Poll question for Reader Comments: Of those who are paid subscribers to my Substack, can you share with our readers how many Substack sites you are currently paying to receive? Why are you willing to do this? Some say it’s impossible that more than 3 percent of readers will support even journalism they think is important. Do you agree with this?
Do you think Substack is making a difference? Do you agree this positive impact would be even greater if more Substack authors could increase their Substack revenue? Do you have any suggestions on how to make this result more likely?
15, I don't read half of them, too busy, but you guys are doing important work saving the world (not kidding) while I just complain (only kinda kidding) and I have the money, so I put my money where my mouth is...
I have historically limited my paid subscriptions to six, but after reading this will up my game, considering how much time I spend daily reading Substack authors.
Bill, I pay for 80 stacks (literally). And I read them all. Mostly to keep really deserving writers writing...in alignment with what you espouse, if we do not reinforce this platform and those writers, there will be no platform nor writers to reinforce. I know others who have similar numbers of paid subscriptions. More useful than contributions to other charities, IMHO.
Wow. That's inspiring. It makes me think there might be fewer than 1 million paid subscribers on Substack. For example, you are counted with 80 different sites receiving "paid subscriptions."
I once had about 12. I actually had to pause several of them to save money. But since my subscription effort has given me an income boost, I should be able to unpause all those subscriptions soon.
I hope other Substack authors would support my "demonstration project." As you can see, I'm trying to get everyone's "paid" ratio to at least 10 percent. If we can make that happen, I'd be a hero to my colleagues.
Definitely! As I think about this, I need to ask Dr. K if he'll let me do a feature story on him ... Talk about someone who is "all in" with fighting this "battle." This is called going above and beyond!
I would love to read that. S/he may be too shy to talk though but I would love to read an article like that. Would be fascinating. I love a good human interest story.
Reminds me of when the NY Times occasionally had really good 'human interest' journalism in the 80s and 90s. You can look at some of the old editions online and it's incredible how interesting it is.
Five paid subscriptions for me. I gladly pay for work I can't or don't have time to do, especially about topics as important as the one's our side need to know about. Have you thought about hosting workshops? Given the expertise many Substack writers like you possess, workshops on related topics can attract more subscribers and provide additional revenue streams.
Your article is very interesting, and a bit concerting. I would have hoped that 'Stack support would have been much higher. I initially supported a handful of Liberals. And in fact still do on other platforms.
Counted my paid subs just now: 10 paid subscriptions, including yours. It is mostly for support, though I do read maybe the five most interesting every day. I consider it my civic duty to support 'Truth Seekers', whether liberal or conservative.
I'm retired, living on a fixed income, and do indeed need to pare the list back to . . . maybe six(?) . . . probably keeping the less affluent, smaller 'Stacks. And of course keeping my paid subs on the other platforms.
Read my next column - M G. My "solution" is to (hopefully) get more Substack readers to do exactly what you are doing ... for the reasons you are doing this
Oct 7, 2023·edited Oct 7, 2023Liked by Bill Rice, Jr.
I have cut back substantially (in half) from where I was last year, both in the number of susbstacks I subscribe to and the ones I pay for, mostly out of necessity. It was too much to read, plus I wanted to limit the expense a bit.
Today, I have 5 Founders (you are one), 5 others paid on an annual basis, and 18 others I subscribe for free.
The 0.1 percent of the 0.1 percent who step up and become "Founding" subscribers are incredibly important and inspiring. I'm touched I'm one of the five Substack authors you are supporting at this $250 (!) level. Thank you. I'm trying to get a few more people to pay $6 month and you are paying approximately $1,500/year to support writers and a cause you think is important.
I had to go look at how many bc I wasn’t sure. I have six and would like to have a few more but am in the middle of a remodel which eats discretionary income like candy. One thing I did do to afford more was get rid of stupid subscriptions like Sirius XM (whyyyyyyy I listen to BOOKS now not music--I’m so old😂). The more I got rid of the more I can pay for good content. I’m still pissed that I can’t figure out why you, Steve Kirsch and now veryvirology and Jessica Rose NEVER show up in my feed I have to go to your page to see your stuff. I have tried to fix this many times to no avail. I, too am willing to pay to keep good writers like yourself going as I find it invaluable. 👍🏻
I have four paid (annual) subscriptions and if I counted correctly, another 23 subscriptions.
