The 3 types of stories every Substack needs (most writers only tell one)
The storytelling framework that turns casual readers into loyal subscribers (and customers)
Six months into relaunching my Substack, I hit a wall.
I was posting consistently. The content was solid. I was getting decent open rates.
But my growth had plateaued. Hard.
I’d hover around the same subscriber count week after week. People would subscribe, then unsubscribe at nearly the same rate. My posts were getting views but not the kind of engagement that leads to real growth.
I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong.
Then I realized something: I was writing like everyone else.
Tips. Strategies. How-to guides. All valuable information that people could get from dozens of other newsletters (or from ChatGPT for free).
I wasn’t giving anyone a reason to care about my newsletter specifically.
That’s when I started clarifying my story.
Not just mentioned once in an About page. But woven throughout my content in different ways.
The story of how I was a burnt-out career coach drowning in 1-on-1 client work, decided to relaunch my Substack to diversify my income, and grew it from 0 to 13,000+ subscribers while building $5K+ per month from digital products.
That story changed everything.
Suddenly people weren’t just reading for the information. They were reading because they saw themselves in my journey. They wanted the same transformation—less client dependency, more freedom, sustainable income.
My growth took off. My engagement went through the roof. People started replying to my emails telling me their own stories.
And here’s what I learned: most Substack writers are only telling one type of story (if they’re telling any at all).
They’re sharing tips and tactics without the human context that makes those tactics matter.
But readers don’t just want information. They want connection. They want to know who’s behind the advice and why they should trust you over the thousand other people teaching similar things.
As humans, we’re wired for storytelling.
It’s how we’ve passed down knowledge for thousands of years. It’s how we make sense of the world. It’s how we decide who to trust and who to learn from.
And here’s the thing ChatGPT will never be able to replicate: your specific story.
AI can generate perfect tips. It can write how-to guides. It can even mimic your writing style.
But it can’t tell the story of how you went from burnt-out and desperate to building the exact life your readers want. It can’t capture the specific moment when everything clicked for you. It can’t recreate your unique path from struggle to solution.
Your story is your unfair advantage.
But most writers only tell one type of story—if they tell any story at all. Taking the time to clarify and write your story can make or break your newsletter.
Here are the three types every Substack needs:
Story Type 1: Your Origin Story
This is how you got started doing what you write about.
Not your entire life history. Just the moment when you decided to pursue this path or solve this problem.
For me, it’s the decision to relaunch my Substack in summer 2024. Looking at my calendar filled with client calls and thinking “there has to be another way.”
Your origin story answers: Why do you care about this topic so much? What made you start this journey?
This story builds credibility. It shows you’re not just teaching from theory—you’ve lived this. You had a reason to figure this out.
Most importantly, it gives readers a person to connect with, not just information to consume.
Story Type 2: Your Transformation Story
This is the before and after. Where you were, what you did, where you are now.
This is the story I tell most often:
Burnt-out career coach → Relaunched Substack → 13,000 subscribers and $5K+/month → Now taking fewer 1-on-1 clients with more flexibility and breathing room.
Your transformation story answers: What changed? How did you get from problem to solution? What’s different about your life now?
This story sells. Not in a pushy way, but in a “this is what’s possible” way.
When readers see your transformation, they see their own potential transformation. They think “if they did it, maybe I can too.”
This is the story that turns casual readers into buyers. Because they’re not just buying your product—they’re buying the transformation you represent.
Story Type 3: Your Lesson Story
This is the story of what you learned along the way. The mistakes. The surprises. The things that worked when you didn’t expect them to.
For me, it’s realizing that simple digital products outsell complex courses. Or discovering that 200 subscribers is enough to make your first $1,000. Or learning that telling my story over and over doesn’t bore people—it deepens their connection.
Your lesson story answers: What did you learn that you wish you’d known earlier? What surprised you? What would you tell someone starting where you were?
This story teaches. It gives people shortcuts. It helps them avoid your mistakes and replicate your wins.
It positions you as someone who’s not just successful, but someone who can help others become successful too.
Here’s what most Substack writers do wrong:
They write content without any of these stories. Just information floating in a void.
Or they tell their origin story once in their About page and never mention it again.
Or they share transformation results without the story of how they got there.
But when you weave all three types of stories throughout your content, something shifts.
People don’t just read your newsletter. They feel connected to you.
They don’t just consume your tips. They trust your guidance because they know your journey.
They don’t just subscribe. They engage, they reply, they buy, they refer their friends.
Your Substack doesn’t need more content. It needs better stories.
Stories that show who you are, what you’ve overcome, and what you’ve learned.
Stories that ChatGPT can’t write. Stories that make you irreplaceable.
Stories that turn strangers into subscribers, and subscribers into customers.
Ready to Master Your Substack Storytelling?
The difference between a Substack that grows and one that plateaus often comes down to storytelling. Not just telling stories occasionally but having a framework for weaving your stories throughout everything you write.
Next Wednesday, October 8th, I’m launching my brand-new “Email Storyselling” Workshop.
This is specifically designed to help you:
Identify and clarify your three core stories (Origin, Transformation, Lesson)
Write each one using a proven framework that connects and sells
Use them strategically throughout your Substack to grow your audience
Weave storytelling into your emails to convert readers into subscribers (and customers)
When you join my Six Figure Substack Growth Masterclass this weekend, you get a ticket to the “Email Storyselling” Workshop (worth $147) included as a bonus.
So, you’ll learn the complete system for growing your Substack to 10K+ subscribers and beyond, PLUS you’ll master the storytelling framework that makes your newsletter stand out from everyone else’s.
Inside the Masterclass, you’ll learn:
How to grow your Substack consistently without burning out on content creation
The exact strategies I used to go from 0 to 13,000+ subscribers in one year
How to create content that gets shared and drives exponential growth
My system for turning subscribers into engaged readers who open and reply
Proven frameworks you can implement immediately
When you’re ready, you can join 100’s of writers already using these strategies to build thriving Substacks.
The Masterclass + Email Storyselling Workshop combo is only available this weekend.
Don’t let another month pass writing content that sounds like everyone else’s. The strategies are proven, the frameworks are ready—you just need to tell your story. You can join 100’s of writers inside the masterclass below:
ChatGPT can write your tips. Only you can tell your story.
P.S. That moment when I started clarifying and telling my story consistently? That’s when my Substack went from plateaued to growing faster than ever. Your story isn’t just marketing—it’s the thing that makes everything else you create more valuable.
Solid 💪
This article is quite timely as I was just thinking about it this weekend. Thinking about what’s missing for me. So thank you.
Since I had previously purchased the masterclass, how would I go about getting access to the workshop?