On Patronage
As proud supporters of webfiction, patronage is very much of interest to us. We believe patronage is only going to become more important in the artistic community. Here’s where we’ll tell you why.
Who can be a patron?
The short answer: you can!
According to Wikipedia, patronage is “the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another.“
By supporting, encouraging, and donating to your favorite webfiction authors, you become a patron of the arts. Doesn’t that sound like something you want to be?
Why become one?
All the webfiction we showcase on this site has one thing in common: it is available for free. It’s up to you to decide how much that content is worth.
It would be very easy to pay nothing, to take everything for granted. But consider: if an author has to juggle both a day job and their writing, only to get no return on the latter, it’s pretty likely they’ll stop writing. No more writing means no more stories for you to enjoy. It is therefore of the utmost importance to support those artists you appreciate who publish their content for free.
Everyone loves and needs to be appreciated. Especially authors. Never forget that.
What to do
Don’t worry! You’re not going to need to spend thousands to support your favorite authors. Donating something between what you can spare and what you think the work is worth will do. Every little bit helps, and it all adds up.
It’s not all about the money. So if you don’t have even $1 to spare, never fear: you can still be a patron of the arts by being an awesome fan.
How? By spreading the word, writing reviews, leaving comments, and generally being an active reader. Word of mouth is particularly powerful, because even if you don’t have the cash to spare, many those 5 friends you bring over do.
In short: being a patron is about not lurking. It’s about showing authors you care about their work. Trust us, without people like you, authors wouldn’t be writing.
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Love your authors. Support their work. Become part of the webfiction movement.
For a more in-depth explanation, check out Jan’s article On Patronage.