8 Questions for... Ann Kennedy Smith
Cambridge Ladies' Dining Society
Dr is an author, freelance journalist and researcher based in Cambridge, UK. She writes Cambridge Ladies’ Dining Society, named in honour of an all-women’s intellectual discussion club formed in 1890 on the fringes of an exclusively male university. Her publication aims to entertain and enlighten, and includes fresh takes on history, literary biography and a mid-20th-century book club.
1. Why Substack?
I’d been writing my Wordpress blog for a few years as a spin-off from my research into Cambridge women’s history. It’s fair to say that it was read only by a select few (thanks, Mum).
’s inspiring online talk for Society of Authors UK in late 2023 was the wake-up call I needed to explore this platform.Discovering what was on offer on Substack was a joy. I had no idea that there would be so much sparkling, high-quality writing here. I decided to show up, publish once a week and connect with other readers and writers as much as possible. It’s just got better and better since then.
2. How long did it take you to find your groove?
For the first few months, not that many people were reading my posts on Oxbridge ‘Steamboat Ladies’ and Victorian women decorators, funnily enough. That changed after Cambridge Ladies’ Dining Society was featured on ‘The Substack Post’ in July 2024, thanks to the wonderful
. No rock ’n’ roll in that title, he said, but he loved my posts about protests in 1897 against Cambridge’s women students, and the heartbreak of Sylvia Plath’s missing wedding photos.One of the delightful things about Substack, as
has said here on 8 Questions, is that the quirkiest posts are sometimes the most popular. My post about 20th-century women writers struck a chord, as did another about the Oxford Dictionary editor, Robert Burchfield. So, make the most of your groove (as Burchfield certainly would not have said).3. How has it changed you?
Substack made me realize that a big part of the joy of writing for me is about connecting with others. I’ve got a great community of readers who are incredibly generous with their comments, notes and emails. It’s thanks to those conversations that I feel more confident and relaxed about what I’m doing. Taking part in podcasts and real-life events has been huge fun and turned me into (whisper it) something of a Substack evangelist.
Being recommended by others has also given me more confidence as a writer. My list has grown from 200 readers when I started 18 months ago to over 6,000 subscribers today. Over half of those are from recommendations, for which I'm awestruck and grateful.
4. What mistakes have you made?
Trying to make everything fit into a rigid, consistent scheme didn’t work for me. Nor did being a perfectionist. I’m following a more organic structure these days and enjoying seeing where that takes me.
5. To pay or not to pay?
As a freelance writer for almost ten years, I think it’s reasonable for writers and other creatives to be paid for their work. Not everyone expects or is able to pay, and that’s fine. Most of my posts are free, and paying subscribers have extra options like the book club and access to longer essays. Their generosity means I can keep doing this work and I hope I am giving good value.
6. What artistic and technical choices have you made?
It’s been interesting exploring different ways of making my posts more accessible. I’m no Vivian Maier but I love taking street photographs of Cambridge at different times of year to include in my posts. It makes me think about what I’m seeing, and how best to put that into words via Substack Notes. Not everyone likes the fast-moving aspect of Notes, but I find it a good way to discover others’ writing. I’m not sure that the Chat option works as well for me though, so I’m keen to experiment with other things, and may even dip a toe into video, who knows?
7. What’s been the effect on your writing?
I come from an academic background, so am very familiar with rules, footnotes and style guides. My subsequent experience of being a published book reviewer taught me a lot about writing, thanks to the guidance and sharp eye of my brilliant editor. But being able to write more spontaneously here on Substack has meant that I have found my voice and stopped worrying about whether I can sing in tune or not. As Anne Lamott said, ‘You can't stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.’
8. In it for the long haul?
Definitely. This a fantastic community of readers and writers, and it’s magical being on board.
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Thanks so much for inviting me, Eleanor! Loved doing this.
I have loved reading Ann Kennedy Smith's substack for more than a year now. It's wonderful to see some of the background, which I didn't realize! Thanks for the interview and for sharing.