How to join Substack

How to join Substack

Joining Substack is pretty straightforward — it’s basically like signing up for an email account, except you can also create your own newsletter or just follow other writers. Here’s the step-by-step:

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1. Go to the Substack website

• Visit: https://substack.com

2. Create your account

• Click “Sign up” (usually in the top-right corner).

• You can sign up using:

  • Your email address (they’ll send you a confirmation code)

  • Google account

  • Apple ID

3. Choose how you want to use Substack

• To read newsletters: You can just subscribe to your favorite writers.

• To write your own: Click “Start writing” and set up your publication name, description, and optional custom domain.

4. Customize your profile (optional)

• Add a profile photo, short bio, and links to your website or social media.

• This helps other users know who you are if you comment or write.

5. Subscribe or Publish

• Subscribe: Browse topics or search for writers you like, then click “Subscribe” (you can follow free or paid newsletters).

• Publish: Start writing posts, send them to your email list, and choose whether they’re free or paid.

6. (Optional) Set up payments

• If you want paid subscribers, connect your Stripe account so Substack can handle payments.

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If you want, I can also give you a quick-start checklist so you can be up and running on Substack in under 15 minutes. Would you like me to do that?

You said:

If you want, I can also give you a quick-start checklist so you can be up and running on Substack in under 15 minutes. Would you like me to do that?

ChatGPT said:

Here’s your Substack Quick-Start Checklist to get you publishing or subscribing in under 15 minutes:

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Step 1 – Sign Up (2 min)

• Go to substack.com

• Click Sign up

• Choose:

  • Email address (confirm via code)

  • Google account

  • Apple ID

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Step 2 – Pick Your Role (1 min)

• Reader only → Skip to Step 5.

• Writer → Continue to Step 3.

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Step 3 – Create Your Publication (4 min)

• Choose a publication name (can be changed later).

• Add a short description (what your newsletter is about).

• Optional: Upload a logo/banner.

• Choose your theme colors.

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Step 4 – Writing & Payments (3 min)

• Click Start writing → Draft your first post.

• Decide if it’s free or paid.

• If paid: Connect a Stripe account to collect subscriptions.

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Step 5 – Subscribe to Others (3 min)

• Use the search bar to find writers or topics.

• Click Subscribe to join free or paid newsletters.

• Manage subscriptions in your Library tab.

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Step 6 – Personalize Your Profile (2 min)

• Add a profile photo.

• Write a short bio.

• Link your website/socials (optional).

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💡 Pro Tip: If you’re starting as a writer, post something right away (even a short welcome post) so subscribers see fresh content when they join.