Tired of Shouting Into the Notes Void? This 45-Day Challenge Will Change Everything

Write Notes with us for 45 Days Straight

Photo by Bram Naus on Unsplash

“I have 0 followers, how do I get engagement on Notes!?”

Ah, yes. It’s a tale as old as time..

It’s like the catch-22 of needing “experience” for an entry-level position, only, the whole friggin point is YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE!

My answer has always been to comment. But.. how do you find people’s Notes to comment on?

The sad truth is, Substack doesn’t do a great job helping new creators find other small creators in their niche. They’re kind of NOT doing this at all, actually.

Some Substack coaches have come up with brilliant ways to overcome this, though!

You’ve probably seen many Substack coaches create Notes threads where 486 people share their Notes in it AT ONCE to boost their Note performance.

The hope is.. you share your Note.. comment a little.. and your Notes will do better.

While it can work, it IS problematic.

Using Substack “threads” to facilitate engagement is a nightmare.

These threads are VERY disorganized. It’s a mess wading through the 800+ comments, and getting your Note SEEN in the first place comes down to luck. MOST people don’t get traction. 😥

Secondly, there’s a lot of “posting-and-ghosting” going on. Most people post their Note, never engage, and rack up likes while not reciprocating.

Thirdly, it’s not the BEST way to build community. In a crowded 800-comment thread, I might see someone’s Note one day, but never see them again. How is this making it easy to build great long-term relationships?

Any great Substack coach knows you NEED to create initial engagement to overcome the 0 followers problem.

But Substack threads don’t facilitate connection in an easy, straightforward way AT ALL.

It’s time to get real… Substack just doesn’t have the features to solve the “0 follower” problem easily. And every “solution” Substack coaches have implemented to solve this (ahem, threads) are, quite frankly, not cutting it.

Until now…

I Made My Own 45-Day Notes Challenge + New Notes Community

From 2021-2024, I ran 30-Day LinkedIn Sprints. We had like 400 people join over the years, and the goal was to post for 30 days straight on LinkedIn.

I always shied away from doing a 30-Day Substack Notes challenge, BUT, I realized that, with my experience, I can make one of the best Notes Challenge on Substack—if not THE BEST.

First, I had to solve the “800+ comment threads” problem. So I made the Notes Underground platform, where Notes get organized by topic and time shared. You can also track your Notes performance. It’s SO MUCH cleaner.

Second, I had to solve the “post-and-ghost” problem. So I built in an “engagement score” calculator that rewards writers for engaging with others via weekly community shout-outs.

Third, I had to create real community. So I started a Slack channel, created a “Members” page on the Notes Underground, and published a “Find A Writing Buddy’ page as well, which helps folks easily find an accountability partner or writing companion.

Fourth, I had to create a challenge to kick this community off! So I made one that’s 45 days long! We officially start on Wednesday, April 9th.

ALL OF THIS just to solve the “0 followers” problem.

If you have 0 to few followers, this community will, 100% get you your first 5-10 readers WAY BETTER than any other Notes challenge or weekly Notes “amplification” threads.

• You’ll double, triple, even quadruple your average likes per Note.

• You won’t feel hopeless and lonely on Notes anymore.

• You’ll find a warm community of people IN YOUR NICHE.

• You’ll get weekly Substack Notes advice so you’re NEVER guessing again!

I don’t want to exaggerate, but this challenge could seriously fix ALL your Notes problems.

---

Introducing: The 45-Day Notes Challenge

This is a complete system designed to transform your Notes experience. You get:

1. The Notes Underground Platform: A community dashboard where your Notes actually get seen (BYE BYE, VOID!)

2. The 45-Day Notes Challenge: A structured program to build your Notes presence (Staying consistent is easier with a group)

3. Weekly Intelligence Reports: Real-time insights on what's actually working right now (So you can write viral Notes and get 100’s of subscribers in days)

And it all launches THIS WEDNESDAY.

