A great read as always ❤️ interestingly, I find the yearly subscribtions make me feel more anxious than the monthly subscriptions.
I think because with the yearly ones I know I need to deliver a full year of content (i’m new to this) but with the monthly subscriptions, the little scared part of my brain whispers, “you can always stop writing for people at the end of this month”. Which I won’t of course. But I guess I like to feel there is a quick way out.
Thanks so much Lynsey! 💕your reasoning is most likely shared by many others too - the key is in finding the reasoning that sits best with our process 🥰
I like the way you mention ”do I still like what Elin writes?”. It's so true that it's not personal, but it does create a decision for the paid reader. Paying annually, they do have that decision but only once a year. Can I ask, I am a bit confused, you can't remove monthly paid, it's either paid or not, isn't it? Did I miss something?
You didn’t miss anything! Can’t remove the monthly option, but you can choose to put it at the same price as the yearly, which makes it a no-brained decision and as if the monthly option isn’t really an option 🙏🏼
Thanks for always being so open and honest about your process, Elin! I have to say, I find this a tricky one to navigate. As a writer, I am *totally* with you: that trickle of payments coming in is not a sustainable way to be paid for our work (or good for our mental wellbeing). But as a reader (with my financial situation), I would find it difficult to pay for a year long membership up front, especially more than one (whereas I can pay monthly for two or three). But I’m really grateful for people like you who are having this conversation out in the open! Discussion is so, so healthy and important 🥰
Yes definitely I totally understand! I have as a counter balance to that lowered the yearly tier (and might lower even more). My perspective is that all the monthly payments add up to more at the end, which is actually counter intuitive to budgeting for most who go for the lower monthly as a way to “reduce monthly costs”. It’s definitely a whole discussion isn’t it! My main income isn’t on substack and for it to take up more stress just didn’t make sense 🥰
Thank you for this! I recently started using Substack after using mailchimp for a long time and I have mixed feelings about it still. I found your newsletter/writing while exploring Substack and looking around at how other artists are using it. Thank you for sharing all the delicate and complex inner influences that go into being creative! It’s so important!!
Thanks so much for sharing how you came and your backstory Suzanne! I still use Convertkit because (hoping Substack could do more) I find Substack very limiting when it comes to actual email marketing. It's fantastic to build a readership, find new people, connections and send out standalone emails - I suppose it's like everything, there are good and down sides and we just got to choose what serves us best :)!
I must say I completely agree! I also thought that getting a "job" would help ease my creative stress of bringing in income with my work but now I just have no idea where to fit in my creative work at all. This shift to an annual model is genius!
Haha yes that is a brilliant point! I’ve had my art as my business for too long to even remember not having it 🫣 but it’s true I keep circulating “other hobbies” outside of the paid work. Currently a lot of interior design and diy projects…
Thank you for sharing your thought process. I have not yet monetised my substack. I wanted to find my direction with my publication first. Putting up a paywall feels conflicting to me at the moment. As mine is all free at the moment it feels easy in terms of no pressure. I am kinda thinking it's just not yet the right time for me. So it's very interesting to hear your thinking.
There are numerous ways to monetize a newsletter without necessarily using paywalls :) the less I use paywalls the more effective it is for me! I have, however, experience in marketing my main art business through email (not substack) for soon 7 years where paywalls was never a question…. So perhaps that’s why I’m just not that good at paywalls (and don’t fancy them in general haha). The best part is that we get to decide 🥰
Excellent writing on the business and busyness differences. I find Substack is attracting readers looking to socialize much like a book club with a more intimate connection with each other. The heavies are always going to monetize better because it is a business and they probably have paid staff to ensure the quality and quantity are there. The algorithm so far has not disappointed me, and as long as there is no direct third party ads, I feel it could grow. The owners of Substack will be tested and tempted because money is always an issue. Elina, it is your honesty and quality of writing that is so appreciated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reflect Jeffrey! Money is always an issue and it always will be, no matter the level one is at - the greater reason to follow our own guys, for we have no impact over the guys of others (like the founders…) and don’t worry about the name!! I’ve been called loads of things ever since I left Sweden ten years ago haha
Hahah, yay cheering you on Sarina! Adding because it's what SERVES you is a completely different thing that adding because it's what we *think someone else wants (when we potentially never asked). Love having you xx
Hi Elin...thanks for sharing your thoughts on this dilemma with us! For now, I will keep giving the option for readers to subscribe at a montly rate instead of the yearly rate. I know they can determine if the 2 month savings is a good deal, or if they stronly prefer a monthly rate. If I were to change that, I agree that my offer will need to be "irresistable" ~ including clear and meaningful. I don't offer a membership yet, but do give teasers for my content for paid subscribers to my free subscribers.
Elin, in this post you have just described my feelings exactly. I’m so much more comfortable receiving AND paying annual subscriptions so, as I move to offering something special for my paying subscribers, I’m going to take your courage and make the annual offer even more attractive than the monthly. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thank you Yasmin for sharing!! I'm the same in my purchase behavior too - If I like something, I want it paid for and not think for another year haha. So glad this gave you confidence to listen to your gut too - it's not many who speak about this, x
A great read as always ❤️ interestingly, I find the yearly subscribtions make me feel more anxious than the monthly subscriptions.
I think because with the yearly ones I know I need to deliver a full year of content (i’m new to this) but with the monthly subscriptions, the little scared part of my brain whispers, “you can always stop writing for people at the end of this month”. Which I won’t of course. But I guess I like to feel there is a quick way out.
