This has been something I've been so curious about, I grabbed the Starlight Compass publication name. But decided my Compass Newspaper could fit w/ all my world building under one publication. Still curious though....
I totally get the urge to categorize. I thought about starting a second publication just for my reading and review book blogging stuff but ultimately decided on doing a section for that. Of course I’ve now discovered that sections don’t show up ANYWHERE for my main subscribers so I’m reconsidering my strategy. 😭
Depends on how you set up your Sections. There are options. If you make it that your subscribers aren’t automatically added and that the section doesn’t appear on the Homepage, then yes, it would be damn near impossible for them to find your posts in that Section unless you link them to it directly. My rule of thumb whenever I create a new Section is to add my entire list if and only if the Section is fiction. If it’s anything else then I don’t add my subscribers. And then I make sure to provide direction on how to get access to my other Sections to my subscribers. You can include a How to in your welcome email (recommended) and in your About Page.
Yeah I didn’t want to move my subs over because it’s a reading blog vs my author newsletter. I didn’t see an option for making it visible on the homepage though. 👀 I’ll have to look into that. I have a spot for it on my pages list but those don’t seem to show up in the app when I go to my homepage. And they don’t show up in the app in like the banner of posts which is annoying.
Although I have gripe with that banner that it’s random anyway, I wish it was a chronological list of all of my subscribed posts with the newest first.
I was thinking of using sections, which I guess is similar to multiple publications? Anyway, I have been tempted to add (currently have an all fiction in the same universe) a “behind the scenes” and/or Yak abou KDrama and or just blather on about life (aka replace my socials with this) but it seems a bit … much?
"Neatness. I’m a bit OCD when it comes to making things look and feel neat and tidy (whenever I can). Having a Substack where everything in it is 100% Star Trek is just very cool to me." This point really stuck out to me.
I've been at the same crossroad decision to have one Substack or multiple. I ultimately chose having multiple. The idea of organizing one Substack with multiple sub categories seems daunting. Having everything siloed out makes it much easier in my head. It also allows easy content switching between topics.
It’s interesting that you highlight this paragraph because just last week I decided to combine my Star Trek Substack with my main. While I realize multiple substacks is a viable option, and was for me at the time, the idea of having less buckets to manage appeals to me at this point stage in my writing. A new season for me from when I wrote this, I guess.
Thanks for sharing this. I’m also debating whether to have multiple Substacks. I’ve multiple interests like I’m writing one where I explore stories of creators and writers, but sometimes I write about personal essays, or thoughts from books I’m reading etc. I may start with having two. I don’t want to be too diffused, but having everything under one doesn’t seem to make sense either.
It definitely isn't something I would recommend to everyone. You have to really know what you're doing and what you want before venturing into having multiple Substacks. I'm always looking for ways to combine them because while I realize sometimes separation can't be helped, at the end of the day I would much prefer to sign into ONE Substack and have it all right there to work from. Good luck with your decision and remember, nothing done can never be undone. There are no mistakes in this crazy journey we are all taking with our writing.
I have slowly but steadily gained a few hundred subscribers who read my Substack, which is a place for history-oriented articles of social commentary, and is therefore rather opinion based and editorial in style. It includes some audio and video but is mostly text based articles. Occasionally, my work is overly academic and would appeal to a more specialist audience (I believe we are in need of a new kind of history journal that is academically oriented). So, I will be doing a journal that is deliberately more academic in tone and approach. I am keeping my current Substack free and I am looking to monetize the new journal (some of the incentives would include an audio version of my most recent book, which is a history of the Supreme Court, in the form of chapter length podcast episodes). I am unsure whether to make this an optional pay tier section on my original Substack, or make a section that simply promotes and links to a separate Substack, which would be its own, paying subscriber based publication (and, as stated, would aim to be a new kind of academic history journal) . I am very much leaning toward the latter, but would appreciate your opinion. The two may both be rooted in history, but they would be very different tonally, and different in terms of their aims. I appreciate any thoughts you might be able to offer. Thanks.
thanks, for the post. how do you go about doing more than one substack? I too have multiple interests that are not to be illustrated in Venn diagrams. Do you subscribe under multiple identities? The "Three Substacks of Eve?"
They are all under one account. I’m keeping the interests separate not my identity. I see no need to shield the fact that I am interested in reading the Wizard of Oz series or that I love Star Trek. I just don’t think they make sense being all under one roof. It also makes it easier to switch from one newsletter to the other if I only have to log into one account. When I had separate accounts I hated having to sign out and in whenever I wanted to make a new post.
As for how I go about it, they each have their own unique cycle and schedule so one doesn’t interfere with the other in terms of my writing.
I noticed on your profile the publication listed most prominently is 'Erica Drayton Writes', with your others sitting below that. Once you have more than one publication, do you have any control over which is featured at the top?
Since you are one of my original Muses of the Multiples, (this was one of the very first articles I ever read on Substack amidst my initial foray as I considered moving my stuff to Substack) I'm back here because now that I'm in the midst of trying to set them all up, I have run into a major snag. I explained it here: https://substack.com/@izzyalchemist/note/c-16904675
I am quite anal retentive, too, and I'm willing to deal with the issues required for multiple publications. But it's this identity crisis that is really hanging me up. Your thoughts would be soooo appreciated.
This has been something I've been so curious about, I grabbed the Starlight Compass publication name. But decided my Compass Newspaper could fit w/ all my world building under one publication. Still curious though....
