u/NiChike84

Hi everyone!

I’m new to Substack (started about 3 weeks ago). I’m a 42-year-old former professional chef from Hungary living in London. I had to leave the kitchen because of a health crisis, so I started writing my life story as a way to cope.

I’ve been posting one chapter every single day. It covers everything: moving to London, the dark days in the hospital with COPD, and now the story is shifting to a much lighter tone where I suddenly became a 'dog grandparent' to 5 unexpected puppies.

My concerns:

• Fatigue: Am I going to burn out my readers (or myself) with a daily schedule?
• Tonal Shift: Is it okay to jump from a very dramatic hospital story to a 'chaos with puppies' story in just two days?
• Language: English isn't my first language, and I’m constantly worried my 'baker-style' storytelling is too simple for the Substack audience.

I don't care much about the numbers yet, I just want to know if I'm doing this 'author' thing the right way. Any advice for a kitchen-refugee turned storyteller?

How did you know you had "permission" to write?

Not joking. 

Who was the first person to say "hey, this doesn't actually suck"? 

Or are you still waiting for someone to say it?

Because I don't know. I just write and hope I'm not insane.

When did you believe in yourself for the first time? 

Or still haven't?

Give me the honest version. No masks.

Writers, late night deep dive:

How did you know you had "permission" to write?

Not joking. 

Who was the first person to say "hey, this doesn't actually suck"? 

Or are you still waiting for someone to say it?

Because I don't know. I just write and hope I'm not insane.

When did you believe in yourself for the first time? 

Or still haven't?

Give me the honest version. No masks.

I'm writing a memoir about my first 3 years in London. I lived in a shared house with 7 other people.

Should I describe each flatmate, or keep them in the background?

They're not main characters. The story is mine. But they were there for everything.

How do other memoir writers handle side characters from real life?

Stuck on this. Thoughts?

Hi, where do you present your writing? I'm not interested in promotion, but in some advice for my writing.

Thanks

Niki

Hello! I started writing a memoir 1 month ago on Substack.

It’s about moving to London in 2014 and sharing a house with 7 men and 1 bathroom. I came to UK for freedom. Now I clean rich houses and write about the secret rules I learned.

Started 1 month ago. Sitting at 5 free subs now from Reddit. But growth is slow.

My question: What actually works for you to promote Substacks in the immigrant/personal story niche?

I tried posting my story in r/IGotOut - that got 58 views. Tried sharing tactics in r/Substack - that got 200+ views. No link, just "AMA" and I DM the Substack when people ask. Converts at 3.7%.

But I see other posts here with links. Is that allowed? What’s the rule?

My Substack is about class differences, shame, and surviving narcissistic systems. First post is "7 men, 1 bathroom".

DM me for the substack link if you're curious.

What’s working for you? Especially if you write personal/messy stuff?

Hello! I started writing a memoir 1 month ago on Substack.It’s about moving to London in 2014 and sharing a house with 7 men and 1 bathroom. I came to UK for freedom. Now I clean rich houses and write about the secret rules I learned. Started 1 month ago. Sitting at 5 free subs now from Reddit. But growth is slow.

My question: What actually works for you to promote Substacks in the immigrant/personal story niche?

I tried posting my story in r/IGotOut - that got 58 views. Tried sharing tactics in r/Substack - that got 200+ views. No link, just "AMA" and I DM the Substack when people ask. Converts at 3.7%.

But I see other posts here with links. Is that allowed? What’s the rule?

My Substack is about class differences, shame, and surviving narcissistic systems. First post is "7 men, 1 bathroom". Here's the link if mods allow: https://urkom.nik.substack.com/

What’s working for you? Especially if you write personal/messy stuff?

Hello, I moved to London from Hungary 12 years ago. I started writing about these past 12 years in a book. Did you leave your homes too?