(FREE POST) Billing Change and New Tiers- please read! (Patreon)

Hello my forest creatures!

This is an important post about some changes to my patreon that will affect you, and I thank you all so much for reading it.

Main points:

Starting in November, everyone will be billed a flat monthly rate, once a month, instead of per-post. Patreon calls this Subscription billing. It's how most patreons operate!

You can keep paying the same amount you always have. The difference is it'll come as a single monthly payment instead of several smaller payments.

For example:

Someone used to paying for 2 posts/month will have $8 will appear on their bill instead of two separate $4 payments.

The main tier (Secret Library) will become $8, which most of my members have been choosing to pay already. Not really an increase for most of you!

There will still be a $4 tier, with some changes to benefits. It's important to me that those who cannot increase aren't priced out if I can help it.

You don't have to do a thing. The billing change will happen automatically.

I have an offer for you.

Read on for new tiers and details you should know!

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🍀 Why the change?

Apple told Patreon that if it wants to stay in the app store, it has to get rid of all its payment models, including mine, except for a single one that Apple approves of. That would be subscription billing.

It was a big source of anxiety last year and I hate that Apple can jerk Patreon around whenever it wants. But, I spoke at length with another creator who made the switch before me and they said it's actually been a positive change. It's made billing easier for members to understand, first of all-- and I get a couple messages a month asking about billing. I've always done my best to explain, but I'm sure it's still caused confusion.

Back when I first launched my patreon, I chose the current pay-per-post model because I thought it worked best for me at the time. I was reluctant to make the change to subscription on my own later. It's my career, so frankly I was afraid of income fluctuation, member churn, and messing with something that the majority seemed happy with. Since then I've had time to think and plan, and I do believe that going to subscription will make things easier on both you and me.

Last year I had some chats with you that were SO helpful (and heartening!) for helping me come up with a new tier structure. Thank you again for your valuable insight.

We also get subscription gifting! Everyone (including me!) will be able to gift subscriptions to my page. We can't do that on the current billing model.

So, to cut down on billing confusion, and help me balance keeping membership affordable with retaining income/responding to cost of living, let's look at the new tiers.

🍀 New Tiers

These will go live at the end of October. I also thought we could do with a tier name refresh! Something a little more fitting for this shimmering inner circle, you patrons of elf boys and vampires.

💧 (New!) Dewdrop - $4/month

This is how my patreon ran in its early days. This will be available after the billing switch and I'll make an announcement.

You'll receive:

First uncensored art piece of the month + tier backlog

Text posts/lore dumps

✨ Court of Stars - the "everything tier" (formerly Secret Library) - $8/month

This is not a price increase for most of you, even though it may look like one. I based this on member feedback and the fact that the majority of my members are already opting to pay $8/month under the current per-post model. Making it a flat $8 for all my stuff is going to help me keep up with cost of living as well. After the billing change, it'll just show up as a single $8 monthly charge instead of two separate $4 charges. I'm extremely grateful for how you value my work. You've allowed me to keep this as a full-time career and devote my time to sharing the art that matters to me the most.

We also have a new perk!

You'll receive:

All uncensored art for the month + entire Patreon backlog

(✨New!) Downloadable layered drawing files: Get your hands on my art in its original, layered, uncompressed, raw state. Peel apart my drawings layer by layer and discover how the magic happens. For those obsessed with detail, artists honing their craft, or anyone who needs to count every one of Clover's freckles.

Process videos

Works-in-progress: I'm going to be able to share more WIPs (and therefore post more often) because I'll be less worried about scaring potential members off when they see I've posted a lot in a month :) And I love sharing these with you guys so I've been biting my fist for a while now! I suspected someone looking at my page would see all those posts and be anxious about the per-post billing model. Less uncertainty and more understanding all around is what I think flat-rate subscription pricing will bring.

Early access to public art: The Court always eats first.

Text posts/lore dumps

✨ There's a way to get Court of Stars for $4

I know some of you will miss seeing all parts of a serial work if you choose to move to the Dewdrop Tier. Before October 26, if you join Secret Library and edit your membership to cap your monthly limit at 1 post per month, you will continue to pay $4/month in Court of Stars even after the tier becomes $8.

The discount expires if you change tiers or cancel after the switch! So please sit tight and don't move around the tiers if you're confused. Send me a message and I'll assist.

Here's how to take advantage of the discount, depending on if you're a newcomer to my page or a current free/paid member:

👉 How to set your monthly limit if you're joining my Patreon for the first time

Select Secret Library Tier

On the very next page, check the box next to Set a monthly limit, set it to 1, and subscribe. Done!

👉 How to set your monthly limit if you're a current member of my Patreon:

Go to Settings on the left-hand side of your home screen

Go to Memberships, find me and click View Details

Click Edit next to Payment Amount.

Check the box that says Set a monthly limit and set it to 1

💎 Higher Appreciation Tiers will remain

For those kind and generous souls who simply want to give more financial support and encouragement, I'm keeping tiers above Court of Stars around. You will receive all Court of Stars benefits, plus all my love and sincere gratitude. To those of you who requested that I keep these, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 💜

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🍀 Do members have to do anything to get on the new billing model?

Nope! You'll be automatically transitioned to the subscription billing model.

If you want to lock in that special lower Court of Stars price I just mentioned, make sure you set that 1-post monthly limit before Oct 26.

🍀 Will the date your card is charged change?

No! Your charge date will remain the first of the month. But if you switch tiers, you will be charged up-front and then on that same date every month after, just like a regular subscription. Subscription billing policy

🍀 Patreon will send you an email with wrong pricing. Don't worry.

When the billing switch happens, some of you will receive an email from Patreon (not me) stating that your new monthly rate is different than what it should be. It's going to tell someone with the $4 Court of Stars discount that they're now paying $8. Patreon is wrong, but they send it anyway.

Same goes for any custom-set monthly limits in the higher tiers. You'll be billed the limit you set, not what Patreon says. You can sit pretty while I manually adjust some things after the billing switch.

Sometimes you guys have to glimpse Patreon's funny inner workings, so I give you a heads up for it!

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🍀 I'm here to help!

I will be sitting at my desk, watching for your messages and any issues that may come up after the switch. PLEASE message me with any problem or question you have instead of being silently confused! You'll be refunded promptly for any wrong charge. Plain and simply, I really just want to keep all my members. There are no silly questions. I'll be delighted if you send me a message so that we can iron things out!

If you don't hear from me very soon after reaching out, it's because I'm working with members who have messaged me first, and I'll be with you as soon as possible.

You made it! Thank you!!

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read this very long post. You, my patrons, are the reason any of this can exist at all and I'm feeling very grateful for how engaged you are and what a pleasure it is to hang out here together. It really feels like our little guys' home and you all are the lifeblood of it. Thank you for giving me the career of my dreams and I'm blessed to share it with you. I'm looking forward to many more years of art and stories and adventures.

I'm always around to answer any questions you have or discuss any aspect of the changes- just DM me or drop a question in the comments.

All my love!

Suzanne 🌿🐻🦊✨