The Best of 2024: Our Most Read Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Articles from the Year
Catch up on the most popular articles from our Substack newsletter and get ready for an exciting 2025!
As we put a pin in 2024, I’m so excited to share this roundup of the most-loved articles from our Substack this year. Whether you're a first-time writer or a seasoned storyteller, this curated list includes everything from actionable writing advice to strategies for launching and marketing your book.
This year brought so much growth, including the launch of paid subscriptions in August (thank you for your incredible support!), our first self-guided writing course on memoirs, and Blueprint on Marketing Your Book in 2025. My goal each week is to publish articles that inspire, equip, and empower you to take your writing and publishing dreams to the next level.
Before we get too far, first I’m curious what your writing or publishing goals are for 2025. Vote below, and let’s see how many of us are the same things for the new year!
Now, let’s take a look at the top articles readers enjoyed the most throughout the year! If you missed some of these, now is your chance to get caught up! Bookmark your favorites or print out the articles you need to keep close by.
Top Free Articles of 2024
Demystifying the Foreword: Understanding Its Purpose and Elements
What You Need to Know About Writing the Perfect Acknowledgments Page for Your Book
Nailing Your Book’s Table of Contents: Why It Matters and How to Do It Right
Demystifying ISBNs: Everything First-Time Authors Need to Know
Top Paid Articles of 2024
How to Use Your Life Events and More Tips for Writing a Memoir
Why You Should Start an Email Newsletter as a Self-Published Writer
Goodreads for Self-Published Authors: A Comprehensive Guide to Growing Your Audience
🖋️ Unleash Your Story: A Memoir Writing Course to Inspire, Reflect, and Create!
Telling Your Story Without Burning Bridges: The Ethics Behind Writing a Memoir
For more articles, hop back to our 2023 Year in Review. This time last year, we were only 56 articles into this little Substack project. Today, this article puts us at a total of 111 articles in just 20 months.
Final Thoughts
What an incredible year it’s been! We’ve had a lot of firsts together on Substack—the memoir writing course, the lengthy marketing blueprint guide, and the launch of paid subscriptions in August! The positive feedback from so many of you has been humbling.
As we head into 2025, I’m thrilled to announce our Writer’s Resolution Sale! Receive 50% off all paid subscriptions for one year and spend every week with me working toward achieving your writing, self-publishing, and book marketing goals!
A personal (and professional) goal of mine is to grow this community to 500+ total subscribers next year and have 10% of that total in paid subscribers. I can’t do it without a little help. If you find value in this newsletter, please send it to your writer friends, share your favorite articles on your social media accounts, and consider gifting an annual subscription to a fellow writer (especially while it’s on sale 😉).
Before you head off to enjoy the rest of your holidays, if you haven’t done so yet, please take 2 minutes to complete our Substack Readership Survey. Your input is invaluable, and it helps shape what we’ll create together in 2025.
Here’s my challenge to you for 2025
Chase your craziest dreams. Write that book you’ve been holding inside. Share your stories with the world. Because the world needs your words, your unique perspective, and the hope only you can offer.
Let’s make 2025 our boldest, brightest year yet!
Happy almost New Year,
Erika Bennett
You are reading Xulon Press Substack, a weekly newsletter about writing, self-publishing, author branding, and creative living from Content Manager, Erika Bennett. You can also find us on Pinterest, Instagram, the Xulon Press blog, and our website.