Stay Creative on Substack with tutorials, teaching, posts, threads, thoughts and tools. Special guest episodes with those who I massively respect and I know will help you sparkle up your Substack and find your true north on the platform! ✨ sparkleon.substack.com
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June 12, 20261 hr 5 min
War and Peace - a world wide reading experience & full time job with 46k readers live on Substack
“It became acceptable. It’s okay to ask people to pay for your creative work... every minute that you spend working on these projects is valued.” Simon Haisell I sat down with the wonder that is Simon Haisell in Spring to chat more about his patron model here on Substack (the one I always use as an example). It was such a precious conversation about the magic of Substack and community. I know you’ll be super inspired. If you’ve not heard of Simon - you’ll be enchanted to meet him - he’s the creator behind Footnotes and Tangents on Substack which is now in year 3. He’s based in the North East of England (like me) and I always adore supporting North East creative minds - this conversation was just an honour. Simon runs slow read-alongs of classic and literary fiction (his flagship being a chapter-a-day of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace across a full year).He started the book club on Instagram before moving to Substack around end of 2023. “You read a chapter (of War and Peace) each day and you’re living the life with the characters rather than racing to the end... it does allow you to make connections with your own life.”The conversation covers his journey from passion project to full-time Substack creator, how word of mouth (including a major Gretchen Rubin (!!) shoutout) drove lots of his growth.We talk about why he uses a “soft paywall” model including complimentary subscriptions for anyone who can’t pay, and how he intentionally stays off the leaderboard numbers to protect the soul of his work. We also touch on how we manage our nervous systems in relation to ‘leaderboards’ and ‘being’ online. The episode ends with exciting news: Simon has just signed with literary agency Curtis Brown and been in conversation with Penguin, directly because of his Substack presence. What a well deserved whirlwind. I can’t wait to see what happens next!! “If I chased the numbers and tried to make the world’s biggest book group, all of the soul would suck out of it very quickly... what comes across in my writing is my love of the books, that’s why I’m here.” Simon Haisell War and Peace Daily - https://footnotesandtangents.substack.com/s/2026-war-and-peace-dailyFree Masterclass with me - The four types of monetisation on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
June 9, 202655 min
(Live) How to write a book using your Substack!
Join us - it’s free https://www.creativelyconscious.co.uk/12-chapters-club This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
June 5, 202656 min
⛓️💥Break Free from Toxic Productivity and do the beautiful work you're here to do with author & speaker Tamu Thomas
Tamu Thomas joins Claire for a rich, unhurried conversation about what it actually means to build a sustainable, well-rested life and business. They explore toxic productivity, the cost of following rules that were never designed for women, and why your nervous system is not a mindset problem to fix. Substack’s evolution from cosy oasis to noisy feed weaves through the second half, along with a genuinely beautiful reframe about content timing and showing up on your own terms. This one will resonate deeply with those of you feeling into soulful work, anyone neurodivergent and give you more focus to be burnout-aware.A former social worker with16 years experience, Tamu blends the science of human safety, connection and behavior change to translate complex human dynamics into clear, actionable leadership strategy. Her approach centres nervous system safety, belonging and joy as essential foundations for sustainable high performance.You can connect with her on her popular instagram channel here;https://www.instagram.com/tamu.thomasand on linkedin toohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tamuthomas/Favourite Quotes On attention as currency:“You’re already paying me something with your time, with your energy, with your attention. And I cherish that. We can make money again. We can’t get our energy back.”On not chasing perfection before starting:“People want to have the exact formula before they do something, which means they spend a lot of time ideating, thinking, procrastinating, trying to be a perfectionist, and it doesn’t give them the real world data. So I treat it as a science experiment.”On building for abundance not scarcity:“We need to get out of this intensity addiction, scarcity mindset where we actually build a business for scarcity rather than abundance.”On time scarcity:“The root of it is always a feeling of not enoughness. So if I approach time in a way where I’m working with time abundantly, it reduces that sense of not enoughness.”On the nervous system:“We don’t get to escape being human. We cannot outsmart our biology. Even the most guruified guru who does stadiums of self-help talks doesn’t get to escape being human.”On content timing: “Unless you are talking about a perishable good, there’s no expiry date. As long as you are in integrity with yourself, you are speaking in alignment with your values, it’s always going to be trending.”On sustainable business:“It’s important that you create a business that doesn’t break if you take a break.”On Substack as sacred writing space:“Writing is a place where I go and seek solace. It’s a place I cherish. And so putting pressure on that takes away from the beauty.”On breaking invisible rules:“Following the rules often means denying our inner knowing, our intuition, denying what we know is best for us so that we can look good, because we’ve been taught it’s okay for us to feel bad, but it’s not okay for us to look bad.”Watch our conversation here…We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
May 22, 202641 min
How to set your Substack up Magazine Style and encourage readers to stay!
