Initially I looked at the Patreon format as a way of crowdfunding projects much in the way that we see GoFundMe or IndieGoGo accounts being used. Not that I'm opposed to the idea of reaching out for backers, that is the way most entrepreneurs go about funding their new business ventures. It just didn't feel like the right fit for me. I struggled with it, a lot.
See, the thing about being an indie author is the cost to produce a book often times takes years to recoup. I publish around three books a year and the cost of editing, cover art, layout, marketing, etc... does add up. But even knowing that I still didn't feel right constantly asking for funding each time I had a new novel in the works.
I always have novels in the works. I'm working on one now, and frankly not sure how I will pay for it's production. But that is not the reason I joined Patreon.
I know what you're thinking. "Katie, you're full of it. Why keep mentioning it, then?"
I'm getting there, don't rush me. I'm an author, you know I like to tell the whole story.
Continuing on...
Social media is the way for authors, myself included, reach out to the masses and look to interact with readers as well as introduce our work. When I started back in 2009 getting ready to launch my first novel, Immortalis (can you believe it is that old?) Facebook was the end-all-be-all of social media outlets. I had literally thousands of people able to see what I posted and those people were able to interact with those posts. It didn't take shouting into the void for me to introduce a new novel and continue to interact on a personal level with fans and followers.
That really was the best of times. There was no need to spam. One and done. "Hey, new book here," and then back to the regularly scheduled cat pictures and memes.
Fast forward a few years adding a glut of other social media platforms; the need to have dedicated newsletters, Twitter feeds, Instagram pictures, LinkedIn profiles, blogs, pages, groups, etc... Everything felt like shouting into the void. And let's not forget the the algorithm changes on those social media platforms that made having a presence a pay-to-play endeavor and being social became a business rather than fun. Even following the 80/20 rule of posting mostly personal with only a hint of bookish goodness brought me to burnout levels.
To combat that, I started a private group on Facebook, geared toward sharing all my work-in-progress updates and getting reader feedback (because I love my readers and want to make the books the best they can be for you), but sadly if I didn't pay to promote things I posted there in my private group, only a handful of people would ever see them. Out of 200+ people only 5-6 might have seen those posts. And that was on a good day. I felt like an utter failure. I didn't want to spam, but I did want people to see what I posted.
With that all in mind, I asked author friends, what to do.
The answer came as a shock. "Start a Patreon," they said.
"But won't that make people mad if I'm begging them to pay for content?" I asked.
Not really. You see, I don't have to post Pay-for-View content. It turns out a lot of what people are posting on Patreon is view-able publicly, free of charge! Using it like a social media hub, it's a way to direct readers and fans to exactly what should be easy to see! Huzzah!
So I'm introducing my brand new hub for authorly social media posts. A place where my readers can find me, read updates on the current goings, and seem my goofy videos and blogs without having to worry about algorithms hiding them in the dark.
And, for those who want to really dig deeper into the behind-the-scenes and sneak peeks, I will also have that extra access level for the patrons who want to help me shape the next novel to be published.
Have a peek for yourself!
