Two Cool New Substack Updates!

“...the internet isn’t going anywhere. You have time.” ClaireThank you Melanie Goodman, Treacy O'Connor, mary beth kaplan🪶, Laurie Mucha, Andi Kay 🌷, and many others for tuning into my live video with Philip Hofmacher and Liam Austin! Join me for my next live video in the app.Philip Hofmacher of Write Build Scale and I met for the first time in this live (with about a minute of planning between us), and it unfolded into such a generous conversation about how we build here.We talked about why there’s room for everyone on Substack, from Philip’s image of a mountain, where some people run to the top while others wander for the view, to the client who teaches grown men to swim. I shared why I doubled down on joyful, sustainable growth when growth hacking arrived on the platform, and why it’s so worth taking a couple of weeks to curate your Notes feed.We also explored AI... Philip’s team used the time it saved to go from one coaching call to five a week, while I use Claude to turn my lives into summaries so they reach you sooner, and my writing stays my own. Then we wondered where Substack is heading, with its growing appetite for community, everyday voices and international reach.Liam Austin joined us at the end to talk about the Substack Success Summit, and we got into retention, including how much warmer your renewal emails can be with one simple rewrite. ✨“...learn from everyone there, take your own little piece away from it. I think things become a lot clearer when you’ve got all that information there and you can decide what’s right for you.” Liam AustinThe summit is free and runs online from November 11 to 13, 2026, and Philip and I are both speaking. Grab your free pass here (it’s free but this is an affiliate link).“...we freed up so much time with the AI that we have more time for the things that do not scale.” Philip Hofmacher, This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

“Aligned permission to just be you is what I feel really excited about.” - SophThank you Sarah Raad, Jules Mold, and many others for tuning into my live video with Soph Newman | The Ex Good Girl! Join me for my next live video in the app.Sparklers, this was my first live in ages, and it felt like coming home. I sat down with Soph Newman | The Ex Good Girl , an astrologer who has built a tool called Stackology you can access from her Substack. You add your birth details and your mission (50 paid subscribers in 90 days, for example), and it turns your birth chart into a publishing plan. It tells you which days are good for being visible, which days suit private outreach, and which days are for rest (yes, rest is in the plan).What we talked about* Astrology as a permission slip. If your chart isn’t built for five Notes a day, you can let that shame go and publish in a way that fits you.* Mercury retrograde as an invitation. Soph sees it as the universe asking us to slow down and go back to our earlier work. That’s what I did with my refreshed A to Z of Substack, and the response was so warm.* The note that went viral. Soph’s funny note comparing the platforms brought in around 1,000 new subscribers. About 500 then left once her deeper writing landed in their inboxes. It’s a lovely lesson in being magnetic for the right readers, not every reader.* Fire signs and earth signs on Notes. Fire signs fire off a Note the moment a thought lands. Earth signs plan, theme and schedule. Both work.* Good girl conditioning. We talked about growing up being told to be seen and not heard, and about building safety in your nervous system with small steps before big stages.* My chart reading. I’m a Leo sun with Virgo rising and a Capricorn moon. Soph read it as main character energy with a strategist’s eye for detail.* Designing a Substack that fits your life. Fridays offline, no 3am grind, and room to breathe in how often you promise to publish.Soph is coming into the membership to teach in 2027. In the meantime you can try Stackology on her Substack today.“We don’t want to just churn out output... We want to really spend time with the art and the mission that we’re here to do. Do not box yourself in, because life has enough boxes that we’ve got to squeeze ourselves into.” Claire This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

Sorry for the sketchy video - I think the sound is good though… Here’s the enhanced copy you can feel inspired by for your own freewalls.Claire ✨EXAMPLE FOR YOUR FREEWALLS If you would like to subscribe for free to receive… * For the archive of beautiful articles, past Substack education classes and curated resources * Fortnightly emails on the topic of Substack education and joyful growth on and off Substack * A community of like minded creatives who also write online - come chat with us!! * A free set of beginner friendly Substack masterclasses classes delivered immediately in your welcome email! You are so so welcome. THEN INSERT FREEWALLFollow up articles/ resources * https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/50834026608916-How-to-connect-Substack-to-your-AI-Assistant * https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/54386371692052-How-do-I-add-a-freewall-to-my-Substack-postWant to get to Substack bestseller more quickly? Run through my joyful growth to bestseller challenge here… JOYful Growth to Substack Bestseller Challenge 💫 Always here for your questions!!Summary…In short: Two new Substack features (free walls and the Substack connector for Claude), how to use them well, and an invitation into Sparkle on Substack.1. Freewalls (00:28 to 08:00)* A free wall works like a paywall, but readers can keep reading for free once they subscribe with their email.