Substacks recommended by The Raft

Recommended by The Raft

How tenderly we can name our place among each other, affirming our passing existence, one writhing heart of a planet in an otherwise empty universe.

Moudi Sbeity's poetry simultaneously grounds your feet on the wondrous earth while helping your spirit to soar.

- The Raft

Poetic Outlaws

A place for the outlaws of poetry and the written word.

This Being Human Thing

By Jan Hutton

Being human in a delicious mix of heart and humor.

Jan provides "warm, witty, and wise" in regular doses. (I'm especially fond of the "witty.") A lovely, light-filled voice!

- The Raft

Inside Reader

By Martha Nichols

A deep dive into books, media, and writing — and the impact of AI — by the author of FIRST-PERSON JOURNALISM

Seeing Things

By Liza Donnelly

New and unpublished drawings and thoughts for people who want to see more of life, from a New Yorker cartoonist. Drawings, cartoons, words, live drawing, process, politics, culture, more...

Wayfinding

By Mike Brcic

Inspiration, tips and tools for entrepreneurs seeking a more authentic and soulful experience of life. Writing by Mike Brcic, Chief Explorer, Wayfinders

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 Sharpener

By Sean Singer

Thinking through poetry

Poetry lovers! A daily set of curated poems with a thread of thematic connection. Lovely treat!

- The Raft

Dailyness

By Madeleine Dore

Observations on the varying rhythms of our days—and how we can be more present to the many lives within them ✨

The Art of Noticing

By Rob Walker Art of Noticing

Ideas, inspiration, and provocations for creativity, work, and staying human. From author Rob Walker.

Rob Walker helps me pay better attention. And have fun. A fabulous resource!

- The Raft

Letters from an American

By Heather Cox Richardson

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Maya C. Popa

Writing on the inner conditions of sustainable creative work

The Quiet Life with Susan Cain

The Quiet Life is for people who love quiet, depth, and beauty, and is read in all 193 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Join us for art, ideas, consolations, and candlelight chats. You'll never be forced to do anything groupy.

#AmWriting

By The #AmWriting Podcast

#AmWriting is a podcast and Groupstack hosted by KJ Dell’Antonia, Jess Lahey, Sarina Bowen, & Jennie Nash. Listen, read and join up for hard-won advice and inspiration to help you play big in your writing life and finish work that matters.

Substack Writers at Work | Sarah Fay

Your all-in-one guide to real Substack growth—with the leading Substack Strategist, Sarah Fay

Micro-Mindfulness Minutes

By Denise Pyles

Mindfulness in Minutes: Rebuild from Burnout. Subscribe, and receive The Burnout Recovery Toolkit: 50 Practical Micro-Mindfulness Habits + 9 Bonuses to help you rebuild calm, clarity, and energy without adding another demand to your days.

If you like to integrate mindfulness into your daily life, Denise Pyles has more concrete suggestions than you'll ever be able to use. Let her publication coach you up, as it does me!

- The Raft

The Muse is In

By jill badonsky

Creativity, humor, and mindfulness.

Creatively Conscious by Claire Venus

By Claire

Celebrate the beautiful reality of your dream life and business right here, right now. Updates from a slow-lived life on the Northumberland Coast, thoughtful tools to help enhance your creativity and wellbeing. 💫

Austin Kleon

Weekly art, writing, and creative inspiration from the author of Steal Like an Artist and other bestsellers.

If you're into "making stuff," or just love learning about stuff that's been (or is being) made by creative folks, Austin Kleon's fabulous insights into the creative process and his endless sharing of resources will delight you!

- The Raft

Building Bridges Word by Word

By Megan Scribner

Building Bridges Word by Word is a safe space where we can read each other's stories, discover what we have in common, and begin to build bridges across our divides.

These brief stories and reflections are little "joins" in the bridges of community that good, stout hearts are all laboring to build.

- The Raft

Fleeting Temples

By Danusha Laméris

Are we living inside a poem? A place to consider the altars of the ordinary.

Poetry Is Life

By James Crews

Each week I share poems, essays, and writing prompts meant to open the heart and nourish the soul.

Poems by James Crews are soul food. One bite at a time.

- The Raft

Organized Chaos

By Emilie Apel

Healing humanity and coming home to the Earth one poem, painting, garden, and body at a time.

✨ Every Day Poems

By tspoetry

Your poetry practice starts here...

The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad

A newsletter for people seeking to transform life's interruptions into creative grist

Hapitalist

By Russell Nohelty

Grow with joy, build the way you’re built, and make the money you want while staying true to your values.

Words That Fly

By Stephanie Carney

Stephanie's Substack for Daily Poems, Words That Fly

A daily dose of poetry soul food, thoughtfully curated.

