19 Comments
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Nan Tepper's avatar

Love this Q&A and of course, your writing and your sensibility. There's so much generosity here, even amidst the squabbles about paywalls versus total access and the constant discourse on the best way to achieve success on the Substack platform. I agree with your choice to keep your stack accessible to all. I do the same. The key points for me are to keep showing up with my weekly essay and to engage with readers, restack, comment, and focus on growing community. I'm so lucky to be a part of yours, Rona. xo

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Rona Maynard's avatar

Nan, I don't know how I found you here but I'm so glad I did. Nobody needs to be alone on Substack.

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Nan Tepper's avatar

Nope. And being here offers daily surprises!

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Abra McAndrew's avatar

Beautiful feature. Appreciate you keeping it real Rona, about how it feels to see others succeed without letting envy get the best of you. Your work is beautiful and your attitude, too.

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Rona Maynard's avatar

Thank you. It’s all a work in progress.

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Alisa Kennedy Jones's avatar

Just adore this: "I prize connection with readers over money. I’m like Joni Mitchell’s one-man band at the quick-lunch stand, writing real good for free."

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Sara Santa Clara's avatar

Great to see Rona Maynard here 🙏🏽🤎

Her recent post "America, How I'll Miss You" gave me real pause for thought. Thank you both!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

So pleased to see Rona featured. An inspiration. Thank you, Eleanor and Rona.

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Jeffrey Streeter's avatar

'I write the piece that’s waving its hand in the air, calling, “Write me!” If I don’t care, the reader won’t either."' I love it. A great set of answers from one of Substack's finest. Finding writers like her and Eleanor is what has made me keep going on this platform.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Oh my goodness, I love this! I love 8Qs and the discovery of writers and writing, and this is another awesome interview. Rona, you've put into words so much of what I love here too - 'friendships that bloom with generous, committed and craft conscious readers and how joy is amplified by delighting them', that we 'flourish by supporting one another' and 'prizing connection over money' - such beautiful sentiments that I echo 💛

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Rona Maynard's avatar

Emily, you warm my heart.

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Cherry Coombe's avatar

Sinew synaps synthesiser

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David Saffran's avatar

I have been an ‘Amazement Seeker’ subscriber for several months. I read every one of Rona’s Notes and comment on them from time to time. (Rona always replies.) Rona describes us, the readers, as her Tribe. I flip that around. As a subscriber to several Substack writers I consider them to be my tribe.

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Rona Maynard's avatar

I recognize your name, David. We can happily agree that Substack is a place to find your tribe.

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David Roberts's avatar

I'm a fan!

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Wonderful way to start the day. Thanks, Eleanor and Rona. This is a perfect sum-up of a good day (good week, month, year) on Substack: “Celebrate excellence, share knowledge, build relationships.” 💚

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Maria (Linnesby essays)'s avatar

Wonderful!

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Rona Maynard's avatar

Good to see you here, Maria. Thank you.

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Bernadette Quigley's avatar

You are more generous than you think, Rona. You genuinely appreciate your readers, whether they pay or not. I wish i could afford to pay for every substack writer i read. I simply cannot. I recently did buy your Starter Dog book however! and very much look forward to reading it!

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