blackkeyincubus
patreon
Patron Pledge Issue
🕑 Added 2019-09-16 16:58:52 +0000 UTCHey everyone,
It has come to my attention that some Patrons have been editing their pledges up to $5 so they can read the current pages, then readjusting back down to $1 so they don't have to pay extra.
I want to reemphasize that I write and produce 100% of this story out of my own pocket so readers like you can enjoy the story, but I can't keep doing it in a financially sustainable way completely on my own dime. That's why the Patreon tiers are set up the way they are now.
I want you all to feel empowered to support the story in any way you can, whether it's through Patreon or on social media, but adjusting your pledge back down to $1 shows me you're not really here (on Patreon) to support.
Though it's strict, I will be removing Patrons that show a habit of doing this. It hurts my self esteem as a writer and makes me feel like the work I'm doing isn't good enough. I don't need that negativity in my work.
To clarify, I won't be removing anyone that just adjusted their pledge cuz they had a life change or some personal thing happen that they needed to work through. Basically, anyone who let me know they were changing their pledge in advance will also be exempt from this. The pledges I'm concerned with are the people that literally change their pledge to the $5 tier just so they can read ahead, then immediately change it back when they're done reading.
Should you decide to delete your pledge from this message, I completely understand. But I want to make sure I'm charging fans that are committed to seeing this story grow, not people that just want to cheat the Patreon system so they can read ahead without contributing.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
-J
PS. I used an email I sent to another Patron as a template for this post. It had some good points that I wanted to reiterate.
Comments
Jamie Schleisman
I think I'm going to switch over to this option today so I can try to resolve the issue. I'll keep you guys posted on the Discord though
I’d have them pay upfront and drop the 1 dollar a month option. Anyone can claim to be on a budget as much as they want, I don’t believe 4 dollars is a stretch that will break anyone, but multiplying your first tiers should be significant for you. Especially now that it’s being abused.
Jamie Schleisman
While it can be irksome, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's disgusting. But thank you, I appreciate your words and your compassion. <3 I feel like my voice is heard and I am grateful for that.
Tokamori Higani
It is absolutely disgusting for people to do this. People don't understand the difficulty of keeping yourself inspired with your art, the difficulty to continue, the anxiety of showing your work to others let alone publishing it. While I can't completely understand how you feel, I feel like I have a good idea.
