First of all, I've given myself 20 years, 25 at the most. That's because I'm 65, so time's not really on my side, is it? I write FICTION; it's damned good fiction, too. Long stories, they call them novelettes, and some novellas as well. My dream is to reach a global audience through Substack. There are 45 million people on Substack, give or take, and I want a piece of that. Right now, I've got about .001% of that, so I've got my work cut out for me. My ultimate dream is to get 112,500 subscribers. That's .25% of the Substack population as it stands today. A 7% conversion rate for PAID subscribers is 7,875 @ $30 a year. That's $236,250. which works out to be $19,687/month. And that's 1/4 of 1%...based on today's numbers. That's not being greedy, and it's not unrealistic, it's .25%.
If you don't dream big, you're just fantasizing, and fantasies are better in bed. If there are 45 million people on Substack today, how many do you think there will be be the end of this year? How about in 5 years? I've got 20 years to see it through, providing I don't get some major disease, or fall to any one of a dozen different ailments.
This was the best dream declaration I’ve read Ben. You’re an inspiration at 65 to have such solid dreamability, I aspire to always keep dreaming too!! And as you say; imagine how many potential readers there are in one year let alone 5... looking at the exponential growth curve I don’t think Substack is going anywhere soon. It’s still just the early days.
Will have to check out your fiction too, if it’s that damn good I’m not the one to miss out. Cheers to you 🥂
Wow Tanya I love it!! How cool!! I am confident it will happen. The fact that you’ve already gotten this far is a big step and potential publishers will recognize it as the majority still don’t have any lists at all. Kudos to you 👏🫶🏼
My dream is to have enough paying subscribers so that I will be able to do this full time. I was hoping to have about 200 to 300 paying subscribers one day. ( I would obviously want way more than that lol).
I would be over the moon with a 1000. but that's only if stripe will be made available in my country, or if and when substack gives us another option. And the fact that I still have a lot to improve on when it comes to the actual writing part😂.
The behind the scenes addition was really cool, look forward to reading the next one.
My dream is to use my letters to pay for my son’s education. And that one day, I can experience him read these letters. As a 32 year old, I probably should have bigger dreams. But at this stage in my life, that’s where I’m at. I’m sure they’ll be more and others - but nothing feels as purposeful.
I love your dream and clarity in it and rather wonder: why shouldn’t that be seen as a big enough dream?
Education in America is very expensive, so if you put a dollar sign next to what that dream costs (should it also be what your son dreams to do...), then it would maybe feel like a bigger goal?
The greatest recognition (in my opinion) is that you are committed to a dream that brings you purpose, which is greater than any other metric combined ❣️ the treasure you bring to your son, not only in terms of writing the actual letters, but in the way you allow him to have a father who is reflecting and deeply involved in the process is more valuable and larger than most “should” dreams at 32.
My instant reaction was: wow he’s just 32 and already has such expansive reflections 👏👏 (I’m 28 btw, and have had my fair share of judgement on dreams involving my children (of which I have 2))
Thank you for seeing me. I wonder how my dreams would be different if I were some place different. Did you dream about having a successful platform around embroidery?
Yes that’s an interesting reflection which I often ask myself too: what would’ve been different had my circumstance been different. I’m from a culture where you should never think you’re better than anyone, and so I lived years of bullying for being different or just outside of the accepted box. I think being used to be different and never fitting in has helped me to just “get on with things” and kind of expect to be criticized for it...
for the embroidery, it honestly blew my mind. It still does kind of. I didn’t want social media and only got it to share my work in progress with the clients I had already got.
Though when jt started getting shared in art magazines around Paris I was quick to jump at it because I didn’t see any reason not to. Equally I didn’t see any reason in not trying to make it grow as big as I could, because the worst that could happen is that I get a big fat lesson (which money can’t buy you, only your time and effort can).
