and I have been blown away by the fire in Substack Campfire 🪵🔥 ⛺!
Reading the hundreds of notes and comments these past few days, we’ve been deeply touched by the community that’s already emerging before the challenge even starts.
We are touched by the:
Quality of writing
The depth and vulnerability of people’s stories
The kindness with which campers engage in each other’s comments
This energy gives us more conviction in our initial premise for creating Substack Campfire:
Substack is special. It’s not a town square with people yelling past each other. It’s not a marketing platform where people are just numbers. It’s about relationships and community.
Now is the time. Timing is everything! Now is the time to actively engage in the Substack community as people come together for the first time. Speaking from my past experience as a community builder, once people have their tribe, they’ll be more focused on deepening their existing relationships than on building new ones.
Notes is the perfect way to get started on Subtack. It’s the perfect way to get traction, experiment with content ideas, and build relationships that could turn into collaborations and friendships.
By becoming an annual member of Substack Campfire, you get:
Access to three 30-day writing challenges ($1,500 value)
Access to year-long community ($500 value)
Unlimited Q&A with Tom and Michael ($1,000 value)
Access to two of Michael and Tom’s on-demand classes ($500)
Have your notes and posts be featured in the weekly thread email
Access to a monthly campfire session with
and MichaelAccess to paid subscriber-only weekly content
Be included in the member directory so you can find collaborators
Access to 20+ Substack expert mentors
Join Us
And you get all of this for just $595 (the price will jump up to $795 tomorrow).
This support is what allows Tom and I to go all-in on supporting the community and engaging EVERY single note, chat, and comment!
Furthermore, you can get a 100% refund if you aren’t happy for any reason.
Our goal is to eliminate all of your financial risk, so that if you’re on the edge, joining becomes a no-brainer! In the best-case scenario, you learn valuable skills and build relationships that help you earn significant income on the platform and change the trajectory of your life. Worst case scenario, you get your money back.
So, if you’re on the fence about joining, now is the time!
Refer A Friend
If you know someone that you think would be a perfect fit for Substack Campfire, please share the community with them. The more high-quality people join, the better the community becomes for everyone.
And, as a thank you for sharing, we have several bonuses:
Get 30-Min call with Tom/Michael for 10 free referrals
Get a Public shout out in newsletter for 15 free referrals
Get Free access to one challenge for 25 free referrals
To learn more, check out Substack’s FAQ.
Substack Campfire 🪵🔥 ⛺ Testimonials
“I joined the Campfire a week ago, and I am already much more productive on Substack than previously. I've "met" several people that I feel I could be friends with, and my best friend joined Substack because of me talking about what's going on here. Writing is a solitary business. I think it makes sense that at least some writers see great benefit in connecting with other writers. We have something profound in common, maybe more than one thing...we love words, we love the opportunity to express experiences and share experiences with words. Campfire was a great descriptor for what's happening here. That's another place for sharing experiences verbally, in the intimacy of the night, in harmony with nature, having the crickets and night owls chime in their bit. I'm already grateful for this experience, and it hasn't even officially started yet! Thanks, Tom and Michael!”
—Kristin van Tilburg
“I'll say it again. I've worked with dozens of coaches and mentors over the last 25 years. Tom Kuegler is the BEST teacher I have ever experienced. His gentle guidance has the same theme threaded through every single message....do what is right and best for you....listen to yourself...write and work from your center emotions. He is constantly turning the tables on his students, making them their own best teachers. And he does so by creating a genuine supportive loving and passionate community. I've made leaps and bounds in my work in the last two months with Tom that I haven't had in my entire 25 year career. I was ready for him, and he reminds me every day.
—Teri Leigh 💜
“The best online courses I've ever been in focus on exactly these things - community, connection, and supporting each other. I'm so pleased to see this come to life here too.”
— Renee Puvvada
“This was an amazing event. I now see the strategy and direction I must take as a newbie Substacker. Thanks. to Michael and Tom.”
— Carolyn Chebaro
“Just watched the replay and am so excited to dive into everyone's notes! Thanks Tom & Michael for generously sharing your wisdom, support, and enthusiasm with us. Can't wait til Monday!”
— Dr. Gladys Ato
“I am fortunate to be participating in the Substack Campfire by Tom Kuegler and Michael Simmons this month, and I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.”
— C. L. Sausa
“Very useful information, & I'm grateful to be part of this gathering. (…) It was helpful to see the "E.T. and M&Ms" template as way of creating a trail through the post to hold interest. It was also helpful to hear others' questions and remember that everybody sucks in the beginning. I just found my Substack dashboard on my laptop yesterday, as I had only been using the app on my phone. What a difference! I have not even set up my profile completely, but this is helping me formulate a foundation and confidence to put my writing out there. I know I'm not alone. Thanks again!”
— Tricia Odham, #1 and #2
“What a great fireside chat! Fantastic community of creatives - And thank you for the shout out 🙏”
(…)
”Thank you Michael - for curating great conversations and learning.”
(…)
”This meta-view of Tom's writing process was fascinating - and Michael asked insightful questions to get us to dive deeper into Tom's brain. So glad I am a part of the campfire - I'm learning so much already and am feeling connected to my fellow campers as well. Thank you!”
(…)
”Thanks for the conversation today. This was my first note after sitting around the campfire with you two. It turned into more poetry than originally intended but that’s on brand for me :)”
— Katie Bean, #1, #2, #3, and #4
“Thanks Tom and Michael for an inspiring workshop on writing notes!”
— Sky Kershner
“Thanks Michael and Tom, this was useful! I just put the lessons from the recording into practice (partially) and I’m very curious to see how the note will perform.”
— Lea Bardot
“I used to play tennis professionally in my younger years and have been wanting to pick it back up. Your post is inspiring that!”
— Seetal Parikh-Chopra, PhD
“Thank you Tom and thank you Michael for the effort you are putting into this. There's a lot to learn from each other and I do appreciate your efforts in helping other voices get heard and discovered here on Substack.
I watched the long recording. I found some valuable insights and more motivation to listen and understand better while getting my hands dirty as well.”
— Robin Good
“It was a super helpful webinar. I’ve got ideas for a couple more Notes already.”
— Sharon Hines
“Really great! The prompt for writing a note (open your photos app and scroll until you find one that means something to you) hijacked the rest of my day, LOL. Now I have a working piece I'm excited to publish. Thanks so much!”
— Meg Harris
“An excellent replay! Some take aways: Photos and date book to stimulate notes. Emotional resonance for audience. I enjoyed watching the process. Wonderful introductions. Thank you!”
— Prajna O’Hara
“I can feel the energy in their smiles”
— Lisa Bianco
“I was there for both the Notes Masterclass and Interview with Linda Lebrun. You and Michael’s class was the best training for writers I have ever had the privilege of being part of. It was extremely useful, clearly and compassionately presented and totally on point! You are both outstanding teachers who obviously love the craft and profession of writing!”
—
It's going to be fabulous 🏕️ 🔥
Camp gear all packed up and ready for tomorrow 🙌🏽