Thanks so much Lynsey! 💕your reasoning is most likely shared by many others too - the key is in finding the reasoning that sits best with our process 🥰
You’re so right ❤️
I like the way you mention ”do I still like what Elin writes?”. It's so true that it's not personal, but it does create a decision for the paid reader. Paying annually, they do have that decision but only once a year. Can I ask, I am a bit confused, you can't remove monthly paid, it's either paid or not, isn't it? Did I miss something?
You didn’t miss anything! Can’t remove the monthly option, but you can choose to put it at the same price as the yearly, which makes it a no-brained decision and as if the monthly option isn’t really an option 🙏🏼
Ah! That makes sense: thank you! I might buy the monthly as much more 😂
Hahah as you please 😜 hope you’re well! Glad to see you here 🔥
Thank you! Let’s go with £1000 per month or £60 per year 😂
Fab idea 💡
Thanks for always being so open and honest about your process, Elin! I have to say, I find this a tricky one to navigate. As a writer, I am *totally* with you: that trickle of payments coming in is not a sustainable way to be paid for our work (or good for our mental wellbeing). But as a reader (with my financial situation), I would find it difficult to pay for a year long membership up front, especially more than one (whereas I can pay monthly for two or three). But I’m really grateful for people like you who are having this conversation out in the open! Discussion is so, so healthy and important 🥰
Yes definitely I totally understand! I have as a counter balance to that lowered the yearly tier (and might lower even more). My perspective is that all the monthly payments add up to more at the end, which is actually counter intuitive to budgeting for most who go for the lower monthly as a way to “reduce monthly costs”. It’s definitely a whole discussion isn’t it! My main income isn’t on substack and for it to take up more stress just didn’t make sense 🥰
Absolutely with you on the stress point! You need to do what’s right for you 🥰
Thank you for this! I recently started using Substack after using mailchimp for a long time and I have mixed feelings about it still. I found your newsletter/writing while exploring Substack and looking around at how other artists are using it. Thank you for sharing all the delicate and complex inner influences that go into being creative! It’s so important!!
Thanks so much for sharing how you came and your backstory Suzanne! I still use Convertkit because (hoping Substack could do more) I find Substack very limiting when it comes to actual email marketing. It's fantastic to build a readership, find new people, connections and send out standalone emails - I suppose it's like everything, there are good and down sides and we just got to choose what serves us best :)!
I must say I completely agree! I also thought that getting a "job" would help ease my creative stress of bringing in income with my work but now I just have no idea where to fit in my creative work at all. This shift to an annual model is genius!
Haha yes that is a brilliant point! I’ve had my art as my business for too long to even remember not having it 🫣 but it’s true I keep circulating “other hobbies” outside of the paid work. Currently a lot of interior design and diy projects…
Thank you for sharing your thought process. I have not yet monetised my substack. I wanted to find my direction with my publication first. Putting up a paywall feels conflicting to me at the moment. As mine is all free at the moment it feels easy in terms of no pressure. I am kinda thinking it's just not yet the right time for me. So it's very interesting to hear your thinking.
There are numerous ways to monetize a newsletter without necessarily using paywalls :) the less I use paywalls the more effective it is for me! I have, however, experience in marketing my main art business through email (not substack) for soon 7 years where paywalls was never a question…. So perhaps that’s why I’m just not that good at paywalls (and don’t fancy them in general haha). The best part is that we get to decide 🥰
Excellent writing on the business and busyness differences. I find Substack is attracting readers looking to socialize much like a book club with a more intimate connection with each other. The heavies are always going to monetize better because it is a business and they probably have paid staff to ensure the quality and quantity are there. The algorithm so far has not disappointed me, and as long as there is no direct third party ads, I feel it could grow. The owners of Substack will be tested and tempted because money is always an issue. Elina, it is your honesty and quality of writing that is so appreciated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Elin, so sorry for the misspelling of your name.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reflect Jeffrey! Money is always an issue and it always will be, no matter the level one is at - the greater reason to follow our own guys, for we have no impact over the guys of others (like the founders…) and don’t worry about the name!! I’ve been called loads of things ever since I left Sweden ten years ago haha
Evolving doesn’t need to mean adding! I love that you have yourself this permission 🙌🏽
Meanwhile I’m about to ‘add’ simply because what I’m about to add I actually need myself 😆
Hahah, yay cheering you on Sarina! Adding because it's what SERVES you is a completely different thing that adding because it's what we *think someone else wants (when we potentially never asked). Love having you xx
✨ lovely stuff! Great to stay true to what FEELS good. 😊
It's all about feeeeeeeeling isn't it?! We'll need to touch back in some months and see how it has played out for both of us, don't we! x
For sure and actually in the whole business and content eco system what makes sense as well as the pull on our creative practise! ✨✨
Completely agree with you! So glad you could step back and take a look at the reasoning behind what you want to achieve. Your work is beautiful. ❤
Thank you so much Candi! xx
Hi Elin...thanks for sharing your thoughts on this dilemma with us! For now, I will keep giving the option for readers to subscribe at a montly rate instead of the yearly rate. I know they can determine if the 2 month savings is a good deal, or if they stronly prefer a monthly rate. If I were to change that, I agree that my offer will need to be "irresistable" ~ including clear and meaningful. I don't offer a membership yet, but do give teasers for my content for paid subscribers to my free subscribers.
Thank you for sharing your reflections too! There's never a one way being true for everyone, and this too will evolve xx
Elin, in this post you have just described my feelings exactly. I’m so much more comfortable receiving AND paying annual subscriptions so, as I move to offering something special for my paying subscribers, I’m going to take your courage and make the annual offer even more attractive than the monthly. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thank you Yasmin for sharing!! I'm the same in my purchase behavior too - If I like something, I want it paid for and not think for another year haha. So glad this gave you confidence to listen to your gut too - it's not many who speak about this, x