Start a Substack Blog in 60 Minutes or Less

Launch your Substack blog in under an hour—no tech skills, no stress. A simple, step-by-step guide to start writing today

Starting a side hustle online is one of the most flexible and convenient ways to earn extra income—and blogging is a great place to begin.

If you're looking for a simple, beginner-friendly way to share your writing, starting a blog on Substack might be the perfect fit.

Substack combines the best of blogging and email newsletters, making it easier than ever to grow an audience and even earn money—without needing tech skills, a website, or a big social following.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to start a Substack blog in under 60 minutes—based on what I’ve learned running two publications of my own.

You’ll get clear steps, helpful tips, and a free resource at the end to make your launch smooth and stress-free.

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Why Substack?

If you’re new to content creation, Substack is ideal. It’s free to use, incredibly easy to set up, and designed to help writers succeed.

Here’s why I chose Substack—and why many creators are making the switch:

✅ All-in-one: Blog + newsletter + monetization in one place
✅ No tech skills needed—just sign up and start writing
✅ Build a direct relationship with your audience
✅ Built-in tools for community, growth, and paid subscriptions

Whether you’re writing personal essays, niche advice, or creative work, starting a blog on Substack is a great way to build momentum fast.

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What You Need to Know Before You Start

• Substack is free to use. You only pay a fee (10% + Stripe) if you offer paid subscriptions.

• You don’t need a website, domain, or email service provider—Substack handles it all.

• It’s email-first: Your posts are sent straight to your readers’ inboxes.

• Customization is limited: You won’t get as much control over design as with WordPress, but in exchange, you get ease and speed.

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What You Need Before You Start (10-Minute Prep)

Before we dive into the steps, take 10 minutes to gather a few basics:

✔️ A working email address
✔️ One sentence describing what your blog is about
✔️ A name or rough idea for your publication

Mindset tip: You don’t need to have it all figured out. Start simple—you can always refine later.

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How to Start a Substack Blog in Under 60 Minutes: Step-by-Step

Ready to start a Substack blog today?

Here’s exactly how to do it—step-by-step—with realistic time frames to help you launch your Substack blog in just one focused hour.

💡 You don’t need to finish every detail on day one—this guide focuses on what to do now to get your blog live fast and polish it later.

Step 1: Sign Up for a Free Account (5 minutes)

Go to substack.com and create a free account with your email address.

Quick setup checklist:

• Choose a subdomain (like yourname.substack.com)

• Add a title for your blog (you can change this later)

Pro Tip #1: Use a separate Gmail account for your Substack to keep things organized.

Pro Tip #2: Unsure about your blog name? Use your own name as the domain—it gives you flexibility if you rebrand later.

Step 2: Define Your Blog’s Focus (10 minutes)

Clarify your niche and ideal audience.

Ask yourself:

• What do I want to write about?

• Who am I helping with this content?

Example:

Niche: Helping busy creators build their Substack business with 4 hours a week
Blog name: The Substack Hustle

Pro Tip: Not sure who your blog is for? Download my Audience Clarity Blueprint to get clarity fast.

Step 3: Customize Your Blog (15 minutes)

Make your blog feel personal and professional with these quick-start customizations:

• Upload a profile picture

• Add a short, friendly bio

• Write a short intro about what your blog is about

• Pick a color scheme and logo (optional—don’t overthink it)

📌 Optional (Save for later if short on time):

• Write your About page

• Draft a “Welcome” email for new subscribers

Step 4: Write Your First Post (20 minutes)

Your first post doesn’t need to be perfect—just write something honest and helpful for your ideal reader.

Two simple options:

• Write directly in Substack

• Or draft in Google Docs first, then paste it in (my preferred method).

Tip: Start with a “Welcome” post that shares who you are, what your blog is about, and what readers can expect.

Bonus: Create a list of 5–10 future post ideas to keep the momentum going.

Pro Tip: I use a Substack post template to stay organized—grab it here.

Step 5: Set Up Subscription Options (5 minutes)

Decide if you want to start with:

• Free content (recommended)

• Paid content

• Or both

If you’re just starting out, stick to free posts to grow your audience and test what works. You can always turn on paid options later.

🕓 Total Time: ~55 minutes

By following these five steps, you can have a fully functioning blog on Substack live within the hour. 🎉

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What to Do After You Launch (Save for Later):

Once your blog is live and you’ve published your first post, move on to these next steps when you have time:

Step 6: Promote Your Blog

Great content won’t help if no one sees it.

Promote your Substack by:

• Sharing posts on social media

• Engaging with readers in Substack Notes (like a built-in social feed)

• Recommending other writers and joining communities

• Using Substack’s referral system to grow your audience

Step 7: Publish Consistently

Pick a schedule you can stick to—once a week is a great start.

Substack encourages consistency with a “streak” feature. My first publication had a 63-week streak, putting me in the top 5% of all writers!

You can post:

• A long-form post each week

• A short-form update or Note midweek

• Or alternate between the two

Step 8: Track What’s Working

Use Substack’s built-in analytics to monitor:

• Subscriber growth

• Email open rates

• Post performance

This data helps you improve your writing and connect more deeply with your readers.

Step 9: Grow Your Audience

Once your blog is up and running:

• Encourage shares and referrals

• Collaborate with other writers

• Use your welcome email to invite engagement

• Embed subscribe links in all your content

Example: I’ve gained over 207 subscribers just through Substack’s built-in recommendations.

Step 10: Stay Committed

Starting is the hardest part—but consistency is what pays off.

Stick with it, write regularly, and learn as you go. You’ll build a meaningful blog that grows with you.

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FAQs About Starting a Blog on Substack

Is Substack free for blogging?

Yes! Substack is completely free unless you offer paid subscriptions.

Is Substack good for beginner writers?

Absolutely. It’s designed to be simple, distraction-free, and beginner-friendly.

Can I use Substack and WordPress?

Yes. Many creators use both—Substack for email-first content, and WordPress for longer or evergreen articles.

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Make the Leap—Your Substack Blog Starts Here

If you’re wondering how to start a Substack blog, I hope this guide showed you how simple it can be.

Whether you’re launching your first blog or shifting from another platform, Substack helps you focus on what matters most: your writing and your readers.

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Kickstart Your Substack NOW: Subscribers & Growth Resources

🎯 Want your first 50 subscribers—without burnout?

Grab my free action plan: From 0 to 50 Subscribers on Substack. It’s designed for busy creators who want real results—fast. 👉 Download it HERE!

🚀 Want to turn your Substack into a purpose-driven platform?

Check out the course How to Win on Substack—a step-by-step roadmap to build a clear, intentional publication that attracts loyal readers and grows with focus.

Perfect for creators who want to grow smart, not just fast. 👉 Explore the course HERE!

Bonus: Enroll in the course NOW and get my Substack Launchpad for FREE—the ultimate setup template with prompts, examples, and easy plug-and-play steps to launch and adjust your publication anytime.

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