Definitely have my trust! Especially as someone newer to the platform, it can be quickly discouraging to try to find out what you’re interested in only to run into a paywall at every turn. I understand a good mix of both.
Hi Paul, I totally agree with your thinking. I'm 85, a widow, and don't need to work. My newsletter will always be free for the reasons you mentioned. It has also been a way of healing and gives me a purpose. I so enjoy reading the Deplatformable Newsletter and appreciate that I can make a comment without having to pay to make it.
This is a wise decision. I have heard several people in addition to myself voice dissatisfaction about encountering a sensible, well - written post THEN finding out that it's behind a paywall after getting ready to comment on it, & have gone on record as such.
KUDOS. " A stack of subs "- was that your idea, & if so, can I borrow it ?
Very well said Paul! Your reasoning is solid and relatable. People can become paid subscribers to my site but I don't push it in the same way some others do. I think people come to Substack for different reasons and that's one of the great things about the site!
Your writing encouraged and helped me get started on my substack Paul, so thank you for that! I've grown fond of substack and its creators and hope they are wildly successful
Oh my… Just read this at a time when I was starting to feel like a pre-failure on Substack. I haven’t done much writing yet but hearing all the Substack success stories ($$$) was actually crippling me because I knew my path would be different from theirs.
So glad you read this. Success comes from doing something rewarding for others - like writing. Not just the $$$. Plus a lot of the "success" stories you read may be embellished a bit...Thanks for the comment! And keep going. When I first started on Substack, I didn't publish anything for a few months, though I wrote every week. 😃
This is one of the many reasons you're a Substack rock-star Paul. It's great you mentioned the reciprocity of giving back by promoting the platform in other places even though you don't have a paid option. I think some folks might not have realized this is one great way to go.
All of this makes sense, Paul, and it does make me rethink the paywall a bit.
For me, though, the paywall has to do with the fact that so much of my writing has been copied, pasted, and presented as someone else’s without attribution over the years.
I do make a lot of writing and publishing advice and essays free on The Caffeinated Writer, but not everything—because of that whole copy-paste dilemma.
And with AI, we all now know that if we were prolific online in the past, our work has been used to feed the beast. Google’s ai summaries are now an amalgamation of much of that work we all did over the years, and it discourages people from clicking on the websites with the original writing.
But I also appreciate your take on google search. After installing the google search console on my substack newsletters, I was surprised to see how much traffic comes from google, since I don’t prioritize SEO here in the same way I did for years on my blogs and websites. It does seem the free posts get more google traffic than paywalled posts. I’m always a bit leery of mere “traffic,” though. I want people to park, not pass by on the freeway. Still figuring it out. Thank you for your thoughts on this!
Great comment, Michelle. Thank you. Sorry to see you've been ripped off and not credited for your work. This is a fact of life if you are working in or even playing on the internet.
Can you combine your articles into a physical book, so that can live on with your name attached to it? It's a bit harder to steal from a physical book than text in a browser.
The paywall might be your best protection, however. You just have to weight the pros and cons then decide.
For me, the attribution isn't the important thing. Doing the work and hoping that someone gets some value from the words is my payoff. Even if I never see or know it.
We all have our own ways at looking at everything. And the way we see things change over time with our experiences. I guess I'm just saying that there is no right answer to a lot of these things. And to each their own. Nice chatting with you!
I'm really happy to read that - I have never felt right putting anything behind a paywall. I know I hate it when I read half a post and *blam!*, get socked with The Wall! I love your reasons. I love your posts, and most often they are the first ones I read in the day. I've never done the follow-me campaign things, so I have very few followers, and I know darn well if I charged I'd lose them. For me, it's a good place to tell stories from my very wacky life, and to showcase my latest artwork - that's enough to make me happy. I get more art followers on instagram, so it works out fine.
Oh - your stack of subs - that's hilarious!!!!!! Some of them look like they belong in space, not under the sea!
I think you just invented a new sandwich for Subway called "Space Subs":) Your purpose for writing is perfect. We all have our own thoughts on everything, but you and I seem simpatico. Thank you for the kind words. I truly and actually appreciate you. And all the others in the comment section every week!
Definitely have my trust! Especially as someone newer to the platform, it can be quickly discouraging to try to find out what you’re interested in only to run into a paywall at every turn. I understand a good mix of both.
Yes, I know what you mean. But this is just the way I do this. It may be the wrong way for others, but it works for me. Thanks for the comment!
Hi Paul, I totally agree with your thinking. I'm 85, a widow, and don't need to work. My newsletter will always be free for the reasons you mentioned. It has also been a way of healing and gives me a purpose. I so enjoy reading the Deplatformable Newsletter and appreciate that I can make a comment without having to pay to make it.
Perfect! Thanks Janice. I feel the sense of purpose, too with this platform. And - same about the healing!
This is a wise decision. I have heard several people in addition to myself voice dissatisfaction about encountering a sensible, well - written post THEN finding out that it's behind a paywall after getting ready to comment on it, & have gone on record as such.
