebody and get to know them from a conversation! Yes, maybe I'll try and make that life sesson, that would probably be good as I plan for mine! :)

  • @MelissaGWilsonNetworlding
    @MelissaGWilsonNetworldingАй бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    Ай бұрын

    Ahhh Melissa. Thanks for the super thanks. This is my first one ❤️💜

  • @LisaCunningham-xr5ck
    @LisaCunningham-xr5ck3 ай бұрын

    Exciting perspectives on features and long term opportunities. Slightly daunted by the fact that even Sarah needed help to learn how to use Substack though!

  • @abbeyalgiersPR
    @abbeyalgiersPR2 ай бұрын

    So very helpful. THANK you!

  • @_KristinaGod
    @_KristinaGod3 ай бұрын

    ✅ Get the 60-minute replay from our exclusive Q&A LIVE session with Sarah. Join Kristina God's "Substack School" to catch the replay: kristinagod.substack.com/ 📧 (The membership experience is included in Kristina's paid newsletter subscription to "The Online Writing Club".)

  • @JulieMoreyTravel
    @JulieMoreyTravel3 ай бұрын

    This was amazing! I feel like I have been spinning on substack - not sure what to do and she gave me so many ideas. Can't wait to check her out!

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Hello Julie, That's wonderful to hear and that's what my Online Writing club with the membership is for! You also got feedback from Sheila. She'd love to be your accountability buddy. Thanks for being part of my tribe. I wish you a wonderful Sunday, Kristina

  • @AlbertoCabasVidani
    @AlbertoCabasVidani3 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the interview. It's interesting that she says Substack is for quality writing while Medium encourages churning content. Medium's CEO doesn't agree 😅 I would like to hear his take. By the way, churning content works great on both platforms. Especially for writers without 20 years of experience.

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Haha :) Maybe one day I'll ask him for an interview and ask him about it. Joking aside... I'd rather talk with the CEO's of Substack these days. Medium is a content mill and we need to accept this. I wouldn't quit it because it can be powerful. Derek will have more followers than me by the end of this week. So you can get pushed and gain a huge following. That's nice. However, curators and algorithms act as a filter and gatekeeper. That's why many even people with 300K followers quit. Did you hear about Nick Wignall? He's now on CK making waves. I guess that's what Sarah is referring to. I'm super happy for you that you keep going and pushing. I'll share my interview with Walter today and we'll learn more from a real expert. Plus, we have our live session on Tuesday!! Yeah. THere we can talk about Medium as well. Hope you'll join us.

  • @AlbertoCabasVidani

    @AlbertoCabasVidani

    3 ай бұрын

    Yes, Walter is great. Joining live is always really hard for me. But I'd love to do it. I learned about Nick this morning. It surprised me, but it also didn't. He kept publishing listicles and totally ignored the Boost. I never considered stories like his, though, to evaluate moving from a platform to another. He had dozens of thousands of email subscribers before leaving Medium. He needed just a tiny percentage of those to have a thriving newsletter.

  • @JKP-ArtsHumanities-gp2vr
    @JKP-ArtsHumanities-gp2vr2 ай бұрын

    Sarah is obviously in love with Substack. I am a self-published fiction author and run a Arts & Humanities Blog, and am trying to understand the Substack proceedure for building and servicing email subscribers. From what I understand, Substack's email process does not follow the basic principles adopted by all leading ESPs. There is no welcome auto sequencing for new subscribers and no facility to collect new subscribers from a website or Bookfunnel. So, how does someone like me with 8000 email subscribers integrate with Substack. I like the idea of the community building but it seems I will have to run Substack seperately. Your advice/experience would be welcomed.

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    2 ай бұрын

    Hi! Great questions. Congrats on 8000 subs. That's awesome!! You can import your email list when you set up your account or later in the process. You can send your email list an email telling them you moved to Substack. You can also send welcome emails to new subs but there's no email sequence, that's right. You can automate the process from collecting email addresses on other platforms and connecting them with Substack although Substack doesn't have an API. I'd love to help you. You could become a member. It's only $9 per month and for members I'll offer coaching sessions in July again. Then I can show you exactly what to do. You can also email me mail@kristinagod.com Would love to help you! ❤️ Get started on Substack. I love the platform that's why I'm creating these videos. It's one of the best places to be. Fiction is also huge on Substack! Hugs, Kristina

  • @RhysMorganadhd
    @RhysMorganadhd3 ай бұрын

    Loved this. I read lots of substacks instead of scrolling Twitter medium Instagram etc. I'm tempted to start but given that I've tried medium, blogging etc and only got crickets and that was when I had a focus. I don't have one at the moment. Maybe I should check out your course 😊

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    🤗 hello. I also love to read Substack newsletters from different voices. I often discover new interesting writers via Notes, Substack's social media network. I'll cover this next. With my paid subscription comes the Online Writing School membership. In it you find a cool crew, the Medium School and Substack School with video tutorials. I add more and more modules based on the questions I get from my community. How long have you been writing on Medium? What would you like to write about on Substack? I wish you a lovely Sunday 🌞 Kristina 🌊

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Now I know your topic!

