The trend of writers enrolling paid subscribers is one I celebrate. As someone who has published a newsletter since 2001, I know how much work goes into producing content that people want to read. I’m happy to be able to contribute to these writers and honor their work.
Secrets of Paris Heather Stimmler has been delving into the Paris we don’t always hear about for decades. I always open Secrets of Paris right away because there’s always news and information about the City of Light I wouldn’t find elsewhere. Heather, a friend of mine, always shares something useful to me and the creativity retreats I lead in Paris. Subscribe here.
Paris by Mouth by Meg Zimbeck and Sara Garcia If you’re like me, you never want to have a bad meal. I will go the MILE to make sure the restaurants I eat at will produce a good experience. Good service, great food, lovely ambiance…it all adds up to a memorable experience, and I want that memory to be a good one, not a cringer. Paris by Mouth offers a thorough database of reviews for subscribers of restaurants and other foodie spots in Paris. You can search by type of establishment, by type of food, or by arrondissement. I happily pay for this curated information. They also do food tours.
David Lebovitz I’ve been following David Lebovitz’s Paris food blog since 2005. When he moved to a subscription model, I was happy to put some moola in his pocket. David’s writing has gotten better and better over the years. I love his voice, his humor and his obvious passion for food in Paris. Reading his newsletter gives me insights about Paris and the French that make a difference in how I think about Paris and what I do when I am there.
Department of Salad: Official Bulletin by Emily Nunn Who would think that food writing could be so funny? I love salad, of course, but Emily’s writing makes me pay to subscribe to this newsletter. She’s HILARIOUS. I feel like I have a really funny friend in the kitchen with me and I get lots of ideas, too.
Craig Mod I’m new to Craig’s world and so far I love what he’s doing. He’s crafted an interesting business model for a writer. He’s got several different newsletters which you can find here. Craig lives in Japan and writes essays and articles about walking in Japan and many other things. His members-only newsletter is called Special Projects. Craig also makes books, and sells limited editions of these photography and writing books. He both writes and makes videos.
One of the cool things he does are subscriber-paid Pop Up Newsletters. These are limited series newsletters around a topic. I got sucked into subscribing – willingly! – when he mentioned his Tokyo walk project. He’d walk for half the day and then go to his lodging and write a long newsletter about it. I have access to the archives as a subscriber, and I am fascinated by the project and the way he structured including subscribers in it. I was recently walking around London and this model for walking/traveling/writing came into my mind.
Not a paid newsletter, the Farm Share newsletter was a total delight this summer. It was fun and useful to get info each week on what the farm was producing and what to do with all that produce. Being a member of a local farm is one of my life’s greatest joys, and this newsletter added to that joy.
What newsletters do you pay to subscribe to? Leave a comment below!
I haven’t paid for online newsletters yet. I can’t get through the free ones I get. I can sit at the computer for an hour or two going through my mail rather than reading a book or doing my own writing. I do the free version of David Lebovitz, which is almost enough!