Twice-Annual Subscription Drive

I am still trying my best, and it's still $5

new intern

Friends, it’s time once again for our twice-annual subscription drive.

I’ve tried, from the beginning, to write what I think is true whether it’s popular or not. That hasn’t always been comfortable, for me or for readers, and five(!) years into this thing I still occasionally publish pieces that cause sudden intense hemorrhages of paying subscribers that undo all the progress of the prior year. But, if you’ll forgive the obvious self-aggrandizement of all of this, I prefer it that way, and I hope you will also value it, will also recognize that it’s rare for crowdfunded writers to court controversy as often as I do. I don’t know how to do this work any other way, really. The newsletter isn’t a branding exercise, and it’s not an attempt to flatter an audience into agreement. It’s an effort to think clearly, argue honestly, admit when I’m wrong, and resist the pressures (political, social, and economic) that push writers toward safe consensus. If I chase that specter to the point of solipsism and pretension, well, I can live with that. And maybe you can live with it too.

Also, it’s still $5 a month, $50 a year, despite everyone I know telling me to raise the price. Because I want my writing to remain accessible, and because despite a half-decade of unusually hot inflation, it still feels like the right number.

If this project matters to you, I’m asking you to support it. $5 is less than most streaming subscriptions charge for a week, less than a couple coffees, and it directly funds independent writing that isn’t shaped by institutional guardrails or advertiser comfort. Paid subscriptions make it possible for me to keep doing this. If you value independent thought and arguments that aren’t tailored for applause, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. The work stays honest because it’s reader-supported. And look at that baby up there. Isn’t that a high-quality baby? Top tier baby imo. You can also support me by buying my (New Yorker recommended!) novel from last fall or preordering my next nonfiction book, on mental health policy and culture.

Subscriber writing roundup coming next week, and we’re going to be starting a new book club soonish. Looking forward to another year.