Substacks recommended by Mary Ellen Gambutti

Recommended by Mary Ellen Gambutti

Once upon a time, I discovered I had many voices in my head and I needed a place to put them—then Substack came along. "To suggest is to create, to name is to destroy." —Stéphane Mallarmé

Words and Pictures by Pamela Leavey

Hello Readers! I am a Creative Writer & Photographer. I post my Poetry, Personal and Photo Essays, Daily Affirmations, Quotes of the Day and more, all to Inspire and Enlighten my readers. My posts are digital collages encompassing the world around me.

Human Stuff

By Lisa Olivera

A newsletter that explores the spiral of aliveness: the aches, the joys, and the liminal, from a therapist/writer/human.

Verbihund Café

By Kate Morgan Reade

Fetching fun with words and ideas

Potter Poems

By Jonathan Potter

Poetry in process by Jonathan Potter

Sundays with Stella

By Stella Kalaw

Processing life's moments through photography, collage and words - a creative practice as it happens.

The Clearing by Katherine May

A newsletter and community for wild minds, winterers and enchantment-seekers with internationally bestselling author Katherine May.

Kate Farrell's Substack

Includes 3 sections: ONCE UPON… a memoir of the heroine’s quest archetype that weaves fairy tale motifs throughout life events, WOVEN: Telling the Heroine's Journey, a monthly newsletter, and THE FAIRY TALE HEROINE, a guide to the heroine's journey.

Have you seen Kate's serialized memoir? It's wonderful!

- Mary Ellen Gambutti

Dispatch from Bewilderness

By Judith Hannah Weiss

Nominated for Best American Essay and Pushcart Prize. Proudly niche since 2006 in posts of 2 minutes or less. A Substack Bestseller. Subscribe FREE as long as Substack allows. No cost. No risk. No obligation.

Letters from an American

By Heather Cox Richardson

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Writerly Things with Brooke Warner

I am an author advocate, publisher of She Writes Press, co-founder of Memoir Nation, book industry insider, and champion to writers who show up to the page because they must.

Letters from a Psychotherapist

By j.e. moyer

Stories & clinical insights from a lifetime in the mental health world. Helping you see your own path more clearly.

Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance

By Joyce Vance

Worried about the state of the republic? Get the legal knowledge & analysis you need to be an advocate for democracy, along with a dose of savvy optimism.

Because we pay attention.

- Mary Ellen Gambutti

America, America

By Steven Beschloss

Essays of alarm and hope, on politics and society, democracy and justice. With passion and urgency.

The Book I Want to Write

By Paul Zakrzewski

Excavating how we tell our stories — in writing and in life. Back in 2026 with new essays, conversations, and a focus on writing, patriarchy, and the work of being honest. Home of The Book I Had to Write podcast.

Rick Wilson’s Against All Enemies

Tireless resistance to autocracy. Never out of the fight.

Magic of Memoir, Magic of Fiction by Linda Joy Myers

A newsletter about the joys of creating worlds on the page, and the transformative power of writing memoir and fiction!

Unstack Substack

By Kristi Keller 🇨🇦

I help fellow Substackers make the most of their time by unstacking all the back-end chores that come along with writing on this platform.

The Creative Shift by Dan Blank

Helping writers and creators share their work and connect with readers in meaningful ways. Digging deep into marketing, book launches, and platform development. Get my weekly newsletter every Friday.

The Lolo Report

Insight into national politics and elections from a seasoned and fearless independent journalist, delivered to your inbox daily so you can stay inspired and informed—while you push back on Trump and corporate media.

PREVAIL by Greg Olear

PREVAIL is a regular column about politics, history, national security, foreign affairs, organized crime, dirty money, global corruption, the fight for democracy—and, on Sundays, poetry and literature.

Lighthouse

By Alexander Semenyuk

Here you will find articles about faith, spirituality, family, psychology, as well as writing prompts, podcasts and videos. Come and engage in meaningful conversations dealing with our world and wellbeing.

Paige’s Substack

By Paige Strickland

My personal Substack

Paige is a pioneer in the adoption memoir genre, and a strong advocate for adoptee voices.

- Mary Ellen Gambutti

helloIndia!

By Jayshree

🌟 Join my Indian adventures! With humor and a global perspective, I explore its quirks and charms. I retell ancient stories in modern ways. Read my first-person accounts for insider views, to understand the chaos, and learn along the way! 🌏

A Writer's Notebook

By Summer Brennan

Home of Essay Camp and The Book Supplement.

Made From What's Not Real

By David Perlmutter

The writings and musings of Canadian historian and speculative fiction writer David Perlmutter

Conversations with Critters

By Heidi Zawelevsky

A newsletter celebrating animal antics

SmallStack

By Robin Taylor

A collection of the finest newsletters with fewer than 1,000 subscribers, with special love given to the under 500 subscriber stacks out there.

Fiona Myles

My passions in life are helping adoptees manage the difficulties they face. Parenting my little tornado who has a plethora of diagnoses, but is the sunshine in my life alongside some difficult dark days. And writing of course.

the salamander horde

By Thomas O'Donnell

Fiction Fact Poetry Photography Film Docu Athletics Serendipity Creatures ‘manning the outposts of Culture & Technology’ - Marshall McLuhan

Kiwiwriter47’s Substack

A Substack of subjects of interest to me...history, politics, writing, family, Asperger's, weird stuff, animals, and humor. For folks to enjoy. Angry trolls can go elsewhere.

Forgotten Poets

By Dick Whyte

A living anthology of short poems and pictures from the late-1800s and early-1900s.

FROM THE INTERSTICES

By From the Interstices by Stephanie Sweeney

Personal and lyric essays, flash fiction, short stories.

Sara’s Substack

By Sara Ness

Musings and teachings on the revolutionary practice of authentic connection

David Whyte

Poems, essays and commentaries as well as insights from my Three Sundays Series.

Sheila Bender’s Writing It Real Substack

By Sheila Bender Writing It Real

I established Sheila Bender’s Writing It Real Substack as a community resource to facilitate those who write from personal experience in poetry, memoir, fiction, and nonfiction; join me for instructional articles on writing craft and the writing life.

I've taken many of Sheila's writing courses, and have read her books. All have contributed to my growth as a writer. Highly recommend.

- Mary Ellen Gambutti

The Magical Muse Club

By The Poet Witch

A coven of creativity for poets, storytellers and creatives who write about the magic of life. (Page Paused)

Adoption Is Political

By Lisa Munro

adoption politics

Essential Nature

By Marsha Stopa

I write about how to reconnect with Nature, dropping into a slower rhythm so you can bring back the curiosity, awe and wonder the digital age has buried. I'd be honored to be your guide.

Karen’s Substack

By Karen Shelters

My personal Substack

Adoption Is Trauma

Adoptee-centered surrealism weaving trauma narratives from abandonment to anti-adoption.