A number of reasons for only four paid subscriptions, which includes; volume and focus of articles and since watching Bidenomics destroy our retirement investments, budget concerns (meaning my prudent better half after me with a big stick...or other disincentives!).
The 23 non paid subscriptions, while valuable, tend to have less volume...a reason I can keep up with daily/weekly my reading list which also includes - EpochTimes, Just the News, Brownstone Institute and RealClear** on a daily/weekly basis. I do not listen to, or watch, any MSM propaganda...only occasionally read an article that one of the RealClear** might link. The why is clear...I really dislike liars and I even more dislike being hoodwinked (my own fault to a degree) my the guvm't and traditional media.
I'm 'listed' as a publisher, but really not. A few posts so far, not about Covid. Maybe I'll cross-post something someday, but most of what I would...you folks already have.
I stumbled across Substack a bit late and probably still not aware of all it might provide. I can't even find the date that I did subscribe. But...
I get 'Substack', substack emails to authors, but, what does Substack itself do to promote the authors out to even more folks/subscribers, that have probably never heard of Substack?
I'm not on Twitter or FB, GAB etc., or worse TikTok. Does Substack advertise on those platforms? I don't recall seeing anything (except in comments...which is where I first heard mention I think) on EpochTime, Just The News, NY Post etc.
I have though, forwarded articles from those Substack authors I follow to the greatly reduced group of family and friends that will at least listen, give an article a look through. Hopefully, some of those have become subscribers, paid or not (for now).
I am paying for somewhere between 6-10 Substacks depending on my own personal situation. I have at least 3 more that I want to pay for but just can't right now.
We are paying on five Substacks. Would do more as this kind of journalism is important during these times, but we have limited funds due to retirement..
Six paid subs here. A reasonable tariff to receive consistently intelligent and informative content. And to date, TPTB have not silenced this platform, nor has Prince Elon monetized it.
I now have 197 paid subscibers (at 4.2 percent paid). This means if I can get three more paid subscribers, I'll reach 200 - which will allow me to join the Substack group that can claim "hundreds paid.".
Dr. Paul Alexander also linked to my "most important article" and shared many nice words of support. This cross-post netted me more than 60 free subscriptions ... So I'm now getting close to 4,7000 total subscribers, which means I'm getting closer to 5,000 total subscribers.
I sent 100 personal emails to a random sample of readers. I'm not even sure how many readers received these emails as I got zero responses. So I scratched the idea to send personal emails to all 4,400 of my free subscribers.
I did get one paid subscriber from a fellow Substacker so five hours of work netted grossed me $6, which will become $72 if I can keep him for a year!
I do hope this effort will persuade more Substackers to maybe promote this "demonstration project." As you can tell, my goal is to get every one on "our team" up to "10 percent paid." That''s the tithe level!
Thank you to the 38 news paid subscribers I've gotten in the last couple of days and those who contributed ko-fi "tips."
I'm going to push this hard through Monday morning and then move on.
You never know when destiny might play a hand and when something you thought wasn't going to go viral does suddenly go viral.
I still think this would make big-time news if I/we could reach 1,000 paid subscribers.
I edited one of my first sentences that now reads:
"Per my research, I’ve concluded that as few as 1 to 4 percent of Substack readers are supporting their favorite “freedom” writers with financial donations."
In an upcoming column, I’ll provide historical context that might show how more Substack readers could perhaps justify becoming paid subscribers.
Historically, families have always paid for subscriptions.” As an “inflation workaround,” many of us have eliminated many of these paid subscriptions, especially paid subscriptions to woke or captured newspapers, magazines and even Cable TV services.
If more people would take these savings and invest X dollars a month to support one or more of their favorite Substack authors, we could move that needle on public opinion even faster.
I value your writing. But I am a middle class, retired person. Once discovering substack, I began paying for certain subscriptions until I’d reached a good 6-8 paid ones. But that gets expensive and in order to be able to feed myself and pay my bills, I have to limit my subscriptions. It’s not that you are not worth it. Of course you are. There are many tens, probably hundreds, maybe even thousands of worthwhile writers on substack. But we gotta be realistic. Thank you for writing. I’ll continue to read what you have to say. But the well is dry, Bill.