Let me break down each component:

1. The Notes Underground Platform

Inside this private, organized space, you can:

• Log your Notes & track stats (likes, streaks, consistency, etc.)

• Discover Notes organized by category

• Find writing buddies who actually give meaningful feedback

• Track community trends across different niches

• Get rewarded for commenting (with exclusive access to private Slack channels)

Unlike chaotic share threads where your Note disappears in minutes, the Notes Underground is designed to make connections that last.

Here’s a video that showcases what the Notes Underground looks like.

2. Weekly Notes Intelligence You Can't Get Anywhere Else (Weekly Email)

Every week, I'll send an email with comprehensive Notes analysis you won't find anywhere else:

• Viral Note Breakdowns: I'll deconstruct the most successful Notes from our community, explaining exactly why they resonated

• Cross-Niche Trends: While most advice comes from writing/creator niches, we'll track what's working in health, finance, tech, spirituality, and more

• Data-Backed Insights: We're not guessing – we're analyzing word counts, publishing times, engagement patterns, and formatting across hundreds of Notes

• Custom Prompts: Based on what's currently working, I'll provide tailored prompts to help you craft Notes that align with current algorithm preferences

• Engagement Leaderboards: I'll highlight and celebrate our most active community members (which means more visibility for your profile)👇

There will be 100’s of Notes shared weekly in our community. We will have mountains of data showing what’s working RIGHT NOW, and what’s not.

This community is likely to be the best source of current Notes intelligence, since we’re tracking likes, comments, niche, word count, etc. automatically.

Simply put: No other Substack Coach is offering anything like this right now.

While everyone else is posting blindly into the void, you'll know exactly what the algorithm is favoring THIS WEEK, not last month.

3. The 45-Day Notes Challenge (Starts Wednesday)

The challenge is designed to transform how you approach Notes in just 45 days. There’s three options.

Option 1: Base Challenge - $18/month (or $145/year)

As a paid subscriber, you'll get:

• Full access to the Notes Underground platform ($500 yearly value)

• 45 Note Prompts. 1 for every day of the challenge ($100 value)

• Community features and engagement tracking ($500 yearly value)

• Weekly insights newsletters ($500 yearly value)

• Access to the general Slack channel ($400 yearly value)

That’s $2,000 of value for $18/month or $145/year.

Note: Prices will increase to $20/month and $160/year at midnight on Wednesday.

Option 2: VIP Experience - $199 one-time payment

Get everything in the Base Challenge PLUS:

• Six LIVE training sessions (recorded if you can't attend) ($500 value)

• 1 Private Note critique from me (recorded) ($200 value)

• Small writing pods (3-5 people) for focused feedback ($200 value)

• Private VIP-only Slack channels ($100 value)

• 45 custom Note templates (one per day) ($500 value)

Base Challenge ($2,000 value) + VIP Challenge ($1,500 value) = $3,500 value for $199.

Founding Member Pass - $300 one-time payment

For serious writers committed to long-term growth, become a Founding Member to The Writing Long Game to get:

• Everything in the VIP Experience ($3,500 value)

• Permanent access to ALL future quarterly challenges ($1,000+ value)

  • I’ll be offering 1 quarterly high-ticket online program at the Writing Long Game in 2025. Founding members get access to all 4 of them throughout the year.

That’s $4,500 of value for $300.

The VIP Experience: Transform From Notes Novice to Notes SUPERSTAR

Right now, you're probably:

• Spending hours crafting Notes that get lost in the void

• Guessing what works instead of following proven formulas

• Watching other writers go viral while you're stuck below 5 likes

The VIP Experience changes ALL of that.

Instead of just getting access to the community, you're getting a complete transformation system that turns you into a Notes powerhouse in 45 days flat.

My Complete "Sticky Notes" Masterclass ($500 value)

This isn't some thrown-together course. It's my 6-lesson system for writing Notes people can't stop reading. My NoteSmith tool is trained on this, which has helped Note writers generate 10’s of thousands of likes since February.

