Have you noticed how everyone is starting a newsletter on Substack?
Last month, four people I follow on Twitter started a newsletter:
- Uzair Younus launched Pakistonomy where he does deep dives into Pakistan’s economy.
- Kalsoom Lakhani launched The Rabbit Hole where she plans on curating all things interesting.
- Aadil Maan launched Building Rome(s) where he writes about managing technology programs and shipping world-class products.
- Hamza Mahmood launched Takhleeq where he shares his thoughts on the state of design, technology, and art in Pakistan.
According to Substack’s CEO, the readership and writership have doubled since the pandemic started. People are reading more and writing more. And it shows.
Uzair got 250 subscribers within 24 hours of tweeting that he will be starting a newsletter. Later he tweeted that he had passed 400. That’s no small feat.
Yes, he already has an audience due to his podcast. Or it could be this:
That’s my inbox. I have an alert set up on Google Trends for ‘newsletter’ searches in Pakistan.
What I am highlighting here is both supply and demand. And given how easy it is to set up a newsletter on Substack, it’s no surprise that it’s the popular choice. On top of that, Substack has a paid newsletter option giving writers an opportunity to earn a side income or go full-time.
Here are some newsletters, tech-related or otherwise, that I know of authored by Pakistanis on Substack:
DYL Ventures, Advertising Insights, Tech Geeks Pakistan, Memon Mondays, Hamnawa, Made in Pakistan, Ejaad-Nama, and Chapter One.
(hit reply and let me know if I missed someone)
Question is, once the pandemic is over and people have less time to read and write, will the trend dissipate? Yes, some newsletters will go dormant, some will flourish. That’s just how things work.
I believe there is an appetite for original and informative insights that lands straight in your inbox.
