Pressmark helps Substack writers keep their articles, release plan and brand in one place on their Mac. This article covers the first-run setup and what you see on Today once it is done.
The setup flow#
Setup is one page with six steps. Open it from Start setup on Today, or press ⌘K and type Setup. The steps, in order:
- Your publication. Your Substack address.
- Your profile. Your name and a short bio.
- Your articles. The folder that holds your writing.
- About your publication. A few questions about what you write and who for.
- Your goals. What you want from your writing, in order.
- You stay in control. How much Pressmark may do for you, kind of action by kind of action.
A line at the top says which step you are on, for example "Step 3 of 6". Under it, each step is marked Now, Done or Skipped, so you never rely on colour alone.
Continue, Skip and Back#
- Continue saves the step and moves on. It stays off until the step has something to save or is already done.
- Skip for now moves on without saving. Every step can be skipped, including the last two. Nothing is lost: a skipped step is listed on Today until you do it.
- Back returns to the step before. Steps you finished stay finished.
If you leave and come back, setup opens at the first step that is not done and not skipped.
Your publication#
Type your publication address, for example yourname.substack.com. Pressmark reads its public profile and archive. You do not need to sign in to Substack for this.
Your profile#
What Pressmark found about you. Keep it, or change it. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Your articles#
Point Pressmark at the folder where your articles live. Paste the path, choose it with Browse, or drop the folder from Finder. Pressmark reads the folder and never changes it. See the Content folder article.
About your publication#
A few short questions, or let Pressmark read your posts. Pressmark uses the answers to find readers and writers like you.
Your goals#
Choose what you want from your writing, for example more readers or more authority, and put the goals in order. The first one matters most. Goals steer the order of sections on Today, the order of posts on the calendar and the ranking of people on Growth. To move a goal, drag it or use the Move up and Move down buttons. Pressmark says where the goal went, for example "Readers moved to second".
You stay in control#
Choose what Pressmark may do for each kind of action: Off, Suggest, Guided or Send for me. Nothing is liked, followed, restacked, commented on or messaged without you approving that item. You can change this at any time on Safety.
The finish screen#
After the last step a short screen says you are ready. The button Go to Today takes you there. Press Escape to skip the animation and go straight to Today. If your Mac is set to reduce motion, the screen stays still.
What Today shows afterwards#
- Left to set up. The six steps above that are not done, including any you skipped. Each line opens its step. The list goes away when every step is done.
- When you have a moment. A quiet line for things setup never asked about, such as the brand kit and the extra options in Settings. It is not a to-do list. Choose Hide this and it stays hidden on this Mac.
Below these, Today shows your next post, your reading queue and your follow queue, in the order your goals ask for.
How to open help#
- Click Help at the bottom of the sidebar.
- Press ⌘K and type what you are looking for.
- Press ⌘? from anywhere.
- Click the "?" on a page or setting to open the matching article.
If something looks wrong, open Diagnostics from Help. See the Diagnostics article. See the Privacy article for what leaves your Mac.