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This article was written by Amy Brooks and Mandy Mazzawi
As a writer and consumer of content, I’ve been wondering “what is this substack I’ve been hearing so much about?”
To find out more, I asked Mandy Mazzawi some questions.
You can find Mandy @mustardseedsandwildflowers on Instagram writing about her experiences as a Catholic convert, life as a special needs Mom, reflections on God’s Love and finally accepting, with Joy, the most important vocation He has placed in her life – becoming and raising saints.
You can learn more about Mandy from her listing on our directory here!
Mandy was more than gracious with her time and knowledge!
Here are the questions I asked Mandy about Substack and her answers.
How did you find out about Substack?
I first heard about Substack through a fairly well-known Catholic writer. She would post sections of her Substack articles on Instagram and over time I became curious enough to Google the site and see if it was a good fit for me as a writer.
What is Substack? (Is it a website? An alternative to WordPress? Something different entirely?)
Substack is a hybrid, that is perhaps the best way to explain it right now though it is continuing to evolve. In the short time I’ve been on Substack (less than 1 year) they’ve added features to help promote engagement between writers and between readers and the writers on the site. It is a website, a community, an app, and a platform all rolled into one. Writers can use it to curate an email list of subscribers, paid and/or free, who receive an email every time you post. As a writer you have a bio that you can fill out, as well as an about page that explains to potential readers what your Substack, or newsletter, is all about.
What do people write about on Substack?
The subjects offered vary as much as the writers who write about them do. From parenting, to culture, to art, to cooking, and to gardening, the topics discussed are endless and veer into genres of non-fiction and fiction alike.
What do you write about on Substack?
I write about faith, culture and motherhood on my Substack, specifically how I have struggled and overcome certain issues at various times of my life. I found that Instagram, while great from short-form conversations, lacks the in-depth thinking around topics that matter to Catholic mothers, and Catholics struggling in their faith. I always try to keep it real, and offer actionable steps readers can take in their own lives to deepen their faith and live it out boldly and confidently every day.
Who do you follow on Substack?
I follow a large swath of writers, some you may know such as Emily Stimpson Chapman or Haley Stewart, others are not as well known perhaps but doing wonderful work such as Kristin Haakenson, or Derek Petty.
How does Substack help writers monetize?
The beauty of Substack is that writers own their email list. With other platforms, as a creative, you risk losing your followers if the platform shuts your account down or you are hacked. Yet with Substack, this email list is yours, you can move it to whatever website and communicate directly with the readers who have chosen to subscribe. This is powerful for writers. Substack offers a way for writers to directly be supported by subscribers. Subscribers can choose, when they sign up, to be a paid subscriber and have various options on how to monetarily support their favorite writers.
Do readers start following you on substack through your own email list? A google search?
The Substack platform has been the largest source of subscribers for me, a close second are shares from current subscribers either via email or on social media. The nice thing about Substack for writers is they offer an in-depth look at the data. So after you post you can see engagement, traffic and other details to help you continue to grow.
How do your readers find you?
Readers have come over from Instagram, my largest platform for my work, and from there they create a free account and have even found other Catholic writers to read. Again the main way my work is found is through the generous sharing of readers, either on the Substack platform or through social media.
*************Sign up for Mandy’s Substack here!****************
Should more readers explore Substack for inspirational and helpful content?
I would say if you are tired of the mic-drop culture or the “buy these things to make your life better” side of social media, where high-emotional content wins over measured, rich, meaningful responses then Substack is a great solution.
Many thoughtful writers are on this platform, creating a culture of deep thinkers who really want to ponder their faith, their lives or even the funnier sides of life without being baited into buying something or emotional manipulations that social media seems to cultivate.
Are you ready to be a part of the “culture of deep thinkers”. Start with Mandy’s Substack today!
