Dispatch from Substack's 2026 New York City Summit

The highest earners on Substack aren't debating whether to use AI. They're asking a better question: how to stay valuable in a world that's full of it. I spent a day in New York in a room with some of the biggest names on the platform, and the words that kept surfacing weren't the ones the growth-advice economy sells. No one said hacks. No one said viral. What they talked about was fun, taste, and the person behind the words. This episode covers: *Why the era of giving your best work away for free may be over. *Which skills are about to gain value on Substack, and which are about to lose it. *Why slow, steady growth is the only kind with substance. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.substackwritersatwork.com/subscribe