Substacks recommended by Leah McLaren

Recommended by Leah McLaren

Short, Philosophy-Based Essays About Everything.

I am an incurable memoir addict. I love reading it, teaching it, and writing it. Here you will find stories from a life, but you will also learn how to write it, and how memoir can be transformative beyond the page.

Unmapped Storylands with Elif Shafak

Stories, anecdotes, wise proverbs and foolish thoughts, literary musings, insights and conversations centred around my personal, unpublished notebooks

Clover Stroud: On The Way Life Feels

By Clover Stroud on The Way Life Feels

I write about the moments that make up our extraordinary lives, especially related to creativity, relationships, sobriety, motherhood, grief and joy. I like hearing other's experiences too, so we can connect through a sense of our shared humanity

All the Clovery feels

- Leah McLaren

No F*cks Given® with Sarah Knight

I give you permission to live your best life and advice on exactly how to do it, drawn from my internationally bestselling series of sweary self-help books. Paid subscribers get a weekly dose of NFG realness direct to their inboxes. Boop.

Zibby's Highlights

By Zibby Owens

I tell it like it is. My mission in my writing and in my literary media company is to deepen the connections between readers, writers, and each other. I do so, in part, by sharing my own thoughts openly and authentically. You'll get all of that here.

The Ross Rules

By Gary Ross

Helping you become a better writer.

Unschooled

By Caro Giles

Words about a life on the edge

She’s magical and knows the moons

- Leah McLaren

Stories from the Edge of Music

By Richard Flohil

Richard Flohil shares stories from 60+ years in the music business: folk, jazz, blues, etc.

My Favorite Classical Music

By Vitaliy Katsenelson

Thursday highlights about a classical piece or composer along with Saturday classical picks for a beautiful start to your weekend.

The Shift With Sam Baker

By sam baker

Women don't vanish after 40. Who knew?! Amplifying and celebrating the voices of women in midlife and beyond by the former editor of Red, Cosmopolitan (and Just 17!)

Sam Baker is my happy place — a voice of reason in the madness

- Leah McLaren

Off The Fence

By The Fence Magazine

A weekly newsletter comprising features, deep-dives, tips, investigations and gossip from the The Fence Magazine.

I hope this is of help

By Sam Redlark

An assortment of useful clutter

Strangers and Intimates

By Tiffany Jenkins

Reflections on history, museums and art; unveiling insights and stories from my next book: Strangers and Intimates: The Rise and Fall of Private Life.

What the Day Holds

By Ahava Shira

I write about the present moment intimacies, tender beauty, and shocking difficulty of caregiving and how I am learning to tend myself while caring for my husband.

the Human Carbohydrate

By Stella Tsantekidou

I am good for you

Nazneen’s Newsletter

By Nazneen Sheikh

Wild thoughts

Wild and thoughtful -- buckle up for a trip around Nazaneen's mad and marvellous brain!

- Leah McLaren

In the Writing Burrow

By Margaret Atwood

Whatever comes into my addled, shrinking brain.

It's Margaret Atwood. Writing about writing. Is there anything else to say?

- Leah McLaren

What Now? with Lindsay Johnstone

Asking and attempting to answer various flavours of this question as I rattle roughshod over the peaks and troughs of post-analysis, perimenopausal midlife from home in Glasgow, Scotland

One Useful Thing

By Ethan Mollick

Trying to understand the implications of AI for work, education, and life. By Prof. Ethan Mollick

The Shoulds by Francesca Specter

From Alonement author & podcaster Francesca Specter, an online publication examining the hidden rules & stories that shape our lives.

Honest, smart, imaginative and practical.

- Leah McLaren

Destination Unknown

By Stacey Duguid

A newsletter all about reinvention...

The Book Room

By Anna Wharton

Books curated by writers for readers

LAURA CALDER: A Place At My Table

By Laura Calder

inspiration to make life inviting, even on a crappy day

Deeply Problematic

By Jonathan Kay

A substack newsletter from Jonathan Kay

What’s left

UNMITIGATED GAUL takes us through the hilarious metamorphosis of a provincial American girl in 1960's saddle shoes into a lusty, chic 1980's Parisienne in Chanel pumps and silken Hermès scarves.

Everything is Personal

By Laurie Stone

The story is not about what happened, it's about what the narrator makes of what happened.

The Creative Shift by Dan Blank

Helping writers and creators share their work and connect with readers in meaningful ways. Digging deep into marketing, book launches, and platform development. Get my weekly newsletter every Friday.

Noted

By Jillian Hess

Tips from the world's best note takers

The Unfettered Soul

By Lynn Jericho

Thoughts on Achieving Wisdom, Freedom, Love

Women of Ill Repute

By Maureen Holloway

Keep in touch by signing up for our newsletter!

These two are brilliant. Feisty, funny, intelligent— great double act!

