The New Patreon Fees

It's with a heavy heart that I'm writing to you all today.

With very little heads up, Patreon informed it's creators in an e-mail that they are restructuring the way that the fees are processed on this platform.  They claim it's to help Creators get a more predictable paycheck, given the way the fees work here, the payout is often much less and varies and it almost never predictable.  This is not a problem as far as I'm concerned, working as a freelance artist, my monthly pay is never predictable and I've always found ways to live within my means.  However, now Patreon wants to pass a portion of those fees onto you, and frankly, I am NOT okay with that.  I have always been happy to pay whatever fees they have, to help make supporting my art as easy and affordable to you all as possible.

They also claim to have consulted with many Creators in the making of this.  I haven't been able to find a single creator who is happy about this change, or would have asked for it in the first place.  I have spoken out against this change in the Creator forums and publicly to their Twitter support feeds.  Many of us Creators are angry and while I hope they listen to us, I can't in good conscious as you to continue to support me when being slapped with fees was not what you signed up for.

Starting December 18th, they will be charging every Patron Pledge a fee of 2.9% + $0.35, for every single pledge you make.  As a monthly pledge page I don't think you'll be hit with these fees here, until the next round of charges on January 1st.  This feels to me, like you're being punished for sharing your support with as many creators as you can and that just isn't fair.  If you want to read their "official statement" on this, it's here: https://blog.patreon.com/updating-patreons-fee-structure/

I don't blame anyone for choosing to discontinue supporting me, I think it's absolutely reasonable under these new circumstances.  These fees were not part of the agreement when you signed up for Patreon and I don't want you paying them.  Unfortunately I haven't been given any choice is this matter aside from utter disappointment in Patreon and anger at their decision.  I still have a small hope that perhaps they will be reasonable and listen to the outpouring of negative responses to this choice they are implementing and I will continue to speak out against it myself.

I want to thank each and every single one of you for your support here.  This has been a wonderful time working with you, making art together and getting to see your votes on what characters to draw next.  You've introduced me to characters I was totally unaware of before and made me feel so very loved and wanted as an artist.  I will never be able to put into words how much you all have touched me.  I am grateful for every single one of you.

Thank you, Thank you, thank you so very much.

~Ty