Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist & Seasoned Author: Learn the Basics, Stay Motivated, Grow Your Paid Subscribers, & Thrive with ... Mastery, Excellence, and Eminence Series)

by Mehmet Yildiz

August 2025 This book now has an updated version titled Substack Mastery V2 with extended content and insights gained after 12 months of additional experience. The Substack Eminence as a Neurostrategic Blueprint, which is for ultra-advanced writers, is also ready for purchase on Amazon markets.

Are you ready to transform your approach to digital content creation, marketing, and growth? If so, I want to introduce you to a powerful yet simple tool and Substack.com. My goal is to show you how to master this tool and platform with joy. Therefore, I called it Substack Master, also the name of my community on this platform.
Imagine stepping into the world of online writing, overwhelmed by competition and noise, unsure how to stand out. This book is your guide, helping you navigate these challenges with clarity and confidence. Drawing on over 45 years of experience in content strategy, marketing, and technology, I've spent the last five years deeply involved in Substack’s ecosystem, and now I'm sharing everything I've learned.
This book is a practical, honest guide filled with lessons from my journey to growing a Substack to 245,000+ subscribers and earning endorsements from thousands of fellow writers. If you’re a freelance writer, book author, or content entrepreneur, you'll find actionable strategies to help you discover your unique voice, grow your audience, and build a sustainable income stream from your newsletters.
You’ll learn how out with content that deeply resonates with your readers.Attract and retain subscribers using proven strategies.Turn your newsletter into a reliable source of income.Overcome common obstacles based on my hard lessons.Create a thriving content ecosystem that supports long-term growth.Most importantly, I authored this book in simple, relatable language, drawing on my personal experience on Substack and other platforms over the last four decades to provide you with practical tips you can use right away. There are no flashy promises, just real-world guidance grounded in years of hands-on experience and perspiration.
By the end of this book, you’ll feel confident in your ability to grow your audience, build a thriving newsletter and a community around it, and make an impact in the content world. Plus, you'll gain access to my supportive Substack Mastery community, ready to guide and help you on your writing journey.

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2024

About the author

I am the author of multiple books about science, technology, enterprise architecture, digital transformation, and content marketing strategy. As a content strategist, I built an extensive writing and reading community on Medium and Substack.

I am a technologist, a postdoctoral researcher in cognitive science, a published author, an editor, and a digital marketing strategist with four decades of industry experience. I have my author platform at digitalmehmet content ecosystem: https://digitalmehmet.com/

I have 3 Substack newsletters covering health, technology, and content strategy. My Substack profile is https://substack.com/@drmehmetyildiz

I regularly write articles on Medium on eclectic topics. You can access my articles on https://dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com/

I am also a writer for Vocal Media. Here is my profile where you can read my stories free of charge. https://vocal.media/authors/dr-mehmet...

On Medium, I established ILLUMINATION, ILLUMINATION-Curated, ILLUMINATION 'S MIRROR, ILLUMINATION Book Chapters, Technology Hits, SYNERGY, and Readers Hope publications, supporting 38,000+ writers on Medium.

I can be contacted via my author platform https://digitalmehmet.com/contact
You can connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehmetyildiz

You may subscribe to my account to be notified when I post on Medium https://dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com/s...

My personal publication about health, mental health, fitness, relationships, leadership, and spirituality is called Euphoria. https://medium.com/sensible-biohackin...

If you are a freelance writer or a book author, I invite you to join our Udemy course, From Zero to Substack Hero, as a beta learner with an 85% discount to benefit from the advanced levels 4, 5, and 6 as a bundle. Details are in the official page: https://digitalmehmet.com/from-zero-t...

