I for one am excited for the book version! I’d love to have these blog posts as a physical something to hold. Sometimes it can be hard to navigate the Substack if I want to find a specific segment, I would find it easier if I can just flick through a book. I also prefer reading in print.
I disagree that it would be better to have your posts as subscription only - then all of your work is paywalled, and therefore people would *have* to pay to access it, creating far more pressure. Recommending someone read your blog would *require* them to pay. Instead, I see this book as an optional add-on for those who want it - kind of like buying merch. Not required but there if you want it.
I can see in your tip jar that you’ve only received two tips over what? Two or three years of writing? You give so generously of your time, I don’t think it’s unfair to open an option for people to give back if they wish. Making it not required is the most ethical way to do it in a capitalist system, I think.
Plus selfishly, I find the book a more attractive way to support the blog as you get something physical out of it that I will find useful and enjoyable. A win-win, as they say!
Thank you for these comments. My hope as always been that what I write can stimulate discussion about how we as practitioners, researchers, therapist educators and leaders of organisations that care can function in a world where power and money are so intertwined that to me it feels like the world is being brought to the edge of an existential crisis.
I appreciate being asked to reflect again on why I am going to publish the first year of these posts as a book and how, within that, I will ethically and kindly choose to use my power in the service of the other. I find it fascinating that these comments are so on point with the whole dilemma at the heart of this months fiction - what do we do when we can’t (or don’t want to) either back out of the money/power issues of providing care-full services or fully join in with the way things are being done currently, where profit drives the agenda. As I start to do the graft of the craft of constructing next months post these challenges are informing my thinking, hopefully you will see the fruits of your Challenge to me next month (to use that in the Theraplay meaning of the word).
Part of deciding to pull the first year of posts together as a book is that I see them as a foundation - but who goes back to look at old posts in this format of writing? Substack seems pretty ephemeral. My editor (one of my hidden costs) would insert links to the posts where I have said the kind of stuff to address some of the issues you both raise but I am a techno twat, I need my editor to manage Substack, without them there would be no posts. They also tell me when I write twaddle so I don’t inflict it on you (one recent comment was 'I’m not reading any more of that stream of conciseness, I’ll read it when you work out what you are saying' or words to that effect. Ouch). And they make sure I have all my spellings and punctuation correct. It is an invisible work of care that I pay them for at a rate that I think is fair given their qualification and commitment. And there is my PA who frees up time for me to focus on this part of my application of professional knowledge - writing. She is far better at doing the invoicing and following up appointments and generally making sure my business runs smoothly than I am. And because I am not writing invoices, I can write these words. These are the costs - not tangible in many ways but a cost of caring about this knowledge and trying to put it out into the world to deepen and challenge thinking of experienced people, to go beyond the 'how to' of a guide book to the 'why to'.
Everyone already has the option of donating to these posts if they feel they are contributing to their professional questioning in some way. See the tip jar button if that way of contributing feels more transparent to you. I took the view that having an object in the hand felt more transparent, something tangible for your money.
I take the point about marketing - that is a challenge to me. How will I market with care and commitment to using my power in the service of the other? As I’ve said in posts, as a senior person and a therapist educator, it is a funny contract because although I care deeply about the practitioners I educate and supervise, the Challenge and Structure elements of that kind of work are based on the fact that the persons cared for are the children and families practitioners go on to see (or research with or manage services for). Such is the dependence/interdependence interplay of our work, and I am now thinking also part of this writing process. I don't know how I will take this forward, but I will take it forward with much consideration. I'd value other people contributing to the debate.
As we say as Theraplayers, resistance is fertile! Me feeling a bit of discomfort is good as it suggests a window of tolerance is being pushed, a question needs to be addressed. This is the nitty gritty of taking this theory off the page and thinking so how do we make compromises in real life that don't cause moral injury to self or others? How do I do my very best to encourage all of you to be thoughtful, rebellious, independently minded, experienced professionals who care for others, people who can say ‘I don’t want your book!’. Perfect! Take your power and use it! You are magnificent! I feel uncomfortable about power and money too, and I don’t want to back away from sharing my ideas if I think in some way it can help others with the process of steering the world in the direction of care. I think I have the 'why to' share. You've both challenged me about the 'how to' share. Thank you.
I'm also concerned about the book, Fiona.Trying to sell work that is freely available to everyone here feels a bit uncomfortable to me. Thinking about it from a students point of view is a good idea. I do remember you bringing a self published book to classes before to sell and you know how keen students are to be seen doing the right thing. I'm not sure where the 80 pounds a month is coming from? Most blog sites can be run for free,at most a tenner a month. If you do want to make some money back from doing it then making your posts subsciption only with a cost attached would probalby be the most transparent way to do it.
You rightly criticise “the pursuit of monetary gain and the wielding of power for personal advantage”.
I would re-think publishing the book. I understand your costs in running this blog, and I think that self-publishing a book will only add to those costs. This will then create pressure on you to sell and those in your circles to buy your book - however many times you try to caveat this by saying that you don’t want them to feel pressured.
Also bear in mind the power differential with you as a senior practitioner/course lead/lecturer/trainer etc - students and those “below” you power-wise will feel particularly compelled to buy it.
If it were a more general, practical guide book that could be a different matter, but it seems very personal to you and your journey at the moment with (in my opinion) limited applicable use for students, other practitioners etc, which makes the power/money considerations more noteworthy.
