Hey, Quick Question?
Do you feel the words you read and the videos you watch here are worth at least five dollars a month? If you don't, then please skip to the last paragraph in this post. If you do think the content here is worth it, how about the Voluntary Blog Subscription?!What does that mean? Think of how Public Radio works. You pay nothing to turn on your local NPR station, but some folks support their local radio stations just because they want to contribute to the content creators and programs they enjoy. Same goes for CAF. The blog will always be free but by choosing to become a supporter you are helping keep one dream alive for a person who shares it with you.
Artists need patrons, that is how it has always been. The people who write, photograph, paint, dance and act for you require your support to keep doing it. Which is why you buy books, frame prints, buy tickets to the ballet and such. But us bloggers don't have a ticket price for the big show and the words aren't on a bookstore shelf to buy - they are offered here for free. The only way I get directly paid by my audience is if the readers volunteer to pay what they think it's worth. So please consider it if you are able and contributions are in your budget. If they aren't, I totally get that and the blog remains free and always will.
If you already support this blog and my crazy life through subscriptions, I thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
...So you're one of those Last-Paragraph people, huh? You don't think this here blog is worth half a sawbuck a month? Do you find that a grown woman asking for compensation for her work is the equivalent of begging? Are you disgusted? Shaking your head? Angry!? Well, congratulations! Those are human emotions brought on by the compulsory, manic, and personal creations of another human being that you sought out! That's art!
posted by Jenna Woginrich at 11:10 AM
12 Comments:
Jenna - would you consider adding a subscription button that is one-time donation. I can't commit to signing up for a monthly anything right now, but when I have a few bucks to add to the stew, I'd like to. Your work inspires me to write and be creative myself, so I'd like to support when my own work creates enough to pay it forward.
Made me laugh! That's art!
Hey, what about a non-obligatory donation button? I'd donate, but don't have a job at the present moment and can't be locked in.
How about have a once-in-a-while, when-you-feel-like-donating button.
Thank you for asking! There is a one time donation button right on the sidebar of this blog, it is under the heart graphic on the right hand side, about halfway down the page there.
Nota, thank you so much! And thank you Goose. P.S. I filmed today's vlog straight on, no angle - but I had to hunch over since my "tripod" is a tree and I had to stand on a stool to be level with it. I'm only 5'2"
I've been watching your you tube blogs for a while, but only recently started reading the actual site. You're living my dream and I love the tips and information you impart!
I am curious if you ever consider selling your lamb fleeces to out-of-staters? I'm a spinner/knitter, and I'd love to buy one from you (if it's not already sold) once spring shearing comes. :)
Thanks for all the great info you share! Wish you the best as it gets colder!
Hey thanks T&C, I tihnk this vlog and my writing is the heart of what I do, but I am really falling in love with vlogging. It's kind of like public speaking on your own terms and time, and I look forward to it and the community on the channel is so great.
I don't have wool or sheepskins for sale, tried it once as a CSA and it was an epic failure back in my twenties. But maybe someday? If I ever do sell wool again it'll be in person here at the farm probably.
I enjoy your blog, as I enjoy my own, and many others, a free online community of my creation. I truly do not feel any of those emotions towards you asking for compensation, but then I've never viewed blogging as work. It is a fun pastime for me. The most I maybe now feel is a little unwelcomed, because budget is not my reason for not contributing here. Like I said, blogging for me is a free exchange.
You certainly should not feel unwelcome! No one should feel like they have to spend a dime to read this blog, its totally voluntary and only folks that want to subscribe do. But I am still going to put it out there.
If you just view writing as fun, and don't view blogging as a job, it's probably because you don't depend on the blog to be the hub of your entire household income. This is my farm stand - where all my wares are advertised - design work, workshops, classes, books etc. I'm an author and writer - words are my income. So I ask. All I can do is ask.
Did you know that you can put your blog as a subscription on Kindle? I don't see the donate button, maybe it's just my slow internet not loading the entire page.
Hi Jenna. Just leaving this comment as I meant to send a little note with a paypal donation made a few minutes ago, but forgot to add it. I think it's fine for bloggers to appeal to readers for donations. I don't subscribe to any particular blogs, but donate here and there to various blogs I visit when I can spare a few dollars - so I'm glad that you pointed out the donation button - I had not noticed it. I'm probably like most readers - I donate to friends needing help paying for a crazy vet bill to save a dog, or to someone who is dealing with high medical bills, etc.. , and to people doing fun or interesting things - to help them to keep on keeping on. The cool thing is that it's possible to drop a few coins here and there to help or show appreciation when you can afford it. I do appreciate the work that goes into blogging. I was a daily blogger for many years - from 2006, actually - natural history mostly (a blog called "Burning Silo"), but after my husband died, I wrote about my travels and rebuilding my life- "Journey To The Center" blog. I just blog occasionally these days. I never did set up a subscription button - not sure how that would have worked out for a natural history blog. Any income was derived from licensing photos to publishers of books and magazines, or to museums for exhibits and interpretive signage. I imagine the blog did help to make people aware of my nature photography though, so I sort of regard blogs as an important form of promotion and networking. Anyhow, I enjoy dropping by to read your blog when I have time (I travel a lot, so am not online regularly). I kept a large herd of dairy goats for 30 years, and angora goats, sheep, horses, birds, and was a handspinner. Those days are over now - I travel between Nova Scotia and Arizona each year - living off grid, photographing nature wherever I go, etc.. but a lot of what you are doing reminds me of my younger days. Loved your recent blog post about falconry. Wishing you all the best.
Jenna, I love to follow your blog. I enjoy your posts, and I think that I should be willing to pay you for the entertainment that I receive. Therefore, I will.
I don't think it's wrong for you to get compensated for what you do, and the info you put out for us to view *for free*. I make a small contribution to you a month, and I know that money is going to be part of what I'm watching. And THAT makes me feel great! Sure: I could have bought something with it! But seeing the contribution in action is way better than bullshit I keep telling myself I need.
I just wish I lived in NYS again, and I could actually travel there in person and learn about the sheep, and buy the woooool. Oh my god do I love wool (I spin, card, dye, knit and all sorts of other crazy stuff).
For me, it feels far better to give than receive. I hope in my future I can donate more!
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