This was our inaugural event, resulting in a short video to share along with notes about tips, discoveries, and ah-ha moments gleaned from the hour. Join us next month, on October 8th!
Newbie here : I think I am still confused about posts and notes - essentially a post needs to be reposted as a note to start a conversation ... is that right? I am also confused about restacking - how is that different to likes? It seems to be additional.
Oh, Anne, you're the honest kid who sticks here hand up and asks the question all the rest of the kids were dying to ask but were afraid to... That's a very good question. Let me attempt to answer.
First, realize that Substack has had "Notes" only about a year, so it existed for a long time without them. That's probably the key reason why "old timers" aren't confused. Here's the post where they announced them https://on.substack.com/p/introducing-notes
Let me back up and try to lay out the key bits as this gives you the language you can use to explore support.substack.com or the chatbot in the dashboard in your publication with more specific questions. Again, the chatbot is almost frighteningly good. Also keep in mind that though it can't accept screenshots, it can answer questions for you about your configuration. (Amazing, and counter to most conversations with support.) So... on to the bits:
Substack has four kinds of mostly text content elements:
1. A post which is (as it sounds) basically an email that creates a blog post with comments. It can be primarily text, video, or audio (and of course images and text mixed with all) A post always adds the option of comments.
2. A comment... I'm raising this as separate from a post only in that there are some subtle differences in things you can do in a post vs. comments, though that's changing fast.
3. A chat entry (either as the "chat thread" started by a publication for their subscribers OR as a direct message, DM, shared directly with another Substacker.)
4. A note. Ah... out of context, probably the most confusing.
- Quite simply a note is like a mini-post. It can pop out there all by itself and can be created by a Substacker who has a "@handle" and an account, but no publication. (Go to Substack.com/@yourhandle and look for the grey box tap in it and start typing. Just to be confusing, the button reads "post" (because that's a verb here, the noun is a note. Go figure.))
- A Note has other special qualities for auto-links and substack lookups just like a post, and (sometimes) when you start a new comment you can also automatically create a note from a comment. Not when it's an answer to another comment, like this one.
- A note that includes a full valid URL also has a magical quality in embedding that link. Create a new note (go ahead, I'll wait...) then paste in a link to any YouTube link (could be something from YouTube.com/@projectkin, for example... 😉) and it will preview very nicely. Paste a link to any Video post and magic happens... they directly play in the note. (Very nice! See Projectkin.org/recipes for examples to test with.)
Now part of why it's so confusing is there are ways in which these fancy behaviors get in each other's way and don't work as a user would expect.
In notes, for example, @-names for individual accounts work, like @projectkin, but they don't work for the @projectkin community forum. Weird. Neither works in comments. All links work in comments, but they auto-link after you hit post. Also since the @-name function is really a magical search on the back end, the software is sometimes confused when you type after an @-name. You have full formatting in posts, some in Notes and virtually none in comments or chat. I have no idea why. If you include more than one URL in Notes you have a race condition about which one will preview.
Honestly, most of these weird behaviors are because they're still refining features.
I honestly take them as a good sign because they're actually working on improving the software. I hope that's a help. Feel free to reach out in a DM (go to "chat" then look for the second menu item at the top and start typing @projectkin.
It was a very fun session, though we missed you. 🥰. Since this is scheduled in the middle of the night for our friends down under, I wanted to make sure in principle everyone can always participate from afar… and after hours. 🤓
Sep 11·edited Sep 11Liked by Barbara at Projectkin
How amazingly in-depth and helpful this post is! I listened to the recording to understand some of the substack language'—yes, that worked. I read the summary of the questions and the answers—phew, so much learning here, I will need to come back to absorb these instructions. My OBT from this investment of time was understanding where to find all of the options in my Settings. Found where to add my address to my newsletters—job done!
I learnt new things and had fun. That’s a win! I’m loving finding my tribe here
And we're delighted to have you. ❤️
Newbie here : I think I am still confused about posts and notes - essentially a post needs to be reposted as a note to start a conversation ... is that right? I am also confused about restacking - how is that different to likes? It seems to be additional.
