Hey Markus -- I'm sorry to see you so frustrated with your newsletter. If you're not getting either happiness or financial returns out of it (either one would be a good reason to keep it going), then you're absolutely right to discontinue it. I'm sorry to see you close the book on it, but I'm happy to see you taking positive action to serve your goals.

I've enjoyed the tips over the years, and I propose an experiment, which you probably won't try, but here's the suggestion, anyway. Ask the subscribers who have received your newsletter over the years to pay you 50% of what it's been worth to them. Don't set a price, just ask people what the advice has been worth to them personally (everyone will have a different answer), and ask them to pay for it (retroactively) at a 50% discount.

I suspect you'd find people will send you more money as a "thank-you" than you would anticipate.

Even though the tips were given out free, and that model has turned out to not work for you, I think most people are honest and if you ask them if your tips have been worthwhile to them, most would answer enthusiastically yes. And if you ask them to pay you a portion of what it's been worth to them, I think most honest people will be happy to pay you the value of what they've been receiving over the years -- especially at the deep discount I'm suggesting. I think when people honestly think about what your work has been worth to them and what (if anything) they'd be willing to pay you for what you've given them, I think you'll be surprised.

I'll be the first one to sign up -- even if I'm the only one.

Thanks for all the effort you've put into this. Even if it hasn't been profitable for you, I hope you're sleeping better knowing you've put a lot of good ideas into people's heads -- and thus some good into the world.

I challenge you to put that "pay (some of) what you think this has been worth to you" request out there, and see what comes back.

Jeff Marx
co-creator of Broadway's Avenue Q