I'm for option 3. Write less often, e.g. fortnightly. I'd be fine with that, and paying the same subscription as now.
And my answer to your following questions is YES, YES, YES and YES! Me, me, me, me! I AM!!!! "“Is anybody actually reading this? Do they care? Am I making a difference??? Would anyone even notice if I just stopped writing, and they never heard from me again?” Please please PLEASE don't stop writing!
OK, I hear ya! I do want to keep writing, but I can't sustain my present level of output. I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
#3 would be fine by me. I would happily pay the current subscription price even if the articles came less often. TBH I find it difficult sometimes to keep up with all your excellent content and to figure out how to balance continuing to be educated with (like you) food production and other important aspects of living life. I see the value in the quality of your work, even if the quantity diminished. I guess it's a matter of whether you would actually lose many paid subscribers if you wrote less often.
re #1 - from my own family's perspective your private practice is immensely valuable also. If adopting #3 would allow you to maintain your private practice, keep up the food production, and keep writing but with less pressure re volume and more appropriate financial reward, that would be cool.
re #5 I don't really know the difference between putting content behind a paywall and having subscriptions.
re #7 Of course that would be awesome! But sadly I have zero knowledge on how to achieve that. Tom Woods is always banging on about email lists and stuff like that and seems to be quite successful. I don't know whether any of his ideas/courses would be helpful.
Re #5, putting some content behind a paywall means that it would ONLY be available to paying subscribers, whereas currently all my content is available for free, with the hope that those who see value in it will choose to offer financial support. As a long-time paying subscriber, I'm interested in your viewpoint on this: do you think it's fair that you pay, while others get exactly the same content for free? Or is this a bit too commie 🤣?
Re #7, I've done all the email list-building stuff (or at least, the stuff that I don't find too icky) and it certainly didn't create magic for me. Maybe I just suck at marketing. This wouldn't surprise me greatly.
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
TBH I hadn't really thought much about the fact that I'm paying for something that other people are getting for free. I guess I just figured it's fair that I pay for something that I am benefitting from, regardless of what other people decide they should do.
From your description of the paywall thing, that's what I do with some other writers - I read a bit of what they offer for free, but their writing isn't enough of a priority for me to pay for the stuff that isn't free. I guess it's like offering a free sample of a product in the hope that people like it and want to keep buying it. I think that's reasonable.
I think your new solution is a great idea! Not only is it a solution for you, but more people will benefit from work you have already done. The hours you have already put in will benefit more people.
"I don’t want to sound mean-spirited or sour-grapey, but I see a helluva lot of Substack writers with huge followings and large numbers of paid subscribers, whose content is badly written, poorly informed, and frequently produced either entirely by an AI or with substantial assistance from one."
Yeah, me too. Not only that, many of the most 'popular' StubbyStackers have an agenda. A major agenda (fame, power & ultimately ... money).
This is huge (to me). I would (and do) avoid them like the effing plague. Liars, one and all.
My two bobs: Option 3. I supported you as you were one of the few voices speaking out during Covid in this country. It's a shame it's come to this, because Substack is convenient. Sometimes less is more. I suspect that the only pushback can come from America.
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
Up to you. As far as I'm concerned, Option 3 is still fine. Don't feel that you HAVE to send something out each week. Less can be more. There are times when I don't have time to read much at all. Life gets in the way.
I hear you re having too much to read and too little time to read it. Sometimes I fantasise about the internet going down one day. Then I'll finally be able to read all the books on my shelves!
Robyn, don’t rule out anything, yet. Except for number 1. $3/hour is certainly not enough to make a living on. When I first started working as a teenager, minimum wage was $1.10/hour. When I joined the military at 18, I earned $96/month. Figure what that is on an hourly basis. Almost six decades later, if someone was to offer me $3/hour to do anything I would just laugh. I’m guessing you enjoy doing the research and writing, so as long as that’s the case, keep doing it in a way that isn’t burdensome or dangerous. We can figure it out as we go along.
"Robyn, don’t rule out anything, yet. Except for number 1. $3/hour is certainly not enough to make a living on."
I think you're a little bit off. That was not her #1. Your quoting the paragraph above #1.
Thinking strictly of Robyn's well being, no personal preferences, I would hesitantly suggest #1 would probably be the best *for her* peace of mind and * her* productivity for others that she reaches through her private practice.
"hesitantly" - because what do I know? Life is funny with its twists and turns.
Her words and I understand them 100%. Or so I think/hope.
#1: "focus on my private practice (which gives me immense satisfaction, as well as being more financially rewarding than writing)"
Sooo, suggestion only. #1. or maybe a combo of #1 and a tiny bit of writing to the outside world. I would miss it if she gave it all up so this is not thinking of me/me/me, only thinking of *her* peace of mind & financial situation.
Thanks, you're a very kind person! I would like to continue writing if I can figure out a way to make it sustainable.
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
IMO sometimes you have to pay the devl his due. I'm going to launch with substack. And you never know if they may reverse course on top of it, in which case you may regret not having built up here. Email list is always portable, so delaying indefinitely is no risk to you. If we kept our hands off everythign that was tainted in some way we wouldn't have a single morsel of food to eat or piece of clothign to wear, etc.
"All work is beset with defect, as all fire is beset with smoke."
I don't agree. Substack is actively excluding many of my subscribers from commenting, watching videos or listening to podcasts unless they submit a photograph of themselves to a privacy-invading third-party app. I urged non-compliance with masking and experimental jabs, so I'd be a screaming hypocrite if I didn't urge non-compliance with this total invasion of people's privacy.
I'm for option 3. Write less often, e.g. fortnightly. I'd be fine with that, and paying the same subscription as now.
