Upcoming Changes on the Horizon! (Patreon)

Hello, my wonderfully dark and delightful readers,

I want to give everyone an important heads-up in advance and hear your thoughts on this matter.

I'm considering adopting a strategy similar to another writer I follow and admire, Mecanimus. I'm a big fan of their works like 'A Journey of Black and Red' and 'The Calamitous Bob', particularly Bob. Mecanimus's approach involves releasing a single chapter per week for two different series (I’m still bummed that Black and Red has ended). So, their subscribers essentially receive two chapters weekly, each typically around 5k words, although not every chapter hits that mark. However, unlike Mecanimus, I won't be charging $5USD for each series; I'll keep everything under a single tier.

I believe this approach could really work well, especially considering how other authors handle their projects. I've toyed with the idea of releasing two chapters a week for Blake and one for Birthright, though there's a concern it might be too much for me. Alternating between the two series is another option, but I keep circling back to Mecanimus's method, which I believe is the most effective.

This shift in approach would also mean moving away from my current strategy of closely guarding my other projects while I work on them.

I tried a similar strategy before with Cyberization, but it didn't turn out as I hoped. It was a major flop, and it's a project I know I need to go back to and rework at some point. However, I feel more optimistic about success this time around by keeping all the narratives within the same shared realm. This interconnectedness, as opposed to constantly shifting my focus between different lores, should work in my favor. Each story will still stand independently and be strong as separate series. Still, I'm really excited about developing Birthright, as well as other stories that will all lead up to the next Eldritch War, in which Blake will have a significant part.

We're nearing the end of Blake's second book, and there are going to be major changes for her as she returns to the Vampire's domain in book 3. I'm considering rolling out these changes around the end of January or February. I've also been toying with the idea of releasing the first chapter of Birthright as a teaser on Christmas (SURPRISE! I really can't keep secrets). However, our paid subscriber community is small, in the teens, but you're a vital group to me, and your opinions on this matter—a lot!

The main challenges for me are ensuring I get enough downtime to avoid burnout and juggling my other passion projects. On top of that, when I'm not actively working on these dream projects, I need to allocate time for substantial edits in preparation for self-publishing. Though, it looks like Blake might need a few more edits and rewrites… Ah, the joys of being a novice writer.

I admit, by managing two different series at the same time, my goal is to bring in more readers. I'm also hopeful that keeping the prices low will help me keep them around, especially when I think about the high rates and complex tier systems some other authors use. As a disabled vet, my resources are limited – I've only got so much saved up to chase this dream. If it doesn't work out, I'm not sure what my next steps would be.

Your feedback, thoughts, and opinions are crucial as I contemplate this potential new direction. And as always, a huge THANK YOU for your unwavering support.

You can also find me on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/pVQDKXegwP

Sincerely and Forevermore, 

Hereafter