There are many other Substacks I have opted to only be a free subscriber, and not the paid. When I see the “this is only for paid subscribers” I shrug my shoulders and move on to the next article. I expect it, as this person should too.
I read a LOT of articles, daily, and S.Stone's are some of the best, spliced with videos, etc.
We are ALL more educated as a result.
This is her work, her livlihood -- please bless her, enrich her, with a simple subscription. We don't want her articles to disappear while she's off driving an Uber somewhere.....
Or he is purposefully trying to hurt her income. A LOT of haters and trolls found their way to her Substack to injure her.
Leave it as is. A LOT of the other Substacks that have paid content do it the exact same way. Free newsletters for most and then they have some content to reward their paid subscribers. Plus, it’s good for people to see there is more for a price. You need a marketing sneak peak for that otherwise they would never know and you would get less opportunities for new subscribers. I can’t afford a subscription and love your writing, the LEAST I can do in return is tolerate the restricted access articles and hope they attract more who CAN support you with a paid subscription.
That reader definitely wants to stunt your growth. They are just harassing you personally to cause you to doubt yourself.
(This might be a common opinion among all the paid subscribers replying here, but I wanted people to see that it is also common among the more reasonable free subscribers too, like me.)
I agree Juju. I also can’t afford to subscribe and it’s the same with others I do subscribe to for free, the ones I can’t read I do as the fellow above, shrug and move on. It has become a very difficult time for many of us to subscribe, especially when we are relying on subscriptions for our site too, even when we’d love to subscribe to people like Sasha who is a joy to read, we, as a people in the same situation have done exactly this with our own site, given plenty away for free and entice with something more in the hope of attracting more. “Freely you have received, freely give” has much more to the equation than “it’s all for free so roll up”. You have a product, and some of it has to be paid for, no sweat. Meanwhile, we enjoy all your “products” and have brought others to your Substack, which is what we unpaid subscribers can do.
yeh that's one of my peeves with Substack. I can't afford to pay all the people I want to follow $8 a month. Sasha's is the cheapest subscriber price out there. Most want $7-8. That REALLY adds up!
Thanks for saying what I came here to say. Sasha this how Substack works and I'm sure this person is quite aware. I subscribe to many Substacks and only pay for this one. MANY people don't even really offer a preview. This person needs to get over themselves IMO.
Yes. In my opinion, the only reason for a Substack author to offer anything for free is to hook people into being paid subscribers. I am an early adopter to Substack's current paywall model and I subscribe (paid) to a few a the authors with the largest audiences (as well as some smaller ones) - almost all of their content is exclusively behind the paywall. I am astonished by the few authors I subscribe to that don't make me pay.
However you wish to handle it is fine with me. I think he was being very petty.
I think your writing is very valuable and insightful. I am amazed at the volume and quality of it. It has the hallmarks of valuable information; relevant, timely, accurate, complete, clear and organized. That you also weave in compassion and charm is astonishing. Thanks much, Sasha.
It’s good for marketing. If we appreciate your content as a free subscriber we need to also appreciate the sneak previews of paid content as a marketing necessity. You deserve that. Leave it as is. You’re doing great.
I’m fairly new among your paid subscribers. I read everything you wrote for a good while before, so I probably owe you for all that. I absolve myself from feeling guilty by becoming a paid subscriber for a year. If I’m still reading everything you write and looking forward to more, I’ll certainly renew. I’m getting a good deal.
I think your free previews are great Sasha and they are a great way to convert free readers to paid ones IMO, they are what led me to become a paid subscriber to a few Substacks
I completely agree! Shasta, this is your career and you should get paid for publishing your content - I can see that a few freebies are the cost of acquisition of paid subscribers, but at some point folks need to ante up.
Give a few paragraphs for free, enough for a non paying reader to both get something and see there is more. Then paywall the rest. That way you lead them down the path to paying, rather than shut them all the way out at the start.
This model works well and I see it a lot, especially among generous writers like you.
and Alex Berenson hs the disappearing paywall. It goes away in a few days or a week. His stuff is fairly timely, but that idea makes it eventually available to those who don’t pay.
You need to be paid for your great work. Most substacks I read either offer the free previews or subscriber only articles. I'm not offended by either. Go for it!
A reader is annoyed by the tease? I'd have little patience with that complaint. 2k subscribers at $50 a year is $100k top line which after Substack takes a cut is likely significantly less. You could make the same money driving for UPS. Not that I am knocking being a delivery person, just that what you write is pulled from your brain cells at some personal cost so why should it be expected that it all be free? Try getting a package delivered for nothing.
Most of the paid + free substacks I get have "previews" for some posts that would only go to paid members. I would just ignore that person. ***And I just went and signed up. You do such good work, and I have been meaning to sign up.
I’ve enjoyed a free subscription for a long time (about a year). So I became a paid subscriber this morning. I hope your return trip goes well for you and your eager companions. Dogs that travel well are a blessing.
I want to note again how much I appreciate your time-stamp treatments of Tucker Carlson’s interviews. I pay for a subscription for Tucker too but wait for the episode ease found through your efforts.
