Patreon Restructure: What You Need to Know (Patreon)

This post is now a bit outdated. For further changes, see this post. 

Hey guys! The Great Patreon Restructuring of 2019 is upon us! Am I jumping the gun ever so slightly in posting this 3.5 hours before it's technically Monday? MAYBE BUT WHO CARES! There are a lot of changes happening around here, but I think you'll be very excited about them. I know I am! 

I discovered last month that Nicole "Thornwolf" Dornsife offers a service to help you optimize and streamline your Patreon, and I jumped on that immediately. I've been dissatisfied with my Patreon in terms of my ability to fulfill what I've offered, but I didn't want to cut back because I feel you guys deserve all the rewards I can possibly manage. 

Thankfully, Thornwolf did a magnificent job of helping me devise a Patreon with more rewards for less effort. Somehow, she's made it so that I can stress less and give you guys more. She's just that magic!

Without further ado, allow me to introduce: The New Tamberlane Patreon!

"As Available" Rewards

You will notice that a number of previous rewards have been moved to "as available." This means I don't try to produce them every single month, but instead, whenever they happen naturally in my work cadence. This isn’t actually a change, because these are things I haven't been able to consistently deliver on a monthly cadence anyway. The following rewards are now "as available":

• Character Q&A Comics ($3+)
• Time-Lapse Videos ($5+)
• Cast Page additions ($5+ vote on choice)
• NEW! Tutorials ($15+)
• NEW! PDFs of Comic Chapters ($15+)
• Movie Nights ($25+)
• NEW! Merch Packages ($50+)

Reward Changes

Tier Categorization: Know What You Get By Pledging

To make it a bit easier to understand exactly what you’ll be getting by pledging to a specific tier, we’ve organized all of the rewards into the following categories:

• Community: Interactivity with the artist and community
• Inside Look: Previews, behind-the-scenes, anything exclusive to Patreon
• Download: Digital files you get to...well, download!
• Swag Society: Merch and other physical goods
• Art Collector: Covers all manner of art such as commissions and cameos!

Each tier has been assigned a rating for each category, depending on the level of access it grants. So for example, the $1 tier has Community ★★ and Inside Look ★, while the $25 tier has Community ★★★★, Inside Look ★★★★, Downloads ★★★, and Swag Society ★★.

That way, you can decide what you want to pledge based on what's most important to you!

$1 Tier Changes

Not a lot is changing here. The "thank you" in printed books has been moved to the $3 tier. However, I'm also finally quantifying something I've been doing forever: shouting out to new patrons on Twitter when they pledge! 

I'm also starting monthly Patreon newsletters, which will include your name in the New Patron Shoutouts at the bottom. (You saw this in the February newsletter!)

$3 Tier Changes

Hey, you lovely people in the third row! You get SPECIAL REWARDS now!

• Get your name printed in books as a supporter
• Preview thumbnails and pencils for comic pages
• Participate in character Q&A 
• Receive exclusive access to character Q&A comics (as available)

Amazing! You can see all the pre-process involved in making a page, AND you guys get to see the character Q&A's. Those Q&A's aren't published anywhere else, you know! Maybe at some point they'll have their own little book, but if you want to read these puppies for free, this Patreon is the only way to see them!

You can read previous Q&A comics here!

$5 Tier Changes

The Monthly Cast Page Addition (and the poll thereof) has been moved to "as available."

The $5 Tier has three new rewards:

• NEW! Exclusive access to polls
• NEW! Share your reader review to be added to the Tamberlane comic website
• NEW! Receive a PDF download of Chapter 1 with bonus content (concept art, commentary, etc.)

Did you ever want your name up in lights? Well, screens are made up of light, so now's your chance! Get your name and website url up on the new front page of Tamberlane when you tell people how much you like the comic in your review!

In addition, no longer do you have to purchase the Chapter 1 PDF from a store. Instead you get a download through Patreon for FREE!

$10 Tier Changes

New Name: Kitty Cat Cadets

Changes: the WIP Blog location has moved around a few times while I figure out what works the best for me. I've settled on just having it on Patreon, and will be uploading past posts here as I'm able. You can read the WIP Blog here.

Want some new stuff? You get some new stuff! Here's what's been added to the $10 tier:

• NEW! Receive a Tamberlane welcome postcard in the mail when you join this tier
• NEW! Receive a PDF download of my sketchbook (includes both Tamberlane and original art)

I've put together a huge sketchbook PDF full of all kinds of work for you to enjoy. This honking thing is $10 retail price, so congratulations on your FREE PILE OF ART!

Moreover, every $10+ patron gets a welcome postcard with exclusive art, zapped right into their mailbox as a big ol' thank you for joining the Tamberfamily.

$25 Tier Changes

The Monthly Movie Night has been moved to "as available" status.

Otherwise, the $25 tier got a HUGE boost. Are y'all ready for this? Peep these new rewards!