* Find it in the post editor under More, then Freewall. It’s still rolling out, and access seems mixed (some bestsellers don’t have it, some non-bestsellers do).* Unlike a subscribe button, readers can’t scroll past it.* Give real value above the wall, then tell readers clearly why to subscribe. Claire’s example reasons: your archive (“old gold”), emails on your topic, community, and a welcome gift delivered straight away.* Speak to your ideal fit reader so subscribes are meaningful, not baited. Write it like you’re talking to a friend in a café.2. Substack connector for Claude (08:02 to 12:00)* Substack has released a connector for Claude, reportedly for bestsellers first.* Claire uses it to ask questions of her data: paid churn, why people unsubscribe, seasonal dips, monthly vs annual vs founding members.* Paired with the Podia connector, she can see her whole business ecosystem in one conversation.* Her earlier beginner class on Substack and Claude (in the membership) covers downloading data and setting Claude up so it doesn’t make things up. A new class on the connector is coming.3. Why it matters (12:00 to 13:00)* Both features help you keep readers and understand your data, so decisions like pricing feel calmer and clearer.4. Sparkle on Substack invitation (13:26 to 14:14)* Archive of classes, masterclasses and tutorials, plus a supportive, low-noise community chat.5. SEO note (14:30)* Search engines can’t read past a free wall or paywall, so use the meta description in your post settings to describe each piece for search. More on this inside the membership. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

“Something about writing in public, changes the way you write.” Michaella Parkes I first met Michaella and Lex at the Substack summer party in London in 2025 (one of those dreamy evenings where I kept drifting back to their corner), and I’ve wanted to bring them onto the podcast ever since. I LOVE what they do and who they are in the world and I think you will too. ♥️ If you’re a multi-hyphenate weaving Substack into a bigger creative life, this conversation is for you.“The most important thing was that I was going to be able to be consistent... having a format that was consistent and not having metrics in it that would stop me.” Lex Hearth Meet the guestsMichaella is a freelance food and lifestyle journalist, and she’s writing her first novel. Her Substack, For Starters, is about being hungry for life, love and everything in between.Lex is a DJ, music producer, broadcaster and podcaster. She writes Five Good Things every week and Dance Music Digest (which began on Substack and now has a record label attached). She also hosts The Side Quest podcast.📍 Together they co-host Writers IRL, an in-person meetup for Substack writers in London.“This is incredibly brave work we’re doing... It’s the first time we’ve been able to do this and experiment with feeling safe in our voice this way.” Claire Venus ✨ Amy I Beeson 🐝 JP Clark Lex Hearth Michaella Parkes and me. What we explored* Consistency as a gift. Both of them built their audiences by creating a simple, repeatable format they could keep showing up for. Michaella wrote her weekly Add to List for 100 weeks, then took a two-month pause. Readers wrote in asking when it was coming back.* The metrics that matter to them. Lex keeps an eye on her unsubscribe rate because an inbox is such a personal, precious space. Michaella watches who arrives and who leaves rather than raw views.* Rebranding without fear. About 18 months in, Michaella moved from Structured Stream of Consciousness to For Starters so her Substack matched the writer she’d become. Being transparent brought her readers along for the ride, and she can now point to her Substack when pitching editors.* Perfectionism dissolves with rhythm. When something goes out every week, one imperfect post matters far less.* Why IRL matters. Their first Substack writers’ meetup was five or six slightly nervous writers in a room above a pub. Some events have since grown to 50+ (helped by finding the one pub in London that wasn’t showing the England match). It’s a reminder that Substack is people, not just an algorithm.My own shifts this year. I’m emailing less, honouring the inbox, and choosing deep, long-term community over fast growth... because growth is only growth if churn doesn’t churn.From left to right - Amy I Beeson 🐝 and me, lovely party-goers and parasols, my beautiful friend Jo Hutton, Michaella Parkes and Lex Hearth one of the rare pics I took that evening. Connect with Michaella and Lex online… * Writers IRL meetups: writersirl.substack.com. Their 2026 calendar lists the Christmas party on 3 December.* Michaella’s For Starters: michaella.substack.com* Michaella’s website: michaellaparkes.co.uk* Lex’s Five Good Things: lexhearth.substack.com* Lex’s Dance Music Digest: dancemusicdigest.substack.comLex’s podcast: The Side Quest - If it sparked something for you, a five-star review wherever you listen (apple or spotify) would mean the world. Feel free to drop us a comment when you’ve listened below. Claire ✨P.S - it’s your last chance to support a WONDERFUL London based event with diverse writer’s voices - Amy I Beeson 🐝 is hosting an IRL event for writers and people who want to read and celebrate their work next month…Amy is crowdfunding to make the event happen - do chuck across some gold coins if you can!!! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