No problem, Mel. I certainly understand. That's no doubt the situation of many Substack readers. This "inflation thing" is mighty scary. Thank you for supporting the Stackers you have. And thank you for reading my site.
I'm pushing paid subscribers this week, but I value and appreciate all my subscribers.
I’m subscribed to nine. I try to read them regularly but often fail. I really can’t afford this many but I really want to support people’s excellent work here, even if I don’t read everything.
Oct 6, 2023·edited Oct 7, 2023Liked by Bill Rice, Jr.
Not sure how you can guess that about 100 authors are up against the official narrative, but that's all right.
It's the actual revenue that matters, not the number of paid subscribers, because not every author's fees are the same. On my site everything is free, so those, who support me, do it because they mean it, not out of curiosity or an urge to comment. Still, the 1-4 percent guesstimate seems accurate, because if I calculate my "revenue" at the average of $5 a month per paid subscriber, I am still only at 4.25 percent.
Also, there are the official disinformers with hundreds, if not thousands of bots as paid subscribers, probably from the black budget. I couldn't possible guess their percentage among all paid subscriptions, but my best guess is that they amount to the majority. Most people just don't have the money anymore.
I am quite convinced that I can speak my mind only as long as the number of my subscribers (actual readers?) doesn't exceed a certain number, which I estimate at around 10 thousand. If I had that many with the current percentage of paid subscriptions, I might reach minimum wage! :) No, I've never done this for the money, but in order to do something of worth before this world is washed away by the tide of stupidity, complacency, conceit, fear, self-indulgence, and pure evil.
Good point about the annual revenue/income being the only metric that really matters ... if you are trying to pay bills. I was blown away that three of my subscribers upgraded to Founders' Level ($250/year) in the last couple of days.
Ko-fi donations now supplement my little income as well. One person gave me a "tip" of $200. There are many super generous people in the world.
You're a good writer or I wouldn't be here, whether paid or unpaid. I do pay because I like what I'm reading. I don't feel so alone in being anti vaccine & masks. Most people just. Don't. Get. It. I've learned a lot. I am subbed to about 8 'Stacks. Worth every cent!!
Ask Jeff Childers to share his paid/freebie ratio. His blog is likely among the top five biowarfare blogs on SS, both in terms of content and of eyeballs reached daily.
True, but all content plus the ability to post comments is on the free side. I make periodic $25 contributions to him via the "donation" tab in the posts.
I am a paid subscriber for only a handful of substacks. The reason I am on substack is one of the two reasons I can not pay for any more than I already am, the panicked reaction to covid has destroyed my career and left me using my piggy bank for commute fare until my next payday which will not cover my monthly bill for this month. I do publish on substack myself and several have pledged financial support but I am an American living abroad and as such, anyone who would subscribe to me would have their financial shared with the US as per the homeland’s FATCA law. This and other laws by the homeland targeting we who live abroad shut down my ability to raise funds by selling off a collection I compiled for such an emergency.
Or, in short, while already plowing a heavy sea the the covid madness torpedoed me. I suspect that I am not alone.
I should add that the fact I can no longer support all the contributors I would like angers me greatly. I wish I could. Just 3 1/2 a half years ago I was able to.
I contribute to five substack writers and so wish that I had pots full of money to contribute to all the wonderful, brave, honourable people. Just knowing them through their work makes the times we are living in bearable. Many have sacrificed much and my admiration for them is endless, it provides a counterbalance to the psychopaths that inflicts so much horror upon us, showing by example who all humans actually could be.
Like some others here, I have paid subscriptions to at least 4-5 Substack writers:
You
Don Surber
Julie Kelly
Emerald Robinson
Mark Crispin Miller
...and maybe a couple more I can't remember...
Used to subscribe to others, like Steve Kirsch, Alex Berenson, Dr. Naomi Wolf, Mark Oshinskie... but I've had to cut back some... gotta be able to retire someday! Want to keep supporting as many as possible.
