Submitting to the Inevitable · 4:32pm Aug 9th, 2015
As mentioned in my last review blog, I have finally succumbed to my situation and opened a Patreon account. It really stinks when you work 70 hours a week and can't pay your bills. On the upside, if I can just get better at the job in general then I can make this little more than a temporary measure. If my finances get right, then I have every intention of re-purposing my Patreon account to help others. It's what I used to do, after all.
Now, everyone who follows me (or at least who have followed me for a while) knows that I churn out reviews and chapters like clockwork every single week. As such, I don't think it's necessary to do a 'by creation' account, so I've made my account a 'per month' type. The first time I funded someone on Patreon, I didn't understand how it worked and ended up accidentally giving away more than I could afford due to the 'by creation' system, so that's another reason to avoid it. At any rate, you guys know how often I create material, so why complicate the issue any further? So, my Patreon:
Support the Poor, Starving Paul Fund!
Okay, I'm not really starving, but you get the idea. Info on rewards after the jump.
Votes and Story Suggestor
Every little bit helps! Donating $1 a month will make you a story suggestor for the Patreon Story of the Month, as well as earn you one vote. Check the bottom for more info on the Story of the Month.
Accelerated Review!
Anyone donating $5 a month gets to request an accelerated review. As most of you know, you can request a review from me, which puts that review in a first-come-first-serve list. The list can be found on my schedule spreadsheet (if you can't see it, scroll to the right). Anyone can do this for free, but the wait can be long if the list is long. An accelerated review is automatically put at the very top of the list. This is also a first-come-first-serve deal, however, so if someone else requested an accelerated review before you then I'll review their story first. If I get enough accelerated reviews at once then I'll do a whole week of just those.
There are two catches. First, I will always do a regular review request on the first review set of the week, just to keep that line moving. Second, only one accelerated review is allowed at a time per supporter. Once your accelerated review has been set in the main schedule, you may request another, but if you do then two regular review requests will be placed before your new accelerated review. Again, I don't want to completely ignore review requests because of these things.
Double Votes and Short Story Pre-Reader
Donating $15 a month makes your votes for the Story of the Month count double! See below for info on the Story of the Month.
Donating $15 also earns you the option of having me as a pre-reader for one of your short stories, up to a word limit of 35,000. As a pre-reader, I will review your story for plot analysis and flow. I won't touch grammar or writing style, but I will critique your characters and story logic. Because I don't want to be swamped with more of these than I can handle, I'm limiting this reward to three patrons at any given time, and I will handle those patrons on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Short Story Editor or Long Story Pre-Reader
Donating $30 a month gives you one of two options. Either you can take the same deal as the $15 pre-reader reward, only for a multi-chapter story, or you can have me as an editor for a short story. Again, the short story is limited to 35,000 words. As an editor, I will examine grammar, word choice, written style, formatting, all that fun stuff in addition to critiquing your plot, characters, etc. Because these can take forever, I'm limiting them to only one patron at any given time and, again, handling them on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Main Story Vote, Triple Votes and Fiesta Equestria
Holy smackerdoodles. I honestly don't expect to get any of these, but just as a precaution, here it is. Offering $50 a month nets you a vote on the next main story (see Goal for details) and makes your vote on the Story of the Month count as three.
Donating $50 deserves a "Thank you!" in person. I live in Houston, and the easiest convention for me to get to is Fiesta Equestria in the summer. So, if you donate this much and can get to that convention, I will meet you there so we can hang out. I might even override my social anxiety and give you a big hug! We can discuss details for this via Skype or PM. If my money gets righted and I find I can afford it, I will consider going to other conventions like Bronycon.
Goal: $250 per Month Second Story
At the current time, I can't afford to work on more than one story. I just don't have the time. However, if I hit my goal of $250 in donations per month, that will be amended and I will start work on a second major story. Now, as some of you are aware, I am very picky about what stories I write at any given time. I have a ton of ideas and only so much time to write, which means I have to prioritize. Yet there's always someone out there wishing I'd write this or that story, and I'd like to keep those folks in consideration.
So here's how it will work. Anyone who donates $50 or more a month gets to vote on what major story I write next. I will have a GDoc made with a list of stories I'm targeting, and when the time comes I will call for votes. These stories will include both some special ones I've been holding on to and maybe a few from the Story of the Month list (see below).
Note that these votes are merely suggestions and do not guarantee the most popular concept will be chosen next. They will simply be a weight upon my decision for what to write. A major weight, but just a weight.
Patreon Story of the Month
This will get started in September, because I need time to set things up and get the kinks out of the plan.
Suggested Stories and Story Voting Phase 1
I will be keeping a special Suggestions GDoc, which will hold a number of story ideas. Anyone who donates – regardless of donation amount – may add a story concept. There will be no limit to the number of stories allowed, but only one story may be suggested by any one patron. If you want to make a suggestion, PM me the story idea and I will add it to the list with your name as the source.
In the first full week of each month (so this September that would be the 6th-12th) I will open up voting. All patrons may vote on a story, but patrons donating $15 a month have their votes counted as two and patrons donating $50 a month have their votes counted as three. The five stories with the most votes will move on to the second phase.
Story of the Month Voting
In the week after initial voting, I will open up votes for the Story of the Month. Only the top five stories of the previous voting session and the currently ongoing Main Story will be available for voting. Again, anyone who donates may vote, but $15 donors get double and $50 donors get triple. The story that earns the most votes will be the Patreon Story of the Month and will be published in the last weekend of the month. The cycle repeats at the beginning of the next month.
