Welcome to Tuesday Book Chat.
This is where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week. As we are a faith-based group the questions refer mainly to Christian fiction or non-fiction.
Today’s question is:
Would you pay to follow an author on Substack or Patreon? And what would you expect?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation by commenting on this post or on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group. Remember to comment today on Tuesday Book Chat to enter the giveaway.
Let’s chat!
I know a few authors who have substack for their newsletters. However I am unsure if I would follow on Substack or Patreon. I don’t really know enough about Patreon or Substack except I believe you have to pay for the services and I am not prepared to pay for extra content. Not really sure what I would expect so looking forward to your answers.
Your turn.
I look forward to reading your comments here or at the FB group.
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I haven’t heard of Substack, but I wouldn’t pay for Patreon. Books are expensive enough without adding extra costs.
Thanks for Commenting Beth, I agree. Substack is similar it has free forums a bit like facebook I think. some people read their newsletters there. but there is also an option to pay for more content I think. I know Narelle Atkins knows more about it as shes tried to explain it to me. I just can’t be bothered with an extra place and like you things are dear enough.
I wouldn’t pay extra. Like Beth said, I spend enough on books.
I fully agree.
I don’t know that much about them. I do know there is supposed to be a free part on both I believe. Some authors have their newsletter in substack.
I do get newsletters for free from a few at substack. I just don’t know much about the paid sections which shows authors are not explaining it.
No I wouldn’t. I don’t have the money to do that. I pay for one subscription and that’s Kindle Unlimited to read author’s books. I think that’s enough to support my favorite authors.
I fully agree. the question came about mid last year when a few authors were talking about Substack and wanting readers to join and pay but didn’t explain anything about what Substack was or what they were offering
To pay for something I need there to be value attached. I’ve paid for nonfiction stacks but not a fiction one. I support a fiction author on Patreon but that’s more because I want to support her than to get the content. Although the content is good.
I fully agree. I think from answers here and elsewhere readers have no idea what Substack really is and why they would be encouraged to pay to go there. As I mentioned I asked an author after they talked about it in their newsletter and never got a real answer. Narelle Atkins tried to explain it to me and that there is free and paid content depending on the person you follow like with youtube many have free content and on Patreon you get paid for content (which I do understand). But most of the authors have been so vague about what to expect I am not interested. Its actually from a couple of newsletters last year this Question came about. We see interesting questions for readers and keep a note of them for the following year. We want questions that provoke discussion and you will see this year we won’t have a series of questions about the same subject that could have been in one question.
Hi Jenny, I think part of the confusion for authors relates to Substack being an evolving platform and readers having mixed feelings. It feels like everything costs money and readers need a reason to want to sign up for a paid subscription.
I recently signed up for a paid Substack subscription to support an author who has spent hours over the years volunteering and contributing in the indie author world. I’ve had a paid subscription with another author at Patreon for years for a similar reason. It’s like a thank you for the free help I’ve received from their online activities over the years because I don’t actually read the genres they write—which would be the logical way to support them (buy their books).
Many readers only know about Substack because the authors they follow have moved their newsletters to Substack. I think Substack is the best free newsletter option for authors who have more than 1000 subscribers.
I use Substack for my Fan Girling podcast/YouTube show weekly emails as an added extra to the episodes I share on my author blog at my website. I like the old-style-2010-era-Facebook-experience of sharing Notes on Substack. The engagement opportunities are potentially there and nonfiction has really taken off on Substack.
Hi Narelle, I think thats where the confusion lies the authors who have wanted people to follow (that I follow via newsletter) haven’t explained what it is. They seem to think we know without needing them to explain. What made it worse was the one author who wanted people to follow but wasn’t even sure what they would provide. They promised a serialised story then a few months later said it wasn’t happening yet where they had indicated it was ready to go. I personally and I am sure other readers need to be told if you follow me on substack the paid option will include xxxx so we know what we are signing up for.