Hello, I’m Holly and I write about the untold tales of medieval lives. Subscribe for free to enjoy regular posts from me, including book reviews, short stories, and historical discussions. Or, even better, join our community of like-minded souls to unlock ALL of my content, including an exclusive serialised historical fiction novel, videos and chats, to open up a world of history as you were never taught it. We’d love you to join us…
I love Substack.
Since becoming a mum last year and leaving my teaching job, it’s given me a space to explore my creative interests that had struggled to find expression while I worked in schools. In contrast to those who said my life would be over when I had kids, I feel so much more myself. I don’t want to go back to teaching.
If you’re totally new here - this post will give you a good overview of what the community here is all about.
I love what I’m doing here.
But, having said that, it would help this full-time stay-at-home mum to grow the paid community here. A lot of time and effort goes into the writing I share (as it does for all my fellow creatives), and while I’ve had a blast building my free subscriber base, it just isn’t financially viable for me to keep on going as I have been. So, I’m taking a leaf out of
’s book and (gulp!) asking you to consider upgrading to a paid membership (thank you to those who have already done this: you know who you are!).Stay tuned for a bit of reader interaction at the bottom of this post… I’m interested in your opinion on something.
Please don’t switch off! I know that the topic of paywalls is a bit of a delicate one for some.
- has written a series of posts diving into this theme, including a survey that had a hugely insightful response. One of her recent posts, linked HERE, acknowledged that the concept of paywalls can be triggering for some.
- has also been contributing to this conversation, with a great post, linked HERE, acknowledging that it’s possible to switch between different sides of the debate, and back again.
Some people don’t paywall anything. They tend to have other income streams outside of Substack, or are otherwise happy to keep all their writing free.
Some big publications, with tens of thousands of followers, paywall everything. Literally everything. As in, you can’t read anything without paying for it. I’m all for paying writers what they are due; they (we?!) are working, after all. But this seems a little extreme, right? And yet, they have those elusive checkmarks next to their names. Meaning that hundreds and thousands of people do pay for their writing.
You’ll be relieved to hear that I don’t think that model would work for our little community.
I am, however, relaunching my paid membership with a new and improved offer for paid members - and asking whether you might consider upgrading from free subscription to paid member.
A special offer for paid memberships
Before we dive into the perks of being a member, I’d like to let you know that I am offering 20% off your first 12 months paid membership if you use the links within this post to upgrade.
This offer is exclusive to this post!
What am I offering paid members each month?
Two instalments of my serialised novel. For my first year here on Substack, this has been Bertha’s Tale, a historical fiction romance set in late sixth-century England. This will end in September 2024 and, on my Substack birthday, we will begin a new tale for the following twelve months.
My eBook. Wow! This feels scary to write. As with
‘s launch, this eBook is not yet completed, as it will be Bertha’s Tale in book form, compiled and edited into a novella for you to download and read right through (rather than in instalments). I’m working hard on this, aiming to release it in October 2024. Again, when the second serialised novel is complete, this will also be available for paid members to download; and I hope for this pattern to continue as long as I am on Substack.Book club. Two posts per month working through a slow read of a recently-published popular-level history book. (I have a few in mind but I am very much open to suggestions). I don’t want these posts to be just more writing to read. So, the first post will be a video introducing that month’s chapters, and the second post will be a thread for us all to come together and discuss what we’ve been reading.
and have been a huge inspiration for me in terms of book chat and leaning into my desire to do more of this, as well as the pace of ’s slow reads through Wolf Hall and War and Peace. We won’t be going quite that slow - but will take a few months to read through each book.
I’m hoping that the new offer for paid members provides value in its variety, leaning into different media types rather than just swamping you with more writing. I intend for it to be slightly different to my free offering, more focused on building a community of like-minded souls who also love history and books.
So, would you consider becoming a paid member?
I realise that it’s a lot to ask when the world feels expensive.
But, as encouraged by
, sometimes you need to ask.And I feel like this is an exciting time for Telling Their Tales. There’s so much new to offer members, with the eBook and Book Club, and I’m having so much fun writing and connecting with readers in the comments.
Remember - this exclusive link will give you 20% off your first 12 months. You won’t find this link anywhere else outside of this post.
And finally - the reader interaction!
Well done to those of you still reading. I’d love your input on something…
Did you know that you can buy my photos at my Etsy Shop?
I share images from across the UK, such as the Lake District, the Peak District, and Eryri (Snowdonia), often taken on my walks and runs. Check it out at the link below.
Proud of you, Holly! Cheering you on as you take this step.