Reviews

[Dr Michael Broadly]

As a grateful protégé of Dr. Mehmet Yildiz on Medium and Substack, I had the privilege of being a beta reader for the Substack Mastery book. This experience was transformative.
The book not only helped me launch my Substack effortlessly but also empowered me to rapidly build a thriving community of engaged subscribers. Its practical, step-by-step guidance saved me an immense amount of time and frustration, allowing me to confidently navigate the platform with joy and purpose.
What sets this book apart is its depth and precision—it’s a masterclass in audience building, content strategy, and genuine connection. I wholeheartedly believe that anyone serious about turning their Substack into a successful business should consider this book essential. It’s packed with actionable insights that took me from uncertainty to confidence in no time. Thanks to this incredibly well-crafted and comprehensive resource, I now feel more empowered and excited than ever about my Substack journey.
I also wrote articles realated this book and link them here for interested readers.
https://medium.com/illumination-curat...
https://medium.com/illumination-curat...
https://medium.com/illumination-curat...

[Anamika Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Mehmet's book has all the information one needs to develop a strategy, build consistency, and conquer the platform Substack. While changes in distribution algorithms in platforms like medium.com are causing a blow to established writers, Substack can be a great place to redirect the audience, and this book shows the way. It also offers cross-platform interaction to reuse the already produced work which I think is a brilliant approach every writer must learn. This book is not only information-packed about established topics like writing strategy, monetization, and community building but also discusses subtle aspects of writing such as engagement and resonance with readers. Additionally, the deep-dive case studies of various aspects of Substack really form a well-rounded approach, only a highly prolific writer can provide. It can help new writers and even seasoned professionals who are looking to level up their knowledge about growing on new platforms. Dr Mehmet has over 2 decades of experience in writing, he has witnessed the technologies and platforms to emerge and evolve, it is no exaggeration to call this book a holy grail for anyone who wants to conquer Substack in 2024.

[Svyatoslav · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of this book, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, is a recognized professional in content creation. I’ve been subscribed to his newsletters on Medium and Substack for a long time, and his results speak for themselves. Just look at how many followers he has and the amazing communities he has built. In this book, Mehmet shares his experience in content creation and distribution openly, with no hidden sales tactics, which makes the book invaluable. I highly recommend everyone to read it.

[Muhmmed Yakub · Rating 5 out of 5]

The content is awesome. Covered practical tips in-depth to apply to grow in "substack" wisely and financially. Must for every content creator or who want to be a content creator. Great insights are shared, so be ahead of the game.

[Alka Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet the Dark Horse to conquer Substack

Understanding a business model inside and out can help you dominate it for revenue generation. I had the privilege of being a beta reader of the present version of the book. It gives a unique perspective on Substack features and educates us on how to leverage and utilise them as per our chosen specialization for income.

Rather than projecting Substack as an e-mail letter platform for growing connections or trying a hand at writing, the author has brilliantly used his vast and extensive knowledge in cross domains and has explored Substack to its minutest level.

The strength of the book is the expert blending of multi-domain knowledge with concrete evidence and statistical analysis to prepare a growth map in Substack.

It highlights the concept of creator-reader mutualism. The author insists on building a loyal base of readers by gaining their trust. He also mentions its importance in the virtual world where a thin line blurs the reality from the facade.

The book is a gem and a wonderful resource amidst a plethora of knowledge. The author’s strong belief in growing together to build a community for the greater good makes it really special.

I highly recommend the book ‘Substack Mastery’ by Dr. Mehmet Yildiz.

[Britni Pepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came along at just the right time for me. After years on Medium, I'm moving to Substack and so many things are different. I have a wealth of options and opportunities and it is so very good to have a guide like Doctor Yildiz to show the detailed way.

Not just dealing with the platform but effective strategies on how to grow your Substack audience, reach out to subscribers, monetize your Substack newsletter, and develop a Substack content strategy for writers.

The author knows his stuff as editor and leader of a large writing community on Medium and elsewhere. He has tried his Substack success tips and only shares the good ones: no duds here!

The book is written for the reader. There is good advice couched in relatable terms, even though he discusses things like SEO that can be difficult to grasp.

Substack already does most of the work for a writer trying to make it in the newsletter environment, wondering if anybody will be so bold as to lay out a few dollars to subscribe for your thoughtstuff. Dr Yildiz pretty much holds your hand for the rest of it. You will have no questions unanswered when you finish reading.

Up to you and your unique writing voice after that. Good luck!

[T.A. Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduced to the beta version of Dr. Yildiz’s book through his kind generosity on Medium, I discovered a treasure in his exquisite knowledge of the Substack platform. The book is the encyclopedia on writing, publishing, and marketing—specifically on Substack.

