Choose Your Own Create Me Free Adventure - Let's Have a Little Fun and Learn a Lot!

Take a poll that leads you to another poll that might lead to prizes; it'll help guide me in 2024 and should be fun for you right now!

Hello,

Thank you for being here as one of the people who reads my work about the complex relationship between art and mental health. I want to kick the year off with something that I hope will be fun and informative for all of us: A Choose Your Own Adventure style series of polls related to what I’m doing here at Create Me Free.

How this works:

Everyone starts with the first poll. Below the poll, it will tell you which image to go to next based on your previous answer. (Remember that the image it tells you to go to may be above or below where you’re at on the page.) There, you’ll either find another poll or a conclusion to your journey … many conclusions end with prizes. Either way, it should be easy and fun!

What is this for?

I want to be fully transparent: The work that I’m doing here can’t continue through the end of 2024 without more paid subscribers, so I’m trying to find out what might inspire you to pay for a subscription. However, there’s no financial obligation in taking the polls - they’re meant to be fun, to give me some guidance, and to let you learn a little bit more about what my work is all about.

Everyone Start Here!

You can read what Create Me Free is all about here and here.

If you answered:

• Confident - go to the poll beneath the butterfly

• Generally know - go to the poll beneath the dragonfly

• Kind of know - go to the poll beneath the grasshopper

• Not sure - go to the poll beneath the slug

If you answered:

• Annual, go to the information below the polar bear

• Monthly, go to the poll below the brown bear

• Comped, go to the poll below the black bear

• Free, go to the poll below the panda bear

• No subscription, go to the poll below the teddy bear

It sounds like you generally know what Create Me Free is all about. If you want a little bit more information before proceeding, then one great way to learn more is to browse the Table of Contents. Then head to the butterfly for your next poll.

I’m happy that you’re here and would love to tell you a little bit more about Create Me Free. You probably know that I write about the intersection between art and mental health, honoring art as therapeutic but also digging into the shadow side of the ways that mental health symptoms impact creative process, content, medium, and productivity and how both creativity and mental health intersect with self-perception/identity, perception by others/stigma, and business/finances.

If you answered yes, you can choose to visit either the paintbrush or the dragonfly.

If you answered no, head to the butterfly.

Okay, so you’re not sure that you really know anything about Create Me Free. Why is that?

If you answered:

• It’s your first time here, WELCOME. You are invited to learn more. You can start by choosing to visit either the grasshopper or the paintbrush.

• If you're a subscriber but haven’t read much, I’m so glad that you’re here. You can learn more by visiting the paintbrush or the grasshopper. Or you can roll the dice and head to the panda bear.

• I felt nervous to say I know … well don’t ever be nervous to say anything here. Everyone is welcome exactly the way that they are. If you feel like you want to know more about Create Me Free, try checking out the dragonfly. Otherwise, head to the typewriter.

• I just don’t care, then I’m curious how you ended up at this poll and if you have any questions for me at all:

WINNER! Thank you so much for already being an annual subscriber to Create Me Free. This is the only way that the work can continue and it means so much. I would like to give you a bonus gift. Choose one of the following gifts and email me (Kathryn.vercillo on gmail), let me know that you’re a polar bear and which of the following gifts you choose:

• Regularly highlighting your writing/art in link roundups, as recommended posts, etc.

• A comped annual subscription for a friend: gift it to anyone - just send me their info and I’ll comp them one year here free.

• Surprise email gift. A digital download of appreciation!

• Surprise snail mail gift. A small token of my appreciation sent via mail. (Include your address.)

• Personalized voice message or text message sent to your phone sharing gratitude and inspiration. Remember to provide the number to text.

• Donate a subscription to a stranger. Pay it forward with a donated subscription.

PS WINNERS! If the game ended too soon because you’re just that awesome, can visit the typewriter just for fun. Whether or not you do, you are so appreciated here at Create Me Free, beyond what I know how to describe.

Thank you so much for being a monthly subscriber to Create Me Free. This support means so much! What would it take for you to upgrade right now to a paid subscription?

If you answered:

• Offered a gift: Go read the information below the polar bear. If you are interested in it, upgrade to annual and then follow the instructions.

• Offered a discount: Go to the poll beneath the peacock.

• I can’t afford to otherwise I would: Go to the poll beneath the peacock.

• I would never upgrade to annual. Go to the poll beneath the chicken.

• Other. Go to the poll beneath the owl.

