What to Do When Your Substack Isn't Growing (& Nothing is Working)
11 ideas & insights to help break through your newsletter growth wall
You hit publish. Again.
You've been writing for months now. Your words flow better. Your ideas are clearer. You're finding your voice. The creative process itself has become enjoyable.
But your subscriber count? Barely moving.
Each fresh newsletter lands with a whisper, not a bang. Five new subscribers this week. Three the next. Then zero for days that stretch into weeks.
Meanwhile, your Twitter feed is flooded with screenshots of Substack milestones:
"Just hit 5K subscribers in 3 months…"
"My Substack just crossed $10K MRR…"
"From zero to Bestseller in 90 days…"
Ugh.
I've even been guilty of sharing these wins myself. Those milestone posts get all the likes, all the comments, all the attention. They make growing on Substack look effortless.
But here's what nobody talks about...
The long stretches of publishing into what feels like an empty void. The days where you gain 3 subscribers and lose 5. The moments you question if all this effort is even worth it.
I've experienced it all on my journey from Zero to 7,600+ subscribers. Those painfully slow periods where nothing seems to work. The frustration of watching other writers rocket past while you're stuck in neutral.
The pressure builds because you know your window of opportunity might not last forever. The newsletter space gets more crowded every day. Those engaged subscribers you have now? They might not stick around if you can't figure this out.
What makes this really hard is that you're doing everything the experts recommend:
Publishing consistently
Growing your email list
Writing valuable content
Engaging with readers
Sharing on social media
But the results just aren't there. Not yet, anyway.
Here's the truth most "Substack gurus" won't tell you: Growth isn't linear. For every overnight success story, there are hundreds of writers grinding it out, figuring things out through trial and error, and yes — experiencing those soul-crushing plateaus.
If you're in that place right now, I want you to know it's normal. We all hit these walls. Even the writers with the fancy red checkmarks and the viral Notes.
The question isn't whether you'll hit these plateaus — it's what you'll do when you inevitably find yourself stuck.
What really matters is what you do next once you hit this wall? Will you quit or press through?
When I hit these walls, I step back, take a deep breath (sometimes a day off), and try something new to break through. After growing my newsletter from zero to thousands of subscribers, here are 11 proven strategies that have helped me push past plateaus and might just help you too...
11 Ways to Break Through Your Substack Growth Plateau
1. Try Something New
When you've been doing the same thing for months, your creative well can run dry without you even noticing. The solution isn't always working harder—it's working differently.
Try a completely different content format. If you normally write long, in-depth analyses, experiment with a quick-hit list post. If you usually share personal stories, try a data-driven approach. If you typically write solo, invite someone for an interview or conversation.
One of my biggest breakthrough posts came when I switched from my usual how-to format to sharing raw behind-the-scenes numbers from my business. It felt vulnerable and even a bit scary, but it resonated with readers in a way my carefully crafted advice posts hadn't.
The key is breaking your own patterns. Your readers might be craving something different, and you won't know until you try.
2. Read Other Writers
When was the last time you actually read other newsletters? Not just skimming them for ideas to steal, but really studying how others structure their work, engage their readers, and build community.
Spend a full day subscribing to and reading 10 newsletters you've never opened before—preferably outside your niche. Pay attention to:
Their headlines and opening lines
How they format their content
The way they transition between ideas
How they conclude and call readers to action
I've found some of my best inspiration comes from writers in completely different fields. The finance writer who masterfully uses analogies. The food newsletter with the perfect balance of personal story and practical tips. The tech writer who makes complex topics feel accessible.
Don't copy them—but let their approaches spark new possibilities in your own work.
3. Try Different Headlines
Most Substack writers spend hours crafting their content and 30 seconds on their headline. Then they wonder why nobody opens their newsletters.
Your headline is the only part of your newsletter that most of your subscribers will see. If it doesn't grab attention, nothing else matters.
For your next newsletter, write 25 different headlines. Yes, twenty-five. Push past the obvious ones. Challenge yourself to write headlines that:
Spark curiosity
Create contrast
Promise specific value
Challenge conventional wisdom
Use concrete numbers
When I switched from generic headlines to more specific, benefit-driven ones, my open rates jumped from 35% to consistently over 50%. That's hundreds more readers seeing my work every single week—without writing a single extra word of content.
PS - Substack now has a feature that lets you A/B split test headlines. I haven’t tried it yet, but you should. And report back to us how it works.
4. Use Claude (AI) to Brainstorm Ideas
Sometimes the block isn't in your writing—it's in your ideation process. You're stuck recycling the same topics because you can't see new angles.
