This is a decisive moment. Many of you have been here since the beginning, sixteen years ago. Romances and marriages forged, bitter battles fought, even lives saved. And so, so much love, heartbreak and everything in between has poured onto these pages.
In that time, too, the world has changed dramatically. Personally, I became a husband and a father. All the while I have done everything I can to keep this place alive as a side gig, but it just isn’t enough, which became unavoidably clear when last month’s server bill was $9,967, nearly 10x the usual. This is no longer sustainable, and so:
<strong>I intend to either make this my living or let it go.</strong>
In other words, Hello Poetry will only survive if it makes enough money. There’s a chance it won’t, but the upside is that if it does, it won’t just survive, it will <i>thrive</i>.
The plan is to consolidate reactions, thumbs up, hearts, suns and support subscriptions into “stars”. They give powers on the site, the first of which is to determine which poems trend and for how long.
You can sparkle (✨) or star (⭐) a poem as many times as you like, including your own poems.
<ul style="padding-left:40px;"><li>Sparkles are free, stars will be 25 to 35 cents each.</li><li>One sparkle is like a thumbs up, a bunch is like a heart.</li><li>One star is like a heart, a bunch is like a sun.</li></ul>
These features will launch in early December. You’ll be able to buy stars as one-off bundles or subscribe monthly for a discount. Right now, I am offering star bundles for a extra discount to cover my immediate costs. This month is make or break for us.
I believe our story isn’t over yet, and I’m ready to go all in if you are. The internet often profits off disconnection, division and is increasingly full of AI generated slop, so keeping this place alive in the name of craft, beauty and free expression is a radical act. Go get some stars and let’s write the next chapter together.
Buy 250 stars for $50Subscribe $25/month for 100 stars
Eliot