Loyal Readers,
I have some news that’s equal parts exciting and “here, let me put it on the table so you can see every card I’m holding.”
Last week I was accepted into the MasterClass affiliate program. That means if you click one of their links or banners on this site and end up subscribing, I earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you.
Relevance > Revenue
I didn’t go hunting for any affiliate program that would pay a buck. I specifically looked for something that overlaps with what we already obsess over here: Shakespeare, acting, storytelling. MasterClass happens to have Natalie Portman, Helen Mirren, Samuel L. Jackson, and more teaching exactly those topics. Trust me when I say this, I’m looking at all the different ad campaigns available to me now, and you won’t be seeing anything about mastering the markets or designing every space in your home. We do Shakespeare here, and I don’t plan to stray from that.
All Ads Are Not Created Equal
Look, I know there are ads on the site already. I hate them as much as you do. But I’m also not a fan of the fact that I’ve run this site (which means paying to host it) for many years, and never really tried to make money from it. My daughter was just born when I started. You know what? She’s finishing college this year. You know what else? That costs a lot of money. I hope no one begrudges me that.
Where I can make money to offset my costs, I have to consider my options. And even though I have my core of loyal readers, I have thousands of anonymous people dropping in from Google searches, too. So, not monetizing their traffic is just leaving money on the table, honestly.
I’d much rather make money through partnerships like this. They’re less invasive, more relevant, and ultimately, I make more revenue. So if you bear with me for a little while as I continually try to optimize this area of site maintenance, I think we’ll all benefit in the long run. Click on some banners, explore what MasterClass (and possibly soon other affiliates) have to offer. Not for you? Maybe something you could give as a gift to the actor or Shakespeare geek in your life?
Of Course There Are Always Other Ways
I’m going to go ahead here and say that merchandise sales can be a great alternate source of revenue, too! Please make it a point to stop by the Shakespeare Geek Merchandise Shop before you leave! What were we just saying about gifts for your friends?)
Or, you know, if you want, you can just go ahead and “buy me a coffee” as they say. I appreciate donations in all forms.
The Content Won’t Change
I’ve been in the web game for a very long time. I know all the tricks for how to “optimize” your content when really that means optimizing my revenue, not your experience. That’s not what this is about. I’m not planning on suddenly coming up with posts about how “Shakespeare Shows You How To Master The Markets” just so I can pull more Google traffic and get more clicks. I’ll say it again – we got here by talking about Shakespeare, and that’s not going to change.
Try Before You Commit
MasterClass offers a 30-day refund window. If you dip in and it isn’t for you, you can cancel – commission revoked, guilt-free.
TL;DR
I’m thrilled to partner with a platform whose acting courses line up with the work we already love. If you ever feel the ads are getting in the way, email me—seriously. The curtain only stays up when everyone in the audience can still see the stage.
Thanks for reading, and for trusting me with your inbox and your time.
Break legs,
Duane
P.S. If you’d like to check out the acting lineup (and maybe support the site while you’re at it), you can start here:
MasterClass Acting.