It’s Here!
So, I’ve mentioned recently that I was going to be launching a Patreon page, and here it is! It’s been a little nerve-wracking to figure out—what can I offer? How much should I offer? What’s a reasonable, sustainable amount for me? What’s a fair price to ask for?
So, in short: I’ve launched a page that’s specifically about helping writers. Writers of fanfiction and original fiction, mostly, but there’ll be some stuff in there about poetry and non-fiction, too. The overall tone is “tools, not rules”, because good writing isn’t so much about Right and Wrong as it is using all the different elements—word choice and punctuation, grammar and tone, pace and symbols and motifs—in a way that’s effective, that helps you achieve whatever your goal is with what you’re writing.
And I picked this particular topic for a couple of reasons: firstly, because I have a lot of thoughts about this, and have been very willing to help my fellow writers by sharing those thoughts, as anyone who’s ever shared a Discord DM with me can tell you. Secondly, because I think a lot of professional writing programs and books and courses have their methods, and those methods are often rigid and don’t work well for a lot of us, to say nothing of the fact that I’ve heard of a heartbreaking number of people who come out of MFA programs having lost their words. And I think that’s both a tragedy and a crime. I’m a writer, and I want to help other writers along their journeys and move towards their goals—and I want to do it in such a way that feels helpful and encouraging, but also, above all else, constructive. Discouraging someone from putting words on the page is the exact opposite of my goal, here.
The other reason I picked this topic is that I’ve come to realize I have some knowledge that isn’t necessarily common, and that would probably be beneficial to a lot of writers: specifically of English grammar, but in layman’s terms. And also some advice on how to approach and structure sex scenes. Because English is a bastard language that chooses violence, and its grammar is an ouroboros that seems to require knowledge and understanding of every other English grammar concept in order to grasp This One Thing. And also because sex scenes are tricksy fuckers (heh) to write, and I know it can feel intimidating to just dive into the deep end with them, because “failing” at them can feel very vulnerable and very discouraging in ways that “failing” at an action scene or piece of dialogue often doesn’t.
Which leads into those final points, about sustainability and price. I’ve noticed a tendency to want to help and support as many writers as I possibly can, and it’s meant I’ve overextended myself in the past. To say nothing of the fact that I can only provide so much in-depth, one-on-one help because of time constraints, and also because I only personally know so many people who are both interested in and open to that kind of help. A Patreon page, where it’s more widely available, where the tools I want to provide can be lined up and amassed like some kind of writerly gardening shed, is a more sensible, sustainable way to offer those tools, and might feel more comfortable for writers who don’t want to share their writing with me personally but do want to pick my brain for useful bits. I won’t lie, it also feels weird to monetize those skills, especially when I know that a lot of useful knowledge and tools for writers are inaccessible due to high costs and paywalls.
With all of that in mind—and that I also have bills to pay, and that what I’m offering is, in fact, of value—I tried to set a fair price point for what I’m offering, which will be a couple of posts a month, in addition to the handful that are currently up to kick things off with. I have a list of topics I want to cover, and if anyone is curious about what’s on that list, or has other questions about how it’s going or what I’m doing over there, feel free to send me an ask about it!
If you guys want to pick the brain of the person who finally managed to teach me how grammar works, this is where you need to go! Her advice is amazing and invaluable!
okay so i’m pretty passable on grammar by myself overall however K did in fact manage to explain two concepts to me in a way that made sense for the first time in my life
also she’s a Fantastic writer and does really great things when helping on writing so like, the $10 tier is 1000% worth it, i promise (see my several finished fics since i started talking to her as proof, including the one i’d been stuck on for a year and a half)
I have also finished several fic since started talking to K! Including one that’s been fighting me for most of a year! So yes, highly recommended.
