Why Your Substack Needs a Story (and how to write it, even if you don’t think you have one)
The difference between newsletters that sell and newsletters that struggle isn’t the information. It’s the story wrapped around it.
After publishing my post about why storytelling matters for growing an audience and selling digital products, I got several comments and DMs saying the same thing:
“I get it. Stories sell. But what if I don’t have a transformation story?”
“My life isn’t that interesting. I didn’t escape anything dramatic.”
“Nothing ‘big’ has happened to me. What am I supposed to write about?”
Here’s what I want to tell you:
You absolutely have a transformation story. You just don’t recognize it yet.
The most effective transformation stories aren’t about dramatic life changes or overnight success. They’re about the small shifts that made everything different.
The busy parent who figured out how to write consistently by waking up 30 minutes earlier…
The introvert who built a newsletter to 5,000 subscribers without posting on social media…
The person who went from hating their 9-to-5 to building a side income that gave them options…
These aren’t Hollywood movie plots. They’re real changes that your audience desperately wants for themselves.
But what if you genuinely feel like you have nothing?
Here are three options:
Option 1: Your Story is In Progress
You don’t need to have “arrived” to have a story worth telling.
Maybe you’re six months into building your newsletter. You haven’t hit your income goals yet, but you’ve learned a ton about what works and what doesn’t.
That’s a story.
“Here’s what I’ve learned in my first six months building a newsletter from scratch.”
Your audience isn’t looking for someone who’s already at the finish line. They’re looking for someone a few steps ahead who can show them what to expect.
Option 2: Borrow Someone Else’s Story
If you’re genuinely at the beginning of your journey, tell the stories of people you’ve helped.
The client who used your template to land three interviews in a week.
The student who implemented your framework and got their first sale.
The reader who took your advice and finally started their newsletter.
These stories prove your methods work, even if you’re still building your own transformation.
Option 3: Your “Before” is Someone’s “After”
You might think where you are now isn’t impressive enough.
But someone is desperately trying to get to where you already are.
You have 500 newsletter subscribers? Someone with 0 would love to know how you got there.
You make $500/month from digital products? Someone making $0 needs to hear your story.
You figured out how to batch-create content? Someone drowning in the daily content grind needs your system.
Your current reality is someone else’s goal.
How to Actually Write Your Transformation Story
Once you’ve identified your story, here’s the simple framework:
1. Where you were - Be specific about the pain, struggle, or challenge you faced and how it felt when you knew something had to change.
2. The turning point - Share the moment you decided to do something different or the realization that finally pushed you to take action.
3. What you did - Explain the specific steps you took and the process you followed (including what worked and what didn’t).
4. Where you are now - Describe how life is different beyond just the numbers—the freedom, relief, or confidence you gained.
5. What you learned - Share the key principle that made it work and what you’d tell someone starting where you were.
That’s it. Five parts. Most transformation stories can be written in 300-500 words using this framework.
Your story doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be relatable.
The newsletter creator making $50K/month? That story is inspiring but hard to relate to when you’re at $0.
The creator who went from $0 to $500/month? That story feels achievable. It shows the path is possible.
Your “small” transformation might be exactly what your audience needs to see.
Ready to Master Your Transformation Story?
Next Wednesday, October 8th, I’m launching my brand new “Email Storyselling” Workshop.
This is specifically designed to help you:
Identify your transformation story (even if you think you don’t have one)
Write it using a proven framework that sells
Use it strategically to grow your newsletter
Weave it into your emails to sell your digital products naturally
Here’s what makes this workshop different:
It’s not theory. It’s the exact process I used to grow from 0 to 13,000+ subscribers and build $5K+ monthly income.
You’ll learn:
The 5-part transformation story framework (write yours in under an hour)
How to tell your story 50+ different ways without sounding repetitive
The specific places to use your story for maximum impact
How to connect your story to every product you sell
Why “boring” transformations sell better than dramatic ones
The workshop will be delivered via email on Wednesday, October 8th.
If you join my Six Figure Digital Product Masterclass this week, you get a ticket to the “Email Storyselling” Workshop included as a bonus (along with the Digital Product Starter Kit).
(The Digital Product Masterclass alone teaches a foundation for validating, creating, and selling your very first product, all in a weekend.")
Either way, if you’ve been struggling to figure out your story or wondering if your transformation is “good enough” to share—this workshop will show you it absolutely is. Join 100’s below inside the class:
Your story is already there. You just need the framework to tell it.
P.S. The creators who think they have “no story” often have the most relatable ones. Because they’re not trying to impress anyone—they’re just being real. And that’s what actually sells.
My wife was just encouraging me to do this. Told me that the people she follows all have a story folks rally around. Thanks for confirming what we've been discussing, Wes. I always find your takes timely!
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