Yes, I've finally done it.
Going paid and doing it scared AF. :D
I’ve been ruminating about this “going paid” on Substack for a while. Hard not to, with all the posts and notes going around. Intrigued by the possibilities, always held back by the thought of commiting in such a way and not being up to the task, and worrying about what would people think. How could I? What do I have to offer? How can I be consistent and not let down people? Or let down myself?
On the other hand, I also don’t like the idea of paywalling my stuff. Nothing against people who do it. I just don’t think it makes sense for me and my particular case. But I do welcome the money, even if it’s only to buy a cup of coffee, as those who’ve been seeing my latest notes can easily understand (I mean… we’ve just been through an 18-month rebuilding process of an old building for which we had to get in debt for, and which still has work to do… and will probably have for a while; these “home” things never end, right? On the bright side, my home is beautiful and feels like a dream come true).
But I digress.
(I’ve already shared a few photos of the place, just like people who keep showing pictures of their dogs or kids. Sorry. :D You can check them here, here, here and here. Eventually, I’ll do a proper photo tour!).
So, how to solve this conundrum? Adding to the equation, I also want to develop my pattern writing skills and plan on publishing more overlay mosaic crochet patterns, and this Substack is a way of getting more people into the technique, and sharing and spreading my love for it. You can read more about my why’s and a few kind of related tangents on this piece and on this one too, so I keep going wherever I’m going with this one.
I’ve been toying with the idea of sharing a pattern here. A way to spike your interest and getting you to try making something and learning with this technique I love, putting it to the test and receiving some feedback that can help me improve my patterns, and of course, a way to attract more of “my people” to this little corner of mine.
So, this is what I’ll do (am doing actually; or actually doing?! Oh dear…):
I’ll publish and share a pattern as a pdf.
This pattern will be sent to everyone who subscribes, free and paying subscribers. Since we’re on Substack, it will be available for anyone.
I now have the paid option active and I see this, and I invite you to see it, as only one more way of supporting me and my endeavours, validating my work and giving me a push to keep on going. It will also go into helping out with the recently increased expenses with… life. It all ads up and we gotta start somewhere, right?
Other than the paid option on Substack, I also have a ko-fi page, so that anyone can make a one-time donation. The pattern can be a nice incentive and a way for people to figure out if it’s worth the pat on the back.
I’m not making any changes to my posts. I don’t plan to paywall anything.
I’m not making any promises about special benefits for paying subscribers. For now, all I can really offer is a huge, heartfelt thank you. But thinking of ways of giving back will always be on the back of my mind, no matter what.
And now, here is the pattern!
I hope you like it and try it out. Don’t be afraid of doing it if you don’t plan on becoming a paying subscriber. It’s not mandatory, and I do expect people to check it out before letting go of their hard-earned money, regardless of if it’s right away or eventually. No pressure!
To give you some context about the pattern, this booklet actually has 2 patterns. They’re both potholders I developed for a series of workshops I did in Spring at Academia das Talicas, and this particular session was focused on overlay mosaic crochet using the continuous method. You can check video tutorials for what you’ll need to make these projects here.
Any questions, suggestions, slaps in my hand to share? Would love to hear from you and what’s been your experience with this sort of stuff.
Thank you for being here and hanging out, and get back to you soon with news from the making front. ;)
Ana
Tricky question, this paid subscription thing. So far, I only have one paid subscription on Substack (Emma Gannon's, because I enjoy what she writes about creativity, and she offered a huge discount for new subscribers!). I’d love to have full access to a lot of other Substack creators, but that would be a full month’s salary, right? So, you really have to choose your paid subscriptions carefully.
I’ve also thought about enabling paid subscriptions on my own Substack. But, unlike you with your beautiful crochet patterns, I don’t have anything to teach or offer. For example, today’s post took me an hour to write. I do it for myself, sure, but at the end of the day, a girl’s gotta eat, right? So, congratulations on not being afraid to put a price on the time you spend creating these patterns, even if it’s just through a one-time donation. I like the idea, though, and I hope it sticks. ;)
Whoo hoo!! Exciting times Ana!! You're patterns are gorgeous 😍