- Leah McLaren

READ LIKE MAD

By Amani Hope 💌

Essays and stories about life after a motorcycle accident, exploring beauty in pain, the way friendships change, sex and love, work and productivity and coming of age. With a little help from our amazing book club!

Kate Spicer says Sort Yourself Out

eu·pho·ri·a (yū-fōr'ē-ă), 1. A feeling of well-being. 2. The pleasure state induced by a drug or substance of abuse.

An Eclectic World According to J. F. Newman

All the latest ramblings about my books, areas of interest, and upcoming stories

Hedgie turned novelist, what's not to love?

- Leah McLaren

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie

New writing from the award-winning author and psychologist. A gathering place for lovers of myth, fairy tales and depth psychology, exploring the mysteries of the psyche and the enchanted life.

Bug-eyed and Shameless

By Justin Ling

Dispatches from the fringes of the information war

The Devil's Marker, by Jennifer Pierce

Short stories and essays, coming soon.

Trying with Emma Barnett

Essays, stories and advice from the frontlines of life

The Cassandra Complex

By Meghan Bell

A blog about neurodiversity, psychology, neuroscience, brain development, parenting, psychedelics, and Western history.

Meghan Bell is doing something interesting and thoughtful here.

- Leah McLaren

Sparks from Culture by David Roberts

By david roberts

Personal essays on life, literature, and privilege from the POV of generational wealth and living within the Manhattan bubble.

Paul Wells

Politics and culture as though they mattered.

Terry Fallis - A Novel Journey

A funny writer shares his strange and wonderful journey through the published land. If you're a writer or reader curious about the writing life, why not come along for the ride?

The Hyphen by Emma Gannon

✨ a cosy online space for curious readers ✨ from Sunday Times Bestselling author Emma Gannon. On books, work, wellbeing & creativity. 5th literature Substack globally. "One of Britain’s most prominent Substack writers" —The Times

Miranda’s Meanders

By Miranda R Waterton

Life and poetry

Motherhood In the Margins

By Cathy Shields

A monthly newsletter about the joy and challenges of raising a child with a disability

Substack Reads

Your guide to great writing happening on Substack, plus the home of “The Active Voice,” a podcast by Hamish McKenzie.

Badreads

By Lauren Hough

Essays, bad jokes, rants, and unsolicited advice from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Hough, and a dog named Woody Guthrie.

The Hundred

By Marcel Dirsus

3 experts answer 1 question in 100 words.

Poor Man's Feast

By Elissa Altman

The James Beard Award-winning narrative journal about the intersection of sustenance, nature, and the creative spirit (and sometimes, a recipe).

The Spike

By Esther

books, the general unfairness of life, great eyeliners

Experimental History

By Adam Mastroianni

1) Find what's true and make it useful. 2) Publish every other Tuesday. 3) Photo cred: my dad.

Girls of a Certain Age

By Kim France

Style advice, shopping picks, pop culture, and opinion for over-40 women and the over-40-curious, from former Sassy staffer and Lucky Magazine founding editor in chief Kim France.

Out of It

By Mary Gaitskill

Notes from outside the consternation machine

Seeing Things

By Liza Donnelly

New and unpublished drawings and thoughts for people who want to see more of life, from a New Yorker cartoonist. Drawings, cartoons, words, live drawing, process, more...

The Art of Freedom

By Mary Poindexter McLaughlin

Inspiring human resilience in service of freedom.

Things Worth Knowing with Farrah Storr

By Farrah @Substack

A smart new corner of the internet to talk fashion, feelings and creativity with the former editor-in-chief of ELLE & Cosmopolitan. Plus join my invite-only community. We're nice...I promise.

Farrah knows stuff you need to. For real

- Leah McLaren

Lean Out with Tara Henley

A current affairs newsletter, focusing on heterodox writers and thinkers from around the world.

Reframeables Podcast and Newsletter

By Reframeables newsletter

A podcast and newsletter from two writer-sisters with soft boundaries. We serve up creative conversations with the best artists and thinkers to make us better. Always looking for fresh perspectives.

The Familographer

By Jack Large

Blogito ergo sum

Story Club with George Saunders

A place to explore the way the short story works.

Emma Straub's Newsletter

Bestselling novelist and bookstore owner Emma Straub has a lot to say, and this is where to read it.

No, Srsly?

By Liz Hodgson

High culture in low times.

This newsletter is written by my old friend Liz, one of the rudest, funniest women I know. Also one of the world's great cooks... though oddly she doesn't write about food. No matter.

- Leah McLaren

White Ink with Anna Wharton

An exclusive online creative writing club and community blending our lives, our world and feminist thinking with reflections on writing craft (memoir, non-fiction and fiction) hosted by a Sunday Times Bestselling and Orwell Prize longlisted author

Leah Eichler's Esoterica

By Esoterica Magazine

Fiction. Nonfiction. Memoir. Brain clutter.

Oldster Magazine

By Sari Botton

Exploring what it means to travel through time in a human body, at every phase of life.

