I started my first blog, Indie Herbalist, in 2011 and began outlining what would become Teacup Alchemy in 2019. In the last few months, I’ve been placing the foundations and creating a vision for moving forward. So much has changed in daily life and online this year because of the pandemic. It’s time to make some changes in my personal online spaces, too. It’s time to build a Teacup Alchemy community.
Things have slowly been changing online for writers in the last few years. Our society has a tendency to devalue the written word. After all, “talk is cheap” as the saying goes. But that means it’s hard to make a living as a writer.
Online writers can place ads alongside their work to provide income, but then people use ad blockers. We can place our work behind clumsy paywalls, which frustrates readers because it’s just one more login to remember. We can use affiliate marketing to earn commissions on products we recommend, but many affiliate programs are slashing their commission rates (and with it, our income).
So now I’ve decided to try a different approach. I realized that I don’t want just any readers. I want readers who are excited about my work as an herbalist and a writer. I want to have a community with my readers. I want to work for you, up front and honestly. Not shill about products or decorate my websites with ugly advertisements.
So what’s new?
After careful consideration, I’ve decided to create a Teacup Alchemy community where we can interact directly. No social media intermediaries. No advertising. Just herbs.
In order to do this, I’ve found a way for Teacup Alchemy to become reader and listener supported. Readers and podcast fans can now follow me on Ko-fi.
It works like a social media feed, so you can see all of my public updates. However, unlike Facebook or Twitter, I don’t have to pay for my posts to be seen- a huge benefit when I’m trying to be mindful of my budget.
I’m really excited about the opportunities for us to connect!
Here’s the link to my Ko-Fi page.
My Deepest Thanks
You can learn more about the Teacup Alchemy Podcast here.
Teacup Alchemy also produces affordable herbal learning courses. You can view a list of current and upcoming courses here.
I’m scared and excited about moving forward in this new direction, but I think it’s going to be a beautiful thing. Like all beautiful things, it’s going to take time and a little bit of seed-magic. The kind of beautiful mystery that happens when you nurture a garden (or community) and see what unfolds.
Thank you for joining me as we find our way forward, and thank you for your support.
A freelance writer and herbalist since 2011, Agatha is dedicated to creating an online reader and listener supported platform supporting her work as an herbalist. Her focus in herbalism includes sustainable agriculture, community wellness and accessibility, and botanical conservation.
