Have you come across Substack, the home for great writing yet? Founded in 2017 as a platform that’s geared for subscription newsletters (free, freemium or paid), Substack is well financed and represents a robust proposition for all types of writers, including journalists, comics and cartoonists, experts and celebrities. I’ve enjoyed subscribing to a variety of newsletters including Dan Rather (Steady), Christopher Lochhead & team (the Category Pirates 🏴☠️), Tomas Pueyo’s Uncharted Territories and Scott Monty’s Timeless & Timely. Most of the newsletters are free and, importantly for us writers hoping to be paid, the site allows voluntary paid subscription levels for those who can afford it and/or appreciate the value. While you need to sign up for an account, the least one can say is that they make it super easy to unsubscribe, too.
As of August 2021, per this Forbes article, Substack had “more than 250,000 paying subscribers”… “while its top ten publishers bring in $7 million in annualized revenue.”
A new way to stimulate meaningful conversation?
Prompted by Christopher (many thanks 👏), I’ve launched my own Substack called, Dialogos, to stimulate discussion and drum up meaningful conversation, where we can debate important topics, including those that are commonly left out of bounds. The name, Dialogos, is Greek for dialogue. It is also a portmanteau of my last name and the logos, which refers to the logo and logotherapy created by Viktor Frankl, where logo is the meaning. I want to incite us to engage in more robust conversations, bringing reason and purpose to our exchanges. In terms of tone and an editorial line, I want Dialogos to be inspiring, cajoling and elevating. Please check it out, subscribe and share the word!
The first thread was entitled, “What is stopping us from having civil conversation?“
Ultimately, to be clear and upfront, I have three objectives with Dialogos.
- First, to experiment with a new platform and stimulate discovery, spread the news of people writing great things and to spark conversation.
- Secondly, I am intending to collect and convert the posts into a new book that I’m aiming to publish early next year.
- And, lastly, I am hoping that some of you will find sufficient value that you’ll wish to support my effort. Beyond my eternal gratitude, paying subscribers will get exclusive content, an early copy of the PDF of the book and a signed copy when it’s done (retail price will be around £25).
I hope you’ll enjoy the ride and join in the conversation!
