How does writing survive in down economy, bear market and subscription meltdown?

The writer argues that independent writing is becoming harder to sustain as advertising has shifted to Google and Facebook, book deals favor influencers, business leaders and celebrities, and subscription budgets shrink. The article is a personal reflection rather than reported news, and it does not say whether the writer's own income has changed. It cites streaming platforms raising prices by an average of 25% in the past year and says a Netflix subscription often costs twice as much as supporting a single writer on Patreon or Substack. The writer concludes that small, personal voices still have value and that patrons may still choose to support them.