Please, I need advice on patreon

[RedHunter2296]

Hello to all

Today I want to be a little quicker than usual so I'll get right to the point.

What advice can you give me when creating a Patreon?
What are the things I should post on it?
What things can you tell me to be especially careful about?

I've been writing for quite a while now and I've seen how many readers have been quite "happy" with my story, not to say that they try to look for every possible clue everywhere as I like to leave clues about future plot arcs or future characters planned throughout my novel and the glossary. Some of them even contact me asking for characters that haven't been introduced yet, for which I am deeply grateful.

I am so grateful for my readers that I am currently planning to take my story and try to take it to a much more professional level. Editing the older chapters, grammatical fixes, a good professional cover, images of the key moments of the story and its characters, the whole package.

The problem is that all that requires a lot of time (which I don't have because my job is not writing) or hiring professional services like an editor or artists (which obviously will have to come out of my pocket) and although I love my hobby, I can't afford to spend money on something that will never come to anything anyway.

That's why I'm a bit reluctant to the idea of creating a patreon, because I don't like the feeling of begging or putting up a barrier for my readers to read my story. I want to at least use the little money that is collected to improve the story itself.

Basically, I don't want to rip anyone off or make them feel like I'm stealing their money. I just want to establish a fair relationship, they give me money, I try to improve the story (in production quality). I want them to know that's the idea behind it, not something like blocking a hundred episodes just for those who pay $50 a month.

I have already tried to put some things in the patreon, but if I would have to highlight one, it would be the posters, which I made myself and are a reward for those who are subscribed for several months.

Other than that I really have no idea what else to put so I would like to hear your ideas and advice.

If you want to take a look (to see how it is, not for publicity, really) here is the link:

RedHunter | Writing my personal project Valkyria Squadron | Patreon

 

[Syringe]

Having a Patreon myself I can offer some advice, and I had a look at your Patreon and it looks lovely!

The flavour texts are cool, but if you're trying to sell a product then you really want to list the things included. General support is pretty vague, as well as newsletters. I consider those bonuses/should be a given. Your first $5 tier isn't really telling me what I'm exactly getting if I were to buy in. At $15 you get a poster which an awesome bonus.

The only issue is that people buying in are those that WANT to support you. You need a baseline intensive other than posters (i.e, extra chapters). This is the universal one, but that's not saying people will be willing to pay extra to support you, because I have wonderful people who go the extra mile on my side.

Basically, you'll probably want extra chapters to be locked behind patreon. Could be 10, 20, 30 or in my case 40 for $5. If you do something similar it'll look less like you're trying to rip them off since you're offering a significant amount of content for the lowest tier compared to a lot of other patreons out there that charge $10-15 for a handful of chaps.

My rationale behind putting it on the lowest tier is to lower the bar of entry, but you could very well stagger your chapters i.e, $5 = 10 chaps, $15 = 25, $35 = 40-50?

TL/DR:​

Post extra chaps on the patreon. Those than really enjoy your story will find a reason to pay and support you. If they like your work alot, some will consider going to the higher tiers (from personal experience).

Good luck! Your stuff looks lovely! The posters are honestly a cool addition, and I even saw you were working on a Visual Novel for your work, which you should TOTALLY mention in the tiers!

What to be careful of!​

If there's one thing to be careful of, it's promises. This will 100% make or break your trust with patreons. If you can stick to a deadline, then that's great. But repeated failure will make it look like you're stalling to grab money.

 

[ForestDweller]

Damn 5 bucks for 40 chapters? I charge 10 for 15.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

You guys are getting paid for your chapters?

 

[Bobple]

Yeah... I have been this issue. My current schedule makes it so that its hard to find time to write, so when I do, there is always a dark voice saying your wasting your time.

As people say, extra chapters is the easiest and best way for a Patreon setup.

 

[Paul_Michaels]

You could also put a $1 tip tier that doesn't do anything but it's there for those who like that like your work.

For me I don't have my main novels behind paywall. But I do write short stories that are for those that become patrons.
But I know you say you have little time so I'm assuming you are focusing on one novel.
Anyway that's my two cents on the topic.

 

[melchi]

I think shirtaloon did an AMA about how he monetized he who fights with monsters. I don't remember all of it but....

1.) The story had 80k words written before even starting with paetron.
2.) He who fights with monsters posts often and very consistently.

Like syringe said, saying what you'll do and doing what you'll say is most important.

Disclaimer: I don't have a paetron, my work is trash so I'm not really an authority on this subject.

 

[RedHunter2296]

Having a Patreon myself I can offer some advice, and I had a look at your Patreon and it looks lovely!

The flavour texts are cool, but if you're trying to sell a product then you really want to list the things included. General support is pretty vague, as well as newsletters. I consider those bonuses/should be a given. Your first $5 tier isn't really telling me what I'm exactly getting if I were to buy in. At $15 you get a poster which an awesome bonus.