This is where AI tools like Claude can be game-changing. Not to write your newsletter (please don't do that), but to help you brainstorm ideas you might not have considered.
Try prompting Claude with:
"What are 20 unconventional angles on [your topic]?"
"What questions might a complete beginner have about [your topic]?"
"What are common misconceptions about [your topic] that I could debunk?"
Just last month, I was completely stuck on what to write. A quick brainstorming session with Claude gave me an angle I'd never considered, which turned into one of my most-shared posts to date.
It’s like having a mix of your own writing assistant & your best friend to bounce ideas off of.
5. Cross-Promote / Guest Posts
Sometimes the fastest way to growth isn't creating more content—it's getting your existing content in front of new audiences.
Reach out to 5-10 other writers with similar-sized audiences and suggest a cross-promotion. This could be:
A simple recommendation swap
A guest post exchange
An interview series
A collaborative special edition
The key is making it mutually beneficial. Don't just ask for exposure—offer value in return.
One guest post I wrote for another newsletter brought me over 100 new subscribers in a single day—more than I'd gained in the previous month of publishing. These weren't just any subscribers either—they were pre-qualified readers who already enjoyed content similar to mine.
Continuing with the next section of your post:
6. Find One External Platform
It's tempting to try building a presence on every platform simultaneously. Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube—the list never ends. But this approach almost always leads to burnout and mediocre results everywhere.
Instead, choose one external platform to master. Just one. The key is consistency and depth on a single platform rather than sporadic posting across many.
For me, that platform is LinkedIn. I’ve been consistently growing on LinkedIn for several years, so it makes sense. For you, that platform might be Medium, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook groups, etc. Just find what feels right.
Pick your platform based on where your ideal readers already hang out, not what's trendy. Then show up consistently for 90 days before evaluating results.
7. Try Writing Substack Notes
Speaking of Notes—if you're not using Substack's internal discovery engine, you're missing out on the simplest growth path available.
According to Substack's own data, approximately 30% of new subscribers come from within the platform itself. Yet most writers spend 95% of their growth efforts on external platforms.
Notes isn't just another social media platform. It's a community of writers supporting writers—and more importantly, it's filled with people who are already primed to subscribe to newsletters they connect with.
I've developed a simple system that brings me 10-30 new subscribers daily just from Notes. The approach is straightforward:
Post one community-building Note in the morning (asking questions, inviting introductions)
Share one educational Note midday (quick tips, insights, observations)
Add one inspirational Note in the evening (reflections, encouragement, perspective)
The key isn't perfect content—it's consistency and engagement. Respond to every comment. Support other writers. Build genuine connections.
This daily 20-minute routine has become my most reliable growth engine. No complicated tactics or endless threads—just showing up daily with value and creating space for others to connect.
8. Take a Class or Course
Sometimes we don't know what we don't know. You might be missing crucial strategies that others have already figured out through trial and error.
When I hit my biggest plateau, I swallowed my pride and invested in learning from someone who had already built what I wanted to build. It felt counterintuitive to spend money when I wasn't making much, but it turned out to be the best investment in my newsletter's growth.
The right course doesn't just teach tactics—it shifts your perspective. It helps you see the blind spots in your approach and gives you a proven framework to follow rather than guessing your way forward.
Look for courses taught by people who have actually built successful newsletters, not just "marketing gurus" with theoretical knowledge. The best teachers are practitioners who share their real strategies, failures, and successes—not just what sounds good in theory.
9. Update Old Posts and Send Out Again
One of the most underutilized assets in your Substack is your archive. Those posts you published months ago? Many of your current subscribers have never seen them.
Instead of constantly creating new content, try:
Updating and refreshing an old post with new insights
Adding current examples to evergreen concepts
Expanding on ideas that resonated with readers
Combining related posts into a comprehensive guide
I've found that my updated posts often perform better than the originals. They benefit from my improved writing skills, deeper understanding of my audience, and the additional insights I've gained since first publishing.
The beauty of this approach is that it's often faster and less mentally taxing than creating something entirely new. You're building on a foundation that already exists rather than starting from scratch.
Continuing with the final strategies in your post:
10. Take a Creative Break
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your growth is to step away completely.
I know this sounds counterintuitive in a world that preaches "consistency above all else," but there's profound wisdom in strategic pauses. Your brain needs space to make new connections. Your creative well needs time to refill.
When I hit my most frustrating plateau, I forced myself to take a full week away from Substack. No writing. No checking stats. No scrolling through Notes.
I spent that time reading books, taking long walks, and reconnecting with the reasons I started writing in the first place.