CONGRATS! You said that I have comped you a subscription here. If that is incorrect, return to the butterfly and answer again. If that is correct, first of all, know that I absolutely adore you and that’s why you’ve been comped! You don’t have to do anything at all to further support Create Me Free. But if you do want to, here are some options:

If you answered:

• Buy a subscription for a friend, you can do that here and then go to the polar bear:

• Donate a subscription to a stranger, you can do that here and then go to the polar bear:

• Collaborate in some way, go to the dog

• Make a one time donation (KVercillo over on Venmo, Kathryn.vercillo on gmail is my email for PayPal and Zelle, email for address for checks or other options)

• None of the above, go to the heart hands or the typewriter

If you answered:

• An immediate discount, go to the peacock

• If you answered perks for paying, go to the polar bear and see if there’s a perk you like. If so, sign up for an annual subscription and follow the instructions. If not, try the typewriter for one last chance at the game.

• If you answered that you pay if you felt like you had to because there was content behind a paywall, then go to the yellow dragon

• If you answered other, leave me a comment on this post that begins, “I would upgrade to a paid subscription right now if …”, tell me what it would take, and then go to the white dragon

• If you answered nothing, go to the child

I can’t believe you don’t have even a free subscription to Create Me Free!

If you answered:

• I need to learn more, go to the paintbrush.

• I will do it now for free, use the button below to do so then go to the panda bear.

• I’ll do it now paid, you have two options: for an annual subscription, use the same button as above and then go to the polar bear. For a monthly subscription, go to the yellow bird.

• I’ll never be interested, well then I’m curious how you even found this poll! Let me know and then head to the heart hands.

AWESOME, because I would love to offer you a discount on an annual subscription!

If you answered:

• At least 20%, go to the blue bird

• Half off, go to the red bird

• 75% discount, go to the green bird

• I can only pay monthly, go to the yellow bird

• $10 is all I can spend right now, go to the black bird

You said that you have a monthly subscription but would never upgrade to annual … if that’s incorrect, go back to the butterfly and choose the right answer. If that’s correct, here’s your next poll:

If you answered:

• You’d pay $50 for an annual subscription after all, go to the red bird.

• You’d pay $25 for an annual subscription after all, go to the green bird.

• You will only ever pay monthly … YOU ARE STILL SUPER APPRECIATED!!!!!! Go to the yellow bird.

If you answered:

• All posts behind a paywall, go to the red dragon.

• Some posts behind a paywall, go to the yellow dragon.

• Paying added video or audio content, go to the green dragon.

• Paying meant I would be regularly mentioned/ linked to in posts, then upgrade to an annual subscription now, go to the polar bear and select option 1.

• Other - Leave me a comment on this post that begins with, “I would upgrade right now to an annual paid subscription if …” then go to the white dragon.

CONGRATS! I’m offering you my 24% off in ‘24 discount. Get it right now!

CONGRATS! Thank you for your willingness to pay 50% for an annual subscription. Get that deal right now; lasts for one year.

Ask and ye shall receive; Get 75% off a one year subscription right here.

I know that some people can only pay monthly. That’s okay. I still want to give you a discount. Get 10% off here.

I know that money is tight. Where we put our money reflects our priorities and values, and I appreciate that you value my work enough to be here at all. Would you be willing to put $10 behind that for a full one year annual subscription? That’s a 90% discount. If so, get that deal right here, right now.

THANKS! If you answered:

• You want to answer an interview, which I’ll share here on this site - You can answer a visual interview here or answer in words here. Then see text below these bullet points.

• You’ll write a guest post for me to share here on the site … It needs to be related to the relationship between art and mental health but I use those terms broadly. I’m open to most ideas. Contact me at kathryn.vercillo over on gmail and tell me your idea. Then see text below these bullet points.

• You’ll let me write for you. In other words, I do a guest post that you share with your readers. Contact me at kathryn.vercillo over on gmail and let me know what you’re thinking for topic, word length, deadline, etc. Then see text below these bullet points.

• You want to interview me. I love to do interviews that you share with others. I am happy to do them in writing, voice or video. Contact me at kathryn.vercillo over on gmail with ideas. Then see text below these bullet points.

• Other. Cool, I love creative collaborations. Contact me at kathryn.vercillo over on gmail with your idea! Then see text below these bullet points.

Regardless of what you answered, you can choose to end your adventure here or you can go check out the typewriter … just don’t choose collaboration when you’re there or you’ll get stuck in an endless loop!

