SFFMP 187: YouTube for Authors, Pricing High, and Running a Successful Patreon Campaign

June 26, 2018 SFFpodcast Author Interview, Podcast

This week, we chatted with fantasy author Jenna Moreci who was able to quit her day job after she published her first book in 2015. But that’s not all she did. A year earlier, she started a YouTube Channel for writers where she’s been consistently uploading weekly videos. She used her YouTube following to help launch that first book (Eve: The Awakening), start a Patreon campaign, and create CafePress merchandise that she sells to her followers/readers.

Here are some of the specifics that we talked about:

Why Jenna started a YouTube channel geared toward writers.
How having a following on YouTube helped her launch her first novel, Eve: The Awakening.
How she was able to quit the day job and replace her income after her first novel.
How long it takes to build up a following on YouTube and why you have to consistently post quality videos.
How much time Jenna spends on her YouTube videos each week.
Things authors should keep in mind if they’re thinking of starting their own YouTube channel.
The book marketing assistance business she mentioned (STORIAD).
Why Jenna started a Patreon campaign and how she’s earning over $1,000 a month with it.
Whether it’s worth it to start a Patreon campaign before you have a following.
Jenna’s attitude when she started out: “Assume the money’s not going to come for a long time.” And how that helped her keep her expectations realistic.
Why she started doing merchandise related to her books and YouTube channel and why she uses CafePress.
Why she’s pricing fairly high for an indie author (her most recent novel is priced at $6.49).

You can visit Jenna on her website, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram (among other places!) and check out her books, Eve: The Awakening on Amazon and The Savior’s Champion available in most stores.