A Note to My Readers: It's the Pictures is Moving.
You won't notice much of a change
Dear readers,
After a lot of back and forth, consideration of finances, and a chance for a new start, I’m going to move the newsletter from Substack to Ghost. There might be some questions about the change and what this means:
What happens to my subscription? What about all the old reviews, interviews, and features in the archives?
Nothing. If you are currently paying for a paid account (Thank You!), you’ll be transferred seamlessly from Substack to Ghost. The newsletters will arrive in your inbox as usual. I collaborated with Ghost so that all the archived material has made the trip to the new platform as well.
What if I prefer to access the newsletter through my browser? Where do I go now?
I’ve purchased a new, custom URL:
http://itsthepictures.com
If you want to share the newsletter with friends, all you have to say is, “its the pictures dot com.”
Why are you doing this?
That’s an excellent question. There are three reasons, really.
It’s the Pictures is a passion project for me that honestly doesn’t make a lot of money. While Substack did take 10% off the top from any profits I’d make, it was otherwise free, and their features were really compelling. Ghost charges me a hosting fee based on my subscribers and my need to be a paid newsletter. When I start at Ghost, I will be in the red. I haven’t made enough to cover my costs, and I don’t currently have enough paid supporters to pay for it. But I will own my own domain and have access to the email list I’ve cultivated over the last four years. I hope you join me on my journey and consider becoming a paid supporter now that you’re money is not going to Substack.
I don’t like that I have to share the Substack platform with far-right extremism. Every few months, there’s a rush to leave Substack because of some new decision that was made, and I’m frankly tired of it. If you want to read more about it, you can read this piece by Jonathan M. Katz in The Atlantic, “Substack Has a Nazi Problem.” I’ve heard from friends and acquaintances who have said they refuse to support a newsletter hosted on Substack, whether financially or socially. I need those voices to lift up my brand and help me reach a larger audience. If that means switching to Ghost, I’ll do it.
My podcast needed a rebrand as well. I decided to commission some new art for the It’s the Pictures podcast and experiment with a new format in the coming months. The podcast has run for over 200 episodes and has sadly never turned a profit either. I’m not sure this rebrand is the answer, but I need to try something, otherwise I can’t imagine how much longer I’ll be able to do it.
What can I expect from It’s the Pictures in the future?
In addition to all the content you’ve come to love from It’s the Pictures, I plan to add some more posts exclusively for paid subscribers. I also plan to release the podcast early on Ghost before anywhere else. I’d like to have more guests and, more importantly, cover the stories and topics you want to read about. I’d like all my subscribers to feel like they’re part of a community, and I’d love to see your comments as well. Reviews will still be available for Free Subscribers, but a lot of the content is going behind a paywall. If you already have a paid subscription, please share what you like about It’s the Pictures with friends and on social networks. That’s the best way this project can continue to grow. Come Monday, you’ll be getting a newsletter from the new home on Ghost. I hope you’ll join me there.
totally respect your decision! I'll keep being a subscriber. good luck at GHOST!