Honestly, who has time to read everybody’s newsletters? And don’t even get me started on podcasts. I’m still barely working these days but even so my “leisure time” would have to be tripled or more to actually have time to read all the (free) newsletters I’ve subscribed to. I mean, I’ve subscribed to them because these are people I like and respect, whose writing I enjoy, whose topics interest me… but then the weekly newsletter pops into my inbox and I’m like “oh god, not now…”. And then there are the repeated requests to pay for even MORE newsletters from them… I can’t even cope with the volume of free stuff and anyhow I’m broke. Sure I totally get that this is another way for freelancers to make some extra cash, often after years of giving it away online (actually that’s still me).

That’s why I set up a Patreon last year, to help offset the costs of running Sevilla Tapas and my other websites. Though apparently I’m doing it all wrong as I’m supposed to be offering “tiers” starting with basic info access and then setting different prices for… fuck I don’t know. What would I hold back? What extra would I offer? Sevilla Tapas has always been there for everyone since I first started it in 2007 and I’d like it to stay that way. So the Patreon is basically for people who enjoy my content and would like to help support it, even though it’s all public. I guess I could also go the “Buy Me A Ko-Fi” route, but I already have a Donate Button on Sevilla Tapas in case someone wants to send in a one-time thank you.

Back to newsletters. Yeah, I did toy with the idea, especially during lockdown and also since then. But since subscribing to several of them myself I really don’t think this is the route for me. All the ones I’ve subscribed to are related to: food, wine, travel and Spain and, as I say, they all seem quite interesting, but I just can’t. Especially the really long ones with lots of links. My favourites are still the two food ones I subscribed to about ten years ago and come once a month. These remain free and exactly as they’ve always been. And they only come once a month. That in itself makes it more likely that I’m going to open that email and have a look.

Anyhow, I’m not anti-newsletter nor am I criticising the people who are trying to make a living by getting us to pay for their writing in this way, because I agree that too much has been given away for too long, and I wish them luck. I’m just wondering if newsletter fatigue is a thing yet, other than with me.