I think it is a good reminder to people that they are not paying and maybe they should consider it. Perhaps he is annoyed because that notice reminds him that he is a cheap freeloader, which we all have to be sometimes. I need to own it when I am.
Although I pay for your work,😆 there are plenty columns I read for which I don't pay. One reason is that I don't want to pay (~$60/year) for everything available to read. It would get expensive. Also some opinions (to me) are not worth it. For example, I read leftist opinions to for ridiculous entertainment. I would die before supporting them.
You, Sasha have a valuable talent in producing salable product. You deserve to be compensated for it. If someone does not appreciate you enough to support you, they should at least appreciate your generosity in sharing some of your thoughts for free.
And appreciate the need for occasional articles to be available to subscribers only, and see them as an advertising necessity. I don’t see anyone that hates it that rant about the nonstop interruptions on YouTube these days to spot commercials. At least it’s not like that here. Her free newsletters aren’t riddled with tons of advertising throughout like some are on Substack. Her advertising is simply an occasional subscriber only article. I can’t afford to pay but I can be a cheerleader and understand how this works, while I’m forever thankful I get so many of her words for free.
No keep it like you have it. Work is a business.... everybody has bills to paid to live. So does the complainer; how does he pay bills... through his work or maybe before he retired ( not your Problem).
I say to the people who don't like it: "too bad, so sad!". That's the way it is on every Substack to which I'm subscribed. Some posters have half of their posts as Paid-only, others have very few, like you. If YOU (Sasha) want to change and it doesn't cost you time or money, then, fine; otherwise, just keep on keeping on.
There are many other Substacks I have opted to only be a free subscriber, and not the paid. When I see the “this is only for paid subscribers” I shrug my shoulders and move on to the next article. I expect it, as this person should too.
I agree. Don’t let one annoyed person cause you to doubt your decisions.
Ditto.
I read a LOT of articles, daily, and S.Stone's are some of the best, spliced with videos, etc.
We are ALL more educated as a result.
This is her work, her livlihood -- please bless her, enrich her, with a simple subscription. We don't want her articles to disappear while she's off driving an Uber somewhere.....
Do it. Do it NOW!
Or just do it like the Tucker video notifications and allow them to opt out. Doesn't bother me. I may pay one day...lol.
Ditto. It annoys him because his conscience is pricking him.
Or because he wants something for nothing.
Bingo.
Hey, that was my nickname in high school.
Or because he's a classic snowflake.
Or he is purposefully trying to hurt her income. A LOT of haters and trolls found their way to her Substack to injure her.
Leave it as is. A LOT of the other Substacks that have paid content do it the exact same way. Free newsletters for most and then they have some content to reward their paid subscribers. Plus, it’s good for people to see there is more for a price. You need a marketing sneak peak for that otherwise they would never know and you would get less opportunities for new subscribers. I can’t afford a subscription and love your writing, the LEAST I can do in return is tolerate the restricted access articles and hope they attract more who CAN support you with a paid subscription.
That reader definitely wants to stunt your growth. They are just harassing you personally to cause you to doubt yourself.
(This might be a common opinion among all the paid subscribers replying here, but I wanted people to see that it is also common among the more reasonable free subscribers too, like me.)
I agree Juju. I also can’t afford to subscribe and it’s the same with others I do subscribe to for free, the ones I can’t read I do as the fellow above, shrug and move on. It has become a very difficult time for many of us to subscribe, especially when we are relying on subscriptions for our site too, even when we’d love to subscribe to people like Sasha who is a joy to read, we, as a people in the same situation have done exactly this with our own site, given plenty away for free and entice with something more in the hope of attracting more. “Freely you have received, freely give” has much more to the equation than “it’s all for free so roll up”. You have a product, and some of it has to be paid for, no sweat. Meanwhile, we enjoy all your “products” and have brought others to your Substack, which is what we unpaid subscribers can do.
Or because he simply can’t afford it. But, that’s not Sasha’s problem.
yeh that's one of my peeves with Substack. I can't afford to pay all the people I want to follow $8 a month. Sasha's is the cheapest subscriber price out there. Most want $7-8. That REALLY adds up!
Thanks for saying what I came here to say. Sasha this how Substack works and I'm sure this person is quite aware. I subscribe to many Substacks and only pay for this one. MANY people don't even really offer a preview. This person needs to get over themselves IMO.
Yes. In my opinion, the only reason for a Substack author to offer anything for free is to hook people into being paid subscribers. I am an early adopter to Substack's current paywall model and I subscribe (paid) to a few a the authors with the largest audiences (as well as some smaller ones) - almost all of their content is exclusively behind the paywall. I am astonished by the few authors I subscribe to that don't make me pay.
However you wish to handle it is fine with me. I think he was being very petty.
I think your writing is very valuable and insightful. I am amazed at the volume and quality of it. It has the hallmarks of valuable information; relevant, timely, accurate, complete, clear and organized. That you also weave in compassion and charm is astonishing. Thanks much, Sasha.
