The hottest Publishing Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

How Medium finally pivoted its way to profitability

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 1546 implied HN points • 25 Jul 25
💼 Business Publishing
  1. Medium has turned around its business by focusing on quality writing and rewarding writers better. The new management cut unnecessary costs and introduced systems that encourage good content.
  2. A big part of Medium's success is its commitment to human curation. Instead of relying only on algorithms, real people help highlight the best articles, making the platform more reliable for readers.
  3. Medium aims to attract not just professional writers, but everyday people who want to share their knowledge. This broader approach could help it grow even bigger, potentially reaching millions of subscribers.

Blockade: The Science and Ethics of Trade

Bet On It • 206 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
💥 Comics Publishing
  1. A new non-fiction graphic novel about the science and ethics of trade is planned for Fall 2027.
  2. The project pairs prominent free-trade experts with a cartoonist and is being produced as part of a Cato Institute-backed series, with the team assembling quickly.
  3. The book will cover issues like trade deficits, protectionism, strategic trade, and the history and ethics of commerce, and the creators are asking for topic and imagery suggestions.

With Love from St. Louis

Story Club with George Saunders • 65 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Touring and talking with readers and collaborators energizes creative work and shows that books build real community. It’s a reminder that live conversation and shared stories matter.
  2. A single book can spark wildly different reactions — essays, long interviews, radio features, and even group readings — and that range of response can be valuable. The sparks a book makes are part of its success, even if opinions vary.
  3. It’s okay to abandon a draft if you don’t have the desire or joy to revise it; sometimes a manuscript is mainly a way to process experience rather than a project to develop. Trust that the technical and emotional learning from that work carries into future projects, and prioritize projects that give you anticipatory joy and playful uncertainty.

Spitballing

Chuck Palahniuk's Plot Spoiler • 3085 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. Consider focusing on a very small customer base that will pay high prices for your service or product.
  2. Creating a high-status-signaling commodity can attract a niche market of wealthy individuals.
  3. Emphasizing exclusivity and luxury in your offerings can drive demand and high price points.

The media is pivoting to video again

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
💼 Business Publishing
  1. Media companies are starting to use vertical video on their websites to compete with popular platforms like TikTok. This strategy might not work because they lack the powerful algorithms that keep users engaged.
  2. Many publishers are launching cooking apps to retain audience control as traffic shifts to big tech platforms. Dedicated apps can help convert casual users into loyal content consumers.
  3. Print books are still very popular despite the rise of ebooks and audiobooks. Many readers enjoy the physical experience of reading a print book, which keeps print formats thriving.
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He Shut Down Time’s Moscow Bureau. Then He Built His Own Magazine

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 24 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
💼 Business Publishing
  1. The collapse of legacy newsrooms pushed journalists to build new, independent outlets instead of following old corporate paths.
  2. Starting small and using niche entry points like food or quirky platforms can grow into a powerful creative brand, but heavy reliance on brand partnerships or star contributors can leave a media venture vulnerable.
  3. Moving to reader-supported, membership-driven models and combining digital work with an annual print edition can provide a more durable financial foundation after major setbacks.

On Chain Publishing

Points And Figures • 266 implied HN points • 17 Dec 25
🔮 Crypto Publishing
  1. Paragraph is an on-chain publishing platform, but platforms like Substack still offer better distribution and much easier commenting; Paragraph’s comment/community features require buying and using tokens.
  2. A post was published on Paragraph and readers are invited to read it, leave comments, and make predictions, with the suggestion to turn those predictions into markets on Polymarket or Kalshi.
  3. As AI improves, original human writing with real insight will become rarer, and that shift could upend many purely capitalistic industries and their current business models.

What Is The Right Atomic Unit For Knowledge?

Adjacent Possible • 364 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Publishing
  1. The history of peer review shows how a small change in the scientific community shaped the way knowledge is shared for a long time. It's a reminder that even minor adjustments can have big impacts.
  2. With advancements in AI, there's potential for a new way to package and share knowledge that goes beyond what we currently have. This could make accessing and understanding information easier for everyone.
  3. New tools like Deep Research and Google Research notebooks can help us gather and organize information better, allowing for interactive and personalized research experiences. This makes learning more engaging and effective.

life is a crying baby

Both Are True • 180 implied HN points • 27 Dec 25
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. A time-limited project that delivers 58 short entries by email over the course of a month, capturing small ideas, drafts, and daily thoughts.
  2. The main purpose is to clear a cluttered personal database and give past creative impulses a finite, honored form with an explicit end date.
  3. There’s a lot of vulnerability and self-doubt about sharing, but the act of releasing it is framed as an exhale and a way to listen to and respect past creative selves.

An Illustrated Survival Guide

OK Doomer • 337 implied HN points • 28 Nov 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Publishing
  1. There are two versions of the survival guide: one serious and one more casual. This way, readers can choose the style they prefer.
  2. The guide will cover essential survival topics, especially focusing on helping vulnerable people during tough situations like extreme weather.
  3. Support for the project is important, and the creator will share completed parts of the guide with subscribers as they go along.

