The hottest Essays Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Literature Topics

Quick Advice on Writing Essays

Niko McCarty • 399 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🚌 Education Essays
  1. Start your essay with a focused idea. Make sure it's specific enough to explore and not too broad.
  2. Outline your essay and list the questions you want to answer. This helps you stay organized and focused on what you need to research.
  3. Research answers to your questions one at a time, then compile your findings into a structured essay. This makes writing easier and clearer.

A Culture Study Mirror

Culture Study • 3295 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Essays
  1. You don't have to read everything an author puts out. Just engaging with some of their work is enough, and that's something to celebrate.
  2. There’s a lot of content available, including popular essays and personal favorites, so there’s always something new or interesting to discover.
  3. Being proud of what you create is important, and it’s okay to highlight the work that feels very personal or meaningful to you.

Open Thread 362

Astral Codex Ten • 3303 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. This is a space for open discussions where you can share anything or ask questions. It's great for connecting with others about various topics.
  2. Jimmy Carter, the former president, has passed away, and there was a biography about him that many people found interesting.
  3. Happy New Year to everyone! Regular updates and posts will be coming back soon.

2025 Recap

Novum Newsletter • 154 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. 2025 was clarifying but difficult and saw less output. The plan for 2026 is to write a lot more and make changes to enable that.
  2. The newsletter grew to over 3,200 subscribers, and long-form essays about cultural and media anxieties attracted notable attention.
  3. Planned work for 2026 includes publishing magazine essays, starting a nonfiction novel based on a real-life story, and launching a curated archival blog, with paid subscriptions invited to help support these projects.

"DIY"

Nice Try • 319 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. The essay discusses the myths about doing things on your own, known as 'DIY'.
  2. It emphasizes that being self-taught or an 'autodidact' isn't always as straightforward as it seems.
  3. A key point is knowing how to find information is more important than memorizing everything.
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Links for December

By Reason Alone • 114 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Essays
  1. AI is a major focus, covering its history, the recent scaling era, and interpretability research like toy models of superposition, alongside practical debates about preserving old model weights and deployment economics.
  2. There is a strong emphasis on Irish culture, history, and civic work, from essays on Protestant magic to infrastructure reform and active local reading and maths initiatives.
  3. The post is a wide-ranging media roundup with clear recommendations across books, films, music, and podcasts, highlighting specific discoveries and thoughtful reactions to each.

Best of The Ruffian 2025

The Ruffian • 165 implied HN points • 27 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Essays
  1. Most-read pieces mixed practical life advice (on ageing, happiness, and reading) with cultural criticism and technology commentary (music, AI, and online movements).
  2. Readers are invited to engage actively by sharing posts, suggesting topics for the year ahead, and asking questions in an AMA.
  3. Content came in varied formats—essays, lists, reviews and podcasts—showing a wide range of topics and styles that resonated with the audience.

How I learned to love literary criticism.

The Common Reader • 3154 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Literary criticism can be valuable for helping readers understand deeper meanings in texts. It can guide readers to appreciate literature beyond just their personal thoughts.
  2. Reading secondary literature can enrich your understanding of authors and their works. Many great critics highlight unnoticed details that make reading more enjoyable.
  3. Critics who focus on the structure and style of writing can improve our reading skills. They help us notice important aspects of a text that we might otherwise miss.

Still Going...

Story Club with George Saunders • 60 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Travel is hectic with a packed schedule of events across multiple cities, but a pause is coming soon.
  2. Long posts are apologized for and blamed on the rushed pace, with a wish there had been more time to write shorter, tighter pieces.
  3. This post is behind a paywall and directs readers to subscribe or sign in as a paid subscriber.

Editing and Penis Size

Notes from a Small Press • 50 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Essay collections are a tough market, but a compelling proposal can feel instantly recognizable when it combines the right topic, voice, and timing.
  2. Plain, precise honesty in personal writing usually lands better than trying to shock; straightforward, factual details often read as funnier and truer.
  3. The essays move between obsessive attention to tiny, technical minutiae and big existential questions. They will appeal to readers who care about syntax, editing, and nuanced portrayals of rural life.

Subscriber Writing, July 2025

Freddie deBoer • 897 implied HN points • 22 Jul 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. There are monthly writing roundups that showcase great pieces from various authors. These can help writers grow their audience and connect with readers.
  2. Many articles discuss social issues, politics, and personal stories that reflect on current events and human experiences. This variety makes the writing engaging for different readers.
  3. Readers are encouraged to be supportive in the comments for the writers sharing their work. Kindness can foster a better community among both writers and readers.

The Archive

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 708 implied HN points • 14 Aug 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Words can disappear for different reasons, like being banned or forgotten, and it can really change how we express ourselves and perceive the world.
  2. The act of sharing and speaking these lost words can help bring them back to life, making them part of everyday conversations again.
  3. Even if we can't save every word, every time someone uses a forgotten word, it's a small victory in keeping our language alive.

