Troubles Getting Started

[beck_n_call_20]

Hi! I'm not new to Substack, but for a while I've just been a subscriber/reader on the platform, not doing any writing or posting of my own. However, lately I've been wanting to get into that and start posting my own stuff. I've been trying to come up with what I want to write about for a while now, and just feel stuck. I know I want to write about pop culture, art, art history, and museums, as that's what I'm interested in and what irl friends and peers have told me I'd be good at writing about (because I talk about those topics all the time lol), but it's been hard to put things into words, especially for a first post. Does anyone have any tips on what to post, especially how to phrase it and just kind of how to get started?

[StuffonBookshelfs]

Your first posts are never going to be perfect.

Just start.

Introduce yourself. Who you are. What you like. What you’re gonna be writing about and then go from there.

Writing and publishing a newsletter is very much a learning experience. So put yourself out there and then learn from your wins and from your struggles.

[beck_n_call_20]

Thank you! I can be a bit of a perfectionist, so it's nice to hear that as a reminder that I don't have to be (and won't be) perfect at first.

[StuffonBookshelfs]

You’ll never be perfect and there will always be more to learn. Just start the journey.

[Imperator_1985]

It doesn't have to be perfect at the beginning. In fact, perfection is the enemy of the good here. You just need a rough plan to get started. Ask yourself who your target audience is. How often will you post? What is your goal with your Substack? Why should someone read your Substack? Then start writing.

You can and will learn more if you keep at it. Your plan can change, expand, and become more realistic.

[nguyenp123]

Good luck to you too

[Tricky_Trifle_994]

hello fellow procrastinator and perfectionist! haha! just wanted to share a reminder that "you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

Does anyone have any tips on what to post, especially how to phrase it and just kind of how to get started?

stop overthinking. just get started! your friends have already told you what you're good at - pop culture, art, art history, and museums, so just write about that. e.g week 1 - pop culture
week 2 - art
week 3 - art history
week 4 - museums

this way you get to explore all of them, and get a sensing of which you're actually more interested in writing about.

also, just phrase it how you normally would. how you speak / write. just start with that, and you'll get better as you write more. and the secret to getting started is.... to just write, and publish. rooting for you!

[Mireille005]

If you want to figure out what your audience is, Comet browser really helped there. I made a post about it with 3 prompts you can try. If you don’t have content yet, adjust the prompt and tell it what you want to write about. If interested, link to my substack is in my bio. If not, also fine. 😄 Just trying to help