Will Hayward on his Substack journey: "I love covering Wales. You can have a big impact in a small country"

Last year, award-winning journalist Will Hayward made a career move that many dream of - he left his full-time role at Reach plc's title Wales Online to grow his Substack side hustle.

More than 5,000 subscribers are now following his essential reporting on Welsh politics and current affairs. Will spoke with Journalism.co.uk about his journey.

First-name basis

The Will Hayward newsletter - a name he would not choose if starting again - has grown thanks to its deeply personal nature. Will has worked hard to build trust with readers, break exclusives, and show how stories are made. As a result, many supporters are willing to "pay Will", rather than giving money to a faceless brand.

This also translates to his growing reach. Initially, the bulk of the audience were readers from Wales Online, politicians, and fellow journalists. Now, the readership has expanded to the Welsh diaspora and those curious about the complexity of Welsh politics from beyond the country's borders.

The reality of independence

"I make significantly more money than when I was a staff journalist. [The newsletter] has gone much better than expected," Hayward reveals.

Paid tier offers various perks, ranging from exclusive stories to insights on how politicians make decisions. It also grants commenting rights, access to a community of readers and live Q&As.

Getting readers to opt for the premium tier is hard work, though.

"People don’t realise that if journalists don’t cover stories, they don’t exist," says Will, adding that readers are often only willing to pay for what they agree with.

As many creators found out, a specialist newsletter is a great launchpad for other freelance work that helps diversify revenue streams. In Will's case, this includes speaking about Welsh politics at events, hosting awards, contributing to the Guardian and writing a book. Advertorials are, however, out of the question. Will says he has turned down offers from companies he might end up investigating to maintain audience trust.

Timing is everything

Hayward left Wales Online 18 months before the Welsh parliament election in May 2026, to be in a peak position for this critical moment in Welsh politics.

"I didn't want to be building something when it's happening," he explains.

"Every journalist wants to feel that what they do matters, has an impact. I love covering Wales—you can have a big impact in a small country."

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