The Case for Being Paid on Substack

And my resistance to being a starving artist

You are reading my personal reflection. These posts are usually paywalled, but I’ve decided to make this one free because I’d like to open up the discussion around this topic. If you find this post valuable, it would mean a lot to me if you could share it with a friend and consider becoming a paid subscriber.

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Alright, Inklings. Gather ‘round the fire because we are going to be talking about something potentially awkward that I have always resisted talking about with regard to my creative space.

Yes, I’m talking about being paid for writing.

Why? Because I’ve been asked why I have a paywall for some posts, and because I have been marinating on this subject for some time.

First, I want to talk about Vincent Van Gogh (seems random, but humour me for a bit). Last year, I read Van Gogh’s letters to his brother, in which he shows a clear disdain for requesting money for his work. To him, accepting payment was tantamount to betraying his own soul. It would tarnish the purity of his paintings. It would lead him to compromise his style.

Van Gogh is the epitome of the starving artist.

Of course, a man needs food and shelter too (or not, if you’re Vincent and would rather spend your meagre earnings on paint supplies instead).

Ironically, Vincent’s brother ends up supporting him financially his whole life.

Van Gogh is admirable for staying true to his principles all his life. He was intense. He felt deeply. He held ideals that he did not compromise, even in the face of societal and family disapproval. I fell in love with his heart and soul after reading his letters.

I don’t want to be a starving writer.

But more than that, I’ve undergone a transformative shift in the past couple years. I’ve gathered some more self-worth in my treasure box. It meant waving farewell to people I’ve compromised my self-respect just so they would stay with me. It meant closing the door to parts of my life I’d once thought irreplaceable.

And it has led me here to Substack, a platform designed to make sure writers have the opportunity to earn money for their writing.

Let’s get this out of the way first: if you don’t want to pay to read me, that’s completely fine. I am not a proponent of people spending money on things they don’t actually value. If, however, my writing does speak to you, paying the cost of a coffee a month is one way to encourage me to keep writing.

In truth, the few dollars a month I’m able to earn from paying subscribers is a tiny, tiny amount, incommensurate to the time and effort I put into the work.

The amount is not what matters to me, however. It’s the heart behind it. These few dollars say to me, “I see you. I think your writing is worth more than nothing, and I’m willing to show you through tangible action so you can keep doing it.” It tells me you believe in my writing and it has something valuable to offer the world. It helps ward off imposter syndrome and keep me from falling into the “Nobody-actually-cares-what-I-have-to-say” spiral.

You communicate all of that to me through your support.

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Now onto less sentimental stuff (because let’s face it; I’ve got a reputation to uphold).

I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: if you would like to and are unable to pay, email me and I will gift you a subscription, no questions asked.

If you do choose to pay, this is what your money is going toward:

You support the amount of time I devote to my writing, which is a substantial amount.

You free me from the rat race of social media. Since moving from Instagram to Substack, I have been able to spend so much more time just writing, instead of fighting a mercurial algorithm and creating content I have little interest in wasting energy on. Coming here and being able to speak to my subscribers directly is a breath of fresh air. I deleted all my social media apps and accounts, and I don’t miss it one bit.

Without the constraint of social media, I’m free to focus on bettering my writing and write longer pieces that allow for greater reflection and nuance. I’m free to experiment with different forms of writing, such as the Five Things Essay which I’ve fallen in love with.

You convey to me that I am a writer, and that being a writer is a valid profession I can pursue.

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What are your thoughts on this? Share in the comments.

I am also offering 30% paid subscriptions from now until the end of November. That makes the annual plan $35 instead of $50, and the monthly plan $3.50 instead of $5. So for about the price of a nice, hardcover book, you get my posts for a whole year.

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Special thanks to Joanne Y., Nikki L., Bisma B., and Linda Y.V. for being my very first paid subscribers. Your support means the world to me.