Your own percentage of paid subscribers is probably quite a bit above average because you have great skills how to sell yourself. I am currently under one percent with almost zero marketing and no restrictions for free subscribers. So those who pay me do it because they are simply generous and supportive or maybe there are some surveillance bots. (Paranoia is an issue I am dealing with). I spend more on paid subscriptions than I earn atm. Your stats confirm an intuitive feeling I have that we are a tiny number and I am also concerned that we are in an echo chamber. On the other hand, certain topics that were previously only in our echo chamber did escape and affected and changed the MSM narrative and are being noticed by pure mainstream people e.g. WEF great reset, vaccine injuries and death, ineffectiveness of vaccines, lab-leak, Pharma corruption, medical corruption. But it is impossible to say how much that originated from Substack. I talked to a Doctor (Chiropractor) yesterday. She never heard of Substack but is definitely in the freedom fighter camp and well aware of what is going on. There is a certain number of critical thinkers, common sense people that just sniff out lies immediately. But it seems it is a minority. Most people think information, behaviour and opinions are spread by a "snowball" effect. While this happens, I believe in a more esoteric mechanism, some shifting super-consciousness. It's complex and very intelligent and holistic and the biggest source of hope for me that we will always escape and outperform manipulative psych opp nudging and surveillance, even if supported by AI. Because these things are always reactive, based on past data, while life is incredibly intelligent and creative. Life always strives for full expression and full realization of each of its manifestations. That's why freedom is such a high value and people are prepared to die for it. To be willing to die for freedom doesn't make sense from a purely materialistic survival sense. Survival might not always be the highest value. If it lacks any creative self-realization "life" won't like it. Our materalistic-mechanistic scientific over-lords will never understand that because they try to control and understand "life" but "life" can't be understood because it is a constantly shifting ever-new creative phenomenon that never repeats itself. You can't step into the same river twice. The overlords think they can study our past behaviour and derive certain rules to manipulate it in the future to their advantage. But they will eventually get frustrated because life is too complex in its unpredictable creative expression. They forget that we are just a tiny part of life's manifestations and make the grievous mistake to not understand that a part can never understand the whole body of which they are a part off. It's impossible.
Poll question for Reader Comments: Of those who are paid subscribers to my Substack, can you share with our readers how many Substack sites you are currently paying to receive? Why are you willing to do this? Some say it’s impossible that more than 3 percent of readers will support even journalism they think is important. Do you agree with this?
Do you think Substack is making a difference? Do you agree this positive impact would be even greater if more Substack authors could increase their Substack revenue? Do you have any suggestions on how to make this result more likely?
15, I don't read half of them, too busy, but you guys are doing important work saving the world (not kidding) while I just complain (only kinda kidding) and I have the money, so I put my money where my mouth is...
Awesome. Thank you! I'm trying to get more people - Substack readers - to think like you.
I have historically limited my paid subscriptions to six, but after reading this will up my game, considering how much time I spend daily reading Substack authors.
Thanks for the guilt trip, Bill lol.
Bravo!
Bill, I pay for 80 stacks (literally). And I read them all. Mostly to keep really deserving writers writing...in alignment with what you espouse, if we do not reinforce this platform and those writers, there will be no platform nor writers to reinforce. I know others who have similar numbers of paid subscriptions. More useful than contributions to other charities, IMHO.
Wow. That's inspiring. It makes me think there might be fewer than 1 million paid subscribers on Substack. For example, you are counted with 80 different sites receiving "paid subscriptions."
I once had about 12. I actually had to pause several of them to save money. But since my subscription effort has given me an income boost, I should be able to unpause all those subscriptions soon.
I hope other Substack authors would support my "demonstration project." As you can see, I'm trying to get everyone's "paid" ratio to at least 10 percent. If we can make that happen, I'd be a hero to my colleagues.
I made my post today because of what you've been writing, so.........
The real MVP!
Definitely! As I think about this, I need to ask Dr. K if he'll let me do a feature story on him ... Talk about someone who is "all in" with fighting this "battle." This is called going above and beyond!
I would love to read that. S/he may be too shy to talk though but I would love to read an article like that. Would be fascinating. I love a good human interest story.
Reminds me of when the NY Times occasionally had really good 'human interest' journalism in the 80s and 90s. You can look at some of the old editions online and it's incredible how interesting it is.
Five paid subscriptions for me. I gladly pay for work I can't or don't have time to do, especially about topics as important as the one's our side need to know about. Have you thought about hosting workshops? Given the expertise many Substack writers like you possess, workshops on related topics can attract more subscribers and provide additional revenue streams.
Your article is very interesting, and a bit concerting. I would have hoped that 'Stack support would have been much higher. I initially supported a handful of Liberals. And in fact still do on other platforms.
