(The subscription drive is now done! well played all!)
Well ladies, the time has come, or so the walrus said.
Over the last nine months or so, since I re-launched the site, and it grew into even more amazing community, readers have been having really serious conversations with me about allowing other people to help with APW. I, of course, was very firm about not needing any help (sleep is for the weak, people!). But, after many interventions, I realized that I did in fact, need a little help. I asked Lauren to come on as in intern and Alyssa to come on to write Ask Team Practical every Friday. It’s been good for me (I’ve been sleeping more), and good for you guys (you get to hear other great women contributing, and I write more intersting posts, now that my time is freed up).
But.
Long time readers have continued to have little chats with me. It’s good that I’m letting a few people help me, they’ve said, but I need to understand. APW has become something a little bigger than just my personal blog, and it’s been very helpful for a lot of people (apparently…), and is important to people that are not me (apparently…) and it’s important that I allow other people to help. Like with money. Hum.
So. Today we’re kicking off Operation Community, 2010. It’s a chance to let those of you who’d LIKE to help APW with it’s mission of supporting sane weddings and brave marriages, help out a little. But I want to say this right up front – if giving cash to help support websites you like is not your jam for whatever reason – that is totally fine. Lets have a hand shake right now where we agree that you won’t give if you don’t want to, and you won’t feel any guilt about it (or shame, ha!) Handshake? Done!
So! How is this going to work? Here is how:
This week you’ll have a chance to give a little money to help APW grow. Using the buttons at the top of this post (which will stay at the top of the blog all week), you can give a different amounts. You can give $5, because $5 is about what you’d pay for a wedding magazine. You can give $18, because 18 is about what you’d pay for a magazine subscription (and the Jewish mystical number for life). Or, you can “give another amount (I have my reasons).” You might want to give a dollar, or $25, who knows! If everyone who read on a regular basis give $1 this week, APW would grow like a weed. And me? I love giving money to blogs I read regularly, and I always give $25 dollars or more, because I’m passonate about supporting smart women saying smart things. And I figure a few of you might be like me.
What is the money going to go for? Well, first off, it’s not going to pay my blogging salary. APW is fully self supporting in a way that I’m really proud of. I have advertisers who’s business models I can really get behind, and that has allowed me to support this website, and help support my family. And that’s awesome. But it’s time for APW to grow. It’s time for me to get moving on launching Reclaiming Wife as it’s own site (first half of 2011), it’s time for me to be able to pay my intern Lauren, and Alyssa, who writes a weekly column. It’s time for me to start to ponder a forum, because you guys need a place to talk directly to each other. And I could do all this by myself, it would just take time. So any money that you give this week will go straight into growing the website this year.
How is it all going to work? This week we’ve asked a number of long time readers and frequent commenters to write a little about why the APW community (you guys) is important to them, and how they’d like to see APW grow. Alyssa and Lauren have worked with APWers on this project, and I actually haven’t been allowed to read a single word, so it’s going to be a learning experience for all of us. I’m hoping it will give us all a chance to think about where APW has been and where it’s going. I’m totally encouraging you guys to weigh in with your own ideas in the comments. So, this week we’ll have a bunch of posts on community from a bunch of different perspectives, as well has some book club posts (yay physical community!)
I don’t want to give, is that ok? Yup, it’s totally fine. Feel free to read and participate all week, and just don’t give. If it’s not your jam, I’m fine with that.
I do want to give, how do I do that? Click a button at the top of the post (they’ll be at the top of the blog all week) with the amount you want to give. You’ll be able to make a donation through PayPal using either your PayPal account or a credit card. You have till Sunday evening at 6pm PST to give, and then back to business as usual. **EDIT** If you are having trouble with Paypal, or would like to donate through alternate means, please email Alyssa (alyssa at apracticalwedding dot com) and she’ll give you details.
Will you keep us up to date with how APW is using the money? I’ll give updates throughout the year about how APW is growing, and when I do you can fist pump and think, “Yes. I’m totally making this happen. Yay me!”
So thanks guys. Wheather you give or you don’t give, I’m so grateful that you’re here, and so grateful that you’ve created this amazing community for each other and for me. You really are the best ladies on the internet, I’m sure of that.
Smooches,
Meg
