310 Comments
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Danusia Malina-Derben's avatar

Oh mate. I could cry reading this. You’ve handled something utterly brutal with such calm, such clarity, such bloody grace. Most people would be flailing or hiding—but here you are, already rebuilding, already thinking about how to protect others while you’re still in the thick of it. That’s the kind of person you are. That’s why your readers love you.

You haven’t lost what matters most. We’re all still here. And we’ll shout about this new space of yours until it’s even bigger than before x

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Jo Scott's avatar

I second this! ❤️❤️❤️

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Eighth House Astrology's avatar

This is the second post this week where someone is sharing that deleting their podcast wiped their page!!! I can’t believe there isn’t a fix for this. So sorry. Sharing in solidarity 💗

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Lucy Werner's avatar

Oh my gosh, who is the other person? I might need to set up a support group.

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Dr Rosie Gilderthorp's avatar

I’m so incredibly sorry this is happening. Vimeo wiped my catalogue of videos (5 years of my masterclasses) last month and it took me forever to sort it. Felt like a huge loss. I really hope substack help you x

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Lucy Werner's avatar

Oh no! I can't imagine it. Were you able to get it back?

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Rachel Carr's avatar

From this day forth, whenever I need to share a good example of ‘what resilience looks like ’ with my team, I shall use you. This is the moment when your community does all the hyping for you. We’ve got you 🤍

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Lucy Werner's avatar

Oh my gaaad. Now you are making me emotional. You know what, the generosity of the community today is what is carrying me through.

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Rachel Carr's avatar

🤍🤍🤍

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Alicja Nocon's avatar

Oh my that's heartbreaking and shocking on Substack's part... I mean surely they've got data back up somewhere?? Are they saying that if a similar situation happened to them and they somehow deleted ALL the data from ALL the different publications they'd have no way of recovering it?? I'm struggling to believe it (but equally have been aware of dangers of creating communities on third party platforms).

Thank you for letting us in on this, stay strong and much love 💚💚💚

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Lucy Werner's avatar

No, lots of my audience have reached out with ideas for solutions but Substack response has just been it's gone, we can't do anything. Which is also in conflict to other people who I've heard have had posts rescued? Equally, the old pub is still pending deletion not deleted so I can't actually believe it is true.

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Sarah Best's avatar

Really sorry Lucy about this.

I had never once thought about backing up posts and data here, as like you, I didn't think that I needed to.

And no worries on the gentle ask. Take the time that you need.

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Lucy Werner's avatar

Get it backed up, and I think also regularly. Maybe this will be a monthly prompt from me! 😂❤️

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Sarah Best's avatar

Going to look into it now!

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Francesca Oddie Astrology's avatar

FIRST OF ALL - thanks for sharing this!! WOW! Backing up! Do you want me to forward anything I still have?

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Lucy Werner's avatar

I’m ok for now. Probably if there is a particular favourite is more helpful as I need to prioritise where I start in the old archive.

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Amber Parkin's avatar

A masterclass in resilience! Likewise, if I can help get anything back or do some research for you let me know! Jour férié you know x

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Lucy Werner's avatar

We just need to meet up! I'm ready to zhuzsh my speaker situation.

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Ryan Grey's avatar

Awful. Feels like Substack support should be doing more here. Good luck getting back to where you were.

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Lucy Werner's avatar

Yes, I feel this too. Or anyone at Substack.

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Holly Bailie (she/her)'s avatar

So sorry it’s come out this way in the end Lucy. I can’t believe that Substack don’t have a way to restore your posts! But it’s YOU we value Lucy, and you still have all your wisdom inside, ready to share. Take as much time as you need to rebuild and your Hypers will be here cheering you on. 💖✨

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Lucy Werner's avatar

I appreciate that - the rebuild is taxing my brain more than I expected because something is blocking me from going back and just doing it the same.

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Judy MacMahon's avatar

Omg Lucy

So… how do you back up your Substack? This is the question of the day. I’m open to all suggestions!! Top 100 Substack here with more than 250 posts alone.

Judy

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Kathleen Schmidt's avatar

Download your data weekly. The other thing I do is write my posts in Word and copy them into a Substack draft.

