Patreon is Live / Why Patreon?
First, my Patreon page is now live! You can head over to see it here: patreon.com/sethharwood
What does this mean for you? Well, first it means new audio content! More stuff for your ears in the way of stories, podcast-novels, and more awesome chit-chat about the writing life, being a dad, and publishing as a whole. And soon: MORE JACK PALMS! (cue the music)
WHY PATREON?
The big thing that was missing from podcasting when I did it in the past was a way of monetizing the audiobooks I was putting out. Basically the plan was to get big enough so a publisher (or publishers) would monetize my content by selling it as books. And thanks to your help, I did that!
But guess what: the BOOK publishing industry is in any number of degrees of flux/change/peril, depending on whom you ask. It’s not necessarily the most stable ship to put yourself into these days. Trust me, I’ve crossed a few oceans now.
Lately, I made the decision that I have to do work that I get paid for. I have a family now. We bought a house. Hence a new idea: that perhaps it was time to quit writing.
“But you’ve had so much success!” you say, or “But I want you to keep doing what you do!”
And I want those things too. Of course bills need to be paid. I have to spend time on work that pays. Then I realized: maybe it’s the BOOKS part that’s tied up in trouble, not the writing part. I thought back to all the fun we had when I was podcasting–that feeling of being connected right to you, an audience, and the rush of putting out content regularly to people who wanted it.
What I’ve come to realize this year from great authors like Mike Bennett and Stant Litore is that Patreon is a way to monetize the content that people really want: AUDIO fiction, MP3s, podcasts. Media that comes to you instead of waiting for you to seek it out, buy it, and find time to sit down with it in solitude and Quality Time, as books invariably do. Let’s face it: our lives are changing. We spend more time with our earbuds and less time curled up with a good book. It’s just a fact.
Will I give up the written word? NO! But it’s high time to make some changes around here.
Thus, Patreon and a subscription model of bringing back all the great serialized novel podcasts that you used to love!
Some of you will remember back in 2011 when I did this successful Kickstarter Project to publish JACK PALMS II: THIS IS LIFE. Remember that? It was awesome, it worked, and it did something great for us both: helped me get a book out, make some money, and gave fans an awesome way to contribute to what I was making, get involved in the process, and buys books. The downside: it took a lot of work and wasn’t sustainable. It was a one-time thing. Enter Patreon, again!
WHAT IS PATREON?
Patreon allows me to set up a SUBSCRIPTION model to give you content regularly. Thus, you’re able to become a regularly-scheduled Patron of my work. For a small amount each month, depending on what rewards you want and what you can afford, I can continue to write the fiction I want to write while you get to hear the awesome crime-fiction podcasts that you remember from our days as a Palms Family.
Remember those? Yeah, good times!
Patreon is a form of funding artists as a group. Basically it’s subscription-based, sustainable Crowd-Funding. Hooray!!!
So come on over to my Patreon page, check out the awesome graphics that homie Mike Farley did, and see what level of rewards might be exciting or enticing for you.
I’ll be back soon with a video to explain, more audio, and plenty of goodies for your ears and eyeballs. Want a new RSS? No problem. Patreon is your place for it. Go have a look. I’ll see you there.
Your boy,
Seth Harwood