- The Raft

Poetry Unbound

By Pádraig Ó Tuama

Open your world with poetry

Lovely. Just lovely. If you're into poetry, subscribe.

- The Raft

Weirdo Poetry

By Jason McBride

Discovering what it means to live a deeply human life.

A Moss Piglet Primer

By Krazines/Moss Piglet Primer

An online supplement to the Moss Piglet art and literature journal, providing news, insights, calls for submissions, recommendations, and profiles on Moss Piglet artists and authors.

Beyond with Jane Ratcliffe

The internet’s most intimate, illuminating interviews with today’s greatest writers—get an in-depth look into the craft of writing and what it means to be a heart-centered human in a hard world.

Ordinary Plots: Meditations on Poems + Verse

By Devin Kelly

Posting the occasional poem and the occasional meditation on that poem. Or, in other words: weekly essays on poetry and more.

Poetry & Ponderings with Julia Fehrenbacher

May this space feel like a poetic pause, like a shelter of kindness, like a deep, nourishing breath in the midst of the noise—a space where, together, we can plant & grow the truest things.

Julia has a soulful voice, as a poet and good ol' human being, that will help you explore your own.

- The Raft

Jane Hirshfield

poet, co-translator, essayist

Jane Hirshfield. The name alone is enough to commend the writing. Blessings be upon her and her work, and upon all who read her.

- The Raft

The Poetry Salon with Tresha Faye Haefner and Friends

By Tresha Faye Haefner

What does it mean to be a poet or even a person in the world today? Poet and creativity expert Tresha Faye Haefner interviews fellow poets about their writing, shares her take on their poems, and gives you honest stories about her journey towards poetry.

The Map is Mostly Water

By Simon Sarris

anecdotes, fables, tales, advice, photography, questions, sentiment, and ways to get lost in the forest

BLUE ATLAS

By Susan Rich Poet

Welcome to Blue Atlas! I'm a poet working to live a creative life with two cats and some African travel. Newest book: Gallery of Postcards and Maps: New and Selected Poems. I'm a fan of dark coffee and deep friendships. This is a space to honor poets.

Wonderful dive into poetry and poets, by a fine poet.

- The Raft

Paying Attention: A New Mindfulness Method

By Lanette Sweeney

We are all drowning in content. I'm trying to stem the tide by reflecting in writing on all the content I consume. And I hope you'll do the same and tell me about it!

The Growing Edge: With Carrie Newcomer & Parker J. Palmer

By The Growing Edge On Substack

The Growing Edge is hosted by author Parker J. Palmer & singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer. Life forever invites us to grow into new challenges, new adventures, new opportunities to learn and to serve. What’s your growing edge?

Two fabulous creative-spiritual leaders! So glad their podcast has perched on the Substack platform!

- The Raft

Undaunted Joy

By Shemaiah Gonzalez

The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight

SWWIM Every Day

SWWIM Every Day publishes a poem a day by women writers (she/they).

Sub Club

Submission opportunities for creative and professional writers.

A Gathering of Spirits

By Carrie Newcomer

Carrie Newcomer's music, poetry and commentary on art, spirit and life.

Carrie's music, writing, and presence are comforting and inspiring. Good medicine for the mind, heart, and spirit!

- The Raft

Writing in Company

By Julie Hester

Writing prompts and more to help you pay attention to what matters, and use your words for healing and resilience.

Julie Hester provides writing prompts that help you dig into the rich soil of your life.

- The Raft

The Pause

By On Being

A monthly Saturday morning companion to all things On Being, with heads-up on new episodes, special offerings, event invitations, recommendations, and reflections from Krista all year round.

Words on the Nature of Life

By Tom Titus

Reports from the messy interface of nature and the human experience.

Emerging Form

By Christie Aschwanden

A newsletter about creativity from Christie Aschwanden and Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, makers of Emerging Form, a podcast about the creative process.

I had the joy of being interviewed for this amazing podcast about the creative process, co-hosted by poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer and journalist Christie Aschwanden. Great inspiration for makers!

- The Raft

Great Books + Great Minds

By Diamond-Michael Scott

Great Books, Great Minds is a member-supported digital community with a mission of “Igniting a New World of Community, Connection, and Conversation, One Book at a Time

The Poet's Circle

By Ellen Rowland

A welcoming place for the poetry curious to discover and discuss poetry, form, and craft

Ellen's poetry speaks straight to the heart without bypassing the mind. Ordinary melds with the spiritual. Plain becomes luminous. Language, beautiful.

- The Raft

Silentium

By Andō

Notes from the edge of silence. Explorations of the inner landscape, through silence, stillness, meditation, contemplation, and prayer.

For those who value the silence.

- The Raft