I enjoy your posts whenever they hit my Inbox, so keep 'em coming with whatever regularity works for you, life's too precious to set routines & deadlines, chill and be happy
Post what you want when you want, I subscribe to help you be you and help me to dream of having more of the adventures you do. Less free stuff may get you more subscribers?
Totally understand, love your newsletter, but when I subscribe I feel like I'm lending a tiny bit of support to all of your endeavors and adventures, not just the weekly email. So if some weeks inspiration doesn't strike you, that's how it goes, you know that other weeks ideas will pour from the skies! Take care, if you want to test some new strategies then I'm happy to try them out.
As a subscriber, I'm quite happy to live with occasional rather than regular posts on a temporary basis. Sometimes in life, you have to 'go off air' when circumstances demand it. I've always valued each post and podcast and sometimes spent money on the occasional gadget and never been disappointed. But don't kill yourself, we only live once. and my advice is to 'be joyful.'
Ultimately you should do what's right for you and there are so many different models out there I'm not sure that anyone of them is right all of the time. I subscribe to you and a few other newsletters / blogs, all have different models. All post at least weekly and offer free & subscriber content. Your "fee" is probably smack in the middle of the price range of the handful I pay for. All take time off now and again (only one suspends their charge).
Personally I like a deadline to write to (if I didn't I'd never write anything), but I think it's okay to take some time off now and again, particularly if you can see a busy period coming and can give people a heads-up (I know life isn't always like that straightforward), so long as you don't drop off of the face of the earth for a long period. (I stopped writing over the last Christmas period, I needed a break and I'm pretty sure no one noticed).
Sorry to hear about the cancellations, same thing is happening to me but given my audience is often mostly over 70 I think it's probably the right thing to do, and most are rebooking for next year.
Not sure any of that is of use but feel free to bounce ideas off me if it helps?
Post whatever you want, whenever you want. I pay the subscription to support a creative mind and I know enough about creative minds to know that sometimes they need a holiday. I enjoy the newsletter whenever it arrives, so the Friday deadline is entirely for your benefit as far as I'm concerned. Equally, I appreciate that deadlines and habits can be just as important as holidays for creative minds. As a subscriber, I'd be fascinated to see what happens if you pulled up the pay wall and made them all subscriber-only. Would it be a total disaster if you did a test paywall for six months or a year? You could always go back to the old model. You could do one newsletter every six months for free audiences. Also this: https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/01/unlocking-the-commons/
awesome, I am now part of history! never thought I would be, it was a great honour to meet you in real life and to be recorded. My grandad lives on forever. xxx
Well, I hope you don't get too stressed about it. I don't think a hobby or supplemental income is worth the effort if the personal benefit is outweighed by obligation, which may be at the root of your dilemma. I think a deadline and regularity are both really helpful to subscribers and producers even though it brings some stress. Stress CAN be good, too. Perhaps a regular monthly post, with random bonus posts only if you feel like it? That might ease the pressure a bit, add some flexibility, and allow you to play with some free-form.
The idea of once a month with sporadic issues in between sounds like bliss :-).
Actually I feel if I did fewer formatted posts i’d most likely share more multimedia to the feed.
As it stands though this is no longer a side project and has become my main source of income. Apart from a virtual consult today all of my future work has been cancelled.
So although I am now not working on paying projects it looks like I will be a full-time dad when the kids are sent home from school.
I feel privileged to be able to earn a small income from an online community as some people right now are facing a very difficult time.
In a time of uncertainty such as now, a 30,000 foot view can be helpful. If your monthly formal publication were to have that frame, and the random discoveries and sharing would be the close-up view, then you could curate the month of discovery to be shared in your monthly overview. A monthly overview could be a great way for consumers of your publications to see all your work with some perspective, and stay connected to you. It could also be a great way to re-find those discoveries you shared in random posts that got buried in their inboxes.
Publishing a monthly formal overview may be as easy as listing all your random discoveries. There would be no pressure to create new content for the publication -- merely, it would be a nice summation of the month's work.
Those who like to hear from you more frequently may be delighted to get random surprises from you throughout the month, sent from the field as you are out and about exploring your world and sharing your findings. An end of the year best-of publication could be done in December, giving you basically a month off if you want.
This is exciting! Good luck to you as you write your next approach. I enjoy observing your curiosity at work. You are a role model in staying curious, which I believe is the opposite of judginess. The world needs more curiosity and less judgy. Thank you for showing the world how.
Hey man, I like your thinking. I did try something along these lines but not in the way that you suggest. I found it quite hard to curate my favourite bits from the month and ended up with a 3000 word email which was way too long for anybody’s inbox. A simple list with a couple of images may work. :-)
I enjoy your posts whenever they hit my Inbox, so keep 'em coming with whatever regularity works for you, life's too precious to set routines & deadlines, chill and be happy
Post what you want when you want, I subscribe to help you be you and help me to dream of having more of the adventures you do. Less free stuff may get you more subscribers?
Cheers Steve!
