Turning on subscriptions

You can now choose to pay for On Coping

Today, I am turning on the option for you to pay a subscription to On Coping via Substack.

This is of course completely voluntary and will, for now, not change the posts you can see, which I will continue to write, publish and send to you every Sunday morning.

Here’s why:

I’m doing this after initial resistance, careful consideration and considerable encouragement.

Many of you have written to me persuasively explaining why you believe my writing is worth paying for. I have included some of those messages below.

I have listened to what you have said, taken it to heart and consequently come to value my writing as much as you do.

Here’s where the money goes:

Substack takes 13% of each payment.

The remaining proceeds from paid subscriptions to On Coping will be split between two funds that I am raising money for:

1. An educational, artistic and sporting endeavours fund for mine and Imogen’s three children, created by their Guideparents Emma, James, Lucy, Kit, Rich and Suzann. This pot of money will enable Arthur, Audrey and Orson to take advantage of every opportunity life offers them to experience, express and excel; as their mum would have wanted them to.

2. A Justgiving campaign to raise money for Pilgrims Hospice in Canterbury where Imogen spent her final three weeks of life. She was a passionate advocate for hospice care and so I’m committed to continuing her work to make this vital but often overlooked service more visible and better funded.

Here’s how it works:

If you would like to become a paid subscriber…

…and join the 20 members of our On Coping reading community who have already pledged, the subscription options are:

• Monthly subscription: £5 ($6.36)

• Yearly subscription: £50 ($63.60)

• Founding subscription: £100 ($127)

You can of course cancel your subscription or unsubscribe at any time.

(*Amounts in dollars because I got the settings wrong at the beginning… will try and fix this.)

If you’ve already pledged a monthly, annual or founder amount…

…Substack will begin charging you. You don’t need to do anything but accept my deep gratitude for giving me the encouragement to switch on subscriptions. (Please let me know if this doesn’t happen automatically).

If you would like to continue reading On Coping but don’t wish or are not in a position to become a paid subscriber…

…then you don’t need to do anything. Please just keep reading and sharing and know I am grateful to have you amongst the 300 readers on the other end of my words.

Thank you:

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for sharing.

And if you decide to, thank you for subscribing.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” - Ernest Hemingway