Embroidery took me places I never could’ve imagined. It unblocked my vision of what’s possible both with regards to growth and business but also as to what type of life you can live. Thanks to online tools my husband and I have been home every single day with both our children seeing them grow together. We have full ownership of our time and it’s something I’m ready to work my ass off for to keep (and I guess that’s only one part of my motivation to grow this newsletter as it fits into all the boxes of what’s important for me in my life).
Fantastic manifestation of your dreams! When I finally found the guts to publicly wrote that I wanted to publish my memoir, the world conspired with me to make it happen. Within a few months of the post, my network responded and I found the publisher for my book that was out just a year or so later. Congrats on making this proclamation! 👏
Yes, you pinpointed something huge here: it’s brilliant and intimidating all at ones because suddenly there’s a room full of incredible writers. But I try to see it as motivation; if they’re here then why can’t I too?
THIS! This is everything I dream of and everything I needed to read, all in one beautiful manifestation. Thank you! 🤍 I want to read this every day to give myself that boost of motivation and belief! I dream too, of having 500 paid subscribers to my Substack, that will enable me to be a full-time writer and live my days as I so please. I currently have 1 paid subscriber (my beautiful Mum), and I also don’t know exactly how my paid subscription offer will change over time, but I believe eventually it will allow me to fulfil my dreams.
This also goes hand in hand with my dream of my books giving me freedom financially. That one day, a book I write will be the very book that sits on the bookshelves or coffee tables or nightstands of so many homes.
I’m so glad to read that your mum is your first supporter! I dream to be the first and forever supporter should my daughters wish to go down the route of creative artistic entrepreneurship too.
I know that my mum is proud of me though I don’t think she’s even subscribed to my letter for free haha 😅
I love this! What a fab dream to have and thank you (from one mama to another) for being so open about what your process looks like around your kids. I read my favourite Substack posts during the 10:00pm dream feed when my baby too lays heavy on my chest.
My dream is to reach 1000 free subscribers here first - and then who knows... But also to write a novel. I'm currently doing this in instalments on this platform, but I hope one day that it will become a hard-copy book, one that can take up residence on my bookshelf. That has always been my dream, ever since I was a teenager, and I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to it... Mostly as becoming a mama has freed me from my previous 'day job' of teaching, which left very little room for creativity!
Haha I love that “10pm dream feed”. It’s this isn’t it! I try to cramp in as much as I can in the 30 minutes when my youngest fall asleep on my boob in the sofa downstairs (where I am as I write this) and until my husband has finished reading and my oldest has fallen asleep upstairs haha if I only knew before motherhoodt xD
It’s a great process about the installments here on Substack! It’s a way to ensure it gets done ✅ I would like to put together my best essays into a book too... so not a full novel but more of an essay compilation for now 🧐
I was thinking today how it almost seems pointless given how few actually read the instalments (I really don’t have many paid subscribers), but then the posting schedule gives me a reason to write and manageable chunks to do it in. So it is kinda worth it I guess 🥰
Oh no it’s not pointless at all!! I think the key to reach your goals are to keep working on them even when none is listening. To continue to do the thing you love even when you don’t see the point. It’s not until you feel like giving to that you’ll most likely start seeing results.. ❤️
I often catch myself feeling like this when I get to the paywalled section of a post and I’m being picky about wording or plot or something. I think to myself, what is the point if basically no one will read it? And then I remind myself that I am writing it and that makes it worth it - the creative endeavour on its own.
Not only that - like this it’s ready for the day you DO have lots of people wanting to go back and read it 👏 imagine how cool when the novel is ready, published and out in the world and you can track the progress back to these letters.
