Making my work accessible

Why I've changed my mind about having a paid subscription

When I started writing on Substack, it was never about making money. In fact, the whole reason I moved to Substack from Medium, was the fact it was becoming increasingly inaccessible for many people. One of my friends used to subscribe and unsubscribe often just to access a few of the writers she liked! I also came here to ‘just write’ - that was even my first post!

In an online world that is increasingly curated to feed algorithms (and egos! But that’s nothing new), I just want to write.

This is what I said in that first post. And then… I discovered notes. While I love reading notes, and engaging with other writers (on and off, I’m not exactly consistent), I started consuming more content about how to monetise work, and seeing people with lots of paid subscribers making money here.

I fell into the comparison trap and started thinking about what I could write here, that would be worth paying for. I don’t know why, I don’t write often enough - usually a few posts in a row then nothing for ages. Is that worth it? It depends who is asking and what their circumstances are, but I myself rarely sign up for paid subscriptions so why should I expect others to?

I did recently have one paid post - that a few people read using the one free read option - hidden because of fear, mostly. I shared a more personal poem from my upcoming collection, From the Ashes, and, fearful that someone from my story (who would have their own version of events) would read it, I hid it behind a paywall. The people I am thinking of are unlikely to be on Substack, and I know my son (my main concern) isn’t, so who exactly was I hiding from?

Also, accessibility is important to me. Coming from a family (by blood and by bond) that is largely neurodivergent, I want to ensure my work is accessible to everyone, it’s one of the reasons I always provide an audio for my posts. I also want to make sure my work is accessible to those who may benefit from it. That’s why my next collection will raise funds for Solace - a domestic abuse charity that I personally benefitted from - and be offered to anyone working in the space (if that’s you, and you’d like to be an advance reader of this work, do reach out and let me know!). So, knowing that many women stuck in toxic situations or having left the same may be experiencing financial difficulty, why would I hide the very work they may find empowering, making it inaccessible to them? So, I changed my mind.

The post that was behind a paywall is now free for anyone to read, comment on and otherwise engage with. If it resonates, I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks to Annie Ridout for making me think more about the cost of art this morning (I, too, wish I lived in Ireland Annie!) with her thoughtful post, Should our art be free? I too, post much of my work for free on Instagram and TikTok, and if that leads people to buy my books, great. If not, it’s out there for those who need it.

Comments like this (more identifying info removed) make my day:

So, I’ve decided that my Substack will always be available for free, or at least for as long as this platform is here! I hope this one outlasts others before it, as the community here is lovely.

All that said, if you feel called/able to choose a paid subscription, I’d be more than grateful! Otherwise, please do opt for the free option, and like/comment on/share as you feel called to.