Totally understand, love your newsletter, but when I subscribe I feel like I'm lending a tiny bit of support to all of your endeavors and adventures, not just the weekly email. So if some weeks inspiration doesn't strike you, that's how it goes, you know that other weeks ideas will pour from the skies! Take care, if you want to test some new strategies then I'm happy to try them out.
Legend. Thanks. When is your next podcast happening. I miss it!
As a subscriber, I'm quite happy to live with occasional rather than regular posts on a temporary basis. Sometimes in life, you have to 'go off air' when circumstances demand it. I've always valued each post and podcast and sometimes spent money on the occasional gadget and never been disappointed. But don't kill yourself, we only live once. and my advice is to 'be joyful.'
Thanks Sean!
Now in full lockdown personally - so my newsletter is taking a new twist
Ultimately you should do what's right for you and there are so many different models out there I'm not sure that anyone of them is right all of the time. I subscribe to you and a few other newsletters / blogs, all have different models. All post at least weekly and offer free & subscriber content. Your "fee" is probably smack in the middle of the price range of the handful I pay for. All take time off now and again (only one suspends their charge).
Personally I like a deadline to write to (if I didn't I'd never write anything), but I think it's okay to take some time off now and again, particularly if you can see a busy period coming and can give people a heads-up (I know life isn't always like that straightforward), so long as you don't drop off of the face of the earth for a long period. (I stopped writing over the last Christmas period, I needed a break and I'm pretty sure no one noticed).
Sorry to hear about the cancellations, same thing is happening to me but given my audience is often mostly over 70 I think it's probably the right thing to do, and most are rebooking for next year.
Not sure any of that is of use but feel free to bounce ideas off me if it helps?
As ever. Thanks man. Super helpful. :-)
Happy no matter what. I shall remain a subscriber no matter what.
Lovely voice/audio quality
Lovely voice/audio quality
Cheers! I recorded it into the Zoom H1. :-)
Post whatever you want, whenever you want. I pay the subscription to support a creative mind and I know enough about creative minds to know that sometimes they need a holiday. I enjoy the newsletter whenever it arrives, so the Friday deadline is entirely for your benefit as far as I'm concerned. Equally, I appreciate that deadlines and habits can be just as important as holidays for creative minds. As a subscriber, I'd be fascinated to see what happens if you pulled up the pay wall and made them all subscriber-only. Would it be a total disaster if you did a test paywall for six months or a year? You could always go back to the old model. You could do one newsletter every six months for free audiences. Also this: https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/01/unlocking-the-commons/
Oooo that looks interesting thanks :-)
awesome, I am now part of history! never thought I would be, it was a great honour to meet you in real life and to be recorded. My grandad lives on forever. xxx
The pleasure was all mine. What was your Grandad’s name?
Grandad Jack. His surname was Arnold.
Well, I hope you don't get too stressed about it. I don't think a hobby or supplemental income is worth the effort if the personal benefit is outweighed by obligation, which may be at the root of your dilemma. I think a deadline and regularity are both really helpful to subscribers and producers even though it brings some stress. Stress CAN be good, too. Perhaps a regular monthly post, with random bonus posts only if you feel like it? That might ease the pressure a bit, add some flexibility, and allow you to play with some free-form.
Thanks Brian,
The idea of once a month with sporadic issues in between sounds like bliss :-).
Actually I feel if I did fewer formatted posts i’d most likely share more multimedia to the feed.
As it stands though this is no longer a side project and has become my main source of income. Apart from a virtual consult today all of my future work has been cancelled.
So although I am now not working on paying projects it looks like I will be a full-time dad when the kids are sent home from school.
I feel privileged to be able to earn a small income from an online community as some people right now are facing a very difficult time.
Love to you and yours man.
Take care,
Christian
In a time of uncertainty such as now, a 30,000 foot view can be helpful. If your monthly formal publication were to have that frame, and the random discoveries and sharing would be the close-up view, then you could curate the month of discovery to be shared in your monthly overview. A monthly overview could be a great way for consumers of your publications to see all your work with some perspective, and stay connected to you. It could also be a great way to re-find those discoveries you shared in random posts that got buried in their inboxes.
Publishing a monthly formal overview may be as easy as listing all your random discoveries. There would be no pressure to create new content for the publication -- merely, it would be a nice summation of the month's work.
Those who like to hear from you more frequently may be delighted to get random surprises from you throughout the month, sent from the field as you are out and about exploring your world and sharing your findings. An end of the year best-of publication could be done in December, giving you basically a month off if you want.
This is exciting! Good luck to you as you write your next approach. I enjoy observing your curiosity at work. You are a role model in staying curious, which I believe is the opposite of judginess. The world needs more curiosity and less judgy. Thank you for showing the world how.
Love back atcha and your family!
Brian
Hey man, I like your thinking. I did try something along these lines but not in the way that you suggest. I found it quite hard to curate my favourite bits from the month and ended up with a 3000 word email which was way too long for anybody’s inbox. A simple list with a couple of images may work. :-)
There are more important things at the moment C
True dat. But I’d still like feedback for when all the apocalyptic shenanigans is over and we are back to normal.