I dream of 500! At the moment I’m waaaay off that but the money I am making is going into a savings pot for my son. I do feel like it’s possible though x
As long as there the light of hope at the end of the tunnel there’s nothing stopping you 👏 you’ve got more than I do regardlesss, I’ve got 0 paid so far haha! Planning to make a fun transparent launch around the whole chabang, no idea if it will work but time will tell 🙏🏼
My dream is to publish on Substack once a week for the rest of the year. I would eventually like to reach 100 paid subscribers however I’m at the very beginning of my journey. For the next few months I want to focus on my writing and staying consistent with publishing. This is all very new for me. I would like to add I love your writing, it’s moving and relatable and I feel so much motivation and inspiration after reading your post!
My substack is a book rec newsletter with a little story at the end, and I've sort of secretly started a buy me a coffee page, sharing about gratitude and living intentionally. Maybe it's better for substack? But I don't want another one right now. I may move it over at some point because discoverability is a bit harder there, but I sort of like that. It's a bit of a surprise people have to stumble on! Right now I'm the only reader, though I'll share soon and get more I'm sure. Most of the things I post there eventually become YouTube videos too, where I want to be sharing more of my recs and stories. I'm at 202 subscribers and just finished a video talking about how I want to hit 1000 and get monetized by the end of the year. I'm going to share each month about how I'm doing too. Excited for the journey and to see what happens.
Love the creative energy Kathy. I think it’s only you who have the answer as to what you should do - but investing in long term platforms with searchability functions is always a good call for the intentional creative like yourself 🥰
Thanks Elin! I am waffling a bit about where I should put it and I like the challenge of having it somewhere only people I direct there can find it. I'll be plugging it a lot on YouTube too! Thanks for this post; it inspired me to really write down what I want to work towards. AND I just thought about how I comment on people's posts about intention, so maybe I should move it over here. Oh goodness!
I've been recently playing with the thought of investing more effort into Substack to able to pay for some of the art education that I can't afford at the moment. I also dream to finally open an online shop for my art. For someone who came back to art after a very long hiatus and is still figuring out lots of things it seems like a very daring dream at the moment.
That’s fantastic - to have a concrete goal of what to use the money for is a powerful tool to stay accountable to it 👏
As it’s all art related (both your further education and the online shop), I think you have a winning combo of building your newsletter as there will potentially be your first art customers in the bunch too!
I’ve run an online art shop for 7 years and I can’t encourage you enough ❤️❤️
Congratulations Elin - I’m convinced that speaking the goal aloud helps to make it happen: you’ve committed, you’ve shared, and people are always keen to support that. Onwards and good luck!
I have a dream, as well as an ambition.
First of all, I've given myself 20 years, 25 at the most. That's because I'm 65, so time's not really on my side, is it? I write FICTION; it's damned good fiction, too. Long stories, they call them novelettes, and some novellas as well. My dream is to reach a global audience through Substack. There are 45 million people on Substack, give or take, and I want a piece of that. Right now, I've got about .001% of that, so I've got my work cut out for me. My ultimate dream is to get 112,500 subscribers. That's .25% of the Substack population as it stands today. A 7% conversion rate for PAID subscribers is 7,875 @ $30 a year. That's $236,250. which works out to be $19,687/month. And that's 1/4 of 1%...based on today's numbers. That's not being greedy, and it's not unrealistic, it's .25%.
If you don't dream big, you're just fantasizing, and fantasies are better in bed. If there are 45 million people on Substack today, how many do you think there will be be the end of this year? How about in 5 years? I've got 20 years to see it through, providing I don't get some major disease, or fall to any one of a dozen different ailments.
This was the best dream declaration I’ve read Ben. You’re an inspiration at 65 to have such solid dreamability, I aspire to always keep dreaming too!! And as you say; imagine how many potential readers there are in one year let alone 5... looking at the exponential growth curve I don’t think Substack is going anywhere soon. It’s still just the early days.
Will have to check out your fiction too, if it’s that damn good I’m not the one to miss out. Cheers to you 🥂
Stay strong mon ami, keep working, keep writing!
My hope is to do the same and I write as hard as I could on my novels, and I like them long and hope they are good also.
Let’s both keep growing, and I’ll keep promoting your work in the fantasy events!