I for one am excited for the book version! I’d love to have these blog posts as a physical something to hold. Sometimes it can be hard to navigate the Substack if I want to find a specific segment, I would find it easier if I can just flick through a book. I also prefer reading in print.
I disagree that it would be better to have your posts as subscription only - then all of your work is paywalled, and therefore people would *have* to pay to access it, creating far more pressure. Recommending someone read your blog would *require* them to pay. Instead, I see this book as an optional add-on for those who want it - kind of like buying merch. Not required but there if you want it.
I can see in your tip jar that you’ve only received two tips over what? Two or three years of writing? You give so generously of your time, I don’t think it’s unfair to open an option for people to give back if they wish. Making it not required is the most ethical way to do it in a capitalist system, I think.
Plus selfishly, I find the book a more attractive way to support the blog as you get something physical out of it that I will find useful and enjoyable. A win-win, as they say!
Thank you for these comments. My hope as always been that what I write can stimulate discussion about how we as practitioners, researchers, therapist educators and leaders of organisations that care can function in a world where power and money are so intertwined that to me it feels like the world is being brought to the edge of an existential crisis.
I appreciate being asked to reflect again on why I am going to publish the first year of these posts as a book and how, within that, I will ethically and kindly choose to use my power in the service of the other. I find it fascinating that these comments are so on point with the whole dilemma at the heart of this months fiction - what do we do when we can’t (or don’t want to) either back out of the money/power issues of providing care-full services or fully join in with the way things are being done currently, where profit drives the agenda. As I start to do the graft of the craft of constructing next months post these challenges are informing my thinking, hopefully you will see the fruits of your Challenge to me next month (to use that in the Theraplay meaning of the word).
Part of deciding to pull the first year of posts together as a book is that I see them as a foundation - but who goes back to look at old posts in this format of writing? Substack seems pretty ephemeral. My editor (one of my hidden costs) would insert links to the posts where I have said the kind of stuff to address some of the issues you both raise but I am a techno twat, I need my editor to manage Substack, without them there would be no posts. They also tell me when I write twaddle so I don’t inflict it on you (one recent comment was 'I’m not reading any more of that stream of conciseness, I’ll read it when you work out what you are saying' or words to that effect. Ouch). And they make sure I have all my spellings and punctuation correct. It is an invisible work of care that I pay them for at a rate that I think is fair given their qualification and commitment. And there is my PA who frees up time for me to focus on this part of my application of professional knowledge - writing. She is far better at doing the invoicing and following up appointments and generally making sure my business runs smoothly than I am. And because I am not writing invoices, I can write these words. These are the costs - not tangible in many ways but a cost of caring about this knowledge and trying to put it out into the world to deepen and challenge thinking of experienced people, to go beyond the 'how to' of a guide book to the 'why to'.
Everyone already has the option of donating to these posts if they feel they are contributing to their professional questioning in some way. See the tip jar button if that way of contributing feels more transparent to you. I took the view that having an object in the hand felt more transparent, something tangible for your money.
I take the point about marketing - that is a challenge to me. How will I market with care and commitment to using my power in the service of the other? As I’ve said in posts, as a senior person and a therapist educator, it is a funny contract because although I care deeply about the practitioners I educate and supervise, the Challenge and Structure elements of that kind of work are based on the fact that the persons cared for are the children and families practitioners go on to see (or research with or manage services for). Such is the dependence/interdependence interplay of our work, and I am now thinking also part of this writing process. I don't know how I will take this forward, but I will take it forward with much consideration. I'd value other people contributing to the debate.
As we say as Theraplayers, resistance is fertile! Me feeling a bit of discomfort is good as it suggests a window of tolerance is being pushed, a question needs to be addressed. This is the nitty gritty of taking this theory off the page and thinking so how do we make compromises in real life that don't cause moral injury to self or others? How do I do my very best to encourage all of you to be thoughtful, rebellious, independently minded, experienced professionals who care for others, people who can say ‘I don’t want your book!’. Perfect! Take your power and use it! You are magnificent! I feel uncomfortable about power and money too, and I don’t want to back away from sharing my ideas if I think in some way it can help others with the process of steering the world in the direction of care. I think I have the 'why to' share. You've both challenged me about the 'how to' share. Thank you.
I'm also concerned about the book, Fiona.Trying to sell work that is freely available to everyone here feels a bit uncomfortable to me. Thinking about it from a students point of view is a good idea. I do remember you bringing a self published book to classes before to sell and you know how keen students are to be seen doing the right thing. I'm not sure where the 80 pounds a month is coming from? Most blog sites can be run for free,at most a tenner a month. If you do want to make some money back from doing it then making your posts subsciption only with a cost attached would probalby be the most transparent way to do it.
You rightly criticise “the pursuit of monetary gain and the wielding of power for personal advantage”.
I would re-think publishing the book. I understand your costs in running this blog, and I think that self-publishing a book will only add to those costs. This will then create pressure on you to sell and those in your circles to buy your book - however many times you try to caveat this by saying that you don’t want them to feel pressured.
Also bear in mind the power differential with you as a senior practitioner/course lead/lecturer/trainer etc - students and those “below” you power-wise will feel particularly compelled to buy it.
If it were a more general, practical guide book that could be a different matter, but it seems very personal to you and your journey at the moment with (in my opinion) limited applicable use for students, other practitioners etc, which makes the power/money considerations more noteworthy.