008 From Hobby Writer to Full Time Author with Rachael Herron
Jun 7, 2018
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Bestselling author Rachael Herron shares her journey from hobby writer to full-time author, discussing her success with Patreon. Topics include NaNoWriMo challenges, Amazon affiliates, Black Friday promotions, and building a loyal audience for crowdfunding. She emphasizes personalized communication, exclusive content, and maximizing patron engagement on Patreon.
Rachel Herron emphasizes overcoming setbacks to unleash writing potential and secure a three-book deal.
Rachel Herron blends traditional and self-publishing models for maximized income and creative autonomy, highlighting strategic authorship choices.
Deep dives
Revealing the Creative Forerunner Evolution
Rachel Heron shares her journey from literary aspirations to becoming a successful author through her experiences of self-discovery and perseverance. Starting with the realization of wanting to pursue writing from a young age to embracing creative writing in her Master's program and overcoming early setbacks with NaNoWriMo, she emphasizes the importance of unblocking creativity by allowing bad writing to flow before reaching the good. This process led to her first three-book deal and set her career in motion, highlighting the value of breaking barriers to unleash one's writing potential.
Navigating Hybrid Publishing Terrain
Rachel delves into her experiences across traditional, self-publishing, and hybrid models, offering insights into strategic authorship choices. She explains the significance of retaining control in self-publishing, particularly in genres like romance, due to higher royalties and creative autonomy. Balancing these with traditional publishing benefits like credibility and specialized support reveals a holistic approach towards maximizing income streams and creative freedom.
Igniting Patronage Dynamics
Rachel's Patreon campaign showcases a tiered reward system ranging from digital content to personalized interactions, emphasizing the significance of scalable and intimate patron engagement. By providing exclusive access to essays, Q&A videos, and texts, she crafts a community-driven support structure reflective of her audience's preferences and her commitment to authentic connection. The evolution of Patreon offerings unveils a dynamic approach to sustaining patron relationships and aligning rewards with creative output.
Fostering Creativity through Patronage
Rachel's high-tier levels exemplify the fusion of creative mentorship and personalized rewards to deepen patron relationships and creative exchange. Offering creativity coaching and signed book collections underscores the reciprocity between author and patron, enhancing support through immersive engagement experiences. The strategic blend of tangible and experiential rewards underscores the mutual investment in creativity and reader-author relationships, elevating the patronage landscape to a transformative platform of symbiotic growth.
In this episode, Thomas Umstattd talks with Rachael Herron about how she went from writing as a hobby to a full-time author. We specifically talk about how she uses Patreon to connect with her most passionate fans.