In episode 2, Jeni and Melissa talk to Jessica Feinberg about events and Patreon for writers and artists.
Listen to the audio podcast here: EPISODE 3 - Events and Patreon for writers and artists
Welcome to the Indie Chicks show! We are Melissa Koberlein, an author and professor of publishing and Jeni Chappelle, a freelance novel editor.
Indie Chicks celebrates and supports independent women in publishing. We’re a place for writers at all stages of the publishing process. So, whether you’re on the traditional route to publication or self-publishing, you’ve come to the right place for advice.
On this episode:
We’re talking about events and patreon for authors and artists
End with an author tip of the week
This week we’re joined by Jessica Feinberg. Jessica is a quirky creator who is best known for mixing mundane and magic in her paintings of wildlife, trees, dragons, faeries, clockwork, and strange creatures. She writes and illustrates books including field guides to fantastical creatures, coloring books, and more. She has also created decks of playing cards, oracle decks, and games. Jessica has successfully funded well over 40 Kickstarter projects and also runs a monthly Patreon. Blending traditional media and magic with new technology, she works in watercolor, digital paint, pencil, ink, and more.
Here's the Q&A:
I know you attend a lot of festivals, including the Tucson Festival of Books. Can you talk about what draws you to those types of events?
I used to vend/guest a lot more shows and travel to them. Now I focus on a few bigger Arizona events and smaller local events here in Tucson. I started vending at shows over 20 years ago as an escape from life, but now I have a life that I love, so I just focus on events where I can see the most fans and reach the biggest range of people. I vend one big book festival, the reptile show, a comic con, and so forth.
Could you talk a little bit about what Patreon is and how an author can use it?
Patreon is a crowdfunding service where people can pledge money to support creations and creators that they like. Unlike many other services, Patreon is a monthly subscription. It is not only a way to get income between product or project releases, but also a way to connect directly with your biggest fans and get valuable feedback.
What types of incentives do you offer for Patreon? What are your tiers?
I range from digital rewards like pages you can print and color and desktop wallpaper, up to original paintings, previews of draft pages from upcoming books, and small swag rewards. All subscribers, even at the $1 level, get to request content for my books and other creations and/or vote on the details.
Do you have any other suggestions for authors? Like kickstarters and such?
For indie creators who enjoy interacting with fans as part of their creative process and need more PR I suggest that you put a day a month into researching new ways to reach people and be sure not to put all your eggs into one basket. The current economic issues hit creators hard, and those who counted on selling books at events only were hit the hardest. Having TFOB and other events canceled did hurt me, but I also have an online store, Patreon, Kickstarter, and so forth which has helped me hang in there. I started Twitch streaming in early March and I cannot recommend it enough to creators of all types! It takes time to get used to talking on camera and build a following, but it’s a great way to share what you create and reach a lot more people!
Tip of the week: A lot of conventions and other events for writers have gone online right now and so are much more accessible than they've ever been. Check out the events you've always wanted to attend or ask around for which events are the best and see if you can attend online.
Thanks for joining us. You can find Jessica at RareDragons.com. She lists all her social media there and is happy to chat with folks on Twitch or Discord or via an email. Since she's still new to twitch, she'd love it if more folks want to stop by and watch her paint or talk about writing and ask questions!
On our next podcast, we are talking with Megan Manzano about red flags in publishing. We will also have another Tip of the Week. And don’t forget where to find us! Find our podcast at indiechicks.net or follow us on Spotify or subscribe to Indie Chicks on Apple Podcasts. We also have the Indie Chicks channel on YouTube where you can subscribe. You can follow us on Twitter @Indie_Chicks or Facebook.com/TheIndieChicks.
So, remember, we’re all part of a publishing community, be kind and review your fellow authors’ books! Thanks for joining us!
Indie Chicks out.