37 Comments
User's avatar
Dana Gioia's avatar

This move is surely a bit scary now, but your readership and influence will only increase under the new terms. You are already a significant presence in cultural life. The larger audience will open larger opportunities for you, especially in the U.S.

I won’t wish you good luck because I know you will make your own good fortune.

Expand full comment
Francesca Schmid-Peters's avatar

I’m with Dana. And this is absolutely one of those pivotal points you‘ve written about that can change the course of things and be „another beginning“. I will wish you good luck because that’s something everyone needs, though, intuitively, believe this will lead to amazing things.

Thank you for your continuing with your Substack.

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Thank you :)

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Thank you Dana, so much appreciated as always

Expand full comment
Ken Kovar's avatar

It's really how the internet should work, a shared infospace that is free.

Expand full comment
Aiko Ayala's avatar

The limitations of the US visas are sometimes insane fr 😔

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

the world is what it is

Expand full comment
Aiko Ayala's avatar

I hope everything goes well for you. Looking forward to your upcoming articles!!

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Thanks!!

Expand full comment
AbigailAmpersand's avatar

Well, Henry, you’re now serving the higher calling here on Substack, whatever you get up to at the Mercatus Centre. Here you’re committed to Art for Art’s sake. It’s rotten luck when you’ve built up a strong following that you’re not allowed to earn a crust from it! Maybe at Christmas you could post a link to your wishlist with delivery to a UK address, thus exploiting the weakness in Substack’s business model and even the U.S. J-1 visa? But I couldn’t possibly suggest you do that. Good luck, and all the best.

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Thank you :)

Expand full comment
Evelyn Mow's avatar

Best of luck for your stay in the states!

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

thanks!

Expand full comment
Lucy Hearne Keane's avatar

Sounds like an interesting adventure. Best of luck 🍀🤞

Expand full comment
Sheryl White's avatar

Best wishes for your time in the US.

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

thanks!

Expand full comment
Fran Mason's avatar

I hope you and your family have a fun and rewarding time in the U.S. If you come to Seattle at all, let me know if I can be of help in any way.

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Thank you Fran :)

Expand full comment
June Girvin's avatar

Thanks for letting us know. There is always an upside - I can pay for one more sub!

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

yes exactly :)

Expand full comment
John's avatar

It’s a strange world. I trust you will flourish, Henry. All the best, John.

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Thank you :)

Expand full comment
Will Orr-Ewing's avatar

Thank YOU Henry. Go well.

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

🙏🙏

Expand full comment
Sean Sullivan's avatar

If you and your family find yourselves in NYC allow me to buy you a nice dinner!

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Oh thank you :)

Expand full comment
Mark Breza's avatar

Thank you Henry !

Your knowledge of literature is amazing.

Yes the whole community of shrills on Substack who think they are the next $ away from becoming the next Walter Cronkite , Barbara Walters or even Harold Bloom was getting to be stuck in the first person ]dialogue[ 🤔

Expand full comment
Meredith Moore's avatar

What about the book discussions? How do we get a link if not allowed to subscribe?

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

They will be sent to everyone now

Expand full comment
HBD's avatar

I always unsubscribe immediately after subscribing on a paid basis to any Substack. This is mainly because I don’t want autosubscribe in effect if I kick the bucket, but it’s also an aspect of budget control. It appears to me that the archive gambit neatly allows those of us who have decided to pay for your ongoing output to continue to do so without hitting any bumps in the road.

Expand full comment
Prashant Raturi's avatar

I will pay for your archive once I get over the lay off phase. There is no reason to unsubscribe from high quality writing and advice on reading or the second act stories.

Being someone who thinks that Jane Austen is for girls/women and young boys, request you to either change my mind or include other writers who middle age men would be interested in , in your future posts. All the best for your US stint.

Expand full comment
HBD's avatar

I’m way older than you. It’s sometimes useful to reframe your perception of something you don’t enjoy. For example, I adjusted to my wife’s “backseat driving” by reframing it as my personalized GPS. For Jane, you might try a reframe of being in the company of a perceptive and witty dining companion, with an acute moral sense.

Expand full comment
Ken Kovar's avatar

I think that writers should start out free and only charge if they put significant work into a piece. Commenting is a way for a writer to have a real dialog with their readers and I always hate when I can read a piece but not comment. Have a paywall if you want but always allow comments. That's this newbies advice!😎

Expand full comment