Featured · Earned Media
Find Independent Writers
Find independent writers and the newsletters they publish — including Substack — by topic, publication, or author name. Ask in plain language and Featured returns the publications that fit.
Free to start · No credit card · Includes Substack
How PR pros use Find Independent Writers
Eight ways to find independent writers, including Substack. Tap a prompt to open it in Featured.
- Discover
Find Substack writers
Find Substack writers who cover climate policy.
Open in Featured - Topic
Search by subject
Find independent writers who write about personal finance for first-time homebuyers.
Open in Featured - Newsletter
Find newsletters on a beat
Find newsletters about B2B payroll.
Open in Featured - Author
Find writers by what they cover
Find Substack authors who write about cybersecurity for startup founders.
Open in Featured - Publication
Find a publication by name
Find the Substack publication whose name includes Pragmatic Engineer.
Open in Featured - Pitch list
Build a list to pitch
Find independent writers on Substack who cover seed-stage fundraising so I can pitch a founder story.
Open in Featured - Not a newsroom
Skip staff reporters
Find people who write about hospital staffing. I want independent writers, not newspaper reporters.
Open in Featured - Name and topic
Narrow a known writer
Find Substack writers named Jordan who write about commercial real estate.
Open in Featured
How it works
Name the writer, the publication, or the subject.
Say who you want
A topic, a Substack publication, or an author name. “Independent writers who cover hospital staffing” is a complete ask. You do not need the word newsletter.
Featured finds publications
The search looks across independent writers, including Substack, and matches the subject against what those publications are about.
You take the list
Results come back with the publication and author. Audience figures and contact addresses are unverified when they appear — Featured does not treat them as confirmed.
What makes independent-writer search different
This is a publication search, not a newsroom directory and not a subscriber-count filter.
Substack
Independent writers, including Substack
The page is for independent writers. Substack publications and authors are part of that search, called out because that is where a lot of this outreach starts.
Topic
Search what they write about
Ask for a subject and Featured matches publication descriptions. You can also name the publication or the author.
By name
Publication or author
When you already know the newsletter or the writer, search the name directly instead of browsing a directory.
Labeled
Audience and contacts stay unverified
Subscriber counts and email addresses are not filters, and they are not confirmed when they show up. Pitch from the publication, not from a verified-inbox promise.
Ask for the writers who cover your topic
Name a subject, a Substack publication, or an author. Featured searches independent writers — including Substack — and returns the publications that fit.
Same features. Only usage scales.
Every plan includes independent writer discovery.
Try Featured with no commitment.
Example usage
Chat with Featured to explore 2–3 media opportunities per week and see how AI-powered PR works.
- Featured Chat for discovering media opportunities
- Daily pitching tools to reach journalists
- Journalist request matching
- Core workflows to speed up outreach
- A gentle daily allowance to learn the platform
For solo practitioners running focused PR.
Example usage
Monitor HARO and similar feeds, draft pitches in Featured Chat, and ship a steady weekly cadence without burning out.
- 5× more AI usage than Free
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Workflows across your saved opportunities
- Deeper AI chat for drafting and research
- Higher limits for active weekly pitching
For power users running a full PR operation.
For agencies and teams at maximum throughput.
Example usage
Automate workflows, coordinate outreach, and lean on AI for research and drafting at serious volume.
Example usage
Run multiple brands in parallel, max out daily credits, and keep every workflow and journalist touchpoint in one place.
- 5× more usage than Lite20× more usage than Lite
- Everything in Lite, plus:
- Maximum daily allowance for credit-based actions
- Built for teams that live in the product
How Team pricing works
Everyone gets a login. You pay for usage.
Add up to 25 team members — each with their own login, their own workflows, and their own activity history. No per-seat fees. Your team shares a usage pool, and your admin dashboard shows exactly who's doing what.
For small teams getting started with Featured.
Example usage
A small agency monitors HARO across a few client accounts, with each team member managing their own workflows and pitches.
- Up to 25 team seats included
- Admin dashboard with per-member activity
- Shared workflow libraries
- Central billing — one invoice
- SSO and domain verification
For boutique agencies running a full PR operation.
Example usage
An agency runs 20+ workflows across journalist outreach, podcast pitching, and media monitoring for a dozen clients — all tracked per team member.
- 5× the shared pool of Team Lite
- Everything in Team Lite, plus:
- Up to 25 team seats included
- Priority processing at peak times
- Admin controls for workflows and delivery
- Team-wide analytics and reporting
- Priority support
For large agencies with high-volume needs.
Example usage
A large agency manages 50+ active workflows, runs competitive intelligence across industries, and generates hundreds of pitches weekly.
- 20× the shared pool of Team Lite
- Everything in Team Pro, plus:
- Up to 25 team seats included
- Higher output limits for all tasks
- Early access to new tools
- Dedicated account support
- Custom onboarding for your team
Enterprise
For large agencies and organizations that need unlimited members, custom usage commitments, and enterprise-grade controls.
Custom pricing
Unlimited members with usage at API rates. Pay only for what your organization consumes. Admins set org-wide spend limits — no surprises.
- Unlimited team members
- Usage-based pricing at API rates
- Org-wide spend limits
- Role-based access controls
- SCIM provisioning
- Audit logs & compliance API
- Custom data retention
- Dedicated account manager
- Custom contract terms
- Priority SLA support
"I don't want to go to my bosses every time someone needs access. I just want a flat fee, and I want to know who's actually using the tool."
That's why Team plans include up to 25 member logins at no extra cost. Add your whole team on day one — your bill stays the same.
Usage limits apply. Prices shown don't include applicable tax.
Find Independent Writers — frequently asked questions
What is Find Independent Writers?
A plain-language search for independent writers and the newsletters they publish, including Substack. Ask by topic, publication name, or author name, and Featured returns the publications that fit.
Does this include Substack?
Yes. Find Independent Writers includes Substack publications and authors. The title stays “independent writers” because the job is the writer, and Substack is the platform this search highlights.
Can I filter by subscriber count or a verified email?
No. Audience figures and contact addresses are unverified when they appear. The search does not filter on subscriber thresholds, a verified audience, or a verified contact.
How is this different from Pitch Journalists?
Pitch Journalists is for reporters, editors, and outlets. Find Independent Writers is for independent writers and newsletters, including Substack. If you name a journalist, reporter, or editor, use Pitch Journalists.
How is this different from Journalist Requests?
Journalist Requests are live queries from reporters who need a source now. Find Independent Writers finds writers you can pitch on your own schedule.
Can I search independent writers by city?
Location is not a filter on this search. Ask by topic, publication, or author. For a US city, state, or market, use Find Bookstores or Find TV Stations.
How much does this feature cost?
Independent writer discovery is included in every Featured plan — free to start, $39/month (Lite) or $79/month (Pro, billed annually).
Explore more
Find the writers who already cover your topic
Including Substack. Free to start. No credit card.