When I started to investigate creating my own substack, I looked at the way a lot of substackers did their paid subscription thing and your approach felt the best to me, and I had been using it as a kind of guidepost for when I'm ready to offer paid subscriptions myself. When you changed that, I thought, oh, perhaps they've learned that that approach doesn't actually work--darn. So glad to read your conclusions about your experiment and learn that in fact, yes it's still great! And I really loved how you shared that whole learning process with us--thank you!
yes! it sort of felt like - am I trying to fix something that isn't broken? when I started. but wanted to give it a try. alas! glad I tried and happy to pivot back :)
To publicly try something and then publicly pivot and change your mind is setting such a great example for the rest of us! I so appreciate the transparency. It's like a...relief or something.
Good call, Cody. I'm not an expert, as I don't have paid subscriptions enabled, but I believe that everyone can contribute to the little communities we are building here in different ways. Sometimes, it can be something other than financial - a very thoughtful comment, a restack or a recommendation. I got the loveliest comments on the post that I shared over the weekend, and that alone made me so happy, especially in a stressful week. I also understand that only some can support all the fantastic writers here, and others may not. Thanks for sharing!
I appreciate your transparency on newsletter strategy, Cody! I've been experimenting with paid only content too, the latest of which is paywalling my 7 favorite things of the week (much like your Paying Attention list). I did this because it wasn't too much extra work on my part, but sending this only to paid subs feels awful. This is my chance to support and highlight other gifts and delights in the world—why am I intentionally having it reach a fraction of the people just to make a few bucks? This stuff isn't easy to figure out, and every artist and writer is going to have their own approach—so thank you for openly demonstrating the figuring out-ness of it all.
yes I think the "just to make a few bucks" is important. If I had come back to report that my financial gain was significantly different I maybe would be singing a different tune. Either way I think it is all about trial and error and knowing there isn't one right way, that its really about what works for each of us
Tbh Cody I know there isn't an exact formula to how to get more subscribers but the fact that your posts are free helped me read so much of your great writing which made me feel REALLY GOOD about becoming a paid subscriber. I'm glad you're back to what works for you!
no I think this is exactly it! I think what it is is that when it's free on mondays I am in alignment with my values and that attracts other people in alignment with those values who then may feel called to pay. I am sure you aren't the only one! thanks for that reflection Nathalie
Thank you for sharing your learnings with us. I’m often torn between wanting to offer all my writing for free and also knowing that writing is art and it deserves to be paid for. Ultimately allowing my subscribers to make that choice and putting the most intimate writing behind a paywall is what feels right for me. I appreciated reading how you came to your decision.
yes I think for me having something be free doesn't mean I don't value it, like I still think its absolutely worth it to pay for this newsletter, but I also use it to promote so many other things of my own and others it felt correct to keep it free. so many different ways to come to the decision!
It always helps me to see others change their minds. It reminds me that it's ok for me to do the same. Also, I'm SO happy Flexible Office is coming back since I missed almost the entire last session. Haha. It's perfect timing for me right now.
also, I hope you find ways to grow your paid subscribers still. I was rooting for that to happen with the switch, but I believe there are still other ways it can happen!
yes yes me too :) I found that seasonal offerings like the artists way book study showed a huge boost, as well as still doing my advice column behind the paywall :) experiments will still be had!
Up to this point, I’ve kept all my content free and encouraged supporters to pay. That’s worked fairly well, especially when overall numbers are relatively low, but as subscribers grow, so do the options. I appreciate your experiment and your analysis of it. That’s what keeps us moving forward. It’s all an experiment!
I totally felt this when I was just getting started and had like FIVE paid subscribers. When it came time to write for those five people… well, the vibes were off. Like I always wanna write great stuff that’s helpful and all, but like… oh, this is only going out to 5 people? And I cherish those 5 people, of course! And now I have 22 paid subscribers, but I still want to write out in the open for everyone.
I started doing subscriber Zoom hang outs, for free and paid subscribers. I'd limit the room to about six people or so, because I'm comfortable with about that many people. BUT, paid subscribers would get the RSVP link first.. then a few day later I'd send the link out to everyone. It's a small "bonus" for paid subscribers, and it's not so "in demand" that free subscribers can't also access it.
Echoing Sarah Bush! I appreciate your sharing your learning process. I've thought about paywalling things. But questions always arise Which articles? Where is the cutoff? Why? And ultimately, what do I hope to gain?
In the end, I've decided to add a snippet of my WIP once a quarter for paid subscribers. The one extra newsletter isn't meant to be an incentive to subscribe, so much as a reward for supporting me. It's not enough for most people, and that's okay. It feels better this way.
