Paid subscribers only

A thank you, some news and a preview

When I started this newsletter the plan was always for everything to be freely available. I hate paywalls. I want what I write to be read as widely as possible, to contribute to the common discourse as much as possible. And, at the time I started, I had an academic salary and could plausibly argue that the University should happily subsidise this kind of writing, whatever it is.

Facing a year without salary, I turned on paid subscriptions. Since my major ambition for the year was to write, it seemed perverse to not to take donations from those who could support that.

They are donations, though. There hasn’t been any bonus content so far. I’m still committed to keeping the newsletter open, but today I wanted to write to paid subscribers particularly to say thank you, as well as share some writing news and a preview.

Everything will come out for free-tier subscribers eventually, so this is really just an early view (apart from the gushing note of gratitude). The motivation to subscribe remains the same: merely to encourage me to keep writing. I planned my career break for a long time, and have actually picked up some paid work since I started, so I am not relying on my substack income for the essentials of living.

I’m sincerely grateful to everyone who reads, shares and comments on the newsletter. You’ve made writing more regularly here very rewarding. If you are a free-tier subscriber, thank you. You are great just as you are.

Paid subscribers, you are much smaller group, but also just that extra bit more special. If I can get this to work, the next bit is for you.

(non-subscribers - shame! shame! sign up for free below)