Substack and Media Newsletters on the Rise

Public RelationsExpert Advice
Written By Jessica Parker

With each day, there seems to be a new Substack. The media industry continues to shift under our feet. Layoffs are en masse at larger companies that used to be unshakeable and household names. It’s an important moment and impetus for these amazing writers and content creators to take control of their own destinies by building and owning their own audience — something an employer cannot take from them. The interesting part is that a lot of writers were being hired because of their audience/following, and it was a part of the interview process. The writers who are already building up their audience are perfectly primed to take their power back by leveraging them. It gives them more opportunities to monetize their knowledge and pursue creative stories or ideas a publication might decline or monetize themselves. 

As publicists, it’s giving us an opportunity to get to know our favorite writers, and what they’re working on, and see a different style and voice via their newsletters — helping us cut through all the HARO clutter responses. Substack has become the new ‘it’ platform. Diversity in revenue streams has reached the mainstream and sometimes travel can be a bit behind the curve. I’m excited to see this revolution and hone in on being an even better source. 

Please find a helpful resource below and always happy to add to this if I missed any good ones! 

Another platform and way to support writers are Buy Me a Coffee, which powers Meena’s lovely newsletter channel. 

Travel Media Substacks: 

Other Travel Newsletters

Food & Drink Substacks & Newsletters:

A list from my colleague Stephanie Avilés on food & drink media newsletters to consider:

  • The Mix with Robert Simonson https://robertsimonson.substack.com/

  • Everyday Drinking with Jason Wilson (author of Boozehound, Godforsaken Grapes, and The Cider Revival) https://www.everydaydrinking.com 

  • The Tipsy Traveler with Tyler Zielinski  https://tylerzielinski.substack.com/

  • Rum Wonk: If you want to get nerdy about rum, I highly recommend subscribing to Rum Wonk on Substack, Matt Pietrek’s newsletter on all things r(h)um, and cane spirits. Matt is a writer known for his work on his site Cocktail Wonk and the co-author of the recently released book Modern Caribbean Rum (at 800+ pages, quite literally a rum bible for the modern age.)  https://www.rumwonk.com/  

  • Brad Thomas Parsons - Love amaro and music? Brad Thomas Parsons’ (authority on Amaro and author of bitters, amaro, last call, distillery cats) Last Call is a must-read for all things bitter. BTP also does a feature every Friday where he talks to bartenders, chefs, musicians, writers, and other cool people about their favorite dive bars, and they share a hand-picked, annotated 10-song playlist. https://bradthomasparsons.substack.com/ 

  • From The Desk of Alicia Kennedy - San Juan-based food & drink writer Alicia Kennedy puts out a weekly essay on issues in food, from politics and climate change to culture and labor. Paid subscribers get a “from the kitchen” dispatch every Friday with some really special recipes. https://www.aliciakennedy.news/ 

  • a. newsletter - Food writer Alison Roman’s newsletter contains inspiring stories and of course, amazing recipes https://anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/ 

Subscribe: Trip Whisperer Newsletter

The Trip Whisperer newsletter has been a great mode of communication with my network, both personal and professional. It’s meant to be a peek into the life of a travel publicist, travel planning, and ideas for inspiration. The newsletter doesn’t come more than once a month, so you will never be inundated.

Jessica Parker
Previous

2023: Being Intentional & Ways to Work with Trip Whisperer
Next

Where to Travel in 2023