If you're an aspiring singer-songwriter, playing for free at the county fair isn't such a terrible gig. You get to practice your craft in front of thousands of people. The problem, of course, is that these people aren't paying much attention to you.

They're deep-throating corndogs, chugging Mountain Dew slushies and waiting in line for their ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl, Scrambler or Zipper. An aspiring singer-songwriter plays the country fair for free for the chance to turn a handful of the thousand or so people in attendance into raving fans.

The hope for the aspiring singer-songwriter is that after several dozen free appearances at several dozen county fairs, they will eventually have a handful of fans that love their work so much, they'll be willing to pay to see them perform in a more intimate setting. The aspiring singer-songwriter plays for the masses with the expectation they will lose 99% of them to find their truest fans.

Because of this, losing readers, followers, listeners and subscribers should be celebrated. You're getting closer to the truest essence of your fanbase.