I don't know if I can continue as an author.
I know that sounds dramatic, but this is a very real question facing me right now. Will I always “be a writer,” in the sense that I’ll continue to write? Yes. Writing is part of who I am and I will always find time for it somewhere. But that’s a very different thing than being a full-time author whose whole life is dedicated to creating the next story.
That’s what it took for me to write the Warm Bodies series. And that’s what I’m about to lose.
For a gallows-humor rundown of my situation, enjoy this goofy video I made. Or keep reading below.
I had a big break once. A lot of people bought my book and liked it. (4.5 stars on Amazon) But after a perfect storm of bad decisions, bad treatment, and bad luck, only 1% of those people found their way back to rest of the series.
I stretched that big break into 10 years of writing, but I've finally reached the bottom. And as I take an honest look at my career path and the current state of publishing, I'm not seeing a future where book sales pay the bills.
But before I give up on the dream and push my writing back to hobby status to make room for a random day job, there's one more thing I want to try.
What if being a storyteller meant more than selling books? What if this were a broader occupation spread across multiple creative outlets, inviting readers into a closer relationship with my work and my life?
This is the idea that got me excited about Patreon.
Patreon is crowdfunding, but it's much more than a charity tip jar. I'm using it as my primary platform for connecting with readers, a private club where I can freely share all the stuff that I never felt comfortable putting on public social media:
Weekly livestream readings of the entire Warm Bodies series, with each chapter followed by a live Q&A
My private collection of behind-the-scenes photos and stories from my experience on the Warm Bodies movie set
My old, unpublished stories, including the epic fantasy saga that kicked off my writing life at age 14!
Access to a private blog and video feed containing work updates, sneak peaks, and intimate personal thoughts about my life in this remote forest cabin
Personalized content like encouraging poems and a unique apocalyptic backstory for each new patron that makes you a character in the Warm Bodies universe
We''re in the second week now and it's been so much fun so far. Each subscription gets me a little closer to the stability I need to stop hustling and finally dive into the next book. But more than that, I'm just enjoying hanging out with this growing group of people who are fully engaged with what I'm doing. There's nothing more encouraging than someone literally investing in my future as a writer. It gives me hope that I might be able to keep doing this even without a big publisher or a broad audience.
All that being said...you know I hate doing this. No one likes to talk about money let alone ask for it, and I resisted Patreon for years, thinking I'd somehow find a way on my own...but in these apocalyptic times, with culture as we know it collapsing all around us, it feels like a time to reach out.
I know a lot of my readers are struggling even more than I am, and I don't want anyone to endanger their own stability for my sake. But if you can afford it, your support would mean so much to me, and I'd be so happy to welcome you into the Flammarion Club. See you in next week's chat...?
Stay Living,
Isaac
