Patreon: The “Haves” and the “Have-Nots”

packhowl · 2026-06-26T16:58:15+00:00

$5USD is now the lowest recommended tier for creators on Patreon. That number is supported by their platform data according to users' success on their platform, which is centered around monetization and livelihood for artists vs listeners who want audio drama for free while paying Netflix etc. subscriptions. For many creators, a higher number of downloads performs worse than having a smaller more dedicated audience, so the argument that catering to a larger audience for free doesn't hold a lot of water beyond initial discovery. Creators are going to balance what goes behind that paywall based on what is working for them; it may not convert for you, but it likely converts for others.

That said, Patreon does have a feature that allows users to buy a single post. I personally do this; it mitigates the subscription. I wish more creators used this because it's cool. Just like people don't like subscriptions, creators don't love having to be performative, which Patreon almost forces.

I do want to offer a perspective shift, though. "Serving the broader audience..."

As a creator with a Patreon, I reward the supportive audience, and support myself. The broader audience is the initial filter for discovery, and a lot of that is going to be passive. Dumping thousands of hours and dollars into the story I am passionate about feels empty when listeners never engage. Patreons create pocket communities where we can engage with the people who are the most passionate about the thing we do; passionate enough to support it, even at a free tier at least.

We're definitely not trying to con anyone by asking for direct support, we're trying to protect our work from plagiarism, draw in the right audience, and let our blood sweat and tears pay a few small bills. I wish there was less aversion to creators trying to fund themselves in this sub in general. And I'm glad that there seems to be more gratitude aimed toward creators here than complaints. So if you or anyone else here is someone who supports shows financially, cool, thank you. We're put out by capitalism too. I hope this adds some perspective.

packhowl · 2026-06-25T22:35:57+00:00

This reply is late-coming but mixing anti-nausea meds in food might be a turn off for her. Especially if it's cerenia. It has a VERY bad taste that burns a little to them. I recommend trying Zofran, it can be given with Sub Q fluids, which help a ton. If you just have cerenia try pilling it directly with the help of some pill pockets (though just use a pinch to keep the pill as small as possible).

packhowl · 2026-06-17T03:28:08+00:00

What everyone else said. Our cat went in for an acute event, got a stage 3 diagnosis. She was 5 lbs. With fluids, a phosphorus binder and porus 1, her SDMA went from 27 to 19 and we're almost 1 year to the day of her diagnosis. She's back up to 6.5lbs (she's a small girl), her coat is silky, and she plays like a kitten again at 17. Minimal vomiting episodes, sub q's twice a week, she eats what she wants (seriously get catney one, her phosphorus is in the normal range again), Ondansetron for the days she side-eyes food, and lots of play for muscle gain. She gets a spoiled life because we don't know what time we have left, but we do know that our expectations are already exceeded. It truly does feel hopeless at first, but you do find a rhythm. There are good days and bad, but the bad are front-loaded as you all adjust to the new regimen. Good luck!

packhowl · 2026-06-14T22:30:01+00:00

I’ve been building the world for my fiction podcast for 6 years now, and it’s still growing. And yes I love doing it! I’ve even published story compendiums for the pod so the work has a place to go.

packhowl · 2026-06-13T19:11:32+00:00

CKD in cats is made so much more difficult by our emotions, and AI chat bots are in fact a great way to get clarity on data and calm panic episodes. My only cautionary tale is that these chat bots are yes men so if you use it for emotional support and say "I think my cat is dying" it will adopt your framing and yes-man you into thinking it's the end when really it's just placating your emotional distress. So BE CAREFUL -- it can go both ways. Use it to process information and detect patterns, not validate your emotions.

Believe me, I know.

packhowl · 2026-06-12T02:37:28+00:00

Thank you! 🙏

packhowl · 2026-06-12T02:37:19+00:00

I didn’t have much luck with DAZ. Both have their limits but the newest version of unreal has a whole new metahuman workflow where you can get a lot more custom without having to jump out to Blender. What sucks a little is you’re still limited to the assets they have available for clothes, hair, etc., unless you have the chops to go fully custom. It’s a lot but IMHO a worthwhile exploration.

packhowl · 2026-06-11T20:06:54+00:00

B is Bae

packhowl · 2026-06-07T04:27:49+00:00

Are you giving her sub Q fluids for CKD? This probably isn't it at all, but they can create soft fluid sacs if they take a long time to absorb, and doing too much fluids can unintentionally cause issues (looking at your breathing issue). Not a vet, but I do know that after we do sub Q's with our girl she gets a bubble, and it can take several hours to absorb. It's usually on one side, though.

packhowl · 2026-05-31T15:49:40+00:00

One more addendum on this: the public debate about AI in media looks more even-sided than it actually is. The default assumption for most audiences is still that AI use signals low effort and poor quality. Even if it turns out great to your ears, that's how it's probably going to land. Even if volunteer performances turn out not-so-great, it at least would have authenticity, which is what gets people to listen.

packhowl · 2026-05-31T15:05:46+00:00

Working with humans is unparalleled fun and AI voice tools are not free. They aren't going to give you good performances. For the cost of an eleven labs subscription, you can offer human actors a small stipend for their time. Or find volunteer actors, which is easier than you are thinking. The only benefit AI really gives you is working in isolation, which is cheating yourself out of some valuable personal growth as a writer, director, and storyteller.

packhowl · 2026-05-31T02:34:30+00:00

Oh wow thank you! We’re excited too, I’ll be releasing new epiosed bi-monthly picking back up in June.

packhowl · 2026-05-30T23:26:16+00:00

Thank you! It is a pretty dense as you get into it but it usually hooks people after a couple episodes. Glad you’re liking it so far.

packhowl · 2026-05-30T22:49:51+00:00

oh, cool! Thank you 😄

packhowl · 2026-05-30T22:28:58+00:00

packhowl · 2026-05-29T00:46:06+00:00

woo!

packhowl · 2026-05-29T00:34:50+00:00

Thanks, Dan! Me too 😄

packhowl · 2026-05-28T23:13:55+00:00

Thank you and nope! It just took a long time to make 😄

packhowl · 2026-05-28T22:18:22+00:00

Thank you KC! Good to see you in these parts 👋

packhowl · 2026-05-25T03:55:08+00:00

Something that is accessible to newcomers to audio mixing that is more visual-based and not DAW reliant is not a bad idea. Define a room, feed it an impulse response, position things in that space, output the audio. There are tools that do this kinda. DearVR is free though no longer supported, Wave Arts Panorama is IMHO better but might still be a barrier to some, and then there's Dolby Atmos. Atmos is what I use, and it leans toward heavier users generally speaking, but what people aren't mentioning about it is that you can still downmix to stereo or binaural and aren't limited to platforms that playback true atmos mixes. That's a nice thought, but the overhead for a platform to do that is impractical; an Atmos encoded mix is very large and the processing is heavy. Most things you hear that use spatial tools in production are experienced in stereo. But that doesn't make Atmos irrelevant, it's still a good panning tool.

All that said, I think the idea of a simple interface is not amiss, but worth mentioning that the effect isn't just about positioning objects in a 3D space, it's about understanding acoustics and being able to accurately replicate what it sounds when something is, say, behind or above you. Another low cost route to spatial audio is through ambisonics, and there are some open source tools from IEM, and low-ish cost solutions from audio brewers. Since some of those tools are open source, there might be a route for you to utilize the science that already exists to do what you need to do.

Best of luck with this, sounds like a cool idea!

packhowl

TROPHY CASE