I know what you’re thinking: Two emails in one week? Wow, this must be some kind of special occasion…
And to me, it is. For the past few months, I’ve been mulling over how I can give you, my loyal readers, the option to financially support me through this newsletter. I did not go into this project with plans to monetize it, but I have had a few people express interest in paying for a subscription, which is so very generous.
One of my options was to open paid subscriptions to all readers on Substack. That would’ve been easy, but it also would have meant that new readers would immediately be greeted with the option to pay in order to read my essays. And you folks probably would’ve gotten a generic note from Substack about “upgrading” your subscription.
That didn’t quite feel right to me. I don’t want to pressure anyone to fork over money to read my essays, so the subscription option was a little too direct.
Instead, I decided to open a virtual tip jar on Ko-fi (click here). That way, you can donate any amount at any time if you feel compelled to financially support this newsletter.
Maybe you read an essay one week that really resonates with you, and you want to drop a small token of thanks in the tip jar. Or maybe you’ve been a reader from the beginning and want to buy me a coffee (or two!) as a virtual gift.
There’s also an option to sign up for a monthly donation if you do like the idea of paying for a subscription. Ko-fi charges by the month, so you don’t have to pay in one lump sum upfront. If you have the means and would like to help me build consistent revenue for this project, this is an AWESOME way to show your support.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that every little bit helps! My full-time job is freelance writing and editing, and this newsletter is currently the only writing-related task that I don’t get paid for. Even if just one person donated a single dollar, I’d be making more money from these essays than I am now.
In an ideal world, I’d love it if this newsletter could generate some portion of my monthly income. I write these essays because I love doing it, and plan to keep doing it as long as possible. But your support will help me create financial security for the long term, and ensure that I can continue to make this newsletter a priority among my other (paid) assignments.
The newsletter will always be free to read and share. I don’t want you to see this as a request that you pay in order to read my work. Rather, I hope you see the tip jar as a way to invest in me, the writer and mastermind behind the essays that you look forward to every week.
On my Ko-fi, you’ll see I currently have a monthly goal of $400. That’s the minimum amount of money I’d accept if this was one of my paid freelance jobs. That breaks down to $50 per hour (which is about $35 per hour after freelance taxes) for eight hours of work. If I’m at my most efficient (which, let’s be honest, I’m normally not) eight hours is about how long it takes me to write my newsletter every month.
If everyone who subscribes to my newsletter decided to make a donation during January, they’d each have to pay just $7.40 for me to reach my $400 goal. And if they turned that into a recurring donation, they’d each pay less than $100 per year for me to reach my monthly income goal throughout 2024!
I don’t have a huge subscriber list, so I’m counting on each and every one of you to help me make this dream a reality. Obviously, don’t push yourself if you aren’t financially able, or simply don’t read this newsletter enough. But if you really do love the writing I put out into the world, consider dropping a few bucks into my Ko-fi today or set up a subscription for 2024.
Happy reading, and thanks for your support!