I'm so glad I found this today! I'm determined to not get bogged down in analysis paralysis about moving some of my content to Substack. But not being sure how running separate stacks could work was slowing me down. I'm new to the platform, so this was a great help.
Happy New Year! I'm a tad late to this game, but do you have any resources that address having two separate Substack accounts in more detail? I'm wrestling with starting a newsletter that I don't necessarily want to be easily traceable to my current business, so I'm considering a pen-name. The other option it to just start a new Substack under my current profile, and let come what may 🙄.
Hi Justyna, I don't have anything else written about that specifically. I think your best bet if you want to keep it totally anonymous is to start a separate one under a different email address and use two different browsers (say Chrome and Firefox) so you don't have to keep logging in and out on the same browser. This is the easiest way I can think to do it.
Also, Substack does have documentation about starting an anonymous account if you just ask the chatbot for the link to the article.
Yes, thanks! I found the Substack tutorial, but I'm just wrestling with the practical implications, and whether I will ultimately be painting myself into a corner. Thank you for an otherwise very informative article.
I was hoping when I started my second publication that the notes would be separate for each publishings. I’m have hard time trying not to confuse people posting notes on nutrition emotional connections and then off of on some tourist trip 😂
Interesting that your subscriber count is the total of all your newsletters. For me it seems to only count subscribers on my primary newsletter and ignores the other one, which is very annoying.
I struggle with having 2 newsletters that are distinct rather than similar because:
- When I write a note it could be for either audience but will only show me as the author of whichever newsletter I have set as primary. So I will always have notes that are irrelevant at some point to one audience or the other.
- When I comment on someone else's post I may be intending it for one audience but again, my author name will be attached to whichever newsletter I currently have set as primary. So if I post on a newsletter that is on a similar topic to my newsletter #2 but I show up as author of newsletter #1 nobody is going go make the connection that I am author of a relevant newsletter.
- Author profile gives ample space to your primary newsletter but on mobile it hides the other newsletters behind a dropdown.
I really wish @substack would do something to help multi-authors navigate these challenges.
Jim, I totally understand the frustrations! You know, it wasn't until recently that the secondary pubs were hidden in a dropdown. They used to display in order right below the main publication. If you look in this post I wrote last October, you'll see how they used to display: https://unstackit.substack.com/p/how-to-feature-your-preferred-substack
And yes, the notes thing will forever be an issue as long as you have a main pub and a secondary one under the same profile. No workarounds for that, unfortunately. I wish we had the option to toggle between them as we post individual notes/comments.
I want to find out if all subscribers receive posts from all sections of the publication? Is there a way to allow subscribers to choose what posts/sections they want to receive without creating another substack?
When you set up a new section, the dashboard will ask you if you want to import all your current subs to that section or not. They can customize what they read. For step by step info, ask your question to the chat bot in your dashboard. It'll give it to you in point-form steps. 😊
I've been thinking of adding another Stack for a different audience but now I am not so sure there would be enough crossover to make it worthwhile. Thanks for getting me to think about this more seriously.
So glad I found this thread. My substack focuses on open paying no fee short story calls. I also interview the editors to see what they are buying. My newest goal is to start a serial novel. Should that be a separate substack?! I have no idea. Most writers (my followers) are readers. BUT will they want to read my fiction? PLUS if I don’t use my present substack- it’s likely no one will ever see my chapters (or am I wrong ?)
I read all of the post and now all of the comments because I want to create another publication for my Biz - The English Coach ™️. My current one, Becoming Your Story is more my personal passion project, although there is overlap because both involve ‘people and their potential’.
Sorry but despite reading everything, I am still unclear.
I just need to know if I should 1. Create a completely separate Substack account or
2. Just go to ‘section’ and create a new publication.
Keep in mind that a section will be part of the original newsletter so you have to ask yourself if the two topics are related enough to be part of the same newsletter. Also keep in mind that if you choose a section and you later decide to kill the main newsletter, you can't separate the content in your section. You'd have to manually copy it all to a new newsletter.
Kristi, you did an excellent job of outlining both the pros and cons of multiple publications under one account. I also publish a podcast and 4 written articles a week. Generating the content requires a great deal of time and focus. I was lucky and wanted to use the same email address for all of them. I'm also lucky to have an excellent graphic designer who creates my thumbnails. Some of my publications are paid and some have no paid subscription. Thank you for sharing. Larry
I admire the diligence it must take to run 3 substacks. Brava! I wonder if this is appropriate to talk about here - I just have one substack but a few months ago I decided to start a new Section or Publication (confused about the lingo here) that would focus on women and ayurveda. I was able to create it but totally lost the plot when it came to deciding if all my subscribers should get both or just one, do they get to chose etc. Can you or anyone here talk more about sections? Thanks so much.
I'm so glad I found this today! I'm determined to not get bogged down in analysis paralysis about moving some of my content to Substack. But not being sure how running separate stacks could work was slowing me down. I'm new to the platform, so this was a great help.
I’m so glad it gave you some clarity, Angela. And welcome to the platform! I hope your journey is everything you hope!
Happy New Year! I'm a tad late to this game, but do you have any resources that address having two separate Substack accounts in more detail? I'm wrestling with starting a newsletter that I don't necessarily want to be easily traceable to my current business, so I'm considering a pen-name. The other option it to just start a new Substack under my current profile, and let come what may 🙄.