Surprised by Joy?

Meaning || Matter • 19 implied HN points • 11 Sep 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Unexpected joy can come from being curious and open to the world around us. Sometimes, simply noticing something ordinary, like a tree, can lead to a wonderful experience.
  2. Reading can spark new insights and help us think differently. Engaging deeply with books allows us to connect with ideas and experiences we might not have considered before.
  3. We can prime ourselves for joyful discoveries by maintaining an open mindset and exploring different perspectives. Making space for new ideas can lead to surprising moments of delight.

Boswell as Lydia Davis?

The Common Reader • 921 implied HN points • 19 Jun 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Goldsmith wanted to impress everyone at the table but kept getting interrupted, which made him feel frustrated. It's relatable to feel that way in a group setting.
  2. The writing captures strong emotions and social dynamics, making it feel more like a story than just a recounting of events. This shows how powerful storytelling can be in non-fiction.
  3. A small moment from history can offer deep insights into people's feelings and behaviors. It’s interesting how this can resemble the style of modern writers like Lydia Davis.

Subscriber Writing, February 2025

Freddie deBoer • 1516 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. There's a lot of great writing by subscribers every month, so readers should check it out. Submitting work helps gain more readers too.
  2. The email format is changing because there are more submissions than can fit in one message. This change makes it easier for interested readers to find what they want.
  3. The topics covered range widely, from politics to personal experiences, showing the diverse interests of the community and offering something for everyone.

The Mohole

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 587 implied HN points • 20 Jul 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Digging down into the earth can feel like a way to escape your worries. When you want to get away from the chaos above, going underground can feel like a better option.
  2. There are many mysterious and unseen creatures living deep beneath the earth's surface. They thrive in darkness and have adapted to their unique environment.
  3. The quest to understand what's below us is an ongoing journey. From drilling projects to scientific exploration, there's still so much we don't know about our planet's depths.

The Revolutions of Matter

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 760 implied HN points • 06 Jun 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. The way we view Earth has changed, seeing it mostly as a source of raw materials. This mindset started with the industrial revolution and impacted how humans interact with nature.
  2. There have been many battles over resources long before humans existed. For instance, plants and elements have shaped the Earth's environment and learned to take advantage of each other.
  3. Humans are now at a point where they can manipulate nature and create artificial systems that act like living beings. This shows a significant shift in how we understand and interact with the natural world.

What's ahead for 2024 with some free essays.

Changing The Channel • 817 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
📰 News Essays
  1. The author shares essays about moving to Italy and changing life paths, resonating with readers' dissatisfaction towards America's state.
  2. The newsletter was paused in April, but relaunched in September as 'Changing the Channel' after the author left a career in political media.
  3. The post is available for paid subscribers and focuses on insights for the year 2024.

Essays the size of cathedrals

Escaping Flatland • 1002 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Essays and code can intersect, blurring the lines between them.
  2. Projects like interactive visualizations and spaced repetition software show this intersection.
  3. The borderland between essays and code is an underexplored space that offers intriguing possibilities.

Vague Blue

gen yeet • 491 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. The newsletter has a new name and will feature weekly reviews for subscribers.
  2. The author reflects on a poem by Frank O'Hara and its relevance to their life in New York.
  3. The author discusses influences and mentions relevant reporters and writers in internet culture.

forget thanksgiving its time for fearsharing

Both Are True • 105 implied HN points • 30 Nov 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Fearsharing Day is a small holiday on the Sunday after Thanksgiving meant for naming and sharing the things that scare you. It turns year-end anxiety into a communal ritual.
  2. A lot of the fears are about creative insecurity and self-doubt — worrying that work won’t be good enough, that the best ideas are behind you, or that you’re not living true to your values. These also include fears of letting people down and being trapped in a persona.
  3. The piece invites people to publicly share their fears as a healing practice and a collective experiment, with a playful goal (if many join, a video will be recorded reading them). It treats openness and participation as part of the ritual’s meaning.

An essay about a failed essay about failure

The Commonplace • 622 implied HN points • 26 May 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Writing about failure can be tough and might take away the joy of writing if not approached with the right mindset. It's important to not let the pressure to be clever ruin your passion.
  2. Failure is something everyone experiences, and it's okay to acknowledge it. It can teach us important lessons, especially when we learn to laugh at ourselves and the situation.
  3. Humility comes from recognizing our failures, but it should be approached carefully. It's not just about feeling small, but understanding our place in relation to others and the world.

Yeh Pal

Poems, Short stories and other things.. • 43 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Moments are fleeting and pass quickly whether they bring joy, sorrow, calm, or fear.
  2. You cannot stop or hold onto these moments; they come and go on their own.
  3. The best response is to live fully in each moment, enjoying it while it lasts.

