Neal Stidham3d ago
Thomas Zimmer

Six months after launching into a new career as an independent writer, I take stock of where this experiment stands.

A reflection on the pitfalls of the newsletter economy – and what the future holds for Democracy Americana.

I Need Your Support:

https://steady.page/en/democracyamericana/posts/1be0a062-ec92-4944-9eca-4d601ce8ae26

I Need Your Support

On the state of Democracy Americana after six months, the pitfalls of the newsletter economy – and what the future holds for this independent publication

Steady
Mar 24 at 1:09pmIvory for iOS
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
These kinds of personal reflections are inevitably somewhat self-indulgent, and I know that’s not for everybody. I promise I will do this sparingly. But since I am asking readers for financial support, I think it is only fair to be as transparent as possible.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
At the outset, I gave myself one year to figure out if I could make it work. After six months, Democracy Americana has not reached sustainability yet – and as of right now, it is an open question if I can get it there.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
In this piece, I write about why I left academia last summer, why I left America – and why I left Substack, seeking to de-risk from my dependence on U.S. tech feudalists. I still believe it was the right decision. But it’s also clear that leaving Substack has really hurt Democracy Americana.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
Is this newsletter “worth” your money? I’ll say this: The average essay I send out comes in at about 4,000 words. These are proper deep dives. Every week. Others will always be faster or cover the news more broadly. But I don’t think anyone will be more thorough.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
The newsletter has really struggled to attract new subscribers since I left Substack - while the monthly churn (existing subscribers canceling their subscriptions) has gone up significantly. My readership now shrinks with every piece I publish. I’ll need to find a way to reverse that trend.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago

This piece isn’t all doom and gloom. I also outline some exciting ideas I would like to pursue over the next few months.

The first I call: “Core texts of Trumpism” – a series of essays on key texts I believe can help us understand the modern Right since the 1950s.

Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
A second such recurring series I would like to tentatively call “How Progress Happens in American History” – which will explore the moments in U.S. history when transformative change happened, how it happened, why it was possible, and what we can learn from that.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
Finally: “Why We Fight Over the Past.” This series will closely track the Trumpist assault on history – and situate it in the longer-term struggle over who gets to tell the nation’s story and thereby define its identity.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago
Despite all the uncertainties, I am feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude: Being able to do this work that I believe is meaningful is deeply gratifying. It is the best job I can imagine, and I promise you I will work as hard as I possibly can to keep building Democracy Americana.
Show threadThomas Zimmer3d ago

I totally understand not everyone can afford to chip in. There are other ways to help: Word-of-mouth is essential, and personal recommendations have an enormous impact.

And if you are in a financial position to do so, please consider becoming a paid member.
 
https://steady.page/en/democracyamericana/posts/1be0a062-ec92-4944-9eca-4d601ce8ae26

I Need Your Support

On the state of Democracy Americana after six months, the pitfalls of the newsletter economy – and what the future holds for this independent publication

Steady