Hi Justyna, I don't have anything else written about that specifically. I think your best bet if you want to keep it totally anonymous is to start a separate one under a different email address and use two different browsers (say Chrome and Firefox) so you don't have to keep logging in and out on the same browser. This is the easiest way I can think to do it.
Also, Substack does have documentation about starting an anonymous account if you just ask the chatbot for the link to the article.
Yes, thanks! I found the Substack tutorial, but I'm just wrestling with the practical implications, and whether I will ultimately be painting myself into a corner. Thank you for an otherwise very informative article.
Congratulations on another publication. Can you send me some of your energy? 😂 I can barely keep up with 2 😂
Hahaha well, I may have one or two regrets but now I'm in it 😁
I was hoping when I started my second publication that the notes would be separate for each publishings. I’m have hard time trying not to confuse people posting notes on nutrition emotional connections and then off of on some tourist trip 😂
Lol I totally get it because I post about dogs, Substack and Travel 😆 Makes no sense in Notes.
Interesting that your subscriber count is the total of all your newsletters. For me it seems to only count subscribers on my primary newsletter and ignores the other one, which is very annoying.
I struggle with having 2 newsletters that are distinct rather than similar because:
- When I write a note it could be for either audience but will only show me as the author of whichever newsletter I have set as primary. So I will always have notes that are irrelevant at some point to one audience or the other.
- When I comment on someone else's post I may be intending it for one audience but again, my author name will be attached to whichever newsletter I currently have set as primary. So if I post on a newsletter that is on a similar topic to my newsletter #2 but I show up as author of newsletter #1 nobody is going go make the connection that I am author of a relevant newsletter.
- Author profile gives ample space to your primary newsletter but on mobile it hides the other newsletters behind a dropdown.
I really wish @substack would do something to help multi-authors navigate these challenges.
Jim, I totally understand the frustrations! You know, it wasn't until recently that the secondary pubs were hidden in a dropdown. They used to display in order right below the main publication. If you look in this post I wrote last October, you'll see how they used to display: https://unstackit.substack.com/p/how-to-feature-your-preferred-substack
And yes, the notes thing will forever be an issue as long as you have a main pub and a secondary one under the same profile. No workarounds for that, unfortunately. I wish we had the option to toggle between them as we post individual notes/comments.
Succinct and helpful advice - thanks.
Thanks for sharing.
I want to find out if all subscribers receive posts from all sections of the publication? Is there a way to allow subscribers to choose what posts/sections they want to receive without creating another substack?
When you set up a new section, the dashboard will ask you if you want to import all your current subs to that section or not. They can customize what they read. For step by step info, ask your question to the chat bot in your dashboard. It'll give it to you in point-form steps. 😊
I see. I didn't know that there was chat bot. I'll check it out. Thanks
You can find it in your dashboard, the button is in the bottom right. 😊
I've been thinking of adding another Stack for a different audience but now I am not so sure there would be enough crossover to make it worthwhile. Thanks for getting me to think about this more seriously.
So glad I found this thread. My substack focuses on open paying no fee short story calls. I also interview the editors to see what they are buying. My newest goal is to start a serial novel. Should that be a separate substack?! I have no idea. Most writers (my followers) are readers. BUT will they want to read my fiction? PLUS if I don’t use my present substack- it’s likely no one will ever see my chapters (or am I wrong ?)
I read all of the post and now all of the comments because I want to create another publication for my Biz - The English Coach ™️. My current one, Becoming Your Story is more my personal passion project, although there is overlap because both involve ‘people and their potential’.
Sorry but despite reading everything, I am still unclear.
I just need to know if I should 1. Create a completely separate Substack account or
2. Just go to ‘section’ and create a new publication.
Keep in mind that a section will be part of the original newsletter so you have to ask yourself if the two topics are related enough to be part of the same newsletter. Also keep in mind that if you choose a section and you later decide to kill the main newsletter, you can't separate the content in your section. You'd have to manually copy it all to a new newsletter.
Kristi, you did an excellent job of outlining both the pros and cons of multiple publications under one account. I also publish a podcast and 4 written articles a week. Generating the content requires a great deal of time and focus. I was lucky and wanted to use the same email address for all of them. I'm also lucky to have an excellent graphic designer who creates my thumbnails. Some of my publications are paid and some have no paid subscription. Thank you for sharing. Larry
Larry, thank you! I tried to provide all the angles I could think of as to how this may or may not work for different people.
What happens if you want to sell your new newsletter and it's on the same account?
Now that is an excellent question. I've never considered it so never looked for an answer.
Thanks Kristi, very helpful. I'm considering a second publication and this answers my questions.
Excellent!!
I admire the diligence it must take to run 3 substacks. Brava! I wonder if this is appropriate to talk about here - I just have one substack but a few months ago I decided to start a new Section or Publication (confused about the lingo here) that would focus on women and ayurveda. I was able to create it but totally lost the plot when it came to deciding if all my subscribers should get both or just one, do they get to chose etc. Can you or anyone here talk more about sections? Thanks so much.
I honestly don’t know how you do it, Kristi. You amaze me.
Hahaha thanks Chris. Honestly, without the cross-post feature I'd be dead in the water. It gives me the option to slack off at will 😁
Keeping three publications consistent takes a very special type of soul. Probably one of the reasons I love you Kristi.
Well then you must love yourself too because don't you have like 4 or 5???
🙈. Actually, in 2025 I’ll have five for a bit. I have four now.
That is nuts...although I've considered it 🤣