I spend at least an hour each day working on Small Potatoes, right when I wake up in the morning. Right now, I have 34 draft posts in different stages, everything from one that is totally ready to go (for next week—on pleasure and happiness) to ones that are just collections of rough notes on topics I plan to write about, such as whether academics are cowardly, the power of apologies, and what parenting advice is worth taking seriously.
I’m a fairly new subscriber here, and a big part of what I enjoy about my favorite Substacks is the ability to participate in the community of commenters (and usually before I consider going paid). If you cut non-paying subscribers out of the comments, you may be depriving them of the very thing that makes them consider paying at all. I’ll just say that I find it discouraging to really enjoy a piece, want to add to the conversation, and find that I’m blocked out. Something to consider anyway.
I was going to say the same thing. I subscribe to some really cool substacks who provide content to read for free but will close the comments to free subscribers and this has me turn away rather than stick around. As a writer myself with over 16 years experience, mostly for free on a blog with over 4,000 subscribers, it's the engagement that keeps people around, at least in my experience.
I am not in a position to pay monthly but I am in a position to send the occasional donations. I would feel deprived if I was no longer allowed to comment and would ask you to reconsider. And I totally understand why you would want to upgrade to a paywall; I'm fairly new to substack myself and have been considering it as an option in the still undetermined future.
1. I'll never understand why you North Americans are so averse to the word 'fortnightly'. When setting up a regular meeting with my PhD supervisor, all those years ago, I said "Lets do it fortnightly" and he said "Don't quote Dickens at me, I haven't read any of it".
2. I'm not really onboard with this brave new world of micro-transactions. I see the logic and, obviously, the appeal for you. Sometimes, though, it feels like death by a thousand cuts. Every substack or podcast subscription I pay for is both easy and hard to justify. Of course I can pay you $10 a month, but can I afford to do that for you and 5 others? or 15 others? I wish there was some way to bundle this stuff. I appreciate your decision to keep the writing free though. Seems like a fair compromise.
I am pleased for your happiness in thinking and writing. I won't mind missing things behind the paywall. This will be like most of life as I am pretty sure I miss much. I am a person who only buys a cup of coffee, outside the house, on special occasions. If my neighbor had a newspaper delivered I would happily read it a week later and recycle it for her. I am sad and will miss the ability to comment. After years of writing in book margins, often to dead authors, I was really enjoying the fine para social relationship.
If you display the "buy me a coffee" emoji, which requests minimum of five dollars, you can be funded more, if see it, I will participate in contributing.
Thank you Paul for the opportunity to participate in your Substack! I’m a capitalist with a big, big heart for doing the right thing for not only my well-being, but other peoples well-being! Even though, I’m quite challenged economically, I forgo other things in order to give myself an almost unlimited budget to buy educational content! I’m actually grateful that I can afford to subscribe. There’s no such thing as a free lunch! - My historical 1970s introduction to economics. By paying for content, I have faced personal attacks from educated professionals who I would say - have investments - “ Why would I pay for music when I can get it for free”. I told the person well why would I come to your party if you’re going to play music on your very marginal technology inundated with commercials? They just got mad. Later, on reflection I learned after thinking about it, that I may have said something like well why is it that you feel that way? I support limited pay walls and it’s basically my choice to subscribe or not subscribe which I do to “small potatoes”… I was always intrigued in my management accounting class in the 1970s with the lesson or even parable called “In the eye of the beholder”? What has gone on in the background to get to the point to produce “small potatoes”? I choose to subscribe, and I have enjoyed my journey so far and found it educational and stimulating in the short time I have followed Paul’s Substack! I am completely new to substack and I hope I can develop my own personal Substack over the next few weeks and months. The whole journey is a process not a soundbite! My life’s journey is engagement and effort moving forward, like a snail - seems to be how I got to where I am now! I wonder what’s next?
I definitely feel that now that I can afford to pay for my entertainment, past the point in my life where I buy a $1 coke at happy hour to enjoy the free meal, I should support the writers I love and appreciate with the small (relative to the enjoyment I get and work they did) token they ask for. Thank you!
Hi Paul, writing from the UK. I joined substack to follow your work.
What time will the Zoom "Office Hours" be? I am likely to upgrade to the paid subscription if I can make the Office Hours.
Having read the comments posted before mine, I would add that it is the extra, exclusive content which has sold the subscription to me. I am not more inclined to subscribe because of the subscriber-only comments section (this is my first comment).
I haven't decided on a time yet. Obviously, no time works for everyone, but I'm thinking of early afternoon Eastern time so that people on the West Coast can attend (morning) and people in the UK can attend (early evening).