The Form & Purpose of Book Reviews

Notes from a Small Press • 34 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Short general-interest book reviews act as service journalism that help readers decide whether to read or buy a book.
  2. Tight formal limits like a short word count force reviewers to be economical and create shared expectations that make reviews useful and readable.
  3. Niche publishers and local or community outlets can fill gaps left by national review pages by building engaged audiences through targeted coverage, events, and word-of-mouth.

Nothing new for today

In My Tribe • 167 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
📰 News Publishing
  1. No new post today — nothing is ready to publish.
  2. There are a few posts being worked on, but they aren't finished yet.
  3. Updates will come when those posts are ready to be released.

Hitting Reset Part 2

CRAFT TALK • 2358 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Rejection is a common part of a writer's career, but it's important to bounce back and find the right fit.
  2. Finding the right publisher/editor is crucial for an author's success and growth.
  3. Building a supportive community and staying focused on writing are key to navigating the ups and downs of the publishing world.

Breaking some huge personal news

Cloud Irregular • 2809 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. The author has sold their first novel called THE BLEB PROJECT, which is a big dream come true for them.
  2. The book mixes satire with science fiction and is about what happens when Silicon Valley invents time travel.
  3. It will likely take a while for the book to be published, possibly not until 2026, but the author is excited about working with a major publisher.

The Audiobook Is Out!

Injecting Freedom • 33 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. The audiobook Vaccines, Amen! is now available on Audible/Amazon.
  2. There are 25 free US and 25 free UK promo codes up for grabs — comment with your preferred marketplace to request one, and eligible readers will receive a private Substack message; codes are first come, first served.
  3. Readers are asked to leave quick, honest reviews and to share or post about the book, and a few trolls have already posted negative reviews.

The Bluestocking, vol 304: Cowardice and AI crime fiction

The Bluestocking • 1120 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. The cost of theater tickets in different countries can impact the accessibility of culture and art, affecting the sustainability of artistic communities.
  2. AI is being used to generate fiction at a rapid pace, showcasing the pressure some authors feel to produce content quickly.
  3. Concerns about age and capabilities arise in politics, like with President Biden's age being a cause for debate.

On Buying (and Selling) Books

CRAFT TALK • 2279 implied HN points • 09 Oct 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Pre-orders are important for books to indicate interest and potentially get on bestseller lists.
  2. Advice and how-to books may have a longer sales trajectory compared to fiction.
  3. People can buy books whenever they want, but pre-ordering can support authors and their books.

Here are the Substacks You Should Read

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 12 implied HN points • 06 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. Comedy Distant is a sharp, darkly funny satire newsletter that skewers improv and workplace culture with wicked wit, filling a rare comedy niche on Substack.
  2. big reader bad grades mixes memoir and literary reportage in a distinctive numbered format, offering poignant and often funny reflections from life as a grocery-store clerk and a singular novelist’s perspective.
  3. Cross Current delivers deep, wide-ranging cultural and political essays that weave history, media, and ideas together, pushing readers beyond simple left‑versus‑right debates and rewarding slow, thoughtful reading.

From the Road

Story Club with George Saunders • 77 implied HN points • 29 Jan 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. French dance phrases act as small bursts of physical action that stop long interior monologue from feeling static and help the reader picture the character moving through the house.
  2. Those interjections create a staccato rhythm and audible pauses chosen by ear, giving the prose variety and little moments for the reader to gather before returning to inner thought.
  3. The technique is improvisational and ear-driven, mixing high and low diction, jargon, foreign phrases, and typographic tics to produce a controlled cacophony that makes the voice feel lively and invites the reader to lean in.

Five years here: post #250!

Brain Pizza • 264 implied HN points • 27 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. A creator is marking five years on the platform and celebrating their 250th post.
  2. They’ve been consistently prolific — about 50 posts a year, each 1,000–2,000 words, adding up to roughly 400,000 words in total.
  3. The full post is behind a paywall and requires a subscription, though a 7-day free trial is offered.

The Monday Media Diet with Daniel Giacopelli

Why is this interesting? • 1085 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. Reading a lot of newsletters can help you stay informed and inspired, but it's easy to get overwhelmed. It's important to find a balance and prune your subscriptions sometimes.
  2. Exploring local culture and history can spark curiosity and lead to fascinating discoveries about where you live. Even your own neighborhood can have a rich past worth exploring.
  3. Using apps and technology in creative ways, like learning about bird species or local history through geolocation, can enhance your experiences and connection to your surroundings.

Uncurated: The Case for a New Term of Art

Lit Mag News Roundup • 2201 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Literary publication is changing in the digital age, making the term 'previously published' obsolete.
  2. Editors and publishers should focus on curation rather than traditional publication in the modern era.
  3. A new term 'uncurated' is proposed to replace 'unpublished' to better reflect the current literary landscape.

