5 Ways to Share About Yourself & Your Work — So Readers Know YOU Are Their Next Favorite Substack

A conversation with Lucy Werner of “Hype Yourself”

This month inside The Publishing Spectrum, we’ve been exploring what it really takes to extend the life of our work and create lasting resonance — not just reach.

We’ve talked about using the Nudge Cycle to re-engage readers, designing creative rhythms that support sustainable publishing and understanding how our writing performs — not to optimize for clicks, but to amplify connection.

To round out April, I wanted to bring in a trusted voice on one of the most nuanced parts of that equation: personal visibility.

Because for many of us — myself included — the challenge isn’t just “how to promote,” it’s how to bring ourselves into the conversation in ways that feel aligned, alive and natural to our work.

So I invited

Lucy Werner

publisher of Hype Yourself and a generous guide on all things creative PR, to help us reimagine how we talk about our work — not as self-promotion, but as strategic storytelling.

I’ve been a paid subscriber to Lucy’s Substack since late 2023, and her frameworks have helped me clarify not just how I share, but why. I think they’ll do the same for you.

In this conversation, Lucy shares 5 grounded ways to make yourself more findable — without feeling like you’re selling yourself. She also offers questions and prompts that are perfect for team discussions, editorial retreats or your next quiet morning with a notebook.

Let’s dive in.

Amanda: Your Substack is called Hype Yourself, so of course you’re going to tell us to promote our publications. But why should we really care about this — especially those of us who don’t feel “built” for self-promotion?

Lucy: There’s a sea of Substack educators telling us to use Notes, turn on Recommendations, start writing pods… and that’s all fine. But you know what’s really fun? Promoting our work in a way that’s actually fun for us — and makes our audience feel good, too.

If you take one thing from this conversation, let it be this: Promoting your newsletter can be enjoyable. I’m here to help you find your version of that joy.

And I know you know this, Amanda, but just anyone reading is wondering what makes me qualified — I’ve walked the walk. I ran a PR and branding agency in East London for years before moving to rural France, where I now teach thousands of people how to promote themselves. I’m still growing my own Substack using the same tools I share with you. Big agency background, 10 years of running my own consultancy, and now this — helping you Hype Yourself, in your own words.

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Amanda: What stops people from talking about their own work — and how can they start shifting that?

Lucy: I literally keep a running word cloud of all the reasons people don’t promote themselves. You’re not alone. Take a look:

Obviously, I can’t magically fill you with self-belief. But I can remind you of this — if you’re here reading this, it’s likely because you’re self-employed (or heading that way) and you’re working toward a purpose bigger than yourself.

If we don’t share what we’re doing, people don’t know how to support us. Full stop.

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Amanda: OK, so let’s get practical. What are 5 low-effort, non-cringey ways to start sharing about yourself? Especially for Substack creators.

Lucy: OK, here are five I swear by:

1. Show a bit of ankle.
   We connect to you, not just your content. Try sharing something small — a Note, a song, an article, a thought in your Instagram story. It doesn’t need to be about your newsletter. It can be what you’re doing today, or just something that made you feel something.

2. Mini routines.
   You don’t like promoting, so you do nothing. Sound familiar? Try a micro-ritual. I start my day by posting the weather from my lake view in France. Today? “The clouds are playing hide and seek in the lake.” It doesn’t sell anything — but it starts something.

3. Hype your own work.
   I absolutely heart and restack my own posts. Every time. It’s a practice in self-belief — and if I won’t back my words, who will?

4. Recycle, shamelessly.
   I re-share my most-read pieces again and again. One of my top-performing posts is over a year old — and still gets traffic.

5. Share others.
   Easiest PR move there is. Re-share work you love. It puts you in the company of the creators you want to be seen with — and it’s generous, too.

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Amanda: What’s a smart way to share why you started your Substack — without making it feel all about you?

Lucy: Flip it. Make it about them.

Sure, I know all the reasons I started Hype Yourself. But ultimately, I want you to feel better about promoting your work. You’re going to leave the world better than you found it — and if my words help with that? Great.

So now your turn: Tell me in the comments — how does your newsletter help me? Or if not me, who’s it for? (It’s OK if it’s not for everyone — it shouldn’t be.)

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Amanda: How can Substack publishers naturally weave personal details into their work — without it feeling forced or “off-brand”?

Lucy: Try this mini-exercise — it’s a fave in my workshops.

Grab a notebook. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Write down ideas under these 3 buckets:

• Business Expertise (what you know)

• Human Interest (who you are)

• Passion Points (what lights you up)
  

See how much you can get down in 10 minutes. Spoiler: You’ll probably keep going. These are the threads you can pull into your writing over time — bit by bit.

No story is too boring. No anecdote is too small.

Remember the clouds hiding in the lake I mentioned earlier? You remembered that, right?

That’s the power of adding a human detail. It separates you from AI, your peers and your competition.

💬 Your Questions For Lucy

Today Lucy will be available in the comments to talk about all things personal PR and sharing about yourself and your Substack publication. Were there any parts of Lucy’s guidance that surprised or challenged you?

Let’s practice hyping our publications in the comments!

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Don’t forget to sign up to read Lucy’s newsletter, Hype Yourself. My favorite part is the monthly mini lists of media and publications that are looking for pitches. It stretches my brain every time and fills in a gap on my promotional rhythms for my own newsletter!