What's all this, then?
Welcome to Willets Pen, we're glad you're here. Now... what's Willets Pen?
Since we’re brand new, you might have some questions. They’re not frequently asked questions, because, again, we’re brand new, but they’re the kind of questions that might be frequently asked, were there time to accumulate questions before posting this introductory post, which will live on (along with our team roster) as an “about” page, but which you can read now without clicking because you’re already here.
What is Willets Pen?
Willets Pen is a pun on Willets Point, as in the Mets-Willets Point (formerly Willets Point-Shea Stadium, née Willets Point Boulevard) station on the New York City subway’s 7 line. It seemed like a fun name for an ebook about the Mets, and the domain name was $12.
So, this is for an ebook about the Mets?
We’re writing an ebook about the Mets. We also have a Substack newsletter and podcast to support that venture. The ebook isn’t happening unless we know that everyone is being paid fairly for their work, and we want to raise at least $15,000 – through pre-orders of the ebook and subscriptions to our newsletter and podcast – to make it a reality.
The newsletter and podcast are also about the Mets, then?
Yes and no. The idea for the ebook is to have a bunch of talented folks, who aren’t Mets writers, writing about the Mets. The general idea, though, is a space to experiment, collaborate, and generally do things that aren’t in the usual professional wheelhouse of our collaborators. Where those talented folks can take on anything. We want Willets Pen to go beyond a one-shot ebook, and eventually become a place where writers can take on subjects they’re passionate about, do work that they’re proud of, get paid for it, and not be beholden to whatever their job title happens to be.
The Willets Pen Podcast (catchy name, right?) is available on all of your favorite podcasting apps, free! Maybe with ads. Definitely with hosts Allison Robicelli, Jesse Spector, Colleen Sullivan, and their exciting guests. Subscribers will get bonus episodes as part of their incredible range of Willets Pen Perks. Also WPP. Whoopee!
That sounds cool, but I’m a Mets fan, and I want more about the Mets. So, is it about the Mets or not?
Yes. Think of the podcast and newsletter as “Mets and more.” This is reflected in our price offerings being Mets themed. The Substack was conceived as a way to support a Mets ebook called Willets Pen, so the newsletter and podcast are going to support the Mets ebook, and we’ll figure out what happens down the road once that Mets ebook has been a smashing success, with your help. Whatever that is, the Willets Pen roster is full of very creative people who are interested in the Mets and now have a space for their antics.
What exactly am I going to be paying for here?
Until we reach our goal, all of the money is going into the ebook and paying everyone fairly for their work. After we’ve ensured that happens, ebook order revenue will be split among the ebook team, and Substack subscriptions will be used to take Willets Pen into the future.
You can subscribe for $9 a month or $86 a year on Substack just by smashing that “subscribe” button, or you can head over to our ebook preorder site, where you can get a variety of perks, from sweet logo merch to tickets to a Mets game with some of our writers.
If you do order over there (Substack’s menu isn’t as friendly to the kind of perks stuff we want to offer), just start your 7-day free trial here, and we’ll update your account to give you the appropriate length subscription.
You’re dodging the question worse than Brandon Nimmo talking about vaccines. What is going to be on this Substack?
The newsletter will assuredly be some of the writers venting about the Mets’ foibles, celebrating their triumphs, and just, like, being. There’ll be some trivia and esoterica about the Mets (Metsoterica?), probably some ranting about English soccer and public transit, and really whatever else the writers want to do in their space. The podcast will be a podcast with people talking, and we hope you enjoy listening. One way to think of it: Willets Pen is what you’ll call up on your phone for that 7 train ride out to Willets Point.