When Carl and I started our newsletter, we knew that we’d only be able to send one out three or four times a year once we were actually in Cambridge. We also knew there were a lot of friends and family who were hoping for more frequent and detailed updates. At the same time, I was racking my brains to come up with a more sustainable way to earn money through my writing than the occasional published short story and the small percentage of people who buy my books. That led to the creation of my Patreon page, a place where people can pledge $1/month for access to weekly journal posts while we’re in Cambridge. Higher pledges unlock further writing–stories and such–but I wanted to keep the basics accessible for everyone. (I really want to say “$1 is less than your weekly cup of coffee!” but that marketing slogan has become SO overdone I don’t quite dare.)
Patreon is a fairly recent site, created as a way for people of all walks to life to be able to support art and artistry according to their interest and ability. It builds upon the old model of patron-and-artist, where rather than commissioning a particular piece of work or simply buying a finished product, patrons make a way for the artist to work freely and serve his or her art. I have set up my site the way I have to give me both accountability–I am committed to writing the weekly blog posts as well as the fiction pieces at each level–and artistic freedom: there are no limits as to the subject or nature of my writing. I think this is going to be a marvelous way to develop my writing skills as well as practice self-discipline, and I am thrilled over the chance to form a closer relationship with my patrons.