creator_demo

Tom Leveen

I made my first movie when I was 13. I made it on a borrowed VHS camera over the course of two weekends with a couple of friends and an improvised script. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/193026869@N04/51186329873/in/dateposted-public/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><img height="150" width="150" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51186329873_b217873dbc_q.jpg" title=""></a>Behold, The Moon Daemon! We did make a girl scream at a jump-scare when we screened it in homeroom. Yes, that’s a bucket on his head.That was the same year I wrote my first novella, Derro the Warrior! I’ve been writing and telling stories ever since second grade, when my teacher made me read an assignment I’d written to the first graders next door. (I thought I was being punished…) Ever since that day, my drive and my passion has been telling you stories . . . and telling your&nbsp;stories. One of the things I hear a lot about my novels is that I captured someone’s high school experience, or the teenage experience of someone they know and love. Often I’m told how my stories have been not only entertaining, but affirming—that these stories speak to people and say, “Yeah, I know, I’ve been there, I hear you, I see you, and we’re in this together.” I’m very proud of that.<h2 style="text-align:center;">WHAT IS PATREON?</h2>Patreon is modeled on Renaissance patrons who enjoy an artist’s work enough to support them on an ongoing basis so they can continue to make that art. In my case, that’s an array of stories across different genres, mediums, and platforms, from novels and serials and short stories, to comic books and short films – even stage plays or feature films! When you join my Patreon community, you eliminate the middle-man: it’s just me, and you, and our community, and you getting the work sent right to you on a regular basis. Instead of me spending time trying to figure out how to tell you about a new novel or story, I write more stories, and you get them automatically in your inbox. My friend, times have changed. You and me, we don’t need to get permission from Penguin Random House, or literary agents, or Hollywood moguls to make and tell stories we love for people who need them. See, that’s the thing about you supporting this Patreon page: as more people join you and build this community, I can just write a book . . . and give it to you. I can create a comic book and just give it to you. I can make a movie and just give it to you. Suddenly all the stuff about agents and publishing and P&amp;L reports and sell-through…aaagh! It’s endless. All that stops, and creation starts. Instead of spending ungodly amounts of time and money trying to sell stuff, I can spend time and money making stuff to share with you and this community. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/193026869@N04/51185414592/in/dateposted-public/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><img height="150" width="150" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51185414592_8e8e206394_q.jpg" title=""></a> Your support each month helps toward overhead expenses like child care (it’s very hard to write a novel with a three-year-old underfoot) and utilities, as well as production costs for publishing books, comics, films, and audiobooks. This includes software (like the Adobe suite) and hardware (cameras, lighting, sound, etc.) But more importantly… One of the many great things about this group is that with each new member, it gets easier to hire other creatives and technicians—editors, cover designers, interior layout artists, comic book artists and letterers and flatters, film crews, audiobook narrators and actors…all the roles needed to bring these projects to life. The less time I need to spend making enough money to keep feeding the kids, the more time I’ll have to get these various projects up and running. So when you join this community, you’re helping to create an entire production company and create work for other artists, too!<h2 style="text-align:center;">Benefits</h2>At the $3 Reader level, you’ll receive:<ul><li>first-look early access to original serialized fiction across several genres</li><li>instant access to e-books of every novel, novella, and short story I’ve published.*</li><li>e-mail updates containing links to all articles and blogs I publish.</li><li>instant access to every novel and other piece of content from here on out.</li></ul> In other words, when I create something, you get it.* (*The small caveat being that I must own the rights to the story. For example, I cannot send you an ebook of my Bram Stoker Award-nominated novel Hellworld, because Simon &amp; Schuster still holds the rights to that book. Having said that, if you really need a copy of something of mine, please let me know, I’ll find a way to get it to you.) At the $5 Fan level, you’ll receive:<ul><li>all the benefits of the Reader level</li><li>access to ask me any writing or publishing question, any time.</li><li>behind-the-scenes looks at current projects and what I’m learning</li></ul>AHOY! THERE BE P I R A T E S !There’s one more reason to support this Patreon page: Piracy. The fact is, if I was paid my proper royalty for every book someone downloaded for free off some piracy site, I wouldn’t be on Patreon in the first place. I wouldn’t have to say all this. (This does not include libraries; libraries pay for books, and the authors get paid properly for those purchases. We love libraries! I worked them for more than a decade!) But those pirates, man . . . they don’t think they’re hurting anybody, but they really are. That’s money I’ll never get. It’s stealing, straight up. Every illegal copy of my book that gets downloaded is another buck I can’t use to feed my kids or pay the electric bill, or, or, or . . . Piracy sucks. Real bad. Is that your responsibility? No. Of course not. You didn’t read this far if you were that kind of person. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/193026869@N04/51186876359/in/dateposted-public/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><img height="150" width="150" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51186876359_3ea20daeae_q.jpg" title=""></a>But I do feel it’s important you understand how crucial it is that I build a community and fan-base that is happy and willing to help me produce the stories you love without losing out to piracy. Thank you so much for stopping by! Take care, ~ Tom

Free

<ul><li>Early access to ongoing serials across multiple genres</li><li>Instant access to my entire library, across all genres and formats (to the materials I currently own the rights to - about 10 novels and lots more!)</li><li>Access to a community of other readers and fans to talk about the story...and even influence how it turns out!</li></ul>

Readers

All the benefits of the Reader Tier, plus:<ul><li>Direct access to me to AMA - ask me anything about your journey as a writer!  Advice, critiques, you name it. I'm here for you.</li><li>For writers of all levels, from published to first-timers. We are a supportive, encouraging, and realistic community.</li></ul>

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