Big Changes to Tier 1 / Request Streams (Patreon)

Alright. Let's talk! I really don't like entities and companies and artists changing policies without explanation, so I'm gonna do my best to be totally transparent, honest, and explanatory!

Tier 1 is not lucrative. It's just not. It has the most patrons, yes. It has a little less than 50% of you. But it's easily the LEAST lucrative overall. Keep in mind, the other Tiers are worth up to TWENTY times more per patron than Tier 1. In addition, times have changed. Most Patreons? Content starts at $5. Mine it starts at $1. That's not a big difference in the money in your pocket, but overall? Hundreds of people? 500 is a lot bigger than 100. I need to be financially aware of this and I am. Frankly, I'm undercharging. I hate that word because it implies I'm raising prices just to raise prices. But I really need to change things up.

It's a weekly obligation that I could do without. I'm short on time. I want to explore new projects and jfc i WANT TO HAVE TIME FOR MY OCs AGAIN! Success is good! I'm happy for it! THANKFUL FOR IT. But it's important to re-evaluate that success and how I can grow.

So here's what's going to happen. The weekly poll? It's going away. In it's place, Tier 1 will now offer access to bimonthly Request Streams. These will offer fanarts AND original characters. YOUR characters. The streams will each be at least three hours long each. I'll likely take the requests from posts here on Patreon where everyone can link their OCs ahead of time and during the stream. THIS MEANS YOU WILL NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT TO FOR YOUR OC TO GET DRAWN.

I want to keep them freeform, because one thing I've made the mistake of in the past is rigidly promising things that turn out not to be conducive to schedules, my mental well being, or my paltry creativity. BUT I have finally figured out how to offer requests. It's only a dollar which gives me flexibility, but will ultimately offer more drawings monthly than the current polls do. That's more content.

Having this extra free time weekly means I'll be freed up to make the other tiers better, and most importantly, draw my OCs, doodles, and other things free. Remember when I would take requests on twitter? Get THREE drawings done? That was nice. I don't do that anymore though, do I? It takes a day of waiting for the poll to finish, and then it must be finished to a very specific standard. And then it has to be hoarded here for a few weeks.

Little things like that are why the Tier is changing. I want and frankly NEED to get back to being able to explore my options and time. And changing this up is one simple way to give me just a little more time each week and month. So... That's what's going on. Ultimately I think this is a boon in overall content available at the Tier. Tt's different, but frankly, I can't afford to operate the same way forever. Things change! And in order to keep offering everyone better and better content, I need to change things up sometimes.

Sooo.... That's what's changing! It's changing RIGHT NOW. Next month is May, and the tiers are going to change up as soon as I post this. So... yeah. If you don't agree with these changes, I'm sorry. Really. I don't think it's a BAD change. A single dollar isn't a lot, and at that low amount, I'd take doodled quantity and doodled variety over a single colored image... The only downside I can think of is that your OC might not be chosen. That being said, the odds before this change were zero sooooo... Yeah. Plus everyone has been clamoring for request streams, and this is the only Tier cheap enough I feel comfortable offering something so freeform.

But I know I can't make EVERYONE 100% satisfied when changing things up. So I hope you guys stick around!

TLDR: Weekly $1 Tier Poll is gone. Now it's Bimonthly Request streams for your OCs. All other Tiers unaffected.

Thanks for your support everyone! You guys are the absolute best.