The 2-Hour-a-Week Strategy for a Profitable Science Newsletter
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
It’s no secret that Climate Ages and Outreach Lab are my passion and purpose in life. However, as most scientists can relate, building an organization around an idea isn’t something I knew how to do.
So, after giving it provably too much thought, I joined the Founder OS community to get professional insight from Matt Gray and his legendary team.
Today, to say that I’m grateful that I joined would be a huge understatement. They are the very reason why my “crazy idea” is becoming a reality, and why I’m now able to deliver all this information to you, so that we can together grow the impact of our research.
Yesterday, I was talking to one of the instructors (yes, you can talk to them all day long, this is how awesome the program is). I mentioned to Ben, who was excited to see my progress, that I would need to take it slowly for a few weeks. I have some important deadlines on the horizon, as well as a family vacation.
To this, he replied: “Slow is Smooth. Smooth is Fast.”
And that’s when it hit. All the progress I’ve made in just over a year since I started writing was due to that: finding a smooth path that allows me to grow quickly.
So, in today’s post, I’m eager to talk about how my slow but smooth pace is bringing amazing results so fast that my newsletter brought in $26k in its first year.
Here’s the whole secret sauce.
During my time in academia, I couldn’t imagine that a newsletter could become a reliable source of income or a tool to attract aligned opportunities. I thought newsletters were for “influencers,” not researchers.
But here’s the secret: writing a newsletter isn’t about becoming an influencer.
It’s about becoming a go-to person for a particular topic you’re passionate about.
It’s about making your science easier to find, easier to support, and easier to apply in the real world.
If you’re curious how you can make this work without adding more chaos to your schedule, here’s the method I teach in my program broken down so that even with just two hours a week, you can build something that grows.
Step 1: Choose your five topics
This isn’t about picking a niche that locks you in. It’s about making it easier to show up consistently.
Here’s the formula I use:
3 topics related to your work, research, or mission.
2 personal themes that reflect your values, story, or what brought you here.
Why this works: People don’t follow abstract topics. They follow people who make those topics feel relevant and real. Mixing your professional and personal lens builds trust: the foundation of any sustainable audience.
Example:
Professional: climate change, science communication, paleontology
Personal: motherhood, being an international scientist in the US
Once you have your five themes, you’ll stop wondering what to write and start noticing story ideas everywhere.
And I mean EVERYWHERE. So have a piece of paper or a notes app handy all the time.
Step 2: Start writing on Medium
I always start my students on Medium. Why?
✅ Built-in monetization even from day one
✅ High SEO: your stories can get found by people outside your bubble
✅ Boost program: stories that follow best practices can earn hundreds (even thousands) of dollars
✅ Momentum: There’s something powerful about seeing your first $1. It makes the whole thing feel real.
And if you’re wondering, “But what would I write about?” Just go back to your five topics. Choose one. Write about a time you learned something, struggled with something, or changed your mind.
If you can write 1 story per week, you’re already ahead of 98% of people.
Step 3: Repurpose on Substack and LinkedIn
Once your Medium post is live, don’t start from scratch again.
Here’s what I recommend:
Substack: Turn your Medium story into a newsletter. Add a short intro or reflection if needed, but don’t overthink it. Most of your audience didn’t see your Medium post, and if they did, they’ll appreciate the reminder.
LinkedIn: Post the same story in a LinkedIn newsletter and share it with a short version. You can use the story’s first 3–4 lines, or extract one insight and invite conversation. End with a question.
And don’t forget: activate Substack monetization. Even if you’re not planning to launch paid, turning on the option lets readers support your work. In my case, I keep it all for free, and I let people decide whether they want to support independent science writing.
Step 4: Show up on social 3x a week
This isn’t about going viral.
It’s about showing up with consistency. My rule of thumb:
🗓 Pick 3 days a week
🕘 Post at similar times each day
💬 Write short, useful posts connected to your five themes
A good post could be:
A metaphor you use to explain a tricky concept
A quote from your research or a recent paper
A question or insight from a conversation you had that week
You can find more ideas in this post.
If you’re using Threads, Bluesky, or X, the same idea. Repurpose, keep it light, don’t overthink. This is how your personal brand unfolds in public.
I personally like using Buffer (not sponsored). With a free plan, you get up to three accounts, which makes repurposing content super easy and smooth.
Step 5: Engage, don’t just broadcast
Here’s where the magic happens.
Spend a few minutes engaging with people who share your values or interests. Not just to “grow your following” but to connect with peers, potential collaborators, and readers who care.
Reply to their posts.
Send DMs when something resonates.
Comment with genuine insights, not generic praise.
This is how you build visibility without shouting. Without trying to be louder than others. Just more relevant.
Oh, and it’s also how you discover new ideas or formats to share.
But isn’t all this… a lot?
Yes… if you try to do it all at once.
But here’s the thing:
You don’t have to sprint.
“Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.”
Start with one Medium post per week.
Once posting on Medium becomes natural, which will happen fast, add your Substack. After all, it’s the duplicate content with some tweaks; you have to learn the ins and outs of the platform.
Then post on LinkedIn.
Then experiment on another platform if you feel like it.
Momentum builds naturally when your work starts being seen, shared, and supported.
And like in science, experimentation is key.
Not every post will resonate. That’s normal. You’re not just building a newsletter, you’re building clarity. You’re learning what your audience cares about, what stories move them, and what problems you’re uniquely suited to help solve.
Here’s what 2 hours a week can look like:
🧠 30 min: jot down ideas for the week’s story
✍️ 60 min: write & publish on Medium
📤 15 min: repurpose to Substack + LinkedIn
💬 15 min: comment and connect with others
You can do this from your office. Or the park. Or the couch after dinner.
And within a few weeks?
You’ll stop wondering how to “get visibility”
and start receiving messages like:
“I love what you shared last week.”
“We’d love to feature your work.”
“Can we talk about funding support?”
“Would you be open to a paid talk on this topic?”
Want to go deeper?
This is exactly what we do inside the Outreach Lab.
But even if you’re not ready to join, I hope this gave you a solid starting point.
Because the future of science doesn’t belong to those who work in silence.
It belongs to those who show up with clarity, purpose, and a plan.
Your science matters.
The world deserves to hear it.
See you next week,
— Sílvia Pienda-Munoz, PhD — Climate Ages’ Outreach Lab
Want to build a visible, fundable, and purpose-driven science brand?
Join the Outreach Lab waitlist and be the first to know when doors open this September.
This was a wonderfully helpful post, Silvia—great information about resources to utilize. I had never heard of Medium until now. Thank you for sharing.
This was really clear and super helpful. Please keep it up.