Isn’t it amazing that asking people for help can make transformations happen? Shout out and much gratitude to Erin for investing in this project and getting me a year at the scale level to build more options into this here newsletter series and web presence. This unlocks a whole bunch of features I previously had been working around and without, and it gives me a lot of good incentives to devote more time and attention to my creative works in hopes that they can sustain me and keep the creativity flowing.

Subscribers who were getting used to the release cadence may be wondering when the next newsletter will land in their inbox. The answer is: The Createry will arrive as soon as I can adapt the 🎇 aesthetic 🎇 template to accommodate ads and the new paid subscription tiers I’m going to outline below! The folks at beehiiv generously walked me through a bunch of the features in a 1:1 call, and the documentation is extensive, so I hope it won’t take too long to make the necessary adjustments. I know I’m certainly looking forward to sharing some festive holiday tidings in the very near-ish soon — I just want to get the shiny new structure set up and explained first. So, without further ado…

When I launched on the free plan with ambitions to grow community around creative celebrations, I couldn’t offer paid subscriptions or otherwise monetize these newsletters. At the time, it didn’t matter much to me considering this is mostly a personal project to keep me engaged with my creative passions and scratch the ol’ ICQ/LiveJournal itch. I also am generally loathe to paywall things because I don’t want cost to be a barrier to anyone, so it wasn’t part of my goal — and I’m still not planning to paywall the vast majority of things. I do, however, want to “diversify my income” and stay fed and housed while I launch a small business, which is why this is happening now. 😅

I plan to manually curate each ad that appears, and I won’t accept or share any that don’t align with my values. I can also offer ad buys to super cool folks, so if there’s interest, let’s chat! In general, I hope to keep things accessible and affordable while also opening up income potential in a way that respects reader preferences. For an idea of what it’ll look like, this post should display my first ad below and serve as an example of what to expect.

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The lone paywall exception I will make is for folks who want to support me and read the first drafts of my novels as I’m working through them (or other works that may be published) to ensure only my fellow humans can access them. Originally, I planned to gate such creations on my Patreon in an attempt to circumvent AI scrapers and theft, but the functionality on beehiiv (and the fact that they don’t take a cut) has me reconsidering. Essentially, this platform allows me set blocks to appear only for specific subscriber groups, so that’s what I plan to do when it comes time to share those works. Paid subscriptions can be gifted, and I can also offer single-post purchases or special offers if someone is really interested but can’t swing the subscription cost. I’m more than happy to offer sliding scale options, and this way, I won’t have to point people toward another link with yet another sign-in page, and I can keep things organized.

If you’d like to support my work with a paid subscription, it would mean the world to me and help me afford life. Clicking the ads also helps! If you’d prefer to support my work and opt out of ads entirely, simply select the “Banish Ads” button, and you’ll never have to see one again. If you’d like to support my work with even more dollars, bless you, and please use my Kofi and/or my Patreon to send whatever amount you feel moved to.

Another feature I didn’t have before was Discord integration — but now, subscribers can join a private server to chat with me and engage with a community of people who appreciate creative pursuits. I’ve invited the subscribers who are already on my friends’ list, and feel free to send me a ping @virtuistic if you subscribed before the upgrade and would like to join in. I anticipate using the space to share quick polls and updates, as well as invite folks to join me for digital DJ sessions, games, and streams.

In time, I may also be able to participate in beehiiv’s referral program. For now, I can directly recommend other newsletters that rock, and I intend to enthusiastically spotlight some of my all-time faves, like:

All in all, I’m excited about these changes and the potential to develop. I also am deeply grateful to have people in my life who believe in my skills and vision, and are willing to support both in a variety of ways. Truly, I wouldn’t be here - and none of this would be possible - without you.

Need professional communications guidance or production help? As mentioned above, I’m currently in the process of formalizing my freelance career into a sustainable communications business. I’ll share updates and build out digital products — like 1:1 coaching sessions — over the coming weeks, and I’m eager to use what I learned over decades of advocacy and news production to provide a variety of services a la carte or as a part- or full-time consultant. Both my rate sheet and resume are ready to go, and you can learn about my history and see portfolio samples here. To get in touch, leave a comment below or message me on Linkedin!