Letter From the Publisher

by editor Michele Catalano

This is for all the wonderful, talented people who have contributed to IHTOV, or who have pieces pending, and for all future writers for the site.

When I started IHTOV, I didn’t expect a lot of submissions. I just assumed I would be writing a lot to fill the space. But a wonderful thing happened, and in just about a year, I have received over 400 submissions.

It was always my intention to pay writers. Twenty dollars isn’t a lot, but I felt like it was something, a token of how much I appreciate you writing for me. All writers who contributed since the site started last  December have been paid. That’s a rate of $60 a week, or $240 a month, coming mostly out of my pocket.

So many people have contributed to the writers fund, and I am so grateful for everyone that did. That allowed me to pay writers even when I was struggling. But there are only so many times you can go to the same well. I can no longer ask people for donations with a clear conscience.

I am on a fixed income, being retired and all. I do not have the financial means to keep paying people. This pains me, as I took great pride in being one of the sites that offer pay for writing. I swore I would not continue to produce IHTOV if I couldn’t pay people.

After discussing this with several writers and friends, I have decided to carry on with IHTOV as a nonpaying site. Whether or not people still want to write for me remains to be seen. So you should be aware that going forward, IHTOV will not be paying the $20 stipend it has always offered, and I am truly and deeply sorry for that.

If you have a piece that has been scheduled between now and February, please let me know if you would like to rescind your piece in light of this news, or if you’d still like me to publish it.

Thank you for your time and your understanding, and thank you for the contributions that make IHTOV what it is.

Michele