I have considered putting all posts behind a paywall. However, I believe this online library of resources about the complex relationship between art and mental health is really valuable information and would like to keep as much of it free as possible.

One of the things that I really love doing is connecting the community here through Friday link digests, interviewing others, and regularly mentioning other creatives, and it doesn’t seem fair to put it all behind the paywall.

That said, I might try this route eventually if it’s the only way that people will upgrade. Consider this: If you would do it if I “made you” by paywalling it all, then it means that you value it. So, perhaps that means reconsidering your opinion?

Return to the poll below the brown bear and choose a different option (besides “other”).

I have previously put some work behind a paywall. However, I consider this online library of resources about the complex relationship between art and mental health to be really valuable and would like to keep as much of it free as possible. But if enough people answer this, then we might have to go this route.

Consider this: If you would do it if I “made you” by paywalling it all, then it means that you value it. So, perhaps that means reconsidering your opinion? Return to the poll below the brown bear and choose a different option (besides “other”).

Guess what? I hope to offer audio content in the near future, and I have something special you might like coming out later this week! I’m working out the best way to add more audio. Video is a possibility but less likely. What would you most like to listen to?

Thank you for answering! If you chose any answer from 1-4, then know that there’s a good chance that I’ll be adding some type of audio content this year, and your answers are helping to shape what that might be. If you believe in this work and want to reconsider a paid subscription, go to the peacock. If you’re not interested in reconsidering, head to the heart hands.

If you answered video, we’re probably not a great match as it’s not my forte. Here’s your next poll:

If you answered:

• Audio, return to the green dragon and choose one of the first four answers.

• Writing that free subscribers never see, go to the yellow dragon.

• I wouldn’t pay, go to the picture of the child.

I’m excited to learn what else might inspire you to choose a paid subscription and look forward to reading your comments. In gratitude, I would love to offer you three months free of a paid subscription. If you’re interested in this, email me at Kathryn.vercillo over on gmail and let me know that you’re a white dragon who wants to be comped three months! If you’re not interested, head to the heart hands.

It sounds like you need to learn more about what Create Me Free is all about and why you might want to bother with a subscription here.

In short, I am building an online library and connected community researching and writing about the complex relationship between art and mental health. While I celebrate art as therapy and the benefits of creativity, I really dig into the under-discussed shadow side of how our mental health symptoms can impact our creative process, content, productivity, medium choice, identity and business. 

(When I use the term “mental health” I sometimes mean things with a diagnosis and symptoms but more often I just mean something akin to “how the challenges of life are affecting our thoughts and experiences.” And that, in turn, affects our creativity.  And so, I believe that all of us are artists and all face mental health challenges to varying degrees.)

Now that you’ve read that, you’re invited to go join the free subscribers in answering the poll beneath the panda bear.

If you answered:

• Potential collaborator, go to the dog.

• Potential paying subscriber, go to the panda bear.

• Someone seeking a discount, go to the peacock.

• Lover of audio content, go to the green dragon.

• Just want to be yourself, go to the butterfly.

I get it, I really do. There are a lot of reasons we can’t or don’t pay for writing here. You don’t owe me an explanation. And it true is okay. I hope that I’ll get enough paid subscribers to be able to keep up this work through the end of the year. I hope in that process, you’ll continue here as a free subscriber who derives some benefit from this community. I hope only good things for all of us.

WE LOST. It sounds like there’s a good chance that for any number of reasons you probably aren’t ever going to upgrade to a paid subscription. Unfortunately, if too many people reach this part of the Choose Your Own Adventure game, then we all lose, because this work will be unable to continue. Before you go, I’d encourage you to check out the following and then take the final poll below them:

• What it means to support Create Me Free

• Create Me Free Table of Contents

• Sliding scale: pay what you can discounted subscriptions

If you answered:

• Yes, I understand how important paid subscriptions are, and I’m ready to pay now, then you’ve escaped losing the game! Congrats! And you have choices. You can upgrade immediately to a paid annual subscription and go to the polar bear to select a prize. Or you can go to the peacock to learn about discounted subscriptions.

• I will collaborate. Awesome, go to the dog.

• I will recommend Create Me Free to others. You can do this right now by adding Create Me Free to your Substack recommendations, adding links on your websites or social media, etc. You can also easily regularly share any of the articles here with others. Thanks for playing!! If you don’t want it to be over yet, visit the typewriter.

• I will help in another way. Awesome! Send me an email at Kathryn.vercillo over on gmail and let me know what you’re thinking.

• I want to stay free and do nothing. Go to the heart hands.