Why I'm Launching a Paid Version of This Needs Hot Sauce
Two years ago, an email newsletter changed my life...
This Needs Hot Sauce is a food newsletter and community by Abigail Koffler. After nearly two years of free content, a paid edition is here! Become one of the first subscribers to enjoy exclusive content and support Abigail’s work.
When I started This Needs Hot Sauce almost exactly two years ago, a lot of things were different. I was working at a job that made me miserable, I was still thinking about a recent breakup and I felt like there was no path to doing the kind of work or living the kind of life that I wanted. I hatched the idea for this newsletter in August 2017, in a cab a few days after that breakup, with some dear friends who knew I needed to get out of the house. I launched it with an Instagram story, texted the link to a few people and pressed send (here’s the first issue if you’re curious).
So much has changed in the past two years and I credit this newsletter and this community with so much of it. I started writing on Sunday nights as my own personal antidote to the Sunday scaries. When I was laid off in Spring 2018, my first instinct was to try freelance food writing instead of rushing to find another job in my former field. This newsletter helped me land my first published stories and changed my entire career.
We also hang out IRL now, with nearly 20 events under our belt. They’re a highlight of the month and have helped me reconnect with old friends and make so many new ones. We talk all week long in email replies about everything from pizza toppings to our favorite cereals.
This Needs Hot Sauce is my pride and joy and it’s also a lot of work. I’m launching a paid edition to continue to grow this platform and give you even more. Subscribers will receive additional links, behind the scenes details, quick updates from me, top five lists (like my favorite hot sauces or favorite Williamsburg restaurants), and personalized recs. The Monday newsletter will barely change and will always be free. Events will also continue to be open to all.
You can become a subscriber for just $5 a month or $50 a year. If you’re a student or struggling financially and want access, send me a note and I can set you up. Your support means so much to me after nearly two years of building this community online and offline. Subscribers will receive their first special edition tomorrow!
Launching a paid edition has been a surprisingly emotional process and I’m so grateful for all of your support in the past two years and in the future. It’s really more than I could have ever hoped for.
xo, Abigail