Substacks recommended by Nan Tepper

Recommended by Nan Tepper

I help fellow Substackers make the most of their time by unstacking all the back-end chores that come along with writing on this platform.

We Need A Black Woman In Charge

By Zuri Stevens

From Michelle Obama to Oprah Winfrey to Rihanna to Beyoncé, when Black women are in charge, the world is a much better place. We need more Black women in charge.

only the jodi

By Jodi Sh. Doff ★ onlythejodi

At 30+ years since my last drink—I write what I know: Sex, booze & lies. Caregiving, righteous feminist indignation & truth about being an unreliable narrator in your own life.

There's nothing I can say about Jodi that would adequately describe her uniqueness in the space this little box provides. She's mostly writing about giving care to her mom who lives with dementia. Jodi's voice is like none other I've read, it truly doesn't matter what she's writing about, it's always a joy to read her. She's a treasure chest full of surprises and grace.

- Nan Tepper

Random Conversations

By Cathy Joseph

Exploring our shared humanity through a lens of positivity. Changing our world one joyous conversation at a time.

Cathy is the most positive person I've ever met. Gain inspiration, hope and a lot of smiles. xo

- Nan Tepper

Going Solo at the End of the World

By Marya Hornbacher

Solo traveler and New York Times bestselling author goes rogue to bring readers a first-person report from the far reaches of the American road.

Marya is a truth-teller, no holds barred. She's also a lover of life and people. Generous, wise, and curious. Add that to a command of language and self-expression, and an eloquence I've rarely seen, she's an absolute treasure.

- Nan Tepper

My Renaissance Life

By Kim Van Bruggen

Explore reinvention, renewal, and growth with curiosity, humour, and a hint of attitude with a recovering CEO.

Wendy Wolf

Brand Therapy™

By Lyn Chamberlin

I write about the much-maligned subject of branding — where it works, where it fails, and how it shapes our lives.

Intermittently Human by Douglas Halpert

Douglas Halpert writes modern fiction in a lyrical style.

The Halfway Path

By Jacqueline Dooley

Essays about navigating parental grief, aging, and soon-to-be empty nesting (with an occasional rant)

You're Right, I Do Look Tired

By Eileen Dougharty

I'm not here to sell you anything bought or processed, you know, as a career. I’ve found that writing honestly about my life has connected me with others in a most meaningful way. I would love to learn from you as well, let’s get real together ❤️

That Trans Friend You Didn't Know You Needed

By Robin Taylor (he/him)

*Everybody needs a trans friend.

Surrendering to Sappho

By Katrina Anne Willis

Thoughts from a late-in-life lesbian.

Open Secrets Magazine

Open Secrets is a lit mag and community for memorable, revealing personal essays about all the subjects we're taught to keep "secret." Contact Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel at opensecretsmag at gmail.com

Wildhood Wanted

By Kristi Keller 🇨🇦

A weekly kick in the pants to DO SOMETHING about your restless human soul. This may or may not include disappearing to an island and living off coconuts & rum.

Visual Liquid Megazine

By Tess McCarthy

VISUAL LIQUID feminist forward lifestyle & poetry/art/photography publication. Its mission is to elucidate the work of the world’s most creative outliers. We celebrate rebels, renaissance women/femmes, BIPOC, LGBTQIA, disabled & aged creative forces

Holly Starley's Rolling Desk

My living room is the world. Pull up a chair.

Tales of a Wayward Yogini

By Sue Ferrera

Fostering healing, acceptance, and radical joy through storytelling + community. Subscribe to find calm in the chaos.

Sue Ferrera's a delight. Her writing is warm, compassionate, and generous. A humble and honest voice, with a clear view of balance and kindness.

- Nan Tepper

The Long Climb

By Kari Bentley-Quinn

The Long Climb is about my life as a late-diagnosed woman with ADHD, my ongoing recovery from trauma/burnout, and navigating my career as a writer and theater artist in an increasingly hostile world.

The MorningPoems Podcast + Morning Poems by Tess McCarthy

By Tess McCarthy // the MorningPoems Podcast

Tess McCarthy is a multifaceted poet, illustrator, and creator of MorningPoems—a massive past & present poetry collection, which is also is the name of their eponymous podcast. Editor-in-chief of Visual Liquid Mega Zine & creator of the comic, THEM CATS.

What Comes Next?

By Abigail Thomas

Something odd will cross my mind, or a memory will catch me off guard, or my monkey mind will swing from the ceiling fan, or a tiny ant will crawl up the bookcase next to my chair. Then I get curious and curiosity is the first step in an unknown direction

Prajna O'Hara ✨ The Salty Crone

By Prajna O'Hara aka The Salty Crone

Exploring the psychic terrain of women’s development, feminism, and curanderismo ✧🔥✧

Living in 3D

By Amy Brown

Life lessons in embracing desire in every decade from a late-blooming woman in her 60s, still in the process of becoming. We thrive by planting our roots in all three dimensions at once: mind, body and spirit.

Dispatch from Bewilderness

By Judith Hannah Weiss

Nominated for Best American Essay and Pushcart Prize. Proudly niche since 2006 in posts of 2 minutes or less. A Substack Bestseller in Literature. Subscribe FREE as long as Substack allows. No cost. No risk. No obligation.

dreary dendrophile

By Lyns McCracken

Journals of a haunted hiker in the PNW. For curious travelers who want to connect with nature and spirits.

