Book signings and money: Why I Patreon

Patreon is a game changer in the creative world. Ok, not really, but it is pretty darned important.

My mother related a story. Many years ago, before Amazon, she was at Barnes & Noble, and noticed a book signing. The problem was there wasn’t any signing taking place.

The author sat at the table. She noticed a couple people stopped and looked, but that was about it. Mom said she went over, spoke with the author at length, purchased his book, and asked him to sign it.

Why?

She saw that author alone at his book signing and imagined her very favorite son (me), sitting there in the same situation. Awfully nice. And even better, she enjoyed the book and over time purchased several of his novels.

What’s this got to do with Patreon?

Patreon is a platform that allows people to support creators through a subscription-style service. Often the creators offer perks for different levels of Patreon.

Patreon

I remember mom’s support of that author, and as it turns out quite a few other authors as well. If she saw a lagging book signing, she sprung into action.

I can’t always buy a book at a signing, so today, Patreon is my way of supporting creators whose work I enjoy.

You see, I’m a school teacher by day. Most of my writing consists of short stories. In other words I essentially live broke all the time, so I can’t necessarily buy all the books of all the authors I enjoy. I mean, buying books is why God gave us the library, right?

But I want to support them, their efforts, and their creativity. I think it is important.

So I do the Patreon thing. And hey, it isn’t much. My contribution is always $1 per month, charged to my debit card, and I generally have about five or six Patreons going at any one time.

Just before I wrote this, I added one, offering my paltry $1 support to This is Horror, a great podcast I listen to. They don’t charge to listen, the hosts are excellent, they have great guests, and it provides me enjoyment, so why not offer some level of support, right?

Do they make much money?

Not really. But that’s not what it is about.

Far too often, the real world clashes with the creative world.

First, a creative killer, at least for me, is worrying about money. It can consume you. So, if my paltry little buck can contribute to helping pay an author’s electric bill, or helps This is Horror purchase a needed piece of equipment, that’s excellent. That’s helpful.

But there’s more.

For the authors, podcasts, and magazines I support, I hope that my buck is a gentle reminder that they are not alone. There are people who value what they do. And hopefully, it is encouragement for them to continue writing.

About EC Morgan 37 Articles
I am a teacher, writer, publisher, and media professional. A stamp collector, judo fighter, and wish I spent more time fencing. Hopefully I'm a good father and a good friend, and I do my best to serve Christ.

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