I’ve been paying attention to celebrities and artists who are using things like Patreon and social media to launch careers. I’m not sure I am as famous as the guy who does duck parenting comics, and I am sure as hell not as famous as Amanda Palmer, BUT I am thinking I need to figure out how to bring more income into my life by doing work for the internet.

I have realized I really need to step up my game if I want to get enough of a fan base to get clicks and so forth. I don’t even really know how to monetize my life. I do all this blogging here, but I don’t know if enough people are really interested in it to throw coins in my virtual hat. Plus, while I sometimes write more opinion based posts from time to time, I am aware this is a fairly navel-gazing blog. Which is kind of the point really. I mean, I did get two degrees, sobriety, fall in and out of love a few times during the course of this blog, and have a really public manic episode. So sometimes that is interesting to people. Also it is handy because I can look at posts from the past to remember important details. Like how long it takes for a grant from Canada Council to get direct deposited.

But honestly I think the most appealing thing I do is make videos, the only problem is a lot of the high falutin’ festivals don’t like to screen work that has been shown online without a privacy protected password. And that means any of my really really good stuff doesn’t actually get shown publicly online until it’s gone through the festival circuit, which can take about two years. I could make youtube videos specifically for youtube on various topics I guess. BUT that doesn’t totally appeal to me either. I’m making a webseries right now. Which IS being made specifically to be released on the internet. It makes me wonder if I should try to continue it after the first season, because it was just written to be a one season thing. Hmmmmm.

Either way, I feel like I need to step up my game. My friend Irene keeps saying I should make videos about various silly stories I tell her from my life, which does make sense. I’m not sure what is holding me back. I think I need to accept that different videos need different distribution methods. Like 2 Spirit Introductory Special $19.99 is going to festivals, and I’m working on a script I want to get a theatrical release for, and this webseries is obviously gonna be on the web, and this Christmas “special” about addiction I am also working on might be good for television except I’m not sure that’s allowed in my Canada Council rules. BUT I am sure it will find a home somehow.

When I was younger I really just wanted to be a famous feature film director. Which I still want, but the internet has really changed things. And television has gotten more attractive to me to. And now I am realizing you can do all kinds of things and not just be one type of filmmaker/video artist/whatever.

Either way, NONE of that matters if I don’t figure out a way to make a somewhat stable income. I have a good track record with getting grants, but there’s a limit to how many you can get. And it sucks if you are relying on one and don’t get it. AND basically I would just like to get more money flowing. Through legal means.

Well, there is the Lotto Max draw tomorrow. That’s something to look forward to.

But really, if I had a patreon account (which I do but I haven’t launched it yet) would people be my patrons?