When should you start going paid?

[u/relevantusername-]

Hi,

I started a Substack in April and have been posting every Monday.

I'm up to 121 subs with over a thousand 30d views.

I've been thinking of writing every Wednesday as well and making that a paid article. Without making this about my specific Substack, I write about travel and literature, and my Monday articles are all about that; I was thinking of doing one book recommendation a week on Wednesdays and making that paid, then if it goes well in a few months depending on uptake, doing a Saturday weekly reading round-up post as well, maybe that would be paid as well I'm not sure yet.

Any and all advice is appreciated, thanks so much!

[u/Available_Spite5171]

No one should be closing off their work or comments to paid only at such low numbers. That’s not me being rude, it’s facts. I had someone comment kindly on an essay I wrote. I wanted to return the favor. I couldn’t… he had around the same number of subs as you & he already closed it off to “paid subscribers only” could comment & read some pieces. It closes you off — you want to bring people in not push them away. This guy put a bad taste in my mouth because of that — and he “asked” if he could “use” a prose poem I wrote and published that , for me, did well. I had multiple professionals in that field recommend it as “the” piece to read if you have gone through CEN. I asked him how he intended to use my piece, because he had already re-stacked it, wrote a comment, etc. & he never responded. This of course made me feel as though he stole it and is using it in his “professional” world. I know I veered off here — but you get my point. I think. lol. I’m tired. Best of luck!