A Stoic’s Guide to Writing on Substack

Nine Enduring Truths from the Ancients for the Modern, Slightly Unhinged Online Writer

I wish I could go LIVE with Marcus Aurelius, or as I like to call him, Marky-Marcus.

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
—Marcus Aurelius, (who would’ve definitely been a bestseller)

I fell ass backwards into Stoicism in my 40s. Without realizing my “So what? Next!” attitude wasn’t uniquely my own, I came to find that Marcus Aurelius and Seneca were my home boys.

Now, as a writer here, I find myself revisiting their no-nonsense wisdom every time a post flops, a subscriber ghosts me, or I see someone with 25,000 followers announce they “accidentally” penned a viral piece between spa treatments in Portugal.

To soothe your spiraling brains, my writer friends, I present this Stoic’s 9 Point Guide to Writing on Substack.

Trust it or don’t.

1. You Are Not Your Numbers

Subscriber rolls are not reflections of your worth. They are math. Cold, fickle, mysterious math. If the numbers look blah, stoic on. Do the work. Write again. Repost that thing no one saw. It's not failure—it's strength training for your creative will.

“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” —Marky-Marcus Aurelius

2. Write as If No One Will Ever Read It. Because They Might Not.

This isn’t pessimism. This is freedom. The Stoics call it negative visualization. If you expect nothing, everything becomes a gift. Write because virtue demands it. Or because your brain won’t shut up. Either is valid. Anything beyond that is gravy.

“Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn’t matter.” —M.A., again

3. Unsubscribers? Let Them Go Like Smoke from a Pyre

Not everyone is your reader. Not everyone should be. If your words don’t resonate, let the gods carry them elsewhere. (Do not, however, doom-scroll your unsub list at 1 a.m. That’s not Stoicism. That’s masochism.)

4. Comparison Is the Thief of Reasonably Good Moods

Your fellow Substacker just got a six-figure deal and a glowing blurb from Reese Witherspoon. Good for them. You just wrote a heartfelt essay about your dog and accidentally made three people cry. That matters, too. Cure yourself of comparisonitis by spending more time on creation and less time on consumption. Others’ success doesn’t prevent your own.

5. Set a Schedule. Then Stick to It Like a Warrior to His Sword

Discipline is freedom. If you say weekly, mean it. If you say “when the spirit moves me,” fine—but put a deadline on that spirit. Otherwise you’re just journaling in public. Give your audience the gift of reliability and they’ll give you the gift of readership.

6. Your Data Is Not Your Oracle

The Substack dashboard is not a sacred scroll. It cannot tell you if you are loved, valued, or funny. It is an indifferent spreadsheet with a flatlining pulse. Stop checking it like a strange mole that just appeared. Instead, meditate, take a walk, or work on a better headline.

7. Be Indifferent to Praise, Criticism, and the Gal Who Insists You’ll Be Rich in Days if You Follow Her $499 course

Praise feels good. Criticism stings. Neither should sway your inner compass. You are not a weathervane. You are a lighthouse. Shine on. Your achievements will come their own way on their own terms and they won’t look like anyone else’s—especially hers. Also, block the haters without remorse. Stoics have no time for nonsense.

8. You Are Not Above Clickbait. But Use It Like Olive Oil—Sparingly, and with Class

A sensational headline is not selling out. It's an invitation. A needle skip. A reason for people to stop and look. Craft it like you're wooing a very smart, mildly skeptical dinner guest. Do not yell. Do not lie. Do not promise “ONE SIMPLE TRICK.” Be clever, but not a clown. The Stoics had no patience for hacks or clowns.

9. Keep a Content Journal (Marcus Did)

Marcus Aurelius never published Meditations. He wrote it to remind himself of who he wanted to be. Do the same. Write the posts you need. Share the ones that might help someone else. Leave breadcrumbs for your future self. She’ll be grateful.

Have the Courage to Continue

If you’re putting your thoughts into the world, you are already braver than most. The work of writing is not always glamorous. But it is meaningful. So keep showing up. Even when no one claps. Especially then.

“Waste no more time arguing what a good writer should be. Be one.”
—(Almost definitely what Marcus Aurelius meant, probably)

Share the wisdom

Did you appreciate a little morsel of wisdom within these words? Help a girl out by sharing it with a friend, commenting, saving, liking, restacking, and even quoting it. All of that helps get my words in other people’s orbits.

And what helps most is recommending my pub on your own. It’s easy and just takes a sec. Here’s how. And, thank you!

Did you know…

💖 I turned my dysfunctional Mother’s Day cards into a downloadable file you can print and use, too?

🎉 I offer monthly Story Sparks for ideas, inspiration, and the actual beginning of a story you can take and make your own!

Stay tuned for even more offers and creative works because my brain has no off switch.