Today’s post will be brief and to the point because it has nothing to do with Pelikan and everything to do about me which is, admittedly, uncomfortable territory. Perhaps it’s the fear of rejection that has fed my reticence. I have never been one to promote myself or ask for anything beyond your continued readership. I have worked very hard over the past several years to bring you the latest Pelikan news, reviews of unique pens in the line-up, and in-depth, heavily researched original content. That last part has been perhaps the most satisfying for me personally. To date, I have done all of this at my own expense, both financially and with regards to my limited free time. I have always wanted to focus on the content and not allow for distraction. That is why you will never find an ad on my site nor will any of my content ever be placed behind a paywall. Also, to retain my impartiality and independence, I do not solicit nor accept sponsorships.
This site is for the love of the brand, for writing, and for all of the things that go along with it. Along the way, I picked up some really awesome pen friends and the support from the community at large has been overwhelming. Still, it cost money to host the blog, buy new pens to review, and to have giveaways. What has become clear is that the strain on me and my resources is becoming more noticeable. With that in mind, I have taken the plunge and launched a Patreon page for The Pelikan’s Perch, something that I have toyed with over the years but to which I’ve never committed. If you’re unfamiliar, Patreon is a service that allows you to pledge financial support to a creator for making the stuff that you love and, best of all, there is no fixed dollar amount. You can pledge as much or as little as you’d like. Even a monthly pledge of just $1 would go a long way. Your patronage would allow me to potentially cover my fees and allow me to do more with the site over time. I can’t offer much in return for your generosity but, if you want to be my patron, you will get my sincerest and most heartfelt thanks for your kindness and support. In addition to that, I will use my “Patron Only” postings on the Patreon site to keep you up to date with what I’m working on. Those musings will serve as a way to peak behind the curtain and see what I’m up to before it hits the blog. If you choose not to donate, I totally understand and I still appreciate and value your readership and thank you for your consideration. Whatever you decide, know that I will continue to run the blog in its current form for as long as I can because I truly enjoy what I do and I hope that you do too. I’ll leave it there for now. If you’d like to contribute, you can click on the link below or use the link at the bottom of this page. For those that prefer, you can also find a link to my PayPal account. Thanks for reading!
Do you have a PayPal people can make a donation to?
Hello. I do actually. Here is a link to my account; https://www.paypal.me/pelikansperch
Dear Joshua. Your posts were main inspiration for me to dive into Pelikans world,so my answer yes. As I am in EU, my preference goes to PayPal.
I’m happy to hear that this site served as
temptationinspiration for you. PayPal can be a hassle with recurring payments and Patreon allowed a little more interaction with the community but I totally understand where you are coming from. I do have a PayPal of course which can be accessed via this link if anyone is interested; https://www.paypal.me/pelikansperchIn my opinion you are a rich enthusiast who provides valuable information on your website, but think about it: in your website you promote a brand and share your own expensive collection, which you would do regardless of running this website. There’s no reason for readers to support you financially. Go seek sponsorship from Pelikan or their distributors and leave Patreon for kids with no income who need to support themselves while creating.
I understand your time and work are valuable, and you certainly could be doing other (more profitable) things with your time, but that’s not justification in itself to get paid for doing it. If the website burdens you, just drop it. If you’d do the work for free, out of passion, then just do it, and pay for it with your income (money and time budget).
No hate at all, just sincere opinion. Been a reader for years. If you’d like more insight on the matter, please publish this comment and gauge public response.
Tim, hello and thank you for your long time readership. I appreciate your opinion and willingness to share. Allow me to correct a few misconceptions that your statement is predicated on. I am not rich. While I make a good wage working 60-84 hours/week, I also have extensive debt acquired from pursuing many years of higher education. I am certainly better off than many and don’t take that for granted for one minute but, coupled with children and a home, I am not rich by any stretch. I am an enthusiast though and I fund my collection through overseas purchases where savings are substantial as well as a strict budget with a pen allowance included. Also, after writing about several pieces, I will frequently turn around and re-sell them as I cannot afford to keep them in the collection. I have no other vices and don’t spend my money on other goods generally.
I have wrestled with monetizing this site for the past 5 years and have resisted it from day one. That is why you see no ads and there has never been a solicitation for donations. Launching a Patreon page was not a decision that I came to lightly. In the end, I see myself as a creator of unique content. Other such creators can derive an income from their work. Am I missing out by not doing so myself? As I said, the budget is not inexhaustible and life issues lately has brought that into sharper focus. Also, the time commitment that the site requires is not insignificant. I’m not asking readers to support me financially. By launching a Patreon page, I’m putting a purely voluntary option out there should people enjoy my work, have the means, and wish to contribute. Other personalities in the pen world have done the same. Whether people donate or not, the site continues unchanged as far as the user experience goes. I would be just as happy and continue doing what I do, to the best of my abilities, even if no one choose to support the site.
To address another point that you raised, I will not seek sponsorship from Pelikan or their distributors. To do so would erode my the independence that I enjoy. I am able to express my opinions freely without undue influence and I value that transparency. I also think you are a little dismissive of Patreon and who is utilizing it. If you look at the content creators on Patreon, they are far from kids in many instances.
To sum it up, I’m not expecting to get paid for what I do. I will continue to do what I do for the love of it and I will stop doing it when it becomes a chore. If people appreciate what I do and wish to contribute, bless them and their generosity. I simply am now providing an outlet for that to be possible where it previously was not. Certainly we are free to disagree though and I thank you again for sharing another view point. The lack of civil discourse IMHO is one of the greatest issues facing society today. Should I hear significant feedback in line with yours, I will happily reconsider my position, refund those who have chosen to contribute, and delete this post.
I can’t do a monthly sub but I’ve donated a bit on PayPal. Please don’t let the website put you into financial ruin, I’d much prefer you have a happy life without a website presence if it comes to that. I know that often times negative experiences stick in the mind much more stubbornly than a positive one but I would like to say your website has always been a bright spot in my day.
I wish you all the best!
– J
I appreciate your support J. Thank you very much. The website is not a burden of that level and it remains a labor of love. That said, it has cost me nearly $1000 over the past 5 years. I’m not looking to turn a profit or making a living off of it. I was just hoping to cover the hosting fees and so far, the generosity of the readership has allowed me to achieve that.
Glad to hear it! When I first read the post I thought it was like when the Pen Habit stopped updating. I know Mr. Armstrong spent a lot of money on pens, an astronomical sum even, and Pelikans can be pricey. That said I hope you’ll be able to run the website happily for a long time.
Sorry to give you a scare. Nothing of the sort. I still love what I do and find it fulfilling. I’ll keep at it as long as I can provided the community finds it useful.
Sorry about that earlier poster above, I think the website you’ve created is really valuble and definitely has no peer when it comes to Pelikan news and releases. You’re not simply “sharing your collection”, that’s an absurd statement.
No need to apologize. I welcome all viewpoints as long as they are presented respectfully. I appreciate your kind words about the site and I too think that my work does go beyond simply sharing my collection. The collection is merely the catalyst for the website.
I’ve sent a small donation via PayPal. Thanks for all you do and will send some more later.
Thank you so much for your generosity!
Pingback: Fountain Pen Quest Trail Log – November 10, 2019 | Fountain Pen Quest
Dear Joshua,
Just sent a small donation via PayPal. Maybe next time I will try to donate more. Love your website and love reading every posts and replies. Happy new year.
Sincerely,
cm
Thank you for your generosity. I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed what I’m trying to do here.