What to Do When Your Substack Isn’t Growing (At All)

So you’ve been hitting publish, week after week, and the numbers just… don’t move. Zero new subscribers. No comments. No growth. It’s disheartening, but you’re not alone. Every Substacker goes through this stage — the “quiet middle” between starting and being discovered.

The first thing to remember is this: growth is rarely linear. Most newsletters don’t skyrocket overnight. Instead, they grow in bursts — when a post gets shared, a collaboration happens, or someone with reach recommends your work. If you’re in the plateau, you’re simply waiting for your spark.

But waiting doesn’t mean being passive. This is the perfect moment to experiment. Try shorter, snappier posts alongside your long-form essays. Share personal stories — the ones you’d normally keep tucked away. Often, the posts you think are “too simple” are the ones readers connect with most.

Also, look beyond Substack. Share your posts on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, or even Instagram Stories. Not with a “please subscribe” plea, but with a single intriguing line from your piece. Curiosity is what drives clicks, not begging.

Finally, remember: every big Substack you admire started exactly where you are now. The difference is they didn’t quit. Keep publishing, keep showing up, and treat this season as practice for when the audience does arrive.

👉 What about you? If your Substack feels stuck, drop a comment — let’s trade ideas and keep each other moving forward.