Dec-Dec-December 2022 Brings Ch-Ch-Changes To You (Patreon)

I’ve been wrestling with this for the better part of two years. I’ve had a Patreon since 2014 and it has legitimately changed my life for the better. I have been able to afford various life-saving medications (including insulin) and I’ve been able to pay bills and afford the things I need to have to be a productive creative. And all of that is thanks to you – my patrons.

Now I’ve changed up the Patreon in the past. Notably, I removed the archival format because I’d have folks join up, claim all the rewards of the past, and then leave – all for $1. I couldn’t stomach it so I changed it. Then I added some more tiers a couple years later and a tier for my fiction as well. It’s stayed that way for a long time now and things have been mostly okay.

But it’s time for another change. For a while now I’ve been quietly removing open slots for the $1 and $2 tiers as patrons have left those roles. And now I’m eliminating them completely. Why? Simply put, I think I’m worth at least $5 per month for the various things I put out for roleplaying games. $5 is basically a coffee a month to most folks, but to me it’s medicine. It’s electricity. It's water. It’s FOOD. I don’t know if the thirty odd folks who are on the $1 and $2 tier will stay, but I’m prepared to roll those dice right now. I think a good chunk will stay. And I’m going to give them reasons to stay – I’m going to give ALL of you a reason to stay.

First, here are some things I am going to PROMISE to do no matter what:

1) All Patreon Specials every month will be available to everyone who is a patron since all patron pledge levels will start at $5 and go up.

2) Patreon Specials will still be a monthly thing, but I’m going to send direct messages to folks with the link to Patreon in case people forget. That will happen on the 5th of the month

3) I am going to be more active in Discord with weekly meet-ups to discover whatever is on your mind roleplaying-wise and to just “be among my people.”

4) I am going to make sure the Release-to-All specials continue.

5) I am going to write regular blogposts (2-4 a week is what I want, with 3/week being typical).

Second, here are some things I’m going to do right NOW to keep my $1 and $2 patrons with me:

1) I am going to create a “archive” of ALL 2022 posts. It will be available to the current $1 and $2 patrons via direct message and to everyone else at the $5 level. It will be available till the end of January 2023 at which point it will go away. It's here but I also messages folks with it in their inbox. It goes away on December 31st.

2) I am going to release a massive special in January or February 2023 to all patrons (who will now be $5 and up). I haven’t decided what yet, but it’s going to be a lot of new material: a drama deck for GURPS, an adventure for Dungeon Fantasy, or a complete symbol magic system. I haven’t decided yet. It will be available till the end of January/February 2023 at which point it will go away. I want to do one of these at least once every six months.

Third, here are some things I WANT to do:

1) I want to create an “archive” where some tiers can go and look at past specials, but won’t create the problem I’ve been avoiding where you go high enough you can just get all back content. I wish I could. I do. But my blog is one of the things that’s paying my bills right now and I gotta try to look out for me as well as my patrons. My first thought is some sort of private section of my blog, but I’m not sure yet.

2) I want to do some livestream contents and AMAs for patrons.

3) I want to create posts about my work that are available for patrons only. Basically, my thoughts, ideas, workarounds, and problems with given material or jobs through the week.

4) I want to create a tier/tiers where you get alpha access to what I’m working on at the moment.

5) I want some of the higher tiers to be able to actively influence my work (blog or published). You tell me what you want and if it’s possible, I do it.

6) I want to create a tier where I work with those who are on it to get into good “writing shape” and maybe submit their own work to TTRPG publishers. I’m a many times published author and I like to think I know a few things that might be useful to those who want nerd credit or to try to break into the field on their own.

So that’s it. That’s all I got I hope you all feel that I’ve done right by you over the years and I can say with complete sincerity that you’ve done right by me for sure. I’m hoping the changes attract instead of repulse and I hope all of you have wonderful holidays.

Here is the link to Discord if you wish to address me or have questions.