Substacks recommended by Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Recommended by Andi Penner (Substack)

Chasing Nature

By Bryan Pfeiffer

Essays on wildlife, wild places and the human condition.

Substack Writers at Work with Sarah Fay

Where real Substack growth happens—with leading Substack Strategist Sarah Fay and the Substack DNA Growth Framework™️

How could I not love someone who mission in life is to help other writers get paid?! Thank you, Sarah. Great content.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Memoir Land

By Memoir Monday

Four verticals edited by Sari Botton: MEMOIR MONDAY, collab w/ Granta, Narratively, The Rumpus, Orion, The Walrus, Electric Lit, LitHub, Oldster; FIRST PERSON SINGULAR original essays; THE LIT LAB interviews + craft; GOODBYE TO ALL THAT, NYC stories.

New York Cartoons

By Jason Chatfield

A free cartoon in your inbox every week + live drawing videos with creative insights, along with hand-drawn stories that prove being a New Yorker cartoonist & comedian in NYC is exactly as unhinged as you'd imagine.

SmallStack

By Robin Taylor

A collection of the finest newsletters with fewer than 1,000 subscribers, with special love given to the under 500 subscriber stacks out there.

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak

A war correspondent's open notebook, reporting live from Kyiv. Human stories that illustrate what’s happening during the war in Ukraine, and elsewhere on the frontlines for democracy. Issues 3x a week!

If you're not reading The Counteroffensive, you're missing a unique opportunity to access front-line journalism from Ukraine. Truly one-of-a-kind and vitally necessary reporting.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Sherman Alexie

poems, short fiction, essays, opinion, audio, video

NewPages Newsletter

Love literary magazines? New book recommendations? Inspiration prompts? Submission calls? Subscribe to the NewPages newsletter—weekly updates, contests, and curated inspiration for writers.

It Takes A Village

By Jillian Barnet

A monthly conversation about reading, writing, publishing, and community-building.

Writers' Haven by Christine Wolf

By Christine Wolf_The Latest

Trauma-informed memoir coach and teacher of expressive writing practices. I’ve studied the research, taught the method, and lived the outcomes.

Writer-ish with Darien Gee

Where craft meets life. Helping writers transform everyday moments into powerful micro prose and personal narratives.

Darien talks about creative sustainability and micromemoir, among other things.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Hold Nothing

By Elena Brower

Dedicated to practice, study and listening.

AMID LIFE with Catherine Palmer

Personal essays and updates from a recovering corporate marketer on a quest to build a purposeful, creative life in Vermont. Spoiler: life is not a Hallmark movie.

Narrative Surprise

By David Meischen

Readers expect surprise—in fiction, poetry, memoir. Writers strive for the art of surprise.

Be surprised!

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Writing from the Ground Up

By Stephanie Dethlefs

What it means to tend to a writing life and create stories with intention. 🌻

Stephanie is a writing coach and teacher specializing in the art of "getting started" and "getting unstuck."

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

SWWIM Every Day

SWWIM Every Day publishes a poem a day by women writers (she/they).

A splash of poetry!

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

How to Glow in the Dark

By Neon Literary

Book publishing advice and community for authors of fiction and nonfiction, written by the agents at Neon Literary.

Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette

By Jeannine

For people who do language. Writing saved my life—so I teach writing as if it can save yours.

What Comes Next?

By Abigail Thomas

Something odd will cross my mind, or a memory will catch me off guard, or my monkey mind will swing from the ceiling fan, or a tiny ant will crawl up the bookcase next to my chair. Then I get curious and curiosity is the first step in an unknown direction

Corie Feiner

As a poet, performer, and lover of yoga, I am here to help guide us through the wilderness of our times using the power of poetry and embodied presence. My Substack features poems from my evolving yoga poetry collection A Poem for Every Pose.

Sub Club

Submission opportunities for creative and professional writers.

Publishing Confidential

By Kathleen Schmidt

News and analysis about the book publishing industry that you won't read anywhere else.

The Habit of Art by Kelcey Ervick

Handwritten & illustrated newsletter about making art and telling stories.

Living in 3D

By Amy Brown

Life lessons in embracing desire in every decade from a late-blooming woman in her 60s, still in the process of becoming. We thrive by planting our roots in all three dimensions at once: mind, body and spirit.

So many women navigate the challenges of self-care and elder-care. Thank you, @Amy Brown, for inviting us into your 3D world.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Bird On A Mast

By Andrea

Essays & Memoir

Michele M Potter

Another writer/photographer looking for inspiration every day!

Another New Mexico voice on Substack, Michele brings her global insights and reflections to her writing.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

The Hush and the Howl, with Beth Kephart

An endless entanglement of art and language, prose and paint, seam and stitch. All art and words are copyright@2025 by National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart.

Before and After the Book Deal

By Courtney Maum

Real talk about the writing + publishing industry from an author who doesn’t want you to feel confused, bewildered, or alone. Plus: craft tips, reading recommendations, writing support + solidarity (unless you are a jerk to people in the comments).

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

By The Shit About Writing Team

A twice weekly newsletter chock-full of guidance and support from publishing industry insiders. Expect author interviews, guest blogs, giveaways, and more!

On writing and publishing with Anna Rollins

Craft, process, and strategy -- with tips for getting your yes! Subscribe and get my Perfect Pitch template as a free download in your Welcome email.

Sarah Fay

Re-imagining mental health with bestselling author of 'Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses,' Sarah Fay

Assuming we've all lost some measure of mental health at least once in our lives, mental health recovery and cure are good news! And if you haven't read Sarah Fay's Pathological: Six Misdiagnosis, I highly recommend it.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Illuminating Shadows with Tess W

By Tess

Raw, real, and rebellious—stories, musings, and art that cut through the noise, explore life's messy beauty and harsh realities, lightly spiced with humour because sometimes, laughter is the only way to survive the absurdity.

See with new eyes!

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Lit Mag News

By Becky Tuch

Latest News in Lit Mag Publishing

Excellent source of insider info for poets & writers submitting work to literary magazines

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Say Less by Larry Smith & The Six-Word Memoir Project

By Larry Smith

The art of short-form storytelling for self-expression, focus, and connection at work, home, and more .

I Recommend. Need I Say More?

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Museguided

By Tamara

Exploring the untamed and unapologetic, uncovering the art of being fully alive, the mysteries of the human mind, and the secrets of creativity.

The Newsletter Academy

We’re a group of writers that don’t TELL, but SHOW how to build a successful Substack newsletter from scratch, without existing followers or subscribers.

Continuing Wonderment

By Karen Rand Anderson

Art and writing are the tools that have shaped my life..."Continuing Wonderment" is my corner where I share creative musings, insights, questions and concerns. I hope you'll share some of yours, too. And-- don't forget to continue to wonder 🤔

Always Return

How to live a courageous, authentic life.

Adventures in Writing

By Allison K Williams

An intermittent postcard of travel, writing and wonder.

Matters of Kinship

By Katharine Winship

A newsletter about kinship in and between ecosystems on this beautiful habitable planet.

Thoughtful, monthly communication related to enviromental concerns.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Submission Sunday

By Chris Daley

Eight curated literary submission opportunities every other Sunday for all genres.

Just seeing the title in my Inbox is enough to make me spend Sundays on lit mag and other submissions.

- Andi Penner (*Substack*)

Naked: Writing intimate creative nonfiction

By Nicole Breit

Queer, poly, neurodivergent creative nonfiction writing coach. I help writers excavate their deepest truths + craft stories that transform both writer + reader.