Hey friends! Today I wanted to take a moment to share with you all an exciting new development for me and my work. For those of you who watch all my videos, you’ve probably already noticed, but for those not already in the know – I’ve decided to give Patreon a go! Patreon is a pretty awesome website that allows content creators to go directly to those who are consuming their content for ongoing financial support. For me, Patreon means that people who enjoy my videos, maps, and other creative endeavors can now become a bigger part of making it happen more often and at a higher level. On my support me page, you’ll notice Patreon is not the only way to help out, and I’d even argue that I’d much rather have option #1 on that page (watch, comment, interact with me!) than a large monthly dollar amount. But the question remains . . .
Why? Why ask for support? And why choose Patreon?
I’ve been considering Patreon for over a year now, and what finally pushed me over the edge was my ability to actually stick to a video release schedule (new videos every Wednesday). Now that I have content people can expect on a more regular basis, I feel more comfortable asking for people to support what I’m doing without fear that I’ll just stop providing content. Patreon allows you, the viewers, friends, and subscribers to support content you believe in or otherwise find valuable by pledging a small amount each month. Until quite recently, I’ve been comfortably resting on the notion that making YouTube videos is simply a hobby, and at this time it is. However, sticking to a weekly schedule has been time consuming, challenging, and in some ways it’s starting to feel like more of a job. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy it, or that I don’t want to do it anymore unless I’m making money. That could not be farther from the truth. Making videos and maps is something I love and find very fulfilling, and it’s all got me thinking more about the possibility that making YouTube videos could become more than a hobby someday.
I’m not desperate to see this happen because I really love my day job as a teacher. However, I do think that a reasonable goal for me would be to earn enough making videos to supplement my family’s income to the extent that I don’t need to find extra work during the summer. In the past I’ve painted houses, worked construction, and there have been some summer teaching opportunities as well. While these are all fine, I’d love to get to the point of making WASD20 my summer job. Beyond that, perhaps someday it will grow to become an even bigger part of my life and employment. I’ll leave that to the thousands of viewers and potential patrons out there. 🙂
I do want to make it clear that I don’t have any intention of locking certain content behind a pay wall. All my videos will be free for all to view, and there will be no early access for patrons. That sort of thing turns me off, and as long as I have a good job, I don’t feel the pressure to squeeze money out of supporters for all kind of extra content, leaving those that don’t support to feel like second-class viewers. That said, there are some pretty nifty rewards available for patrons, so check them out! Think of them as small bonuses and ways for me to say thank you! They include cool little gifts, more updates about what I’m up to, and more ways to shape what content makes its way to WASD20.
So, if you are interested in checking out my Patreon page, please do! If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, let me know! I want to hear from you. I’ll reiterate one thing again: All of you who have watched, liked, commented, encouraged me, shared my stuff with your friends — ALL of you are supporters. YOU are the reason I do this, and whether or not you decide to become a patron, I greatly value you. I don’t take you for granted. Thanks for being awesome!