520 Comments
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Simon Owens's avatar

I got excited for a moment about the prospect of Substack launching its own print publication.

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Hamish McKenzie's avatar

It's not impossible.

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Otto the Renunciant's avatar

I don't know if this is possible from a logistical standpoint, but it would be nice to be able to subscribe to a number of writers and then get a print(-on-demand) magazine on a weekly or monthly basis that compiles all of their posts for that time period.

That would also serve as a good revenue stream for writers like me who want to keep their Substacks free. I don't feel right charging for my writing (I want as many people to be able to benefit as possible), but a physical copy of my writing would need to at least cover the cost of production, so I wouldn't be opposed to creating a paid tier for those who want the "luxury" of a paper copy, so long as they can get the content for free if they prefer that.

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Therapy Truck's avatar

Brilliant!

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Alberta Munro's avatar

I would love that!

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Nathan Slake's avatar

This is a great idea.

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Syllogist Link's avatar

That would be fantastic!

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Ruth Gaskovski's avatar

I thought the exact same thing. Now that you have Substack Post all you need is Substack Press! It would be simply brilliant Hamish :)

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Char Robinson's avatar

Yes and give all of us who are frustrated writers who never got published, a chance to write our story!

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Maryann's avatar

Bring it on Hamish!

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La Politica's avatar

Been checking this out! https://www.newspaperclub.com/

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Mark Krajnak's avatar

Ah damn you! I'm trying to LESSEN my in box, and then you go and put in this link to something that looks really cool and I had to subscribe! :-) (Thanks!)

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Joelle Greig's avatar

Scottish, much? A wink and a smile to ya! Let's see what "The Substack Post" has to offer. :-)

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Caroline Feiffer's avatar

In awe! I believe “Thank you” is the word we’re all looking for, thanks for Substack a tactile digital in this world.

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Lisa Fu's avatar

It might cost more

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garrison's avatar

please do this

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Charlee Mattox's avatar

I literally gasped. Unsure of the production efforts this would entail, but I would be steadily onboard as both a consumer of the culture and one aiming to add to it.

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Connie's avatar

"It's not possible,": a tad defeatist, eh?

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Graydon DeCamp's avatar

Connie! Read that again!

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Anne Crocker's avatar

Hello Hamish, I hope you won’t be offended if I tell you that a few years ago we had a Gordon Setter whose name was Hamish. We have had many Gordons(9) over the years because we absolutely love the breed. Our current Gordon is named Mungo(after the Patron Saint of Glasgow). Anyway, your name really brought back so many memories (all good) of of our Hamish. If you have any interest in dogs and maybe your Scots heritage, check out the breed. There are 2 strains, ‘field’, (smaller and very agile) and ‘bench’, usually heavier(Mungo is around 80 lbs.), they are big boned, active, can run for miles, work all day and curl up on the couch with you for snuggles, kisses . They are very ‘responsible’…Mungo for example makes sure that his 2 English Setter siblings behave. We did have a Westie who did that, by the name of Whisky, but he has gone to his reward. I am appending a note about the Earl of Gordon and his dogs just because, if you are not familiar with the breed it will provide some useful information. They are the heaviest of the setter breeds, well muscled, and as I said above are strong and can run all day (but don’t have to). Mungo is 8 now and he will be our last Gordon…he is my spirit dog and I am so happy I came across this breed when my son wanted a dog and we decided to do some research. We both liked the look and spirit of the Gordon. My son is now 60 and we have had 9 Gordon’s, sometimes 3 at once (all but 3 were rescues). They are not common in North America (probably no more than perhaps twenty(I’m guessing) breeders in North America. This may be much more information than you need and certainly not what you were expecting in the way of a comment on Substack in a thread discussing the current contre temps between the US and Canada, so please forgive an old lady, but your name just brought back so many memories. (Not sure where you live…I live in the Maritimes (New Brunswick , Canada). Sorry if I have intruded.

