A 16-Step Path to Publishing Your First Thoughtful Essay
The Expert Substack Startup Guide
Build your Substack with clarity—one focused step per day.
From account setup to your first published essay, without content chaos, tech spirals, or “what should I write?” paralysis.
It’s a guided daily practice for experts who want to write publicly—without burning out or second-guessing themselves.
Who This Is For
If you’re being honest, the problem isn’t that you lack ideas. It’s that:
You want to write consistently—but get stuck at the starting line
You know Substack matters for visibility, but it feels oddly intimidating\
You’re an expert with depth, not a “post every day” marketer
You don’t want templates that flatten your thinking
You want structure without pressure
You don’t need another productivity system.
You need a clear sequence and permission to move slowly and publish anyway.
How It Works
A 16-Day Guided Journey. Each day inside the app includes:
A specific task (what to do today—nothing extra)
Clear context so you know why it matters
Reflection prompts to help you articulate your thinking
Optional AI prompts to support—not replace—your voice
Visual cues that help you track progress without overwhelm
You can move faster or slower—but the path is already designed.
Who Made This Guide For You?
Stephanie Thrower, PhD is a psychologist and coach who helps experts turn deep thinking into structured frameworks, reflective tools, and sustainable visibility systems.
Her work blends:
vocational & identity psychology
ethical AI design
long-form writing as thought leadership
This guide reflects how she personally uses Substack—as a place to think in public without losing nuance.
Why Is This Free?
This guide exists because too many thoughtful experts stay invisible—not because they lack insight, but because there’s no gentle (enough) on-ramp into public writing.
This is that on-ramp.
No pressure to monetize, but hey that would be cool...
No requirement to perform or be "good enough"
Just clarity, structure, and forward movement.
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