Editor’s Note: This article is the companion piece to Episode 26 of Unstuck to Finding Your Edge, my weekly Live series with Robyn Levin and in this episode we talk about using Substack Notes to promote your articles before AND after you hit Publish.
You spent hours writing your article.
You researched it, wrote it, edited it, and probably changed the headline six times, then you hit Publish.
You share the link once, maybe twice, and move on to writing the next one.
Wait. WHY?
Your article doesn’t expire the moment you publish it.
That’s what stayed with me after Episode 026 of Unstuck to Finding Your Edge with Robyn Levin.
Stop Making Every Note A New Assignment
I run three Substack publications. Believe me, I don’t need another reason to sit at my computer creating MORE articles.
That’s why I like pulling Notes directly from articles I’ve already written.
One article can give you several reasons to show up:
Before publishing: Share a teaser that makes someone curious.
When it’s live: Give readers a reason to click beyond “new post!”
A few days later: Pull out the strongest takeaway.
After that: Ask a question that starts a real conversation.
Later: Bring the article back with a fresh perspective or an “in case you missed it.”
→ Five Notes. One article.
You don’t have to write all five from scratch.
Robyn Showed Us What This Looks Like
Robyn shared how she promoted an upcoming African safari video.
First, she posted a photo with a question that made people curious.
Then she shared a short video clip before releasing the full conversation.
She gave people a reason to care about the story before asking them to watch it.
That’s the difference.
A Note doesn’t have to be an announcement. It can be a piece of the story and sometimes a photo sitting on your phone is enough to get that story started.
Your Old Articles Still Have Something to Say
During our Live, I shared an article I’d published back in September.
It was November and the article is still relevant.
So I shared it again.
No rewriting the whole thing and no pretending it was new. I simply connected it to the conversation we were having that day.
Your work never expires just because the date on it gets older.
You can revisit it, pull out a different idea, change your mind about something, or give a new reader a reason to find it.
And please don’t spend your life trying to decode whether the algorithm likes links in Notes.
Robyn and I don’t have a secret formula. We experiment and you can too!
Episode 026 Takeaway 👑
→ Publishing is the beginning of sharing your work, not the end of it.
Your next Note might already be sitting inside an article you published three weeks ago.
Your turn: Go find ONE older article. What’s a line, lesson, or question from it that deserves another conversation? Tell us in the comments.
Resources From This Conversation
Jess’s and Robyn’s piece about how to promote your Substack articles before & after publishing →
Stop Treating Publish Like The Finish Line
Writers spend a lot of time thinking about what to publish next.
Jess’s and Robyn’s article with 7 different types of Substack Notes formats →
Jess’s and Robyn’s article about how to finds Notes ideas from your articles →
How To Find Substack Notes Ideas Without Starting From Scratch
You open Substack and you decide you should probably post a Note today.
Follow Jess at Unstuck to Published →
Follow Jess at NP Fellow Become The CEO of Your Health →
Follow Jess at Nurse in the Market →
Follow Robyn at Finding Your Edge →
Follow Robyn at Rare Finds - Luxury Travel →
Scan Robyn’s QR code to access her Youtube channel →
Thank You
Thank you so much for everyone who tuned into this live, your presence is truly appreciated, and to the people who are watching the replay, thank you!
See you next Friday at 12pm ET for our weekly show, stay tuned!
-Jess, The Creator & Robyn Levin