You'll learn:

1. The SIT framework for captivating Note openings

2. How to craft the perfect 25-150 word middle section of your Note

3. The REAL framework for Note endings that make readers hit like/reshare

4. My concrete writing techniques that create "mental movies" in readers' minds

5. The rhythm secrets that make your Notes flow like music

6. How to cut every unnecessary word for maximum impact

After just the first lesson, you'll see an immediate difference in your engagement. Writers who master the SIT framework often see their average likes DOUBLE within their first week of implementation.

45 Viral Note Templates ($500 value)

I analyzed my most successful Notes (we're talking 500+ likes territory) and turned them into fill-in-the-blank templates.

This isn't fluff – it's a massive 12,000-word, 48-page monster document filled with viral Note templates that actually work. And yes, they’re designed for writers who don’t write about writing. 😉

Every time you sit down to write, you'll have a proven structure ready to go. Writer's block? GONE.

Small Writing Pods (3-5 People) For Focused Feedback ($200 value)

The public threads are great, but magic happens in these intimate groups.

Let me be brutally honest with you – most writers are making the SAME mistakes over and over without even realizing it.

You know the feeling, right? You put out 20, 30, 50 Notes and hear crickets. But NOBODY tells you why. You're essentially shooting in the dark while your engagement flatlines.

That changes in these pods.

After the first few days, I'll sort you into private writing groups of 3-5 people. These aren't random pairings – I'm creating focused ecosystems where you'll:

• Get actual USEFUL feedback (not just "nice post!")

• Discover the subtle turn-offs in your writing you can't see yourself

• Learn what resonates emotionally with real readers

• Build relationships with people who understand your voice and goals

You could keep posting into the void for another year...

Or you could get the focused feedback that helps you course-correct in days.

1-1 Personal Note Critique From Me ($200 value)

I'll analyze your entire Notes strategy, point out blind spots you don't even realize you have, highlight your unique strengths, and give you a roadmap for improvement.

This alone is worth the price of admission. I will deliver to you a 5-page document breaking down the good, bad, and the ugly with your Notes.

Here's the reality: Writers who get this level of feedback and resources don't just improve slightly – they transform completely.

VIP spots are limited to ensure I can give everyone proper attention.

Why Trust Me On Your Notes Journey?

Well, in 2024 I racked up over 70,000 likes on Substack Notes. These Notes generated over 10,000 subscribers for me! After writing these viral Notes, I used what I learned to create The NoteSmith, which gives people automatic feedback on their Notes.

Some people have used the NoteSmith to write 10,000+ like Notes. It’s true! And insane!

Take a look at my recent Notes, too. I’m doing pretty well to this day.

This is NOT just another challenge.. it’s a complete Notes system

This isn't just about posting more frequently.

This is about creating a complete system where:

• You'll write Notes that actually resonate (using my proven frameworks)

• You'll build connections with writers who actually engage

• You'll stay on top of what's working NOW, not what worked 6 months ago

• You'll track your growth with visual stats and metrics

I've seen writers transform their Notes performance in DAYS, not weeks or months – especially when they have both the right techniques AND the right community.

That's what the VIP Experience delivers – not just features, but a complete transformation of how you show up on Substack.

Join by Wednesday for the Full Experience

The challenge officially kicks off Wednesday, April 9th, but there's a big advantage to joining now:

You'll have time to explore the platform, set up your profile, log your existing Notes, and connect with writing buddies before our first live training on Thursday.

This means you'll hit the ground running while everyone else is still figuring out how things work.

No more shouting into a 200-comment thread hoping someone notices you. No more guessing what the algorithm wants. No more feeling invisible when you have something valuable to say.

Join the base program here.
Join the VIP program here.
Become a Founding Member here.

See you underground!

Tom

P.S. Remember, paid membership prices will increase to $20/month and $160/year at midnight this Wednesday. Lock in the lower rate now before Wednesday's official kickoff.