Substack Directory of Directories
I make lists of lists.
The ecosystem of Substack publications has reached a critical mass such that niche directories are self-organizing across the network. There’s an origin story behind how I came to create the HOME | Nature Directory, and I’ll bet there are interesting origin stories from the folks who’ve created the directories below, too. Many of them likely begin with a realization that it can be hard to find publications outside of those subjects that are more heavily promoted by the network — popular culture, politics, finance, and so on — as well as those published by public figures.
I’ve come across a wide array of Substack subject-matter directories that help bring together communities whose voices are not always as well-heard in this rather loud conversation we’ve found ourselves in. I’m sharing them in one spot to help readers gain access to what’s available — and to help writers and artists gain access to new readers. Please let me know about others you discover so I can add them here!
I’ll keep this post pinned for easy access on my homepage, which you can find here:
Directories
(Descriptions taken from curators’ pages)
The A-List
by: A-Stack and Fatima Mohammed
A catalogue of African Substack newsletters.
ADVENTURE Stack
by: Jesse C. McEntee
A curated directory of adventure-themed Substack publications.
Asian Writers’ Collective
by: Tiffany Chu
Directory of Asian Substackers writing both fiction and nonfiction.
Book Group Directory
by: Simon Haisell
Listing a growing network of book groups, book clubs, readalongs and slow reads on Substack. This directory lists active newsletters with current and upcoming reads. Titles include fiction, nonfiction, plays and poetry.
BookStack Directory
by: Abra McAndrew
An annotated directory of newsletters about books, hosted on Substack.
Cognitive Liberators of Substack
by: Ruth Gaskovski
Several writers on Substack have been relating their experience of quitting (or trying to quit) social media and other digital addictions. Stories can often deliver a better punch than a list of reasons to make this your moment to ditch your digital dependency and commit to cognitive liberty.
A growing collection of people and publications who write and share original music right here on Substack, in no particular order (yet).
The Cookout
by: Marc Typo
The Cookout Library is a virtual compilation of Black Writers on Substack.
This is a directory of Buddhist-inspired newsletters on Substack — many of which you won’t find by using Substack's search and category functions. This directory meets that need by offering curation of the many excellent Buddhist-inspired newsletters on Substack.
Directorio de Substack
by: David
Miles de newsletters y secciones. Acceso por temas.
Thousands of Spanish-language newsletters and sections. Access by topics.
FoodStack Library
by: Lynn Hill
FoodStack Library is committed to highlighting food writers, recipe creators and food bloggers of all audience sizes. It will be a valuable resource for anyone seeking recipes, information, narratives (Stories), and other information about food.
#FranceStack™
by: Judy MacMahon
A Francophile dream resource: Find the best Substacks for Francophiles in one place.
GiveBackStack Directory
by: Emily Kaminsky
The place to find Substacks that donate a portion of paid subscriptions to charitable concerns.
HOME | Nature Directory
by: Rebecca Wisent
Nature needed a home on Substack: a place where we can focus on the other-than-human, a place where we can look beyond our own concerns to find the beauty and awe that’s just outside our doors.
The Humor Stack
by: Kate Brennan
Do you wander Substack like a Roomba, bumping into walls, in an attempt to find the publications you need? That’s why we created Humor Stack! Now you don’t have to wander the world aimlessly alone. Now you can wander aimlessly with others.
The Library
by: J. M. Elliott and Winston Malone
With so many writers publishing full-length works of fiction here on Substack, as well as nonfiction works like biographies and memoirs, it became clear that readers need a central location to easily peruse and find books that interest them.
Our answer: The Library. An all-in-one resource for readers interested in discovering great reads and new authors.
Liminal Trickster Mystics
by: Geoffe
We are Liminal and don’t belong on any side of any polarity, we are Tricksters who don’t take anything too seriously, and we are Mystics who look for meaning in everything. Voila, the Liminal Trickster Mystic subculture.
Macabre Monday [Fiction]
by: Michele Bardsley
Welcome to the creepy celebration that is Macabre Monday on Substack Notes!
MicroStack | The Home of Microfiction
by: Erica Drayton
In the shortest of stories there still lies infinite possibilities.
Midstack
by: Jessica Smock and Steph Sprenger
An annotated library of Substacks from midlife women.
PARENTstack Directory
by: Erin Miller
A directory of essential parenting Substacks offering diverse perspectives, expert advice, and real stories for engaged parents.
A growing list of photography Substackers.
The Poetic Library
by: Saffron Morter-Laing
This directory provides poets of the Substack community with their own page, as well as interviews with poets and poetry discussions.
The Poets of Substack
by: Ana Wang
Here a poet does not have to wait for permission and validation. A poet does not even have to be a “poet”. A poet does not have to be a mystery to make mystery, and beauty, and wonder, and magic. A poet has a face, and a pulse, and a place.
Wanna meet some poets? Who knows, you might need just one.
Qstack | The LGBTQ+ Directory of Substacks
by: Mr. Troy Ford
Qstack is a directory, community, and platform for LGBTQ+ writers on Substack, published monthly.
SmallStack
by: Robin Taylor (he/him)
A collection of the finest newsletters with fewer than 1,000 subscribers, with special love given to the under 500 subscriber stacks out there.
SoberStack
by: Dana Leigh Lyons
An annotated directory of Substack newsletters devoted to addiction recovery and sobriety by writers spanning diverse ages, focus areas, and paths of recovery.
Society of History Writers
by: Holly A Brown
The only Substack community dedicated to sharing the history writing of its members to a global readership.
A directory of newsletters about life after trauma.
Sustainability at Work
by: Osbert Lancaster
A collection of publications with information, insights and advice to help you make greater progress on sustainability in, and through, your work, your business or organisation.
Threadstack
by: Kathryn Vercillo
A directory of publications celebrating crochet, knitting, embroidery, weaving, sewing, etc. on Substack.
Please reach out in the comments below or by email — fearlessgreen@substack.com — if you know of other user-created subject directories on Substack.
I’ll update this list from time to time. And as I mentioned, I’ll keep it pinned to my homepage for easy retrieval.
If you’re listed above and would like me to change or update any of your information, please let me know.
And enjoy your explorations through the wonderful work that’s on offer!
I dig this. Love a list. Love a list of lists. Cool. And helpful…in that way a list just always is.
By the way…do you ever include an item that you’ve already completed on a list that you’re compiling, just for the joy of ticking it off? This may be oversharing…but…I do!
This is such a great idea. Do you mind if I DM you?