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Jennifer Funk's avatar

I would 100% pay for a print publication. That's what I thought this was announcing! I love flipping through a newspaper while sipping coffee. Over the last few years I've shifted my reading habits back to print and couldn't be happier with that decision.

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Annie's avatar

I love reading a newspaper in the morning. My family always had papers delivered and it's so nice to stay off a screen to start the day.

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Monte Hostetler's avatar

yes! good move.

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Alex Posey's avatar

👀

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Lisa Grimm's avatar

+1 *would pay for this in a heartbeat

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PoliticriminalwatchAdamColeman's avatar

Depending on the price, agreed. Certainly better for our eyes than these toxic screens

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Nicole Puskas's avatar

Me too!!!!!

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Amy G's avatar

Me too

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Roderick Bell's avatar

This thread comprises a salesman's dream!

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Melanye Cravey's avatar

Me too!!

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David Cooper's avatar

That might be better than paying $75 or $100 per month for 15 separate Substack subscriptions.

Except we wouldn't be able to click the Play button.

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Terry Nicholetti's avatar

I have wrestled with that exact situation. One subscription to a newspaper or magazine gets you dozens of authors who are being paid by their publication. I can't afford to subscribe to everyone I want to follow! Yet I'm glad they have a way to earn income from their work. Dilemma!!!!

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Bernadette's avatar

Same same same re all comments abt actual paper💜

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Claire Atkinson's avatar

Thats what I was thinking!

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Christin Ritz's avatar

I had the same thought! I would love to see an alternative to Amazon's KDP for self-published authors.

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Kevin McSpadden's avatar

I've been considering offering a paid tier where I print out my newsletter and mail it to people.

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Luis Héctor Pedrini's avatar

Only english?

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Kaitlin Bolt-Lovett's avatar

Please!!!

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sandra sydnor's avatar

Me, too, kinda like for the same reasons I subscribe to the NYT and like the weekend editions of the WSJ, for different reasons but mostly for the culture!

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Ricki Heller's avatar

Same here!

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Analog Social's avatar

Same!!

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Mr. Lawrence's avatar

Maybe something comparable to Lapham’s Quarterly - I'd subscribe in a second. Maybe even reach out to Lapham’s Quarterly ?

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Alastair Williams's avatar

That sounds like a good idea. I was sorry to see they had run into financial troubles.

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Mr. Lawrence's avatar

The editor died!

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Analog Social's avatar

We're all for slowing down, touching grass, and savoring the words of those who labored to produce them! If you are in the comments like us and have a print publication in addition to your substack let us know!!

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Gillian's avatar

Fiber Arts is a beautiful print magazine!

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Michelle Stroescu's avatar

Yes!! I subscribe too:)

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Isha Yiras Hashem's avatar

I want to touch real paper!

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Abbetuck (Arts Activism)'s avatar

There's a slogan for our times.

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Mr. Lawrence's avatar

The joy of 2nd handbook stores are fading, but eBay can be a good substitute.

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Alexis Trujillo's avatar

Wouldn't it be cool if Substack had a monthly 'zine in print that highlighted truly amazing writing? With a luxurious paper to touch?

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Maia Duerr's avatar

You know, a bunch of us could do this on our own and not even go through Substack. We could start here, this is a great way to connect with other writers that we appreciate, but we can set up our own print jobs and let people know about it through Substack.

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George Shostak's avatar

A print publication would be great. Sit and have a coffee while reading PRINT :)

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Jeffrey Soons's avatar

Minus the coffee of course.

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Sonia Jaffe Robbins's avatar

i'm sorry, this is just one more digital post to read. I always deleted Substack Reads, and I will delete Substack Post as well.

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Connie's avatar

Sorry Sonia, your lose.

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Gabe LLanas's avatar

I'm gonna go read a book.

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Corinne Corley's avatar

Yes. Substack as an app just irritates me. All the best writers are now on Substack, so that's good, but its technical weaknesses just waste time. First world problem, I know; I am so privileged. But a book does not restart itself every time you go get a drink of water. Or if it does, you can just open it back at the page where you stopped.