• NEW! Submit a 300px x 100px banner to go into rotation on Tamberlane twitch livestreams, as long as you're pledging
• NEW! View art and comic-making tutorials (as available)
• NEW! Download layered comic art files (provided in .clip format)
• NEW! View high-resolution, no dialogue art files 
• NEW! Access PDF downloads of each comic chapter (as available) 
• NEW! Receive a welcome merch package of your choice when you join this tier
• NEW! Receive monthly coupon code for 10% off any order in the Tamberlane online store

At this tier, you’ll now have the option to have your banner on the twitch livestreams, which typically occur 2-5 times a week while I work on pages! As long as it's SFW, you can put anything: your webcomic, your fursona, a fart joke, or whatever! I will veto anything I think is inappropriate, but otherwise, this little scrap of space is for you, space cowboy.

$25+ sponsors have access to every tutorial I've ever made. So far, that's, like, three tutorials,  but I have plans to make more, and you'll be the first to get em! Past tutorials will be added to the Itch.io during the month of April and linked here for you guys!

Get the layered art files AND high-res art-only files for every comic page starting from today forward! Remember when I did this before and I stopped, saying it was a big hassle? Well, that was because delivering the files was a pain in the butt. But with Patreon's new Itch.io integration, it's WAY easier, so it's back! Tally-ho, artists and memers!

You’ll also get PDFs of EVERY comic chapter I have available, which includes any side comics and other small projects.

When you join, you get to pick five items from a pile of merch to be sent to you for free!

And every month you will receive a new coupon for 10% off any order in the brand new Tamberlane shop. Whew! That's a lotta stuff! 

The merch package form is in progress at the moment, stalled only by needing to get photos of said merch!

$50 Tier Changes

First, the commissions work exactly the same as they have been, but they've been reworded as a "voucher" to make the whole thing easier to explain. A voucher is something you have to turn in to receive a reward; it is something you can hold onto ("bank") in order to get better rewards, and it is better communicated as something you get for free instead of something you have to pay for (e.g. a commission). Hence, “vouchers”!

The $50 tier got a bit of a change in the cameo, and a big ol' boost in the merch department.

• NEW! Receive any newly-released merch (shipped quarterly, as available)
• NEW! Choose between a non-speaking incidental character cameo in the comic (recurring as long as you pledge!) or a one-time flat color Tamberverse commission and less comic presence

You will never have to purchase merch from me again. That's how much I love you. (Well, okay, you might have to purchase some if you want to get extras for gifts.) Every quarter, any new merch I've made in the last three months gets dropped right at your door. Amazing! And not just Tamberlane merch, either -- ANY merch. EVERY merch! All of the merch, all dropped on your head. 

And if, perversely, you don't want any of the merch, you can opt out too, I GUESS.

The cameos for $50 tier have been altered a bit, making them a non-speaking role. If you're already pledging at $50, don't worry: your pledges up til now are considered speaking roles! And if you don't want to wait for your cameo to show up, you can opt instead for a flat color picture of your character in their Tamberverse form and your cameo will be a recurring background cameo instead!

$100 Tier Changes

Okay. Here's the changes for $100 folks:

I am unfortunately no longer taking character design commissions. It was something I tried, and it just wasn't sustainable. Folks to whom I owe designs, never fear, they will still be completed!

I can't believe Henry's dead.

The Henry tier will no longer exist. Folks on the Henry tier, for as long as you keep pledging at the $100 Possum President tier, you are still considered to be pivotal characters in the story, with prominent, story-guiding roles within at least one chapter. Henry lives on in spirit in all of you! And ONLY all of you so long as you’re pledging at this tier, because that chance is unlikely to be offered again. 

But here are some new options that have been added to this tier:

• NEW! Choose between a speaking story-important character cameo in the comic (recurring as long as you pledge, guaranteed 2 pages as story progresses) or a one-time flat color Tamberverse character commission and a recurring background cameo
• NEW! Receive a hand-drawn sketch and thank you note in the mail as thanks for your support

For everyone else, the cameos have beefed up! You now get a guaranteed two pages of an up-front, story-important speaking role. You will make an impact on the story at that moment, be named in the dialogue, and you'll be able to point at some pages and say, hey! That's me!

And more than that, for every year you pledge at this level, you get 2 more pages of talk time. Amazing!

Of course, you too can opt for a Tamberverse commission and drop to a background role as well. Sometimes you just want to see your character being cool, you know?

And finally, I will offer a quick sketch and thank you note, hand-written and delivered to you during the next quarterly merch shipment.

Introducing: New Lifetime Rewards!

The longer you pledge to this Patreon, I will send you special Patreon-exclusive merch in the mail on the anniversary month of your pledge as a token of my thanks for your continued support. 

• 1 Year: Exclusive Tamberfam keychain & Bonus Mini-Comic PDF ("Mother's Day")
• 2 Year: Exclusive Belfry Dangling keychain & Bonus Mini-Comic PDF ("Kitten Around")
• 3 Year: Exclusive Belfry/Tamberlane Snuggle Keychain & Printed "Tamberlane Extras" book (including character Q&A's and any extra, exclusive comics) 
• 4 Year: Exclusive Critical Success/Failure Belfry Keychain & Dice bag
• In addition, all current patrons who have pledged 1 year or longer will have their names on Tamberlane's front page!
• For every year you support Tamberlane at the $100 tier, you get +2 pages of on-screen important speaking time.