I can’t pay for everything I read, so I choose the few Substacks that I would miss the most if they were gone. Yours is the top of the list.
Paywalls are a current fact of life. I can’t afford a Tesla, but it doesn’t annoy me that others have the privilege of driving one.
Ditto!
It’s good for marketing. If we appreciate your content as a free subscriber we need to also appreciate the sneak previews of paid content as a marketing necessity. You deserve that. Leave it as is. You’re doing great.
completely agree. Some people will complain about anything.
🎯🎯
I recently switched to "paid" because - - wait for it - - I was reading your stuff. Frequently. Seems fair to me. :-)
Yes, I have shuffled my paid substacks from time to time, but Sasha has remained on my paid list for over a year!
I’m fairly new among your paid subscribers. I read everything you wrote for a good while before, so I probably owe you for all that. I absolve myself from feeling guilty by becoming a paid subscriber for a year. If I’m still reading everything you write and looking forward to more, I’ll certainly renew. I’m getting a good deal.
Same!
I think your free previews are great Sasha and they are a great way to convert free readers to paid ones IMO, they are what led me to become a paid subscriber to a few Substacks
I completely agree! Shasta, this is your career and you should get paid for publishing your content - I can see that a few freebies are the cost of acquisition of paid subscribers, but at some point folks need to ante up.
Marketing works! And free samples are smart marketing.
Give a few paragraphs for free, enough for a non paying reader to both get something and see there is more. Then paywall the rest. That way you lead them down the path to paying, rather than shut them all the way out at the start.
This model works well and I see it a lot, especially among generous writers like you.
and Alex Berenson hs the disappearing paywall. It goes away in a few days or a week. His stuff is fairly timely, but that idea makes it eventually available to those who don’t pay.
I like how Alex Berenson does it. Makes me smile every time I see his fun teasers. He’s one of the few (in addition to Sasha) that I pay for.
Exactly.
You need to be paid for your great work. Most substacks I read either offer the free previews or subscriber only articles. I'm not offended by either. Go for it!
People who aren't paying should have no complaints.
First amendment! Complain as you will; be pleasantly surprised if anyone listens.
The First Amendment is designed to protect political advocacy and dissent, which is important.
Let's not diminish its importance by conflating it with a "right to be an asshole" in other circumstances.
A reader is annoyed by the tease? I'd have little patience with that complaint. 2k subscribers at $50 a year is $100k top line which after Substack takes a cut is likely significantly less. You could make the same money driving for UPS. Not that I am knocking being a delivery person, just that what you write is pulled from your brain cells at some personal cost so why should it be expected that it all be free? Try getting a package delivered for nothing.
Most of the paid + free substacks I get have "previews" for some posts that would only go to paid members. I would just ignore that person. ***And I just went and signed up. You do such good work, and I have been meaning to sign up.
I’ve enjoyed a free subscription for a long time (about a year). So I became a paid subscriber this morning. I hope your return trip goes well for you and your eager companions. Dogs that travel well are a blessing.
I’m a paid subscriber and I don’t care.🤷🏻♀️
I want to note again how much I appreciate your time-stamp treatments of Tucker Carlson’s interviews. I pay for a subscription for Tucker too but wait for the episode ease found through your efforts.
I also like the comments on her site - as Tucker has none!
Same here!
Me, too!
I think it is a good reminder to people that they are not paying and maybe they should consider it. Perhaps he is annoyed because that notice reminds him that he is a cheap freeloader, which we all have to be sometimes. I need to own it when I am.
Looks like it's unanimous, Sasha. Keep doing what you're doing. You have a huge fan club.
Although I pay for your work,😆 there are plenty columns I read for which I don't pay. One reason is that I don't want to pay (~$60/year) for everything available to read. It would get expensive. Also some opinions (to me) are not worth it. For example, I read leftist opinions to for ridiculous entertainment. I would die before supporting them.
You, Sasha have a valuable talent in producing salable product. You deserve to be compensated for it. If someone does not appreciate you enough to support you, they should at least appreciate your generosity in sharing some of your thoughts for free.
And appreciate the need for occasional articles to be available to subscribers only, and see them as an advertising necessity. I don’t see anyone that hates it that rant about the nonstop interruptions on YouTube these days to spot commercials. At least it’s not like that here. Her free newsletters aren’t riddled with tons of advertising throughout like some are on Substack. Her advertising is simply an occasional subscriber only article. I can’t afford to pay but I can be a cheerleader and understand how this works, while I’m forever thankful I get so many of her words for free.
No keep it like you have it. Work is a business.... everybody has bills to paid to live. So does the complainer; how does he pay bills... through his work or maybe before he retired ( not your Problem).
Good Grief people!
I say to the people who don't like it: "too bad, so sad!". That's the way it is on every Substack to which I'm subscribed. Some posters have half of their posts as Paid-only, others have very few, like you. If YOU (Sasha) want to change and it doesn't cost you time or money, then, fine; otherwise, just keep on keeping on.
One complaint does not a reason make. Continue to use your own best judgement.