This website exists for several reasons.  Obviously, it is a showcase for some of my written work, be it reviews or fiction.  I also like to post about some of my travels, including pictures of places I’ve been.  And it’s a sounding board for some ideas.  It’s a place I hope to engage in a dialog of sorts and to find folks who might be interested in the work I do.  There are lots of things I’d like to do, and this page is one of the building blocks of those things.

I’m writing this post, because I’m seeking crowd-sourced patronage, and that’s new to me.  On the one hand, I think it’s a great idea.  I’ve supported several projects on Kickstarter, Patreon, Indiegogo, and some other sites, and I think these platforms are a wonderful way to help make things possible that might not otherwise be.  But on the other, I find myself soliciting money, largely from strangers, and it feels weird.

Some of the things I hope to accomplish, and that funding from my Patreon page will contribute to are as follows:

More writing:  This is obvious.  I want to write more than I do.  Now, I don’t expect to make enough from crowd-funding to quit my job and write full time.  But engaging with folks and building a readership will certainly help to fuel the writing I do in my downtime.

Commissioned art:  I’m not much of an artist.  I wish I was, but I’m not.  I am, however, a very visual person, and I love it when stories are accompanied by illustrations.  Plus, even for an e-book, a good cover image is important.  You can say it isn’t all you want, but it is important.  I’d like to commission artwork for the website, for my stories, and for some other projects.

Podcast/Vlog:  At some point, I’d like to do a podcast or a video blog, talking about writing, movies, or whatever.  This requires not only time, but some financial investment in equipment and software.  I enjoyed the heck out of my time working on the In The Mouth of Dorkness podcast, and miss the format.

Webcomic:  I’ve written a couple comics, and laid the groundwork for an ongoing webcomic a few years back.  Alas, nothing came of it, in large part because writers don’t tend to get paid.  In fact, we usually have to pay (for artists, for printing or space to e-publish, for promotion, etc.).  But I’d very much like to explore the format again.  I’ve got a cast of characters and some basic plot outlines for an ongoing series set in my Conquest of the Sphere setting that I’d love to get illustrated.

Tabletop Roleplaying Game:  I’ve been a gamer since I was a little kid.  Tabletop roleplaying is an amazing hobby, fun and full of great social interactions, creativity, and imagination.  I’m planning to create an RPG basic book (starting book for a game) based on Conquest of the Sphere.  I’ve already been doing work for it, and a lot of work I do for my fiction translates over.  I’d like to build interest, find an audience, get feedback, and eventually release a book, first as an e-book, I expect.  But eventually I’d like to see it in print.

Spread the Love:  I’d like to find interesting projects, give them some financial support, and pass them along to you, my reader.  A new RPG on Kickstarter that looks really good?  A new webcomic on Patreon?  A film on Indiegogo?  I’d like to be able to help these out in some small way, just as I’m being helped.

So, if you enjoy what you’ve read on this page and want to see more, please comment on my posts or follow me on Twitter and respond to me there.   And if you’ve got an extra buck or two a month, please check out my Patreon page:  https://www.patreon.com/matthewjconstantine  I’ll be doing some special stuff there.  Posts just for patrons.  Possibly early versions of stories or what have you, with the option to have some feedback.  That sort of thing.