Fiction on Substack
The top 100 Fiction writers on Substack's Bestsellers and Rising boards, with moves between my reads, follower counts, who's gaining recommendations and who recommends them. Boards read once a day.
Board read · moves compare with the read at Oct 31 19:47 UTC
- Writers on the two boards
- 170
- Median followers, Bestsellers
- 5,999
- Smallest on the board
- 308
- Kimberly Gordon, #83
- New recommendations, 30 days
- 455
- to writers whose main category this is
Rising in Fiction: new recommendations
Writers in this category who picked up the most new recommenders in the last 30 days. A new recommendation puts a writer in front of another publication's readers.
The Shit About Writing Team
110k followers · #3 Fiction Bestsellers
Simone Harris
11k followers · #44 Fiction Bestsellers
After Dinner Conversation
108k followers · #31 Fiction Bestsellers
The Romantasy
25k followers · #75 Fiction Bestsellers
Tobin Elliott 🇨🇦 Horror Guy
1.1k followers
mort the write or die vulture
68k followers · #5 Fiction Bestsellers
Brenda Nasr
406 followers · #78 Fiction RisingNew recommenders per week, last 12 weeks; the orange bar is this week to date. Same scale in every panel. Dated by Substack; only recommendations still live. Outlined weeks are incomplete: Substack lists only a publication's 50 newest recommenders, so for busy writers older weeks can't be counted, and a 30-day count marked + is a floor.
Bestsellers
Substack ranks Bestsellers by paid subscribers. Followers are my daily reading.
Climbed most since Oct 31: Victoria Christopher Murray #99 to #86, Kai 🏳️🌈 #75 to #67, Jack Stagg #41 to #34, Sloane Black #58 to #53, The Mom Next Door #59 to #54.
| # | Move | Writer | Followers | Recommended by | Paid | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 |  a literary mole | sub clubSub Club |
100,740 | 61 +9 | Thousands | |
| 2 | 0 |  Beth BrowerBeth Brower Scribbles Away |
83,319 | 51 +8 | Thousands | |
| 3 | 0 |  The Shit About Writing TeamThe Shit No One Tells You About Writing |
109,532 | 58 +26 | Thousands | |
| 4 | 0 |  Acorn Sweetleaf@acornsweetleaf |
7,038 | 24 | none shown | |
| 5 | 0 |  mort the write or die vultureWrite or Die |
67,979 | 53 +11 | 100+ badge | |
| 6 | 0 |  Etgar KeretAlphabet Soup |
52,628 | 58 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 7 | 0 |  Rebecca MakkaiSubMakk |
45,512 | 66 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 8 | 0 |  The Real Book Spy@therealbookspy |
12,973 | 34 | 100+ badge | |
| 9 | ▲1 |  Kathy FishThe Art of Flash Fiction |
20,240 | 56 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 10 | ▼1 |  CalebLove Caleb |
21,448 | 49 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 11 | 0 |  Karin GillespiePitch Your Novel |
12,724 | 54 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 12 | 0 |  Strange Pilgrims@strangepilgrims |
42,728 | 54 +7 | 100+ badge | |
| 13 | 0 |  The Gay Erotic@thegayerotic |
14,676 | 57 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 14 | 0 |  C.S. PacatThe World of C.S. Pacat |
16,685 | 50 | 100+ badge | |
| 15 | ▲2 |  Freckleman64Freckleman64’s Substack |
5,506 | 42 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 16 | ▼1 |  Amy Suto✍️ Make Writing Your Job |
77,199 | 51 50+ | Thousands | |
| 17 | ▲1 |  Caroline BeuleyFairy Tales by Caroline |
22,028 | 51 +9 | 100+ badge | |
| 18 | ▲1 |  Emma DarwinThis Itch of Writing with Emma Darwin |
9,405 | 54 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 19 | ▲1 |  pauline maurouxtchik tchak, la newsletter sur l'écriture |
6,051 | 50 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 20 | ▲1 |  Maxwell GeorgeThe Humiliation Journal |
4,015 | 51 +5 | 100+ badge | |
| 21 | ▲1 |  Jimmy DoomJimmy Doom's Roulette Weal |
6,974 | 50 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 22 | ▲3 |  Julian YapThe Sunday Morning Transport |
5,268 | 50 | 100+ badge | |
| 23 | ▲3 |  Matt BellNo Failure, Only Practice |
19,346 | 54 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 24 | 0 |  Maren ValeStolen Wives |
5,999 | 50 +5 | 100+ badge | |
| 25 | ▼2 |  Fox EmersonCerebral Gay Fiction |
3,913 | 40 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 26 | ▲2 |  Lincoln MichelCounter Craft |
40,894 | 61 +6 | 100+ badge | |
| 27 | 0 |  Worst Boyfriend Ever@worstboyfriendever |
