How to Write Substack Notes for ANY Niche (yes, even fiction writers)

“This sounds great, Wes. But will this work for my niche? I write about fiction/poetry/art/personal essays/investing/parenting/ [insert literally anything here].”

I get this question constantly.

The answer? Yes!

Notes works for every single niche. I’ve seen it work for fiction writers, poets, finance experts, parenting coaches, productivity gurus, and writers who don’t even fit into a category.

But here’s the thing most writers get wrong: they think Notes means posting directly about their newsletter topic.

Fiction writers think they should share story snippets. Finance writers think they should post stock tips. Parenting coaches think they should share parenting hacks.

And when those don’t perform well, they decide Notes “doesn’t work for their niche.”

That’s not how Notes works.

You’re Not Writing About Your Topic. You’re Writing About YOU.

Let me give you an example.

Say you’re a fiction writer. You write short stories and novels. Your newsletter is where you publish your work.

Here’s what doesn’t work on Notes: posting excerpts from your latest story. Sharing a paragraph from chapter three. Dropping a plot twist with no context.

It’s not that you can’t do this. But it probably won’t bring subscribers.

Here’s what does work:

• Tell the story of how you became a writer in the first place. What made you pick up a pen that first time? What do you love about writing that keeps you showing up?

• Share behind the scenes of your writing routine. What does your morning look like when you sit down to write? How do you find inspiration when the blank page feels impossible?

• Give advice to new fiction writers. What’s the one thing you wish someone had told you when you started? What mistake did you make that you want others to avoid?

• Talk about what you’re reading right now. What’s on your bookshelf? What author influenced your work? Why does this particular book matter to you?

• Tell a story about meeting another writer. You met up with a fellow fiction writer last week in the city. What did you talk about? What did you learn?

• Challenge a common belief in your field. Everyone says you need to write every single day or you’re not a real writer. Why do you disagree? Make it a little polarizing. Make people think.

See the difference?

You’re not posting your fiction. You’re posting about your journey as a fiction writer.

That’s what makes people want to subscribe…

Yes, this works for ANY niche…

Finance writer? Don’t just post stock tips on Notes. Share why you got interested in investing. Tell the story of your first big mistake.

Parenting coach? Don’t post generic parenting tips. Share a vulnerable moment from last Tuesday when your kid had a meltdown in Target.

Productivity expert? Don’t share your morning routine checklist. Tell the story of when your productivity system completely fell apart and what you learned.

The pattern is always the same: Stories beat tips. Your journey beats generic advice. Vulnerability beats polish.

Mike Cohen, Substack’s head of machine learning, said the Notes algorithm is designed to help readers “discover, subscribe, and ideally pay.”

It’s not optimized for engagement bait. It’s optimized for real connection.

And real connection comes from you being human, not you being an expert.

What Actually Brings Subscribers

In the last year, I’ve gained over 10,000 subscribers. About 70% came from Notes.

The Notes that worked weren’t the ones where I shared my best Substack tips. They were the ones where I shared my actual story. My struggles. My breakthroughs. The messy middle.

• “I was stuck at 200 subscribers and wondering if anyone cared.”

• “I almost quit my newsletter at month six.”

• “Here’s the mistake I made that cost me three months of growth.”

Those Notes brought subscribers. Because people don’t subscribe to tips, they subscribe to people.

Join the Workshop This Weekend (& get the templates & Prompts)

If you’re still wondering “but how do I actually do this for my specific niche?” that’s exactly what I teach inside my “10+ Subscribers a Day” Notes Growth Workshop.

The complete system for writing Notes that bring subscribers, no matter what you write about.

Inside, you’ll learn exactly how to:

• Write Notes that work for your specific niche (with examples)

• Turn your expertise into stories people actually stop scrolling for

• Build a sustainable 20-minute daily routine that doesn’t burn you out

• Work with Substack’s algorithm instead of fighting it

• Avoid the engagement trap (likes don’t equal subscribers)

• Know which types of Notes convert vs which just waste your time

This weekend only, I’m including something special:

I put November and December’s Notes Growth Challenge emails into a Google Doc. That’s 14 proven Note templates you can use immediately for your niche.

PLUS I added 50+ Notes writing prompts to help you when you’re stuck staring at a blank screen. All of this is in a special Google Doc you get when you join the Workshop this weekend.

After this weekend? The templates & prompts go away, and the Workshop price increases.

This is your last chance to get everything at the current price below:

Keep writing, Wes

---

Question – Are you writing on Notes consistently yet? If not, what’s holding you back? Share in the comments because I’d love to hear.