Newsletters about writing cover craft, process, publishing and the writing life. Novelists, journalists and copywriters share how they work, and the best are practical without pretending there is one right way.
Some focus on fiction, some on nonfiction or the business of freelancing. See creative writing and publishing for the narrower views.
33 newsletters below, ranked by editorial quality and how recently they published.
Cheryl Strayed shares personal essays on grief, running, and writing, along with an occasional interview series in which authors answer questions about five things. Readers get intimate, candid first-person writing from the author of Wild and the Dear Sugar columns.
A weekly newsletter from the author of Steal Like an Artist, mixing curated lists of links and quotations with typewriter interviews of artists and writers conducted by mail. Readers get creative inspiration, book and art recommendations, and a personal view of a working creative life.
A Substack from bestselling author Katherine May combining personal essays on rest, care and meaning with a weekly podcast of author conversations and community extras. Readers get reflective writing, book recommendations and bonus listens for paid subscribers.
A weekly newsletter from author Jami Attenberg offering reflections on writing, creativity and staying focused on creative work. It also hosts the annual #1000wordsofsummer challenge, where participants write 1000 words a day for two weeks.
TextHacks teaches German-speaking readers how to write clearer, less generic copy, using concrete exercises, example texts and checklists. Issues cover headline formats, a method for cutting filler language, and lists of overused clichés, plus AI tools for feedback.
A weekly personal newsletter from writer and artist Anna Brones that blends reflections on creativity, art, books and daily life, from a Susan O'Malley art book to tech politics and sheep on her property. Readers get essay-style writing, book and art recommendations, and occasional promotion of her calendars and writing group.
A biweekly newsletter from the author of Daily Rituals that draws on interviews and books by novelists, poets, painters and other artists to show how they get creative work done. It also runs community features for paid subscribers, including a book club and a virtual coworking group.
David Perell's podcast-style newsletter goes behind the scenes with well-known writers such as Jodi Picoult, Robert Greene, and Andy Weir to explore their writing habits, ideas, and craft. Readers get transcripts and practical lessons on research, plotting, character, and the publishing business.
Steve, a former Amazon principal engineer, writes about applying systems thinking to work and life, with a focus on Amazon's writing and reading culture and its decline in the AI era. The newsletter also promotes an accompanying podcast of career and AI interviews, with frequent sponsor and coaching plugs.
A Substack literary magazine that publishes a weekly philosophy and ethics-themed short story, along with reader polls, commentary from a resident philosopher, and author Q&As. It aims to give classrooms, book clubs and families material for discussion.
A cartoonist shares illustrated essays on creative blocks, the drawing process and the feelings behind making art, promoting an upcoming illustrated novel-in-verse about a young artist who stops drawing. Readers get practical advice on restarting a creative practice and an inside look at how a book cover and project come together.
Narratively publishes true personal stories, memoirs and narrative features about people whose lives readers would rarely glimpse. Recent issues promote its annual Memoir Prize and writing programs and share a sponsored first-person essay.
A practical AI newsletter by Daria offering step-by-step tutorials on using Claude and Amplifiers to build workflows, dashboards, slides and writing systems that match the reader's voice. Each issue pairs a concrete how-to with real user examples and prompts.
A newsletter that explores science, curiosity and wonder through essays and stories meant to inspire awe and hope. Recent issues mix playful, essayistic writing with series on good conversations and behind-the-scenes notes on running a newsletter.
Personal essays by author J. Kevin Tumlinson on writing, honesty, aging and living by one's philosophy. Readers get reflective, candid first-person observations on the writer's life and craft.
Essays applying existential-humanistic psychology, drawing on thinkers like Otto Rank and Maslow, to creativity, self-actualization and living meaningfully amid a culture of optimization. It also includes personal reflections from the author and promotion of his writing challenge and seminars.
Write With AI is a paid newsletter sharing internal AI prompts, Claude workflows, and writing frameworks for turning ChatGPT and Claude into a digital writing assistant. Issues cover repurposing short posts into articles, automating launch email admin, and generating writing ideas.
Long Lead's weekly newsletter profiles longform journalists and their recent reporting, including behind-the-scenes accounts of how stories were made. Each issue combines interviews with writers about their books and features with discussion of journalism careers and the state of the craft.
A creative writing professor and graphic memoirist shares short illustrated reflections on the habit of making art, writing and storytelling. Issues also include event announcements, workshop news and details of paid-subscriber Zoom hangouts.
A newsletter on storytelling craft that explains narrative structures such as the Hero's Journey, along with practical techniques like copywork, hooks and narrative distance. It mixes short idea lists with deeper explainers and occasional guest essays.
A Substack run under Joyce Carol Oates's name, edited by Robert Douglas Friedman, featuring essays, reprinted stories, interviews and writing-life reflections. Issues in the sample include a promotional interview about a debut mystery novel, a reprinted noir essay and a reprinted short story.
A twice-monthly author newsletter from novelist Beth Brower, mixing publishing news and personal updates in The Bookshelf with fiction set in St. Crispian's in The St. Crispian's Gazette. Readers get a behind-the-scenes look at her writing process and the Emma M. Lion book series.
A novelist shares personal, candid updates on her book drafting process, including weekly word counts, reading notes and reflections on creative rhythms. Recent issues also cover her decision to write at her own pace given ADHD and autism.
A personal Substack of memoir-style essays, meditations and reflections on perseverance, grief, motherhood, illness survival and the writing life. It also promotes the author's 1:1 writing mentorship for aspiring writers.
Alex McFarland writes practical guidance on using AI to write for one-person businesses such as coaches, consultants and creators, with a focus on capturing a distinctive voice and context. Issues mix tactical workflows (Claude Code setup, buyer profiles) with promotion of paid courses and an affiliate tool.
A newsletter from a published author and former slush-pile reader offering practical writing and publishing advice, including weekly first-page critiques of subscriber submissions. It also includes a weekly writing check-in to build community among writers.
A Substack coach shares practical advice on writing stronger opening lines, avoiding growth hacks, and building an audience through fundamentals. Issues mix useful tactics with frequent promotion of paid tools and a cohort course.
Wonder Tools is a newsletter that recommends useful websites, apps and tools, often through guest picks and practical walkthroughs. Its issues mix short tool roundups, writing and productivity tips, and curated lists of other newsletters worth reading.
Strange Pilgrims is an independent, ad-free literary magazine newsletter that publishes essays, fiction and critique alongside audio recordings by the authors. It also shares editorial notes, open calls for submissions and pay rates for writers.
A weekly newsletter that introduces one Claude skill (a prompt-based tool) per issue, explaining what it does and when to use it. Each issue pairs a practical problem, such as catching AI errors or preparing for interviews, with a walkthrough of the skill and a promotional pitch for a third-party prompt library.
A newsletter and community for writers who want to publish online, grow on Substack and earn from their writing. Issues mix event reports, podcast interviews with successful newsletter writers, and promotion of memberships, masterclasses and courses.
An author's personal newsletter about her writing life, book launches and the emotional experience of finishing her Harlem Renaissance Mystery series. Readers get candid, rambling reflections alongside announcements and buy links for her novels.
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