Substacks recommended by Jeannine | Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette

Recommended by Jeannine

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

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

Sari Button's exploration of "... what it means to travel through time in a human body, at every phase of life." Highly recommended!

- Jeannine

Letters from an American

By Heather Cox Richardson

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Heather Cox Richardson's voice is one of the most prescient, most wise, and most incisive in this time of utter chaos and turmoil. As an historian, she brings context and nuance to current events in ways that few other voices do--and beyond that, she's plain-out brilliant and a pleasure to read!

- Jeannine

The Sharpener

By Sean Singer

Thinking through poetry

Necessary Salt by Joy Sullivan

What it means to be a woman in the world making slow, chewy art. Subscribe to receive a link to my free poetry workshop in your inbox!

But First Breakfast

By Suzanne Orrell

Daybreak eats, recipes and tales

Food is more than food, and Suzanne's newsletter knows that. I love this exploration of place, food, and loneliness.

- Jeannine

In the Writing Burrow

By Margaret Atwood

Whatever comes into my addled, shrinking brain.

Substack Writers at Work with Sarah Fay

Stay ahead of the curve—with the leading Substack Growth Strategist, Sarah Fay.

Sarah knows Substack inside and out, and combines her knowledge plus intuition, smart strategy, and incredibly generous vision to help Substackers reach more readers with less struggle! Super helpful!

- Jeannine

REASONS FOR LIVING with Esmé Weijun Wang

Step into a sanctuary curated by Esmé, featuring guest contributors like R.F. Kuang & Jenny Odell. Each edition presents essays & prompts exploring the beauty/complexity of being alive. Unlock 2 monthly essays & bonus resources with a paid subscription.

Changing The Channel with Kirsten Powers

New York Times bestselling author Kirsten Powers offers fresh thinking about how we can make big changes in our lives, communities and country.

The Art of Flash Fiction

By Kathy Fish

Free monthly Flash Fiction Craft Articles & Prompts / Weekly Posts & Community Writing Events for paid subscribers from Writer & Teacher, Kathy Fish

The Publishing Spectrum

By Amanda N. Bray

For Substack writers ready to stop treating their newsletter like a place to post and start tending it as a living publication — with editorial perspective, reader-aware frameworks, data tools and a craft-forward community for building work that lasts.

Cheryl Strayed's Dear Sugar

Welcome to Cheryl Strayed's newsletter. Everything is free right now. The paid "Dear Sugar" newsletter is currently on hiatus.

Story Club with George Saunders

A place to explore the way the short story works.

I love this Substack, and am a huge enduring fan of George Saunders's work, including his insightful, humorous, and always spot-on observations on revising our writing to suck a little less, and the art of being a little less of a turd ourselves in the process.

- Jeannine

Love Story

By Laura McKowen

Your life is a love story, just not the kind you think. An honest look at relationships, recovery, and writing from the bestselling author of We Are The Luckiest and Push Off from Here.

Beautiful, thought-provoking, and wise.

- Jeannine

Beyond with Jane Ratcliffe

Intimate, illuminating interviews with today’s greatest writers. 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's Beyond brings us deeply thoughtful, richly nuanced interviews with some of the most interesting working writers of our time. Love this newsletter.

- Jeannine

The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad

A newsletter for people seeking to transform life's interruptions into creative grist

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.

Brooke is a voice I turn to for wisdom in this ever-shifting landscape of publishing. And as a writer herself, she cares deeply about writing and writers. The fact that she also champions women writers? I'm all in.

- Jeannine

what now?

By mary g.

writing and talking about writing and other things (but mostly prompts)

Tia Levings, Writer

I'm here to help you understand Christian fundamentalism in the news, religious trauma, and trad wife reality so you can avoid the pitfalls and reclaim the future. 📚 NYT Bestselling author of A WELL-TRAINED WIFE and I BELONG TO ME

trust fall

By billie august

Everything Is An Emergency

By Bess Stillman

I'm Bess Stillman: ER doctor, writer, recent widow to Jake Seliger, who died of SCC of the tongue, and soon-to-be Mom to Athena. I write about the challenges of being corporeal. Here you'll find essays on life, death, cancer, love, health & healthcare.