Sorry I'm so late to comment here, Mika. Your energy, positivity, encouragement and authenticity are so apparent in all your interactions that I'm happy to continue being a paid subscriber, if you change your mind!
Reading your posts is always so energising and inspiring, Mika! Love how you are listening to your gut when it comes to your substack journey, I've learned a thing or two from you about that 😁
Thanks for the shout out, and thanks for all of your support, it really means a lot to me! ❤
Thank you for the shout-out! I think it’s a good idea to try to turn paid on without paywalling, especially when you find a kind soul willing to support you. After long consideration, I’ve turned paid on, got one paid subscriber recently, and it changed me—for the better. I’ll be forever grateful. It made me up my writing even though everything is free. I need to write something only for my one paid subscriber. That’s a lot of pressure with a full-time job and weekly posting. I’ve heard someone post within the post that the part is free and the part is paid, yet the free part is a full article for free subscribers. I like that idea. I wish I remembered where I heard this.
Either way, it’s great you tried it and found the right path for you, Mika ☺️
You’re so welcome! Thank you so much for your support!
I love that you’re experimenting with it and see how it lands for you.
I like the ideas of having a small portion for paid subscribers but it seems like the comments then get limited to only paid subscribers - I might be wrong, but that was my understanding.
Really appreciate your thoughts here Mika, congratulations on the mindset shift. It must be so freeing to lean into this as a hobby and take the pressure off!
Aww thanks for sharing this Mika, your newsletter was one of my early subs here and I've admired your consistency. I'm also glad to see Kristi K on your list of supporters, she has been a wonderful supporter to me as well. I've got lots of subscribers from Unstack Substack's recommendation. Wishing you both the best ❤️
Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad we’ve been able to find a home on Substack. I think what makes it special are the people on it. So thank you so much for your lovely support! 💕
Love it & while you have more subs & paid subs than me it’s how I feel about mine. Creating paid only content felt like a big burden and like you said, can lead you down a path of creating content you don’t necessarily want to & where is the fun in that? I love Karen’s term - patrons - it fits perfectly
I’m with you - happy to have patrons instead of a paywall! It’s definitely helped with the pressure of these last few months. I can’t imagine how I’d have felt if I had paid subs. I’ve been able to take time away without feeling too terrible about it. October has been hard, just trying to get to the desk to write here, instead of writing uni assignments 😭
I love it too! Can’t take credit, I saw someone else use it and thought ‘perfect!’ It takes so much pressure off and heck, I know it works because I’m patrons of other writers on here.
It's really difficult to decide how to go about charging. Pay walls seem kind of weird to me, but after x amount of months or more, maybe that's the way to go. Just not sure. I ask other newer writers like myself who've opted to do pay walls how their experienced have been, and so far, they've said - so so.
I think it’s unfortunate that paywalling means only paid subscribers can comment. I know some people like that, but I think it would be good if we could have an option.
I’m hoping to see some growth in November, otherwise I might hang up the jacket. I love what I’m creating and I love the few tweaks I’ve made, especially this last week. I’m hoping a new focus will help me grow!
Similar to you Mika, I have opted to keep everything available for free for now, meaning I have just 6 super-generous souls who have taken a paid subscription to support me. But I like it this way (for now). As you say, it keeps Substack feeling light, like a hobby or a guilty-pleasure, rather than burdensome like a job. I'm open to seeing how it evolves and what it wants to become, but I have no fixed agenda at this point in time 😊
I think you’re right that it’s more freeing to keep it all free. I do feel it’s a big commitment to keep having to show up, but for me I’m seeing it as a very low pay part time job! 😄 Most of my posts are still free although archived after a while, with meditations and therapeutic journaling as an extra for paid subscribers who want a bit more depth. I’ll carry on like this and see how I get on. I love it here, and it’s great there are so many different ways to do this. 😀✨
I love that you came up with that paid offering. Such a great fit for you and your audience. (Also thought it was a great idea when you surveyed before launching it.)