11,462 | 44 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 28 | ▲1 |  Jodi TaylorJodi Taylor Books |
10,954 | 50 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 29 | ▲1 |  Divinity Rae | Author ᢉ𐭩⋆.˚Divinity Rae Writes |
6,875 | 50 +2 | none shown | |
| 30 | ▲1 |  Delicious Tacos@delicioustacos |
9,068 | 51 | 100+ badge | |
| 31 | ▲4 |  After Dinner ConversationAfter Dinner Conversation® - Philosophy | Ethics Short Story |
108,478 | 56 +16 | 100+ badge | |
| 32 | 0 |  Daniel SteelFrom The Desk of Daniel Steel |
5,025 | 43 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 33 | 0 |  Steven Aitchison AuthorIndie Author Secrets Newsletter |
3,010 | 25 | 100+ badge | |
| 34 | ▲7 |  Jack Stagg@jackstaggwrites |
2,447 | 36 +6 | 100+ badge | |
| 35 | ▼1 |  Marty Willson-PiperMarty's Substack |
1,494 | 13 | 100+ badge | |
| 36 | ▲4 |  Howard JacobsonStreetwalking with Howard Jacobson |
17,366 | 52 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 37 | ▼1 |  Alex Robertson@alex220 |
5,424 | 57 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 38 | ▼1 |  Gavin E. Black 🖤The Black Velvet Room |
5,570 | 50 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 39 | ▼1 |  Armistead MaupinBarbary Lane Dispatches |
7,727 | 31 | 100+ badge | |
| 40 | ▼1 |  Evan J. XavierTaboo Gay Erotic Stories |
5,206 | 32 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 41 | ▲2 |  Kate GrangerKate Granger Fiction |
4,169 | 50 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 42 | 0 |  Queer Visual Media 🏳️🌈Men Unzipped 🏳️🌈 |
13,332 | 15 | 100+ badge | |
| 43 | ▲1 |  Anna WhartonWhite Ink with Anna Wharton |
25,376 | 59 | 100+ badge | |
| 44 | ▲1 |  Simone Harris@simoneharris |
10,889 | 49 +16 | 100+ badge | |
| 45 | ▲1 |  Holly RinglandThe Joy Rise |
8,802 | 51 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 46 | ▲2 |  Aj Saxsma@ajsaxsma |
3,940 | 36 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 47 | 0 |  Michael ChabonTragic Magic: Michael Chabon |
13,102 | 55 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 48 | ▲1 |  Edan LepuckiItalics Mine |
3,455 | 50 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 49 | ▲2 |  Alex DawsonThe Messy Writers Club |
4,711 | 41 +2 | none shown | |
| 50 | 0 |  Jane GreenJane Green. A Writer, A Woman, Rewilding |
2,531 | 18 | 100+ badge | |
| 51 | ▲1 |  theManKindThe ManKind |
3,806 | 13 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 52 | ▲1 |  YourSecretNeeds@yoursecretneeds |
6,877 | 52 +4 | 100+ badge | |
| 53 | ▲5 |  Sloane BlackSloane's Spank Bank |
5,160 | 49 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 54 | ▲5 |  The Mom Next DoorDiary of a WFH Mom |
2,890 | 12 +3 | none shown | |
| 55 | 0 |  Simon K JonesWrite More with Simon K Jones |
23,129 | 55 +6 | 100+ badge | |
| 56 | ▲1 |  Britney Victoria TysonStories from your friend's hot mom |
4,718 | 17 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 57 | ▼3 |  Nicolas ColeThe Art & Business of Writing |
149,667 | 51 +12 | Thousands | |
| 58 | ▼2 |  Sarah FainHappier In Hollywood |
9,254 | 47 | 100+ badge | |
| 59 | ▲1 |  Alex Cunning@alexcunning |
3,113 | 51 +7 | 100+ badge | |
| 60 | ▲1 |  Chris HeavenSurvival Dispatch News |
78,557 | 51 | Thousands | |
| 61 | ▲2 |  Philip Best@amphetaminesulphate |
1,244 | ? | none shown | |
| 62 | 0 |  Dannieboy@stromad |
1,821 | 20 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 63 | ▲2 |  Caroline MaddenRising Tide Writers |
3,109 | 41 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 64 | 0 |  LucyLucy’s Boudoir |
3,171 | 21 | none shown | |
| 65 | ▲1 |  The Archive In Between@thearchiveinbetween |
4,532 | 20 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 66 | ▲2 |  Penelope FrotheThe Responsive Male |
1,492 | 18 +2 | none shown | |
| 67 | ▲8 |  Kai 🏳️🌈Kai After Practice |
3,034 | 26 +6 | 100+ badge | |
| 68 | ▼1 |  AliceAlice's Open Treasure Chest |
5,279 | 33 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 69 | 0 |  Brad PhillipsBrad Phillips |
6,406 | 50 | none shown | |
| 70 | 0 |  Chiara AssiIl mondo del Commissario e la Dottoressa |
8,656 | 19 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 71 | ▲1 |  Amanda SaintThe Mindful Writer |
9,652 | 51 | none shown | |
| 72 | ▼1 |  Frank J. FlemingFrank Talk |
4,198 | 50 | 100+ badge | |
| 73 | 0 |  Lady JaneRomancing the Data |
2,259 | 17 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 74 | ▲2 |  Kevin Jack McEnroeSerenity Side Down |
