Some news

It's all good

Hello,

I hope you’re having a good week.

We woke up to the first frost of the year here this morning, along with a bright sunny sky and a moon still shining above the trees. Hopefully you’re also enjoying some cold, clear skies and bright November colour where you are too.

Photo by Hanna Balan on Unsplash

Now, I’m just popping into your inbox today to give an update to all my lovely paid subscribers.

I’ll explain everything below, but if you’re in a rush here’s the short version:

I’m switching my paid publication back to a completely free one.

It’s an unusual move I know!

Here’s why:

As I mentioned previously, your paid subscriptions are currently paused. This was while I tried to sort out what to do about the slightly tricky situation here in the UK regarding VAT obligations on digital content delivered to EU countries. Which, I should add, Substack are currently not offering any advice or help with. Sigh.

Well, I’ve spent the last few weeks reading up on EU VAT registration, talking to an accountant who advised me that my new venture was ‘exciting but complex’ (red flag when an accountant says that!) and to be honest, just worrying about it.

I have quite a lot going on in my life already, and taking on VAT-level book keeping on top just started to feel like a worry too far. There’s a reason I studied English at university and not Maths. End of year accounts are fine, but monthly VAT returns are really not what I signed up for.

The whole thing was really stressing me out and I was starting to dread opening the Substack app. Turns out selling newsletter subscriptions is sightly more complex than many of us were lead to believe. Surprise!

And while I was worrying about all this I did absolutely zero writing. And I love writing these newsletters.

So I made a really simple decision.

To switch my paid publication back to a completely free one.

It’s a bit extreme I know, but I’m following my instincts on this one.

---

Here’s the important bit:

I still plan to deliver everything I promised (online seasonal retreats will still run) but at no cost. Everything will be free for you from now on.

Monthly subscribers have already had their payments frozen, and annual subscribers will get a refund for any time there was left on your membership. Check your account in the next few days and your refund should be there.

Although it seems very counter-intuitive to do this (Substack as a platform is all about grow! grow! grow! sell! sell! sell!) it actually feels right for me.

Simplifying everything back down means I can focus on writing again, which is why I started this in the first place. I genuinely feel like a weight has been lifted. Although I probably win a prize for the shortest-lived paid community on Substack ever.

From your side, nothing will change for you as a reader apart from the fact that being part of this Seasonal Living community now won’t cost you anything!

Can I just end by saying I am more grateful than you probably realise that you chose to join my paid community when I offered it and I hope you will stay with me. I felt like I really found my people when I started this Substack and I love chatting to you all each month. All of that will continue.

So on that note, I’ll see you all again on the 1st December for our regular Monthly Notebook where I’ll be sharing details of our Winter Solstice online retreat.

Until then - take care and let’s promise never to talk about VAT ever again. There are much nicer things in the world. Like frosty November mornings. And daytime moons. And starling murmuration season which is just about to begin.

So many good things…

In fact I’m heading out for a walk right after I send this. With slightly lighter pockets, but also a much lighter heart.

I hope you have a lovely week,

Vicky x

---