The Missing Piece for Substack Writers Who Want to Win in 2026

How the creator you become determines the success you build in 2026.

Most new Substack writers think their biggest problem is consistency.

Or writing better posts.

Or figuring out Notes.

Or “beating the algorithm.”

But after coaching dozens of writers and watching hundreds more spin in circles, I’ve learned something:

Your newsletter won’t grow until you grow into the person who runs the kind of newsletter you want.

Growth isn’t a tactic problem.
It’s not even a strategy problem.
It’s an identity problem.

And identity is the one thing very few Substack writers ever work on.

Let me show you what I mean.

Meet Amanda, the writer who “did everything right,” and still didn’t grow.

Amanda (imaginary, but very real in spirit) started her Substack in 2023.

She wrote every week.
She posted Notes twice a day.
She commented. She engaged.
She was “consistent” to the point of burnout.

But she wasn’t growing.

After a year, she had:

• a handful of loyal readers

• no clear niche

• no monetisation strategy

• vague messaging

• and zero confidence in charging for anything

She tried tactics.
She tried courses.
She tried “write more, write better, write again.”

Nothing changed, because she hadn’t changed.

She still carried the identity of:

• a beginner

• a hobby writer

• someone who “hopes” to monetize

• someone who writes for free because she doesn’t believe her work is worth paying for

And identities always win.

You can publish daily.
You can write beautifully.
You can “do everything right.”

But if you are operating from an identity that whispers:

“I’m not a real writer.”
“I’m not an expert.”
“Who am I to charge money?”
“I don’t know my niche.”

…your actions can never take you further than your identity allows.

This is why most Substack writers stall.

Not because of effort.
Not because of talent.
Not because of consistency.

Because they’re trying to build a premium publication using a beginner identity.

What identity shift actually looks like

Here’s a short example of how identity rewriting works. The kind I’ll teach in our workshop.

Amanda’s old question was:

“How do I grow my Substack?”

A tactical question.
A frantic question.
A powerless question.

Her new identity question became:

“What if I became the kind of Substack creator whose writing transforms people and naturally attracts paid subscribers?”

Suddenly her brain stopped searching for hacks…
and started behaving like someone who knows her work matters.

She began:

• writing from clarity instead of panic

• defining her offer instead of avoiding it

• speaking confidently about her niche

• designing a paid tier that solved a real problem

• showing up as a guide, not a beginner

• attracting the kind of readers who value transformation

This wasn’t a strategy shift.
It was an identity shift that made the strategy finally work.

When she became the person who runs a successful newsletter, her behaviour changed.
When her behaviour changed, her results changed.
Growth wasn’t forced. It followed.

Why identity shift is essential for Substack success in 2026

Substack is maturing.

Readers are becoming more selective.
Creators are becoming more strategic.
The market is becoming more professional.

In 2026, the writers who win will be the ones who:

• know exactly who they are

• know exactly what they offer

• behave like experts, not dabblers

• make decisions like CEOs, not hobbyists

• write from identity, not insecurity

• build their business around value, not volume

Your identity determines your income.
Your self-concept determines your strategy.
Your inner narrative determines your outer results.

2026 will reward the writers who transform themselves, not just their content.

If you want 2026 to be your breakthrough year, start with your identity.

Because once you become the person who:

• knows what she offers

• confidently charges premium

• attracts aligned readers

• works fewer hours with more clarity

• writes with authority and purpose

• makes money with integrity

Your newsletter transforms from “something you do” into a business you own.

Want to make this shift with a focused group of serious creators instead of figuring it out alone?

Magdalena and I are hosting a powerful, intimate workshop:

20 Minutes to Solve Your Hardest Problem

(And the identity shift every Substack writer needs for 2026)

📅 Saturday, 13 December
⏰ 4 PM PST / 7 PM EST (2 hours)
👥 Only 10 seats total. Just 3 left
💰 $97

In this workshop, we will help you:

• rewrite your creator identity

• craft the one identity question that changes everything

• script your future self as a successful newsletter founder

• silence the “I’m not ready” identity

• and begin making decisions like the writer you want to be in 2026

This is not a writing workshop.
This is not a growth hack session.
This is identity surgery for Substack writers.

If you’re tired of being stuck…
If you’re ready to grow…
If you want your newsletter to actually become a business…

👉 This is your moment.
👉 This is your year.
👉 This is your shift.

Save your seat now for $97.

(Magdalena and I have decided not to increase the price.
It’s Christmas time. It’s our gift to you.)

Let’s build the identity that will carry you into 2026, and far beyond.

As always, thanks for reading.

Author Circle is a newsletter that helps writers, creators, and professionals turn their knowledge into income streams through the 90-Day Write-Grow-Monetize Program so they can build a business with clarity, confidence, and a clear roadmap.