What to expect from The Wiltshire Pantry in 2024

Learnings from last year / plans for this one / a sort of re-manifesto

What’s January without a little reflection on what’s working and what’s not-so working, eh? It’s been super eye-opening and encouraging to learn that the posts everyone loves most are the ones about me me me so hello I’m an influencer now. Joke, joke…

Photo by Bernd 📷 Dittrich on Unsplash

The Stats (sort of)

I’ve been back through last year’s posts, delved into the stats Substack helpfully provides and taken note of all the feedback you lovely lot give me about TWP and these are the top takeaways:

75% of the most-read/engaged with posts are behind a paywall
Firstly, thank you! Secondly, I knew it! It makes sense that the posts I think are the juiciest and thus protect behind a paywall are the ones that top the charts. It also makes sense that the people who invest in TWP are most invested in reading it/the things only they as extra-special paying members can read. Thems the perks, that’s the point! HOWEVER, I think it’s interesting to know there are almost 10 times as many free subscribers signed up and they’re far from unengaged, so it’s still quite the feat. A big well done to all my children.

Over half of the most popular posts could be broadly categorised as 2000s-style blog/diary entries waffling on about my silly little life
These are the most fun and natural to write but good grief do they make me cringe to publish. Most of the time I don’t even publish them. My Notes is heaving with this kind of shit. I’m an overthinker with borderline self-esteem, so it’s hard to get my head around the idea anyone cares or is interested in my nice yet objectively normal day-to-day (even though that’s what I like to read from other writers). Turns out..!

Gardening and growing content is v popular and a lot of readers tell me they’re following TWP because they’ve recently gained a garden or are interested in beginner-friendly veg-growing tips
I really enjoy writing about my gardening/growing journey and learnings and am totally with you that there should be more of this. Now I’ve had a practice half-year and get to start the growing season from the beginning this year, there’s going to be lots to share with you.

Similarly, anything about moving to the countryside from London and cultivating a cosy, slow country-based lifestyle goes down a treat - again, many readers message to say they’re seriously considering a similar leap or have just done it
This post was the most-read of the whole year. The limited posts so far in this genre again come back to my levels of cringe re writing about me and my stellar life choices but now knowing it’s helping/entertaining to people in a similar boat and creating some camaraderie amongst the isolated, homesteading-curious millennial nanas, I’ll try my best to do more.

Only 30% of top-performing posts were solely about food
I set out to make TWP a food newsletter but I guess I’ve always known deep down it was more about the other stuff with a dash of tasty inspo. I know the recipes still have their place because I get sent pictures of my recipes in your kitchen (thrilling) but it’s staring me in the face that TWP has evolved (yuck).

The more elaborate the recipe, the better it performs and reader feedback supports this with the consensus that people in this community can already cook, they want to be inspired and excited
Still on the food train here and still pointing out the obvious - quality/inspirational over quantity/doable going forward.

Paid subscribers continually tell me they pay to support and be a part of the TWP community not in return for a set number of posts on set days
…but quite a few do also say they anticipate waking up to a Hello Monday or check their inboxes for a Listen, Watch, Read at the weekend.

So, what is TWP in 2024?

The Wiltshire Pantry isn’t changing, it’s adapting. Ultimately, I plan to shift my emphasis onto the themes that resonate with you most and not shy away from being a human person that you’ve voluntarily signed up to hear from LOL.

Food posts and recipes will still be a part of TWP, they aren’t going anywhere but rather than churn out two recipes for whatever I’m eating that week because I don’t want you to think I don’t care or appreciate your attention, they’ll be more considered and inventive (while also realistic, I didn’t gain a Michelin star over Christmas).

The people have spoken and there will be more gardening/growing stuff and countryside/lifestyle content (don’t cringe, don’t cringe), and the recs/lists will live on in the same intermittent way.

I’m not going to force content to hit the quota of posts/set genres of posts my brain believes it needs to hit to make a TWP subscription ‘worth it’ while also bringing some semblance of a schedule to publishing. I’m thinking I’ll post every Monday (Happy Monday) and then either Wednesday or Sunday (garden/house/recs etc). When I’ve got more to say, I’ll post on all three days but the aim is to get readers into a rhythm of ‘ooh it’s TWP day today’.

I hope that was vaguely interesting for you to know!? Pop me a message or leave a comment if you have any (kindly-worded) thoughts or insights about any of it :) next up this week is another NY-esque post about the cookbooks you need on your shelf, so stay tuned x