Substacks recommended by Lindsey DeLoach Jones

Recommended by Lindsey DeLoach Jones

Unmitigated gushing about books. Mostly contemporary fiction. Sometimes memoir. Sometimes nonfiction. Preference for scrappy narrators .

Notes from the Editor

By Ariel

A newsletter for nonfiction authors who want to develop great book ideas, structure their books, and navigate the publishing industry.

SoulStack by Beth Kempton

📖 Insights into the creative life from bestselling British non-fiction author Beth Kempton. ✍️Home of the SoulCircle writing community. All welcome ❤️ Global Top 5 Substack Education publication.

Crone Sandwich

By Catherine Newman

A weird newsletter about all the midlife things: kids, parents, food, sex, holidays, rage, and sweating at night, by the author of Waiting for Birdy and We All Want Impossible Things.

Big Salad

By Joanna Goddard

Life advice, fun finds, and dating gossip — from Joanna Goddard and the Cup of Jo team.

No One Loves An Angry Woman

By Gemma Hartley

Gemma Hartley's work on life, the mental load, and the social conditioning she's still trying to untangle.

Sub Club

Submission opportunities for creative and professional writers delivered to your inbox weekly.

Medicine, Mountains & More

By Mimi Zieman

medical news to empower you, with art and nature to inspire you

Embracing the Full Catastrophe

By Casey Mulligan Walsh

Casey Mulligan Walsh writes about life at the intersection of grief and joy and embracing the in-between. Her memoir, The Full Catastrophe: All I Ever Wanted, Everything I Feared, is forthcoming from Motina Books in February 2025.

Salvation South: Supporter Exclusives

By Chuck Reece

Salvation South editor-in-chief editor-in-chief Chuck Reece digs into the South from his personal point of view.

The Poetry of Reality with Richard Dawkins

The Poetry of Reality Page is hosted by world renowned evolutionary biologist and best-selling author, Professor Richard Dawkins, celebrated by intellectuals and scientists everywhere for his honest critique of religion and his push for critical thinking.

Creative Fuel with Anna Brones

A newsletter and community dedicated to exploring the intersection of creativity and everyday life with Anna Brones. For the creative energy that resides in all of us.

MAGICAL OVERTHINKERS

By Amanda Montell

A newsletter about modern-day delusion: thought spirals, wild ambitions, cults, language, and more...

The Beaty Beat

By Katelyn Beaty

News and analysis about the power and pitfalls of the American church + the occasional rant, recommendation, and bit of lady wisdom

Marginalia with Beth Allison Barr

Reflections on Evangelicalism, Medieval History, and Women's History

After Babel

By Jon Haidt

Using moral psychology to explain why so much is going wrong

The Culture We Deserve

By Jessa Crispin

The Culture We Deserve

SubMakk

By Rebecca Makkai

Rebecca Makkai's Substack: mostly writing and books! but also Zillow, true crime, etymology, food, general inanity

That's Marvelous!

By Josh Gondelman

A newsletter for pep talks and general enthusiasm.

Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette

For people who do language. Writing saved my life—so I teach writing as if it might save yours.

Porchlight

By Faith Dwight

From writer, spiritual director, and yoga teacher Faith Dwight: a newsletter about how our humanity and our spirituality are the same thing

I read everything written by this beautiful human being! Thoughtful but down-to-earth writing about contemplative faith practices.

- Lindsey DeLoach Jones

The Freedom Academy with Asha Rangappa

A interactive community and college-level course about disinformation, its impact on democracy, and how we can make America's social fabric more resilient to this new threat.

Unresolving

By Emily J. Smith

Untangling questions of identity, reinvention, and writing. (From the author of NOTHING SERIOUS, out from HarperCollins in Feb.)

Now That I Mention It

By Meecham Whitson Meriweather

A sanctuary to catch up on pop culture, entertainment, book/film/home/beauty recs, line readings, essays, rankings, nostalgia, Thirsts of the Week and more, brought to you by Meecham Whitson Meriweather, made possible in part by readers like you!

The Creative Shift by Dan Blank

Helping writers and creators share their work and connect with readers in meaningful ways. Digging deep into marketing, book launches, and platform development. Get my weekly newsletter every Friday.