I look forward to finding what I would be happy to do, what my audience may find value in and would pay for. ☺️
I like the idea of having a paid option but you just support the person's writing without anything extra. I've now got my Fall baking recipe bundle as a paid thing but haven't dared to turned paid on yet.
Thank you so much Mika for the connection. I am drawn into your writing, honesty and simplicity that's why my support goes to you. I am still learning how to build a community and create a better content. And Substack is less intimidating for me because it provides a space to reflect on the quality of writing. Let's continue to create the things that we love... Cheers!
I enjoy supporting you Mika:-) I love your spirit. Find Your Tribe is a joy to participate in. I love discovering good reads that way and sharing my own work.
I completely understand your approach of paid subscription as support rather than paywall.
I fiddled with mine a bit. I too am writing here for creative expression. I like having my financials behind the paywall. Feels more private there.
Sorry I'm so late to comment here, Mika. Your energy, positivity, encouragement and authenticity are so apparent in all your interactions that I'm happy to continue being a paid subscriber, if you change your mind!
Thank you for being YOU. ♥
Thank you so much for your kind words and support:m. It means so much! 💕
Reading your posts is always so energising and inspiring, Mika! Love how you are listening to your gut when it comes to your substack journey, I've learned a thing or two from you about that 😁
Thanks for the shout out, and thanks for all of your support, it really means a lot to me! ❤
Honestly, my journey in Substack has really helped me to lean into the parts of myself where I ask myself, what feels good for me?
I’m a bit of an overthinker, so much so that I end up stuck in the planning phase or I second guess my gut.
It’s nice to have a safe place to practice being brave, to swim against the current and do what feels right. ☺️
Thank you for the shout-out! I think it’s a good idea to try to turn paid on without paywalling, especially when you find a kind soul willing to support you. After long consideration, I’ve turned paid on, got one paid subscriber recently, and it changed me—for the better. I’ll be forever grateful. It made me up my writing even though everything is free. I need to write something only for my one paid subscriber. That’s a lot of pressure with a full-time job and weekly posting. I’ve heard someone post within the post that the part is free and the part is paid, yet the free part is a full article for free subscribers. I like that idea. I wish I remembered where I heard this.
Either way, it’s great you tried it and found the right path for you, Mika ☺️
You’re so welcome! Thank you so much for your support!
I love that you’re experimenting with it and see how it lands for you.
I like the ideas of having a small portion for paid subscribers but it seems like the comments then get limited to only paid subscribers - I might be wrong, but that was my understanding.
Really appreciate your thoughts here Mika, congratulations on the mindset shift. It must be so freeing to lean into this as a hobby and take the pressure off!
It absolutely was freeing! It was a big permission slip to keep turning up as I was and not trying to force anything. 😊
Aww thanks for sharing this Mika, your newsletter was one of my early subs here and I've admired your consistency. I'm also glad to see Kristi K on your list of supporters, she has been a wonderful supporter to me as well. I've got lots of subscribers from Unstack Substack's recommendation. Wishing you both the best ❤️
Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad we’ve been able to find a home on Substack. I think what makes it special are the people on it. So thank you so much for your lovely support! 💕
And yes, Kristi is so great!
You do gorgeous work here and I really love your decision to be free, and have fun with musings by mika! LOVE
Thank you for always being such a positive energy in Substack. 💕
I too am struggling with reading all the newsletters. There's just so much talent on Substack!
Sooo much! I’m also finding that I’m missing newsletters because I don’t even see them in the app -due to the avalanche of wonderful newsletters 😅
Love it & while you have more subs & paid subs than me it’s how I feel about mine. Creating paid only content felt like a big burden and like you said, can lead you down a path of creating content you don’t necessarily want to & where is the fun in that? I love Karen’s term - patrons - it fits perfectly
I’m with you - happy to have patrons instead of a paywall! It’s definitely helped with the pressure of these last few months. I can’t imagine how I’d have felt if I had paid subs. I’ve been able to take time away without feeling too terrible about it. October has been hard, just trying to get to the desk to write here, instead of writing uni assignments 😭
I love the term patrons, it describes it perfectly. That’s what I’m going to call my 2 paid subs from here on in 😍
I love it too! Can’t take credit, I saw someone else use it and thought ‘perfect!’ It takes so much pressure off and heck, I know it works because I’m patrons of other writers on here.