This morning I sat down for a cup of tea and a catch up with the lovely Sue - a fellow North East writer (and a Substack Live first timer, look at her go). Sue’s second novel is out in the world, and I wanted you to hear the story behind it straight from her.The booksThe Rewilding of Molly McFlynn began when Sue placed her hand on a baby hare in her garden, which sent her down a research rabbit hole (hare hole?) and straight into the Newcastle witch trials. She wove that history together with lockdown and a girl who doesn’t fit in at school, creating a tale about daring to be different, true friendship and finding your people.Molly McFlynn Goes Rogue was sparked by the incredibly sad and barbaric act of felling of the Sycamore Gap tree in September 2023.Just a month before her first book was published. Sue lives just down the hill from it and described how the whole region felt the loss. Rather than stay in the grief, she wrote a story of hope and action. Molly travels back to AD 122, when Hadrian’s Wall was being built and strong women led the Iron Age tribes, learns about trees with the help of the druids, and comes home ready to campaign. It also holds Sue’s own grief around losing her mum, alongside the beautiful character of Nan.These are stories that span generations... a 12 year old can read them, and so can their nan (Sue has readers over 90).✨The publishing journeyBoth books were partnership published. Sue’s advice if you’re considering that route is to go in wisely, read your contracts and ask the Society of Authors to check them.Her first book had a 400 copy first print run that sold out before publication, then went through five reprints in its first year and sold over 2,000 copies in 18 months. Even so, when her agent pitched it to 27 publishers, it wasn’t picked up. Sue believes the London-centric industry overlooks Northern women writing about climate and environmental justice.So she’s choosing herself. Sue is setting up her own imprint, Butterbur Books, named after a riverside plant that flowers before its leaves and was once used to ease headaches (publishing being one, whichever route you take). She’ll republish the first book with matching covers by her designer and bring the third book of the trilogy home too.How to support Sue* UK readers can order signed, dedicated copies directly from her website. She’ll even wrap them and post them for Christmas.* Ask your local bookshop or Waterstones to order the books, then share a photo and tag Sue on IG or on here. * Wherever you bought your copy, please leave her a review on Amazon. It truly helps.Sending sparkles,Claire✨P.S. If Sue’s story has stirred your own book dreams, my How to write and sell a pdf book from content you already have is the place to make it happen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sparkleon.substack.comThanks so much for joining us!! 1. WHERE YOUR CONTENT ALREADY LIVESIn the top left of your page, you gathered every place your words are waiting for you. Substack, old blogs, Instagram, notebooks in the wardrobe, notes on your phone, workshop slides, even old photo albums. The work you made years ago is often more relevant than you think (we just need t…

Beginners have questions, I have answers - let's go!! This Q&A is the second part of my class and teaching for Soceity of Authors - https://societyofauthors.org/event/professional-development-substack-for-beginners SUBSTACK CALCULATOR - How to work out Stripe/ Substack fees - https://sparkleon.substack.com/p/can-...30 Day Free Trial to Sparkle on Substack for Society of Author Members - https://sparkleon.substack.com/soa1. Getting set upIs there basic guidance on adding images and audio, file formats and the Substack basics? Yes. In the post editor, press the image button and choose any photo from your computer. Click the image to resize it or make other edits. The same button lets you add a gallery of up to nine photos at once. For audio, use the audio button to record straight into Substack or upload an MP3. There’s lots more of this for free inside Sparkle on Substack.Does Claire’s ebook give a step-by-step guide to setting up Substack? There’s loads of setup guidance inside How to Build a World Class Substack, in paperback or ebook. You’ll also find free and paid interactive resources inside my Sparkle on Substack membership. Message me if you need more.Do you use your existing email address or set up a separate one? I use my work email, so all my Substack correspondence lands there. If you’re setting up first just to read other people’s Substacks, a personal email is fine. If you’re ready to launch, use your business email.If I write under two names, should I have two Substacks? Yes. Set up two separate profiles with two separate email addresses. I have a YouTube tutorial on running multiple publications at once.Is it better to have separate Substacks for different themes or audiences? It depends. Dog training and romance might want pulling apart. Often, though, there’s more synchronicity in us and our personal brand than we expect, so everything can live under one umbrella. Test it, self-express and see what comes out.Is it better to start a new publication than revive an old one? New writers often get a little flurry of support and visibility, but algorithms change all the time. In my opinion it’s not better to start again. Put your work into the publication you already have and focus on some outreach and marketing.Can