While I make my living as a writer, I never considered writing on Substack until I met Dr. Yildiz. He not only inspired me to consider Substack, but enlightened me on an entire world of publishing and writing on different platforms to gain followers and share my work with the world.

Like many creatives, marketing is something I’ve struggled with. My focus is always on my writing, but what this book taught me is that with very little time and effort, you can market your work to a vast audience.

If you are an aspiring writer, or even a seasoned one, I supercalifragilisticexpialidociously recommend this book. Read it. Follow his advice. Reach a global audience.

Get your copy now!

[Brooklyn Muse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist & Seasoned Author: Learn the Basics, Stay Motivated, Grow Your Paid Subscribers, & Thrive with a Community by Mehmet Yildiz is a new, innovative guide to utilize to increase your reading base, confidence, and writing craft.
Dr. Mehmet has an uncanny style of engaging readers and infusing knowledge with simplicity and ease. As you move through this reading you will easily grasp concepts previously thought to be difficult. Substack in and of itself is an incredibly diverse platform. This being stated many may find the site and its offerings quite ominous. The navigation and format are clear and concise when using Dr. Mehmet's techniques. It is a valuable tool to reach your personal and professional goals. These goals may be in writing, reading, or community-based knowledge. Utilize these pearls of wisdom and increase your daily insight into the lives of a virtual diverse community. Brooklyn

[Simplified Writing · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a beginner of Substack, this is my favourite book so far for freelance writing and content marketing in effective ways to build and maintain an audience via Substack newsletters. When editing and also as a beta reader, I read this book twice and found it very helpful for me to start Substack journey smoothly. The book is comprehensive and ideal for beginners. It also covers advanced topics for establish writers to grow their subscribers on Substack. I recommend this book with full confidence as it is easy to understand and reflects the authors extensive experience as a seasoned author and content strategist building a massive community on Medium, Substack, and other platforms. This book can save freelance writers hundreds of hours to beginners so it is worth purchasing and reading.

[Tom Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a beta reader of Dr Yildiz's book, I would say that this is a must-have publication for any digital or online writer, and most especially for anyone specifically wishing to expand and improve their Substack journey. Packed full of expert guidance and strategy from someone who's been there and personally experienced the nuances of this exciting platform. Substack is the top site for any aspiring writer, and if you are interested in monetizing your articles, this book contains all the knowledge you will ever need to achieve you goals.
Dr Tom Kane

[Davor Katusic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given that I have a mentorship relationship with Dr. Yildiz, I can say that I have developed immense trust in his advice. He has helped me become a better writer and encouraged me to embark on the adventure of Substack, which turned out to be an excellent idea. His book is written in a very straightforward manner, as if he’s speaking directly to us, and it’s full of information that will guide us on the path to Substack Mastery.

https://thoughtfulcorner.substack.com/

[Sylvain Zyssman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read the beta of this book, thanks to Dr Yildiz, and it already greatly helped my Substack.

"Substack Mastery" is definitely a must-read if you want to start and grow your Substack.

Dr Yildiz knows the topic perfectly, the insights in this book are on point to avoid common pitfalls, and deliver value to your audience (free and paid) on the platform.

[Elin Melås · Rating 5 out of 5]

Substack Mastery is the book to read if you are curious about and want to learn more about Substack. It is practical, inspiring, and contains everything you need for a successful experience with Substack. Dr Yildiz has broad experience in writing and publishing and shares his abundant knowledge. A useful book that is highly recommended!

[Sobaan Saeed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Mehmet was always an inspiration. He motivated me to start a newsletter on Substack and later wrote a book regarding the techniques he used to grow his newsletter to well over 20,000. After reading the book, I have implemented those evidence-based techniques and came to know my perception about newsletter were wrong. These secrets really helped me.

[Sompa Mensah · Rating 5 out of 5]

You simply can't go wrong with the insights that Dr. Mehmet Yildiz provides in his book.
As a person who has been able to grow his Substack exponentially over the years, he's definitely one of the right people to get Substack advice from.
Highly recommended!