Thanks for joining me beauties.Your Links… https://www.creativelyconscious.co.uk/yourbeautifulsubstackmagazine25Thank you Michelle Dowd, Learn English With Jo, Rebecca J. Gomez, Francesca Mazzucato, Claire Machado, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
May 15, 20261 hr 12 min
(Live) Kristi and Claire untangle your new Substack home page settings
Thanks so much Kristi Keller 🇨🇦 for the chat.Early bird for my signature course opened today….✨Thank you Seth Werkheiser, Georgina Dean, Daria Diaz, Alyssa Polizzi, Elizabeth H. Cottrell, Julie Russell, Julie Schmidt, Patti Wohlin, and many others for tuning into my live video with Kristi Keller 🇨🇦! Join me for my next live video in the app.Ai Transcript summary - Thanks Claude A Friday Catch-Up: Claire & Kristi on the Latest Substack ChangesThis week Claire Venus and Kristi (from UnstackSubstack) jumped on a live together for a warm, honest catch-up about everything that’s been shifting on Substack lately. If you missed it, here’s what they covered.The platform keeps changing (and it’s a lot) Both Claire and Kristi have been building on Substack for years and both create tutorials for their communities, so when Substack updates its interface overnight, they feel it acutely. Recent changes included the removal of the profile banner image, updates to the wordmark display, and the profile page now leading with your publication name rather than you as a person.Your bio now needs to work harder Without that welcoming banner image, the words in your bio are doing more of the heavy lifting. People make snap decisions about whether to subscribe, so it’s worth revisiting yours.Check out class replay here - The emotional side of building here One of the most resonant threads was around shame and the feelings that come up when tech feels overwhelming. Claire spoke about her audience skewing 50+ and how much it matters to her that people feel supported, not stupid. There was also a lovely conversation about the energetics of showing up online and how deep those feelings can run.Importing email lists doesn’t guarantee engagement Kristi shared a really useful insight: people who bring large email lists over to Substack often see low engagement, because their subscribers don’t yet know they can like, comment, and interact here. It’s worth educating your readers about that when you migrate.Claire’s Beautiful Digital Magazine course Claire shared that Early Bird access is open until 25th May. The course covers technical setup, brand identity, Human Design as a creative lens, and the energetics of truly owning your space as an editor and curator of your publication.Coming up on Thursday Claire teased an upcoming session all about female founders being paid properly, and how Substack can be a springboard to higher-ticket income. Look out for details in her membership. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
April 28, 202639 min
Behind the Curtain: What a Literary Agent Really Does with Paul Black at The Bright Agency
It was a delight to chat with Paul Black, my friend and Brand Partnerships Director at The Bright Agency last week. I hope you enjoy our insightful chat and tour back through some of his career highlights.You can subscribe to The Bright Agency Magazine here;and follow Pau’s instagram here. Ai Overview Thanks ClaudeIn this episode of Sparkle on Substack, Claire is joined by her friend Paul Black, Brand Partnerships Director at The Bright Agency - a 360-degree creative agency representing authors, illustrators and artists across publishing, licensing, film, TV and beyond. Paul lifts the lid on what agents actually do for artists: from the Bologna Children’s Book Fair to navigating the thorny world of AI in illustration, protecting original artwork archives, and why The Bright Agency launched its own Substack magazine. If you’ve ever wondered what happens to your artwork once it leaves your hands or what a licensing deal actually looks like this one is for you.Key QuotesOn what agents do for artists:“We find our job as agents to take what that person has and then just expand it — find those partners, find those creative people that will work with that artist.”On retaining rights:“We always try and retain the rights for licensing and for merchandising so that if something takes off from that book, we’re able to do it.”On artist-first values:“We don’t get paid unless the artist gets paid. That is our number one priority.”On AI and illustration:“Every time somebody tries to do it there is a backlash. Waterstones are not going to let an AI book on their shelves and every time it happens, people pick up on it, it’s a backlash, they get it out.”On protecting artists from AI:“In our contracts we have a clause that says your artwork cannot be AI generated. That’s a big part of our protection.”On the Bright Substack:“We’re trying to open the curtain a little bit — shed a bit of light on what an agency and an agent can do for you.”On original artwork archives:“Shirley Hughes gifted the original manuscript dummies artwork for Dogger, five or six of the Alfie series, and Lucy and Tom — her first book published in the 50s — to the Bodleian Library.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
April 22, 202631 min
(Live) Substack Navigation Bar Drop Down Tutorial...