The only issue is that people buying in are those that WANT to support you. You need a baseline intensive other than posters (i.e, extra chapters). This is the universal one, but that's not saying people will be willing to pay extra to support you, because I have wonderful people who go the extra mile on my side.

Basically, you'll probably want extra chapters to be locked behind patreon. Could be 10, 20, 30 or in my case 40 for $5. If you do something similar it'll look less like you're trying to rip them off since you're offering a significant amount of content for the lowest tier compared to a lot of other patreons out there that charge $10-15 for a handful of chaps.

My rationale behind putting it on the lowest tier is to lower the bar of entry, but you could very well stagger your chapters i.e, $5 = 10 chaps, $15 = 25, $35 = 40-50?

TL/DR:​

Post extra chaps on the patreon. Those than really enjoy your story will find a reason to pay and support you. If they like your work alot, some will consider going to the higher tiers (from personal experience).

Good luck! Your stuff looks lovely! The posters are honestly a cool addition, and I even saw you were working on a Visual Novel for your work, which you should TOTALLY mention in the tiers!

What to be careful of!​

If there's one thing to be careful of, it's promises. This will 100% make or break your trust with patreons. If you can stick to a deadline, then that's great. But repeated failure will make it look like you're stalling to grab money.

Thank you very much for your advice, it is really helpful, I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

You guys are getting paid for your chapters? View attachment 17678

Not yet,

You could also put a $1 tip tier that doesn't do anything but it's there for those who like that like your work.

For me I don't have my main novels behind paywall. But I do write short stories that are for those that become patrons.
But I know you say you have little time so I'm assuming you are focusing on one novel.
Anyway that's my two cents on the topic.

Well, that may work for some, but my novel is quite long and it's a personal project that I've been working on for over 10 years of my life, so it's not something I can just throw away.

Thank you very much anyway

I think shirtaloon did an AMA about how he monetized he who fights with monsters. I don't remember all of it but....

1.) The story had 80k words written before even starting with paetron.
2.) He who fights with monsters posts often and very consistently.

Like syringe said, saying what you'll do and doing what you'll say is most important.

Disclaimer: I don't have a paetron, my work is trash so I'm not really an authority on this subject.

Well, my story currently has 206 chapters and over 500K words right now free for everyone, so I think it's okay in that part.

And I have more than three years of publishing at least one or two chapters a week, except at the end and beginning of the year, a time when I could say that I become a nomad walking around the world, Although I always explain that and my readers know it

And well, everyone always starts from the bottom, the fact that you consider that your work is not good enough is a sign that you care about learning and improving your work.

 

[K5Rakitan]

Needs more tiddies

 

[Paul_Michaels]

Thank you very much for your advice, it is really helpful, I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.



Not yet,


Well, that may work for some, but my novel is quite long and it's a personal project that I've been working on for over 10 years of my life, so it's not something I can just throw away.

Thank you very much anyway



Well, my story currently has 206 chapters and over 500K words right now free for everyone, so I think it's okay in that part.

And I have more than three years of publishing at least one or two chapters a week, except at the end and beginning of the year, a time when I could say that I become a nomad walking around the world, Although I always explain that and my readers know it

And well, everyone always starts from the bottom, the fact that you consider that your work is not good enough is a sign that you care about learning and improving your work.

You misunderstood the $1 tip. That's all it is is a $1 tip. You don't have to have anything unlocked. You don't have any chapters on early access. All this is for your fans to give you a little compensation for your work that's already out.
I personally have the $1 tip as a thing to give thanks to those who support me. That's all.
Plus I only started writing about like 3 months ago. So I don't nearly have as many chapters as you do.

 

[RedHunter2296]

Needs more tiddies

Even that is already covered.

A loyalty program where there are 4 reward posters, for subscribing to a membership for one year.

But excellent suggestion, I like it.

You misunderstood the $1 tip. That's all it is is a $1 tip. You don't have to have anything unlocked. You don't have any chapters on early access. All this is for your fans to give you a little compensation for your work that's already out.
I personally have the $1 tip as a thing to give thanks to those who support me. That's all.
Plus I only started writing about like 3 months ago. So I don't nearly have as many chapters as you do.

Oh, okay, I get it.

Something like a one-time payment for those who really want to just help.

 

[Paul_Michaels]

Even that is already covered.

A loyalty program where there are 4 reward posters, for subscribing to a membership for one year.

But excellent suggestion, I like it.



Oh, okay, I get it.

Something like a one-time payment for those who really want to just help.

Correct

 

[Kuropon]

Base Rule is creating a schedule for whatever novel you are writing and just releasing forward chapters on your Patreaon that are ahead of the free release. How many will depend on you, divide them into tiers like 10 chapters -5$ 20 - 10$ etc. I'd be sure to keep a schedule so it's obvious when the chapters drop. You can have multiple stories on one Patreon or divide them into separate tiers if you want. I don't do that, which makes some patrons complain xD

 

[UnknownSaint171]

I like how you put heavy thought into your Patreon. It looks really good