Fairy tale-crime mashup writing workshop last call - and permission corner on why I am choosing to making paid subscriptions free for anyone who wants one...
I've been struggling with some version of this for years. I self-published a novel and a short story collection on Amazon (10-15 years ago), but very quickly took them down and made them freely available via my blog. When I joined Substack it was with an eye on making some income that would justify reducing to 3 days a week at the day-job, but now I'm here I have no intention of switching on paid subs at all. I can manage financially with the part-time day-job so why give myself the pressure of feeling like I'm providing value for money with my writing? It works for some people though, and it's a legitimate way of earning money from your craft.
I do have a tip jar and have had for years, though I'm often too embarrassed to mention it. Only 1 person has ever contributed, and that was in response to my podcast sitcom (I made 11 episodes, which have collectively been listened to more than 1200 times now and it's had great feedback). I very rarely contribute to anyone else's tip jar either though, so that seems fair enough :-)
And the fact that I'm only responding to this 3 weeks later tells you that I would be overwhelmed if I got all 3 of your posts every month! Thanks for giving us the option.
Thank you for sharing this, Jacqueline, sounds like you're also resisting the constant pressure to sell sell sell and grow everything etc... I agree about the feeling that you're providing value for money with your writing, I felt that pressure too. The great feedback for your podcast sitcom (which sounds wonderful!) is brilliant, for me that's the best measure of 'success' if we have to measure it at all instead of just doing what we do and enjoying it!
Thanks for posting this Tania, and thanks for putting so clearly the exact thing that has been bubbling away at the back of my mind. All the ‘you must…’ is getting worse. Looking forward to seeing the recording of the workshop ! ( unfortunately can’t make the actual Live one)
Thanks, Lin, I'm glad it spoke to you - it took me quite a while to figure out how I wanted to say what I wanted to say! And yes, the "you must" and "more, more more" are getting stronger. But you're not alone in wanting to resist, that's part of why I wrote this post. Sorry you can't join us live tomorrow night, I hope you enjoy the recording!
For me I am tired (no way to keep up, frankly) of the culture of rushing to read as soon as something is “published” (posted). I am enjoying trusting “right timing” again.
Thank you, glad it spoke to you. And yes, I very much agree with you setting your own "right timing" and refusing to be dictated to by "published" or "posted"!
Hallelujah! You’ve articulated something that has been niggling at me. This space is a business & the model is measured in a way that doesn’t mirror my creativity, or writing. I’ve tussled whether it *should*, but it’s exhausting (more! more! more!), which makes me want to run the other way. Thank you Tania, again! Permission-giver, ground-shaker and wonderful human!
I am so glad to hear that, Julia - I was a little nervous about posting this, but then I made sure I was saying what I wanted to say in a way that felt right, and it's about me not some general sweeping statement of "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts". I'm so happy to speaks to you. You, me and Fran (below) are the capitalism-resisters, and I know there are more of us! Apart from anything else, it IS exhausting and I feel like at 54, I'm always now going to be gravitating towards the least exhausting option. Rest is for rebels!
What you said about more more more completely resonates with me! I find it so tough living in a capitalist society where this is the mentality of the majority. And many people don’t understand when you go against the grain! I’m self employed - a job I love a lot and am good at. But as I’m so often booked up in advance, like your coffee shop owner pal, I get so many people asking why I don’t hire other people, set up an agency or outsource. Many people cannot understand that I don’t want growth! What I actually want is more time so I can write (which I’m fortunate enough to have achieved). For me that’s absolutely the best sign of success. Not more money, growth and kudos, but the freedom to have more time to do my creative work which I don’t get paid for. I have a picture on my wall by an artist called Krime that says “It’s a lovely day to resist capitalism”. It’s a very good reminder!
It's interesting, isn't it, what other people think constitutes success, that there's this one capitalist growth-focussed path. I love how you put it, for me, having more time to write is also the best sign of success! I like the Krime phrase, I might have to put that above my desk too! I am glad I wrote this post, so we can know we're not the only ones who are resisting. Julia, below, is a resister too!
For me, it wasn’t about being embarrassed to say I don’t have the money to pay a subscription. I felt that getting a free subscription was cheating. I have a nice house with no mortgage, a halfway decent car. I’m better off than many people on the surface. This makes me guilty when getting a freebie. But my actual income is below the income tax threshold. Which makes me very careful with money. I don’t have any paid subscriptions on Substack.
Thank you for sharing that, Kim, I completely understand that feeling. Everyone will have a different and highly personal reaction to seeing "£3.50 per month" or "£15 workshop ticket", a gut feeling that no, this just isn't do-able, or yes, I can manage this. No matter how things might look on the surface to others, only you know what is and isn't possible - and not just possible but not anxiety-creating - for you, and that's why I wanted to make it as easy as possible to pay what you can, or not pay at all.
