Substacks recommended by Memoir Land

Recommended by Memoir Land

Writing ourselves back to the center. Celebrating & centering the parenting and personal narratives of the Global Majority since 2015.

Literary Liberation

By Sherisa

A community of artists, writers, and activists across multiple creative concentrations working towards our collective liberation. Stay radical.

Jerry Stahl's Nowheresville

Novelist, screenwriter, journalist, and all-around guy who should be dead already.“ Jerry Stahl should either get the Pulitzer Prize or be shot down in the street like a dog.” -Anthony Bourdain

Jerry Stahl is the real deal—an incredible writer who tackles difficult topics through the lens of absurdity, with brilliant dark humor.

- Memoir Land

SHINE BRIGHT HQ

By SHINE BRI🔆HT HQ

sentences, and music. and the culture. author Danyel Smith writes, recalls, recommends, and overshares.

Anna’s Substack

By Anna Limontas-Salisbury

My personal Substack

After Dinner Conversation - Philosophy | Ethics Short Story

After Dinner Conversation is an award-winning, independent nonprofit publisher that emails curated short story fiction every Thursday. Your subscription helps support writers! Each story comes with discussion questions.

Yeah, no. Not Happening

By Karen Karbo

The newsletter for people who long to say no

Shalom Auslander's Fetal Position

"Just to spite the world, don’t cry! Just to spite the world, only laugh, only laugh!" - Sholom Aleichem. Amen, Brother.

The Shift With Sam Baker

By sam baker

Women don't vanish after 40. Who knew?! Amplifying and celebrating the voices of women in midlife and beyond by the former editor of Red, Cosmopolitan (and Just 17!)

Open Secrets Magazine

Open Secrets is an online magazine 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

It's Not Us

By Sara Eckel

The system is crazy. We don't have to be.

Narratively

Discover extraordinary true stories celebrating the diversity of humanity.

Kurt Vonnegut Radio

By Gabe Hudson

If Kurt Vonnegut had a podcast, it would sound like this.

Letters From Love with Elizabeth Gilbert

This is heart work

Creative Practice

By Tajja Isen

Dispatches on writing, editing, and navigating the vortex of publishing

Dispatches From The Shed

By Lyn Slater

Essays, Ideas, "Butterfly Thoughts", Vignettes, Experiments and more by Lyn Slater

The Word Cave

By Lilly Dancyger

Short essays and missives about writing, reading, and art from Lilly Dancyger, author of First Love and Negative Space. Plus occasional writing course listings.

Lilly Dancyger is an incredible writer, editor, teacher, and champion of personal narratives. She founded Memoir Monday, the predecessor to, and an ongoing vertical of Memoir Land. I'll always read anything she writes the minute it's published.

- Memoir Land

The Privilege to Feel

By Stephanie Land

Stephanie Land is the New York Times bestselling author of MAID and CLASS. She has the unexpected day job of a public speaker and continues to write about and advocate for survivors and people who parent under the poverty line.

How To Get Unstuck

By Amy Shearn

Writing your way out of the restlessness

Pine State Publicity

By Cassie Mannes Murray

Pine State is a newsletter that offers chatter on publishing, DIY publicity advice, and as much fun as the Hokey Pokey for writers & readers by Cassie Mannes Murray of Pine State Publicity

Book publicity and marketing intel from one of the best in the biz.

- Memoir Land

Writing Our Lives

By Vanessa Mártir

My work is grounded in 1980s Bushwick, Brooklyn, a neglected Black and Brown neighborhood that I left when I was 13. I return to my home hood in my stories to make visible the invisible, & chronicle my life in the tradition of Esmeralda Santiago.

Beyond with Jane Ratcliffe

The internet’s most intimate, illuminating interviews with today’s greatest writers—get an in-depth look into the craft of writing and what it means to be a heart-centered human in a hard world.

Jane Ratcliffe is a wonderful interviewer and writer.

- Memoir Land

Before and After the Book Deal

By Courtney Maum

Real talk about the writing + publishing industry from an author who doesn’t want you to feel confused, bewildered, or alone. Plus: craft tips, reading recommendations, writing support + solidarity (unless you are a jerk to people in the comments).

Such a great resource!

- Memoir Land

Girls of a Certain Age

By Kim France

Style advice, shopping picks, pop culture, and opinion for over-40 women and the over-40-curious, from former Sassy staffer and Lucky Magazine founding editor in chief Kim France.

Oldster Magazine

By Sari Botton

Exploring what it means to travel through time in a human body, at every phase of life.

The Real Sarah Miller

A newsletter for people who like the work of (the real) Sarah Miller.

Ask E. Jean

By E. Jean Carroll

For 27 years at ELLE magazine I answered sticky questions. NOW, I'm asking the questions, and YOU---you brilliant person---are solving the world's problems by answering them!

DrawTogether with WendyMac

By Wendy MacNaughton

Drawing explorations, lessons, and weekly art assignments from New York Times-bestselling artist Wendy MacNaughton. Paying subscribers get full access to the DrawTogether Grown-Ups Table creative community and the 30-Day Drawing Habit.

The Querent

By Alexander Chee

The person asking a question at the beginning of a Tarot card reading. Or, a newsletter project by Alexander Chee.

The Review of Beauty by Jessica DeFino

A critical review of the beauty industry that prioritizes people — not products.

The Melt by Jason Diamond

By Jason Diamond

The Melt is Jason Diamond's reader-supported look at old, new, and evolving classics.

surfacing

By Mikki Halpin

Surfacing is a newsletter about the things I see and hear. Topics may include: puffin erotics, conceptual art, robots, sharks, media criticism, correct pop culture opinions, spies, disability, and the daily indignities of being me.

The Small Bow

"The Small Bow is not just for those in recovery. Lots of stories with a huge heart that manages to be hilarious and easy while making you question everything you were certain of about yourself.” – Esquire

Incredible first-person writing on recovery and mental health. Always a must-read.

- Memoir Land

Jill Filipovic

Politics, women’s rights, foreign affairs, and law

From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy

Essays, criticism, and interviews on food, culture, and media sent out on Monday morning. Paid subscribers receive additional posts on Fridays and have access to commenting, the recipe archive, and more.

Men Yell at Me

By lyz

Written from a journalist in a red state, this newsletter is personal, political, sometimes funny and always raises hell.

HONEY STAY SUPER

By Kimberly Harrington

A newsletter that's pro-Big-Life-Changes. Creating a new life after 50, after marriage, after kids, after publishing, and after moving 11,000 times. So sick of learning and growing I could barf. Making you think, laugh, and feel. Sorry.

On Substack

By Substack Writers

Resources, news, and stories for and about writers. Written by the Substack team.