10 Comments

Both of my newsletters are free because I have not yet developed enough content to charge.

Expand full comment

I have both free and paid subscriptions. I waited a year and three months before going paid -- I wanted to make sure that I would be able to consistently write, produce, and deliver a newsletter, and I wanted people to come to know and value it. I spent most of 2021 agonizing about the right time and then finally went for it. I have been surprised, maybe even shocked, at the support.

I went paid because I think people don't value things that are free as much as they value things they pay for, and I believe my work is worth paying for. It's niche, but I offer a lot. People who get it, get it. People who don't, don't. That's okay. I'm grateful for every one of my subscribers, regardless. And frankly I love that there is an option to have two types of subscriptions -- I think it makes Substack a rich and interesting platform from which to share my work.

Expand full comment

I'm free because I teach public libraries and library history and am finding interesting items on the history of censorship as I work on my classes, so it probably wouldn't be ethical to earn $$$.

Expand full comment

Free for now but after building a following I have every intention of charging because, so far, it seems like my followers would be happy to pay and why not? It takes time and effort to produce a weekly newsletter/blog/Substack!

Expand full comment

I have a free tier and a paid tier. The content is the same for both tiers except paid subscribers also get complimentary ebook versions of everything I publish. I use the free tier to build my audience and my paid tier to make my efforts sustainable. I like offering my best stuff for free and letting fans choose to pay me when they find enough value that they want to make it possible fro me to keep creating.

Expand full comment

I'm free because it's a hobby and I don't want to worry about delivering value for money. But I'm planning to launch a second, paid newsletter on a professional topic next year.

For me, the big difference is not workload or quality, but the relationship with the reader. I'll charge when I feel like I'm providing a service.

Expand full comment

I have both free and paid subscriptions, but that's for very different content. All of my nonfiction articles about stories and storytelling are free, as are some of my short fiction pieces. But my ongoing serialized YA fantasy novel series (with a second book starting in Oct), as well as some story "extras" like behind-the-scenes material, images of settings and characters, and downloadable novels (once they're complete), are available only for paid subscribers.

My free newsletter helps bring in new readers, provides useful information, and hopefully whets people's appetites for the main course, which is my novel series.

Expand full comment

I never flipped the switch on subscriptions, I just did it. It will take a while for people to see the value but I’m hopeful. I know I’m building something so I can’t say I’m too worried. There are stories in me that will come. I have a guest spot on The Links Substack and it made me really happy to write for it. Right now it has to be the joy of it. It speaks more than money as a motivator.

I am finding my writing journey is devoid of rules so I post and work one series or piece at a time. I never had a backlog of content so everything I’ve published has literally been written in the last six months or sooner. It’s thrilling! But I’m also learning a lot and having a good time.

Expand full comment

Mine is free, and will stay that way. If I can think of a sustainable idea for a paid newsletter, I might give that a go in the future.

Expand full comment

Mine is free until the demand changes, a century may pass.

Expand full comment