It has been six months since I launched my Patreon page and it has been one of the best things I've ever done and I once spent a whole summer eating lasagne sandwiches for lunch.
I most definitely underestimated just how much the experience would change me not only as a creator but as a person. If you don't mind, I'd like to sit down and reflect upon that for a little while before introducing some new rewards and shouting out my existing patrons.
4 Reasons Why I've Loved Patreon (so far)
1. It has encouraged me to be more creative.
I'm utilizing my skills and passions on a daily basis and, as such, I'm building upon them day-by-day. I'm writing more than I have done in a long time and I'm permanently inspired to create even bigger and better things because I have such a tight-knit group of people to share my work with.
My brain is always thinking of new things to share and new exercises to try. It's incredibly rewarding to then see other members of the community experimenting with said exercises and feeling confident enough to share their takes with everyone else too.
2. It has boosted my mental health and productivity levels.
There's something so life-affirming in being able to use your skills on a daily basis and I definitely feel a lot more pepped up about my passions as a result.
A lot of my existing patrons joined the community because they were looking to put the creative wheels in motion in a judgement-free environment and I'm incredibly proud that we've managed to nurture and uphold that welcoming and encouraging vibe for the last six months.
3. It has given me the opportunity to build a community of like-minded and supportive individuals.
In the early days, blogging was all about sharing your experiences as honestly and openly as possible and I feel like that's something that this new community promotes and encapsulates for me.
It has been so nice to engage with people that I otherwise wouldn't have. I love checking in with discussions to find people making interesting points that would've never crossed my mind, whether we're chatting about our current book club read or giving one another advice about something. I also love that we all have a space that is all about encouragement and being chill.
4. It means I can better support my chronically ill self.
As someone with a chronic illness, I love that my Patreon community (along with my copywriting and blogging business) allows me to better support myself.
I often feel like I have more to prove because of my illness, and the way society views disability, and I feel like sharing my work in this way with others has been hugely beneficial so far. At the same time, I feel like it's also a space that benefits every single person that immerses themselves in it. Win win!
Public Posts (so far)
Patreon posts, for the most part, are private and only shared with the applicable tiers. I have, however, made a couple of them public over the past few months.
Here are the links to said public posts so you can get a teeny window into some of the things we have discussed.
A brand new $2 tier and a new reward?!
As you may know, I'm now offering a Beehive tier which, for just $2/£1.54 a month, gets you access to my private Instagram account, the bi-monthly favourites post and the weekly Feel Good Friday promo thread where you can share your links/creations/good news. Ideal for people that want a slice of the action but perhaps don't want access to a whole host of exclusive content.
I've also introduced a lo-fi monthly 'podcast'/discussion of sorts for both Bumblebees ($7/£4.93) and Queen Bees ($9/£6.33) where I'll discuss all manner of things once a month. I'm currently working on the contents and format of it but I imagine it'll end up feeling like a chat with a pal! God knows I love to chat.
You can, of course, find more information about each tier and what they involve over on my Patreon page.
Check out my existing patrons!
I'm extremely grateful for every single one of my patrons for not only the support that they've shown me but for all the times where they've shared their thoughts, their work and their support with one another too.
There's something so special in getting to know people who believe in me and my abilities 100% and I definitely don't take that for granted. I'm always thinking of new ways to give back to everyone in the community and I don't think that enthusiasm will die down anytime soon!
Please go and check out each and every one of my patrons. They're all gems...one of them literally is.
Lauren, Lauren A, Michelle, Gem, Ella, Lyzi, Sian, Amy, Fern, Caitlin, G and Kait.
Join us!
We're always looking out for new people to join our There's a range of tiers for you to try out offering various levels of exclusive content and other cool stuff (£1.54 a month, £3.50 a month, £4.93 a month and £6.33 a month) so there's something for most people to sink their teeth into.
There's also a nice selection of testimonials on my Patreon page just in case you aren't sure what you're letting yourself in for. We're just under 20% away from a whole week of exclusive content for all patrons so that's something to look forward to and work towards!
____
If you can't or don't want to join the community, I'll still be posting here as I have done for the past 8 years. Don't you worry!
I'll be back at the start of next week, in fact, for a special Books Are My Bag related haul. Keep your eyes peeled for that!