a co-author and I share a profile? There can only be one owner, but you can add multiple authors. The owner receives all the Substack-related emails, as correspondence can’t go to two owners.2. Branding and customisingWhat’s a wordmark? Your wordmark is the design across the top of your Substack. You can use one of Substack’s regular fonts, or design your own in Canva or another design programme and upload it. Mine was made by a professional designer. There’s also a separate space for a small logo.Can you fully customise that area, or only use set formats? You can customise a lot, and Substack keeps giving us more options. Essentially we get a Substack website, so you can design it up. I have tutorials on designing your homepage.Where was the SAVE button? Posts save automatically as you type. For other settings, look top right, but mostly everything saves by itself.3. Posts, Notes and formatsAm I publishing an article or a Note when I make a post? An article. Your articles all live in your publication’s archive, whether they’re written pieces, video classes or invitations. Notes are the scrolling feed on the Substack homepage, where you can read everyone’s Notes and post your own. You can create a new article or a Note from the button there.Where do you put articles? They all go inside your publication, which is your Substack website. Mine is Sparkle on Substack.Substack doesn’t seem very text-focused. You can absolutely be a writer and simply write. I add community elements because I’m a creative who loves community, but many of the top-grossing Substackers don’t use any bells and whistles. They’re brilliant writers, and they write.4. What to write aboutIs it a good idea to write on a topic nobody is covering? If you’re passionate about it, and other people in the world are too, it can find traction. Substack is simply a format within the wider internet. Have a Google around if you’d like, but if you want to write it, write it, and your readers will come and find you.Can niche topics like animal rights poetry do well on Substack? Absolutely. The animal rights world is huge, poetry is well loved, and Substack is full of animal lovers. When Notes first launched, we all shared photos of our pets for ages (such a fun time).What goes in a newsletter if you’re just writing a book? Share the behind the scenes. Write about your process, where the ideas came from and how it’s all going. Tell readers where you write, how you find the time, and whether you use notebooks or online tools. There’s so much to say.I’d like to start but I’m scared. What can I offer? The best advice I can give is to simply start and see where it goes. That fear is your nervous system worrying about rejection or looking silly. In 2026 we’ve been showing up online for a long time, people are succeeding at this every day, and you’re amongst friends. A supportive community helps you feel like you’re amongst colleagues rather than out on a limb. Try Sparkle on Substack, Beth Kempton’s Soul Sanctuary, Susie Walker’s Heartleap Writing Group, London Writers’ Salon, or what the Society of Authors offers.5. Growing your audience and being discoveredWhat are the best ways for a new writer to attract readers? Start by sketching out your ideal reader so you know exactly who you’re writing to. Once those people gather, you’ll get more traction. On Substack, use recommendations, post Notes, comment on other people’s posts and join communities. Off Substack, share on social media and add your Substack to your email signature.How do you make your content discoverable and stand out? Write well and do your best work. Show up on Notes, and join in with community if you can.Any tips on connecting with others and reading their work? Use the like button, leave thoughtful comments and join in conversations. Showing up inside communities works beautifully too, because you meet people gathered around someone they admire.How important is posting on the same day each week? Readers love a rhythm. If your newsletter lands on a Sunday morning, someone might make a cup of tea at 11 and settle in to read it. It’s also one less decision for you to make.What do you mean by “going viral”? Anything that gathers a momentum much bigger than your regular work, like an avalanche. A quote I shared on Notes had about 600 likes on Tuesday afternoon and around 10,000 by Wednesday teatime. From that, 36 new people joined my publication.6. Subscribers, emails and dataWhat’s the difference between subscribers and followers? Followers follow your Substack Notes. Subscribers have signed up to your newsletter, so they receive an email every time you publish a new article.Do we get our subscribers’ email addresses? Yes, you do.What’s GDPR? GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation, the data protection law covering how you collect and use people’s personal information, including email addresses. It applies in the UK (as UK GDPR) and the EU.I find posts by email too much. Why is email always recommended? You can switch to reading in the app and on the website only, so nothing lands in your inbox. That’s how I read, and I receive no Substack emails at all. We only have so much capacity, so delete freely without unsubscribing if you prefer. For writers, email matters because your words land directly with readers rather than relying on an algorithm.Can anyone read a newsletter, or do they have to subscribe? Anyone can read it without subscribing, unless you’ve put it behind a paywall. Then they need to pay.Can I make people subscribe for free before they see free content? No, unfortunately not.Is Substack only for paid subscribers, or can you give content away free? You can give plenty away for free. In the ed… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

