A message to my valued subscribers and internet people everywhere:
(No, you are not about to get paywalled.)
First of all, thank you. I am so pleased to have you aboard my adventures in the Teutonic Imaginary. Your support and feedback signal that there is demand for thoughtful kvetches from and about Germany — everyone’s favorite, most reluctant superpower. And I am glad to provide them.
The ‘Schland media empire is just getting started. A pile of essays-to-be are sitting in my drafts waiting to be written, and you can find the ‘Schland on all the socials. A side project, Euroscopic, which looks beyond Germany with friend and colleague, Martin Gak, is also heating up. If you haven’t already, consider subscribing for free there, too.
My own podcast is getting a top-to-bottom overhaul, transitioning to an interview format. I am lining up some really stellar voices from all walks of life who know Germany better than me. Stay tuned for that. A relaunch is planned for the new year.
So, there’s a lot going on and much more to go. All of it is deeply rewarding and great fun. It’s also a lot of time and work.
(Really, we are not breaking up. Just keep reading. I’m getting there.)
After checking out my options, for now I have settled on offering the ability to make voluntary contributions to support the witty and engaging commentary that you come to the ‘Schland for. If you enjoy what you get and think it’s valuable enough to put a monetary figure on, here’s your chance. Click here to “buy me a coffee.”
Or ten coffees, because coffee is delicious. As much as you like, as often as you like. It’s totally up to you.
Meanwhile, everything stays for free and fully accessible. I am not a fan of paywalls, least of all in a country that has seen too many walls of other kinds. Unlike the monetization schemes that Substack or Patreon offer, which results in a lot of siphoning off to support them and their payment partners, buying me a coffee sends almost all of your support to what you actually want to support: me and my work.
(See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?)
So, if you’re a fan of critical, independent writing and analysis, take a moment to think how much it’s worth to you and consider expressing that in the form of hard currency.
If you’re not ready to give, that’s also OK. I still like you and you can still help. Share the ‘Schland with someone else.
Or ten other people. Because kvetching needs company.