I would love to know your thoughts on paying for subscriptions to Substack. Every writer knows the work that goes into writing an piece, but without you the reader, we have no audience!
So I would love it if you could take a few seconds to vote in the poll below. You have the power good reader, use it!
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I would like to subscribe to all the writers I enjoy. But the total amount would be costly. Then I feel guilty about reading things I haven’t contributed to (understanding the time and effort spent by the authors), and try and come up with a way of determining who I should subscribe to and who I shouldn’t. Then I think “who am I to decide who gets compensated and who doesn’t”? Then I turn it all off.
This pretty much sums it up for me. There's some great content on here but there's only a limited number i could subscribe to. I'm currently subscribed to someone from the UK and i donate to other charities, i'm by no means rich so it's all about budget. I'd also like to start writing, but it will be because i think the message is so important. I really don't care about getting paid. it's a tough game to get paid for writing.
One of my tech companies is working on a micropayments solution. We are going to offer it to Substack to use. You can help by telling Substack it is a feature you want.
It is more complicated than that. I, for one, write because I am driven to. I deeply appreciate everyone who has become a paid subscriber but as this is not my primary living, I am not aiming for more.
Secondly, I work in tech venture capital, so we are coming up with a micropayments service right now which we hope Substack will adopt.
Lots of people say, "I'd happy pay 5 cents or more if I like an article, but if I paid for an annual subscription to all the writers I like, I'd be homeless." We are going to fix that.
Lastly, for the most part, the way I split the difference is all my posts are free, but I only allow comments from paid subscribers. That keeps the Anonymous Coward Jew Haters contributions down because they have to pay to say obnoxious crap.
I feel driven too. And I appreciate every single person that likes, comments or restacks my work. But there is the pipe dream that one day it could become more than just a side gig. 😊
We are going to offer a micropayments solution to Substack so hopefully soon you'll be able to reward writers you like on a per-article basis. A penny, a nickel, dime.... whatever you like.
I am narrowing my gap between free and paid. I like Ko-Fi and have used it. I would like to participate in a collaboration of writers where payments are pooled and distributed. I think overall it would be better. I really your work and you’re high up on my list.
I only use Substack. I like that we can take our subscribers with us if we need to, which I believe keeps Substack on the right side of the line when it comes to free speech personally. But, I think offering both payment models would be helpful. Substack should have a system where people can pay 10 bucks a month and it allocates that 10 dollars to what they read proportionately by time on Substack. That can help readers on a budget and still show authors some love to pay for things that support their hobby. Very few people will ever get rich writing, but that’s not the goal for most people, nor should it I think in most cases.
Given how everyone will have to deal with a budget, I am personally a fan of a mixed model. Writers who are clear on what is paid and what is free and have a mix of both- give me the chance to decide what is worth it for my budget.
It is not that I don’t consider the writing worthy, it is that I do not have the rss to pay for each writer I like and read. And even if budgeted, how difficult to decide which ones to pick! I do like the buy me a coffee idea though which is a one time contribution to a particularly great post.
Living on a fixed income makes it difficult to pay for subscribing. I do greatly appreciate your work and all the research you put into it. I wish I could contribute financially but it's just not possible.
Currently, I subscribe to about 60 writers; only 7 are paid subscriptions. Those are the first accounts I subscribed to; after those I had to rein myself in.
I do believe that writers deserve to be paid for their work. But at a cost of $5 to $8/month, I can't afford to subscribe to all of them.
Paid-subscriber-only features are not an incentive to me. I don't have time to read everything anyway, and I can live with not being able to comment on posts.
I do really like the "buy me a coffee" option that some accounts offer. I contribute in this way when I can.
I would like to subscribe to all the writers I enjoy. But the total amount would be costly. Then I feel guilty about reading things I haven’t contributed to (understanding the time and effort spent by the authors), and try and come up with a way of determining who I should subscribe to and who I shouldn’t. Then I think “who am I to decide who gets compensated and who doesn’t”? Then I turn it all off.