I totally get the urge to categorize. I thought about starting a second publication just for my reading and review book blogging stuff but ultimately decided on doing a section for that. Of course I’ve now discovered that sections don’t show up ANYWHERE for my main subscribers so I’m reconsidering my strategy. 😭
Depends on how you set up your Sections. There are options. If you make it that your subscribers aren’t automatically added and that the section doesn’t appear on the Homepage, then yes, it would be damn near impossible for them to find your posts in that Section unless you link them to it directly. My rule of thumb whenever I create a new Section is to add my entire list if and only if the Section is fiction. If it’s anything else then I don’t add my subscribers. And then I make sure to provide direction on how to get access to my other Sections to my subscribers. You can include a How to in your welcome email (recommended) and in your About Page.
Yeah I didn’t want to move my subs over because it’s a reading blog vs my author newsletter. I didn’t see an option for making it visible on the homepage though. 👀 I’ll have to look into that. I have a spot for it on my pages list but those don’t seem to show up in the app when I go to my homepage. And they don’t show up in the app in like the banner of posts which is annoying.
Although I have gripe with that banner that it’s random anyway, I wish it was a chronological list of all of my subscribed posts with the newest first.
I was thinking of using sections, which I guess is similar to multiple publications? Anyway, I have been tempted to add (currently have an all fiction in the same universe) a “behind the scenes” and/or Yak abou KDrama and or just blather on about life (aka replace my socials with this) but it seems a bit … much?
"Neatness. I’m a bit OCD when it comes to making things look and feel neat and tidy (whenever I can). Having a Substack where everything in it is 100% Star Trek is just very cool to me." This point really stuck out to me.
I've been at the same crossroad decision to have one Substack or multiple. I ultimately chose having multiple. The idea of organizing one Substack with multiple sub categories seems daunting. Having everything siloed out makes it much easier in my head. It also allows easy content switching between topics.
It’s interesting that you highlight this paragraph because just last week I decided to combine my Star Trek Substack with my main. While I realize multiple substacks is a viable option, and was for me at the time, the idea of having less buckets to manage appeals to me at this point stage in my writing. A new season for me from when I wrote this, I guess.
Everything changes over time. I noticed that after shortly after posting the comment. The paragraph still rings true for me (for now anyways).
Thanks for sharing this. I’m also debating whether to have multiple Substacks. I’ve multiple interests like I’m writing one where I explore stories of creators and writers, but sometimes I write about personal essays, or thoughts from books I’m reading etc. I may start with having two. I don’t want to be too diffused, but having everything under one doesn’t seem to make sense either.
It definitely isn't something I would recommend to everyone. You have to really know what you're doing and what you want before venturing into having multiple Substacks. I'm always looking for ways to combine them because while I realize sometimes separation can't be helped, at the end of the day I would much prefer to sign into ONE Substack and have it all right there to work from. Good luck with your decision and remember, nothing done can never be undone. There are no mistakes in this crazy journey we are all taking with our writing.
Do subscribers pay separately for each newsletter?
I only have PAID turned on for my main newsletter.
I have slowly but steadily gained a few hundred subscribers who read my Substack, which is a place for history-oriented articles of social commentary, and is therefore rather opinion based and editorial in style. It includes some audio and video but is mostly text based articles. Occasionally, my work is overly academic and would appeal to a more specialist audience (I believe we are in need of a new kind of history journal that is academically oriented). So, I will be doing a journal that is deliberately more academic in tone and approach. I am keeping my current Substack free and I am looking to monetize the new journal (some of the incentives would include an audio version of my most recent book, which is a history of the Supreme Court, in the form of chapter length podcast episodes). I am unsure whether to make this an optional pay tier section on my original Substack, or make a section that simply promotes and links to a separate Substack, which would be its own, paying subscriber based publication (and, as stated, would aim to be a new kind of academic history journal) . I am very much leaning toward the latter, but would appreciate your opinion. The two may both be rooted in history, but they would be very different tonally, and different in terms of their aims. I appreciate any thoughts you might be able to offer. Thanks.
thanks, for the post. how do you go about doing more than one substack? I too have multiple interests that are not to be illustrated in Venn diagrams. Do you subscribe under multiple identities? The "Three Substacks of Eve?"
They are all under one account. I’m keeping the interests separate not my identity. I see no need to shield the fact that I am interested in reading the Wizard of Oz series or that I love Star Trek. I just don’t think they make sense being all under one roof. It also makes it easier to switch from one newsletter to the other if I only have to log into one account. When I had separate accounts I hated having to sign out and in whenever I wanted to make a new post.
As for how I go about it, they each have their own unique cycle and schedule so one doesn’t interfere with the other in terms of my writing.
I noticed on your profile the publication listed most prominently is 'Erica Drayton Writes', with your others sitting below that. Once you have more than one publication, do you have any control over which is featured at the top?
Yes, in the settings of you Substack account you can select which is your “primary” one and that is what will show up like my Erica Drayton Writes.
Fabulous, thank you!
Since you are one of my original Muses of the Multiples, (this was one of the very first articles I ever read on Substack amidst my initial foray as I considered moving my stuff to Substack) I'm back here because now that I'm in the midst of trying to set them all up, I have run into a major snag. I explained it here: https://substack.com/@izzyalchemist/note/c-16904675
I am quite anal retentive, too, and I'm willing to deal with the issues required for multiple publications. But it's this identity crisis that is really hanging me up. Your thoughts would be soooo appreciated.