On setting up a clear and good navigation bar for your Substack website - “Don’t use confusing language. Speak to the thing. Talk it out as if you were speaking to someone in real life. Write it down like I did, and you’ll get there in the end.”NB - the screen sticks in the first section so maybe scroll past as I get it working after that! Ai summary for Substack navigation bar thanks ClaudeSubstack Expert Claire Venus runs a live Substack tutorial on the new navigation bar dropdown feature, but the real teaching is strategic — think carefully about who you’re designing your nav for before touching any settings.Two audiences, two priorities:* New visitors → keep it simple, guide them to subscribe* Existing paid members → give them easy access to what they’ve paid forShe live-edits her own Substack nav bar, debates naming options out loud, wrestles with screen-sharing tech, and lands on the same advice she started with: write it out on paper first, use plain language, and don’t overwhelm people with too many choices.Key quote:“Think about your ideal reader, who you want to subscribe — speak to that person first.”SEO reminder: your nav bar label names double as search signals. “Substack tips,” “make money on Substack,” “Substack strategy” — the plain, specific language Claire kept reaching for is exactly what search engines reward too. Don’t get too creative with the labels! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
April 11, 20261 hr 1 min
Just Write: Building a Global Writing Community with Matt and Lindsey at London Writers' Salon
"I'm obsessed with the moment with when a writer surprises themselves on the page." LindsayA few months ago I sat down with Lindsey and Matt at London Writers' Salon and had the cosiest conversation. I find them both (and what they’ve created SO inspiring). I’m obsessed at the moment with this quote;“People don’t forget how you made them feel” …and as you’ll hear in the episode, when I guested for LWS (during my Substack book launch), I was overwhelmed with how LOVELY they’d made their online space. 💖It’s just the nicest place to hang out and write and there are so many opportunities to meet other writers and go deeper with your writing practice.Hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did recording it.Claire 💫P.S - If you are writing a book this year and want to write with me and the 12 Chapters gang live, you can join us twice a month - it’s free! Sign up here. "We just created a structure, a container that people can rely on — almost like treating it like a yoga class... you book in, you show up, you get your writing work done." MattAi summary thanks ClaudeIn this episode of Sparkle on Substack, host Claire Venus sits down with Matt and Lindsay, from London Writers’ Salon and its Substack publication, Writers’ Hour Magazine.Matt and Lindsay explain how the Salon grew from small in-person London gatherings in 2019 into a thriving global online community during the pandemic. At its heart is Writer’s Hour — daily, silent, hour-long writing sessions held four times a day, Monday to Friday, attended by up to 1,000 writers worldwide. Rather than relying on willpower alone, the sessions give writers a reliable structure — like booking a yoga class — so showing up becomes a habit.The conversation explores the profound sense of community and belonging the Salon fosters. Lindsay shares her own moving story of joining as a shy freelance copywriter and finding her place. The idea of “believing mirrors” — being witnessed in a usually solitary creative process — runs as a thread throughout.They also dig into Writers’ Hour Magazine on Substack, where a new 500-word creative writing prompt is published weekly, attracting 300–500 submissions, judged by guest writers and authors. The constraint of a short word count and surprise prompts is framed as a joyful creative permission slip.The discussion turns candid around monetisation, growth, and sustainability — how to balance creative expression with audience-building, how to avoid burnout, and how to stay clear on the intention behind a publication. Matt and Lindsay are also teasing a new Substack project that aims to bridge personal creative expression with community service.London Writers' Salon here on Substack ⤵️* 🌎 londonwriterssalon.com* LWS Membership — community.londonwriterssalon.com/membership* IG - https://www.instagram.com/londonwriterssalon/?hl=en This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
April 6, 202616 min
How we manage the unsubscribes (in our nervous systems)
“Subscriber churn, people moving on, is just part of emailing. Especially if you use Substack’s direct email function. It’s not personal. If it is personal, they’re not your right people for right now - they’re just not.”The post I mentioned…Ai SummaryThis is an impromptu live stream recorded during an evening dog walk in rural Northumberland. Claire shares her thoughts on email unsubscribes, prompted by being mid-launch with a 50% off anniversary sale.Her core message is that unsubscribes are a normal, healthy part of email marketing — not a personal rejection. She’s been writing newsletters since 2017 (starting with MailChimp, moving to Substack in 2022) and reflects on how four years of mindset and nervous system work have helped her feel completely calm about subscriber churn during this launch for the first time.She also touches on the practical mechanics of Substack’s direct email function, the importance of regularly bringing new members into a community (not just for revenue but so existing members have people to connect with), and her enthusiasm for long-form writing over performance-driven social content. She wraps up with a gentle nudge to invite replies and build real connections with readers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
April 1, 202651 min
(Live Replay) Let's batch schedule some Substack Notes + Understand your Substack Content Buckets!
