When The Initial Momentum on Substack Wears Off…

... that’s when the real work begins.

Hey Substack besties, How’s it going?

Have you been publishing consistently? Are you engaging with other Substackers? Did you create a daily Substack routine to rely on when you aren’t motivated?

Today’s post is about something that might feel quite familiar. I believe almost any writer on here experiences it.

That’s the moment the initial momentum wears off.

And by that, I mean when the excitement of joining Substack, seeing the initial engagement, creating your big vision, getting your first likes, comments, followers and subscribers - all this slows down… and even stops.

That can happen at any time, really.

It can be 2 weeks later, or 6 months.

And it can happen even if you’re publishing articles and Notes almost daily.

Why is that?

It’s how the algorithm works. It stops ‘boosting’ you early on. And it’s human nature - novelty is exciting, but once the new thing is normal and even boring, motivation to keep doing it is hard to find.

I signed up for Substack in the beginning of this year but only actively started using it in March.

So as I’m entering my 3rd official month on the platform, boredom creeps in. Let’s talk about it because this is what this newsletter is all about - sharing my journey of growing on Substack while figuring things out, being transparent, and hopefully helping you along the way.

The High of Starting

I reflected on why Substack felt so good in the first two months, and here’s my conclusion:

Early wins feel bigger than they are.

Maybe one of your first Notes goes just 1% viral. It can be as simple as saying ‘Hi’ and inviting other Substackers to connect with you. The algorithm loves this so it can push it to many other accounts.

You can get traction. You feel the hype.

You get those first comments, followers, likes, messages and even subscribers. You feel on top of the world.

The ‘this could be huge’ mindset.

You believe this could keep going. And maybe, just maybe this will turn into a full-time business by the end of the year.

You start finding big accounts and you want to be like them. And smaller ones who grew quickly, or - even better - monetized quickly.

You immediately think: ‘This could be me.’ The excitement from the big vision and potential revenue gains enters your mind and you’re now hooked. You want to see where this takes you. You set big goals, write more, and simply want to go all in.

Sounds familiar?

I felt it. And I did recognize the pattern as I’ve felt it with almost any new business venture I’ve tried. But because this fits me so well (it has to do with writing, it’s an all-in-one platform that offers so much, I already have a lot of content ready to move here…) I did believe it could get bigger rather quickly.

And this is how ego can get in the way.

Because at the end of the day, I came here to share my message, create some impact, offer exclusive content in the form of a paid newsletter, and connect with like-minded people.

This comes first. The big revenue and other wins come second.

The Slow Fade

What comes next? The slow fade.

Engagement slows down, and soon it may even disappear.

That means zero likes or comments on your Notes. No reactions to your articles. You’re wondering whether you should keep publishing long-form content or wait till you have a bigger audience.

Somehow, your motivation is also down and together with the lack of growth and engagement, you feel like engaging less and less.

That’s where I am these days.

I’m still posting, even more than before. But the results don’t match the effort and that can feel discouraging.

This is the dip after the high. And no one knows how long it can last, or whether things will get better again. This makes it extra hard to find the discipline to keep growing your Substack newsletter.

You may even feel confused because you’re doing the same things like the previous stage but getting much less back.

You wonder if it’s the algorithm, or you, or your content. And this is where doubt can creep in and make you consider giving up.

The real work begins here.

This is the turning point, and here’s what you can do about it.

First, please, don’t give up.

This stage doesn’t define you, and it has nothing to do with how far you can get on Substack.

It’s just a challenge you need to overcome on your journey here.

Second, keep spending time on Substack daily.

I’m still showing up on here every day, but I’m feeling the shift. Not much is happening and it would be easier to just ditch everything I built in the last months.

But this is bigger than me and you. This is about a business, content that can live forever and inspire others and maybe even change someone’s life.

It’s the kind of work that gives me deep satisfaction and that itself is a strong enough reason to keep doing it.

It’s also time to set the emotions aside and let discipline do its job. That can happen by sticking to a daily Substack routine and staying true to your long-term vision.

Third, detach from daily metrics.

They can be discouraging if you’re in a low period (just like they were giving you dopamine in the growth stage). And they don’t really matter when looking at the big picture.

Here’s a reminder: long-form content on Substack takes weeks or months to actually rank in search engines (it’s how SEO works), so give it that time.

Plus, a Note can go viral weeks later as it gets discovered, shared and restacked by new people.

Your job is to keep posting and engaging.

You’re building a business on Substack, not a quick project that will be over by the end of the year.

This phase is a filter.

When the initial momentum wears off, this is when the real work begins. This is when real creators are built.

This is a turning point because it’s when you decide whether you’re serious about Substack, or ready to quit and move onto something else that might give you ROI sooner.

So that’s how this phase becomes a filter, not a dip. It shows who stays, and who goes. Eventually, the platform rewards the creators that stay.

I hope this helps.

Tell me, where are you on your Substack journey?