Counted my paid subs just now: 10 paid subscriptions, including yours. It is mostly for support, though I do read maybe the five most interesting every day. I consider it my civic duty to support 'Truth Seekers', whether liberal or conservative.
I'm retired, living on a fixed income, and do indeed need to pare the list back to . . . maybe six(?) . . . probably keeping the less affluent, smaller 'Stacks. And of course keeping my paid subs on the other platforms.
Read my next column - M G. My "solution" is to (hopefully) get more Substack readers to do exactly what you are doing ... for the reasons you are doing this
I have cut back substantially (in half) from where I was last year, both in the number of susbstacks I subscribe to and the ones I pay for, mostly out of necessity. It was too much to read, plus I wanted to limit the expense a bit.
Today, I have 5 Founders (you are one), 5 others paid on an annual basis, and 18 others I subscribe for free.
The 0.1 percent of the 0.1 percent who step up and become "Founding" subscribers are incredibly important and inspiring. I'm touched I'm one of the five Substack authors you are supporting at this $250 (!) level. Thank you. I'm trying to get a few more people to pay $6 month and you are paying approximately $1,500/year to support writers and a cause you think is important.
I can afford it, and it is the right thing to do.
I had to go look at how many bc I wasn’t sure. I have six and would like to have a few more but am in the middle of a remodel which eats discretionary income like candy. One thing I did do to afford more was get rid of stupid subscriptions like Sirius XM (whyyyyyyy I listen to BOOKS now not music--I’m so old😂). The more I got rid of the more I can pay for good content. I’m still pissed that I can’t figure out why you, Steve Kirsch and now veryvirology and Jessica Rose NEVER show up in my feed I have to go to your page to see your stuff. I have tried to fix this many times to no avail. I, too am willing to pay to keep good writers like yourself going as I find it invaluable. 👍🏻
Steve Kirsch doesn't show up in my email feed either. Odd.
I have four paid (annual) subscriptions and if I counted correctly, another 23 subscriptions.
A number of reasons for only four paid subscriptions, which includes; volume and focus of articles and since watching Bidenomics destroy our retirement investments, budget concerns (meaning my prudent better half after me with a big stick...or other disincentives!).
The 23 non paid subscriptions, while valuable, tend to have less volume...a reason I can keep up with daily/weekly my reading list which also includes - EpochTimes, Just the News, Brownstone Institute and RealClear** on a daily/weekly basis. I do not listen to, or watch, any MSM propaganda...only occasionally read an article that one of the RealClear** might link. The why is clear...I really dislike liars and I even more dislike being hoodwinked (my own fault to a degree) my the guvm't and traditional media.
I'm 'listed' as a publisher, but really not. A few posts so far, not about Covid. Maybe I'll cross-post something someday, but most of what I would...you folks already have.
I stumbled across Substack a bit late and probably still not aware of all it might provide. I can't even find the date that I did subscribe. But...
I get 'Substack', substack emails to authors, but, what does Substack itself do to promote the authors out to even more folks/subscribers, that have probably never heard of Substack?
I'm not on Twitter or FB, GAB etc., or worse TikTok. Does Substack advertise on those platforms? I don't recall seeing anything (except in comments...which is where I first heard mention I think) on EpochTime, Just The News, NY Post etc.
I have though, forwarded articles from those Substack authors I follow to the greatly reduced group of family and friends that will at least listen, give an article a look through. Hopefully, some of those have become subscribers, paid or not (for now).
I am paying for somewhere between 6-10 Substacks depending on my own personal situation. I have at least 3 more that I want to pay for but just can't right now.
We are paying on five Substacks. Would do more as this kind of journalism is important during these times, but we have limited funds due to retirement..
Enjoy your columns.
Six paid subs here. A reasonable tariff to receive consistently intelligent and informative content. And to date, TPTB have not silenced this platform, nor has Prince Elon monetized it.
SUBSCRIPTION DRIVE UPDATE:
I now have 197 paid subscibers (at 4.2 percent paid). This means if I can get three more paid subscribers, I'll reach 200 - which will allow me to join the Substack group that can claim "hundreds paid.".
Dr. Paul Alexander also linked to my "most important article" and shared many nice words of support. This cross-post netted me more than 60 free subscriptions ... So I'm now getting close to 4,7000 total subscribers, which means I'm getting closer to 5,000 total subscribers.
I sent 100 personal emails to a random sample of readers. I'm not even sure how many readers received these emails as I got zero responses. So I scratched the idea to send personal emails to all 4,400 of my free subscribers.
I did get one paid subscriber from a fellow Substacker so five hours of work netted grossed me $6, which will become $72 if I can keep him for a year!
I do hope this effort will persuade more Substackers to maybe promote this "demonstration project." As you can tell, my goal is to get every one on "our team" up to "10 percent paid." That''s the tithe level!
Thank you to the 38 news paid subscribers I've gotten in the last couple of days and those who contributed ko-fi "tips."
I'm going to push this hard through Monday morning and then move on.
You never know when destiny might play a hand and when something you thought wasn't going to go viral does suddenly go viral.
I still think this would make big-time news if I/we could reach 1,000 paid subscribers.
I edited one of my first sentences that now reads:
"Per my research, I’ve concluded that as few as 1 to 4 percent of Substack readers are supporting their favorite “freedom” writers with financial donations."
In an upcoming column, I’ll provide historical context that might show how more Substack readers could perhaps justify becoming paid subscribers.
Historically, families have always paid for subscriptions.” As an “inflation workaround,” many of us have eliminated many of these paid subscriptions, especially paid subscriptions to woke or captured newspapers, magazines and even Cable TV services.
If more people would take these savings and invest X dollars a month to support one or more of their favorite Substack authors, we could move that needle on public opinion even faster.
I value your writing. But I am a middle class, retired person. Once discovering substack, I began paying for certain subscriptions until I’d reached a good 6-8 paid ones. But that gets expensive and in order to be able to feed myself and pay my bills, I have to limit my subscriptions. It’s not that you are not worth it. Of course you are. There are many tens, probably hundreds, maybe even thousands of worthwhile writers on substack. But we gotta be realistic. Thank you for writing. I’ll continue to read what you have to say. But the well is dry, Bill.
No problem, Mel. I certainly understand. That's no doubt the situation of many Substack readers. This "inflation thing" is mighty scary. Thank you for supporting the Stackers you have. And thank you for reading my site.
I'm pushing paid subscribers this week, but I value and appreciate all my subscribers.
I’m subscribed to nine. I try to read them regularly but often fail. I really can’t afford this many but I really want to support people’s excellent work here, even if I don’t read everything.
Exactly!!! Same for me - I subbeds to great writers to read and not enough time to read them!!
Not sure how you can guess that about 100 authors are up against the official narrative, but that's all right.
It's the actual revenue that matters, not the number of paid subscribers, because not every author's fees are the same. On my site everything is free, so those, who support me, do it because they mean it, not out of curiosity or an urge to comment. Still, the 1-4 percent guesstimate seems accurate, because if I calculate my "revenue" at the average of $5 a month per paid subscriber, I am still only at 4.25 percent.
Also, there are the official disinformers with hundreds, if not thousands of bots as paid subscribers, probably from the black budget. I couldn't possible guess their percentage among all paid subscriptions, but my best guess is that they amount to the majority. Most people just don't have the money anymore.
I am quite convinced that I can speak my mind only as long as the number of my subscribers (actual readers?) doesn't exceed a certain number, which I estimate at around 10 thousand. If I had that many with the current percentage of paid subscriptions, I might reach minimum wage! :) No, I've never done this for the money, but in order to do something of worth before this world is washed away by the tide of stupidity, complacency, conceit, fear, self-indulgence, and pure evil.
Good point about the annual revenue/income being the only metric that really matters ... if you are trying to pay bills. I was blown away that three of my subscribers upgraded to Founders' Level ($250/year) in the last couple of days.
Ko-fi donations now supplement my little income as well. One person gave me a "tip" of $200. There are many super generous people in the world.
My count is 12...including you Bill.
You're a good writer or I wouldn't be here, whether paid or unpaid. I do pay because I like what I'm reading. I don't feel so alone in being anti vaccine & masks. Most people just. Don't. Get. It. I've learned a lot. I am subbed to about 8 'Stacks. Worth every cent!!
Thank you. This is all interesting info.
35 paid subscriptions for me
You've got more paid Subscriptions than any of us probably. Thank God!