  • @RhysMorganadhd

    @RhysMorganadhd

    3 ай бұрын

    Addiction recovery and neurodivergenvlce

  • @lisareid5447
    @lisareid54473 ай бұрын

    I work too.

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    I salute you! I think part time creators are badass. We need to juggle so many things. All the best for you and talk soon ❤️ Kristina

  • @neeramahajan8040
    @neeramahajan80403 ай бұрын

    This's a great interview. I have been following Kristina from Medium days and have got private coaching from Sarah Fay. Both are great coaches. I write on Substack, LinkedIn. I used to write on Medium and considering going back there.

  • @RxHolisticNurseKathleen
    @RxHolisticNurseKathleen24 күн бұрын

    Great interview🎉 i'm binge watching your videos and will be subscribing to your membership 🤗 I do have one question as I'm waiting to order the email address that goes with my domain name as I changed those . Website is mentioned here and I'm wondering how that works if someone does want to purchase a product or service down the road as I already have a new website and all the transactions and everything are paid for through that Are included in that platform and you can have your own store - is that some thing I would need to keep and just down the road once I'm established and people have interest or ask questions I can point them to that or is that also included in Substack? I'm thinking it is not especially with transactions and things like that but just thought I'd ask Thank you for the videos. They're very encouraging. I've already reached out to a number of people about your platform and what you have to offer and also about Substack 🙏🙏🙏

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    24 күн бұрын

    Hello! Nice that you want to join my tribe and kickstart your newsletter. I'd keep whatever you have for now. Substack offers a minimalistic set of features. A store isn't included. I host my community experience, which youi'll get access to as a paid sub, on another platform. I bet that in the near future Substack will offer MORE features though. They are constantly shipping new features. Hope this helps already. We can talk about this inside the Online Writing School. See you inside, Kristina

  • @RxHolisticNurseKathleen

    @RxHolisticNurseKathleen

    24 күн бұрын

    @@_KristinaGod thank you ma'am! 🙏

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    24 күн бұрын

    @@RxHolisticNurseKathleen Sure, if you're a free subscriber already you can send me an email and I'll send you a surprise :)

  • @RxHolisticNurseKathleen

    @RxHolisticNurseKathleen

    24 күн бұрын

    @@_KristinaGod I appreciate that I haven't really been able to been on my phone or anything today. There's a herniated discs in my cervical spine and this morning, well I won't go to detail. Let's just say I had to pretty much lay in bed most of the day so I didn't sign up yet because I'm waiting to get my email and I can't get on the computer probably till tomorrow when my neck is better, but when I'm I will definitely do that, I'm really excited. Thank you so much.! God bless you

  • @RxHolisticNurseKathleen

    @RxHolisticNurseKathleen

    21 күн бұрын

    @@_KristinaGod I am still a free subscriber, but have not received a surprise yet 🫣 I did send you a couple of emails stating I'm changing my email from Gmail to something else because having a lot of problems with Google and Gmail and folders disappearing emails everything before disappearing and then two years ago they completely wiped out my account for whatever reason probably something I believed or said, but nothing that would be offensive really to anyone. if you could check your emails that I've replied to my former Gmail account even though it still exist I prefer not to use it because they read every single email and we know that for a fact, but if you could send it to the other email, that would be great. If not, you have to send it to that one. I'll forward it to my other email.. thanks a lot

  • @Theohunter6808
    @Theohunter68083 ай бұрын

    3:05 she says that she would ask a question and answer it, any ideas for what you should do instead.

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    Hi, what do you mean?

  • @Theohunter6808

    @Theohunter6808

    3 ай бұрын

    @@_KristinaGodshe says that her articles would be a question and answer, I was just wondering what you should do instead of that.

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    3 ай бұрын

    @@Theohunter6808 Hi Theo, sorry, I still don't get it. Could be be more specific please?

  • @bodyengineeringRO
    @bodyengineeringRO2 ай бұрын

    Uber Cool ❤

  • @splufford
    @splufford24 күн бұрын

    If the definition of a "professional writer" is that you have to be traditionally published then I'm wondering what that makes indie authors who have written ten times the number of books Sarah has? Or ghostwriters who write for other authors or businesses? Or content writers who produce social media content? Or advertising copywriters? To me, there's an innate snobbery in that view. Probably I have misunderstood what she meant

  • @_KristinaGod

    @_KristinaGod

    24 күн бұрын

    Oh, I think Sarah is referring to her career as a professor, author and writer. Writing is her profession. You are right. It's a question of how you define "professional."

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