Oh, Anne, you're the honest kid who sticks here hand up and asks the question all the rest of the kids were dying to ask but were afraid to... That's a very good question. Let me attempt to answer.
First, realize that Substack has had "Notes" only about a year, so it existed for a long time without them. That's probably the key reason why "old timers" aren't confused. Here's the post where they announced them https://on.substack.com/p/introducing-notes
Let me back up and try to lay out the key bits as this gives you the language you can use to explore support.substack.com or the chatbot in the dashboard in your publication with more specific questions. Again, the chatbot is almost frighteningly good. Also keep in mind that though it can't accept screenshots, it can answer questions for you about your configuration. (Amazing, and counter to most conversations with support.) So... on to the bits:
Substack has four kinds of mostly text content elements:
1. A post which is (as it sounds) basically an email that creates a blog post with comments. It can be primarily text, video, or audio (and of course images and text mixed with all) A post always adds the option of comments.
2. A comment... I'm raising this as separate from a post only in that there are some subtle differences in things you can do in a post vs. comments, though that's changing fast.
3. A chat entry (either as the "chat thread" started by a publication for their subscribers OR as a direct message, DM, shared directly with another Substacker.)
4. A note. Ah... out of context, probably the most confusing.
- Quite simply a note is like a mini-post. It can pop out there all by itself and can be created by a Substacker who has a "@handle" and an account, but no publication. (Go to Substack.com/@yourhandle and look for the grey box tap in it and start typing. Just to be confusing, the button reads "post" (because that's a verb here, the noun is a note. Go figure.))
- A Note has other special qualities for auto-links and substack lookups just like a post, and (sometimes) when you start a new comment you can also automatically create a note from a comment. Not when it's an answer to another comment, like this one.
- A note that includes a full valid URL also has a magical quality in embedding that link. Create a new note (go ahead, I'll wait...) then paste in a link to any YouTube link (could be something from YouTube.com/@projectkin, for example... 😉) and it will preview very nicely. Paste a link to any Video post and magic happens... they directly play in the note. (Very nice! See Projectkin.org/recipes for examples to test with.)
Now part of why it's so confusing is there are ways in which these fancy behaviors get in each other's way and don't work as a user would expect.
In notes, for example, @-names for individual accounts work, like @projectkin, but they don't work for the @projectkin community forum. Weird. Neither works in comments. All links work in comments, but they auto-link after you hit post. Also since the @-name function is really a magical search on the back end, the software is sometimes confused when you type after an @-name. You have full formatting in posts, some in Notes and virtually none in comments or chat. I have no idea why. If you include more than one URL in Notes you have a race condition about which one will preview.
Honestly, most of these weird behaviors are because they're still refining features.
I honestly take them as a good sign because they're actually working on improving the software. I hope that's a help. Feel free to reach out in a DM (go to "chat" then look for the second menu item at the top and start typing @projectkin.
This https://on.substack.com/p/introducing-notes was most helpful. Thanks @Barbara at Projectkin
thank you - still figuring it out but I will get there
What a great session recap! Thank you for summarizing what some of us were not able to see in person. So helpful!
It was a very fun session, though we missed you. 🥰. Since this is scheduled in the middle of the night for our friends down under, I wanted to make sure in principle everyone can always participate from afar… and after hours. 🤓
Good idea. I was playing with my grandson, so that’s my excuse! 🥰🤣
The best use of time. You get a gold start 💫
How amazingly in-depth and helpful this post is! I listened to the recording to understand some of the substack language'—yes, that worked. I read the summary of the questions and the answers—phew, so much learning here, I will need to come back to absorb these instructions. My OBT from this investment of time was understanding where to find all of the options in my Settings. Found where to add my address to my newsletters—job done!
Oh, I’m so glad. I’m always worried that our members down under get left out. We can use this format again.
Can’t wait to dig into this!