I've been struggling with some version of this for years. I self-published a novel and a short story collection on Amazon (10-15 years ago), but very quickly took them down and made them freely available via my blog. When I joined Substack it was with an eye on making some income that would justify reducing to 3 days a week at the day-job, but now I'm here I have no intention of switching on paid subs at all. I can manage financially with the part-time day-job so why give myself the pressure of feeling like I'm providing value for money with my writing? It works for some people though, and it's a legitimate way of earning money from your craft.
I do have a tip jar and have had for years, though I'm often too embarrassed to mention it. Only 1 person has ever contributed, and that was in response to my podcast sitcom (I made 11 episodes, which have collectively been listened to more than 1200 times now and it's had great feedback). I very rarely contribute to anyone else's tip jar either though, so that seems fair enough :-)
And the fact that I'm only responding to this 3 weeks later tells you that I would be overwhelmed if I got all 3 of your posts every month! Thanks for giving us the option.
Thank you for sharing this, Jacqueline, sounds like you're also resisting the constant pressure to sell sell sell and grow everything etc... I agree about the feeling that you're providing value for money with your writing, I felt that pressure too. The great feedback for your podcast sitcom (which sounds wonderful!) is brilliant, for me that's the best measure of 'success' if we have to measure it at all instead of just doing what we do and enjoying it!
Thanks for posting this Tania, and thanks for putting so clearly the exact thing that has been bubbling away at the back of my mind. All the ‘you must…’ is getting worse. Looking forward to seeing the recording of the workshop ! ( unfortunately can’t make the actual Live one)
Thanks, Lin, I'm glad it spoke to you - it took me quite a while to figure out how I wanted to say what I wanted to say! And yes, the "you must" and "more, more more" are getting stronger. But you're not alone in wanting to resist, that's part of why I wrote this post. Sorry you can't join us live tomorrow night, I hope you enjoy the recording!
Great post. I even “restacked” 🤪😂👏💯
And looking forward to the video of the workshop—
For me I am tired (no way to keep up, frankly) of the culture of rushing to read as soon as something is “published” (posted). I am enjoying trusting “right timing” again.
Thank you, glad it spoke to you. And yes, I very much agree with you setting your own "right timing" and refusing to be dictated to by "published" or "posted"!
Hallelujah! You’ve articulated something that has been niggling at me. This space is a business & the model is measured in a way that doesn’t mirror my creativity, or writing. I’ve tussled whether it *should*, but it’s exhausting (more! more! more!), which makes me want to run the other way. Thank you Tania, again! Permission-giver, ground-shaker and wonderful human!
I am so glad to hear that, Julia - I was a little nervous about posting this, but then I made sure I was saying what I wanted to say in a way that felt right, and it's about me not some general sweeping statement of "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts". I'm so happy to speaks to you. You, me and Fran (below) are the capitalism-resisters, and I know there are more of us! Apart from anything else, it IS exhausting and I feel like at 54, I'm always now going to be gravitating towards the least exhausting option. Rest is for rebels!
What you said about more more more completely resonates with me! I find it so tough living in a capitalist society where this is the mentality of the majority. And many people don’t understand when you go against the grain! I’m self employed - a job I love a lot and am good at. But as I’m so often booked up in advance, like your coffee shop owner pal, I get so many people asking why I don’t hire other people, set up an agency or outsource. Many people cannot understand that I don’t want growth! What I actually want is more time so I can write (which I’m fortunate enough to have achieved). For me that’s absolutely the best sign of success. Not more money, growth and kudos, but the freedom to have more time to do my creative work which I don’t get paid for. I have a picture on my wall by an artist called Krime that says “It’s a lovely day to resist capitalism”. It’s a very good reminder!
It's interesting, isn't it, what other people think constitutes success, that there's this one capitalist growth-focussed path. I love how you put it, for me, having more time to write is also the best sign of success! I like the Krime phrase, I might have to put that above my desk too! I am glad I wrote this post, so we can know we're not the only ones who are resisting. Julia, below, is a resister too!
For me, it wasn’t about being embarrassed to say I don’t have the money to pay a subscription. I felt that getting a free subscription was cheating. I have a nice house with no mortgage, a halfway decent car. I’m better off than many people on the surface. This makes me guilty when getting a freebie. But my actual income is below the income tax threshold. Which makes me very careful with money. I don’t have any paid subscriptions on Substack.
Thank you for sharing that, Kim, I completely understand that feeling. Everyone will have a different and highly personal reaction to seeing "£3.50 per month" or "£15 workshop ticket", a gut feeling that no, this just isn't do-able, or yes, I can manage this. No matter how things might look on the surface to others, only you know what is and isn't possible - and not just possible but not anxiety-creating - for you, and that's why I wanted to make it as easy as possible to pay what you can, or not pay at all.