Yes. Yes to all.

I think what the “people should pay for writing” statements often miss is that we readily pay for things that we have an understanding of and see the obvious need for/benefit of. And that includes paying for reputation.

As a freelancer, I am offering a service. I write copy and I edit content, and I charge a pretty decent hourly rate for that service. By and large, people will pay for that based on a few factors: the testimonials/reviews from my previous clients, and my own behavior as a professional. I don’t work for free and I would never be expected to.

However, I could not put my work on Substack behind the same paywall, because there are no compelling testimonials. I have no undergirding of reputation to back up the worth of what I’m offering. Not yet, anyway.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Substack is a flea market, not a bookstore. We have no gatekeepers (publishers, agents, critics) telling folks we’re worth it. We have to prove it ourselves.