“We literally can’t consume anymore. We’ve consumed all of the internet, guys. We win. We win a medal. We know what to do on Substack Notes, we don’t have to over think it and we don’t have to share our breakfast.”Hi folks,Thanks for joining me for my impromptu live yesterday. I wanted to break down the importance of jumping on this WONDERFUL opportunity of scheduling your notes this month. Drop me an emoji in the comments if you’re going to try it out?I’ll pop back in on a live at the end of the month ahead of our Notes engagement thread. Ai Summary - thanks Claude. This is an impromptu live session hosted by Claire (of Sparkle on Substack), aimed at her community of Substack writers — particularly women who want to write and grow online without burning out. The session covers three main areas:1. Curating Substack Notes for Your Wellbeing Claire opens by urging viewers to aggressively mute and block content on Notes that feels overwhelming or news-heavy. She frames Notes as a space that should feel like a creative retreat, not a doom-scroll. She emphasises that the algorithm learns your preferences quickly, so liking and muting deliberately shapes what you see.2. Content Buckets & Ideal Reader Before diving into scheduling, Claire explains her approach to editorial planning. She uses 2–3 “content buckets” — broad theme categories that all her writing fits into (e.g. Self-Seed Your Business, Wholehearted Living). She ties every piece of content back to a clearly defined ideal reader: what they feel on the inside, what they think on the outside. The goal isn’t to force topics, but to develop an embodied sense of what that reader needs.3. Scheduling Notes (the Practical Demo) Claire walks through Substack’s new Notes scheduling feature, showing how to draft, save, and schedule notes in advance — useful for holidays, busy periods, or reaching audiences in different time zones. She advises putting links in the comments rather than the note itself (for better reach), tracking which notes convert to subscribers (not just likes), and not obsessing over vanity metrics. She plans to experiment with scheduling notes overnight to reach international audiences.“We don’t need to go viral. We need to be connecting with the one human — this person — who isn’t already subscribed to our work and would love to be.”Her Story Towards the end, Claire shares her personal origin story: she started her Substack in 2020 during postpartum, with three hours of childcare a week, while her husband was seriously ill. Writing was her lifeline, and she describes discovering a raw, poetic voice she didn’t know she had. Three people paid in her first week.Sparkle on Substack 💎Diamond membership tier is available with a £50 discount expiring April 3rd, and you are invited to our free book writing group, 12 Chapters Club!! Key Quotes“On Substack Notes, you need to be imagining that you are walking into a retreat that is gonna fuel your creativity — who’s there, what have they got to say, what’s on the wall, are there fresh flowers, is the coffee good... That is the best environment for our creative practice. Don’t consume stuff that is going to upset you.”“We don’t really need the vanity metrics. Like we don’t need the likes... The purpose really with notes is discoverability — for new people to find our work.”“I always connect everything I write back to the audience. And I hold the audience that I know in my head.”“It’s not about blueprints — it’s about what feels really good to you. That’s how we don’t burn out. It’s not a job, it’s a response to a calling guys!”“People are constantly making judgements and constantly deciding in their nervous systems whether you’re the right person for them.”“We can ditch all the social media stuff about hooks and grabbing attention and just know that the right people will seek us out. We just have to kind of fly our flag a little bit.”Top tipsIf you put a link in a note, it doesn’t do as well. Like it isn’t shown to as many people. So put the link in the comments below.✨Helpful screenshots on how to schedule Notes (desktop) ✨Join 💎Diamond Membership, get my eyes on your Substack for a whole year - payment plans available! * Work on your Substack goals and strategy with a wonderfully supportive community. Get accountability and eyes on your blind spots. * Align your Substack home with your business and content ecosystem across all platforms and your website! * Get Access to my updated Substack 0-$10k framework and run through it live with us in June! or jump into our telegram chat group NOW! * Live Monthly coaching and mentoring calls. (These are either 9.30am or 3pm UK time - I tend to alternate month on month). I hot seat your Substack so we can peer learn together! * Access to masterclass replays, guest teaching replays and advanced Substack tutorials to convert more free subs to paid subs and set up a home here you are SUPER proud of. * An annual Substack audit with me where a kind and supportive critical friend (that’s me) for your Substack and we work on new strategies and design to increase free and paid subs and align with your wider writing and visibility goals! Join us, comment below or dm me, email claire@creativelyconscious.co.uk with any questions. Hit reply if you have questions, I love hearing from you. Claire ✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe
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