Questions readers ask

About membership, the letter, and what you may do with the essays. If yours is not here, ask it.

Membership

What is the difference between free and member?: Free readers get the fortnightly letter and roughly half of what is published. Members get everything: the monthly members’ essay, the full archive back to 2019, the quarterly Proof Sheet and the reading group.
How much is a membership?: £6 a month or £60 a year, which is two months free. The founding tier is £150 a year and adds a letterpress broadside, printed on a hand press and posted every December.
Can I cancel at any time?: Yes. Reply to any letter with the word “cancel”, or use the link in your receipt. Monthly memberships stop at the end of the month; yearly ones are refunded pro rata if you ask within 30 days.
Is there a student or hardship rate?: Yes, and you do not have to explain. Write and ask for a free membership. About one in twelve members has one, and the founding members pay for them.
Can I give a membership as a gift?: A year’s membership can be given as a gift. Send the recipient’s email and the date it should start, and a short card goes out that morning.
Do you track who opens the letter?: No. There is no open tracking, no link tracking and no analytics script on this site. The only number I know is how many people subscribe and pay.

How often does the letter arrive?: Every second Thursday, at about 7 a.m. UK time. Members also get the members’ essay on the last Thursday of the month.
Is there an RSS feed?: Yes, at /rss.xml, with the free posts in full. Members get a private feed with everything, linked from their welcome email.
I found a mistake in an essay.: Thank you. Write with the essay’s title and the sentence. Corrections are made in place, with a dated note at the end of the post.
Can I reprint or quote an essay?: Quote anything with a link. To reprint a whole piece in a newsletter, zine or course pack, write first. The answer is usually yes and always free for non-commercial use.
I run a magazine. Can we commission a piece?: Occasionally, and only on typography, printing or reading. Commissions are booked about three months ahead. Use the contact form and choose “Commission”.