News from Jules | 01.29.2023 | Still Going Strong
You’re helping me bring my dreams to life.
Dear loyal “cheer readers,”
Pausing from my regular life updates and storytelling to acknowledge how far we’ve come! Yes, you and me.
I deeply appreciate your support in all its forms—reading, cheerleading, liking, sharing, and contributing as you're able—to help me pursue my calling as a writer and artist.
As of January 2022, News from Jules has been published on Substack for two years now and 60 percent of you have been here since then. There are even 17 readers still here from the original 31 newsletter subscribers to “Your (& My) First TinyLetter Ever!” way back on August 26, 2015. Wild, huh?
Thank you Barb, Carter, Caroline, Cheryl, Claire M, Davena, Jenny, Jim, Katie T, Kelsey, Maureen, Melissa, Olivia, Rick, Shirley, Susan, and Wendy for your longstanding support!
That also means this August I’m coming up on 10 years of sending newsletters. I continue to marvel that my life and stories hold your interest and/or feel relevant to your own lives and growth.
We are still going strong.
I’ve tried a few times to analyze why you’re all still here. Other writers I admire have been sending out reader surveys lately, which reminded me that I haven’t asked for feedback since we switched to Substack two years ago. And there’s so many new faces and ears since then! I’d love to know a little more about what interests you.
What is it that you all have in common? It sure isn’t age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, income source or level, race, ethnicity, marital status, family structure, employment, location, hometown, homeownership, level of education, and/or religion/spirituality.
Well, it’s me. Because I’ve met almost every single one of you.
I was pretty tickled when I thought there were two or three of you who steadfastly read every issue, but going through the entire list I discovered—taking Substack’s metrics with a grain of salt—a mindboggling 63+* subscribers who read every issue.
Now that is wild!
It's seriously impressive that so many of you find time in your busy week to open, skim, read and/or listen to my News from Jules.
Which I guess is why there’s an average open rate of 59 percent here on Substack (up from 49 percent on TinyLetter) but I hadn’t really put two-and-two together before.
What can I say?
I’m a long-distance, long-form relationship kinda gal.
Part of moving to Substack was to align my own life vision with their mission of “building a future where writers can flourish by being paid directly by readers.” Most of the other writers I follow or read about who are flourishing via Substack have thousands of subscribers. I have 218.
Because the most authentic way I’ve found more readers is to meet more people and have a long enough conversation that you want to keep the conversation going by continuing to hear about what I’m learning and reflecting on right now.
Now, this isn’t a problem per se, to have such a small, devoted readership of family, friends, and acquaintances, but it doesn’t fulfill one annoying logistic of being an actively working artist.
Feeding my soul and my body, per my sister’s wise advice. This is my reality and my quest for the foreseeable future.
Hence the hourly day jobs I’ve written about during the past two years, along with a bunch of gigs that I didn’t write about, that allow me the time and energy to write and actually put food on the table.
During the past two years, your subscriptions have helped me break even covering the hidden costs of writing and maintaining a small business (e.g.: software subscriptions, domains, etc.), so that it’s no longer coming out of my savings. This is huge progress!
And, this year’s goal is to also cover the cost of 8+ hours a week when I’m reading, writing, editing, formatting, recording, taking photos, curating photos, and posting on Substack, Linktr.ee, Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin. This is one of my favorite “work days” of the week, but if I were paid from my current subscription earnings, I would make about $2.40 an hour.
How can I help? so many have asked.
You already are. And so many other ways:
Complete the survey: Please give me feedback so I keep heading in the write direction!
Like posts: That little heart tells me that the newsletter resonated with you so I’ll write more like that.
Share with a friend: I love that there are at least a few close-friends-of-friends who also subscribe. I would love for more of your kindred spirits to join the conversation!
Pay for a subscription: This is the most helpful. More paid subscriptions would help me reach my goal to cover the cost of 8+ hours a week it takes to send you this newsletter. That’d be $144 per week (at my current day job rate of $18 an hour) or 28 monthly subscriptions of $5.
Thank you Aaron, Anne, Auntie Joanie, Benjamin, Bobby, Caroline, Christine, Cousin Kate, Dan, Emily W, Kate, Katie T, Kim P, Laura, Lucie, Margie, Mary Marty, Jean, Jenn, Jessica, Julia VB, Rebecca, Ryan, Sheena, Stacey, Susan, Terra, and Virginia for your financial support. It means SO much!
Thank you Andrea, Kim S, Rebecca, and Kim P for favoriting the most.
Thank you Mary Marty for sharing the most.
And thank you for your texts or email responses when something hits you just right. This is why I write! I want to stay deeply connected to you and I want my life lessons learned to help you in your own journey.
“There is so much truth in your writings. Thank you! Jessica”
“You have explained and shared compassion and empathy with a big dose of love. Oscar”
“Love your stories and walking with you on your journey…I’m so inspired by your embrace of the years that cannot be replaced. You are helping me with my own journey. Thank you. Hugs and love, Kim”
And so, you’ll never hear me stop saying it: Thank you for reading!
You’re helping me bring my dreams to life.
And hopefully inspiring your own.
May you keep going strong this week.
Love,
Jules
P.S. There is one cheerleader in particular to acknowledge who has been here since the very beginning: Olivia, my adventure buddy, fellow entrepreneur, travel blogger, and mommy blogger. Thank you for helping me fix code, test emails, proofread posts, take photos, talk shop, lift my spirits and go have fun while talking about deep stuff to write about!
*Too long to list above, And thank you Alison B, Andrea, Anna, Annie, Amy R, Auntie Cathy, Auntie Joanie, Barb, Becki, Benjamin, Ben M, Bernadette, Cameron, Caroline, Christine, Chris KM, Claire C, David K, David K, Dee Dee, Diana, Francesca, Hanneke, Jenny D, Jenny M, Jean, Jesse, Jim D, Jim J, Jos, Julieanne, Katie S, Kelsey, Kenny, Kim P, Kristen M, Liam, Maureen, Naomi, Natalie, Nicole H, Noe, Paul, Paula, Rabbi Brian, Rebecca L, Saamanta, Sara B, Shane, Shirley, Stacey, Stephanie, Susan, Sydney, Terra, Tracy B, Tracy L, Vic, Whitney, and a couple folks that I don’t immediately recognize your name from your email address, for reading every week!
Plus, thank you Anne, Alison D, Barbara, Bobby, Cheryl, Cindy, Claire M, Emily W, Erin, Kaley, Katie N, Gina, Kat, Emily L, Lauren, Linda, Luda, Maggie, Marisol, Mark, Mary Pete, Maya, Meghan, Mo, Nicci, Josh C, Jessica K, Jewell, Jocelyn, Judy, Julia VB, Justin, Kare, Karrie, Robyn, Sally, Sarah, Tiffany, and Victoria, for reading most weeks!