Took me almost 2 months and 8 posts to get 100 newsletter subscribers

I advise "write for yourself" as motivational reminder. If you're not interested in it; why would you expect anyone else to be?

If your motivation is pleasing others then you're likely to get trapped into doing things that do not please you.

I don't do subscriptions. after 4 months of publishing with some effort at promotion; i have maybe a dozen daily average readers. Have even had donations that outstrip those from open source begware that's been in use for 4+ years.

I hafta count that as success; even if it's nowhere near the levels of engagement and income i might fantasize about.

That's 100 people that are interested in what you have to say. Each one of them made a decision they'd like to hear more.

They could be 100 clients. 100 potential employers. 100 people that will go on and tell others.

Often sales is about "I have a product, now I need an audience" rather than "I have an audience, what do they need?" The latter's surely far more powerful.