You’ve heard the words “passive income” more times. It’s the siren song of financial freedom, often sold by YouTubers or TikTok gurus. But if you strip away the hype and look for something that feels real, something that starts where you are, the answer might be way simpler than you think.
Why Substack or Patreon?
Both Substack and Patreon have one thing in common: they let creators monetize without begging brands or hoping for algorithm mercy.
Do you know how exhausting it is to chase likes? These platforms are different. Substack lets people subscribe to your writing. Patreon supports your creative world. And people? They’re hungry for realness. For connection.
Does that mean your quirky niche obsession with Greek mythology? Your minimalist advice for burnt-out 30-somethings? What are your unfiltered thoughts on healing from a breakup? There’s an audience. And that audience wants to support you.
You Don’t Need 50,000 subscribers
You need 10 people who genuinely care. When I launched my Substack, I had 73 email subscribers. When did I publish my first paid post? Two people signed up. It wasn’t life-changing money, but it was proof. Proof that someone out there wanted more of what I was already giving for free.
And over time, as I kept showing up, people told their friends. They forwarded my emails. A few even tipped me just because. That’s what happens when people feel like you’re writing for them, not at them.
How to Start Without Burning Out
Let’s keep it simple. No funnel-building. No perfection paralysis.
- Pick one platform. Substack if you love writing. Patreon if you’re multi-format (videos, behind-the-scenes, audio, etc.).
- Make your “free” content generous. Don’t hold back. Give so many people who want to pay to go deeper.
- Offer “members-only” for intimacy, not scarcity. Think: monthly Q&As, early access to stories, or personal essays you wouldn’t post publicly.
- Charge something modest. $5/month can snowball into $500/month with just 100 people. (And you don’t need them all at once.)
- Be a human, not a brand. Authenticity converts better than slick strategy.
But what if no one pays?
This fear is real. It was mine too. But you won’t know until you try. And trying doesn’t mean becoming a full-time content creator. It just means showing up honestly, creating things you’re proud of, and giving people the option to support you.
Even if only one person pays, guess what? You’ve just proven the model. You can scale trust. You can scale intimacy. And you can scale your voice — one reader at a time.
The Real Passive Income Isn’t Money — It’s Permission
Yeah, money’s great. But the moment I realized I was earning while I was asleep because someone felt my words were worth it? That moment permitted me.
Permission to take my voice seriously. To stop treating my creativity like a side hustle and start treating it like work that matters. That’s the kind of passive income I want for you too.
You’re Already Sitting on Gold
If you’ve got stories in your drafts, unfinished audio clips on your phone, or thoughts that make people stop and say, “I needed” that” — you already have what it takes. Substack and Patreon aren’t magic wands. They’re just the doors. All that’s left is for you to walk through.
No comments:
Post a Comment