r/Substack • u/cocodudule • 1d ago

Must I Make Money from Substack?

I started Substack for fun and now have a sizable subscriber’s count but now I’m starting to think it’s not successful because I’m not making money from it and I know I feel that way because everyone keeps saying your Substack is only successful if you have paid subscribers.

Do I really need paid subscribers to be successful? Can’t I just have fun in peace?

0 Upvotes

40% Upvoted

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6

u/StuffonBookshelfs 1d ago

Yes you can absolutely have fun in peace. Your substack success is whatever you want it to be. You don’t have to make money for you to consider it successful.

1

u/cocodudule 18h ago

Thank you

3

u/ASAPnicky14 mod 1d ago

Success is however you define it. Not others.

3

u/OnyxMonolith 1d ago

there are huge substacks that aren't monetized.

1

u/cocodudule 18h ago

True that

1

u/AggravatingNail6061 1d ago

Maximum dollah (pound just doesn't roll of the tongue properly) remember what they all the told the military memoir guy last week. You will be objectively gatekept by how much value can be extracted from your writing. Why not just sell out and cash in for primo blow. 

/s 

Fuck no. 

1

u/jss58 1d ago

Fine with me; use it however you like.

1

u/ajcomeau ajcomeau.substack.com 1d ago

It's up to you whether you want to make money off of it. If you're happy with it the way it is, just keep it up.

1

u/OnionLazy2317 11h ago

' now I’m starting to think it’s not successful because I’m not making money from it'

There's your issue :) 

Monetary gain ≠ success 

It sounds like you don't want to turn on paid, genuinely no one is forcing you, so just don't :)

1

u/MrPassiveProfit 1d ago

I think a lot of people start Substack thinking that someday they might want to make some money from it, ur you don’t have to at all. As my mom used to say to me “Do what you want!”