1,102 | 8 | none shown | |
| 75 | ▼1 |  The Romantasy@theromantasy |
24,863 | 51 +12 | none shown | |
| 76 | ▲3 |  Kate ValentineThe Year of The Cat |
4,376 | 55 +9 | 100+ badge | |
| 77 | ▲3 |  Spicypancake@spicypancake |
2,194 | 23 +3 | 100+ badge | |
| 78 | 0 |  Ines JohnsonInes Johnson is having a Breakdown |
3,748 | 50 | none shown | |
| 79 | ▲2 |  Michelle RichmondMy Fiction Obsession | Michelle Richmond |
11,759 | 27 | 100+ badge | |
| 80 | ▼3 |  Danielle ValentineGood on Paper |
17,756 | 50 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 81 | ▲1 |  Meg PokrassMicrofiction Workshops & More with Meg Pokrass |
5,705 | 51 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 82 | ▲3 |  No More Shitty Books@nomoreshittybooks |
150,557 | 50 +9 | 100+ badge | |
| 83 | 0 |  Kimberly GordonInk & Code |
308 | 6 | none shown | |
| 84 | ▲5 |  Cyndy MorganConrad's Version (TSITP fanfic) |
1,807 | 7 | 100+ badge | |
| 85 | ▼1 |  Salman RushdieSalman's Sea of Stories |
115,367 | 50 +4 | none shown | |
| 86 | ▲10 |  Victoria Christopher Murray@vcmwrites |
1,988 | 18 +1 | none shown | |
| 87 | 0 |  David James Duncan@davidjamesduncanauthor |
1,430 | 19 +1 | none shown | |
| 88 | ▼46 | Queer Visual Media 🏳️🌈Men Unzipped 🏳️🌈 |
13,332 | 15 | 100+ badge | |
| 89 | ▲3 |  Lexi the LibrarianLexi's Library |
2,048 | 14 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 90 | ▼8 | Meg PokrassMicrofiction Workshops & More with Meg Pokrass |
5,705 | 51 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 91 | ▼1 |  Alexandra SokoloffScreenwriting Tricks for Authors |
22,808 | 50 +2 | 100+ badge | |
| 92 | ▼4 |  The Orange & Bee@orangebee |
2,504 | 50 +1 | none shown | |
| 93 | ▲1 |  Jaxen Poe@jaxenpoe |
6,497 | 40 +1 | 100+ badge | |
| 94 | ▲4 |  John GrangerHogwarts Professor |
1,017 | 12 | none shown | |
| 95 | ▲2 |  Sarah A. HoytChapter House |
1,148 | 21 | none shown | |
| 96 | ▼3 |  The Harp TalesHaunting the Hunter |
3,592 | 23 | 100+ badge | |
| 97 | ▲2 |  Marta Zura-PuntaroniWhite Russian |
2,283 | 13 | 100+ badge | |
| 98 | ▼3 |  OctiHaven@octihaven |
2,532 | 15 +1 | none shown | |
| 99 | new |  Ariel LawhonI'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED |
4,901 | 32 | 100+ badge | |
| 100 | new |  Aaron BurchShort Story, Long |
5,369 | 52 +4 | none shown |
The top 20 on every read
Rank on each read of the Bestsellers board. Darker is higher. A gap means the writer was outside the top 100 on that read.
| Writer | Oct 3107:00 | Oct 3113:00 | Oct 3119:47 | Nov 621:50 | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a literary mole | sub club | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Beth Brower | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| The Shit About Writing Team | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Acorn Sweetleaf | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| mort the write or die vulture | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Etgar Keret | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Rebecca Makkai | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| The Real Book Spy | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Kathy Fish | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | ▲1 |
| Caleb | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | ▼1 |
| Karin Gillespie | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| Strange Pilgrims | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| The Gay Erotic | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| C.S. Pacat | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| Freckleman64 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | ▲2 |
| Amy Suto | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | ▼1 |
| Caroline Beuley | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | ▲1 |
| Emma Darwin | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | ▲1 |
| pauline mauroux | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | ▲1 |
| Maxwell George | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | ▲1 |
History starts on Oct 31, 2026. Each day adds a column.
Who recommends Fiction writers
Publications with the most live recommendations pointing at writers whose main category is Fiction. If you write in this category, these are the readers' lists worth being on.