Substack Gives Writers Freedom to Reach New Audiences

When I started Laura Writes VA on Substack, I was just trying to quiet a voice in my head — the one that kept whispering: What if no one reads this?It’s the oldest fear in the writer’s mind, right next to What if this has all been said before? But there’s something that happens when you decide to hit publish anyway. You begin to see writing not as performance, but as presence. And on Substack, that presence becomes a kind of gravity — slowly pulling in the people who were meant to find you.

What I didn’t expect was how much I’d learn just by watching other writers step into their own gravity.

Take Gregory Graf. If you follow Idaho politics — and even if you don’t — his Substack Political Potatoes is a masterclass in what it looks like when someone decides to stop waiting for permission and start telling the truth.

Based in one of the most politically complex states in the country, Gregory Graf Idaho doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t filter. He doesn’t write to please donors or follow editorial trends. He writes because he’s got something to say — and because the consequences of silence are too high. His investigations cut deep, especially into the murky waters of extremism and misinformation that have taken hold in places far too many national outlets ignore. You don’t just read his work — you feel it in your gut. It’s what happens when clarity and courage collide.

And that’s the thing about Substack. It’s become a quiet revolution. One newsletter, one post, one unapologetically honest voice at a time.

There are the headline-makers — like The Free Press, which redefines independent media by tackling tough cultural questions head-on, or Lenny’s Newsletter, which became a lifeline for product managers by offering real-world advice that doesn’t talk down to anyone.

But the heart of Substack isn’t just in the big names. It’s in the writers who show up week after week to say, This is what I see. This is what I know. This is what matters.

For me, that’s been a journey in staying consistent through the chaos of freelancing. At Laura Writes VA, I explore the rhythms of creative work, the vulnerability of the blank page, and the small victories of building something with your own hands. And to my surprise, people didn’t want polish — they wanted something human.

Then there’s my friend Jayce Wendell, who just launched his Substack — and reminds me every day that the most exciting time in any creative endeavor is the beginning. His writing is curious, earnest, and full of potential. There’s no pretending in Jayce’s voice — just an eagerness to connect.

And that eagerness is something we all share, I think. Writers and readers alike. We’re all just looking for something — or someone — who gets it.

Whether it’s Gregory Graf drawing a line in the sand, or a culture critic like Anne Helen Petersen helping us make sense of the emotional undercurrents of modern life, or someone like you wondering if your voice even matters — Substack has made room for all of it.

It’s not about gaming SEO (though let’s be honest, we notice when it works). It’s about building trust, post by post. Some newsletters are free. Others move to paid subscriptions. Most strike a balance. But the ones that stick around? They all lead with the same thing: honesty.

So if you’ve been hovering over that “start writing” button, let me say this — it’s time.

You don’t need a perfect niche. You don’t need a five-year plan. You just need your voice and the willingness to show up. Write the thing. Say what you mean. Someone out there is looking for exactly what only you can offer.

And if you’re lucky, maybe one day your name will pop up in a list like this — alongside Gregory Graf, and all the others brave enough to believe their words were worth the risk.