You’ve probably already heard of Substack, a platform set to overtake Facebook and X in its cultural influence. Part blogging platform and part social media experience, Substack has been embraced by writers, illustrators and even comedians to grow and speak to their audience. In 2024, countless high-profile Australian writers, including Charlotte Wood, Clementine Ford and Bri Lee joined the platform. As of March, the site was hosting more than 17,000 paid writers.
Now, Substack is at a vital tipping point. It is in the midst of navigating its first large-scale, public scandal, and some are criticising its financial model. Very little seems to truly challenge the platform’s growth, which has become the default blogging site for most working writers. For Australian writers, Substack may become the default platform for sharing their work for the foreseeable future.