Don’t miss your chance to try this WONDERFUL new tool from one of my mentors and the absolute guru of IG with business Mya Nichol - Grab plug and get paid and get those IG story viewers into Substack subscribers! Yay!! Hello Sparklers,Here’s the replay of today’s live class delivered on Substack live, where we explored how to gently invite your Instagram audience into your Substack world (and how to keep them there once they arrive). Pour a cup of tea, grab a chocolate biscuit, and settle in if you’re catching up? My dms are always open. What we covered1. Your invite matters more than you think. Social media is a scrolling space, so a quick “read my Substack” on a story sticker often isn’t enough for someone to leap from one platform to another. We practised the coffee shop exercise... imagine telling a supportive friend about your Substack in a busy café, then capture everything you say. That spoken version holds your passion, your why, your cadence and your story, which is exactly what a cold audience needs to hear.2. Ask yourself “why” five times. This old marketing exercise takes you from “because I want to” all the way down to the life your writing enables. That deeper layer is where your most magnetic invite lives. And tell people when your newsletter lands in their week, so they can picture it arriving.3. Share more, and share it often. If you post one story slide about your newsletter, try five. People need a reason, a motivation and plenty of repetition before they click. You’re never taking up too much space.4. The best Substack links for Instagram. We looked at /about (add a subscribe box at the top), /welcome (shows your blurbs as social proof), /subscribe, and individual post links. Remember that paid subscriptions made inside the app can carry Apple fees, and new subscribers will also receive emails from Substack itself, so mention that in your welcome email.Get a friend or colleague to experiment clicking these links from your story (with your own Substack url in place of mine)/subscribe/welcome/about and add the subscribe box button right at the top.5. ManyChat for automated DMs. I showed you how I use comment keywords to deliver Substack links straight into people’s DMs. Short trigger words or emojis work best, and “press here” on the button makes life easier for everyone.6. What do you sell in your paid Substack? People pay to be educated, to feel something, to feel part of a community, or to feel activated (and often to support you). Perks, social proof on your About page, and talking about what’s happening behind the paywall all help.7. Plug and Get Paid by Mya Nichol. I demoed the tool that’s helped my neurodivergent brain turn long-form thinking into Instagram story slides that sell. You plug in your offer and ideal reader, and it builds and analyses your stories for you.Try Plug and Get Paid here: (This is an affiliate link, which means I receive a percentage if you purchase.)Your gentle next step: speak your invite out loud, write down what you hear, and share it on five story slides this week. I know this is a HUGE topic to learn in an hour long class but step by step is always the way. We don’t need to go viral loves - we need the right people to find us and I just know they already can’t wait to hear what it is you have to say.With sparkle for your biggest brightest social media balanced with Substack self.Claire P.S - Thank you Rachel Jefferies, Kendall Marie Platt 🌱, Vera Lúcia, Alex Ritchie | Textile Art, Jo Gray ✏️, Louise Tilbrook and many others for tuning into my live video and being so chatty and supportive! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you Kate Harvey, Kendall Marie Platt 🌱, Claire Machado, Nance Scott, Jenny Karlsson, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.Sparklers... quick summary from my live… I deleted the Substack app the entire summer (still deleted, if I’m honest). I took a break then took Sparkle down to two newsletters a month instead of my usual cadence, same depth of content but flagging the archive more… And I said something out loud I want to say here too. My Substack growth had genuinely slowed to the point where I wouldn’t have had a business if I was relying on it alone. So I made a call - mastered content creation - grew my Instagram by over 2,000 followers this summer, something I’ve never really done before, and leaned into well-aligned summits instead of waiting for the algorithm to catch up adding 500 subs to my list.None of that is a Substack failure story more what building this actually looks like some seasons.If something in your setup feels stagnant right now, whether that’s your cadence, your day, or where you’re putting your energy... you don’t need my blueprint or anyone else’s. Change it?See what happens?Claire ✨Join our joyful growth to Substack bestseller challenge - on all of this week… Turn the Page Retreat - next weekend… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you Jennifer Zarin, LCAT, Angela Limb, Nance Scott, Alison Belsom, and many others for tuning into my live video with Toni Jones! Join me for my next live video in the app.Join us over here, simply subscribe to our brand new pop up Substack and we’ll make sure you get the updates. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe