Am I good enough? That’s the question every writer, hell every creative wrestles with as they pour their heart and soul into something. Will people see it, want to read, listen, see it? We all struggle with the doubt and yet, we’re compelled to move forward.
That question is exactly what’s been sitting with me this past week, because I hit a milestone I set for myself when I started this thing.
I started writing Playin’ in a Traveling Band a few months ago, and somewhere between then and now it moved from “a thing I do in the wee hours of the morning while everyone else is asleep” to something that occupies my brain regardless of where I may find myself. I gave myself two goals when I started this – turn on paid subscriptions when you reach 100 subscribers, and write a book. I surpassed that milestone just a week or so ago, with one of my beautiful 8-year-olds gleefully being subscriber #100. The book is still a work in progress.
Here’s the deal: I’m turning on paid subscriptions, but everything stays free. Every essay, every Mixtape Madness volume, every deep dive into a record I love — all of it, always, free to read.
If you want to pay, you’re not buying access. You’re just telling me the thing is worth something to you and helping me justify the hours I put into it on top of everything else.
No paywalls, no “upgrade to keep reading.” Just a tip jar with a “thank you” attached, for anyone who wants to use it. But also — thank you, all of you who’ve clicked that subscribe button and said my words are worth consideration. You’ve no idea how much that means to me!
Congrats on your milestone! 🎉