Writing a newsletter isn't free.
We're all so used to getting free content that we forget someone's paying for it, whether that's the creator, the audience, or some third party.
I do not have rich benefactors or corporate sponsors. Right now, I am personally covering most of the costs of publishing Amplify Respect, and I’d like to share the financial details with you in this post.
I'm excited to be part of the Back Indie Media Drive from Project C this September alongside over 30 fantastic publishers. I've set the ambitious goal of reaching 20 new paid subscribers, and I'm delighted to share that we have 5 new paid subscribers! Thank you so much!!
Only 2% of you are contributing financially to my work.
If you go to an amazing queer drag cabaret show - you throw dollar bills at the performers, right? And you have fun doing it.
I am asking for your dollar bills to continue my work here.
Become an Amplifier for just $5/month or $48/year.
Let's dig into my expenses
Let me explain the exact costs for my newsletter. Sending emails and running a website is not free!
Tech costs
Ghost Pro - $25/month, this includes the website and sending the emails - this scales up with the number of subscribers
Domain name - $15/year
Ghost theme from Bright Themes - one time $125
Canva Pro - $120/year
Google Workspace - $72/year
(I'm not even including all the other tech costs of doing freelance work - other software, computer, phone, workplace. And I'm not including travel costs, even though my travels allow me to provide a more varied perspective!)
Advertising in LGBTQ+ friendly venues
I'd love to purchase more newsletter ads to bring in an audience who's interested in LGBTQ+ content, a budget of ~$50/month
My time as a tech expert
I spent a solid week working on the technical aspects of the migration from Substack to Ghost this July, time that I could have spent on client work. If we estimate my time at $50/hour for 8 hours a day, 5 days, that's $2k, a solid underestimate of all the tech work I've put into this project with my 10 years experience.
My time as a creator journalist
I write 1-2 posts per week, which take a few hours each at minimum. This includes research, interviewing, writing, formatting, editing, and adding images. Let's say this kind of work goes for $30/hour - at 6 hours per week that's $720/month.
Editing
You are also getting the benefit of my editor's time! (My editor is also my partner.) Let's say that's $20/post at a friends and family rate, 8 posts per month - $160/month
Total monthly costs: ~$971/month
Monthly, ongoing costs, not counting those one-time project costs (at minimum, because as you can see, a lot of other time and (my) money goes into this as well) - $971/month
Future costs
I'd love to contract translators to provide resources in Spanish and other languages.
Why subscribe?
Amplify Respect brings you uplifting, informative, researched content from and for the community you cannot find anywhere else.
We need 15 new paid subscribers to reach our goal. If you have not subscribed yet, you are not too late. Today is a great day to become a paid member. Will you join us?
