This Entry Originally Started with “I’m Considering Making a Change to the Honorary Unsubscribe. (Don’t worry, you’ll like it!)”
Let me back up. When I asked if you would help support the H.U. site with contributions to get rid of the ads, which had truly become downright disgusting, several of you stepped up to do it. To sweeten the pot I added an automated email alert for new posts there, so when the writeup comes late (or, sometimes, early!), they could find out thanks to that automated notice.
I was a little surprised that only around half of who contributed asked to be added to the list, but I guess the writeups are indeed timeless, so many chose patience over Yet Another Email. I get it, but if you contributed and decide now that you’d like that (or vice versa), just let me know.
Most of the contributors went for annual payments, which is a good thing since there have been no contributions since October. [Shortly after writing that, one came in!] I would welcome additional financial support specifically for the site; the recurring contributions just barely cover the lost revenue from discontinuing ads on the site last September, which income would probably have increased noticeably from the decision I made, explained below.
Books?
As always, I’m behind on publishing book compilations — not just of the Honorary Unsubscribe, but True’s also. The intention was that when a book was published, the corresponding H.U.s would come off the site (only be available in books). The change I was thinking of: reversing course and making all H.U.s available in the archive, ad-free.
But before I could get this published, I had already made my decision: I’ve already started 60- to 90-second reviews of the entries, mostly to break them into paragraphs as the original design was “one short paragraph,” and to “tag” each one with a broad category (Tag List.) With each one reviewed, it has been made available again. I trust you like it!
I had always assumed that a full archive would reduce book sales, which is part of the designed mix of income sources to keep everything going, but frankly book sales have not been great since around the turn of the century, which is part of the reason I’ve lacked motivation to make time to publish the books.
The thing I’ve found as I’ve been breezing through the entries: there really are some truly interesting people featured there. My surprises include just how many have been for writers, even though many more could certainly qualify for that tag, but were better known for other things. Another surprise: the size of the “entertainment” category, though in addition to actors, it includes TV/film directors, creators, producers, and musicians.
White Men
Also, I’ve been criticized over the years for “mostly” featuring white men; it has been quite surprising to realize just how many women are featured, and from very early on. Indeed, the second one was not a white man (he was Japanese), and the third? A woman. The fourth? A woman. The fifth? OK, finally: apparently a white guy again (some sources say he was an immigrant from Germany), which I couldn’t confirm.
There are a lot of women, but truth be told, I rarely try to figure out anyone’s ethnic backgrounds, though now and then there are references like “the first Black woman who…” and such.
The Honorary Unsubscribe is about “the Unknown, the Forgotten, and the Often Obscure People who Had an Impact on Our Lives.” That description doesn’t specify gender, or ethnicity, just People. Though sometimes, the recipients aren’t: I’ve found 5 non-humans so far, and they are tagged as such. I’m not done going through the entries — this week’s is the 1,350th entry. It’ll take awhile.
More Change
So “the change” I was considering was to make them all available for reading again. Since that decision to Just Do It, and reading through them again, I’m again considering another “change”: going back to a briefer style — somewhere in-between the quick paragraph and the in-depth explorations of recent years.
I do love doing them, and they tell important stories, but they really are outside the sphere of the core of True (you know, the stories!) The more recent, much more detailed format is a tremendous amount of work, probably averaging 5-6 hours of research and writing for every one of them.
As I get older and slow down, I’m needing to make a choice to concentrate on what pays the server bills and other expenses. I will start trending in that direction starting this week.
Last, Something New
Starting this week, there will be something “new” toward the end of the newsletter, even if there doesn’t happen to be an Honorary Unsubscribe that week: a link to a “Best Of the Honorary Unsubscribe” in the archive — someone I still find interesting today.
To be honest, the first “Best Of” isn’t necessarily fantastic: I think I pretty much have to start with the first one, the guy who started it all: “forgotten” actor Jack Lord, even though his writeup is ridiculously brief. It is what it is.
If you choose, you can page on from there, and unless you push really hard, I will probably be able to stay ahead of you in my reviews. Book ’em, Danno!
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