The weird upside to having almost no newsletter subscribers
What I learned from Dana Miranda about the hidden gift of early-stage writing
I've been thinking about something Dana Miranda said in our recent Substack Live conversation: "When you're just starting out, you don't have a lot of readers, you're doing it for yourself. So do it for yourself, instead of trying to do it for a phantom reader that doesn't exist."
This sparked something I've been pondering: how writing a newsletter can become part of the process of discovering who you're becoming.
The hidden gift of small subscriber numbers
We’ve all had those early days when few people are reading.
And there's something valuable there that's easy to miss.
With small subscriber numbers, you have a rare pocket of creative freedom. The pressure to please an audience isn’t always top of mind when you hit publish.
Instead, there’s an opportunity to use that time to explore what actually interests you.
It's a simple shift in perspective: Those crickets in the comment section aren't saying "Why bother?" but rather, "Look at all this space to be curious."
Your newsletter as a discovery tool
I think about how important my freewriting practice has been during major life transitions—processing change, making meaning of trauma, and figuring out next steps. I didn't have some grand plan when I started.
I just needed to get thoughts on paper where I felt safe.
And afterward, I always felt better.
Your newsletter can work similarly, just with a slightly more public edge.
It creates a container for:
✨ Following your natural curiosity
✨ Exploring topics that have always interested you
✨ Working through evolving ideas
✨ Letting the next version of yourself emerge through consistent writing
It reminds me of Michelangelo's famous quote: "Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it."
How crickets can be your creative accomplices
What if, instead of viewing your newsletter as a growth strategy, you saw it as a self-discovery practice during these early stages?
Rather than focusing on subscriber counts, what if your goal was simply exploration?
Will people subscribe? As Dana noted, "You need to give it room to breathe. It takes time, and if a few people are interested, you can keep going and give it some space to see if it will grow."
I can't guarantee subscribers, but I do know you'll likely approach writing differently—with more genuine interest and consistency—it’ll feel fun to hit publish.
(🤓 Like scratching your own itch—the kind where you finally get to write about that obscure topic your friends are tired of hearing about.)
"Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." ~ Michelangelo
Writing for the future you
Maybe you've been holding back because you're not sure what people want to read. Or perhaps you're caught in believing you're "failing to grow" rather than seeing this as valuable experimentation time.
What if, instead, you wrote for the person you're becoming?
So right now, I'm experimenting with live video conversations with newsletter creators, and I'm not getting my usual open rates. I'm still finding my footing and haven't gotten into a regular cadence. But I'm really enjoying them.
And I'm learning so much from the people I talk to. I want to keep going.
So, in many ways, I'm using this new video tool to do just what I've been wanting to do: talk to other writers on Substack about their books, newsletters, and how they've fit them together.
Or about their process. I'm excited to have a reason to connect with writers whose work I really admire and share that enthusiasm with people.
So even if I can't tell how many people are really listening, reading or getting what I'm doing, I'm motivated because of how it feels for me, and the people I'm talking to.
With small subscriber numbers, you have a rare pocket of creative freedom.
Maybe that's the real gift of Substack right now—not just sharing what you know, but discovering who you're becoming in the process.
What would you explore if numbers weren't part of the equation?
Keep writing,
P.S. The Thursday subscriber chats are back in May! Get ready to ask questions and meet other cool writers.
This is a great perspective - explains why I love writing on Substack.
Thanks for this Jen, I think I needed to hear it today. This is totally the approach I should be taking, and am trying to take…but sometimes lose sight of.