Become a Patron of the Arts… for $1/month!

Do you know who this guy is? His name is Ludovico Sforza. He was Duke of Milan from 1494-1499, but most notably, he was a patron of Leonardo da Vinci. In fact, it was his money that enabled Leonardo to paint this:

Back in that day, artists relied upon patrons to provide them an income, freeing them to produce the works of art we have all come to love, and that enrich our lives. These days, however, art and entertainment has become so ubiquitous, few give a moment’s thought to how much time and talent goes into producing the music we listen to, the movies we watch, or the books we read. And often, those creators have to hold down other jobs so they can eat and pay bills while they create the things we love. If only there was a way for people to become patrons to artists today…

Enter PATREON.

Patreon was founded in 2013 by Jack Conte, a musician and YouTuber who wanted to provide a means for creative people to be able to create, and not have to worry about how they’re going to pay the bills while they work on their art. For a token amount every month (often as low as $1), you can help support an artist, and in return not only do you get the pleasure of knowing you have helped bring art into the world, but the creator will often offer “thank you” gifts for their patrons.

All this is leading up to an announcement:

I’m starting a Patreon for my writing. I’ll be launching the site soon, but I wanted to let you all know about it ahead of time so I can get some feedback.

Why do I feel like I need a Patreon site? After all, I have a full-time job. There are three main reasons:

1. The Encouragement. Even the most seemingly self-assured writer lives in self-doubt. Stephen King will be the first to tell you he often feels a fraud, and is in fear of being “found out.” That’s why it’s always nice when people express genuine appreciation for my work. How much more encouraging it would be if people could back up that appreciation with some kind of financial investment! For published writers, that investment usually comes in the form of book sales. I don’t have anything published yet, so Patreon is the next best thing.
2. The Extra Money. My job covers the bills, but doesn’t leave a lot of room for much else. I’d love to go to writing conferences, feel like I can afford to keep my computer working, or even just take time off work to spend writing, or relaxing with the family.
3. The Discipline. I plan to offer patrons new flash fiction every month, and samples of things I’m working on. This means I need to have something to show for my writing efforts every month. What better way to help me keep focused than to think of all the people pledging money to help me write and looking forward to their monthly reward?

I’ll have two levels of patronage: $1.00/month gets you a free flash story, and $3.00 (or more)/month will get you the flash story, plus a sample of my current Work in Progress.

What do you think? A good idea? A bad idea? Do the rewards sound enticing? Your feedback, please!

UPDATE: Please note, comments and likes are NOT understood to be a commitment to patronize. Just let me know what you think. Also, I might not limit the reward to just flash fiction. Some months it may be poetry, or a song parody. Something special just for patrons. At the $3.00+ level, I might also throw in some cat pictures…