Because Lyns McCracken writes about ghosts and enchantments, and she's a helluva sweet human. xo

- Nan Tepper

Amazement Seeker by Rona Maynard

Celebrating discovery in art, writing and the moment as it flies

Rona Maynard is eloquent and deeply connected to her heart when she writes her stories. Her craft is solid, elegant and wise. I look forward to her weekly essays and I come away enriched. Read Rona, you'll be amazed!

- Nan Tepper

Stantonland

By Chris Stanton

Humor writing about life, culture, and assorted grievances.

Chris Stanton is my reliable weekly laugh-out-loud. He's entertaining, smart as fuck, and helluva great guy. What more could a reader ask for? Check him out.

- Nan Tepper

Inner Wilderness Unlimited

By Jamie Wallace

Sharing what I love. Inviting you to step outside the mundane. Reminding you the mundane can be magical. Alternately sentimental and sassy. No self help or life hacking. A little woo. There will be cursing. No AI ever.

Chicken Scratch by Elizabeth Beggins

Exploring what it means to be alive. Rooted in reality. Inspired by curiosity.

Abortion, Every Day

By Kylie Cheung @ Abortion

All things abortion. Feminist commentary & community.

Let The Words Fall Out

By Mesa Fama

I believe that words can be bridges bringing us to one another. If you're like me and like to dig deeper into ourselves, go beyond the surface of things, and think about our place in all of this, then you'll find a home here.

Who is Mesa Fama? If you don't know, it's time to find out. She's one of the kindest people writing on Substack. She's a delver, and a the loveliest of writers. She says things simply, yet with a sophistication that is informed by great emotional intelligence. I love reading her words.

- Nan Tepper

Midstack

By Jessica Smock

A membership community for midlife women who want to write, connect, and grow on Substack, from the editors of Midstory Magazine.

Writer, interrupted

By Mary Roblyn

Life happens. We get interrupted. When my husband died, grief opened my heart. Writing, like grieving, is an act of love. I got interrupted, but I didn't give up. Join me! A Substack Featured Publication.

Absolute Pleasure

By Amy Gabrielle

Midlife, widowed mom to one tween boy. I write about some of the crazy sh*t grief made me do after my husband died from cancer in 2021.

The Joy Luck Club

By Jess Greenwood

Exploring joy, all its nooks and crannies, what it is to lose it and why it's worth trying to find it again. Paid subscribers get access to the Fascinated series, interviews with real people about their work, their why's, and their WTFs.

Under the White Coat

By Dr. Amber Hull

A Physician's Unflinching Guide to Human Sexuality and Life in Medicine.

Qstack | The LGBTQIA+ Community of Substacks

By Mr. Troy Ford

Qstack ❤️🍊💛💚💙💜🩷🩵🤎🖤🩶 | The LGBTQQIP2SA+ Community, Directory & Platform on Substack - Sharing the BEST of queer newsletter creators direct to your inbox.

The Publishing Spectrum

By Amanda Bray

Trusted by thousands of authors, founders & creatives for publisher-led, voice-first Substack publishing strategy — creatively led, editorially grounded and data-informed. ☀️ Home of the Publishing Archetype Quiz

Carer Mentor: Empathy & Inspiration

By Carer Mentor by Victoria Chin

Heartfelt empathy for Caregivers. A hub of practical tools, resources, and insights. A community support network—Human-ing hard. A portal of hope. ❤️

Up for Adoption

By Emily Sinagra

Musings, reflections & complaints of an adoptee.

Wham! Bam! Thank You! Slam!

By Nan

Humans crave stories — and the women of Substack know exactly how to make them sting, sparkle, and stay in your head. No apologies. No tidy arcs. Just the parts we usually whisper. 1 story. 4 minutes. Zero dicks. This ain't no open mic.

A stack that offers a live story slam once a month for women and nonbinary folks. To compete, you must have a Substack publication. To be in the audience, a willingness to have the time of your life! xo

- Nan Tepper

There’s Nothing Wrong With You (And There Never Was) ™

By Kelly Thompson TNWWY

Recovery from anything that disconnects you from yourself — the beliefs, roles, and identities you inherited or adopted. Recognition of original wholeness. Writer. LCSW.

Illustrated Life

By Amy Cowen

Connecting the dots between creative habit, drawing, writing, memory, gratitude, and making art in the margins. Plus, free Illustrate Your Week prompts for keeping an illustrated journal to document YOUR life. 🏳️‍🌈 🎨

Writerly Things with Brooke Warner

I am an author advocate, publisher of She Writes Press, co-founder of Memoir Nation, book industry insider, and champion to writers who show up to the page because they must.

Letters from a Muslim Woman

By Noha Beshir

Dispatches from one woman's life as a Western Muslim told through the lens of mental health, faith, and the multi-generational immigrant experience.

The Armchair Journalist

By Nancy Jainchill

Commentaries and observations about what matters to me, often unexpected.

American Woman

By Dina Honour

This woman's words

Dina is one of the best, most eloquent writers I've found on Substack. Her voice is clear, and she speaks her truth, bravely and beautifully. I never miss reading one of her essays. Brava!

- Nan Tepper

Midstory Magazine

By Jessica Smock

A home for writing by women about life, love, and loss at midlife, from the editors of the HerStories Project.

Caravan Writers Collective

Working writers working with you

Alisa Writes

By ALISA WRITES

Alisa Writes is a newsletter featuring essays, criticism and fiction by award-winning writer Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez.