An Honest, Sincere Question For You All…
As many of you know, I have found myself in a limbo state as of late. I desire to have a steady income, but friends and family tell me that I should slow down a bit and do some things that I love and enjoy.
I know that quite a few people actually make money doing artistic things they are passionate about, especially nowadays in our entrepreneurial-minded world where people have Patreon donors, Ko-Fi pages, and monetized writing platforms like here on Medium.
The thing is, I’ve tried that. I’ve tried pushing myself to be less shy about self-promotion. I’ve posted links and thrown out many shameless plugs IRL and on every social media outlet imaginable. Unfortunately, though every supporter of mine is cherished, loved, and appreciated, I cannot say that I can keep up my mortgage on the few doubloons that have been tossed my way.
Don’t get me wrong at all.
I am so very proud and happy that any of my work is getting seen, read, enjoyed, shared, and recognized by people at all. I am elated whenever someone likes or views my posts. When people comment, follow me, or press the little heart on any little thing, it brings me so much joy. The problem is that this cannot sustain me financially. Sadly, this world runs on money, and I can end up in a tough spot if I don’t have enough of it.
All around the block and back, the question I have is;
What would you like to see from me that you’d be willing to pay for?
I’ve received conflicting opinions on whether the current climate is suitable for attempting to go all-out on entrepreneurial dreams. Some people say, “In this economy?! NO WAY!” Others say, “People are still buying things. You’re talented and have a lot to offer.”
I’ve tried marketing myself though. I have a Patreon, but I’ve only ever had one donor (until her financial situation changed and she had to drop off). I was thankful for her and did not get offended at all when she stopped monetarily supporting me. I did reevaluate my Patreon and Ko-Fi perks and sought advice from those who have more supporters, though.
A common suggestion was to offer early releases to patrons. I, in fact, was already doing that, yet, no one seemed to care that they had to ‘wait a little longer’ to see, hear, or read the content for free.
Another suggestion was to create special Patron-only content that will never be made public. I’ve done that already, too. Those pieces have never seen the light of day and, if too much time passes, I’ll probably end up posting them in the public space as well.
I just want to know… is there anything that one would be willing to pay for? Or any incentive that would encourage people to support me financially?
Perhaps my content just isn’t seen to be worth much monetary value for most folks, or maybe they simply don’t have the means to chuck out monthly membership money. I don’t blame anyone. I totally understand any kind of situation that would prevent such donorship (including the simple fact that some people just may not like my work or desire to become a patron).
The question I have is only for those who may have been waiting around for a super awesome reason to subscribe. If no one in that category exists, it’s all good! Feel free to continue about your day. But, if you do have an answer, please post so below. I would love to hear your ideas or even reasons for not subscribing. ❤
Thank you for reading this lengthy rant. God bless. I pray the best and much success in your own creative endeavors and lives as a whole.