I’m a fairly new subscriber here, and a big part of what I enjoy about my favorite Substacks is the ability to participate in the community of commenters (and usually before I consider going paid). If you cut non-paying subscribers out of the comments, you may be depriving them of the very thing that makes them consider paying at all. I’ll just say that I find it discouraging to really enjoy a piece, want to add to the conversation, and find that I’m blocked out. Something to consider anyway.
I was going to say the same thing. I subscribe to some really cool substacks who provide content to read for free but will close the comments to free subscribers and this has me turn away rather than stick around. As a writer myself with over 16 years experience, mostly for free on a blog with over 4,000 subscribers, it's the engagement that keeps people around, at least in my experience.
I am not in a position to pay monthly but I am in a position to send the occasional donations. I would feel deprived if I was no longer allowed to comment and would ask you to reconsider. And I totally understand why you would want to upgrade to a paywall; I'm fairly new to substack myself and have been considering it as an option in the still undetermined future.
Looking forward to reading more.
1. I'll never understand why you North Americans are so averse to the word 'fortnightly'. When setting up a regular meeting with my PhD supervisor, all those years ago, I said "Lets do it fortnightly" and he said "Don't quote Dickens at me, I haven't read any of it".
2. I'm not really onboard with this brave new world of micro-transactions. I see the logic and, obviously, the appeal for you. Sometimes, though, it feels like death by a thousand cuts. Every substack or podcast subscription I pay for is both easy and hard to justify. Of course I can pay you $10 a month, but can I afford to do that for you and 5 others? or 15 others? I wish there was some way to bundle this stuff. I appreciate your decision to keep the writing free though. Seems like a fair compromise.
"forthnightly" is a wonderful word, though I'm not optimistic about it catching on.
I am pleased for your happiness in thinking and writing. I won't mind missing things behind the paywall. This will be like most of life as I am pretty sure I miss much. I am a person who only buys a cup of coffee, outside the house, on special occasions. If my neighbor had a newspaper delivered I would happily read it a week later and recycle it for her. I am sad and will miss the ability to comment. After years of writing in book margins, often to dead authors, I was really enjoying the fine para social relationship.
I blame that nasty Bob Wright!
;-)
(I'm totally joking - big fan of you both)
If you display the "buy me a coffee" emoji, which requests minimum of five dollars, you can be funded more, if see it, I will participate in contributing.
This is true and has worked for me. I add it to the bottom of some of my articles.
Thanks, and by way no one has to follow me. Have to no avail attempted to remove where am being followed. I'm ghost writer type.
Thank you Paul for the opportunity to participate in your Substack! I’m a capitalist with a big, big heart for doing the right thing for not only my well-being, but other peoples well-being! Even though, I’m quite challenged economically, I forgo other things in order to give myself an almost unlimited budget to buy educational content! I’m actually grateful that I can afford to subscribe. There’s no such thing as a free lunch! - My historical 1970s introduction to economics. By paying for content, I have faced personal attacks from educated professionals who I would say - have investments - “ Why would I pay for music when I can get it for free”. I told the person well why would I come to your party if you’re going to play music on your very marginal technology inundated with commercials? They just got mad. Later, on reflection I learned after thinking about it, that I may have said something like well why is it that you feel that way? I support limited pay walls and it’s basically my choice to subscribe or not subscribe which I do to “small potatoes”… I was always intrigued in my management accounting class in the 1970s with the lesson or even parable called “In the eye of the beholder”? What has gone on in the background to get to the point to produce “small potatoes”? I choose to subscribe, and I have enjoyed my journey so far and found it educational and stimulating in the short time I have followed Paul’s Substack! I am completely new to substack and I hope I can develop my own personal Substack over the next few weeks and months. The whole journey is a process not a soundbite! My life’s journey is engagement and effort moving forward, like a snail - seems to be how I got to where I am now! I wonder what’s next?
thanks for the kind words and the support, Malcolm!
I definitely feel that now that I can afford to pay for my entertainment, past the point in my life where I buy a $1 coke at happy hour to enjoy the free meal, I should support the writers I love and appreciate with the small (relative to the enjoyment I get and work they did) token they ask for. Thank you!
Hi Paul, writing from the UK. I joined substack to follow your work.
What time will the Zoom "Office Hours" be? I am likely to upgrade to the paid subscription if I can make the Office Hours.
Having read the comments posted before mine, I would add that it is the extra, exclusive content which has sold the subscription to me. I am not more inclined to subscribe because of the subscriber-only comments section (this is my first comment).
I haven't decided on a time yet. Obviously, no time works for everyone, but I'm thinking of early afternoon Eastern time so that people on the West Coast can attend (morning) and people in the UK can attend (early evening).
just appreciating your work in general, and here in particular.
thanks for your great work.
PS. we met in a morality conference in Israel early 2010. at the time my English listening wasn't great to listen too your conversation on the bus :)
I remember that conference! -- I had a wonderful time.