THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT OF THINGS TO COME - with an update

So. I have been teasing for the past several days that I am developing some changes here at That’s Another Fine Mess.

Now is the time to bring them up.

First, nothing is going to happen until August 1, to give everyone time to think about what they like about That’s Another Fine Mess and how the changes affect their liking.

At the end of June, I got a report from Substack about TAFM’s performance, and one thing stuck out to me: several monthly subscribers had dropped their subscriptions.

After thinking about it for awhile, I decided they had been right to do so. June wasn’t the best month here, with me getting sick and that affecting postings, not to mention the computer getting sick and then suffering from the supply chain problems we’ve all gotten so used to these past three years, with the result that what was originally promised to me would be a one day outage turned into an eight day outage while I sat around twiddling my thumbs waiting for a $20 part to show up on the availability list of any supplier and get delivered. Once it arrived, the job was finished that afternoon.

But in the meantime, it had happened on the week I had some non-political posts planned, like the 81st anniversary of the Battle of Midway and such, which readers have told me they like a lot.

So yeah, there wasn’t that much. And I thought further that what paid subscribers have been getting since this place opened three years ago is the opportunity to be “good guys” and make a donation in support of a writer, in return for the opportunity to leave comments.

Pretty thin gruel, really.

So, what’s going to happen is this: there’s going to be less free stuff and more stuff for paid subscribers, to make a paid subscription more attractive.

What I’d like to do is double the number of paid subscribers. But I want to promote becoming a monthly subscriber rather than an annual subscriber. There’s a number of reasons for this.

While I like seeing those larger payments being sent from Substack to my bank account, the thing is, they’re hit and miss. There’s no way to predict anything. All the rest of my income is the same kind of thing: I get royalty payments on the books twice a year; I get paid for magazine articles when they appear; I get advance payments when there’s a commission, and when there’s a delivery of the manuscript.

The thing is, on a month-by-month basis, that makes planning difficult. I need at least one income source that can be planned on, so that I know I am good on things like the rent to keep the roof on TAFM, and the utility bill to keep the lights shining on the computer, stuff like that.

Also, I have heard from a number of readers who tell me they love the site and what’s here, but their circumstances don’t cover a subscription. Thinking about it, I suddenly realized I have been marketing the place wrong: “only $7/month or $70/year, saving you $14.” That’s an obvious prompt to you, the reader, to do an annual subscription for $70/year.

What would be better for me is if you do a $7/month subscription. Pretty much everyone can find $7 if they search under the couch cushions. The thing is, why would you want to pay an extra $14?

And that’s where the big change comes: I’m going to make sure there is enough Good Stuff here for you to think the extra $14 is a bargain. Stuff only you and the others paying the extra $14 get to see.

And interestingly enough, if I know you can leave any month for lack of service on my end, that is going to keep me on my toes, putting that stuff up.

What sort of extra will it be, Tom?

I get comments from you all that you like it when there’s Airplane Porn, or Lions in the Living Room, and over the weekend there was a request for a post about what flying movies I recommend and another one for photos of my models.

Those are good ideas. The one on flying movies leads me to think of a series of posts of my list of good war movies, good musicals, comedies I liked and why, etc., etc. Stuff we aren’t all getting heartburn from listening to the news. And those can be weekend posts because I want to come up with a “community development program,” putting up a post on the weekend with comments only for paid subscribers, with the hope of generating “community discussion.” I like the fact that TAFM seemed to quickly develop a “community” element when it first started, and I want to promote that.

I notice when I post things about my personal life, it brings out posts from readers about similar things in their life. I will tell you it is always a big help to see evidence that the Universe has not chosen to pick me out in particular for those things, and I am sure that happens for you when you read a response.

And there might be posts for the weekend discussion regarding current events as they come up; god knows we’ll be certain to have them over the next 18 months.

I already find that I learn a lot from the responses you paid subscribers put up to this or that article, so I am certain that promoting this collection of smart folks to gather as a community will increase the awareness and knowledge of everyone.

And yes, there are political events happening every day, and apparently many of you find my response to them, my take on the issue, worthwhile. So what I am going to do is continue to have one general news post as appropriate each day that’s open to all, and one (or two or three or more if events make it necessary) on things that caught my eye, that will be for paid subscribers.

I’m also going to learn how to do posts that start for everyone and then at a certain point become subscriber-only for more in-depth coverage, as a way of interesting the free subscribers to become paid subscribers.

Between now and August 1, when the changes go into effect, if you have an idea of something you’d like to see, like the subscribers who asked for posts on flying movies and models, or anything that interests you, please don’t keep it a secret. Let me know. No idea is too wacky to consider.

I want to end by saying that That’s Another Fine Mess has been successful to me in ways I didn’t expect. I wasn’t all that sure anyone was going to turn up when I first posted, but it took less than a month for readers to show up. And all of you who are paid subscribers, who I have gotten to know through our conversations in the discussion sections, are people I am really glad to know. It’s my experience the past 27 years I have been on the internet that every person I have become a friend of on the net who I have met in real life has been who I expected them to be, and I am sure that would be the case with all of you. I’ve got my fingers crossed that this idea of change will promote more of that.

All you annual subscribers should note that you can’t change to monthly till your subscription comes up for renewal.

In conclusion, this is one of my jobs, and I put a lot of work into it. I believe in an ethos of paying people for their work - I do so myself with the Substacks I subscribe to. I hope I give you reason to do that. If you appreciate this newsletter and get value out of it, and believe in paying people for their work, please consider a monthly paid subscription. I will be sure to hold up my end.

Comments are for paid subscribers.