2025 Recap

Novum Newsletter • 154 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
📚 Literature Publishing
  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.

Resisting the Politicization of Science

Heterodox STEM • 199 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
🔬 Science Publishing
  1. Science must stay independent from politics and ideology, with research, publication, and recognition judged by scientific merit rather than identity or political alignment.
  2. Threats to scientific independence come from multiple directions—both activist pressures within academia and political or governmental interference can undermine research integrity.
  3. Researchers and institutions should defend norms like rigorous peer review, open inquiry, unbiased evaluation, and autonomy in funding and education to preserve science’s reliability and universality.

Since You Asked

Chuck Palahniuk's Plot Spoiler • 2083 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Writing is about risking looking bad and giving others the same opportunity.
  2. A proposed series may fail to find a large readership and face challenges with publishers.
  3. Persisting through challenges is important in creative pursuits like writing.

Mailbag Grab Grab

Freddie deBoer • 3434 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. The writer is open to doing a podcast if it's funded and someone else handles the technical aspects, but they don't think it would attract enough new subscribers.
  2. They are excited about their upcoming book projects, including a novel and a nonfiction book about mental health, with expected publication dates in 2025 and 2026.
  3. Despite receiving many emails, the writer can't always respond due to time constraints but values the input and feels guilty for not replying.

Year in review, 2024

The Common Reader • 2799 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Publishing
  1. Subscriber numbers more than doubled from 7,440 to 16,068 in a year, showing strong growth. Thanks to everyone for reading!
  2. The book 'Second Act' received positive reviews from well-known publications, highlighting its appeal to late bloomers seeking success.
  3. Popular topics on The Common Reader included essays on literary criticism and cultural commentary, reflecting a mix of interests among readers.

Still Going...

Story Club with George Saunders • 60 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  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.

I'm doing Inkhaven

Aliveness Studies • 9 implied HN points • 24 Feb 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. A month-long Berkeley writing residency forces daily output (residents must publish 500+ words a day), giving strong structure and accountability for people who want to write more.
  2. The program’s main benefits are community, feedback, and networking — being around other writers and experienced bloggers can help workshop pieces, boost productivity, and even support mental health through co-regulation.
  3. Even without clear long-term goals, committing to a focused month can clarify thinking, be a fun way to explore the area, and many participants report very positive experiences.

Editing and Penis Size

Notes from a Small Press • 50 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  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.

Hello From Taiwan!

Am I Doing This Right? • 1081 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Publishing
  1. The author is in Taiwan working on their third book and finalizing edits on the second book.
  2. The second book's official announcement occurred a few weeks ago, with more details to come in upcoming months.
  3. Paid subscriptions to the author's work will resume soon, providing access to exclusive content and updates on their upcoming projects.

Why this business news outlet ditched advertising to focus entirely on paid subscriptions

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 249 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
💼 Business Publishing
  1. The National Business Review stopped taking advertising and now only makes money through paid subscriptions.
  2. They have more than 14,000 subscribers who pay about $499 each year, making the business profitable.
  3. The owner, Todd Scott, plans to share his publishing technology with other media outlets around the world.

Inside Big Cabal Media’s Ambitious Plan to Build Africa’s Next Great Media Company

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 224 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
💼 Business Publishing
  1. Big Cabal Media started as two blogs and has grown into a big company with 100 employees across different countries. They now do events, research, and even movies.
  2. Tomiwa Aladekomo believes in diversifying revenue sources to help the company succeed in the changing media landscape.
  3. The company faces common challenges like social media traffic drops and AI trends, as well as unique issues specific to African media.

The One Who Got Away

Agents and Books • 1709 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
💼 Business Publishing
  1. Agents can get rejected too, even after offering representation.
  2. Rejection in the publishing industry is common, but it's important to stay positive and professional.
  3. Not landing every opportunity is okay, there are always more chances ahead.

Join Me Tomorrow On Substack Live For A Book Update And Q&A

Singal-Minded • 111 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. There's a live video update and Q&A tomorrow at 5:00 PM Eastern, with the join link sent five minutes beforehand to premium subscribers. It will start with a roughly 10-minute update and then move to audience questions for an estimated 45 minutes, and the recording will be available afterward.
  2. A book about the debate over youth gender medicine is nearing its deadline, which has caused delays in responding to reader questions.
  3. Readers are encouraged to post questions about youth gender medicine now, with the most upvoted questions prioritized during the live session, and the newsletter will have changes announced later this month or in early February.

Subscriber Writing, July 2025

Freddie deBoer • 897 implied HN points • 22 Jul 25
📚 Literature Publishing
  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.

Happy Sunday to You All

Story Club with George Saunders • 103 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. An interview ran in The New York Times and is available in written, video, and podcast formats.
  2. The post is behind a paywall and directs readers to subscribe or sign in to access the full content.
  3. The announcement greets readers and points them to the newly released interviews with links to each format.