Why I Chose Substack Over WordPress
I've been asked why I'm using Substack so here's the story.
Dear Son,
I thought long and hard about where to publish these letters.
At first, I considered setting up a full WordPress website — the kind I’ve built in the past, with my own hosting, domain, plugins, backups, and more plugins to manage those plugins. You get the idea.
But then I remembered something I’ve learned the hard way, over and over again:
If the tech gets in the way of the message, the message never gets shared.
I didn’t want to spend my time troubleshooting error messages or updating plugins every week just to keep the site from breaking. I wanted to write. I wanted to share. I wanted to press “Publish” and move on with my day.
So I chose Substack.
Here’s the pros and cons that I used to decide.
🔄 WordPress vs Substack (From a guy who’s tried both)
WORDPRESS (Self-Hosted)
✅ You own everything, top to bottom
✅ Fully customizable
✅ Thousands of plugins
🚫 You have to manage updates, backups, security, etc.
🚫 Setup takes time and patience
🚫 Monetization? You’ll need to connect your own tools (and troubleshoot them when they break)
SUBSTACK
✅ No setup headaches — start writing instantly
✅ Email list, blog, and monetization all in one
✅ Built-in audience discovery features
✅ Stripe integration — I can get paid with zero fuss
🚫 Less design control
🚫 Limited custom features (but good enough for most writers)
I chose Substack because it gives me everything I need and nothing I don’t. I’m not here to impress you with a fancy site. I’m here to pass something down. And I don’t want tech to get in the way of that.
The second reason? It’s easy to turn on monetization here — not because I’m in a rush to charge anyone, but because I want the option to grow into that when the time feels right. Stripe is already integrated. No setup. No API keys. Just a button.
📚 I’ll Teach You What I Learn
Here’s the part I want you to hear loud and clear:
I plan to share everything I learn about using Substack with you.
How I format my posts.
How I schedule.
How I grow my readership.
What works… and what flops.
I’ll do it all here, through the same Letters to My Son I’ve been writing. Because that’s the way I learn — out loud, in motion, one small insight at a time.
If I had a son, I’d want him to know this:
You don’t need to be a tech genius to share your story.
You just need to start. Choose a path that makes publishing easier, not harder.
And then — keep showing up.
More soon,
—Fred (GeezerWise)
📌 This letter was written by Fred Ferguson (GeezerWise). If it spoke to you, I’d love to hear back—just hit reply.
💭 Got a question, memory, or topic you'd like me to write a letter about? Hit reply and let me know—I won’t respond individually, but I may turn it into a future letter. Consider it a suggestion box for the soul.
💌 Know someone who’d appreciate this? Forward it or invite them to subscribe at www.geezerwise.com.
⚠️ If you see a message below about pledging support—that’s Substack’s way of letting readers chip in if they want. Totally optional but always appreciated if this work means something to you.
—Fred [GeezerWise]