Why I Started a Substack in 2025

Vocal, Medium, Substack, Blogger, WordPress, there's no shortage of platforms these days for writers to find and grow an audience. In fact, one might say there are too many! It can be daunting to choose just one.

So why should you? After all, conventional wisdom dictates that you should be in as many places as possible, to reach as many readers as you can. Of course, that's far easier said than done (but it's worth the effort).

I myself have used Vocal as my primary platform for almost four years now (and will continue to do so, I love it here), but this past week I decided to branch out to Substack. Why, I hear you ask? Well, let's talk about it!

Why I Started a Substack in 2025

I can't pinpoint an exact moment that led me to the creation of my Substack. I think it was more the culmination of a lot of factors.

You see, my Vocal profile has been primarily used for publishing short fiction and poetry, but recently I've done a few articles on some of my writing goals for 2025 and it got me thinking: why don't I do more content about writing itself?

So, at the turn of the year, I jumped on Substack and created The Writer's Journey. This publication is focused on discussing the craft of writing, sharing my tips for fellow writers, and cross posting some of my short fiction to Substack users to see.

It's also a place where I decided to launch my first ever podcast called "Saved as Draft," which will have weekly episodes where I discuss what I published that week, what I'm working on, and more!

I have approximately five subscribers so far, but that's not really the point, I just got started, after all. What's really exciting about all of this, is the fact that I can now leverage content across Substack and Vocal! You see, I spotted this piece from the Vocal team, and that's what inspired this article you're reading now.

I still plan to keep my content largely different between the two platforms (Vocal for my fiction and poetry, Substack for my articles), but for specific pieces, I plan to publish in both places. That way, my fellow Vocal authors can (hopefully) benefit from the content as well.

Giving Back to the Writing Community

I've been a professional writer for over a decade now. I started as freelance writer working on blog articles for clients, then I became a ghostwriter for several years writing and selling novels to be published under other author's names, and now I work as a Content Marketing Manager for a west-coast based software company.

Aside from all of that, I've had a dream since I was about ten years old: become a published author. In 2025, I'm chasing that goal (you can read more about it here), but more than that, I'm trying to give back to the writing community that has been so incredibly supportive over the years.

You see, I don't consider myself an expert on writing (who is, really?), but I do think I've picked up some good skills over the years. I also think I can give other writers some useful advice.

So, that's really the crux of why I started my Substack publication. I want a place to share my stories, my experiences, and the lessons I've learned.

Not because I hope it will make a ton of money (but let's be honest, that would be nice), but because I've had so many writers lift me up over the years that I decided it's time I gave back to the community that helped me get here.

And here's the kicker: no matter how long you've been writing, whether it's for ten months or ten years, your wisdom and your experience is also valuable! You could easily start publishing articles on Substack or Vocal, or Medium or anywhere else.

Every writer's journey is different, but that's what makes it so special. We all have a unique voice, a unique story, and a unique perspective on the world, so why not share it?

I hope you'll join me on this journey. If you do, I'll be one of your first subscribers. That's a promise.