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Celia Chen's avatar

That's a great idea to write in Word first. I used an alternate email to subscribe to my own Substack (for testing) so i've been getting each post I write in my own inbox so that's another way to ensure you have them. But I just downloaded my list and content as back-up. I'm so sorry this happened to you @lucy

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Gail Sideman's avatar

I write my posts (my newsletter is hosted on Beehiiv) in Word, but I inevitably edit while I'm in the app before I schedule each week's release. Weekly data downloads is a smart idea, too.

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Katie Blake, PhD's avatar

Danusia Malina-Derben posted an EXCELLENT article today outlining the exact steps!

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Jezz Lundkvist's avatar

Them saying they cant get it back is just bad, because it stays on their servers for weeks if not months before it completely gone. Nothing gets ”deleted” in modern age.

But I’m surprised you got a human contact from them, all I get is their useless bot.🤷‍♂️

Sad this happen to you, you should have got a window pop before deleting anything!

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Lucy Werner's avatar

I know especially because I have heard of them retrieving posts for other people. Apparently (even though they are saying it isn't a glitch it's on me) they have changed the wording when you are in the podcast section and included an extra window pop. I literally followed their guidance post on it, so the fact the engineer has had to make changes tells me everything I need to know...

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Jane Pike's avatar

GAH. I went through a series of imaginal grief stages myself just reading, thinking what it must be like. I'm so so sorry. This is truly awful. You have been so gracious and poised in how you've handled this here (in what is a hotbed of emotion) and I'm all in for Lucy 2.0. Sending love and solidarity xx

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Lucy Werner's avatar

Jane - thank you for supporting me by becoming paid at this time. Separate from this debacle, I had two refund requests for people who had accidentally renewed their annuals and, due to personal circumstances (they were sweet in saying it wasn't because of me) asked for refunds. Having you come on whilst I'm rebuilding was such a glimmer of sunshine that I can get through this.

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Katherine Harrison's avatar

I don't know what the written equivalent of a hype wo/man-style "woop woop woop" is, but I am cheering you on so loudly, and sending love and strength. You'll get through! Arghhhh though!

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Lucy Werner's avatar

I felt it! I high fived you back and then was like oh c’mon let’s cuddle ❤️

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Katherine Harrison's avatar

ahh go on then! 😊 massive hugs right back!

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Claire Amritavani Brown's avatar

I'm in awe of how you are handling this here. I'm rooting for you because of your resilience.

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Lucy Werner's avatar

I think it’s the crisis PR experience. I promise I’ve defo had a good wobble and a half behind the scenes.

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Claire Amritavani Brown's avatar

I bet you have and I am sending support for the wobbly moments in private or online.

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Lucy Werner's avatar

I really appreciate that. 🙏🏼

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Charla Anthony's avatar

Literally gasped when I saw your first note about this. I am so very sorry, but here you are! this shouts that you are on the way to a fantastic reset just a few hours out - impressive. A drop of consolation is that because of your loss, there are multiple posts on backing up, writing in Word to copy into draft And saving subscriber lists. If you will for a moment indulge this decades old, silver-hair - I've seen things that break our hearts eventually bloom into something beautiful, far beyond imaginings. That is my prayer for you Lucy.

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Lucy Werner's avatar

I so love your words ~ thank you from the bottom of my heart

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Sage Justice's avatar

Dear Lucy, my heart goes out to you. This is devastating. There’s always a sister who unintentionally takes one for the team so that we all learn new ways to protect ourselves- thank you for being a way-show-er (without the dash it looks like shower and that’s just oddballs- 😂). I’ve only known you for a day and I know enough about you that you will create something inspiring and impactful from this experience!❤ May the virus in the house with the littles and in the systems of Substack, both heal and resolve themselves soon. I’m wishing for you to have lots of hugs, a deep, long cry, and someone to rub your shoulders and remind you of how amazing you are. The Rome re-build will be more than a day but a new design that calls even more in. There’s some Substack silver linings somewhere. 🌈

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Lucy Werner's avatar

You know what the silver lining is the people here for all the 💩 and 🤮 physically and metaphorically I’ve been so held by the community here!

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