Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve listed a few of the more common questions and their answers below, but please feel free to reach out if you can’t see your question.
Q1: When does the class start and finish?
The second cohort of The Substack Soirée (our Christmas Soiree) begins on Monday, the 22nd April, 2024. The class runs for 5 weeks and there is always space for you to go at your own pace as needed.
Q2: How long will I have access to the program for?
You get lifetime access to all of the written and recorded materials, including replays of the live calls from your class.
Q3: When will the live calls be & will there be replays?
There will be 3 different calls this round.
•Co-Writing Sessions (2/week. A dedicated hour to write for your Substack) See specific times below. (Choose either or both, depending on what suits your schedule.)
•Application Calls Group class calls to get mindset coaching, or any questions you may have about class content, or your own Substack.
• Copy & Branding Calls An opportunity for feedback on anything related to your copy or branding.
The Application Calls & Copy/Branding Calls will alternate weekly, held at the same time. If you can’t make it to any of the calls, you can still submit your Q and your question. (Please note the below times may be subject to change.)
Follow this link to convert to your local timezone. All calls are recorded and replays will be made available within 24 hours.
Q4: What are past guests saying?
Over 130 students have taken the class in our first round and we’ve received a number of glowing testimonials. We’ve curated a few of them for you to read right here.
Q5: What if I can’t make the calls live?
We know that even the most carefully-planned call times won’t always work for everyone, and that speaking on Zoom isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, and that’s ok! The live calls are all optional, and we often hear from members of other classes we’ve run that just watching them back (or just quietly attending live and not volunteering) is every bit as helpful as being the one getting coached.
However, if you would like more direct support and find you can’t access the calls during the class we encourage you to reach out to us so we can find an alternative solution. This might include: having you pre-submit your work to be discussed; arranging calls for additional time zones; direct email or Voxxer feedback or whatever else the situation calls for. Our aim is to never leave you struggling in the dark.
We’ve had a number of students mention how valuable the calls were, even if they had never submitted a question. Hearing others get feedback and suggestions can be so powerful and encouraging, even if it’s not directly to us.
Q6: Where is the class taking place?
The Substack Soiree is a fully-online program accessible from anywhere in the world. (In fact, since starting her business, Sara’s had online class members from every continent in the world except Antartica. It’s possible that they hate her there).
This being a class on Substack, there was only ever one logical home for us to deliver the class materials and community - and that’s right here within Substack itself! Full disclosure: this is something of an experiment, and one we’ve been asked to report back on to Substack HQ as we find any snagging points. But the benefit to you is that you don’t need to use any other platform. Plus, holding it here increases the opportunities to connect with fellow soirée-attendees, support their work and get super familiar with all the nuances of the platform along the way. Cool, right?
Q7: I’m brand new to Substack. Will this be suitable for me?
Absolutely! No prior knowledge is required. However, we suggest that you already have a basic account set up before kick-off, and have a rudimentary understanding of how the platform works. Substack already have a wide library of resources around the technical how-to’s, all available for free. This course isn’t a technical set-up course, although we do offer a number of useful tips and resources on how to optimise your publication, we go deeper into the actual *writing* and showing up here in a way that feels good to you. And that goes way beyond knowing where to click.
Q8: I’ve been on Substack for a while already. Is this still right for me?
If you’d like guidance and support on audience-growth, visibility, idea-generation and honing your craft, then yes, it absolutely is. We’ve both found ourselves upping our own Substack game just through writing the class, and all of this knowledge was already inside of us! There’s so much to be said for taking a step back, diving deep and working collaboratively on the things that we love.
Q9: What will I learn?
Our mission is to guide you to find your voice, the stories you’re here to tell, the work the world needs from you and the best way to get it all seen. We believe good writing deserves to be read and our focus is always on both: the very best content reaching the perfect people online. We’ll cover everything from Substack optimisation and subscriber growth to sales, self-promo and community, but also, what to write about, how to get out of your own way, and how to love what you share. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all guidebook but a ‘choose your own adventure’ novel. We’re all living different stories, and that’s where the magic lies.
Q10: I’m not a writer, is this still for me?
Oh, absolutely! You don’t have to be good with words to create engaging, wonderful, inspiring content. Remember, a Substack post can be absolutely anything: a list, a single photo, a quote, a voice note, a sketch.As writers, we’re always on hand to offer tips and guidance, but by no means is writing skill a barrier for curating a meaningful space here.
Q11: Is there a payment plan?
Yes. There are payment options for the class, you can pay in full as a one-time payment or pay over 3 months. Choose and proceed to checkout here.
❤️ Need a custom payment schedule? Get in touch.
Q12: Why learn from us?
Experts in our own respective fields of writing, storytelling, creative direction, business coaching, mindset coaching, social media strategy, audience growth, communications and marketing, we know that the really important skills online are infinitely transferable. With over 20 years of combined experience, we’ve learned just about every lesson in every way imaginable and helped thousands of others to find their voice and their audience online.
We also love Substack, and have spent the last year together studying, playing, experimenting and enjoying it in order to bring you the most immersive and supportive program we think is possible.
In the end, a platform is only ever packaging for the real magic inside: the you of it all. The stories you have to tell.
So alongside Substack-specific strategy we’ll be focusing deeply on how to take up space on the internet, and really thrive in the making of it. Combined together all of your skills, talents and stories to create something so deeply unique that it is unmistakably yours. A warm beating digital heart for whatever you want to go out and do in the world.
Whatever your goals are. However you want to show up.
We both believe in the power of stories, the internet and the possibilities it offers, and nothing lights us up more than seeing other people show up to share their own brand of sparkle with the world. We’d love to see you at our gathering.
Q13: Still have a question we haven’t answered above? Feel free to email us at substacksoiree@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you!
Ready to join us inside the soirée?
