Substack Success Level 1
Getting Started
October 13, 20, & 27, 2025
8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific)
Substack is one of today’s most powerful publishing platforms for writers. It allows you to share your voice directly with readers, build a loyal community, and even create a new income stream. Whether you’re writing essays, memoir, fiction, newsletters, poetry, or reflections, Substack gives you independence, visibility, and a professional platform to grow your career on your own terms.
If you’ve been dreaming of launching your own Substack column, this three-night, six-hour class with Julie Gammack, Debra Engle, and Dana Kennedy will give you everything you need to begin.
You’ll learn the nuts and bolts of setting up your account, choosing a focus and name, writing your About page, and connecting Stripe for payments—plus how to publish your very first column with confidence.
By the end of the course, you’ll have the essentials in place and a clear vision for your column, so you can start sharing your voice, building your readership, and shaping a space that’s uniquely yours. No matter what you’re writing, this course will give you the foundation you need to launch with ease.
Here’s how the class will unfold.
Night One: Setting the Stage
Topics:
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What Substack is and why it’s an ideal platform for writers
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How to open your account (step-by-step setup)
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Choosing the right subscription options (free vs. paid tiers)
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Naming your column: strategies for clarity, originality, and longevity
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Writing your About Page: telling readers who you are and what to expect
Exercises/Activities:
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Guided brainstorming to generate column name ideas
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Drafting your About page with feedback and examples
Night Two: Building the Foundation
Topics:
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Defining your focus: what your column is about and who it’s for
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Clarifying your vision: purpose, themes, and long-term goals
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Connecting Stripe for payments
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Understanding design basics: formatting posts, choosing fonts, using images
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Posting your first draft
Exercises/Activities:
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Worksheet to clarify vision and focus
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Uploading and formatting your first draft post inside Substack
Night Three: Publishing and Looking Ahead
Topics:
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Publishing your first column: mechanics and timing
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How to schedule posts and use the Substack dashboard
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Best practices for your first email send-out
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Setting expectations with your readers: cadence, tone, and value
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Building a sustainable vision: where to go from here
Exercises/Activities:
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Publish (or schedule) your first piece
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Draft a simple content calendar for your next three posts
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Visioning exercise: what you want your column to become in the next 6–12 months
By the end of the class, you will:
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Have your Substack account set up
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Have written and published your first post
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Know how to connect with readers and grow from a strong foundation
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Leave with a roadmap for your ongoing column
Our Faculty
Today's Price Only $197 for 6 hours of instruction
Story Summit Membership subscribers receive this class at no additional cost. Just register and the discount will be applied automatically. Please make sure you're logged in to receive the discount. Not a subscriber yet? Join here.
Please note: Our classes are designed specifically for live participation, so your attendance is important. If you need to miss a class for any reason, you’ll receive a passcode-protected link to watch the recordings after the course is over.
A Peek at Our Past Virtual Classes
