14 Substack Writers’ Election Week Strategies
Hitting send this week just feels...weird.
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In past weeks, I’ve written about LinkedIn DM hoes, waiting in line for thongs, and violating my NDA for a dating app campaign. There’s a business lesson to them all, but I wasn’t sure if letting it rip this week in my usual style would hit the same, or even be welcomed.
After a morning of back-and-forth texts on whether a business newsletter that doesn’t take itself too seriously should schedule content on one of the most high-stress days of the year, I decided to consult people I admire in the same boat as me.
I asked Substack creators that don’t typically cover politics how they’re thinking about their content strategy during election week, and whether they were approaching anything differently.
The short answer: not radically so. In fact, many want to continue to provide a respite from the hell that’ll be the rest of the internet this week.
14 Substack Writers’ Election Week Strategies
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While Who Do You Know? largely focuses on brands' creative direction, and how that intersects with a dynamic consumer landscape... it's hard to ignore the 100lb f*cking elephant in the room that is the Presidential election. The outcome will have significant repercussions for American and global society as a whole. I've already analyzed race through the lens of people's dating lives. I suppose I'll be interested in what plays out but it will live as a small part of what the newsletter was meant to cover.
Yes I’ll be posting on Election Day, as I typically post everyday M-F.
In regards to readership changes I don’t expect much, think I’ve tried my best to remain neutral, and not alienate any readers.
Obviously the majority of my audience skews liberal, which I know based on data and polling. But as Michael Jordan once said, “Republicans buy sneakers too”
I took a break for a week which will end on Wednesday, so I’ll publish then and it’ll be my usual content. If the results are out by then, I’ll definitely add a note on my thoughts or share links to resources. I don’t expect engagement to be the best this month- there truly are more important things than whatever I’ll be writing about. But that’s fine with me.
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I’m playing it by ear.
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I publish my newsletter every two weeks, and my next issue falls the day after the election. I’m not changing my approach. If anything, I’m leaning into the comfort of fun, low-stakes content.
Since I started Window Seat nearly a year ago, my strategy has been simple: if a topic resonates with me, I trust it will with others too - and so far, that’s worked well. I know there are readers who will welcome a break from election coverage, and I’m okay if sticking to this path means losing some subscribers, because it keeps me true to my vision.
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The stakes are high, the conversations are loud, and we don't want to ignore the elephant (or donkey) in the room. That said, we are aware that election talk can feel overdone or patronizing. We’ll acknowledge the election in this week’s intro, but then it’s back to our regular programming.
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I am not changing my coverage this week. Back Row always responds to the news, and I'm prepared to do that this week. There also might not be an obvious election angle for Back Row, and in that case I'll publish content that will hopefully serve as a distraction to those who are anxious. I don't expect the election to impact readership.
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Not at all. I make evergreen content and don’t follow trends at all.
Any trending topic I hit on I do it in a way I think could make it evergreen.
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I've dabbled in skipping letters or trying to be a political resource over the years. But, I write a letter about secondhand fashion and that's what people want to read about from me. I don't want the food bloggers I follow to advise me on my local election issues. That's what political experts and quality news sites are for.
I'm writing a letter tomorrow that's incredibly sincere, encouraging, and value-first. That's really what I'm thinking about for my readers this week: How can I add value to their lives instead of distracting them with consumerism at a time that's emotionally sensitive for us all?
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I've waffled on when to send and am prepared to pretty much take an L on open rates entirely.
(On whether she’ll post on election day) Frankly, I'm thinking about it. We won't know what's going to happen in the AM, I'm assuming there are people like me who are avoidant and can't spend all day stressed out and engaged with election content who might want to read something entirely unrelated.
I feel pressure to address the election even though my newsletter has nothing to do with politics— this feels disingenuous to me but in the current environment I feel like I'll see backlash if I don't point out the obvious. It is also, for what it's worth, too late to register to vote if anyone was undecided, so it's unrealistic to assume that somehow my newsletter will sway someone to run to the polls. If I didn't publish at all this week, which is what I'd honestly prefer to do, I worry I'd lose paid subscribers, which I'd really like to avoid. It all feels like it's going to be a lose lose— which for what it's worth, is of course not a "real" problem compared to the stakes of the election.
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I moved up my send time to Monday night and added a little note acknowledging how heavy things might feel right now. My hope is that seeing some home/design snapshots might be a welcome panacea if people need a mini break from all the election coverage
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I wrote this as a guide for handling the election/fall out and upcoming tension. I covered it and released it today instead of tomorrow, like I usually do.
And I wrote about politics when Kamala was announced. I think unless Netflix is dropping a new season of escapist fantasy like Emily in Paris or Love is Blind we are all going to be glued. I binge watched The Crown in 2016 instead of watching results.
Katie Stone | Plant Based
I'm pretty confused about how to exist in general during this week, but especially with my newsletter. I write about wellness and beauty, and on the one hand, that feels a bit tone deaf with such a consequential event going on, but on the other, I would love to offer some semblance of normalcy and escapism to my readers (and myself).
That being said, I send out my newsletter on Fridays so I’m going to play this one by ear and make a spur of the moment decision. Looking back, maybe I should have saved my “how to feel good” list of personal anxiety solves for this week…
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I’m keeping my regular Thursday and Sunday post as of now. I also had planned to release a paid subscriber post this week too and still plan to do so. I realize engagement could be down but for those who want a distraction I want to provide it. I could also use a distraction. I’m very politically active and engaged in my private life but it has been interesting figuring out how to manage a content calendar with the election.
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I've been thinking about what to do this week since July 21st. It's tough, because personally, I am a very political person and am loud within my inner circle. But, I have struggled with being even slightly vocal in my public persona, and on Happy Hoteling.
Throughout the past week, I've intentionally written lengthy articles that are very true to me and my voice. I hope that by reading Happy Hoteling you get a good gist of what I stand for in life. That's been my biggest strategy. I'm aware and honestly, understand, that people do not come to me for political advice or opinion. They come to me, mostly, for the special hidden gem hotels and travel recommendations, with eccentric and energetic commentary. I never want to send a single email that could be easily relegated to the junk folder, so it's important for me to give people what they want.
I have two outlines for content this week, what I share depends entirely on the election results, but either way, likely I won't talk politics (you never know). The best part about Substack is that people are subscribing to you as a person, so I feel grateful to be able to create the content this week that best supports how I feel as a human.
Posting during the election week is no problem. People still have businesses to run, and frankly the diversion from watching the election unfold is appreciated.
At the end of the day, next Monday, life goes on. It will be decidedly different, no matter the outcome, but life still goes on.
Maybe some articles about dealing with business and personal change? You are an expert, and your voice would be valuable to everyone.
I love this!