Elin Petronella put up a poll that answered a lot of questions people have been asking themselves about what makes Substack work, and why can't they make money going paid?
I am right there with you. Two paid, a couple comped, and some quid pro quo. I’ve been here since 2019 and just broke the 100 subscribers mark. I would love to make writing my day job, but I don’t see that happening any time soon, if ever.
I’ve made peace with that and it’s kind of freeing. If God wants my little pub to take off, it will. If it becomes meaningful to a few people, that’s cool too.
I would love to pay for more subscriptions, but I don’t have the funds. I love a quid pro quo for that reason. My paid subscribers get progress on the book I’m writing and all my gratitude!
I figure the last third of my life needs to be less hustle and more shared wisdom. The funds will have to come in other ways.
I get it. I'm retired and living on a fixed income. When I stumbled across this page, I could see the potential it offered. I went all in--balls deep as they say. Now, I'm closing in on my second year, come June. I've got followers, a lot more than I expected, but no one wants to pony up. No one wants to pay for my serials. Just 19 subscribers, sorry, 16 (I keep forgetting the 3 Free comps.) Maybe it'll pick up in time? Who can say? But at least, being retired, there's not as much pressure as there would have been if I was still working.
Hi Ben! Just stumbled across your Substack thanks to Notes. As someone who is about to start a Substack, I found this piece very helpful and insightful. I find myself worrying about some of the topics you explore here before I’ve even posted one thing! But, as you conclude, what’s important is doing the work and finding fulfillment in it and, hopefully, the paid subscribers come eventually. I also love that you started a BookTube to read and share your work. I look forward to checking that out along with your fiction. Anyway, onward, and best of luck to you sir!
Thanks for dropping in. You've got to just jump in and don't think too hard about it. If you do that, you'll never put anything out. As long as the writing is clear, precise, grammatically correct--who wants to read "bad" writing, right? There's so much here. If you want to to build up a following, leave comments on pieces you read. Use NOTES to spread the word around. And don't let yourself, pressure yourself. I have the luxury of being retired now, so I can screw around all day. Enjoy yourself more than anything!
Hey, happy belated birthday! Really interesting poll. Thanks for sharing. It kind of confirms a lot of the things I suspected. I better start writing... :-|
At least your writing is very nearly supporting your Substack habit! If it helps, I became paid because I love Arthurian stuff and I wanted to keep reading the story! I haven’t really picked up your other long form pieces for reasons that are entirely as subjective as why I read your Arthurian one! (The title is escaping me. I need another cup of coffee.) From my beginnings here, readers want to read your actual writing, not your pitch, so maybe put up the paywall after the opening scene? All that to say, you have it spot on that you are writing for you and that is the important thing.
Thanks Leanne! It's really funny about the paywall thing. I don't pay a lot of attention to it. I'll be getting back into THE SHIELD OF LOCKSLEY in the summer time--after we get back from Europe! But I like the novellas and novelettes I put up on Sundays. Those are the ones that really matter to me. And READING them on line is something I've gotten to like. That's why I started a BOOK TUBE Channel. I can read, and talk and do all sorts of stuff there, while I put up the written content here. So if you want to read it, or listen to it, you have a choice.
I am right there with you. Two paid, a couple comped, and some quid pro quo. I’ve been here since 2019 and just broke the 100 subscribers mark. I would love to make writing my day job, but I don’t see that happening any time soon, if ever.
I’ve made peace with that and it’s kind of freeing. If God wants my little pub to take off, it will. If it becomes meaningful to a few people, that’s cool too.
I would love to pay for more subscriptions, but I don’t have the funds. I love a quid pro quo for that reason. My paid subscribers get progress on the book I’m writing and all my gratitude!
I figure the last third of my life needs to be less hustle and more shared wisdom. The funds will have to come in other ways.
I get it. I'm retired and living on a fixed income. When I stumbled across this page, I could see the potential it offered. I went all in--balls deep as they say. Now, I'm closing in on my second year, come June. I've got followers, a lot more than I expected, but no one wants to pony up. No one wants to pay for my serials. Just 19 subscribers, sorry, 16 (I keep forgetting the 3 Free comps.) Maybe it'll pick up in time? Who can say? But at least, being retired, there's not as much pressure as there would have been if I was still working.
Hi Ben! Just stumbled across your Substack thanks to Notes. As someone who is about to start a Substack, I found this piece very helpful and insightful. I find myself worrying about some of the topics you explore here before I’ve even posted one thing! But, as you conclude, what’s important is doing the work and finding fulfillment in it and, hopefully, the paid subscribers come eventually. I also love that you started a BookTube to read and share your work. I look forward to checking that out along with your fiction. Anyway, onward, and best of luck to you sir!
Thanks for dropping in. You've got to just jump in and don't think too hard about it. If you do that, you'll never put anything out. As long as the writing is clear, precise, grammatically correct--who wants to read "bad" writing, right? There's so much here. If you want to to build up a following, leave comments on pieces you read. Use NOTES to spread the word around. And don't let yourself, pressure yourself. I have the luxury of being retired now, so I can screw around all day. Enjoy yourself more than anything!
Thanks Ben! Great advice. I think prioritizing enjoyment is the way to go!
Hey, happy belated birthday! Really interesting poll. Thanks for sharing. It kind of confirms a lot of the things I suspected. I better start writing... :-|
I know. I finished my story. It ended up being 30,000 words. But I think it works.
Ben, my experience is much like yours.
At least your writing is very nearly supporting your Substack habit! If it helps, I became paid because I love Arthurian stuff and I wanted to keep reading the story! I haven’t really picked up your other long form pieces for reasons that are entirely as subjective as why I read your Arthurian one! (The title is escaping me. I need another cup of coffee.) From my beginnings here, readers want to read your actual writing, not your pitch, so maybe put up the paywall after the opening scene? All that to say, you have it spot on that you are writing for you and that is the important thing.
Thanks Leanne! It's really funny about the paywall thing. I don't pay a lot of attention to it. I'll be getting back into THE SHIELD OF LOCKSLEY in the summer time--after we get back from Europe! But I like the novellas and novelettes I put up on Sundays. Those are the ones that really matter to me. And READING them on line is something I've gotten to like. That's why I started a BOOK TUBE Channel. I can read, and talk and do all sorts of stuff there, while I put up the written content here. So if you want to read it, or listen to it, you have a choice.