I wish substack would offer a "credit" option. Where one could purchase a number of credits and use them on a certain article. Sometimes I'm not sure (or I am sure I don't) want to subscribe to an author, but I do want to read the article.
I've never liked the tip jar idea. When I pay as a subscriber I am supporting the writing project on a sustainable basis. We all get to be Mini-Medici's.
I know it would be less financially helpful to the writers, and I get writers needing to earn a living. But it would be nice if there were some way to consolidate subscriptions. I set a monthly limit and then start unsubscribing.
I think that makes sense! I'm the furthest thing from a businessperson but can see a bunch of ways, from a reader perspective, the process could be more appealing. Mainly, yes, a simple way to read one-offs. This would also be nice off of Substack for, say, when you want to read AN article in a local newspaper that is not anywhere near where you live, and have no reason to subscribe. There are workarounds there but it would be nice to be able to pay for that one article.
I basically do the same thing. I never do monthly subscriptions. If it's worth subscribing to I'll do the annual option. But once I do a subscription I have a rule that I won't do another for 2 months. I also disable auto renewal. If there is one I want to read, I want to make a conscious decision to resubscribe.
I don't understand the complaint that writers having a pay wall is somehow unsavory. People deserve to be paid for their work. It is by no means a necessity to read or listen to any given substack/ patreon. There is not a shortage of content to consume that is free.
Now there have been times where I'm reading something and then a pay wall comes. I may be disappointed but I don't see why anyone would less of that writer.
In my case, the tip jar thing feels worse ethically than paywalling. This sounds arrogant but since my substack is fairly successful it feels a bit dishonest to start virtually panhandling. I’d much rather feel like people were paying me to read what I’ve written. Lol
I (almost) never paywall stuff from the jump because I found I couldn't be productive, weirdly? Like something about it stressed me out too much. But I have found that my current approach means slow but steady growth. But I also almost never subscribe because of paywalls, either.
I'm also not mass-subscribing to stuff, in part because a bunch of the things that interest me and paywall have comped me because (generally) I've written for them. But I don't see this as a categorical-imperative-type situation. More specifically, I don't think the main onus on *financially* demonstrating support for writers' work falls on other writers. It seems more natural (and just, how it goes) that it would be interested *readers* who very possibly earn more than writers, in some other line of work.
Oh yeah, I was just thinking out loud. I basically have a psychological model of the people who would pay to subscribe to Notebook that assumes they subscribe to stuff for the same reasons I would, so I just have thing autopaywall after a month. But it's always possible that a more aggressive use of paywalls would yield more paying subscribers.
I agree with your post 100%, and I have a few paid subscriptions, and yet … there is this strange feeling - irritation/reluctance - around subscribing to more. The credits idea might be the key. If not that, then something. I feel sure that with some tweaks, Substack could get many more people to open their wallets.
BLOG TAX is a very British tabloid-friendly phrase. SITCOM-MAD PHOEBE’S BLOG TAX HELL
There is a legitimate complaint against the "walled garden" approach to the Internet. Most people can't afford to subscribe to literally everything, which is why most big sites offer a few free articles per month. I have no interest in a subscription to Scranton Weekend Update, but there may be a single article that peaks my fancy. It's better for the author that they get the exposure (exposure IS in fact valuable), so this is a mutually beneficial transaction.
I wish substack would offer a "credit" option. Where one could purchase a number of credits and use them on a certain article. Sometimes I'm not sure (or I am sure I don't) want to subscribe to an author, but I do want to read the article.
I would be in favor of that as well!
I've never liked the tip jar idea. When I pay as a subscriber I am supporting the writing project on a sustainable basis. We all get to be Mini-Medici's.
I know it would be less financially helpful to the writers, and I get writers needing to earn a living. But it would be nice if there were some way to consolidate subscriptions. I set a monthly limit and then start unsubscribing.
I think that makes sense! I'm the furthest thing from a businessperson but can see a bunch of ways, from a reader perspective, the process could be more appealing. Mainly, yes, a simple way to read one-offs. This would also be nice off of Substack for, say, when you want to read AN article in a local newspaper that is not anywhere near where you live, and have no reason to subscribe. There are workarounds there but it would be nice to be able to pay for that one article.
I basically do the same thing. I never do monthly subscriptions. If it's worth subscribing to I'll do the annual option. But once I do a subscription I have a rule that I won't do another for 2 months. I also disable auto renewal. If there is one I want to read, I want to make a conscious decision to resubscribe.
Are there really that many people bugging you about the paywall? I really thought "information should be free!!" died somewhere in the early 2000s.
I paywall fairly aggressively and I get this alllll the time, or “why can’t I just pay $1 per article”
Jeez.
I don't understand the complaint that writers having a pay wall is somehow unsavory. People deserve to be paid for their work. It is by no means a necessity to read or listen to any given substack/ patreon. There is not a shortage of content to consume that is free.
Now there have been times where I'm reading something and then a pay wall comes. I may be disappointed but I don't see why anyone would less of that writer.
In my case, the tip jar thing feels worse ethically than paywalling. This sounds arrogant but since my substack is fairly successful it feels a bit dishonest to start virtually panhandling. I’d much rather feel like people were paying me to read what I’ve written. Lol
Agreed!
I (almost) never paywall stuff from the jump because I found I couldn't be productive, weirdly? Like something about it stressed me out too much. But I have found that my current approach means slow but steady growth. But I also almost never subscribe because of paywalls, either.
I'm also not mass-subscribing to stuff, in part because a bunch of the things that interest me and paywall have comped me because (generally) I've written for them. But I don't see this as a categorical-imperative-type situation. More specifically, I don't think the main onus on *financially* demonstrating support for writers' work falls on other writers. It seems more natural (and just, how it goes) that it would be interested *readers* who very possibly earn more than writers, in some other line of work.
Oh yeah, I was just thinking out loud. I basically have a psychological model of the people who would pay to subscribe to Notebook that assumes they subscribe to stuff for the same reasons I would, so I just have thing autopaywall after a month. But it's always possible that a more aggressive use of paywalls would yield more paying subscribers.
I agree with your post 100%, and I have a few paid subscriptions, and yet … there is this strange feeling - irritation/reluctance - around subscribing to more. The credits idea might be the key. If not that, then something. I feel sure that with some tweaks, Substack could get many more people to open their wallets.
BLOG TAX is a very British tabloid-friendly phrase. SITCOM-MAD PHOEBE’S BLOG TAX HELL
I used to complain about paywalls too and then I graduated from college
There is a legitimate complaint against the "walled garden" approach to the Internet. Most people can't afford to subscribe to literally everything, which is why most big sites offer a few free articles per month. I have no interest in a subscription to Scranton Weekend Update, but there may be a single article that peaks my fancy. It's better for the author that they get the exposure (exposure IS in fact valuable), so this is a mutually beneficial transaction.
I suppose the ultimate irony (or troll job?) would be if Phoebe paywalled her essay on the ethics of paywalling.
In the interest of full disclosure: I've been paying for Feminine Chaos for several years but am on the free tier here.