And my answer to your following questions is YES, YES, YES and YES! Me, me, me, me! I AM!!!! "“Is anybody actually reading this? Do they care? Am I making a difference??? Would anyone even notice if I just stopped writing, and they never heard from me again?” Please please PLEASE don't stop writing!
OK, I hear ya! I do want to keep writing, but I can't sustain my present level of output. I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
Hi Robyn
#3 would be fine by me. I would happily pay the current subscription price even if the articles came less often. TBH I find it difficult sometimes to keep up with all your excellent content and to figure out how to balance continuing to be educated with (like you) food production and other important aspects of living life. I see the value in the quality of your work, even if the quantity diminished. I guess it's a matter of whether you would actually lose many paid subscribers if you wrote less often.
re #1 - from my own family's perspective your private practice is immensely valuable also. If adopting #3 would allow you to maintain your private practice, keep up the food production, and keep writing but with less pressure re volume and more appropriate financial reward, that would be cool.
re #5 I don't really know the difference between putting content behind a paywall and having subscriptions.
re #7 Of course that would be awesome! But sadly I have zero knowledge on how to achieve that. Tom Woods is always banging on about email lists and stuff like that and seems to be quite successful. I don't know whether any of his ideas/courses would be helpful.
Re #5, putting some content behind a paywall means that it would ONLY be available to paying subscribers, whereas currently all my content is available for free, with the hope that those who see value in it will choose to offer financial support. As a long-time paying subscriber, I'm interested in your viewpoint on this: do you think it's fair that you pay, while others get exactly the same content for free? Or is this a bit too commie 🤣?
Re #7, I've done all the email list-building stuff (or at least, the stuff that I don't find too icky) and it certainly didn't create magic for me. Maybe I just suck at marketing. This wouldn't surprise me greatly.
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
TBH I hadn't really thought much about the fact that I'm paying for something that other people are getting for free. I guess I just figured it's fair that I pay for something that I am benefitting from, regardless of what other people decide they should do.
From your description of the paywall thing, that's what I do with some other writers - I read a bit of what they offer for free, but their writing isn't enough of a priority for me to pay for the stuff that isn't free. I guess it's like offering a free sample of a product in the hope that people like it and want to keep buying it. I think that's reasonable.
I think your new solution is a great idea! Not only is it a solution for you, but more people will benefit from work you have already done. The hours you have already put in will benefit more people.
"I don’t want to sound mean-spirited or sour-grapey, but I see a helluva lot of Substack writers with huge followings and large numbers of paid subscribers, whose content is badly written, poorly informed, and frequently produced either entirely by an AI or with substantial assistance from one."
Yeah, me too. Not only that, many of the most 'popular' StubbyStackers have an agenda. A major agenda (fame, power & ultimately ... money).
This is huge (to me). I would (and do) avoid them like the effing plague. Liars, one and all.
Fame, power and money. The three most powerfully addicting drugs.
My two bobs: Option 3. I supported you as you were one of the few voices speaking out during Covid in this country. It's a shame it's come to this, because Substack is convenient. Sometimes less is more. I suspect that the only pushback can come from America.
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
Up to you. As far as I'm concerned, Option 3 is still fine. Don't feel that you HAVE to send something out each week. Less can be more. There are times when I don't have time to read much at all. Life gets in the way.
I hear you re having too much to read and too little time to read it. Sometimes I fantasise about the internet going down one day. Then I'll finally be able to read all the books on my shelves!
Robyn, don’t rule out anything, yet. Except for number 1. $3/hour is certainly not enough to make a living on. When I first started working as a teenager, minimum wage was $1.10/hour. When I joined the military at 18, I earned $96/month. Figure what that is on an hourly basis. Almost six decades later, if someone was to offer me $3/hour to do anything I would just laugh. I’m guessing you enjoy doing the research and writing, so as long as that’s the case, keep doing it in a way that isn’t burdensome or dangerous. We can figure it out as we go along.
"Robyn, don’t rule out anything, yet. Except for number 1. $3/hour is certainly not enough to make a living on."
I think you're a little bit off. That was not her #1. Your quoting the paragraph above #1.
Thinking strictly of Robyn's well being, no personal preferences, I would hesitantly suggest #1 would probably be the best *for her* peace of mind and * her* productivity for others that she reaches through her private practice.
"hesitantly" - because what do I know? Life is funny with its twists and turns.
Her words and I understand them 100%. Or so I think/hope.
#1: "focus on my private practice (which gives me immense satisfaction, as well as being more financially rewarding than writing)"
Sooo, suggestion only. #1. or maybe a combo of #1 and a tiny bit of writing to the outside world. I would miss it if she gave it all up so this is not thinking of me/me/me, only thinking of *her* peace of mind & financial situation.
Thanks, you're a very kind person! I would like to continue writing if I can figure out a way to make it sustainable.
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
👍 Just read your update. Good idea. I like it.
When I said number 1, I was referring to the options Robyn listed, which was “1. Stop writing altogether”
I think I've come up with a solution that I didn't include in this post, so I've updated it. Please read the update (at the end) and let me know what you think.
IMO sometimes you have to pay the devl his due. I'm going to launch with substack. And you never know if they may reverse course on top of it, in which case you may regret not having built up here. Email list is always portable, so delaying indefinitely is no risk to you. If we kept our hands off everythign that was tainted in some way we wouldn't have a single morsel of food to eat or piece of clothign to wear, etc.
"All work is beset with defect, as all fire is beset with smoke."
I don't agree. Substack is actively excluding many of my subscribers from commenting, watching videos or listening to podcasts unless they submit a photograph of themselves to a privacy-invading third-party app. I urged non-compliance with masking and experimental jabs, so I'd be a screaming hypocrite if I didn't urge non-compliance with this total invasion of people's privacy.
It's a fair decision. Though I wouldn't call you a hypocrite in any case.