If you write…

• Blogs
• Substack or newsletters
• Long-form essays with long-form thinking
• Thought leadership content
• Educational or reflective posts
• Posts to build trust, depth, and authority

This is for you. (Read on.)

If you create anything — writing, art, illustration, poetry, photography, ideas — you’ve probably asked this question:

How often should I be posting?

Daily? Weekly? Whenever inspiration strikes?
And is it better to post on a schedule… or just when you can?

It feels like a creativity question.
But it’s actually a human attention and habit question…

because growth doesn’t just come from what you share. It comes from how reliably people learn to find you.

Let’s talk about what research actually shows — without turning creativity into a grind.

Principle 1:
Consistency beats randomness (and not just for “the algorithm”)

Across blogging, newsletter, and creator-economy research, one pattern shows up again and again: consistent publishing outperforms random posting over time.

Orbit Media’s long-running blogger research consistently finds that higher-performing creators tend to plan, publish intentionally, and maintain a repeatable cadence. That doesn’t mean constant posting; it means reliable posting.

Why does this work?

Because human brains love patterns.

When people know when to expect your work, it becomes familiar. Anticipated. Easier to return to. You’re no longer competing for attention. You’re arriving as expected.

That’s not marketing magic. That’s cognitive science.

Principle 2:
Posting on the same day builds trust (quietly, over time)

A predictable rhythm creates something powerful:

• “They share new work on Wednesdays.”
• “Her essay usually drops Sunday evening.”
• “I’ll check his Substack Friday morning.”

This kind of expectation lowers friction for your audience. Your audience doesn’t have to remember to look for you, as you become part of their routine.

Substack’s own guidance (based on platform-wide growth data) recommends one strong post per week as a sustainable benchmark for most creators. Not because more is bad, but because consistency builds habit.

Principle 3:
Random posting can work, but it builds something different

Posting randomly can create short bursts of attention, especially when a piece resonates widely. But it often makes it harder to build…

• Returning audiences
• Subscriber trust
• Steady engagement
• Word-of-mouth sharing

Random posting favors visibility spikes.
Consistent posting favors relationships.

If your goal is a long-term connection with people who follow, read, return, and care, then predictability tends to win.

Principle 4:
The day matters less than the rhythm

Sure, there are higher open-rate days and times (check IG stats for when people are clicking… and, across the board, Tu-Th midday usually has a higher open rate). But…

Here’s the good news:
There is no universally “best” day.

Tuesday vs Thursday vs Sunday matters far less than this:

Can you realistically show up on that day with quality?

Choose a day you can protect. Not the day you wish you could create, but the one that fits your actual life and energy.

For educators, artists, writers, and thinkers, research from HubSpot and the Content Marketing Institute suggests a sweet spot of posting 4–8 pieces per month, depending on depth and format.

For newsletter-based creators, once per week remains one of the most sustainable and effective rhythms.

Principle 4:
Posting frequency: when does “more” become too much?

This is where many creatives quietly burn out.

Posting too often can…

• Lower quality
• Dilute attention
• Overwhelm audiences with notifications
• Trigger disengagement rather than loyalty

Psychology research on reactance shows that when people feel pressured or overwhelmed, they pull away. Too many posts can unintentionally create that feeling, even if the work is good.

If your audience starts skimming instead of savoring, that’s data worth listening to.

So what’s the sweet spot?

Across research and creator case studies, a strong, defensible starting point looks like this:

• 1 high-quality post per week for most solo creators
• 2–4 posts per month if your work is deeper, longer, or more reflective
• Higher frequency only if the format is lighter or you have support. (See Part 2 of this series for when it’s right to post more often.)

A helpful rule of thumb:

Start with what you can sustain. Earn the right to increase.

Principle 5:
The real metric isn’t views; it’s retention

Instead of asking “How many people saw this?” try asking…

• Are people coming back?
• Are they staying subscribed?
• Are they engaging more deeply over time?

Those signals matter far more than spikes.

As the Content Marketing Institute puts it, benchmarks are helpful, but audience behavior and creator capacity should drive your final decision.

A simple strategy that works for most creatives

So if your content is for trust-based growth over time, has a bit of a higher cognitive load that needs a longer attention span, and is posted in a subscription or return-reader model — and you want your posts to be effective — then do this:

• Pick one consistent day (weekly or biweekly).
• Aim for a similar time window.
• Protect quality over volume.
• Repurpose thoughtfully instead of over-posting.

Consistency doesn’t cage creativity.
It gives it a framework for connection.

Cheers,
Erin

Read Part 2: When Consistency Isn’t the Rule: The Real Exceptions to Posting Frequency (and How to Use Them Wisely) (coming soon)
Read Part 3: (coming soon)
Read Part 4:(coming soon)

Erin M. Brown, MA, MFA, is an accomplished author, communications expert, and consultant with more than 25 years of experience helping writers craft powerful, emotionally resonant stories across fiction, screenwriting, and professional writing. A published author of more than twenty books and an experienced university instructor in writing, communications, and narrative craft, she has developed complete writing programs, trained professional writers globally, and served as a judge for national competitions evaluating story craft and writing excellence. For over 20 years, she has guided countless authors in strengthening structure, deepening character, and elevating storytelling voice. 

Erin has served as a Marketing Director for a global company and as a Senior Strategist writing content for Fortune 500 companies (including H&M, Marks & Spencer, Lilly, Bayer, CVS, and more). She has taught writing, strategic communications, and leadership and management at three universities and designed multiple university writing courses and entire programs. 

Today, Erin speaks nationally and consults weekly with professionals, nonfiction and fiction writers, and anyone looking to communicate their passion. Known for her warm expertise and clear, practical teaching style, Erin specializes in helping writers gain confidence, clarity, and mastery on the page, so their stories and messages truly connect with readers.