Wait, What Even Is Substack?
Why we chose it, how it works, and how to join the conversation
This weekend, I spent three glorious days in a cabin with six amazing women. Ostensibly, we were there to ski (half of us downhill, the other half cross-country), but let’s be real—we were there to laugh at our own immature jokes and eat an unreasonable amount of fancy junk food.
This is the fifth year this core group of friends has gotten together, and it’s always a blast. Naturally, Outdoor Book Club came up, and one of the women (who’s a subscriber here) admitted she was confused by the whole Substack thing. “I love what you’re doing, but I don’t totally get how it works,” she said. When I explained it, she nodded and said, “Oh, I get it now! You should really explain this to your whole mailing list.”
So here I am.
What’s Substack, and Why Are We Using It?
If you’ve never heard of Substack before, think of it as a magical mix of email newsletter and online community—without the doomscrolling or the dreaded algorithm deciding what you see. It’s where we share our best stories, book discussions, and outdoor adventures, all delivered straight to your inbox (no social media acrobatics required).
So why did we choose Substack? Simple: it’s built for deep conversations, not just quick likes. It gives us a space to write, share, and actually connect with you—not just at you. Whether it’s an essay about courage, a book that rocked our world, or an upcoming Outdoor Book Club event, Substack lets us keep things meaningful and real.
How Can You Engage?
Read & Reply – Every post has a comment section where you can chime in, ask questions, or share your own story. We love hearing from you!
Join the Conversation on Notes – Think of it like an old-school message board meets a casual book club chat. We’ll be posting there a few times a week to keep the discussion going.
Use Hashtags – We’ll be using #WildernessWednesday and #LoveTheWild for themed conversations. Tag your own reflections so we can find and celebrate them!
If you’re craving more connection with like-minded women who love books, adventure, and a good dose of irreverent humor, you belong here. Subscribe (it’s free!), jump into the conversation, and let’s discover our next chapter—together.
LOVE you explanation of substack! You nailed it. Completely. I have found it can be a hard sell, but once people get it they really love it! 💐
You captured well the allure of Substack! After years of blogging on Wordpress with the same experience that faded over time, I rediscovered it here and look forward to building new connections and sources of creative inspiration!