Fortunately, it turns out that there are heroes out there who agree with my strategy.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. It is the only thing that ever has.

~ Margaret Mead

I’m supported by a group of understanding heroes who enable my public, freely accessible podcasting and writing through my Special Projects membership.

Some people choose to support me, and that enables others to benefit. Win-win. This strategy is known as: Unlocking the commons for everyone. (more below)

But members also get access to exclusive content, members-only emails and other special projects. Thus the name, Special Projects.

So if you have the ability, please validate my ongoing efforts with your ongoing support.

You can become a member by paying monthly, yearly, or just once for the lifetime option, (which pays off increasingly after your 16th year.) If you join as a lifetime member… you’re going to scare me a little, and really enable me to work on some special projects that I have tucked away in my notebooks.

Anecdote: Many years ago, I paid a lifetime membership fee to my local astronomical club. At the time, the large-multiple of the annual dues was a big deal for me. And 25 years later, I continue to be delighted each month as they send me the various things one would expect. Just sayin’ it’s really paid off for me at least once.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What you get when you join…

And of course, members do get exclusive access to some extra goodies…

September 2024 — I’m kicking off this members program.

• Email — You will receive, at totally random intervals, personal email updates. Emails just for you; they won’t be available anywhere else. These will not be blog posts nor writing per se, but rather “here’s what I’m doing” updates.
• Open + Curious podcast conversations — I am already working on the first Special Project: Bringing the Open + Curious podcast fully to life. I will be conducting my signature-style conversations on topics appropriate to the Open + Curious project.

I have other ideas for Special Projects. But, that’s where we’re starting.

Unlocking the commons?

Way up top, I mentioned “unlocking the commons for everyone.” I first heard that phrase in an essay…

Kottke.org, obviously, does not work this way. It has ads, although those are a very small part of the site and a shrinking part of the revenue. It has members, but very, very little is directed only to them; right now, they get some behind-the-scenes stuff and a few early previews and experiments. Stuff that only real fans even want. The site, the tweets, the RSS feed, and everything else the site’s produced or ever will produce is available to everyone whether they’re a member or not.

I call this “unlocking the commons” […]

~ Tim Carmody, from Unlocking the Commons

Other sites have also used this strategy to good effect. And by good I mean both of: The creators are able to make a living, and the vast majority of people get great things for free.

Finally, in particular, I’d like to tip my proverbial hat to Craig Mod for sharing his journey using this same strategy (and for making really cool things and for making lots of things public and free).

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