My dream is to have enough people who want to read my work so I can find an agent and a publisher for my book(s). Man this was scary.
Wow Tanya I love it!! How cool!! I am confident it will happen. The fact that you’ve already gotten this far is a big step and potential publishers will recognize it as the majority still don’t have any lists at all. Kudos to you 👏🫶🏼
Hey Elin,
My dream is to have enough paying subscribers so that I will be able to do this full time. I was hoping to have about 200 to 300 paying subscribers one day. ( I would obviously want way more than that lol).
I would be over the moon with a 1000. but that's only if stripe will be made available in my country, or if and when substack gives us another option. And the fact that I still have a lot to improve on when it comes to the actual writing part😂.
The behind the scenes addition was really cool, look forward to reading the next one.
Thanks for sharing JP! I had no idea stripe wasn’t accepted in South Africa?! There are lots of successful online entrepreneurs there 🧐
For your sake I truly hope there will soon be options (which I think there will be), so that you can make your dream come to life too 👏🙏🏼
And thanks for the comment about the behind the scenes too... it’s always the most curious part isn’t it haha
Hope so to, I started on medium only to findout they only take stripe over there as well🤣🤣.
Guess the big guys on substack are more focused on the america, u.k and others. Small guys like us have to just wait in line😔.
Yes, it sure is. it helps you to standout from everyone else.
Yeah it’s definitely anglophone focused at least.. though the new changes of opening up to some other languages is a hopeful development 👏
It is hey, cant fault them there. there are so many people that can be reached on this platform, its crazy.
My dream is to use my letters to pay for my son’s education. And that one day, I can experience him read these letters. As a 32 year old, I probably should have bigger dreams. But at this stage in my life, that’s where I’m at. I’m sure they’ll be more and others - but nothing feels as purposeful.
I love your dream and clarity in it and rather wonder: why shouldn’t that be seen as a big enough dream?
Education in America is very expensive, so if you put a dollar sign next to what that dream costs (should it also be what your son dreams to do...), then it would maybe feel like a bigger goal?
The greatest recognition (in my opinion) is that you are committed to a dream that brings you purpose, which is greater than any other metric combined ❣️ the treasure you bring to your son, not only in terms of writing the actual letters, but in the way you allow him to have a father who is reflecting and deeply involved in the process is more valuable and larger than most “should” dreams at 32.
My instant reaction was: wow he’s just 32 and already has such expansive reflections 👏👏 (I’m 28 btw, and have had my fair share of judgement on dreams involving my children (of which I have 2))
Cheers to you 🥂✨
Thank you for seeing me. I wonder how my dreams would be different if I were some place different. Did you dream about having a successful platform around embroidery?
Yes that’s an interesting reflection which I often ask myself too: what would’ve been different had my circumstance been different. I’m from a culture where you should never think you’re better than anyone, and so I lived years of bullying for being different or just outside of the accepted box. I think being used to be different and never fitting in has helped me to just “get on with things” and kind of expect to be criticized for it...
for the embroidery, it honestly blew my mind. It still does kind of. I didn’t want social media and only got it to share my work in progress with the clients I had already got.
Though when jt started getting shared in art magazines around Paris I was quick to jump at it because I didn’t see any reason not to. Equally I didn’t see any reason in not trying to make it grow as big as I could, because the worst that could happen is that I get a big fat lesson (which money can’t buy you, only your time and effort can).
Embroidery took me places I never could’ve imagined. It unblocked my vision of what’s possible both with regards to growth and business but also as to what type of life you can live. Thanks to online tools my husband and I have been home every single day with both our children seeing them grow together. We have full ownership of our time and it’s something I’m ready to work my ass off for to keep (and I guess that’s only one part of my motivation to grow this newsletter as it fits into all the boxes of what’s important for me in my life).
