"Connection before conversion. Build readers who trust you and they'll show up every week."
The Four Pillars
S
Simple
Cut the noise
One clear idea per issue. Your reader clicked because they trust you. Don't make them work for the point.
- Lead with one angle. Not three takes on last night's game. One.
- Know your specific reader: the sports fan, the aspiring writer, the beat reporter pivoting online.
- Write your subject line last. It should say exactly what's inside, nothing more.
- Strip your issue until it holds only what your reader actually needs.
Y
Yield to Your Intentions
Be purposeful
Know why you're publishing before you publish. Reactive posting builds a scattered audience. Intentional posting builds a loyal one.
- Write a Content North Star: "I create for [specific reader] to help them [specific change]."
- Build 3 content pillars and stick to them. Consistency is the whole game on Substack.
- Use the 60-second intention check before every issue: does this serve my reader or just fill space?
- Track conversations, not just opens. Who replied? Who recommended you? That's your real reach.
N
Natural
Be the human
AI can write sports takes. It can't be you. Your stories, your losses, your actual opinions. That's the differentiator Substack readers support.
- Use your real voice. If it sounds like a press release, rewrite it.
- Tell the behind-the-scenes story: how you reported it, what surprised you, what you almost missed.
- Admit what you got wrong in a previous issue. Readers respect honesty more than polish.
- Let your personality show in the opener. That's what makes them open next week.
C
Change It Up
Stay fresh
Variety within a recognizable framework. Your readers expect your voice. Surprise them with format, not your core identity.
- Rotate formats: long analysis, quick takes, interview Q&A, photo essays, data breakdowns.
- Try podcasting or livestreams. A recorded conversation about a game can bring in readers who never find you through search.
- Cross into adjacent territory occasionally: the business of sport, the culture around sport, your writing process.
- Run the 90-day variety audit: what format do readers love most? Double Down. Drop what drains you.
Build Your Content Universe
Your content ecosystem
Sun: Your Newsletter
Your highest-value, most invested content. Everything else orbits this.
Planets: Notes & Social
Shorter formats that feed readers back to your Substack.
Comets: Podcasts & Livestreams
Audio and video moments. Rare, so they land.
Meteor Showers: Timely Reactions
Hot takes when the news cycle aligns with your beat. Fast, punchy, on-brand.
Your Content Mix
The intentional 70-20-10 rule for Substack
70%
Core Pillar Issues
Deep dives, analysis, and stories that define your Substack's identity.
20%
Timely & Responsive
Reactions to breaking sports news, reader questions, trending topics.
10%
Experimental
New formats, adjacent topics, behind-the-scenes. Try, measure, keep or drop.