First, thanks for the support many of you have sent to support my blog. I appreciate and will gratefully accept more donations online (via Paypal, [email protected], and Venmo, Jon Katz@Jon-Katz-13). More can be sent via the postal service, Jon Katz. Blog Support, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.
Several readers had a good idea and shared it with me: Offering people who want to support the blog new and even less expensive ways to do it monthly. Monthly payments – we accept all major credit cards – are the future for me and the blog.
They are an inexpensive way to keep the blog healthy and meaningful and to offer some stable and regular income. I intend to keep this blog going until I croak, which won’t be for a while.
As is perhaps obvious, the blog is a full-time job for me, I work hard at it and every day. But I can’t do it without being paid for my work.
My blog designers at Mannix Marketing loved the idea and changed the blog this morning to offer different additional payment options. These days, choices matter. Payments can be canceled instantly and simply and at any time. Have a look:
There are now five choices for monthly. Before, people had the option of $5, $10, and yearly options ($75). We’ve added two new ones at the reader’s request – $15 or $20 monthly. These options should make it easier for the good people who follow the blog religiously. I’m grateful.
(One-time donations are always acceptable and appreciated.)
This seems to be a more solid and predictable future for me or the blog. I hate asking for money, even though I believe in being paid for my work (that took years for me to accept.) I’m not a big shot anymore, but I’m happy, fulfilled, and engaged. Leaving the publishing world was a giant and somewhat dangerous leap. It’s working out for me; I must sort out a new income.
The blog is costly to maintain, as is my photography, and this year, I had to spend more than a month supporting our refugee and Mansion programs. I’m learning to do a lot more with less and do a lot of good without asking for a lot of money.
The Army Of Good is not wealthy, and I understand that our world has changed dramatically since 2016. The blog is thriving in many ways – readership is growing and is consistent and loyal. The blog mutates into a safer, more beautiful, and spiritual place. The blog is free and will always be free, but it makes asking for support regularly more essential.
I’m still asking for blog support for those reading about this for the first time or new to the blog. The blog has many readers, but only a tiny fraction contribute. Donations come from all over the country, I’m proud of that.
The blog is the engine for all the good and meaningful things we do, including the blog itself, from my writing to my spiritual aspirations. As the blog improves, I think I’m also becoming a better human being. And the blog is a safe and grounding place in a turbulent and rattled world.
As it gets more and more turbulent outside, we will be more robust and valuable inside. That’s the idea, that and the Army Of Good. I can’t do it without your support.
If you wish to donate monthly, you can go to blog support and choose one of the options above or donate via Paypal, [email protected] or Venmo, Jon Katz@Jon-Katz-13. You can support the blog monthly by going here.
If you can’t donate I understand completely, please feel free to support the blog by reading it.
I just signed up for a small monthly payment.Wish I could do more.
What you can do is fine, Tamara, thanks..
I tried to initiate monthly payments through my PayPal, which is my preferred payment method. But it wasn’t accepted . Is PayPal an option for only one-time payments?
Sorry you’re having this truble Tamara, I’ve alerted the techs and they are looking into it. Most of the people signing up are getting through, about 30 per cent are. We don’t know why. Sometimes it’s the banks or credit card company, sometimes it just takes a day or so for a new system to take hold..we are looking into it and thanks for letting me know..
If you’re going to charge this way have you considered moving to substack to get away from the obnoxiously huge ads follow-it is pushing now? I think it might give you more control and the ability to offer extra things to higher tier subscribers, plus it’s quite the writers environment. A lot of very professional writers and former bloggers over there.
I still think you could auction off your recommended books after you read them, too.
Substack is not for me, S, I won’t charge everyone for reading what I write. The blog will always be free, I can deal with the trolls, they haven’t slowed me down much and they have helped me to be stronger. Substack feels pretentious to me, I’m not a literary writer and am quite content with the blog. I give my books away to people who can’t afford to buy them, including schools and some elderly people. I have no interest in auctioning them off. I have no need of a literary environment, I’m quite happy where I am. And donations to the blog have been adequate for me, I just need to remind people of it. I don’t charge people for anything, the blog is free to everyone, the donations are voluntary. I have a lot of friends on substack it’s the same story as most hot websites of the moment, a few people do well, most of them are starving or ignored. The blog is right for me.