I've been reading about Patreon and different ways people are setting it up and offering perks but I'm also sitting here feeling either too poor for Patreon or maybe its just nerves. Either way, it kind of feels like I'd need to run a Patreon in order to set up a more substantial Patreon. Here are some of my hang ups:
The motherboard in my main computer has been broken for a few months now. I really am loathe to talk personal income, but I will say that I usually just cover life basics, so its difficult for me to cover these kinds of "emergencies" very quickly, unless I'm having a particularly lucky moment and happen to have almost what I need already. This is not the current case. The issue here is that without my main machine, I cannot offer patron-only streams as a perk or hell, do stream at all. :/ This was a HUGE reason I went and upgraded my computer last year, so yeah, this kind of sucks to have had this happen less than a year later, but it is what it is and no one could have predicted it. Anyways. Main computer is a tool I need to really get anywhere.
My printer is also borked. I have a clogged nozzle and therefore cannot print any of the usual small income bumpers that I'd normally do to help me get things like, oh, a motherboard for my computer. I've done this in the past and its worked out nice. I'm not a fan of "emergency commissions" unless someone is in deep doodoo, and have preferred to just offer Happy Packs when I need a bit of extra cash without bothering to emphasize the whole -need- part. Anyhoo, with the clogged (and admittedly elderly) printer, Happy Packs and/or prints are right out. I can't use it for getting a motherboard and can't use it for making Patreon perk merch either.
Aside from these two big things getting in the way of me starting up a Patreon, here is what I would eventually like to do with one:
So, uh. Yeah, do people to Patreon's in order to do Patreon's, cause that sure feels like its something I need to do in order to feel like I can come through on any would-be patron promises. Until then, I'm wondering if I should just set up one with 1-5 dollar options people can pick to help me along with these initial goals.
I've got a couple of stories I know I'd really like to work on. One is something more serious and rather beastly in size at this point and there's a lot of reworking I need to do on it and the other is kind of just something cute that maybe even people not into the whole furry thing might enjoy. Really, I think of story ideas quite a bit but have noticed that i have been resistant on doing too much with the other ideas out of frustration over how hard it would be to devote time to them while I'm sitting on others I can't even work on due to all the reasons I mentioned in the initial post. Its been frustrating and sometimes flat out depressing. Really hoping to catch a break! :D But, uh, I'm hazarding a guess here that its likely its the one story that needs some reworking that maybe you were talking to someone about. I've done a lot of art of characters from it over the years to keep me thinking about it.
And.. oh gosh. Yeah, I want to AVOID that indebted feeling big time, which is why I want to keep this as simple as I can, especially to start off.
Do not make any of your perks things that you have to send or create anything for!
Perks should be things related to content you're already making for free!!!
The only reason I have anything as a perk I'll send out is because I have too much shit in my house and drawings that are just laying around and I can't bring myself to throw them away. I set the price pretty high for my standards (50$) but I'll send a huge packet of stuff if anyone wants it!
THAT BEING SAID - Don't produce commissions or custom stuff for Patreon, that just turns it into kickstarter and makes more work for you. it should be a way to support someone with what they're already doing on their own 100% <3
Making one of your milestones getting a new motherboard (;____;) and a new printer sounds like a great use of the system btw! Until then just offer early purchases of originals, first views at finished pieces, WIP processes and stories/blogs <3!!!
okay last thing, look at my patreon and Egypturnash's for some ideas 8D
http://www.patreon.com/sigilgoat
http://www.patreon.com/egypturnash
http://www.patreon.com/Thornwolf
There's 3 ways of setting it up that you might be interested in!
Aaaah awesome awesome thanks so much for all the information! I most certainly did not want to risk overdoing it with the perks since a huge part of my point in considering this is so I can dedicate more of my time into the sorts of projects and art I really want to be doing. :)
I'm still trying to get used to the site and make sure I understand how to use it, but I'm sure I'll run into more questions about it. For instance, it seems like you can submit content through Patreon but I'm uncertain if this is how people are offering to show those exclusive WIPs or if I'd need to set up a place elsewhere for that. Maybe that will be more clear after I check out the ones you've listed for me to look over. :D
When you make a post under Activity, you can make it open to certain levels of patron. I set all of mine to 1$+ patrons, unless it's something specifically for a higher tier.
You can also post things for everyone to see under Creations, where the idea is THIS IS WHAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THANKS TO YOU GUYS <3
Link
Vosyl
"I also have stories to tell and the desire to write and illustrate them."
I would fund you for this alone. I could explain more later as I did talk to another artist about your work and how certain pieces were particularly inspiring.
"I have no real recent and up-to-date examples to entice."
I completely empathize with this. Making Art is a rather painstaking process.
"1-5 dollar options people can pick."
Sounds fair and doable. I also had the concern of using patreon (If I was ever an artist that could/would get funding from such a platform) that I'd fell indebted if people donated far more than a single $1. Which is currently daunting for the skill level I currently have, I think you could do. In that it sounds like you should!