Artist's Update - December 27, 2025
In this update I’ll reflect on choosing Substack as a platform, in hopes this might be useful for some of you writers.
In this update I’ll reflect on choosing Substack as a platform, in hopes this might be useful for some of you writers.
#1 About Choosing Substack
I chose Substack after a fair amount of hesitation. What ultimately made the decision for me was simplicity and focus.
That said, I don’t think Substack is simple or that it truly supports focus.
Still, using Substack allows me to publish and distribute content within a single system. Writing and publishing remain the core actions, and right now that matters more than polish.
Substack also supports the way my poetry is unfolding. It is not an ideal platform for building complex literary worlds, but it is functional enough to let the work exist and grow.
#2 Let’s Talk About Substack as a Platform
As said, I didn’t choose Substack lightly or over night.
I have built websites professionally using platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix. Committing to Substack meant deliberately accepting far less control than I am used to. From a technical and visual standpoint, it is a compromise.
Let’s be honest. I’m not great at maintaining firm focus in a world of constant distraction.
Substack helps me keep writing and publishing somehow connected. There is no separate system for building pages, managing distribution, or maintaining infrastructure. At this stage, that matters more than complexity, flexibility or polish.
For an indie writing project that is still evolving, momentum is more important than a perfect setup. Substack makes it possible to publish consistently without turning the platform itself into a project.
#3 Site vs. Substack
I think we should talk more about Substack’s two faces. Understanding the differences has helped me make clearer choices with Hush Halo.
The reader experience of Substack is fundamentally different depending on where you encounter it. There is Substack as a writing and reading environment inside the platform, this is especially familiar to writers and active subscribers. And there is Substack as a public-facing website that people arrive from outside, using links and searches.
By site, I mean the public-facing website that readers see in a browser (both mobile and desktop).
By platform, I mean Substack’s backend, its publishing logic, and the app experience.
These two layers serve different purposes. In my experience, they do not always support each other smoothly.
Substack as a Site
The way I see it, the site functions as a container. It carries the project so I don’t have to keep rebuilding it while writing.
The Hush Halo site brings together an ongoing dystopian poetry project, related soundscapes, and behind the scenes documentation in one place.
I can shape structure, hierarchy, and entry points by managing navigation and pins.
New pieces can be added without rethinking the layout.
I can plan what is visible first and how content is grouped through tags and sections.
I can at least try to influence how a reader might explore the work.
This does not mean the project is finished or fixed, but that the structure is stable enough to support it.
Substack as a Platform
As a platform, Substack is something else entirely.
Here, I have very limited control over structure and visual presentation.
The app in particular enforces a standardized reading experience. Features like pinned posts, navigation choices, or structural decisions made for the website can feel awkward or even counterproductive inside the app.
All the effort put into sections, tags, navigation, and site layout is largely irrelevant when a reader uses the app.
Choices that improve clarity on the website do not necessarily translate to the app experience at all.
Rather than trying to resolve this conflict perfectly, I have accepted it.
I treat the platform as a publishing and connection layer. It allows me to write regularly, reach readers directly, and learn through practice. It is where dialogue, subscriptions, and continuity happen.
The site holds the work. The platform carries the relationships.
Site and platform overlap, but they are far from identical. Recognizing this has made it easier for me to make decisions without trying to optimize every part.
Substack as a platform is my best effort to connect with you and to learn more about writing. I will do my best to give back your support or pay it forward by sharing my wins and my losses.
I already feel wealthier than I did six months ago.
#4 Still Under Construction
Navigation remains somewhat rough, and finding your way through the material is not always intuitive. Unfortunately, Substack does not offer many tools for improving this.
Some sections are still sparse, and others will likely be reshaped or merged as the project develops. For example, I haven’t figured out yet where to add the actual books once I get to publish them.
Instead of forcing completeness, I’ve made my peace with leaving room for adjustment and correction as the work continues to take shape.
#5 A Practical Note for Fellow Newbies
The main lesson I’ve learned so far is this: you don’t need a final or perfect site to move forward.
Structure helps, but in the beginning you often don’t yet understand enough to create a structure that actually works. Don’t get stuck there.
Start without having everything figured out. You can fix things as you go, and the mistakes you make will become the most valuable lessons you cannot grow without.
When you do work on structure, keep it really, really simple. In the beginning, what you actually need from a site is something that:
allows you to publish without friction
supports growth without constant rebuilding
does not pull attention away from the work itself
Especially early on, reducing options often increases output. Choosing a limited platform like Substack can be a strategic decision, not a compromise.
Own your glitch.
Yours,
Sam
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All works are created and copyrighted by Samia Oldman.
Read more about my writing process:
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Super insightful. The difference between the two substack faces was a puzzle for me for quite some time. Eventually I accepted that the platform facing side is where I connect with a community the site side is where my work actually lives. My stuff is super confusing to substack though I have not quite puzzled out why. Only 12% of my total traffic comes from substack including subscribers. 85% is direct links. My daily traffic and podcast downloads aren't anything to write home about but are fairly healthy for a publication less than a year old. It creates this weird paradigm where your work lives outside of where it is born.
On another note I am very happy that you chose substack. I have greatly enjoyed getting to know your work. Very unique and thought provoking. The way each sensory output compliments each other is a truly magnificent gift. I am eager to see it continue to unfold.