Me too!
No need to feel bad or guilty. There is a time and season for everything. It’s still going to be here when you come back. 💕💕
I concur - I still would love to be here more though 😂 it’s far nicer than writing uni stuff!
I’m sure! I find that there are only so many “projects” that one can put their energy into a one time.
It's really difficult to decide how to go about charging. Pay walls seem kind of weird to me, but after x amount of months or more, maybe that's the way to go. Just not sure. I ask other newer writers like myself who've opted to do pay walls how their experienced have been, and so far, they've said - so so.
I think it’s unfortunate that paywalling means only paid subscribers can comment. I know some people like that, but I think it would be good if we could have an option.
I’m hoping to see some growth in November, otherwise I might hang up the jacket. I love what I’m creating and I love the few tweaks I’ve made, especially this last week. I’m hoping a new focus will help me grow!
Growth is a tricky monster. It often feels out of control.
I hope you join our “find your tribe” next week. It’s been a lovely way to find and be found by people. ☺️
Similar to you Mika, I have opted to keep everything available for free for now, meaning I have just 6 super-generous souls who have taken a paid subscription to support me. But I like it this way (for now). As you say, it keeps Substack feeling light, like a hobby or a guilty-pleasure, rather than burdensome like a job. I'm open to seeing how it evolves and what it wants to become, but I have no fixed agenda at this point in time 😊
Seems we are in the same boat.
It is really amazing when people decide to pay. I get a shock every single time, to be honest! 😄
Yes, totally shocking, in the most delightful way 😀
I think you’re right that it’s more freeing to keep it all free. I do feel it’s a big commitment to keep having to show up, but for me I’m seeing it as a very low pay part time job! 😄 Most of my posts are still free although archived after a while, with meditations and therapeutic journaling as an extra for paid subscribers who want a bit more depth. I’ll carry on like this and see how I get on. I love it here, and it’s great there are so many different ways to do this. 😀✨
I love that you came up with that paid offering. Such a great fit for you and your audience. (Also thought it was a great idea when you surveyed before launching it.)
I look forward to finding what I would be happy to do, what my audience may find value in and would pay for. ☺️
I like the idea of having a paid option but you just support the person's writing without anything extra. I've now got my Fall baking recipe bundle as a paid thing but haven't dared to turned paid on yet.
It felt really really hard to turn on paid. But I finally did it with the help and support of my readers.
I find it really hard to ask for money and even have trouble pricing my freelance jobs.
I’m sure the more we get used to the easier it becomes - I think! 😆
Thank you so much Mika for the connection. I am drawn into your writing, honesty and simplicity that's why my support goes to you. I am still learning how to build a community and create a better content. And Substack is less intimidating for me because it provides a space to reflect on the quality of writing. Let's continue to create the things that we love... Cheers!
I love that we can develop and experiment on Substack.
If I start to put pressure on numbers and growth, I may end up being like everyone else, rather than what feels right for me.
It’s tricky if you want to make it your main income. The key is likely finding out what your audience will pay for.
Or
Just turn up and have fun! 😄
I enjoy supporting you Mika:-) I love your spirit. Find Your Tribe is a joy to participate in. I love discovering good reads that way and sharing my own work.
I completely understand your approach of paid subscription as support rather than paywall.
I fiddled with mine a bit. I too am writing here for creative expression. I like having my financials behind the paywall. Feels more private there.
It feels a bit odd adding in the financials, especially when some months it looks like I might be writing $0. 😅
I think it’s great that you’ve put it behind the paywall, so you can invite your inner circle into that space. ☺️