Don't Know What to Write on Notes? This Free Prompt Took Me from 7 to 129 Subscribers per Day

The best part: You already have everything you need sitting in your archive

Nov 12, 2025

My entire Notes strategy just got easier because of one subscriber’s question.

“I love your advice about writing 3-5 Notes daily, but I just don’t know what to write about AND I don’t have the time to do this daily” he said.

I told him that he can simply use his posts, re-use his content and create Notes based on that. Saves time. And decreases the headache of not knowing what to write about in Notes.

“Do you have a prompt to turn my old posts into Notes?” he asked. I didn’t. But 48 hours and 20 iterations later, I created what might be my best prompt ever. One that understands Substack’s new algorithm better than most humans do.

Here’s what’s inside:

The exact prompt that turns any post into 3-5 unique Notes
Why Substack’s October algorithm update makes this strategy 10x more powerful
How connected content from your archive becomes your growth engine

Here you go. For free, for everyone.

Quick Context You Need

The Numbers Game: 3-5 Notes daily = optimal growth (but who has time?)
The Algorithm Shift: Substack now rewards content clusters over variety
The Archive Goldmine: Your old posts are sitting there, waiting to work harder
The Testing Ground: I trained my GPT on my 10+ subscriber’s Note performance
The Proof: My recycled content now outperforms my fresh content by 5x

Why This Works NOW (The Algorithm Secret)

2 weeks ago, Substack’s head of data, Mike Cohen, announced those massive algorithm changes on Substack.

Here’s what actually changed: Substack stopped tracking “who you are” and started tracking “where you’re going.”

Before October: The algorithm said “Claudia likes entrepreneurship and business” and that was that. Fixed identity. Slow to update.
Now: “Claudia is currently deep-diving into vulnerability content. She’s shifting toward personal stories today. Her readers are in session mode for THIS specific journey.”

The technical part that matters: When someone engages with your Note, they enter “discovery mode” for that specific topic. The algorithm then actively serves them more of that journey. It processes 400 signals instead of 40. It responds within 2-3 clicks, not days later.

What this means for your old content:

Your 6-month-old post about imposter syndrome is not old anymore. It’s the beginning of a content cluster the algorithm will love.

I tested this myself:

Took ONE old vulnerability post
Created 5 connected Notes from it
Posted them over 24 hours
Result: 127 new subscribers (vs my normal 20-30)

The algorithm recognized it as a connected journey and served all 5 sequentially to engaged readers. Like Netflix serving the next episode.

Which fits perfectly into what we are doing here with this prompt!

The Prompt

I’ll be honest. This might be the best prompt I’ve ever written. It includes months of training my GPT on what actually performs.

Here it is:

Transform Newsletter Content into High-Converting Substack Notes

Take the core insights from attached article and create 3-5 Substack Notes that follow these specifications:

ABSOLUTE PROHIBITIONS

CRITICAL - NEVER INCLUDE:

- Rhetorical questions (ZERO TOLERANCE) - No questions whatsoever. Not “What if...?”, not “Ever wonder...?”, not “Remember when...?”. Every sentence must be a statement or observation.
- Generic motivational endings
- Rounded numbers (use exact figures)
- “You can do it” variations
- Questions disguised as statements

If you write any rhetorical question, even accidentally, delete the entire Note and rewrite it.

Length Variety (MANDATORY)

Create a mix from these categories:

Micro (10-30 words): One punchy insight

Short (30-80 words): Quick story or realization

Medium (80-150 words): Mini transformation moment

Long (150-250 words): Full cinematic story with emotional arc

Story Structure Requirements

Each Note must include:

- Specific numbers/timelines

- A transformation moment (before → after state)

- Vulnerable middle (the struggle between states)

- Permission-giving ending (implied, not stated directly)

Style Variations (rotate between)

- Style A: The Confession
Start with what you did wrong/feared
Share the messy middle
End with unexpected outcome

- Style B: The Comparison Flip
Start with what “everyone else” does
Reveal what actually worked
Include specific evidence

- Style C: The Moment Story
Cinematic scene-setting
Specific dialogue or thought
Emotional turning point

- Style D: The Data Truth
Lead with surprising numbers
Explain the why behind them
Challenge conventional wisdom

Value Formulas to Apply

Choose one per Note:
- Validation Formula: Reader’s struggle + Your identical experience + Outcome
- Permission Formula: Expected requirement + Actual requirement + Proof
- Reality Check: Highlight reel + Actual events + Why mess matters
- Timeline Truth: Past position + Current position + Unglamorous journey

Conversion Triggers (include at least one)
- Specific week/month of struggle
- DM or comment received
- Revenue/subscriber numbers (exact, not rounded)
- Near-quitting moment
- Odd writing hours/locations
- Game-changing feedback

Endings That Convert
- Avoid generic inspiration. Instead use:
- Implied permission
- Specific hope with timeline
- Success reframe
- Vulnerable admission

What to Extract from the Newsletter

Pull out:
- Most vulnerable admission
- Specific turning point with metrics
- Unconventional successful approach
- Doubt moment with resolution
- Transformative belief shift

Output Structure

Note 1: [LENGTH - STYLE - FORMULA] 
Note 2: [LENGTH - STYLE - FORMULA] 
Note 3: [LENGTH - STYLE - FORMULA] 
Note 4: [LENGTH - STYLE - FORMULA] 
Note 5: [LENGTH - STYLE - FORMULA]

FINAL CHECK

Before submitting, verify:
- Contains ZERO questions (including rhetorical)
- All statements are declarations or observations
- Numbers are specific, not rounded
- No generic motivation
- Vulnerability is specific, not vague

Remember: Every sentence must be a statement. If you’re tempted to ask a question, convert it to an observation about what you learned or what happened instead.

Copy this. Use it today. Watch your old content become your best growth tool.

❌ Important: Please feed whatever AI you are using some of your real numbers. Also, make sure to adapt the Notes afterwards to your current situation and make them fit you and your story. The prompt can only give you ideas, you need to make sure it still fits you.

Also: the prompt works well for educational content, but it might work less well for creative writing, poems, essays, or memoirs. For these, you need to adjust the prompt accordingly.

How to Use This Right Now

Pick your highest-performing post from 3+ months ago (the algorithm won’t see it as repetitive)
Run it through the prompt - you’ll get 3-5 Notes instantly
Post the first Note when you’re naturally online (forget optimal timing)
When it gets traction, post the next one within 2-3 hours (readers are in session mode)
Space out the remaining Notes over 24-48 hours max (maintain the journey momentum)

One afternoon of running your archive through this prompt gives you weeks of content. Content that’s already proven to resonate. Content the algorithm will love serving as a connected journey.

By the way: If you’re thinking “but won’t everyone’s Notes sound the same if we all use this?” - nope. The prompt extracts YOUR stories, YOUR voice, YOUR moments. It’s like worrying everyone’s autobiography will be identical because they all have chapters. The framework creates consistency. Your life creates the uniqueness.

As I give this aways for free, it would mean a lot to me if you left a comment and if you try the prompt, let me know how it went. I always work on my prompts and re-write them based on feedback. So anything is helfpul!

The AI Soloist

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