As I write this post, it is June 18th, just a little over the midpoint of 2022 and a good time to look back and see what has been accomplished thus far at The Miramichi Reader.
Primarily, I want to sincerely thank everyone for the positive feedback we’ve received here at TMR, either for individual reviews, for the website itself, or for the TMR Podcast. We endeavour to cover as much as we can of the current Canadian literary scene and it’s also encouraging to see that quite a few of the books we have chosen as “Best Books of 2021” have gone on to win awards this year, Constant Nobody by Michelle Butler-Hallett and A Womb in the Shape of a Heart by Joanne Gallant, just to name a couple. We know a good book when we see one!
“As most of our Patreon subscribers came on board in November 2021, I thought June might be a good time to start another campaign for new subscribers.”
~ James Fisher, Editor-in-Chief
The Miramichi Weekly Newsletter (which reaches over 400 subscribers now!) has undergone a facelift. I made the decision to move the email newsletter from MailChimp to Constant Contact because it offers so much more in the way of customizing and stats, so I can keep the newsletter up-to-date and relevant. The result? The most recent newsletter had a 55% open rate, which is well above the industry standard. One wonders why so many do not open their emails, let alone click on an article within the newsletter. It’s difficult to say, but for the 55% of you who do, thank you!
The move to Constant Contact came with expenses, as their “free” level couldn’t offer much for a site like TMR with such a large reach. This expense was covered by contributions from our Patreon subscribers, as are all TMR expenditures and any honorariums that are given to our fine team of contributors from time to time.
As most of our Patreon subscribers came on board in November 2021, I thought June might be a good time to start another campaign for new subscribers. Financially, I know things are not great for any of us. Food, gas and other necessities are more expensive than ever. Thankfully, reading is an escapist (and necessary) pastime for us, whether your preference is fiction or non-fiction, poetry or art books, all of which we cover here at TMR. We like to think that our reviews and author interviews assist you in wisely choosing your next read.
The Patreon subscription platform allows me to easily budget, as I am assured of a certain amount of dollars per month, but you may also make one-time contributions, too*. There are four tiers at Patreon, from $3, $5, $8, or $10 per month. Please visit TMR’s Patreon page and seriously consider supporting what author Bruce Meyer calls “the best reviews venue in Canada.” Thank you for your support!
*Contact me directly at editor(at)miramichireader(dot)ca if you wish to do so, or have any questions or concerns.