How I went broke

Which actually wasn't even my fault. No. Really!

At the risk of getting cancelled on SubStack, I spotted some frenzied discussion on the platform recently, taking umbridge at writers “paywalling” their posts, as in: allowing subscribers who aren’t paying, to read a little bit of a post, then inviting them to become a paid subscriber, to have access to the rest. The gist of the row was: “it’s deeply annoying to read several hundred words of something - to give up quality time, energy and eyesight to it - only to find yourself locked out of the grand finale by a crass, grabby, presumptuous demand for cash.”

Now, while I do see the logic of this - from my (admittedly deeply biased) perspective, it’s the logic of someone cross with a deli counter cheesemonger for only giving them a bit of cheese to try, then asking that they pay for the rest, because: how can anyone possibly know if they want the cheese enough to buy it, without first eating all of it, then deciding whether they’re going to pay for it? (Spoiler alert, they aren’t. No one pays retrospectively for something they just got for free.)

Many other people heartily endorsed the paywall fury, however. Some considered it an insult on the grounds, we’re in a cost of living crisis, here, who can afford to pay for posts…? Which makes perfect sense, because, as everyone knows, writers are all loaded and the cost of living crisis doesn’t affect us. Oh no. Whenever we go to Sainsbury’s, and checkout says: “Tube of toothpaste and a tomato? That’ll be £17.59 please!”, we simply reply: “No, no, sir! For I am a wordsmith, therefore, not subject to the insane price hikes of recent times; verily, forsooth!” Then they go: “Oh, so sorry! In that case: that’ll be 50p, a pretty turn of phrase, a tickle from your feathered quill, and away with you, good writer!”

And, yeah, yeah, I’m being a bit chippy, a bit daft here - except that I’m not. Not entirely. The internet has destroyed all sense writing is something anyone should ever have to pay for. Social media has given people the impression anyone can do it; that if you can write the blurb beneath an Instagram post, cobble together a couple a’ hundred words of basterdized inspo-twaddle designed to make your latest selfie look less like an exercise in flagrant narcissism, pep it up with some half-baked pompous intro conceit like: “I don’t know who needs to hear this right now, but…” , well! It’s basically the same as writing an article!

Babezzzzzz. It ain’t.

And so, we’ve been left feeling that anyone who has the brazen audacity to ask you to pay for their words, is cheating you of something to which you’re entirely entitled for free. Like they’re a restaurant, trying to charge for tap water.

BUT.

This post is not just about Substack paywalling. Nor is it just about writers. Because, and top tip for the writing of opinion / think/ whatever you wanna call ‘em pieces, coming right up: