250 patrons celebration, quitting my student job, and what next

Trigger warning: Cancer

Longer Post warning:

When I started this patreon around a year ago I never expected that so many people would like my stories. I've been writing since I was 16, my first story still on fanfiction being "Empathic capacity of a teaspoon," and I think I've improved a lot since then. This patreon and the interaction with you guys is definitely the most validating thing that ever happened to me! Not just because you're all amazing, but also because I had a horrible childhood.

Regardless, while the rest of my life has been steadily going downhill: I got sick with acute bronchitis for a month during this semester (not that any of you noticed cuz I keep a writing reserve for exactly this situation), causing me to have to study an inhuman amount at the moment to have any chances of finishing it successfully. Additionally I will break off my almost 4 year-old relationship in two months approximately and I found out that my mom had breast cancer (she didn't tell me, is better now), this patreon has definitely been a bright spot in my life everytime I think about it, which is several times a day.

Now, I don't know if any of you remember, but I mentioned a few months back that I still have a student job, and that I would finally earn enough to quit it when I reached 250 patrons.

This is now the case and as I am a man of my word I have officially handed in my resignation pending three months. Yay! Let's hope you don't all now collectively ditch me leaving me without any source of income. Well, I'm not that afraid because with my experience I can get a new job fairly easily, but still, please don't.

You might be wondering of course why I need 250 patrons to quit my student job when my most popular tier is 16€. In case you don't know, I live in Zürich Switzerland which is I think once again the most expensive city in the world. Came here for my soon to be ex, don't regret anything, I've lived an interesting life, whatever.

Anyway, you might have noticed that I've privated my previously public earnings, which has mostly been because real life people now know about my patreon and I don't want to tell everyone I meet how much I earn per month. That's a bit private.

You of course, considering you're bankrolling me, are free to that information. The general rule I've noticed is that after patreon fees, I earn 1000 € per 125 patrons, so currently I'm regularly earning 2000€ a month. I earned a bit more at my student job. (minimum wage in Switzerland is around 4000€) (monthly living costs for students are 2500€ and adults are 4000€) (students get cheaper healthcare and accommodation, explaining the difference.)

Now considering that I was able to quit my student job because of patreon, I did promise that I would expand my creative activities upon reaching this milestone. Or at least offer some sort of reward. I've decided already a while ago that this will be done via poll, since I quite frankly think they are a great way of staying in touch with what the current trends are. That's why I like to let you guys choose interlude POV's and first chapter ideas for new stories.

In a break from tradition however, what is not going to be an option for the poll is me starting a new story. Quite frankly, I am currently writing about 9000 words a week for three continuously updating stories. I know my body and psyche and while this amount of work eats up around 15 hours a week, I cannot do any more of the same. Keeping up with three stories that update several times a month is my limit and I'm not ashamed to admit that. Maybe that will change in the future, after all two years ago I would have said that 1 story is the limit.

What are the other options then? (feel free to pitch in in the comments by the way)

1: One of the things I have been thinking on doing for a while is of making a discord server to offer you a more organic way to discuss new chapters and other things, there is actually only one creator that I am a sub off, and that is Ted Steel for his story "Player Manager," I'm a part of his discord and I can clearly see that it offers additional value for those who like chatting. The reason I haven't made a discord server yet and would be offering as a 250 patron milestone expansion is because it is actually additional work. Creating it, modding it, and interacting there. It's pleasant work, just like my writing, but it would add like 3-4 hours to my week, knowing myself.

(There would be a live voice Q&A to commemorate the opening)

2: Another option I've been thinking about a lot is tied in with my degree, which is in English linguistics and literature. I've had to analyze a lot of books in the past few years, and frankly, I enjoy it. I've been considering thus making a book review youtube channel to discuss some of my favourite novels and why they're special. While I'm at it I could also just do book reviews of some fanfiction and webnovels (Literally nobody is really doing this?). I was thinking that if I do this maybe every second book could be polled? Giving more bang for your buck in terms of the voting rights you've purchased. DISCLAIMER: I'm obviously aware most of you don't really care about book reviews, if you did you'd be subbed to a book review patron. But, I kind of need to expand my creative energies in another direction rather than just starting a 4th story and if someone of you would be interested, then great.

3: I could write a novel for traditional publishing. Now I know I said I wouldn't pick up a 4th story, but a part of the issue are the weekly updates. It's a bit stressful and if I was able to work on a completely unrelated novel which I would only have to release after its completely done, then it would be quite chill in comparison. I know it sounds weird to write to relax from my writing, but what the fuck am I supposed to do, I just love writing. How I see this going is: You pick this option. I write a novel, I try to get it published, it fails, I end up uploading it to my patreon and you read it anyway.

Alternative: It gets published, but a pesky hacker leaks it online to a website where it can be downloaded for like a day, I make a patreon post complaining about this copyright infringement linking to the website where you can download the leak. You criminals obviously steal my novel which wasn't intended for you, and the download option disappears and you're free to do with your brand new novel pdfs what you want. Assholes.

These were my three more serious options. Now for some verbal diarrhea.

4: People keep telling me I need to become a booktoker to promote my content. Every time I hear this suggestion I want to kill myself. However, maybe I am wrong and it would be hilarious if I took myself and you guys on a journey of trying to become viral on tiktok. (probably not) For more information I am a very handsome 25-year old so I am afraid of accumulating stalkers.

5: I become a... twitch streamer? Completely random throw in, but I used to be master in league of legends like 4 years ago and I could go back and stream my journey to see what rank I deserve these days (probably iron). Would be a funny journey.

6: You think all of the above options are completely dogshit and you'd rather I do none of it.


I will collect your opinions in the comments for a bit before opening the poll to see what the vibe is. If the results are close I reserve the right to make some executive decision making on what I'd rather do. E.g. Discord has 25% votes and book review has 23% but I'd rather write a novel then sorry not sorry :( (A bit sorry)

What will happen in my future which will impact my writing:

I honestly kind of like Switzerland, I have my friends, it's a chill country bla bla bla. Will hopefully graduate end of year so could technically leave, not sure if I want to yet. If I ever want to leave I will go to Romania or something. They have 10% personal income tax, are in the EU, and the living cost is like 1500€ so writing would instantly become my full time job (also I could live by the seaside).

This was a verryyyyy long post that I'm sure most of you haven't read.

Gist:

-My personal life is in the shitter, this patreon is currently the only reason I'm not depressed

-quit my student job, all hail my patrons

-Will hold a poll on what additional non 4th story activity I'll pick up to balance out my quitting (suggest things, the stupider the better)

-Might move to Romania?

-I'm very grateful to every single one of you, you keep my heart warm when I can't afford heating.