When I started to investigate creating my own substack, I looked at the way a lot of substackers did their paid subscription thing and your approach felt the best to me, and I had been using it as a kind of guidepost for when I'm ready to offer paid subscriptions myself. When you changed that, I thought, oh, perhaps they've learned that that approach doesn't actually work--darn. So glad to read your conclusions about your experiment and learn that in fact, yes it's still great! And I really loved how you shared that whole learning process with us--thank you!
yes! it sort of felt like - am I trying to fix something that isn't broken? when I started. but wanted to give it a try. alas! glad I tried and happy to pivot back :)
To publicly try something and then publicly pivot and change your mind is setting such a great example for the rest of us! I so appreciate the transparency. It's like a...relief or something.
Agreed! It's a nice way to normalize experimentation and risk being "wrong" about something.
Good call, Cody. I'm not an expert, as I don't have paid subscriptions enabled, but I believe that everyone can contribute to the little communities we are building here in different ways. Sometimes, it can be something other than financial - a very thoughtful comment, a restack or a recommendation. I got the loveliest comments on the post that I shared over the weekend, and that alone made me so happy, especially in a stressful week. I also understand that only some can support all the fantastic writers here, and others may not. Thanks for sharing!
I appreciate your transparency on newsletter strategy, Cody! I've been experimenting with paid only content too, the latest of which is paywalling my 7 favorite things of the week (much like your Paying Attention list). I did this because it wasn't too much extra work on my part, but sending this only to paid subs feels awful. This is my chance to support and highlight other gifts and delights in the world—why am I intentionally having it reach a fraction of the people just to make a few bucks? This stuff isn't easy to figure out, and every artist and writer is going to have their own approach—so thank you for openly demonstrating the figuring out-ness of it all.
yes I think the "just to make a few bucks" is important. If I had come back to report that my financial gain was significantly different I maybe would be singing a different tune. Either way I think it is all about trial and error and knowing there isn't one right way, that its really about what works for each of us
Tbh Cody I know there isn't an exact formula to how to get more subscribers but the fact that your posts are free helped me read so much of your great writing which made me feel REALLY GOOD about becoming a paid subscriber. I'm glad you're back to what works for you!
no I think this is exactly it! I think what it is is that when it's free on mondays I am in alignment with my values and that attracts other people in alignment with those values who then may feel called to pay. I am sure you aren't the only one! thanks for that reflection Nathalie
Thank you for sharing your learnings with us. I’m often torn between wanting to offer all my writing for free and also knowing that writing is art and it deserves to be paid for. Ultimately allowing my subscribers to make that choice and putting the most intimate writing behind a paywall is what feels right for me. I appreciated reading how you came to your decision.
yes I think for me having something be free doesn't mean I don't value it, like I still think its absolutely worth it to pay for this newsletter, but I also use it to promote so many other things of my own and others it felt correct to keep it free. so many different ways to come to the decision!
I appreciate that distinction too, something can be free and still valued. ❤️
yessss something can be free and still valued! !!!!
Newsletter as channel instead of product. Yes yes! <3
It always helps me to see others change their minds. It reminds me that it's ok for me to do the same. Also, I'm SO happy Flexible Office is coming back since I missed almost the entire last session. Haha. It's perfect timing for me right now.
I am also soooo happy flexible office is coming back hehe I need it
also, I hope you find ways to grow your paid subscribers still. I was rooting for that to happen with the switch, but I believe there are still other ways it can happen!
yes yes me too :) I found that seasonal offerings like the artists way book study showed a huge boost, as well as still doing my advice column behind the paywall :) experiments will still be had!
Up to this point, I’ve kept all my content free and encouraged supporters to pay. That’s worked fairly well, especially when overall numbers are relatively low, but as subscribers grow, so do the options. I appreciate your experiment and your analysis of it. That’s what keeps us moving forward. It’s all an experiment!
yes the options are always growing!
I totally felt this when I was just getting started and had like FIVE paid subscribers. When it came time to write for those five people… well, the vibes were off. Like I always wanna write great stuff that’s helpful and all, but like… oh, this is only going out to 5 people? And I cherish those 5 people, of course! And now I have 22 paid subscribers, but I still want to write out in the open for everyone.
yes exactly! the vibes were off. and thats how we make business decisions and I love it
I started doing subscriber Zoom hang outs, for free and paid subscribers. I'd limit the room to about six people or so, because I'm comfortable with about that many people. BUT, paid subscribers would get the RSVP link first.. then a few day later I'd send the link out to everyone. It's a small "bonus" for paid subscribers, and it's not so "in demand" that free subscribers can't also access it.
I love this Seth :) been considering some zoom hangouts myself
Echoing Sarah Bush! I appreciate your sharing your learning process. I've thought about paywalling things. But questions always arise Which articles? Where is the cutoff? Why? And ultimately, what do I hope to gain?
In the end, I've decided to add a snippet of my WIP once a quarter for paid subscribers. The one extra newsletter isn't meant to be an incentive to subscribe, so much as a reward for supporting me. It's not enough for most people, and that's okay. It feels better this way.