Noted

By Jillian Hess

Tips from the world's best note takers

For Dear Life with Maggie Smith

A newsletter about writing & other things that make this life dear—from the poet, not the dame

Vessel

Creativity, Culture, and Soul of the Modern South

Changing The Channel with Kirsten Powers

New York Times bestselling author Kirsten Powers writes about change: how to question and unlearn societal conditioning and create a life more aligned with your values and deepest desires

The Unspeakable with Meghan Daum

Home of The Unspeakable Podcast. Plus new writing and updates from Meghan Daum.

Du Mez CONNECTIONS

By KKDuMez

Understanding the connections between religion, gender, & politics, and trying to save our democracy in the process.

Healing is My Special Interest

By D.L. Mayfield

The intersection of late-diagnosed neurodivergence and healing from high-control environments. Also, combatting Christian fascism!

In Pursuit of Clean Countertops

By Sara Petersen

Unpacking my obsession with momfluencer culture to destroy the myth of the perfect mama.

If you are a female parent, this newsletter is cathartic and relatable and funny as hell. Let Sara Peterson say all the things you want to say about other mothers—but won't.

- Lindsey DeLoach Jones

The Hyphen by Emma Gannon

✨ a cosy online space for curious readers ✨ from Sunday Times Bestselling author Emma Gannon. On books, work, wellbeing & creativity. 5th literature Substack globally. "One of Britain’s most prominent Substack writers" —The Times

Mourning Pages

By Penny Zang

Mourning Pages is a newsletter about writing in the midst of grief. Joy and loss, academia, motherhood, publishing—all mixed together to show how writing and creativity can fit into anyone's life.

Kids + Faith

By Meredith Miller

Theology & the Bible for grown ups, so we can better nurture healthy faith in our kids.

Cosmic Anarchy

By Ayesha Khan

The abolitionist, decolonized medicine guide + collectivist care toolkit to build community, unplug from capitalism, ground in culture & our ecosystems to fight for collective liberation

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).

Writer Courtney Maum's newsletter started as an inside-industry cheat sheet (corresponding to her book of the same name). But it has morphed also to include excellent writing about craft, including smart breakdowns of why established literary examples work (and why the reader-submitted work of prospective authors might not). Amazingly helpful.

- Lindsey DeLoach Jones

GVL GARDENING with Tiffany Deluccia

Posts to share what I'm learning about gardening in Zone 8a + a seasonal newsletter for hyperlocal garden wisdom, tips and inspiration from gardeners around Greenville, South Carolina.

Offline Time

By Lee Tilghman

A space for personal growth and authentic living, told through the words of a reformed ex-wellness influencer.

The Lucyverse

By Lucy Sweet

Random and sweary reviews of (pretty much) everything

Story Club with George Saunders

A place to explore the way the short story works.

Saunders' Story Club is ostensibly about the craft of writing—but is *actually* about living a meaningful life by way of telling meaningful, true stories. Sometimes this newsletter makes me cry.

- Lindsey DeLoach Jones

snack time

By Ariella Elovic

my deliciously messy human body and mind.

yard violet

By Kathryn Davé

a dispatch from life in the weeds by Kathryn Davé

Mad Woman

By Amanda Montei

Essays and conversations on books, culture, craft, language, and all sorts of madness. With a feminist writing group for founding subscribers.

Publishing Confidential

By Kathleen Schmidt

News and analysis about the book publishing industry that you won't read anywhere else.

Bitter Scroll

By Sara

Decoding the culture swaying American Christian identity.

Sara Billups writes beautifully (and smartly) about the people she calls "orphaned believers," Christians who find themselves homeless in a post-Trump America. If you nerd out about theology, deconstruction, and evangelical church culture, this is a good place to be.

- Lindsey DeLoach Jones

Science of Creativity

By Annie Murphy Paul

Scientific research on creativity, delivered twice a week

Wild + Waste

By Sarah Southern

A bi-weekly (sometimes weekly) newsletter exploring the practice of wonder and our connectivity to place, people, and the divine.

The Rewilded Life

By Shannon K. Evans

Finding our way back to a spirituality of presence, freedom, and mystery.