When I returned, I had clarity I couldn't have gained by pushing through. My writing felt fresher. My ideas more original. And most surprisingly, my audience appreciated the honest break—my first post back had one of my highest open rates ever.
Here's the truth: Your Substack won't collapse if you take a week off. Your subscribers won't all unsubscribe. In fact, a well-communicated break can actually strengthen your relationship with readers. They see you as a human with limits and needs, not a content machine.
Tell your readers you're taking a short break to recharge. Be honest about hitting a wall. You'll be surprised how many will not only understand but actively encourage you to take the time you need.
11. Think From Your Audience's Perspective
When growth stalls, we often turn inward, obsessing over our writing, our strategies, our metrics. But the breakthrough usually comes from turning outward—truly seeing things from your reader's perspective.
Ask yourself:
What problem did they wake up with today?
What conversation are they having in their head right now?
What are they secretly hoping to find in their inbox?
What do they need that they don't even know to ask for?
Too often, we write what interests us in the moment rather than what serves our readers' most pressing needs.
Try this exercise: Write an entire newsletter as if you're having coffee with one specific reader. Picture them sitting across from you. What would you tell them that would make them think, "This person truly understands what I'm going through"?
Some of my biggest breakthroughs came when I stopped trying to sound smart or impressive and simply focused on being helpful to one person. When I write for that one reader with a specific problem, thousands more resonate with it.
The irony is that the more specific and personal you get, the more universal your message becomes. People don't connect with abstract concepts—they connect with stories that reflect their own experiences.
When Nothing Else Works
If you've tried everything on this list and still feel stuck, maybe the issue isn't tactical—it's foundational.
Ask yourself some hard questions:
Am I genuinely excited about my topic, or did I choose it because I thought it would be popular?
Does my unique perspective actually come through in my writing?
Would I read my own newsletter if someone else wrote it?
Am I solving a real problem my audience cares about?
Sometimes growth stalls because we're trying to force something that isn't authentic to who we are or what our audience truly needs.
The newsletters that thrive in the long run aren't necessarily the ones with the cleverest growth hacks—they're the ones that forge a genuine connection with readers by addressing their real needs in a way that feels personal and true.
Remember: Growth Isn't Linear
Let me leave you with this: The journey from zero to hundreds or thousands of subscribers isn't a straight line. It's a series of plateaus punctuated by sudden jumps.
You might publish for weeks with minimal traction, then have one post that brings in hundreds of new subscribers overnight. You might try ten different strategies that fail before finding the one that unlocks your next level of growth.
This isn't a sprint or even a marathon—it's a winding journey with no fixed destination. The writers who succeed aren't necessarily the most talented or lucky—they're the ones who keep showing up, keep experimenting, and refuse to let the plateaus define them.
When You're Ready, I Have 2 Ways I Can Help...
If you're tired of publishing content that disappears into the void...
If you're ready to transform your newsletter growth from painfully slow to consistently profitable...
If you want to build a Substack that stands out in an increasingly crowded space...
I've created two masterclasses specifically designed to help you break through your current plateau and reach your next level of growth.
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This comprehensive program walks you through:
Exactly how I grew from Zero to 7,600+ subscribers in less than a year
My proven system for finding what your audience actually wants (and will pay for)
The content frameworks that consistently drive engagement, shares, and growth
Step-by-step implementation plans for monetizing your newsletter, even if you think you have nothing to sell
The specific strategies Substack Bestsellers use that most writers never discover
Join hundreds of other newsletter writers who are already using these strategies to build profitable newsletters. If you're ready to finally start growing (and monetizing) your audience, click the button below:
📌 Option 2: Substack Notes Growth Workshop
If you're specifically looking to leverage Substack Notes as your primary growth engine, this focused workshop is for you. Inside, you'll discover:
My complete system for gaining 10-30+ new subscribers daily through Notes alone
The exact templates I use for all three high-performing Note types
My proven approach for converting engagement into subscribers
A detailed breakdown of what makes Notes go viral on Substack
The simple tracking system that helps you optimize for your specific audience
This isn't theoretical advice. It's the exact system I've used to gain hundreds of new subscribers every month, and now I'm sharing it with you.
Remember: Growth isn't about doing more. It's about doing the right things consistently. And sometimes, the fastest path to breakthrough is getting a proven roadmap rather than figuring it all out through trial and error.
Whatever you decide, keep writing. Keep showing up. Your breakthrough might be closer than you think.
Man, I love this entire article. I just wanna quote every paragraph in my Notes lmao. 😭
This was very insightful, and I felt like you were talking directly to me!