2 Months on Substack: Where We Are

An honest look at growth, community, and what I'm learning along the way

Sep 07, 2025

Two months ago, I hit publish on my first Substack post with a mixture of excitement and terror. Would anyone read it? Would I find my people here? Would this platform that everyone kept talking about actually work for a faith-based fiction writer like me?

Today, I'm sitting down to share an honest update about where we are, what's working, and what has surprised me most about this journey so far. If you prefer to listen rather than read, I've also recorded a podcast episode about this update—just scroll up for the audio version.

The Numbers: Where We Stand

Let me start with the facts. As of September 6th, 2025, here's where we are:

19 free subscribers (up by 11 over the past 30 days)
17 subscribers from the Substack app (up by 12 over the last 30 days)
290 views in the past 30 days (up by 75 versus prior 30 days)
33.96% email open rate

Substack metrics screenshot — Substack 2-month metrics

I know these aren't massive numbers, but they feel meaningful to me. Each subscriber represents a real person who chose to invite my words into their inbox. That's not something I take lightly.

What I find particularly encouraging is that 17 of my subscribers found me through the Substack app itself. This tells me that organic discovery is working—people are stumbling across my content and deciding to stick around.

And that 33.96% open rate? That makes my heart happy. It means people aren't just subscribing; they're actually opening and reading what I send them.

A Global Community

While most of my subscribers are here in the United States, I also have readers in India, Greece, Hungary, and Australia. There's something magical about knowing that stories and faith-based encouragement are crossing continents and connecting hearts across cultures.

Substack audience screenshot — Substack Global Audience

What Has Surprised Me Most

The biggest surprise has been the ease of connecting with fellow writers and how people actually take the time to read and respond to your posts instead of just casually scrolling by.

Coming from other social media platforms where engagement often feels surface-level, Substack has been refreshingly different. When someone leaves a comment here, it's thoughtful. It's meaningful. People are engaging with the actual ideas, not just dropping a quick emoji and moving on.

I've found myself in genuine conversations about faith, about writing craft, and about the challenges of being a Christian creative in today's world. These aren't just happening in my comment sections either—I'm discovering other writers' work and joining conversations across the platform.

It's reminded me why I fell in love with writing in the first place: it's about connection. It's about sharing something true and having someone else recognize themselves in it.

Building a Writing Community

How does it feel to be building this space? In a word: amazing.

My target audience is Christian writers who are called to integrate their faith into their writing practice. To find so many believers on Substack actively sharing and speaking about their faith has been such a gift. There's no code-switching required here, no need to hide or downplay the spiritual aspects of my creative journey.

I can write about craft techniques, share my faith journey, and discuss the business side of writing, and it all feels like it belongs in the same space. My readers are here for all of it because they understand that as Christian writers, these different aspects of who we are can't really be separated.

This platform works with my ADHD brain rather than against it. The format allows for both quick thoughts and longer reflections, fiction and non-fiction, personal sharing and practical teaching. It's sustainable in a way that many other platforms haven't been for me.

Content That's Connecting

Looking at my analytics, my most viewed post so far has been my contemporary romance short story, "Sweet Tea Serendipity," followed by my cozy thriller short story, "The Bookshop Witness."

This tells me something important: people are here for the stories. While they appreciate the writing advice and faith-based encouragement, there's something about fiction that really draws people in. Both of these are clean reads that reflect my values, and seeing them resonate with readers reinforces that there's absolutely an audience for this kind of storytelling.

It's also encouraging because it reminds me that I don't have to choose between being a fiction writer and being a teacher. My readers want both, and Substack gives me the space to offer both authentically.

What I'm Learning

Slow and steady wins the race. I'm not trying to hack any algorithms or chase viral moments. I'm showing up consistently, sharing authentically, and trusting that the right people will find their way here. And they are.

Community matters more than numbers. I'd rather have 19 engaged subscribers who actually read and interact with my work than almost 6,000 passive followers who never engage with my content. “Quality over quantity” isn't just a nice saying—it's a sustainable way to build something meaningful.

Clarity is powerful. I'm not trying to be everything to everyone. I'm writing for Christian creatives, multi-passionate writers, and people who want to integrate their faith with their artistic calling. That clarity is freeing, and it's attracting exactly the right people.

Looking Ahead

As I move into month three and beyond, I'm not setting arbitrary growth goals or putting pressure on myself to hit certain metrics. Instead, I'm focused on continuing to serve my readers well, sharing helpful content, and building genuine relationships.

I'm actually doing a soft launch of paid subscriptions this weekend, with the full launch happening September 21st alongside my new content pillars and official podcast debut. I want to offer additional value to people who are ready to dive deeper into this work with me. It's about creating an even more intimate space for Christian writers to grow together.

For now, I'm simply grateful. Grateful for each person who's chosen to be part of this journey, grateful for a platform that supports authentic connection, and grateful that God has given me this space to serve other writers.

A Word of Encouragement

If you're thinking about starting your own Substack, or if you're a few months into your own journey, I hope this honest look at my experience encourages you. It doesn't have to be perfect. You don't need massive numbers to make an impact. You just need to start where you are and trust the process.

The right people will find you. Community will form around authentic sharing. And sometimes the most meaningful growth happens slowly, one genuine connection at a time.