Subscriber Writing, December 2024

Freddie deBoer • 1330 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. There are many interesting blog posts from different writers. These posts cover a wide range of topics that might capture your interest.
  2. The email roundup indicates that reader engagement is important, as more entries mean more chances for quality writing to be discovered.
  3. Subscribing allows you to participate and share your own writing, offering an opportunity to reach a wider audience.

How I Spent My Summer (essay)

The Lifeboat • 378 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Summer feels more like a series of holidays that quickly come and go. The writer argues that time passes too fast, like seasons changing.
  2. Real experiences often come from confusion and unexpected situations. The writer highlights how something surprising can lead to memorable moments, even if they are messy.
  3. Swearing can express deep emotions better than polite language. The writer feels overwhelmed by emotions during summer and finds swearing to be a comforting way to cope.

A fun, gripping fantasy epic for summer reading; an overlooked '00s European thriller; and more

Read Max • 553 implied HN points • 09 Jun 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. There's a great new fantasy book out that's perfect for summer. It's similar to popular titles like 'The Goblin Emperor' and 'Gideon the Ninth'.
  2. You can find essays on various topics like Trump and Musk, and even sports gambling. These might be interesting if you like discussions on current events.
  3. There's an underrated thriller from the 2000s with an amazing central performance. It could be a hidden gem you haven't seen yet.

Winter

That Damn Optimist • 87 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Winter in the city is physically brutal — cold, biting wind, and numb fingers make life sharp and uncomfortable.
  2. Despite overcrowding, insults, and high costs, the small public pleasures like hydrants, fire-escape hangs, and movies on the lawn make staying worth it.
  3. There’s a tension with authority and hostility, but the city’s stubborn, communal energy refuses to be silenced and seems ready to wake up.

Hidden Open Thread 381.5

Astral Codex Ten • 619 implied HN points • 15 May 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. The post is part of a ongoing discussion space for paid subscribers, encouraging shared conversations.
  2. It emphasizes the value of community interaction and exchange of ideas.
  3. Subscribers are offered opportunities to engage more deeply through the thread's content.

she’s on her period I poem

Tumbleweed Words • 10 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Her monthly period lasts several days and brings new waves of feeling and personal revelation that change how she is for a stretch of time.
  2. Men often don’t fully understand this and respond with awkward restraint, offering soothing fixes like tea, lemon, honey, ginger, or even vodka.
  3. Those monthly shifts can make her withdraw into close solitude and shape how relationships are negotiated, making conversations feel like they’re about the future.

on tedium

visa's voltaic verses ⚡️ • 24 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Use simple scaffolding—like lists or checklists—to stop meandering and make your work predictable and easier to do when you're busy or tired.
  2. Tedium is thoughtless repetition caused by the wrong mental frame, so instead of waiting for inspiration or clinging to identity-based approaches, try changing your process and act differently now.
  3. Keep things playful by working within time‑bounded, flexible containers (rough plans plus open time), and deliberately press feel‑good buttons like reading and exercise by challenging beliefs that they don't work, are too hard, or are undeserved.

The Fig Tree

Subtle Digressions • 119 implied HN points • 30 May 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Life offers many choices and opportunities, much like the figs on a tree. Each choice can lead to different futures and experiences.
  2. Not making a choice can lead to missed opportunities, just like the figs that fall and rot. It's important to decide on a path.
  3. Desiring too many things at once can be overwhelming. To find fulfillment, we need to pick one goal or dream to focus on.

The TERRAFORM print pamphlet is now available—here's what we earned

The Novelleist • 282 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25
📚 Literature Essays
  1. The TERRAFORM pamphlet is now out, featuring essays about the future of our planet. You can get it in digital or print versions and support the project.
  2. A literary salon discussion is happening this week for subscribers to chat about the TERRAFORM series. Free subscribers can buy a ticket to join in.
  3. The project is part of an experiment in funding journalism and shares details on how it earned money and will fund future pamphlets.

"It looks like the fork has pierced the sky"

Read Max • 737 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Essays
  1. Three picture books are a hit with my 4-year-old, showcasing the value of finding good children's literature.
  2. Interesting essays cover various topics, from cryptocurrency to social media, highlighting unique perspectives worth exploring.
  3. I enjoyed a lesser-known movie adaptation of John Le Carré's work, emphasizing the charm of discovering hidden gems in cinema.

Do our stories matter?

Men Yell at Me • 1024 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
📚 Literature Essays
  1. Our personal stories and memories are really important. They help us remember who we are, especially when we feel lost.
  2. Writing can be a powerful way to express ourselves and connect with others. It gives us a voice in difficult times.
  3. Even when things feel hopeless, sharing our experiences through words can create hope and understanding among people.