The “folks don’t read long-form writing anymore” takes ignore the biggest change: paywalls. Podcasts, Tik Toks, and memes are free. Long-form, thoughtful writing is often prohibitively expensive. Articles need to be as accessible as possible if you want folks to appreciate the written word. I keep my newsletter free for all. Those who can pay, do. Those who can’t afford to pay can also read everything. No one is priced out.