Randy Cassingham's Blog

I just wanted to join the other people in saying thank you and to say that though I have not upgraded yet. I will be doing so asap. I am short of funds currently but I will be signing up by the end of the month. By the way I also sent one copy of your edition on to my mother and she has now subscribed and she just loves it. You are direct and to the point and tend to say exactly what I am thinking. And to think that I actually missed 12 years of this.

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Thanks, Marissa, and I'm glad your mother enjoys it too. To be sure, I don't want people to take food out of their mouths to put it in mine -- in some ways, "spreading the word" (as you did with your mother) is just as important. So thank you for everything you're doing to help! -rc

I don't want you or your wife to starve nor do I want you to quit True, but I'm a firm nonsubscriber to the Premium. Why? Because I'm swamped with reading material. Any increase avoidable will be. Yet I like free True and its ads so much I'd pay for it! I think some other free readers may feel the same, so here's a suggestion.

Offer the free edition as optionally a paid subscription. You'll have to set a price that covers costs and adds grocery money. Sure, the majority won't pay, but at least I will, and maybe others.

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I have heard the too-much-to-read "objection" before, and here's the surprising answer: even though the free edition has only half the stories, the free and Premium editions are about the same size (usually within 1K, byte-size-wise). How is that possible? Premium has more stories, but a lot less of what I call "sales language" -- pitches to upgrade, for instance. And of course the outside ads are omitted.

You're also far from the only person who says he likes the ads. In fact, a significant percentage of Premium subscribers also get the free edition. About half say it's so they can see the ads, and about half because they want to see the "Honorary Unsubscribe" sooner. -rc

My only excuse for not sending a 'thank-you' previously is that I imagined you wouldn't want to be swamped with scores or hundreds (or thousands) of mails simply wishing you well. Since that's not the case - Thank you for the gift premium edition and thank you for writing This is True at all.

I *have* passed on copies to friends and I know that at least one has subscribed because he later forwarded a copy to me! The trouble is that I can't remember exactly who I sent the examples to and I'm very concious of copyright, being an occasional author myself. Your terms are a limit of three and I have just one left. I want to use it wisely.

Keep up the good work.

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Heh! Thanks for your thoughtfulness. No, I really didn't want thousands of thank-yous -- that would take a nice gesture and turn it into a logistical nightmare of an overflowing inbox. It is sweet, though, that some just cannot resist.

The "only three" thing in the copyright is meant to instill the thoughtfulness you already have. The idea is, if someone is interested in getting the issues regularly, they should get their own subscription, not forwards. That way, they can be counted properly -- because advertisers pay by the number of total readers. Unlike some newsletters, I refuse to say "well, since on average everyone forwards one copy, we have 240,000 readers" and charge for that number. I consider that dishonest, so I only charge for the actual number of subscribers. If that means the advertisers get "extra impressions" for free, increasing their results, fine -- that means they'll come back for more later. And they do: you probably have noticed some of the same ads are run again and again.

So while I won't amend the copyright notice to say it, consider that "only three" part to really mean "only three in any one year", and I'll bet you'll be fine. :-) -rc

Hi, Randy, I was a free True subscriber until I FINALLY hit a month that had extra money at the end of it, and I immediately subscribed for two years, and have since not only renewed my subscription but have found funds to buy some of the terrific GOOHF things you offer.

I was struck by how much more satisfying the Premium is from the Free version, both are good, but the Premium has a completed cycle to it that the free version lacks. I think this is probably because you select the stories for the Premium version, sometimes using lines from songs as an intro, or a build up on a single theme, or whatever the case. It is a completed circle of thought, whereas the free version has some of the thoughts removed. It is still highly entertaining, but after reading the Premium version, I can tell the free one isn't complete. It is kind of like reading only the front of the greeting cards - they are pretty or entertaining or sweet, but to get the full impact you have to read the inside message too. The free version is just the front, the Premium is the whole card. That is how I think of it anyway. Thanks for all you do and I hope you continue it for longer than the next 12 1/2 years!

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I love it when people notice the theme! It's not always there, and it's often very subtle, but you're right: sometimes you can just read all the story "slugs" (titles) in a row and it smacks you in the face that they're telling a story all by themselves. I've got a huge smile on my face that you've not only noticed, you noticed it consciously. And yes: when I knock the Premium down to just four stories for the free edition, it necessarily does usually destroy that aspect. -rc

I can't afford to upgrade yet, but I will when I have paid off my bills.

I have a website that is similar to yours. Since I feel bad about not upgrading, I have linked from my site to your site the entire time I've subscribed to the free ThisIsTrue.

I'm hoping we will work together when I get my internet radio show off the ground. I'll link to you on my other sites when I get them going, also. I appreciate all your hard work.

I've been a premium subscriber to This Is True for two years now, and I have to agree that the content is incomplete in the free version. Further, in my last renew, I also ordered some True books to get the stories that I missed before I got the newsletter.

I look forward to each week's issue and the comments after, and I hope it will be around for years to come, and I'll be a premium subscriber as long as I have the funds, and it's well worth it.

P.S.: Writing those good taglines has got to be the hardest part, because I can't even come up with one with the tagline challenges you do.

I have been a Premium subscriber for (I think) about four or five years now, and can't live without it. (I originally subscribed to the free feed and then got a clue.) I always look forward to Tuesday morning when I know it will be in my inbox. I hope True keeps going for more than the next 12 1/2 years. As long as it continues, I will be a loyal subscriber.

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Time flies when you're having fun, Amy: in March you will have been a Premium subscriber for seven years! -rc

Like Erik above, I have lots to pay off and a strict budget BUT your premium newsletter is on my "want" list and I and my loved ones (for gift-giving moments) are working through that list. I thank you for the Christmas premium issue and compliment you for your journalistic quality and perspicacity. (You would want to do a daily issue if you were in Europe as I am.)

I have been a premium subscriber for just over a year now. I work in a serious industry and the little shot of humour that shows up in my mailbox every week is worth every penny.

I thought that I could not afford to subscribe, but I would not give it up.

Here is another advantage to the Premium upgrade which hasn't been previously mentioned...outstanding customer service. I've no idea how many years I have enjoyed the free issue of Thisistrue but I did forward it to friends as well as buy copies of the books, a mug and GOOHF cards. Finally, last summer the guilt of freeloading could only be relieved by supporting my favorite site with a Premium upgrade. Shortly thereafter, my PC died and it was 6 months until I could replace it. When I was back online, I contacted Randy and asked if I could get copies of the 24 issues missed. Within mere hours of my query, he sent me every single back issue. Absolutely no question of my renewing this summer.