My Early Days On Substack
The messy, beautiful beginning of discovering Substack and connecting with amazing writers.
When I first created my Substack account, honestly, I didn’t know what I was stepping into. It wasn’t some well-planned, strategic move. It was pure curiosity and a bit of hope.
The first two days? I spent them just figuring things out.
At first, I had no idea what I was doing.
Any writer that popped up in my feed? Subscribed.
Any publication Substack recommended? Subscribed.
I didn’t really check anything — I was just randomly subscribing, still trying to figure it all out.
I didn’t understand what Substack truly was at that time — it all felt new, exciting, and confusing at the same time.
And then one day, I watched
live session.Something shifted inside me.
Listening to her, hearing about her journey, her insights — made me realize that Substack was not just another publishing platform.
It was something much deeper:
A place where writers built communities, not just content.
A space where conversations mattered as much as posts.
That’s when I started exploring more intentionally. I wasn’t just subscribing randomly anymore — I was connecting.
And that's when I discovered my early circle — my gems:
(And funny enough, I had first found Bin Jiang through a Medium publication — yet here we were, crossing paths again on Substack!)
Even now, these names feel special to me.
When you start something new, the first people who walk alongside you?
You never forget them.
Their presence becomes part of your story.
My real connection with Substack began through
emails.I used to receive his emails regularly, and I loved how consistent and thoughtful they were.
It made me wonder:
"If he can do this so beautifully, maybe I can too?"
At the same time, I was hearing a lot about Medium’s changing algorithms, how it was becoming harder for writers to reach readers.
That’s when I thought, maybe it’s time for something new.
In January 2025, I made a simple decision:
I would start fresh on Substack.
No big expectations.
Just a small step forward with hope in my heart.
Today, when I look back, I realize it was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my writing.
Now, I enjoy both Medium and Substack.
Medium is where I often post longer blogs.
Substack feels more personal — almost like a cozy coffee shop where conversations are real, not curated. And honestly?
Notes are a big part of why I love Substack so much.
Notes make the platform feel alive.
They're not just about broadcasting content — they’re about connecting.
A quick thought, a shared moment, a real conversation — that's what Notes create.
I learned a lot from others in this community as well.
Even today, I feel like I’m just scratching the surface.
There’s so much more on Substack that I’m still exploring — hidden communities, new writers, opportunities to engage deeper.
And that’s the beauty of it.
Substack isn’t something you "master" in a day.
It’s something you grow with.
Step by step.
Connection by connection.
At The End
If you’re just starting your Substack journey, feeling confused or overwhelmed —you’re not alone.
We all begin somewhere.
Sometimes messy, sometimes lost.
But if you stay curious, stay open, you’ll find your people, your voice and slowly, you’ll build something that feels like home.
Start small.
Stay consistent.
And trust the process, your gems are waiting for you too.
This piece is a masterclass in creator transparency—your unvarnished look at Substack’s grind (early doubts, slow growth, the quiet wins) is the antidote to everyone else’s highlight reels. That realization about consistency mattering more than virality? Gold. The exact roadmap I wish I’d had when starting out.
Thank you so much, Taqaddus! I love the other people in the list too, what an awesome selection :)