First off, let me say this, I do not have a patron. I know plenty of writers and artists who do. I support several, but I don’t. The reason I don’t is unlike the patrons I chose to support I am not trying to make a living out of writing. I got one of those full time job things that were all the rage in the late 80’s and have never quite shaken the habit.

This is probably not going to change any time soon, though I would like it to…

In any regard while patron is a wonderful concept and I highly encourage people with disposable income who want to support a particular writer/artist/musican etc, to do so. Aside the obvious benefits for the artist in having a small but steady income stream to support there endeavors, for the sponsor it also promotes a feeling of been part of an artists inner circle. You get to see exclusive things, get insights on the creative process and the odd goodie here and there. You are part of their crew, a cog wheel in the engine that drives them, you have a relationship with them beyond just reading , looking at and listening to their work. And for the artist too it is a community that offers reassurance, a sense of worth and wellbeing.

Here then is a crux of a problem, I do not have a patron as I don’t need any level of fiscal support, nor would I wish to have it, I would sooner, if people were to patronise an artist, that they supported artists that need that kind of support. There are a lot of wonderful artists of all kins out there who struggle along for whom a couple of quid here or there would be most welcome. Support them, if you can. I don’t need that kind of support…

The other kind of support, however… The kind of support that comes along with having a bunch of pateron’s who form supportive community, offering the artist a little reassurance and a sense of wellbeing… Well that would at times be most welcome…

I say this in the full and unadulterated knowledge that I am oft perceived as a gruff independently minded middle aged Yorkshireman, stuffed full of opinions and never shy about sharing them. And to be fair the reason I am oft perceived as a gruff independently minded middle aged Yorkshireman, stuffed full of opinions and never shy about sharing them, is because I am a gruff independently minded middle aged Yorkshireman, stuffed full of opinions and never shy about sharing them.

That is to say while I am that gruff middle-aged Yorkshireman. I am also shy, retiring, and hide my insecurities behind bluster. I have a sever case of imposture syndrome most of the time and I am never quite so alone as when I stand in a crowded room surrounded by those I would wish to be my peers … I never really feel I deserve to stand along side them and trying to brazen it out only works for so long. Eventually I find corners to hide in and do so.

I throw words into the wind and what them swirl around me and hope to catch them again, I am a writer, writing is what I do, occasionally quite well, it defines me in many ways and I believe through my writing I add to the zeitgeist of humanity in positive ways.

But I don’t always believe any of that to be true…

So, yes, the reassurance of a crowd of paterons, of knowing there are some out there who genuinely care if I put one word in fount of another now and again would be a wonderful thing. I understand the appeal and think that perhaps that is more important than anything else to the patronized. Knowing that your people are out there. I don’t need a pateron page, and there are plenty others who do. But I do need support in other ways sometimes.

So, here is what I ask. If, and only if, you wish to support the literary side of my life, my writing, this blog and frankly if I am utterly honest my sense of wellbeing… There are several ways you can do so, firstly by following me on social media, the links for which can be found here on link tree https://linktr.ee/mark_hayes

Also on my linktree you will find a link to my author page on amazon, which you can chose to follow, and thus get an email about once a quarter or so when a new Harvey comes out or once a year or two when a new novel comes out. Which is to say almost never… Why would I ask you to do this? Well the more followers an author has, the more amazon are apt to ‘push’ them towards people who don’t follow them.

Also, while I mention Amazon, reviews there matter. I wish that was not so, but it is. So if you read a book and like it, please leave a review to say so, be it one of mine or anyone’s. I have gained a grand total of about 7 reviews on amazon this year, just 7…

So far this year I have sold, on amazon, around 187 books and have around 70000 Kindle unlimited pages reads which equates to another 150+ books. This has then been a quiet year for book sales but as I have not published anything new for well over two years it is still a reasonable little readership… But only 7 reviews from 330+ books… and one of those was a shitty one…

(if you don’t like a book just keep that to yourself mind, pointlessly negative reviews are never welcome, if you don’t like a book that’s fine, but no need to crush an authors soul by saying so. Seriously every author I know is the same, we all smile for a few minutes when we get a nice review, but the horrible ones eat us up inside for days. You want to really hurt an author maliciously, don’t stab them in the guts, just leave the a shity review, it will hurt more and longer)

There is also this blog of course, which you may be reading for the first time or a regular visitor, but if you haven’t followed it, then maybe consider doing so. At most you will get an email reminding you of its existence once in a while. Like posts if you like them , comment by all means, I want to interact with my audience, if I may call you that.

This is not a cry for help BTW, this is not a desperate call for attention, or me jumping up and down saying ‘look at me’. It is however me being honest that on occasion I feel it would be nice to have the kind of support that comes with patron followers and the positive reinforcement that brings.

All this, applies not just to me, it applies to supporting every artist, writer, musician, dancer, poet and whatever other creative things people are doing out there. And for the most part I don’t need a great deal of support. I am after all a gruff independently minded middle aged Yorkshireman, stuffed full of opinions and never shy about sharing them. So unless you are moved to offer a little support in my direction, worry not, but please offer support out to the creative community in general, in as many ways as you can.

Make a gnome impressionist who reads Haiku’s which sitting on a motorized toad stole happy by giving them a thumbs up or something of that order…

Thankyou, for reading this…

Mx