Don’t comp me! This is part of what we pay for. This process you as the artist/writer go through. It’s very understandable and honestly to be (sadly) expected in this environment you are trying valiantly and successfully (and painfully) to navigate. And charting your own paths too.
"I want to make beautiful, traumatizing, thought-provoking things." And this is the first. And I want to read them. Speaking for myself, "we don't need no stinkin' hiatus." I would gladly support the pause.
Thank you for sharing this. But really you don’t have to write the month of December to be paid for the month. Anyone who subscribes want to support your work even when you are reading and thinking and not churning out articles. I’m going to subscribe now. So I will then be an official subscriber who says don’t comp me. I am so thankful for your work.
Dearest Laura, Ive been following you since Portland and oh what a ride! You are a gifted writer with keen political and moral sense. I wish you had a benefactor to support you in your work. But you are a survivor with a heart of gold. I wish you all the best in your endeavors as you follow your passion. I'll be eagerly awaiting your next chapter. Abrazos, CT
Sorry it's been such a rotten year for you in many ways, and thank you for inspiring so many of us by sharing your your thoughts and emotions is such a touching way.
Please don't comp me (unless it's excessive admin hassle to organize exceptions). I've just upgraded from standard to founding membership to support you on your new adventure. You're one of the few authors on substack whose work I enjoy reading and value highly enough to want to support financially.
Please don't feel pressured to release sub-par work on a particular schedule. Your craft is beautiful and inspires desperately needed hope in these challenging times.
Please don't comp me! I want to support your work in whatever form. I am so sad that you have felt the only way to survive is to destroy yourself. I am happy that you are finding your way out, and always look forward to reading what you have to say. You are wicked smart, articulate, intuitive, and have a heart of gold. Your writing reflects all that. Don't be so hard on yourself. Life happens to us all. I had to have someone tell me that it was OK to let some things go when I was struggling with some similar kinds of issues (long distance care giving among them). I thought I could do it all. I could not. You cannot. Its OK. Sending much love your way. ❤️
Followed for a while now. Haven’t ever paid. Upgrading now. Please don’t comp me.
I cannot list how many times citing your work has helped me with conversations.
Most recently your old article about Patriot Academy helped give me substance to the argument my wife and I were making to our local public school board to the type of organization they had presenting at a local charter school.
Please keep writing, but take all the time you need for you!
Please don't comp me. You are still working, even if that work is recovery. I am awed by your dedication and strength. Anytime you need a place to hang out / go for food / just take a break when you're in Portland, feel free to give me a shout!
What a great piece of writing. I am a retired freelance documentary television producer, who never had a staff job. And this was in the old days, before the death of civilization as we know it. I had highs (three Emmy’s and an Academy Award nomination) and lows (bankruptcy court and being fired by the biggest public television station in America). Making television films for me has always been a terrible struggle between art and making some asshole production executive happy and when I retired at the age of 68, I felt as if I had escaped the Gestapo, so greatly did I hate the industry at that point.
So I hear and respect the pain and the struggle you are going through, and I love your sled dog metaphor. I would only say, as an elder, that the work of yours that I have read indicates skill, intelligence and heart and you should definitely find a way to make that skill and talent work out for you in some form that does not kill either your body or your soul. But I also think you are awfully hard on yourself. You are in a collapsing industry and ordinary life is filed with disappointment and heartache at the best of times . Here in Vermont, a Vermont based newsletter/substack recently appeared, with no reporter bylines, and with articles including a lot of errors and conservative bias, and it is pretty clear it is written by AI. So it is a good time for you to figure something out that is new, but you must give yourself credit for what you have done, how you have succeeded and that tomorrow is another day. Give yourself some kindness and don’t ever fucking give up.
Please don’t refund any money to me, and good luck I am sure you will find your way.
Don’t comp me! This is part of what we pay for. This process you as the artist/writer go through. It’s very understandable and honestly to be (sadly) expected in this environment you are trying valiantly and successfully (and painfully) to navigate. And charting your own paths too.
"I want to make beautiful, traumatizing, thought-provoking things." And this is the first. And I want to read them. Speaking for myself, "we don't need no stinkin' hiatus." I would gladly support the pause.