KUDOS. " A stack of subs "- was that your idea, & if so, can I borrow it ?
You can borrow/use anything from my site. Thank you for the comment!
A pleasure. I'm still evaluating Canva as a place to do my art, or as George Carlin would say, " a place for my stuff ", LOL.
Who doesn't love George Carlin, eh?
George, Robin & Gilda.
Very well said Paul! Your reasoning is solid and relatable. People can become paid subscribers to my site but I don't push it in the same way some others do. I think people come to Substack for different reasons and that's one of the great things about the site!
Absolutely Dan. Thanks!
Your writing encouraged and helped me get started on my substack Paul, so thank you for that! I've grown fond of substack and its creators and hope they are wildly successful
I appreciate you sharing that with me. Made my day! Substack is a pretty cool community.
Agree 100 percent. Not many things in life are worth the price. Deplatformable Newsletter is more valuable to me than anything I pay for.
Ok, Ok, the cheque's in the mail, Bro! Hope you are feeling better Jim!
Absolutely worth the squeeze, and I have to say I get a follower now and then from your recommendations, and I truly appreciate it. Thank you.
Mark
Same, thanks Mark!
Oh my… Just read this at a time when I was starting to feel like a pre-failure on Substack. I haven’t done much writing yet but hearing all the Substack success stories ($$$) was actually crippling me because I knew my path would be different from theirs.
Thank you
So glad you read this. Success comes from doing something rewarding for others - like writing. Not just the $$$. Plus a lot of the "success" stories you read may be embellished a bit...Thanks for the comment! And keep going. When I first started on Substack, I didn't publish anything for a few months, though I wrote every week. 😃
Great newsletter and article here. Thank you for your contributions through your newsletter and content. 👏🙌
Thank you Josh! I appreciate your support!
This is one of the many reasons you're a Substack rock-star Paul. It's great you mentioned the reciprocity of giving back by promoting the platform in other places even though you don't have a paid option. I think some folks might not have realized this is one great way to go.
Thanks for your kind words! Rock-star is pretty high praise. Maybe a roadie:)
Definitely worth it
All of this makes sense, Paul, and it does make me rethink the paywall a bit.
For me, though, the paywall has to do with the fact that so much of my writing has been copied, pasted, and presented as someone else’s without attribution over the years.
I do make a lot of writing and publishing advice and essays free on The Caffeinated Writer, but not everything—because of that whole copy-paste dilemma.
And with AI, we all now know that if we were prolific online in the past, our work has been used to feed the beast. Google’s ai summaries are now an amalgamation of much of that work we all did over the years, and it discourages people from clicking on the websites with the original writing.
But I also appreciate your take on google search. After installing the google search console on my substack newsletters, I was surprised to see how much traffic comes from google, since I don’t prioritize SEO here in the same way I did for years on my blogs and websites. It does seem the free posts get more google traffic than paywalled posts. I’m always a bit leery of mere “traffic,” though. I want people to park, not pass by on the freeway. Still figuring it out. Thank you for your thoughts on this!
Great comment, Michelle. Thank you. Sorry to see you've been ripped off and not credited for your work. This is a fact of life if you are working in or even playing on the internet.
Can you combine your articles into a physical book, so that can live on with your name attached to it? It's a bit harder to steal from a physical book than text in a browser.
The paywall might be your best protection, however. You just have to weight the pros and cons then decide.
For me, the attribution isn't the important thing. Doing the work and hoping that someone gets some value from the words is my payoff. Even if I never see or know it.
We all have our own ways at looking at everything. And the way we see things change over time with our experiences. I guess I'm just saying that there is no right answer to a lot of these things. And to each their own. Nice chatting with you!
I'm really happy to read that - I have never felt right putting anything behind a paywall. I know I hate it when I read half a post and *blam!*, get socked with The Wall! I love your reasons. I love your posts, and most often they are the first ones I read in the day. I've never done the follow-me campaign things, so I have very few followers, and I know darn well if I charged I'd lose them. For me, it's a good place to tell stories from my very wacky life, and to showcase my latest artwork - that's enough to make me happy. I get more art followers on instagram, so it works out fine.
Oh - your stack of subs - that's hilarious!!!!!! Some of them look like they belong in space, not under the sea!
I think you just invented a new sandwich for Subway called "Space Subs":) Your purpose for writing is perfect. We all have our own thoughts on everything, but you and I seem simpatico. Thank you for the kind words. I truly and actually appreciate you. And all the others in the comment section every week!
LOL Space Subs! All with sticky-outy things protruding into space - and your mouth as you bite into one -
Me likee simpatico -
Great that you discovered that there are rewards in life other than money!
Thanks, Leni!
My decision is free, too. Money means pressure for me. 🦕
👍
Yes, Paul: Reason #2.
Love the stack of subs!
Thanks, Jim. Leaves the comment section to see what Reason #2 is. Oh yeah, that's my big one too...