Human Stuff

By Lisa Olivera

A newsletter that explores the wild terrain of being human: the depths, the joys, and all the in-betweens.

Tolstoyan

By Jared Young

Personal essays about history, books, movies, culture, philosophy, life experience, and the hidden connections between all those things.

I love Jared Young's essays -- funny, whimsical, intellectually omnivorous. Take a trip around his brain, it's a place worth visiting.

- Leah McLaren

Arts & Letters Daily

The best literary and arts writing on the internet

nevermind

By Andrew Potter

The forgotten history of Generation X

Unschool for Writers

By Alison Acheson

Playing and working with words: finding your own way to fiction and nonfiction, poetry, and writing for young people

Sour Milk

By Peter Maguire

Peter Maguire's analysis of international, diplomatic, and cultural affairs.

Austin Kleon

Weekly art, writing, and creative inspiration from the author of Steal Like an Artist and other bestsellers.

Freddie deBoer

cool but rude

Counter Craft

By Lincoln Michel

fiction craft, publishing demystification, weird books

A Writer's Notebook

By Summer Brennan

essays, art, and inspiration from an American writer in Paris

Dinner: A Love Story

By Jenny

A newsletter devoted to the family meal, however you define "family" and however you define “meal.” Written by the NY Times bestselling author of the Dinner: A Love Story book series including, most recently "The Weekday Vegetarians."

The Audacity.

By Roxane Gay

Writing that boldly disregards normal restraints.

Is My Kid the Asshole?

By Melinda Wenner Moyer

I bring science and nuance to parenting advice and challenge fear-mongering, shame-inducing content.

Letters from Suzanne

By Suzanne Moore

The whole shebang. Writings, personal and political .

Knowingless

By Aella

sex, psychedelics, and social analysis

Cheryl Strayed's Dear Sugar

This is the home of two newsletters. Paid subscribers get Cheryl's Dear Sugar Letter monthly, plus her free newsletter several times a year, which includes her "Tells Us" author series. Free subscribers get everything but the monthly Dear Sugar Letter.

The Colour | Newsletter | Lab | Community

By Toronto Ink Company

Foraged colour, found pigments and natural markings from Jason Logan the author of Make Ink.

The Line

By Line Editor

Commentary for Canadians.

Emily’s Walking Book Club

By Emily Rhodes

Everything you need to read along with Emily's Walking Book Club - discover more about our books, find details of our online & in-person events, and join the discussion.

Letters of Note

By Shaun Usher

Nothing but history's most interesting letters.

A Little Bit Country

By Devonia

The very best of rural life

The Bluestocking

By Helen Lewis

I read the internet, so you don’t have to.

Feelings Not Aside

By Kayti Christian

A newsletter for sensitive people

Subtle Maneuvers

By Mason Currey

A fortnightly newsletter on routines, rituals, and wriggling through a creative life, from the author of Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

Ask Polly

By Heather Havrilesky

Advice and wisdom from Heather Havrilesky, published since 2012 (formerly at The Awl and NY Magazine). Paid subscribers receive twice weekly posts on how to navigate our broken world with compassion, realism, and an open heart.

Letters from an American

By Heather Cox Richardson

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Notes from a Small Press

By Anne Trubek

Think of these as signatures, unbound. Thoughts, explanations, and screeds about the publishing industry by Anne Trubek, founder of Belt Publishing. For the bound version, pick up "So You Want To Publish A Book?" Belt Publishing, July 2020.

INDIGNITY

By HMM DAILY

HAS MOVED TO WWW.INDIGNITY.NET

SHuSH, by Kenneth Whyte

By ken whyte

The world of non-fiction from Sutherland House (and beyond)

Memoir Land

By Memoir Monday

Three verticals: Memoir Monday: A collaboration among Granta, Guernica, Narratively, The Rumpus, Orion Magazine, The Walrus, Electric Literature, Literary Hub, Oldster Magazine; First Person Singular original essays; The Lit Lab interviews + craft essays.

Garbage Day

By Ryan Broderick

A newsletter about having fun online.

Men Yell at Me

By lyz

Written from a journalist in a red state, this newsletter is personal, political, sometimes funny and always raises hell.

Twelve Thirty Six

Canada’s News Burrito 🌯 media, culture, politics (via Toronto)

HOME by India Knight

There should really be a section called Home & Lifestyle. But hello! This is a newsletter about books, interiors, gardens, cooking, being at home, being outside, places to stay, shopping, dogs, hens, LIFE, plus enthusiasms, recommendations & observations.

Culture Study

By Anne Helen Petersen

Think more about the culture that surrounds you

Racket News

By Matt Taibbi

News and features by best-selling author and reporter Matt Taibbi, in an independent package molded after I.F. Stone's Weekly. The site contains investigative journalism, satirical commentary, and the America This Week podcast with novelist Walter Kirn.

a newsletter

By Alison Roman

recipes, stories and unsolicited advice from alison roman