4 Mistakes Keeping You Under 100 Subscribers (And Why #4 Is The Hardest To Fix)

What I wish I knew before wasting my first two months on Substack

I spent two months stuck under 50 subscribers.

Every week, I’d publish posts. I’d write notes every day.

And each one barely got two likes. From my husband and my daughter, who I had to remind to like them.

Everything changed when I figured out four critical mistakes and fixed them.

And suddenly I was at 100 subscribers in 25 days. Then 200 just 17 days after that. Now, I have 857 subscribers, a true active audience every writer wishes for.

Same person. Same writing quality. Completely different approach.

Here are the four mistakes that were killing my growth, and why the last one held me back the longest.

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Mistake #1: Treating Substack Like a Broadcasting Platform

Here’s what I thought: Write great content → People will find it → Subscribers roll in.

Here’s reality: Write great content → Literally nobody sees it → You talk to yourself for weeks.

When you have 2-5-10 subscribers, Substack’s algorithm doesn’t care about you. Your notes don’t get shown. Your posts don’t get recommended. You’re invisible.

The fix? Stop broadcasting. Start chatting.

I began spending 60-90 minutes every day doing this:

• Finding creators with 2-10 subscribers (people in my exact position)

• Subscribing to them

• Leaving 3-5 comments on their posts

• Being generous with likes

I wasn’t ask for sub-for-sub. I was just looking for content that deeply interested me. And subscribed when the ideas felt close to me. Many subscribed back. We were all struggling together, supporting each other.

Those my first 50 subscribers, they came from conversation, not publication.

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Mistake #2: Dismissing Notes As “Fake” Or Meaningless

At first, I didn’t really understand the point of notes. What should I write about?

“Nobody reads those.” “It’s too hard to write something every single day.” “It feels artificial.” “They don’t work.”

I almost skipped notes entirely.

Here’s what I didn’t understand: Notes are your main growth engine on Substack, especially when you’re small.

Everyone kept saying “publish 3 notes a day” and I kept resisting. That felt overwhelming. Impossible. Like I’d run out of things to say.

Then I started with just one note a day. Because one note is definitely better than zero notes.

Some days two notes a day, morning and evening.

On exhausted days? Just one. And you know what? My subscriber count kept climbing.

The secret isn’t quantity. It’s consistency and variety.

I learned to rotate between three types of notes:

Community-building notes (these performed best):

• “What’s the hardest part of starting your Substack?”

• “Drop your latest post below — I’m reading and commenting today”

• Questions that sparked conversation

Educational notes:

• Quick tips I’d learned

• Lessons from my own mistakes

Motivational notes:

• Encouragement for other struggling creators

• Celebrating small wins

• “You’re not alone” messages

The community-building notes were my rocket fuel. They got people talking, engaging, remembering my name.

Just remember: Notes are not mini blog posts. They’re conversations.

Two sentences can be enough. A question works. A quick observation is fine.

When I stopped treating notes like they had to be perfect content pieces and started treating them like talking to friends, everything got easier.

Notes aren’t fake. They’re not meaningless. They’re how people discover you exist.

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How I Used AI to Crack the Code of Viral Substack Notes (And You Can Too). Part 1.

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Mistake #3: Not Joining Note Boosts Immediately

This was my single biggest regret. I waited weeks before participating in my first note boost.

Why did I wait? Fear, mostly. Imposter syndrome. “My content isn’t good enough yet.” “I have to publish more posts first”. ”I need more subscribers first.”

Absolute nonsense.

Here’s what actually happened when I finally tried note boosts:

My very first boost participation brought 12 likes to a note that previously would’ve gotten 2.

Some boosts brought me 50+ subscribers. Others brought a handful. But every single one expanded my reach.

It’s thanks to the note boosts that I finally hit over 100 subscribers by my third month.

I started doing 3-4 boosts per week. The rule is simple: share your note, then genuinely engage with at least three other writers. I always engaged with way more than the minimum because these were real people trying to grow, just like me.

The shift in my growth timeline tells the story:

• Without boosts: 4-5 subscribers per week

• With boosts: 50 subscribers in 25 days (after hitting my first 50)

  Don’t make my mistake. Join your first note boost this week.

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  How I Used AI to Crack the Code of Viral Substack Notes (Part 2)

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Mistake #4: Waiting To Be “Ready” (The Hardest One To Fix)

This is the killer. The dream-destroyer.

I kept thinking: “Once I have better content...” “Once I figure out my niche...” “Once I’m a better writer...”

Meanwhile, weeks passed. Opportunities disappeared. And I stayed stuck.

The truth is: You will never feel ready.

The author who reaches 10,000 subscribers started with messy, imperfect posts too. The difference is they started anyway.

Most creators take 6 months to find their voice and format. Your early subscribers aren’t just along for the ride, they’re discovering their favorite writer in real-time, watching you evolve.

The person who subscribed to your awkward first post might become your most devoted reader when you finally hit your stride.

But only if you start.

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Why Mistake #4 Is The Hardest To Fix

You can start commenting today. You can write a note tonight. You can join a boost tomorrow. Those are tactical fixes.

But overcoming perfectionism? Pushing through the fear of being seen before you’re “ready”? That’s psychological warfare with yourself.

Every fiber of your being will scream: “Not yet. Not good enough. Wait.”

Don’t listen.

The Substack community is incredibly warm and supportive. They understand you’re learning. They want you to succeed. Nobody’s judging your early posts as harshly as you are.

I’ve read hundreds of posts from new creators now. You know what I’ve never once thought? “Wow, this person shouldn’t be here.” Never. Not once.

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The Complete Blueprint (Day-By-Day)

If you’re stuck under 100 subscribers, here’s your week:

Tomorrow:

• Ask 2-3 friends to subscribe (I know it feels weird, just do it)

• Find 5 creators with similar subscriber counts

• Subscribe and leave genuine comments

• Write one note, just one (for example, about Substack)

This week:

• Publish 1-2 notes daily (two sentences counts)

• Join your first note boost

• Write and publish one post

• Comment on 5-7 posts from other creators with similar subscriber counts

Next month:

• Rotate between community-building, educational, and motivational notes

• Repeat the weekly routine

• Track what resonates (some notes pop, others don’t — that’s data)

• Be patient with yourself

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P.S. What’s your biggest struggle with growing your Substack? Drop a comment — I read and respond to every single one. We’re in this together.