Substack is not a Writers Platform

Here is a draft you can send or adapt for your fellow writers to explain the editorial limitations of Substack and why moving to a modern publishing platform like Ghost makes sense.

Subject: Why Substack’s editor is holding our work back (and why I’m moving)

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a quick update about The Signal Fires and pass along a few observations regarding the tech side of our publishing workflow.

The short version: I’m transitioning my publication off Substack.

While Substack has done a great job building a social discovery network (like Notes), the longer I use its publishing platform, the more frustrating its core writing and editing features become. If your writing relies on anything beyond plain text—like charts, graphics, structured data, clean buttons, or downloadable files—Substack constantly gets in the way.

Here are the main issues I’ve hit with Substack’s editor, along with the reasons I’m moving:

1. Outdated Editor & Weak Media Integration

Substack is essentially an email client disguised as a blogging platform. Because email rendering standards are heavily restricted, Substack’s editor strips down formatting.

• You can’t easily insert raw HTML blocks or embed custom code.
• Try adding an interactive chart, a custom support button (like Ko-fi), or a download link, and you end up having to hack together multi-step workarounds or settle for plain image fallbacks.
• Basic visual tools—like callout boxes, custom side-by-side images, or saved reusable components—don’t exist or require absurd hoops.

2. Rigid, Cookie-Cutter Layouts

Every Substack publication looks identical. They force a bare-bones layout on every writer. If you want a clean, professional digital publication where you control your fonts, page structures, or headers/footers natively, Substack treats those basic demands as “too complex”.

3. Poor SEO & Site Control

Substack optimizes for inbox delivery, not search engine visibility. You have virtually zero control over post meta descriptions, canonical tags, or site structure. That means search engines give authority to Substack’s main platform rather than building real long-term SEO value for your personal domain.

4. The Business Model Shift

Substack has turned into a “guru echo chamber” where a massive chunk of top content is just people selling courses on how to sell courses on Substack. On top of that, taking a 10% cut of paid subscriptions forever becomes an expensive tax as an audience grows, especially when the editorial tools remain so basic.

Where I’m Heading Next: Ghost

I’m moving The Signal Fires over to Ghost.

Unlike Substack, Ghost is a true modern publishing system designed around a flexible, block-based editor:

• Native Rich Media: You can drag and drop PDFs, interactive data charts, clean callout cards, audio, video, and custom code directly into posts with two clicks.
• Reusable Content: You can save buttons, footers, and signatures as native snippets to drop into any article instantly.
• Full Brand Ownership: Total layout freedom, custom themes, fast page speeds, and complete SEO control.
• 0% Platform Fees: They charge a flat hosting fee instead of taking a 10% cut of your subscription revenue.

Substack makes it easy to export both your subscriber email list (.csv) and all past posts (.zip), so moving takes less than 10 minutes using automated migration tools.

If you’ve been feeling restricted by Substack’s editor or want a workspace that feels more like a professional publishing engine than a stripped-down text box, it may be worth exploring your options.

But drop me a line at devon.levack@gmail.com. Come with me and we start something new!

Best,

Devon

The Signal Fires