is the author of two memoirs, Starter Dog and My Motherโs Daughter. Raised by an ambitious literary mother and nationally published since her teens, Rona did her best to dodge the family business. Her long editing career culminated in a decade at the helm of Canadaโs premier womenโs title, Chatelaine. At 70 she embraced writing as her destiny. Ronaโs newsletter, Amazement Seeker, celebrates her discoveries in everyday beauty and the moment as it flies.
1. Why Substack?
Every writer needs a tribe of fellow word folk. Substack is my portal to the most generous, committed and craft-conscious readers Iโve yet found, many of them admirable writers. Before Substack, I used to post essays on Facebook, where they garnered a loyal following. Instant feedback nourished me, but no one goes to Facebook in search of good writing. Substack gives me deeply thoughtful, real-time reactions without the ads, bots, sleazy politics and platform police. Facebook rapped my knuckles for posting Alice Neelโs tender painting of a naked newborn boy. That would never happen on this platform.
2. How long did it take you to find your groove?
A couple of months. By paying close attention to the comments and answering every one, I came to know my readers. Amazement Seeker became an ongoing conversation between me and my tribe. Now I watch for the names of my active commenters. I notice when new readers chime in. I never publish anything that doesnโt give me pleasure, but delighting readers amplifies the joy. Every post is a letter to my readers, and I canโt wait to hear back. What keeps me writing isnโt praise but proof that my words have made a difference to others.
3. How has it changed you?
Substack challenges me to be generous, a trait that doesnโt come naturally to me. Someone will always be attracting more attention or paid subscribers. Thereโs a tension on Substack between the ever-present drumbeat of grow, grow, grow and the undeniable evidence that we flourish here by supporting one another. A recommendation from
who until lately was a secret all over the literary block, brought me more than 50 subscribers the day he was featured in The Substack Post. Envy whispered, โWhy not me?โ but I gave it the boot. Iโve been restacking and recommending Rob for some time. Itโs exciting to see his talent recognized.4. What mistakes have you made?
I waited too long to start publishing for fear that I hadnโt figured out all the details. Anyone whoโs lurking: Jump in and find your tribe. Celebrate excellence, share knowledge, build relationships. I learned more engaging with Substack readers and writers than I could fretting all by myself.
Substack provides a wealth of metrics that seduced me. I looked for proof that I was going up, up, up, but thatโs rarely how it works. Remember Hemingwayโs โone true sentence?โ Iโm looking for one true reader who connects with my words and cares enough to write back now and then or tell a friend. Better one true reader than 100 disengaged subscribers.
5. To pay or not to pay?
After a long career in the magazine business, Iโve earned the right to make art for the joy of it. I decided early not to paywall a thing. Itโs not that I donโt value the best work of my life, just that I prize connection with readers over money. Iโm like Joni Mitchellโs one-man band at the quick-lunch stand, writing real good for free. My paying subscribers donโt receive any perks, and it gladdens me to know theyโre with me for the words. Of all the ways they could have spent 50 dollars, they picked my writing. Free subscribers cheer me on in other waysโrecommending, restacking, commenting. Every click of the heart says, โNice work.โ
6. What artistic and technical choices have you made?
I play to my strength, the personal essay. If reader interest alone dictated my choice of topic, Iโd stick with aging and family relationships. But I write the piece thatโs waving its hand in the air, calling, โWrite me!โ If I donโt care, the reader wonโt either. And if I build a bridge for the reader, I can spark interest in Maria Lassnig, a brilliant Austrian painter (who, come to think of it, had a fair bit to say about aging). Technical choices? None, really. My gift to the reader is wordsโfirst, last and always.
My gift to the reader is wordsโfirst, last and alwaysโso video doesnโt interest me. I do record every essay for readers who would rather listen than read. They donโt mind the occasional stumble. Iโm often tempted to skip this step, but readers like hearing my voice.
7. Whatโs been the effect on your writing?
Itโs both sobering and thrilling to write in community with so many prodigiously gifted peers, some of them complete unknowns. Substack gives me an incentive to refine a piece until itโs ready to share in exacting company. Iโve been publishing since my teens--about 60 years, on and offโand arrived here proud of my work. The sense of standards, coupled with community-wide celebration of first-rate writing, has made me a more precise, courageous writer. The way to improve my game is not to take workshops but to engage with readers who know the difference between a solid piece and a standout.
8. In it for the long haul?
You bet. Substack is the best antidote Iโve found to the discouragement of marketing words. The magazines that once made me a decent living have shrunk or disappeared. Book publishers wonโt take you on unless they see bestseller potential. But thanks to Substack, itโs never been so easy for a writer to build a tribe. We support one anotherโs books along with our stacks.
I didnโt come to Substack in search of friends, but friendship blooms here between like-minded writers. We keep one another on the path.
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Love this Q&A and of course, your writing and your sensibility. There's so much generosity here, even amidst the squabbles about paywalls versus total access and the constant discourse on the best way to achieve success on the Substack platform. I agree with your choice to keep your stack accessible to all. I do the same. The key points for me are to keep showing up with my weekly essay and to engage with readers, restack, comment, and focus on growing community. I'm so lucky to be a part of yours, Rona. xo
Beautiful feature. Appreciate you keeping it real Rona, about how it feels to see others succeed without letting envy get the best of you. Your work is beautiful and your attitude, too.