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:
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.
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:
Step 1 – Sign Up (2 min)
Go to substack.com
Click Sign up
Choose:
Email address (confirm via code)
Google account
Apple ID
Step 2 – Pick Your Role (1 min)
Reader only → Skip to Step 5.
Writer → Continue to Step 3.
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.
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.
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.
Step 6 – Personalize Your Profile (2 min)
Add a profile photo.
Write a short bio.
Link your website/socials (optional).
💡 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.


Timely, helpful information, BZ Jon, Semper Fi