The hottest Publishing Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

From Google Blogger to Substack: Coming Soon!

Musings on Markets • 899 implied HN points • 25 Mar 22
💼 Business Publishing
  1. The author started blogging in 2008 and has written over 600 posts on finance topics since then. This blogging experience has helped him rethink his views and develop new ideas.
  2. He is moving his blog from Google Blogger to Substack because it allows him to easily transfer his old posts and offers a better format for readers.
  3. Both platforms will continue to host his posts, and he encourages readers to choose between them while assuring that the experience will remain similar.

'Science Fictions' by Stuart Ritchie is a stupid, confused book, polluted with ideology

Heterodox STEM • 85 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🔬 Science Publishing
  1. The book highlights major issues in science, like fraud and poor management, but also fails to address the real problems caused by centralization and prestige within scientific institutions.
  2. There's a strong critique of being selectively skeptical about certain scientific areas while promoting others without question, suggesting a bias in the author's approach.
  3. A call for a new role of science critics is made, emphasizing the need for independent reviewers who can help evaluate and communicate scientific ideas better.

Americans Don’t Mind Hearing And Learning About Racism — They Just Don’t Like The Weird And Religiously Tinged Way Educated Liberals Talk About It

Singal-Minded • 1168 implied HN points • 10 May 23
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. Americans are open to learning about racism, but dislike the way educated liberals discuss it.
  2. Authors facing censorship challenges can spark public outcry and bring attention to important issues.
  3. Culture wars and book banning in schools raise questions about offensive content and editorial processes.

Progress Report for Paid Subscribers #3

Trantor Publishing • 79 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Isaac Young is working on making his content more accessible by experimenting with audio formats.
  2. Isaac Young is diligently creating content for his subscribers, with progress on projects like 'Gigaheroes' and exclusive short stories.
  3. Isaac Young encourages engagement from his audience and appreciates their support.

Pouch is now available for preorder!

vrk loves paper • 99 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. Pouch is available for preorder, and it's an indie magazine for paper lovers. The first issue has 22 pages and is set to ship around April/May 2024.
  2. The author is excited yet curious about how people will receive Pouch. They've put a lot of love and effort into this project, and it's a big milestone for them.
  3. A new zine store called Pouch Cafe is also launching, selling their various zines. They feel more legit as a zine maker now that they have a store, even if they sell zero zines.
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An Unhinged History of American Publishing, episode 3.3: The Crown Publishing Group, or: Look At That Trash Panda Go 😭

How to Glow in the Dark • 199 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. The Great Depression had a significant impact on the American publishing industry.
  2. During tough times, unconventional strategies and adapting to the audience's needs can lead to success.
  3. Observing consumer behavior and offering affordable options helped Crown Publishers thrive post-Depression.

How Not to Write

Polymathic Being • 63 implied HN points • 24 Aug 25
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Don't worry about finding a specific niche when you start writing. It's better to explore different topics you're curious about and let your unique voice develop naturally.
  2. Outlining isn't necessary for everyone. Sometimes, just diving in and writing can lead to unexpected and exciting discoveries in your story.
  3. You don't have to write every day to be a good writer. Find a rhythm that works for you, like writing in short bursts when inspiration strikes instead of forcing a strict schedule.

How to market a book in the age of TikTok

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Authors can now connect directly with their readers through platforms like Substack and TikTok, making it easier to build an audience.
  2. The book market is very competitive since there are more books published each year, but there are also new opportunities like podcasts for authors to promote their work.
  3. Key strategies for selling books include choosing the right cover, working with influencers, and using targeted advertising, especially on Amazon.

What's American Fiction Without the Short Story?

Counter Craft • 578 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Short stories are integral to American literature and are considered a quintessential American literary form.
  2. The declining prestige of short stories is noted, despite the vibrant and alive nature of the form in American letters.
  3. Short stories face challenges due to lack of space in magazines, minimal big publisher support, and the popularity bias towards novels.

Read the world

Substack • 551 implied HN points • 20 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. Substack is helping writers globally connect and create a supportive community. It's important for creators to find others who understand their journey.
  2. A new world map on Substack makes it easier for people to discover popular writings from different countries. This tool helps writers reach a wider audience.
  3. Substack is introducing various payment methods and masterclasses to support writers in new regions, allowing them to earn in local currencies and learn how to succeed on the platform.

How I Transcribed 362 Episodes of My Favorite Podcast Using Codex CLI and exe.dev

Juan David’s Newsletter • 6 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🎙 Podcasts Publishing
  1. A reliable four-step pipeline handled hundreds of episodes unattended: raw ASR → deterministic cleanup → editorial LLM pass → publish/sync, running Codex CLI on a remote VM so the whole job could finish without babysitting.
  2. A strict style guide, correction maps, and a locked editorial prompt made the LLM behave like a conservative editor, fixing ASR phonetic errors, names, punctuation, and obvious typos without adding facts or changing meaning.
  3. The results were published with per-episode pages, audio players, navigation, and SEO, and an automated watcher now transcribes new episodes automatically, making the archive searchable for humans and LLMs and enabling future personalized learning tools.

