Up: [[I Noticed]] Created: 2025-11-01 Updated: 2025-11-02 Substack’s position is that writers should be paid for their work. I think that’s what books are for. They are where writers have laboured. But if a writer sits down one day a week and crafts something that she wants to share with others that, to me, is an act of generosity towards both self and others. She gains understanding by writing, and her readers get a new perspective or a sense that they are not alone in their feelings. It is a two-way street that I hope would be met by engagement, in the form of commenting, by readers who find the content valuable. Does this mean that Substack writers should never be paid? No, I don’t believe that. I have supported many. At one point I was paying for seven subscriptions. More recently it has been: Sharon Blackie for one year; Jillian Hess for two; Alyssa Polizzi for two, soon to be three; Amy Cowen so far for one but I will continue. What is the difference? The first three bring expertise to the table. They’ve researched, lived and know their stuff. I support Amy because I love the connections she makes and because she is so real. Also her subscription cost was peanuts. But if you’re going to write about something that happened to you in the week, or how you feel about something, or ten things that caught your attention on the internet, I may read you but I am not paying you. I unsubscribed this morning from a writer who talked about keeping her newsletter free and writing it from her heart, but ended her post with an offer of getting to meet and chat with her in a Zoom call if you upgrade to a paid subscription. Why would I pay to talk to this stranger? What is going on that makes people feel entitled to be compensated for sharing their thoughts? The most egregious example of this came from a writer on Substack a year or so ago who ranted at her readers because she had calculated how many people needed to subscribe at $100 a pop in order for her to make enough money to live her passion while maintaining her lifestyle in the expensive San Francisco Bay area… and her readers weren’t falling into line. I guess I sort of understand. Ten years ago when I wanted to write a blog, I got caught by people who made money telling me how to do it well. They held out tantalizing promises of huge audiences and money flowing into my bank account. I wasn’t doing it for the money, but I sure wanted the audience and I remember feeling resentful when I was pouring my heart and soul into writing blog posts but my audience stayed small. It took me a while to step back, as I hope some of these creators will, and recognize that no one owed me their attention and there was a rich, full life waiting beyond the ‘likes’ and comments on my computer screen.