A few of my favorite Substack reads
And an efficient way to stuff your brain full of great content.
I’ve been on Substack for a little over a month, and even though it might just be the honeymoon phase, I’ve never been so in love with a tech platform. I just lost my social media job—a job function I stayed in for wayyyyyy too long—and I was starting to think the internet had nothing left to offer.1 Substack is a breath of fresh air! It’s devoid of social media’s trademark toxicity; the platform is focused on supporting its creators in meaningful ways; and Substack is all about free speech and open inquiry—something increasingly important to tackling tough questions in today’s world.2
I hope you’ve been enjoying Substack as much as I have! I want to share a few of my favorite writers with you. Before I do that—if you’re not already on your phone—open this up on your phone and download the Substack App. (Currently, it’s only available on iOS, but Android is coming soon.)
With no further ado, here are five Substack accounts I’ve enjoyed immensely.
𝘠𝘌𝘓𝘓𝘖 by Hunter Schwarz
I’ve followed Hunter Schwarz for several years on Twitter, and I love his reporting. He’s also from Utah, so I had to follow his career, obviously. I love the concept of YELLO because it shows you the subliminal meaning and messages behind political design. It’s amazing what stories you can tell and the messages you can send through the right color palette, font, design, or catchphrase. Schwarz always has his finger on the pulse of this particular brand of political storytelling, and I’ve never seen anything like it.
Lean Out with Tara Henley
Along with the term “heterodox thinking,”3 Henley’s Substack and subsequent podcast are recent discoveries for me. She really *ahem* leans into the idea of critical thought and openly discussing difficult subjects. I’ve binged her podcast over the last few days, and all of her guests are incredibly interesting. She has interviewed lawyers, musicians, and professors in addition to journalists who have thoughtful, nuanced views of sex and feminism. Whether or not I fully agree with her guests, I always leave the episode feeling intellectually challenged and hopeful for a more pluralistic society.
Banished by Booksmart Studios
Speaking of recent discoveries, Henley recently interviewed Amna Khalid on her podcast. As someone who is obsessed with art, history, and how it impacts us today, I was thrilled to discover that Khalid and I are cut from the same cloth, and her Substack is right up my alley. I can’t wait to dig into her writing and podcasts. I’m also comforted to know I’m not alone in my fascination with discussing the modern conversations we have around the arts.
Rob Henderson’s Newsletter
My sister introduced me to Bari Weiss’ podcast a few months ago, and I was immediately hooked. One night while chatting with my sister, she told me to listen to the episode with the “Luxury Beliefs Guy.” The episode sent me into a spiral of existential dread and caused me to question everything I believed. But it also left with a sense of catharsis because, at the time, I had recently been dragged for expressing an unpopular view. I felt the popular perspective would ultimately harm poor communities, and now I had a way to describe this phenomenon: “luxury beliefs.” Henderson’s writing is simple, thoughtful, and full of heart—I highly recommend it.
Adam’s Notes
Adam Ming’s Substack is just one of those publications I know will make me smile. Ming is a children’s book illustrator, so he always greets you with a cute sketch at the beginning of his post. He then goes on to give you a few creative thoughts and ideas. It’s an inspiring way to start your day, and the best part is all of his posts are super short!
Who are some of your favorite writers on Substack? Tell me in the comments!
I can’t tell you how much I’ve daydreamed about the Internet going down worldwide. Now, because of Substack, I only daydream of Twitter and Facebook being run out of business.
Substack is not paying me to say this. I honestly think it’s a fantastic platform.
Heterodox thinking means that you don’t take an “orthodox” or dogmatic approach to any one school of thought. You take it on a issue-by-issue basis.
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