Tell me you have ADHD without telling me………. 😅
Hahaha. Yeah it can be tricky for sure. So many things require payment these days. It’s hard.
This pretty much sums it up for me. There's some great content on here but there's only a limited number i could subscribe to. I'm currently subscribed to someone from the UK and i donate to other charities, i'm by no means rich so it's all about budget. I'd also like to start writing, but it will be because i think the message is so important. I really don't care about getting paid. it's a tough game to get paid for writing.
I completely agree. I think I like a contribution system. Contribute if you can.
That would be a good way around it. Would that be a Patreon donation?
One of my tech companies is working on a micropayments solution. We are going to offer it to Substack to use. You can help by telling Substack it is a feature you want.
No. It’s paying for a subscription by choice.
It is more complicated than that. I, for one, write because I am driven to. I deeply appreciate everyone who has become a paid subscriber but as this is not my primary living, I am not aiming for more.
Secondly, I work in tech venture capital, so we are coming up with a micropayments service right now which we hope Substack will adopt.
Lots of people say, "I'd happy pay 5 cents or more if I like an article, but if I paid for an annual subscription to all the writers I like, I'd be homeless." We are going to fix that.
Lastly, for the most part, the way I split the difference is all my posts are free, but I only allow comments from paid subscribers. That keeps the Anonymous Coward Jew Haters contributions down because they have to pay to say obnoxious crap.
I feel driven too. And I appreciate every single person that likes, comments or restacks my work. But there is the pipe dream that one day it could become more than just a side gig. 😊
I’m subscribed to around 10 Substacks. I’d love to pay for around 6 of them, but that’s a lot of money…
We are going to offer a micropayments solution to Substack so hopefully soon you'll be able to reward writers you like on a per-article basis. A penny, a nickel, dime.... whatever you like.
Great idea.
I agree m. It adds up quick!!
I am narrowing my gap between free and paid. I like Ko-Fi and have used it. I would like to participate in a collaboration of writers where payments are pooled and distributed. I think overall it would be better. I really your work and you’re high up on my list.
That’s kind of how medium works.
Which platform do you prefer?
I only use Substack. I like that we can take our subscribers with us if we need to, which I believe keeps Substack on the right side of the line when it comes to free speech personally. But, I think offering both payment models would be helpful. Substack should have a system where people can pay 10 bucks a month and it allocates that 10 dollars to what they read proportionately by time on Substack. That can help readers on a budget and still show authors some love to pay for things that support their hobby. Very few people will ever get rich writing, but that’s not the goal for most people, nor should it I think in most cases.
Thank you 🙏🏻
I so appreciate your work! Thank you and please keep writing!!!
Thank you Erica 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank YOU Kelli!!!
Given how everyone will have to deal with a budget, I am personally a fan of a mixed model. Writers who are clear on what is paid and what is free and have a mix of both- give me the chance to decide what is worth it for my budget.
I love this.
It is not that I don’t consider the writing worthy, it is that I do not have the rss to pay for each writer I like and read. And even if budgeted, how difficult to decide which ones to pick! I do like the buy me a coffee idea though which is a one time contribution to a particularly great post.
I am budgeting and not deviating from what i can safely do. I would when i can. Crappy 2 years lol
I hear you!
Living on a fixed income makes it difficult to pay for subscribing. I do greatly appreciate your work and all the research you put into it. I wish I could contribute financially but it's just not possible.
Currently, I subscribe to about 60 writers; only 7 are paid subscriptions. Those are the first accounts I subscribed to; after those I had to rein myself in.
I do believe that writers deserve to be paid for their work. But at a cost of $5 to $8/month, I can't afford to subscribe to all of them.
Paid-subscriber-only features are not an incentive to me. I don't have time to read everything anyway, and I can live with not being able to comment on posts.
I do really like the "buy me a coffee" option that some accounts offer. I contribute in this way when I can.
No comment.
No comment kind of is a comment. But thanks for your contribution 😊