Fantastic manifestation of your dreams! When I finally found the guts to publicly wrote that I wanted to publish my memoir, the world conspired with me to make it happen. Within a few months of the post, my network responded and I found the publisher for my book that was out just a year or so later. Congrats on making this proclamation! 👏
Oh wow this is incredible Katie!! The universe heard you and made it a reality 🫶🏼
And you are next!! 👏
I have faith it will work out sooner or later- time will tell 🥰🥂
My dream is to be consistent with writing and not be afraid of putting myself out here on Substack. I’m new here.
My dream is to not quit on writing.
It’s such a big platform of brilliant writers. It’s exciting and intimidating. I know it doesn’t sound big, but it is for me.
Your words have given me courage to keep going. Thank you!
Yes, you pinpointed something huge here: it’s brilliant and intimidating all at ones because suddenly there’s a room full of incredible writers. But I try to see it as motivation; if they’re here then why can’t I too?
You’ll do fantastic Denise, I’m sure of it ❣️
Yes. Exactly. But I've never seen such a huge community I can relate with 100% too. It's been a wild ride reading, now I gotta write. Thanks, Elin!
THIS! This is everything I dream of and everything I needed to read, all in one beautiful manifestation. Thank you! 🤍 I want to read this every day to give myself that boost of motivation and belief! I dream too, of having 500 paid subscribers to my Substack, that will enable me to be a full-time writer and live my days as I so please. I currently have 1 paid subscriber (my beautiful Mum), and I also don’t know exactly how my paid subscription offer will change over time, but I believe eventually it will allow me to fulfil my dreams.
This also goes hand in hand with my dream of my books giving me freedom financially. That one day, a book I write will be the very book that sits on the bookshelves or coffee tables or nightstands of so many homes.
Jenna such a ray of sunshine you are!!
I’m so glad to read that your mum is your first supporter! I dream to be the first and forever supporter should my daughters wish to go down the route of creative artistic entrepreneurship too.
I know that my mum is proud of me though I don’t think she’s even subscribed to my letter for free haha 😅
Ohh, thank you!
Aww that’s so very sweet! I’m sure whatever path they choose to take will be a beautiful one, just like the creative path you’ve followed.
I love this! What a fab dream to have and thank you (from one mama to another) for being so open about what your process looks like around your kids. I read my favourite Substack posts during the 10:00pm dream feed when my baby too lays heavy on my chest.
My dream is to reach 1000 free subscribers here first - and then who knows... But also to write a novel. I'm currently doing this in instalments on this platform, but I hope one day that it will become a hard-copy book, one that can take up residence on my bookshelf. That has always been my dream, ever since I was a teenager, and I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to it... Mostly as becoming a mama has freed me from my previous 'day job' of teaching, which left very little room for creativity!
Haha I love that “10pm dream feed”. It’s this isn’t it! I try to cramp in as much as I can in the 30 minutes when my youngest fall asleep on my boob in the sofa downstairs (where I am as I write this) and until my husband has finished reading and my oldest has fallen asleep upstairs haha if I only knew before motherhoodt xD
It’s a great process about the installments here on Substack! It’s a way to ensure it gets done ✅ I would like to put together my best essays into a book too... so not a full novel but more of an essay compilation for now 🧐
Oh, and I’m also replying during a feed 😂 haha I wonder how many mums on here create on their phones during feeds!
Everyone 😆🙌
I was thinking today how it almost seems pointless given how few actually read the instalments (I really don’t have many paid subscribers), but then the posting schedule gives me a reason to write and manageable chunks to do it in. So it is kinda worth it I guess 🥰
Oh no it’s not pointless at all!! I think the key to reach your goals are to keep working on them even when none is listening. To continue to do the thing you love even when you don’t see the point. It’s not until you feel like giving to that you’ll most likely start seeing results.. ❤️
I often catch myself feeling like this when I get to the paywalled section of a post and I’m being picky about wording or plot or something. I think to myself, what is the point if basically no one will read it? And then I remind myself that I am writing it and that makes it worth it - the creative endeavour on its own.