Are Books Worth Writing?

David Friedman’s Substack • 260 implied HN points • 28 Nov 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Writing a book can help spread ideas more effectively than blog posts. Books allow for a more organized presentation of related thoughts.
  2. Converting blog posts into a book can save time since it involves editing rather than starting from scratch. It builds on existing content, which can be easier.
  3. There's a possibility to create short books or combine related topics into one longer book. Exploring these options might benefit both the writer and the readers.

April Update

Shades of Greaves • 157 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. The author finished writing a book and is now preparing for proofreading and printing, with an option for pre-ordering.
  2. The author highlights the importance of supporting Black women athletes and shares recent writing on the topic of criticisms in sports.
  3. The newsletter includes a fun and humorous quiz comparing Thomas Pynchon novels to 90's R&B groups, showcasing light-hearted content.

Why hasn’t the mainstream media embraced paid podcasts?

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 573 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Publishing
  1. Paid podcasts have seen success with small networks and creators, but traditional media outlets have been hesitant to embrace them.
  2. Platforms like Patreon and tools from Apple and Spotify have made subscribing to paid podcasts easier, yet major publishers are still not fully exploring this opportunity.
  3. Some media companies like Slate and The Economist are finding success with paid podcasts and hard paywalls, showing potential for revenue growth in these areas.

I Wrote a Book

The Reclamation Era • 79 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. The author finished writing a book after many months of hard work and revisions, organizing her thoughts and ideas like puzzle pieces.
  2. She felt a strong emotional connection to her late friend while writing, which motivated her to complete the book.
  3. The final manuscript turned out to be 191 pages long, which has special significance to her as it's her lucky number.

Jobs and Opps at ITV, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, The Lead, Sifted.eu, and Many, Many More 🎄

Journo Resources - The Opportunities • 119 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
💼 Business Publishing
  1. The newsletter shares job opportunities at various organizations like ITV and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
  2. Encouragement to rest and recharge during the holiday season to improve job application quality.
  3. Updates on a magazine cover reveal and sales initiative for the upcoming yearbook.

Spring Master Publishing Classes with Susie

SBJournal • 78 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🚌 Education Publishing
  1. Classes by Susie Bright are for authors and editors aiming to be read.
  2. Students will learn how to make an impact and establish a livelihood in publishing.
  3. The classes cover essential topics like asking for favors, writing pitch letters, understanding contracts, and marketing strategies.

Testing a book's code

Mostly Python • 628 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Publishing
  1. Maintaining a technical book involves continuous updates to ensure code relevancy.
  2. Automated testing is crucial for keeping book code up to date and relevant.
  3. Testing a book's code involves challenges like user input, random values, and cross-OS issues.

Why do I Write?

Theory Matters • 3 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Writing is driven by mixed motives: a private need to understand yourself and enjoy the craft, plus a desire for external validation and sometimes income.
  2. Rejection and the fear of banality make writing emotionally risky, so readers, subscribers, and feedback feel like personal validation.
  3. Market pressures and AI push people toward formulaic, pitch-driven work that can hollow out a unique voice, but genuine writing still requires struggle and can’t be fully shortcut.

On building cathedrals of thought

storyvoyager • 10 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Our shared beliefs shape the world, so changing them is necessary to create a better future. This work must be collective and long-term, built by many people over generations like a cathedral of thought.
  2. Individual reflection and unique worldviews matter because a clear mind can challenge collective reality and imagine new possibilities. Expressing ideas as concise, poetic insights and stories helps synthesize facts into human meaning.
  3. Storytelling and archives preserve human memory and help future generations grieve, learn, and imagine alternatives after loss. Fiction can both document a broken world and hold hope that inspires reflection and change.

The Magic Of Showing Up Every Single Day

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 259 implied HN points • 18 Mar 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Being consistent in your creative work helps you connect with your audience. When you show up regularly, it shows that your voice matters.
  2. Writing and publishing often helps you improve your skills and gain confidence. Each story you share is a step towards becoming a better writer.
  3. Your words can inspire and impact others in ways you may not realize. Publishing consistently can create a ripple effect that reaches many people.

A Novel for the Trump Age

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 22 implied HN points • 18 Nov 25
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Writing a novel takes practice and effort, much like sports or music. It's important to focus on creating and not get stuck overthinking.
  2. Interesting characters are more important than likeable ones. Even if a character has flaws, their story can still be engaging and meaningful.
  3. Novels should explore the complexity of human experiences without being overly moralistic. Readers want to connect with characters that reflect real-life messiness and contradictions.

