A few years ago, I took August Wilson’s powerful admonition to heart, I confronted the dark parts of myself, worked to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Our willingness to wrestle with our demons will cause our angels to sing, he wrote.
I think of this beautiful quote every month when I steel myself to remember what it is I am worth, to request being paid for my work, and to banish my demons of doubt and shame with illumination and forgiveness.
Until recently, I could not bear to ask to be paid for my work, I have come to see my ability to do this as a measure of my own worth and self-esteem. That has been a valuable step for me. Getting paid for one’s work is, after all, a dignity issue, a measure not only of survival but of how the world views us. A measure of the worth of my words and images. My photos are free, I do not watermark or copyright them, you are free to use them and my words as you need or wish.
Many sites link or reprint my posts, those are free also. My posts are free spirits, I mean to send them out into the world to spread my word, to tell others that I have survived, I am alive.
A couple of months ago, I launched a voluntary payment program on the blog. It is so that people who find the blog valuable, informative, useful or uplifting in any way can pay me for my words and pictures. These payments support the blog and make it possible.
Publishing has changed. Before the great recession, I did not ask for payments for the blog, I didn’t need to. Now I do. The payments matter.
And the blog is and will always remain free to those who can’t pay for it. But times have changed for you, as for me, and I am engaged in the very experimental effort to pioneer the life of the new writer, my readers are here online, and I have come with them. For this to work, I have to be paid. Life is expensive, the blog is expensive to maintain, it is updated just about every day of the year. I mean to remain a writer, I mean to remain relevant.
Many of you have decided to support my work, and I thank you. Most of the readers of my blog have not yet made that decision, and so today’s reminder is for you, if you are so inclined. I am offering payments in several ways. People who prefer can write me at my wonderful Post Office Box, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.
Or you can set up your own account here. I have no access to it, only you do, and you can change or cancel at any time. No financial information of any kind is stored on my site or server. A one year suggested payment is $75, I understand tight budgets, so two other options are offered – $5 a month or $10 a month.
The payment is for my words and photos (also expensive) and they support the maintenance of the farm – Fate, Red, the animals. I am committed to my blog, I see it as my great work, my living memoir. I am proud of it and work hard at it and am deeply touched by all of your messages thanking me for it.
So this is part of my illumination, my angels are singing right here. Please support my work if you can, and if you can’t or choose not to you, you are very welcome here. No one is keeping track. So many of you have supported me from the beginning, and I will not forget you. In recent times, the blog is deepening, exploring a number of new things – spirituality, culture. In the last year, the blog has helped raise more than $120,000 for good people and worthy causes.
I am excited to be exploring the new life of the writer. Please come along the ride. If you care to pay me for my work, you can do so here. I guess this is about what I am worth. Ultimately, not for me to decide.
(A reminder, you can manage your own account, I have no access, for your protection and my sanity). You can use Paypal or major credit cards. I appreciate your support.