Make Sense of Substack – With illustrator Jo Scott

ONLINE workshop: ‘MakE Sense of Substack’ with Illustrator Jo Scott – 2.5 hours intro

*** THIS INTRODUCTARY WORKSHOP TOOK PLACE ON Wednesday 18 June. You can purchase with immediate access to the recording & presentation now by booking below. You will have access to the presentation & recording till 30 November 2025.

Are you curious about Substack and what it could do for your creative business or practice? Have you been wondering what Substack really is – and whether it’s worth your time?

Over the last few years Substack has become a very powerful tool and inspiring online community for many people, and it’s a very useful platform to explore as a creative, especially if you love writing or teaching, and want to create a deeper connection with your audience or even build an online community. And yes, generate extra income too! But, it can easily become another rabbit hole … taking up a lot of your time! It can also be a little confusing getting started and learning how to make the most of it.

This 2.5-hour live online workshop / presentation will give you an honest, and very practical introduction to Substack – what it is, what it isn’t, how it works, and how creatives can actually use it to grow their audience and creative business. We have invited artist / illustrator Jo Scott, who has grown her own Substack over the last 18 months, to host this special The Design Trust session to give you a real-life, inspiring and honest introduction to Substack from the perspective of a creative.

the key facts

• 2-hour online introduction to Substack from a creative’s perspective on Wednesday 18 June 10am – 12noon (UK time)
• Outcome: Find out if Substack is for you, how it works, how to get started and grow your own audience.
• Especially created for: Creative professionals who are curious about Substack, who love to write or teach, and explore different creative tools to build an online audience or community
• Tutor: Illustrator and artist Jo Scott, who has had a successful Substack for 18 months
• Time commitment: 2 hours for the training. Then it depends on how much time you want to spend on Substack – to read or to write!

Curious about substack?

Have you spent a bit of time on Substack, reading or following other creatives who write and share? Are you wondering if this is an alternative way to develop your creative ‘voice’ or to connect with creatives across the world who share your interests? Are you a writer or teacher and love sharing your interests, and connecting with and inspiring others?

We at The Design Trust are definitely keeping an eye on Substack … so we have invited illustrator & artist Jo Scott to share her personal experience and success on Substack with us.

• Have you heard of Substack and wonder what all the fuss is about?
• Have you explored Substack but are getting a bit confused about how it works and how it could work for you as a creative? What all the different terms mean, and what to post? And … how to make money from it?
• Do you want to get insights from a fellow creative?

We invited Jo to create this introductory workshop about Substack for creatives like you! Learn from a creative who will share her challenges and wins on Substack honestly to save you time and get you inspired what Substack could do for your creative practice and business.

what YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS 2.5-HOUR INTRODUCTION TO SUBSTACK FOR CREATIVES …

In this honest and practical session with illustrator Jo Scott, you’ll get…

• A clearer understanding of what Substack is, and how it can work for creatives. With real examples of how creatives (and especially those who love to write and teach!) are using the platform with newsletters or paid memberships to build their network and community beyond social media, get work and commissions, launch memberships or host online events, and sell digital products like courses or downloads. Jo will also compare it to Instagram and blogging.
• A real insight into how Jo is using Substack to grow her audience in the UK and internationally, attract new contacts and clients, and build a paid subscription offer. From her first post to growing an audience. The lessons, the mistakes and what’s made it sustainable for her.
• Honest, real life insights into what content works, how to find your own writing and publishing rhythm, and what’s worth your time.
• A live behind-the-scenes tour of the Substack platform: post formats, dashboard, Notes, Chat, paywalls, audio posts and more. You’ll feel more confident to get started with practical tips from Jo to make the most of this platform.
• Jo’s tips for getting started: How to plan content, set pricing (or stay free), and grow in a slow and joyful way. Jo will touch on boundaries and time management and also share what she would do differently now
• Proven strategies to grow your Substack audience, and potentially make money as a creative professional and or teacher.
• Q&A and next steps. We’ll wrap up with practical action prompts and time for questions with Jo.

This is a really thorough introduction to give you inspiration and real life insights.

who is this ‘maKE SENSE OF SUBSTACK’ workshop for?

We invited Jo to create this practical, beginner-friendly presentation, especially for …

• Creative professionals who have started a Substack but aren’t sure what to post, how to grow, or whether to charge.
• Artists, makers and designers who are looking for a slower but more meaningful way to share their processes, stories or work online.
• Creatives who teach workshops and are looking for alternative ways to sell digital products, host a paid community, or use Substack alongside their workshops or teaching.
• Creatives who feel exhausted by Instagram and want an authentic, less performative way to connect with their audience.

Substack is not just about writing! There are different creative formats that you can use and explore. This workshop is about using Substack as a creative platform, in a way that feels right for you.

FAQ: Got any further questions?

click the arrow to get your answers

• How much time will this workshop take?

  This inspiring online workshop is just 2 hours. Short & sweet!

  And if you can’t make it … no worries! It will be recorded and you will have access to the recording and presentation until 30 November 2025.

• I can’t make it on Wednesday 18 June in the morning. Is that a problem?

  We always recommend that you join The Design Trust workshops live if at all possible.

  But this short session will be recorded and posted on our private workshop hub. You will get access to the recording + presentation until 30 November 2025, so you can watch it whenever you like!

• I want to join with a friend. Can I share?

  When you pay for an online workshop from The Design Trust then you purchase a single license, which means that you can NOT share the recording or presentation with others.

  Like you, Jo is a creative and this workshop is full of her copyrighted material and expertise. If you share with others who haven’t paid then you are basically stealing from her. We know you wouldn’t like it if others did the same to you. So THANK YOU for not sharing with others.

  We keep the price of our workshops affordable, so that many creatives can join. If you have a creative friend who is also interested in Substack please tell them to purchase their own access by 17 July on www.thedesigntrust.co.uk

  If we find out that you have been copying or sharing our content then we will immediately remove you from the workshop and we have the right to bar you in the future too.

   

   

• Till when can I book this workshop? And how long do I have access to this workshop?

  We highly recommend that you try to sign up for this our workshop and join us live on Weds 18 June.

  However you can still sign up for this workshop’s recording until Friday 18 July. After that date this workshop will not be available for new students. All students will have access to the private hub with the workshop presentation + recording until 30 November 2025.

• What if I need to cancel?

  The workshop will take place on Weds 18 June from 10am – 12noon UK time, and we will record the session and give you access to the recording and the presentation till 30 November 2025.

  After this workshop has taken place we will not offer any refunds as you can still access the recording whenever you like.

  If you need to cancel before this workshop takes place then please email us on info@thedesigntrust.co.uk for a full refund. Unfortunately it takes 5 – 10 working days for the money to be returned to your bank account.

• I have another question …

  If you have any other questions then please get in touch with us on info@thedesigntrust.co.uk.

  We are a small team, but always happy to help.