💯
Not only that - like this it’s ready for the day you DO have lots of people wanting to go back and read it 👏 imagine how cool when the novel is ready, published and out in the world and you can track the progress back to these letters.
I dream of 500! At the moment I’m waaaay off that but the money I am making is going into a savings pot for my son. I do feel like it’s possible though x
As long as there the light of hope at the end of the tunnel there’s nothing stopping you 👏 you’ve got more than I do regardlesss, I’ve got 0 paid so far haha! Planning to make a fun transparent launch around the whole chabang, no idea if it will work but time will tell 🙏🏼
You’ve got this 🥰
Thanks ;) excited for you and the energy you’re bringing to this!
My dream is to publish on Substack once a week for the rest of the year. I would eventually like to reach 100 paid subscribers however I’m at the very beginning of my journey. For the next few months I want to focus on my writing and staying consistent with publishing. This is all very new for me. I would like to add I love your writing, it’s moving and relatable and I feel so much motivation and inspiration after reading your post!
100 is a better goal than 10 at least! I think you’re more capable than you give yourself credit for 🫶🏼
Thanks so much for your feedback on my writing too, it means the world to me ❤️
My substack is a book rec newsletter with a little story at the end, and I've sort of secretly started a buy me a coffee page, sharing about gratitude and living intentionally. Maybe it's better for substack? But I don't want another one right now. I may move it over at some point because discoverability is a bit harder there, but I sort of like that. It's a bit of a surprise people have to stumble on! Right now I'm the only reader, though I'll share soon and get more I'm sure. Most of the things I post there eventually become YouTube videos too, where I want to be sharing more of my recs and stories. I'm at 202 subscribers and just finished a video talking about how I want to hit 1000 and get monetized by the end of the year. I'm going to share each month about how I'm doing too. Excited for the journey and to see what happens.
Love the creative energy Kathy. I think it’s only you who have the answer as to what you should do - but investing in long term platforms with searchability functions is always a good call for the intentional creative like yourself 🥰
Thanks Elin! I am waffling a bit about where I should put it and I like the challenge of having it somewhere only people I direct there can find it. I'll be plugging it a lot on YouTube too! Thanks for this post; it inspired me to really write down what I want to work towards. AND I just thought about how I comment on people's posts about intention, so maybe I should move it over here. Oh goodness!
Haha at least your intentions are well intended 😆🥰👏 you’ll find a way that feels good when you’re ready ✨
I've been recently playing with the thought of investing more effort into Substack to able to pay for some of the art education that I can't afford at the moment. I also dream to finally open an online shop for my art. For someone who came back to art after a very long hiatus and is still figuring out lots of things it seems like a very daring dream at the moment.
That’s fantastic - to have a concrete goal of what to use the money for is a powerful tool to stay accountable to it 👏
As it’s all art related (both your further education and the online shop), I think you have a winning combo of building your newsletter as there will potentially be your first art customers in the bunch too!
I’ve run an online art shop for 7 years and I can’t encourage you enough ❤️❤️
Thank you, Elin ❤️
My dream is to open a tour agency, and hopely my Substack will have some kind of audience to offer my subsribers. One day I hope. Great writing.
Ps. Croatia is an absolutely incredible country. I’ve lived in Montenegro and Slovenia so got to go back for Croatia at some point 👏
Well thank you. Hope you will enjoy it. 😊
Love that! I’m rooting for you and that you’ve articulated your dream in a public space is already a big step in the right direction!
Congratulations Elin - I’m convinced that speaking the goal aloud helps to make it happen: you’ve committed, you’ve shared, and people are always keen to support that. Onwards and good luck!
Thanks Jo I really appreciate your support 🙏🏼❣️ excited to see where this goes!
I see it. ✨
Yahoo! May your dream come true ❤️
And yours too 🥰