I relaunched Hey Eleanor! on Substack almost two months ago (here’s why), and I am having so much fun.
What I expected from Hey Eleanor! 2.0:
To create a regular writing practice.
To build my platform in a way that aligns with my inner compass. I’m working on a book(s), and publishers nearly require their writers to have “a platform” (aka a community that would likely buy a book… I PROMISE I do not look at my subscriber list in these terms! Blame Random House!). Social media is fine, I just don’t love it like I love writing. And I think it’s not great for our brains.
To help manage my anxiety/foster a growth mindset. Practicing being a little uncomfortable regularly has made me so much less anxious. It’s the nudge I need to do get out there and do stuff, which almost always makes me happier.
To connect with people. I’ve met (and reconnected with) so many interesting people from real life, Hey Eleanor 1.0, the Go Fork Yourself podcast, and other places I can’t remember but… hi, it’s good to see you here!
What I hadn’t expected? To make money.
When I started on Substack, I hadn’t even thought about it as a way to supplement my income. After my first post, a few of you became paid subscribers.
I was… floored.
The thing about Hey Eleanor is that it’s never been a money-maker for me. Sure, I’ve made a little cash on affiliate links (if you don’t know: it’s a link that allows someone to earn a commission for promoting a product or service). For example, this year I’ve earned $3.19 in affiliate revenue from Amazon. Suuuuper lucrative.
In fact, it costs money to do almost everything I write about (not to mention time). While a lot of it is stuff I’d be doing anyway, not always (for example, I probably wouldn’t have bought Magic Spoon cereal, or spent $140 dinner at a vegan/temperance restaurant).
A few things that I’d like your feedback on:
Should I use affiliate links on Hey Eleanor? You those people on Instagram who show you their Amazon-Abercrombie-Aerie-FreePeople-Walmart “hauls”? Yeah, some of them are making so much money getting you to buy stuff they recommend. I have *lots of issues* with this (working on a post about that for later… are we still not getting that the world is drowning in trash? Do we really need a buttery soft $28 lululemon dupe in every color?). Plus, affiliate links leave me questioning how honestly products are reviewed. I’d prefer to not use affiliate links on Hey Eleanor.
How are “we” feeling about paywalls? Without affiliate links, I’m considering using a paywall on some posts to offset my costs/time. Personally, I find paywalls annoying from a technical standpoint—I get locked out of the Star Tribune all the time and I am a subscriber. Plus, how many effing subscriptions can one person handle! BUT: ’m happy to support the things I find important. I want to support quality journalism, local newspapers/magazines, and writers/artists I enjoy. I am trying to figure out if there is a way I can monetize Hey Eleanor enough so that I can dial back my workload and focus on writing and my business.
Thoughts on paid subscriptions/paywalls? Let’s talk about it in the comments!
In the future, I will provide special extras for paid subscribers. For now, if you like what you’re seeing on Hey Eleanor, you can upgrade to a paid account here:What kinds of posts are you most enjoying? I’ve done a mix of things: posts about experiences (like this microwaving salmon post); posts about products (trying tall athletic socks with leggings); book/show/podcast recs; and personal essays (like this one) that I simply enjoy writing. Ultimately, I write about what I want to write about, but an idea of what you enjoy is always good to know. This is relationship!
What do you most enjoy reading here? Let’s talk about it in the comments!
I’m still trying to figure out how to make Hey Eleanor work. Your feedback (even negative feedback) is welcome, so long as it’s not rude or mean spirited.
In the meantime, even if you’re a free subscriber, here are some easy ways to support my Substack.
Free ways to support Hey Eleanor:
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Thanks for joining me on my happy (mostly) little corner of the internet.
XO, molly
I would rather have ads than a pay wall, but you need to do what's best for you. If you do a pay wall, perhaps also do a monthly newsletter for free.
I love content and I would rather see ads and affiliate links than have a pay wall. This makes it easier to share with others (instead of hey here's something you should pay another fee for). I think these days the ads and links are almost expected on articles. I think your followers know you enough to know you're not going to hawk something you don't actually like. Please, please, please just don't have so many ads (especially with videos that pop up over what you're trying to read on your phone and cannot close without closing the whole screen by accident because you can't actually see that X with your ageing eyes), that we can't actually see your content. 😘