Thank you for sharing this. But really you don’t have to write the month of December to be paid for the month. Anyone who subscribes want to support your work even when you are reading and thinking and not churning out articles. I’m going to subscribe now. So I will then be an official subscriber who says don’t comp me. I am so thankful for your work.
Dearest Laura, Ive been following you since Portland and oh what a ride! You are a gifted writer with keen political and moral sense. I wish you had a benefactor to support you in your work. But you are a survivor with a heart of gold. I wish you all the best in your endeavors as you follow your passion. I'll be eagerly awaiting your next chapter. Abrazos, CT
Please don’t comp me either. I’m in full support of what you are doing.
Sorry it's been such a rotten year for you in many ways, and thank you for inspiring so many of us by sharing your your thoughts and emotions is such a touching way.
Please don't comp me (unless it's excessive admin hassle to organize exceptions). I've just upgraded from standard to founding membership to support you on your new adventure. You're one of the few authors on substack whose work I enjoy reading and value highly enough to want to support financially.
Please don't feel pressured to release sub-par work on a particular schedule. Your craft is beautiful and inspires desperately needed hope in these challenging times.
Please don't comp me! I want to support your work in whatever form. I am so sad that you have felt the only way to survive is to destroy yourself. I am happy that you are finding your way out, and always look forward to reading what you have to say. You are wicked smart, articulate, intuitive, and have a heart of gold. Your writing reflects all that. Don't be so hard on yourself. Life happens to us all. I had to have someone tell me that it was OK to let some things go when I was struggling with some similar kinds of issues (long distance care giving among them). I thought I could do it all. I could not. You cannot. Its OK. Sending much love your way. ❤️
Followed for a while now. Haven’t ever paid. Upgrading now. Please don’t comp me.
I cannot list how many times citing your work has helped me with conversations.
Most recently your old article about Patriot Academy helped give me substance to the argument my wife and I were making to our local public school board to the type of organization they had presenting at a local charter school.
Please keep writing, but take all the time you need for you!
1. As someone that knows the difference between a good writer and a great writer, you're a great writer.
2. I wish I could hug you while quietly saying thanks for bringing empathy to your reporting.
3. Sending you compassion and love. (I hope things are working out with your family member.)
Please do not comp me.
Please don't comp me. You are still working, even if that work is recovery. I am awed by your dedication and strength. Anytime you need a place to hang out / go for food / just take a break when you're in Portland, feel free to give me a shout!
What a great piece of writing. I am a retired freelance documentary television producer, who never had a staff job. And this was in the old days, before the death of civilization as we know it. I had highs (three Emmy’s and an Academy Award nomination) and lows (bankruptcy court and being fired by the biggest public television station in America). Making television films for me has always been a terrible struggle between art and making some asshole production executive happy and when I retired at the age of 68, I felt as if I had escaped the Gestapo, so greatly did I hate the industry at that point.
So I hear and respect the pain and the struggle you are going through, and I love your sled dog metaphor. I would only say, as an elder, that the work of yours that I have read indicates skill, intelligence and heart and you should definitely find a way to make that skill and talent work out for you in some form that does not kill either your body or your soul. But I also think you are awfully hard on yourself. You are in a collapsing industry and ordinary life is filed with disappointment and heartache at the best of times . Here in Vermont, a Vermont based newsletter/substack recently appeared, with no reporter bylines, and with articles including a lot of errors and conservative bias, and it is pretty clear it is written by AI. So it is a good time for you to figure something out that is new, but you must give yourself credit for what you have done, how you have succeeded and that tomorrow is another day. Give yourself some kindness and don’t ever fucking give up.
Please don’t refund any money to me, and good luck I am sure you will find your way.
Good luck Laura. Really enjoy reading your stuff and hope you can make it work in whatever you choose to do moving forward.
Go kick ass and we shall see you on the other side!
This is very exciting. Good for you. You're making the right decision. Don't you dare comp me!
As someone who has only read you in 2025 and still thinks you're pretty awesome, I look forward to witnessing you at the height of your powers.