I’ve learned through the decades that Tarot should be taken seriously, because it works. It should be used with reverence because it is a form of communication with the divine (no matter if we regard that divine within ourselves or without.)
But it should also be fun!
This fun bit was actually the part that took me the longest time to learn.
But we should have fun with Tarot, because Tarot is fun. And we can have fun while remaining serious about our Tarot practice, and reverential in that practice.
A few days ago, hanging out on Notes, the only person in the whole world, other than me who wears a Keystone Tarot hat,
shared an essay that discussed turning one’s Substack newsletter into a Zine.That essay is right here:
Honestly, I thought about it for days. And I chatted a bit with folks on Notes about it.
And, I gave it my own goofy take.
Why not turn The Keystone Substack Newsletter into a genuine, snazzy, super low budget The Keystone Newsletter on actual paper?
So, that’s what I did today.
I wrote the copy for a paper newsletter, and with the help of the Library’s copy machine I made it a thing!
(As an aside, it is super handy having one’s public library a block from one’s house.)
Issue (although I’m using the word ‘letter’ in place of the word ‘issue’) number one is printed, stacked, and ready to go. I presume that ten years from now it will be a collectors item garnering six figures at some Sotheby’s Fine Art Auction in London.
But, while I await fame and fortune, what on earth am I going to do with it you ask?
(OK, OK, so you didn’t ask, but I’m imagining that you asked.)
I’ve got some Tarot friends coming over to the house this weekend for a BBQ, and probably some card slinging. So they each get a copy of this amazing prose on cheap paper. You get to decide if that makes them super lucky or unfortunate victims.
But, on a bit of a more serious note, Substack here is of course populated by writers seeking to make money for their efforts. There are a lot of strategies to do this surrounding paywalls and perks.
Myself included.
Not here on The Keystone, for it is without any sort of payment mechanism, but over on my other Substack, Emeth. Emeth has had paid subscriptions turned on for years now, and I’ve found some success with it.
There I use the ‘Free Love Hippy Model’ of monetization1. My posts are open to all, and I write with confidence that a large enough percentage of people will find enough value in my writing to sign up for a paid subscription.
It works OK, and I do offer an off newsletter perk. A weekly Zoom call open only to those holding a paid subscription. I think it is important that we offer something to those who support us financially, even if that which we offer can’t be of much monetary value. So, that’s my perk.
But, not everyone can, or wants to do regular Zoom calls.
That’s where the Zine idea just might come in.
An occasionally published, printed Zine (or if you are an old fuddy duddy like me a paper newsletter) might make a really excellent perk for one’s paid subscribers.
If you’re running a monetized Substack, and searching for a good perk to offer those who financially support it, the humble Zine just might be something really fun, that would be truly appreciated.
Plus, five thousand years from now an archeologist might find your Zine buried under a mountain of volcanic ash, read the glory of your words, and thus make your name immortal!
Thanks for the shoutout Cameron! What subscription tier gets the printed zine (after you’ve tested them out on your card slinging friends first, of course)? Wondering if anyone else reading this comment would be interested in a zine swap? I don’t have the specifics fleshed out yet but I’m envisioning it working somewhat like a 1980s/90s chain letter.