Designs and images of these rewards are forthcoming, but some of the preliminary ones were in that keychain poll the $5+ folks participated in recently! Moreover, the bonus comics will be completed by September and released then.

Disclaimer:

Please note that due to limitations in how Patreon handles pledge records, your lifetime pledge must be consecutive. Hopefully this will change in the future, but for now, this is how I can ensure sustainability.

You must be a current patron at the time of fulfillment to receive your reward.

Are you batting 1,000? Introducing the Treehollow Society!

Once your lifetime pledge amount has reached $1,000, you’ll be inducted into the Treehollow Society! Being a part of the society unlocks a host of other patron-exclusive perks!

• Bronze Level ♣ - $1,000: Enamel pin (Club 1,000), sticker, embroidered patch, 25% discount coupon, beta reader access, and membership card
• Silver Level ♥ - $2,000: Treehollow Society bag and any Tamberlane merch you want (limit 1 per item)
• Gold Level ★ - $3,000: Journal, Sketchbook, Pen & Pencil set
• Platinum Level ♛ - $4,000: Keychain commission of your OC and traditional media sketch page

Your name will also be on the front page of Tamberlane, along with a status symbol denoting your incredibly generous achievement!

Designs on these are forthcoming!

Patreon Front Page Updates and Patron Resources

There are new resource posts that I'm sure you've seen already: the Patreon Resources page, the FAQ, and the Trello Master List. I've decided to open up the Cameo Trello I keep so that you guys can submit directly into it. That'll make things so much easier!

Whew! That's a LOT of changes! 

Thanks for reading this giant wall of text! There's still a little more information to go. Hang in there, buddy!

Upcoming Reward Fulfillment

As you may have noticed, a lot of these tiers have a physical merch reward! I'm going to be slowly working on getting these made and delivered over the course of 2019 so that 2020 can start with us all caught up. My goal is to have these all made and sent by September.

Disclaimer: Please note, in order to qualify for a reward, you must be an active patron and meet the prerequisites at the time of fulfillment. In addition, keeping this schedule will depend on having the money to purchase things available in our budget, as well as maintaining my own bodily health. My health always comes first, so there may be unexpected delays.

What About That Henry & Nora comic?

Don’t worry, this is in the works; my husband and I are just still working on the script. It has taken a bit of a back seat at the moment with all the other things going on, but it's going to be so good when it's out! We're very proud of the story we've outlined.

All Henry and Nora pages will be released to $3+ folks as they're made, and the PDF will be available when it's done to all $25+ folks (and available for purchase for everyone else).

Thanks for your patience!

But Wait! There's More!

How could there possibly be more?! Well, all new and upgrading subscribers who pledge $10 or more between now and April 5th will receive TWO FREE STICKERS IN THE MAIL!

One of them is this adorable 3" vinyl die-cut sticker could be YOURS if you pledge or upgrade to at least the $10 tier before the end of April 5th! The stickers will be delivered by the end of April! The other one has a design forthcoming but should be done before April has begun!

One Last Thing

As always, the structure of this Patreon is an ongoing experiment, and this is a big change. Whether it's a success or a flop, we will have learned something new! From my perspective, it's likely to be a huge load off my shoulders.

Many of these new additions -- merch fulfillment, administrative rewards -- are things I can do in the evenings from my couch, instead of my work computer upstairs. They can also be delegated and spread around to helpful friends, husbands, and assistants! That takes a lot of pressure off of me, and I'm really looking forward to it. 

The goal of this whole restructure is being able to deliver an abundance of top quality rewards to you while also acknowledging my own limitations. Plus, I've been really wanting to get into the merch game and this will help me get my feet wet and practice my delivery schedules.

Please sit tight while we shift gears to this new setup. Assistant Panda and I have new routines and systems to create and get used to, and a lot of rewards to fund and deliver. It may be a little bumpy, but I'm excited to try it out! Thanks for your patience!

And Finally...

No matter what happens, this change couldn't have been made possible without Nicole/Thornwolf. She is a MASTER at this. 

If you have a Patreon, I highly recommend you talk to her about her consulting service. It is really rather cheap, and the experience has been invaluable. You can contact her via email here, pledge to her Patreon, and follow her on Twitter. Thanks, Nicole!

YOUR Next Steps

The next step for you guys is to do the following:

• Henry tier patrons: Please edit your pledge to the Possum President tier to maintain your status.
• All other patrons, if you see a new tier you like, switch up!
• Make sure you've filled out the Welcome Form
• If you have a cameo, make sure you submit it to the Trello 
• Read the FAQ and the Patreon Resources page
• Browse the Q&A Trello, add your questions, and vote on your favorites
• If you want to opt out of any rewards, let me know

Sit tight and party on! As always, I am incredibly humbled and grateful by your support. Thank you for making Tamberlane possible.