VODKA O’CLOCK 1501 WITH ARTIST THOMAS BOATWRIGHT
PATREON – KICKSTARTER – HOW TO CHOOSE
AMBER LOVE 07-JAN-2015 Today’s episode kicks off the new year by talking about internet platforms that you can utilize to be a patron of the arts or a maker of them. THOMAS BOATWRIGHT has found success with PATREON. He discussed the various options of making one-time payment or monthly charges that benefit the creator. After talking with Thomas for an hour about Patreon, I’m strongly considering working out a business plan and setting one up.
Let me know your opinion on how you feel Vodka O’Clock and AmberUnmasked.com would do on Patreon.
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WHAT PLATFORM DO YOU CHOOSE?
Thomas describes Patreon as being a virtual tip jar. You can show your support of someone with contributions as low as $1.00. Each artist has their own minimum or tiers. You’ll hear the backstory of how Thomas ended up making this leap into the technology of crowdfunding. Medical problems ended up affecting his ability to make the freelance comics he used to, so he had to come up with a way to make a living while diversifying his creative outlet.
We dove into the comparisons of what type of situations work best for Kickstarter, Patreon, and IndieGoGo. Thomas recommended Kickstarter if you’re looking to fund one specific project. IndieGoGo would be good for the flexibility where you can keep whatever is donated without worrying so much about meeting goal or fulfilling rewards (emergencies like medical expenses or “wish lists†like new equipment need). Then there’s Patreon where people can choose to automatically show support. Patreon has the option where contributors can change their monthly contribution too.
All platforms allow for milestone goals where achievements are unlocked. Thomas also had the opportunity to be featured on the front page of Patreon. For that time, he choose to adjust the donation tiers. Patreon also gives creators a way to email their patrons to alert them when there has been a update.
Bear with me as I gush about my love for #SelfieABC. I love that show and I’m sad to see it go. Maybe…MAYBE… Netflix will pick it up.
Antwitcippointment – (noun) – The disappointment you feel when you see you have a notification but it’s only spam.
NEWS:
Kickstarter is no longer processing through Amazon. They are partnered with something new called Stripe. It seems the publishing world is happy about this but I see it as one more place that I would need to give my financial data. And the bohemoths, Amazon and Kickstarter, have both been hacked.
LESSONS LEARNED:
- Thomas made some early mistakes when he launched his Patreon. He had a milestone goal where 13 people were to be rewarded with large piece original art in addition to the small sketches he does. It ended up happening right before the holidays. He had already received that money and then had to come through with all those pieces of art.
- He also said that the communication/email within the Patreon app needs improvement.
* Don’t forget about Thomas’ special Friday the 13th Commission Sales which he does outside of the Patreon community.
LINKS & PROJECTS TO CHECK:
- Thomas Boatwright on Twitter
- Thomas Boatwright on Pinterest
- Thomas Boatwright on Patreon
- Red Stylo Media on Patreon
- Erika Moen on Patreon
I guess I never mentioned it before, but I’m on Pinterest too. I prefer it over Instagram and Tumblr, but each thing has their own “thing†they do better than the others. Unfortunately, I can’t get one name on all the networks so it might be hard to find me. I’m also brand new to tsu, ello, and wattpad. I think wattpad might really open up some doors for posting writing in ways that WordPress and a url haven’t done. We’ll see. I’m still editing the novel and looking for work. If you want an ello or tsu invitation, let me know. I think on tsu, you can sign up as long as you know my username: “elizabethamber”. As always, Twitter is the best place for now to find me. And if you think Patreon sounds like a good idea for Vodka O’Clock and AmberUnmasked.com, I’d love to hear your feedback for or against it.
(Unofficial drinking game: Everytime Thomas says, “ya know†or I say, “like,†you get to take a drink. You’ll be blitzed in fifteen minutes.)