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, Episode 3.2: The Knopf/Doubleday Publishing Group, or: Olympus Unbuttoned

How to Glow in the Dark • 179 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Developing characters in writing by giving them a want and a need makes them interesting and integral to the plot.
  2. Personal experiences and real-life inspirations can shape fictional character arcs and storylines.
  3. Having a clear vision and partnership can drive success, but challenges and expectations may not always align as planned.

Meta's just not that into you

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 499 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
💼 Business Publishing
  1. Facebook is shifting away from news content, with recent actions including shutting down its news tab and restricting news links on its platforms like Instagram and Threads.
  2. Publishers have seen a decline in Facebook traffic over the years, as the platform has deprioritized news pages since the aftermath of the 2016 election.
  3. Many publishers blame Meta for not compensating them adequately, leading to lobbying efforts by publishers globally to force Meta to the bargaining table.

“Merit-Based Science Is Effective and Fair”: How Such a Banal Idea Has Become Controversial

Heterodox STEM • 213 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
🔬 Science Publishing
  1. Merit-based science has significantly improved our lives by leading to important inventions and medical advancements. It relies on rewarding talent and hard work, enabling people from various backgrounds to succeed.
  2. There is a growing concern about the influence of ideology on science, especially with movements pushing for diversity and equity. Some believe these changes hinder the scientific process and meritocracy.
  3. Despite claims of bias in science, studies suggest that many of these allegations lack strong evidence. Some researchers argue that society has made progress in creating equal opportunities in STEM fields.

Metrics don't write books

The Leftovers • 139 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Metrics like social media engagements don't necessarily translate to book sales.
  2. Authors shouldn't solely rely on self-promotion, as publishers have a crucial role in book promotion.
  3. Writers should focus more on writing books rather than getting caught up in ineffective social media promotion.

Weekly Top Picks #100

The Algorithmic Bridge • 148 implied HN points • 03 Mar 25
🕹 Technology Publishing
  1. The weekly newsletter just reached its 100th edition, so instead of the usual picks, there's an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session this time.
  2. You can ask about anything related to AI, newsletter writing, or even personal opinions that might spark discussion.
  3. The author encourages open questions and suggests that using tools like ChatGPT can help in forming inquiries.

An Ocean of Data

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 466 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Publishing
  1. Data produced in just one minute in 2023 was 169,371 times more than produced in the entire 18th century.
  2. The analogy of
  3. pissing into the ocean
  4. implies the massive amount of data being generated daily being like a drop in the vast ocean.
  5. The role of a writer has evolved significantly from the 18th century, with the digital era signaling the end of traditional writing as we knew it.

Discount on Kindle Pre-Orders Of My Book

Japan Economy Watch • 99 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
💼 Business Publishing
  1. You can get a discount on the Kindle pre-orders of the book on Amazon US, paying $17.99 instead of the regular price of $23.99.
  2. On the Japanese site, the price for the Kindle version is Y3,948 without a pre-order discount.
  3. The hardcover version is available on Amazon with a 30% discount offered by Oxford Univ. Press.

Audio version of Reality is Breaking

Charles Eisenstein • 2 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. An audio version is provided to make the piece accessible to blind readers and to serve people who prefer listening.
  2. Reading is recommended because some paragraphs need time to digest and reading lets you pause and follow your own pace, while audio forces the narrator's timing.
  3. Subscribers are thanked and invited to consider switching to a paid subscription, and there's a brief personal note about having a bad cold.

Publishing Amid the AI Deluge

Risk Musings • 458 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. During the pandemic, there was a surge in manuscript submissions to publishers.
  2. AI technology like ChatGPT is being used to generate online book content, affecting discoverability and quality.
  3. The future of novel-writing as a career is uncertain due to AI's impact on the industry, with potential polarization into superstars and hobbyists.

How to create a consistent writing habit

Substack Blog • 624 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🚌 Education Publishing
  1. Creating a consistent writing habit can be supported by an editorial calendar and strategy.
  2. Resources exist to help writers with goal-setting, formats, and publishing schedules.
  3. Building a habit to consistently publish work involves setting a schedule and understanding your goals.

Let's Fly! Become a Verified Book Author and Promote Your Book on Medium

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 219 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Medium now offers a free blue 'Book Author' badge that verifies authors. This can help writers stand out and promote their work on the platform.
  2. To get the badge, authors need to apply with their book's details and they'll be verified if everything checks out.
  3. If you're writing regularly on Medium, you might already have the beginnings of a book. Consider compiling your posts into a full book project!

Video on About pages, discover Substacks by country, and more

Substack • 392 implied HN points • 28 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Publishing
  1. You can now watch videos on your About pages, making it easier to express your mission and connect with readers.
  2. Substack added a feature to find popular posts by country using a world map, helping you discover new content globally.
  3. You can upload your own transcripts for videos, and share specific moments in a video through timestamped links.