Saturday 4 January 2020

Happy New Year 2020 Dear Listeners


Happy New Year, Listeneroos!

Let’s do this 2020 thing! I wish it a sweet and nourishing year for all of you.

I started last year (2019) with beautiful intentions and promises to create and publish new stories consistently. I was full of ideas but unfortunately, life had other plans and my body put me into survival mode and took emergency measures against long-term stress and fatigue, effectively fogging out my creative mojo for months. This treadmill is way too common, as I know from the many listeners who have written to me about how SBS was a comfort in insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

So many people have been in touch, in fact, and said such lovely things to encourage me to keep writing that I have begun to understand more how this is part of why I am here (on planet earth) and blessed with words, a tongue, and vocal cords. I want this year to be different and I want to shape myself more around the creative output of SBS.

It amazes me that even in a dry year the ‘listener stats’ looked so good. I have resisted numerous offers of sponsorship and licensing the work to paid apps because it’s fundamental to me that Stories from the Borders of Sleep is offered freely for all and the flow is not disturbed with advertising. There have to be spaces where we can get away from that hustle, right?

Some people think I’m crazy taking this line, especially since I (and millions of others) would like nothing more in the world than to get up in the morning and just write rather than have a ‘proper job’. Nevertheless, others have asked me about making financial contributions and I don’t have any system, so I am trying a new thing ...

I looked at all the crowdfunding options and tbh most of them scare me. I don’t want to split listeners into tiers based on contributions or put time into developing 'exclusive content' that I could be putting into making stories available for everybody. I’m not here to hustle; I’m here to create and to share. However, there was one I liked called ‘Buy Me A Coffee’. People can make a one-off donation to buy me a coffee and keep fuelling the brain. An option will eventually be available for anyone to make a monthly contribution that would help me to buy myself more writing time and days I could spend creating more regular episodes.

There it is. I don’t want anyone to feel the tiniest bit of ‘should’ or ‘ought’ about it. We are all fighting battles on numerous fronts and SBS is just the thing I have to share that might help to spread some magic and wonder and make it be more liveable for some. I feel downright cheeky even mentioning it after such a dry year, but if you’d like to help with money, thank you SO much and here’s how (use this link or the button below - no sign up is required).

Above all thank you for listening, for waiting, for being here, for the waves and the ‘Hi’s, the likes and the follows. Thank you for reading this far. May your 2020 be auspicious and filled with curiosity, wonder and sweet dreams.

Seymour


Buy me a coffeeBuy me a coffee

8 comments:

  1. SO glad you’ve returned. You have a lovely gift - several actually! I love your stories and your story telling voice. Blessings for a wonderful 2020!

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  2. Yes I am back! And hoping for a more consistent year of stories this time round :-) Lovely to hear from another listener and to know you appreciate the stories - thank you sigma. All the best of 2020 to you too.

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  3. Best news of the year so far! Keep your wonderful stories coming please. You have been greatly missed!

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  4. I just found you recently and am so happy that I did! Your stories are heartwarming and magical. Thank you for sharing your wonderful gifts with us!

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    1. Oh I think you left a really kind review on Apple Podcasts, too! Thank you very much Imglad4you!

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  5. I have had a year, this year, of battling with fatigue and not being able to be active and focus in the way I had intended. SBS has provided that haven for me. A little safe place I can get away and relax and smile. So valuable. Thank you.

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    1. I get that! Thank you! I tore up a bit reading this; fatigue SUCKS. I'm so glad to hear the stories helped in any small way.

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