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Bruce Sellers (Georgia, USA)'s avatar

In line with that, what has happened to me is that for some reason Substack no longer will work on the browser Firefox. It comes up, but NONE of the functions work, things like "Like", "Reply", changing how the comments are listed, etc., nor does it even register that you're a paying member. I have to switch to another browser (MS Edge, in this case). I'm hoping Firefox sorts this out soon!

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ag r919's avatar

Not to be contrarian, but I am replying to you from Firefox. I'm just wondering if your browser needs to be updated -- something FF does fairly frequently on my machine. I certainly could be wrong. And in the interest of honesty, I'm usually on my phone and don't normally read my Substack on my computer. And I have not tried anything other than what I'm doing right now, so maybe I'll change my mind after a few tries to access something else! If that's the case, I'll try to get back here and confess my erroneous thinking.... :)

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TS Murphy's avatar

You begin by saying "Our social media diets are making us cultural slovens, overstuffed with the digital equivalent of candy and fried chicken." and then as a cure, you offer more digital time suck.

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Patricia Dubrava's avatar

I'm old school as they come, still miss that newspaper with morning coffee, can't listen to podcasts, can't listen to ebooks. I want silence with words I'm reading, need to hear them in my own head, see them on a page. I also would love to see a print version. That said, I find more than enough to read online, since I must.

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Elle (Laura) Hunt Manville's avatar

Omg. I'd love to have silence. I CRAVE silence. I have tinnitus so bad I never get it. It drives me bat$h*t crazy. Listening to it now. Cuz I can't hear anything else!! 😮‍💨😤😵‍💫🫨

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Patricia Dubrava's avatar

My husband has tinnitus. One of his solutions is to listen to music or old radio shows while he works, so he doesn't hear the ringing. But, yes, it is impossible for him to have pure silence any more. My sympathy!

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Susanne McMillan's avatar

I am the same. Words go in one ear and out the other. I need to read.

But I also know that for others that may not be the case. They need to hear rather than read. Along the lines of Howard Gardener's theory of multiple intelligences, we all learn in different ways.

I am firmly in the read - online or on paper - camp.

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Susan J Tweit's avatar

Great title and inspiring introduction! And I vote for a print publication coming out of it too. Touch paper, after all. :)

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Emma Clarke's avatar

Really excited about this! :) If you'd like to check out my Substack, my articles and podcasts are about all the work I make in my sound studio. I'm a BBC broadcaster, composer, voice actor and graphic score artist. I hope you enjoy! :)

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Simon Stern's avatar

you should make it actually paper :)

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Mojody Hal's avatar

Nooooo ... we have a planet to love as well as words!

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Connie's avatar

Well...as you may have heard, newsprint can be recycled. Extracting rare-earth minerals from the planet we all share is a rapacious process.

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Brook Hinton's avatar

The hyper-commodified internet and the energy needed to make it work is destroying the planet at breakneck speed, including trees. At least paper biodegrades and decouples us from the idiot boxes (tm Sharon Van Etten) we now carry everywhere.

I doubt print publishing is going to return to its previous level of environmental harm.

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Stephanie's avatar

Paper can be made from other materials as well. It does not have to be made from trees. It can be made from hemp fibres, for instance... Hemp is both cheap to grow and very beneficial to the environment. There really is no need for all of our paper products to come exclusively from trees. We have hemp, and yet no one uses it! It produces superb paper at much less of a cost (both as an environmental cost, and a financial cost of production).

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Mojody Hal's avatar

Absolutely agree, Stephanie … despite hemp making superb paper … nobody uses it!

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Max Murphy's avatar

Did anyone else briefly think this was an announcement for a print on demand service?

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<Julia Henri>'s avatar

Great decision with outstanding intentions. Looking forward to Substack’s future and influence.

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Emma Gannon's avatar

exciting!

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