The Story of the Month may be a multi-chapter story. If it is, then I will only post one chapter of the story that month. If the patrons want to see the next chapter, the story will have to win the vote again. Multi-chapter stories of this nature may be offered for vote to the $50 patrons in the second story goal mentioned above.
So that's it, folks. Help me out and get the story you want written at last! Even if nobody wants to make use of the rewards, I'll appreciate every dollar offered. Once my finances get straightened out I intend to shift the funds earned through Patreon to supporting others, either through Patreon or personally.
As mentioned, I'm still trying to set everything up, work out any kinks in the rules and generally make plans, so the Story of the Month won't start until September. I'll be sure to post a blog on the subject when the time comes, along with all the necessary GDocs links. If anyone has any suggestions, questions or violent flaming to throw at me, now is the time.
Order of Shadows Book II Chapter III: Saturday, August 15 or Sunday, August 16
Stats
Total Word Count: 1,359,000 (+13,000) over 31 stories
Average Words Written Per Week: 9,800
Total Words Read This Week: 30,491
Follower Rank: 310th (+1)
Overall Ratings Average: 93.63% (+0.11%)
Highest-Rated Story (Not Counting Stories at 100%): The Gentle Nights @ 98.50% (15 Weeks)
Story with the Most Votes: Tyrant @ 2023/56 (34 Weeks)
Story with the Fewest Votes: Paul's Peculiarly Puny Practice Pieces @ 12/0 (6 Weeks)
Longest Story: Trixie vs. Equestria @ 144,000
Is there a one-time donation option for people like me who aren't nearly as generous as Rarity is?
Yay, Patreon! And yes, I totally agree, the per-creation method sucks, and has burned me several times.
...which funding level can resurrect Adi?
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3306737
Not that I know of. I suppose you could always choose to fund for a month and then when it rolls around cancel your patronage? Best I can think of. It'll be appreciated one way or another!
3306737
If you get his email address, just send a donation via paypal?
I can't do a regular month-to-month donation but I'd still like to throw some cash your way when I can. Like others have said: paypal? I'd gladly pay for your input on a story, or for a review. Though seriously, the cutoff for 'short' is 35k? My longest posted story thus far is a piddly 19k
3308370
That works for me! I'll take what I can get and be appreciative either way. And yes, 35k is the cutoff. I based that off my average reading speed, so...
Anywho, if you're truly interested in the PayPal route, I'll shoot you a PM with my address.
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But yeah, $30 and you get me working on a story for ya... assuming nobody else beat you to it, that is.
You almost make it sound naughty.
Serious question time:
How the hell do you work 70 hours a week and can't pay your bills? Are you working jobs that pay minimum wage? Are your bills really that high?
Like, how did this happen to you? It sounds like you're getting shafted.
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I'm working a job that only pays by commissions, but since I'm not a natural salesman I'm doing pretty crummy right now in that area. I have to learn the ropes, figure out how things work. Once I do that I'll be making more than enough to cover my bills, but it's a steep learning curve because, frankly, I've never done anything even remotely like this before.
Nor do I want to. I took the job because I had to take something, but believe me when I say my resume isn't sitting idle right now. If I can get back into the job I know and love, I will in a heartbeat.
3310765
Oh, you're working sales. That explains it.
What are you selling, out of curiosity?
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Life insurance. It's annoying, because my bosses are all gung-ho positive and every day I learn about a co-worker who made enough sales to net a $1500-a-week income. I'm not that positive and at my current rate I'm not even making $500 a week, which is the bare minimum I need just to cover bills. And that's just bills, it doesn't count groceries and gas (which I go through a ton of).
My old job was golden, and as such I accumulated things that I could afford through it. This job stinks. I might not think that if and when I'm making $1500 a week like a lot of people doing it, but right now I'm struggling, and it's partially because I got used to a steady, high income.
3310780
Funny thing, as part of his 'inspirational' speeches, my boss keeps asking "Do you want to go back to your old job?" As if it's a bad thing.
My answer: "I was making $1200 a week on 40 hours and guaranteed weekends off. I loved what I did, I was good at it and (resultingly) it was easy. I had zero stress and a growing savings account. Yes, I want to go back to my old job."
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What percentage of your coworkers actually make $1,500 per week, though?
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Hard to say, really. I know some do it consistently... probably around a third of them.
I'm not always quick on the uptake, but I was just reminded (by the quality of your writing, among other things) to sling a pledge your way. I hope things are getting better.
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Whether things are actually getting better is questionable, but I can honestly say that they at least feel like they are. My thanks to you, it is very much appreciated.
Also, your comment on Frequency got me to reread my favorite scenes from the story... again. Every time I do that I end up getting lost in it for a few hours, so thanks for that too.
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Ha, I hear you there! I have a terrible habit of going back and rereading my own stories and getting sucked up in them, if I let myself. But I almost always enjoy the experience, so me liking my old stuff is a good sign, right? Sounds like it's the same for you, and if so, good.
3384082
Oh, absolutely. I love my own stories and getting sucked into them for a while is always a good way to blow a few hours. It's definitely a good sign, because if the writer doesn't like what he writes, why should he expect anyone else to? The author who connects that closely with the stories and characters he creates is the author who does well, in my opinion. Frequency is pretty high on my list, up there with Lightning's Bolt and Twilight's Inferno.