I'm sure you saw that title and thought, "And so why is that different than any other time?" and you would be correct. But if you are still reading, that's on you.
Here is the specific thing I am annoyed about today. Patreon.
Let me say from the get-go that I have no opposition to creative people making money and being paid for their work, and I also know that only a very few, elite types can make a living through the things they design, sell, license, etc. For example, the knitwear designers and/or yarn dyers that I know who are even doing well at all are fortunate to have either another full-time job to keep them going, or a partner who earns enough to allow them to pursue their work full-time. I get it.
Do I appreciate free knitting patterns? You bet I do, and I make A LOT of things from free patterns. But I also purchase a lot of patterns, as well as buy books of patterns from time to time. Because I know that everything isn't free, nor should it be. Yes, sometimes I use a coupon code or a discount, but I completely understand the idea of monetary compensation for work.
But frankly, I'm getting annoyed by people starting Patreon accounts for access to "special" patterns, "additional" content, etc.
For example, there is a knitting designer whose designs I usually really like, and I have purchased as well as made a few of their patterns. But they have decided to offer Patreon as an option for people. You pay a monthly subscription fee (there are different levels of membership) and you receive a "special" pattern monthly not available to others, as well as a look into their design processes, their personal lives, etc.
There are also a lot of knitting podcasters who have also set up Patreon programs, providing more access to them, their patterns/yarns/dogs/whatever.
I'm not saying they have no right to do so. I'm just saying it annoys the spit out of me. First of all, if you want to "monetize" your work, then just do so outright. If you feel that you put all kinds of effort and work into what you do, and that you are not getting the rewards from it you would like, then yeah, change it somehow. But for myself, I don't like the feeling that I am paying a monthly subscription for something that is basically what you were doing anyway, but now costs something.
From what I can tell, the monthly subscription costs can be as low as $3.00, all the way up to $10.00 per month. OK sure, but unless there is only a single person that you love so much that you decide to support them this way, I don't have even $3.00 a month for ten different people. Obviously plenty of people do/can provide support this way, but I'm betting most of us don't have unlimited discretional funds. And frankly, I'm not sure that even if I did, I would want to support anyone this way.
The world is already too divided among the haves and have nots to drill down even more into those who can pay $3.00 a month and those who cannot.
And if you are a podcaster, and still providing something online for free, I also don't want to always hear about what you offered to "my Patreon supporters" and not the the rest of us. In this case, as far as I'm concerned, ignorance *is* bliss. And personally I just think it's rude to keep mentioning all of the amazing things that they receive that the rest of us mere mortals do not.
Does this greatly change my life or my daily functioning? No. Does it have an effect on my crafting or the things I make. No. It's just to me more about the principle of the thing. It completely turns me off when I hear about yet another person deciding to start a Patreon group and how wonderful it will be for those who support them.
It's a free country. Spend your money the way you like, do things in a way that makes you happy and helps you to feel you are valued. I get it. It doesn't mean I have to like it, or even give it my own personal approval.
Now. Aren't you glad you kept reading? Feel free to write your own blog post about how it annoys you when bloggers complain about things they don't need to buy/participate in/do. I'll get that too. 😏
Anyway, regardless of how you feel about any of this - or about anything at all, for that matter - I hope you have a good weekend. I am getting my hair cut tomorrow afternoon, which I'm excited about. Awful summer weather is due to return and continue though, and I'm less excited about that.
But on the plus side, I figure that's why iced tea was invented, right?
12 comments:
A few people whose blogs I used to read regularly now have set up Patreon accounts. I find that their regular content has suffered, so I no longer read them. No loss to them, of course; I am not a paying customer.
As the saying goes, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." For me, I like the freedom that having free content gives me. If people had to pay for my stuff, I'd feel more pressure to write on a strict schedule. It's definitely a two-way contract.
It's hard to be a designer or an artist or a "creative" these days (actually, probably in ANY days- past or future), so I generally support whatever "tools" folks choose to support themselves. That said, I totally get what you're saying, Bridget. (I also think Patreon is just an odd platform. . . ) As always, thank you for your thoughtful rants. :-)
Yeah, it makes me sad when people whose writing/patterns/podcast I like disappear behind a paywall. Fortunately there are still plenty of things to read and knit, more than I have time for to be honest. I will miss those voices, and not be knitting that cute summer top, but hey, I will still be reading and knitting. Thank God for the public library. Back in the day those were by subscription as well.
I so agree. I lot of my favorite food vloggers are doing the same thing and I hate it. One of my favorite meditative story telling podcasts spends as much time talking about their Pateron account as they do telling the damn story anymore...and don't get me started on You Tube commercials. Three commercials in a 5 minute video? Come on. It's ridiculous. The appeal of all these things was that they were grass roots/low tech but not anymore. It's all about the money, money, money. I don't want to hear from the folks with the fancy set ups that do this stuff for a living. I want to hear from people like me and you that fit it in their daily life. Now that's a story worth listening to.
I agree with the subscription thing. I'm more than happy to pay for a pattern I like..., but I don't want to pay a monthly fee for something I can't see before hand.
I hate subscription boxes (Bark Box, Cause box, etc.)for just that reason - why would I give up $50 a box no knowing if I can use/will like what's in it???
Agree with you on this--people can do what they want to do, and if I don't like it I'll find something else. I follow a blogger who writes about books and she has a Patreon and she is ALWAYS talking about the great stuff there and it really annoys me. I think the strategy is to annoy me into paying but it isn't working! There are plenty of places I can find similar content.
Here in NZ we have a “Givealittle” set up where people ask for money to help with various things, it started off with such good causes - for instance a beautiful beach was put up for sale and thousands of people gave a few bucks and bought it for the public to use. However, as always the unprepared jumped onto it with their begging stories, in the days of overseas travel, they would go somewhere without bothering to buy travel insurance, have an accident and then plead for everyone to help them with their hospital bills and for a medivac flight home.
A bit off subject I suppose but I feel better.
Boy, I think you hit on a very common pet peeve.
Most knitting/stitching podcasts have become either a sales pitch for their Ko-Fi or Patreon accounts OR just a long running "look what I bought" show.
Most podcasts have totally lost any sense of personality, it like a video catalog of what they are selling or what they bought. UGH!
So, Bridget, I'm right there with you.
I so agree with you and here is another thing to think about. I am fortunate to have time to listen to a podcast here and there but I don't have time to get the additional information at an extra price, nor will I be shelling out the money to do so. I never mind paying for a pattern, but I do mind paying for extra content.
You know a11 of my b1og reads are free. I post mine free and you do too. I doubt asking for ads or monetizing is going to pay any bi11s. I have to agree 100% with you.
I guess I'm with you but without a deep thought about it. I do not support anyone on patreon but I guess if I was compelled I would?! I just think oh well that's not for my eyes...
I am so with you on this. I was a subscriber once, and I didn't like it. Just charge more for your patterns and then I can buy the ones I want. I can't buy a pattern that I don't have access to you. I don't expect that Patreon works that well for most people
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