Ask Jeff Childers to share his paid/freebie ratio. His blog is likely among the top five biowarfare blogs on SS, both in terms of content and of eyeballs reached daily.
I love Jeff’s stack but can not afford it. His is the most expensive I’ve seen to date.
True, but all content plus the ability to post comments is on the free side. I make periodic $25 contributions to him via the "donation" tab in the posts.
That said I read it religiously EVERY DAY Except Sunday cuz I can’t afford it)---including at least 45 min in the comments!
I love the fact I have 1,400 subscribers and make about $176 per year! Saving the world is expensive.
In a future article, I'm going to do the math on my hourly-wage. It's going to be sad!
I am a paid subscriber for only a handful of substacks. The reason I am on substack is one of the two reasons I can not pay for any more than I already am, the panicked reaction to covid has destroyed my career and left me using my piggy bank for commute fare until my next payday which will not cover my monthly bill for this month. I do publish on substack myself and several have pledged financial support but I am an American living abroad and as such, anyone who would subscribe to me would have their financial shared with the US as per the homeland’s FATCA law. This and other laws by the homeland targeting we who live abroad shut down my ability to raise funds by selling off a collection I compiled for such an emergency.
Or, in short, while already plowing a heavy sea the the covid madness torpedoed me. I suspect that I am not alone.
I should add that the fact I can no longer support all the contributors I would like angers me greatly. I wish I could. Just 3 1/2 a half years ago I was able to.
I contribute to five substack writers and so wish that I had pots full of money to contribute to all the wonderful, brave, honourable people. Just knowing them through their work makes the times we are living in bearable. Many have sacrificed much and my admiration for them is endless, it provides a counterbalance to the psychopaths that inflicts so much horror upon us, showing by example who all humans actually could be.
Great piece, Bill.
Like some others here, I have paid subscriptions to at least 4-5 Substack writers:
You
Don Surber
Julie Kelly
Emerald Robinson
Mark Crispin Miller
...and maybe a couple more I can't remember...
Used to subscribe to others, like Steve Kirsch, Alex Berenson, Dr. Naomi Wolf, Mark Oshinskie... but I've had to cut back some... gotta be able to retire someday! Want to keep supporting as many as possible.
Your own percentage of paid subscribers is probably quite a bit above average because you have great skills how to sell yourself. I am currently under one percent with almost zero marketing and no restrictions for free subscribers. So those who pay me do it because they are simply generous and supportive or maybe there are some surveillance bots. (Paranoia is an issue I am dealing with). I spend more on paid subscriptions than I earn atm. Your stats confirm an intuitive feeling I have that we are a tiny number and I am also concerned that we are in an echo chamber. On the other hand, certain topics that were previously only in our echo chamber did escape and affected and changed the MSM narrative and are being noticed by pure mainstream people e.g. WEF great reset, vaccine injuries and death, ineffectiveness of vaccines, lab-leak, Pharma corruption, medical corruption. But it is impossible to say how much that originated from Substack. I talked to a Doctor (Chiropractor) yesterday. She never heard of Substack but is definitely in the freedom fighter camp and well aware of what is going on. There is a certain number of critical thinkers, common sense people that just sniff out lies immediately. But it seems it is a minority. Most people think information, behaviour and opinions are spread by a "snowball" effect. While this happens, I believe in a more esoteric mechanism, some shifting super-consciousness. It's complex and very intelligent and holistic and the biggest source of hope for me that we will always escape and outperform manipulative psych opp nudging and surveillance, even if supported by AI. Because these things are always reactive, based on past data, while life is incredibly intelligent and creative. Life always strives for full expression and full realization of each of its manifestations. That's why freedom is such a high value and people are prepared to die for it. To be willing to die for freedom doesn't make sense from a purely materialistic survival sense. Survival might not always be the highest value. If it lacks any creative self-realization "life" won't like it. Our materalistic-mechanistic scientific over-lords will never understand that because they try to control and understand "life" but "life" can't be understood because it is a constantly shifting ever-new creative phenomenon that never repeats itself. You can't step into the same river twice. The overlords think they can study our past behaviour and derive certain rules to manipulate it in the future to their advantage. But they will eventually get frustrated because life is too complex in its unpredictable creative expression. They forget that we are just a tiny part of life's manifestations and make the grievous mistake to not understand that a part can never understand the whole body of which they are a part off. It's impossible.