The case for transparency on Patreon
I had an illuminating conversation with an artist friend this week. She's considering using Patreon (p.s. mine launches on the 8th with some special events), but was concerned that the page listed your number of supporters and total earnings.
Why would anyone donate if they saw I was earning hundreds or even thousands of dollars every month?
Then that isn't patronage -- that's pity.
When I had a paysite, I was terrified of charging too much money. I couldn't imagine why anyone would pay the $19.95 or $29.99 going rate of a paysite for me. I wanted the lowest expectations possible. So I charged $6/mo or $22/6 mo. They were nice, low, oddball numbers where no one could fault me for being too professional or commercial or mainstream.
What if I had priced for high expectations? Who knows... but at the time it wasn't worth the anxiety of thinking I didn't deserve it and wouldn't get it.
Back to Patreon. Keeping earnings hidden would encourage a culture of secrecy among a group of people who typically undervalue their work. It's blind price fixing in reverse; a race to the bottom. Showcasing the success of artists creates a culture of camaraderie, enthusiasm, and aspiration.
So who is going to help you become a more fruitful artist -- people who believe in putting themselves behind your success and your work, or people who feel bad that you don't make enough money?
