Being honest with you. I feel maybe if I am transparent with you, viewers can trust me
~image provided by substack to help with promotion
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I’ve been struggling to get support ( eg Kofi subs) I think it’s because viewers may think I am a scammer or something. There are scammers out there. Kofi/Patreon are not charities. You know when you subscribe to Netflix to see the shows/movies exclusive to the platform? Kofi/Patreon is like that. You get benefits/content exclusive to the platform
I am a chronically ill content creator. Content creation is the only job that’s accessible and flexible. Unlike most content creators who work a day job and have YouTube/Twitch etc as a side hustle, Then quit their job to become content creators once they have enough stable resources; I have to start content creation from the bottom, full-time because I won’t be able to hold down a job long enough for content creation. I collect disability benefits because I won’t be able to work long enough until content creation picks up, and I cannot live off of what I am starting with for content creation. When funds run low, I start promoting my Kofi page. Each month is different.
I am cautious with whom I disclose to that I collect disability to allow me to start content creation because people are too judgemental.
What caused me to start struggling was when my grandma needed to get another heating system in a hurry. My mom and I have been giving her 125 dollars a piece for it. I also post content to these cryptocurrency blogging platforms. I embed my YouTube videos and people can vote for the post giving me credits in the site’s currency which I can trade for Bitcoin and USD. My earnings were strong in 2021 and started to drop in the Spring of 2022. I tried everything I could to bring people back to no avail. I tried different content. Then in the spring of 2023, I got monetized on Facebook via their ads on reels program. Each month is different. My peak seems to be in the spring-summer and views tank in the fall. Originally late 2022, I got into Facebook’s reels bonus program.
am careful with whom I disclose things to because back in 2016 I told a “friend” I could not work due to my disabilities and she was a little miss armchair admiral. Comparing me to her friends with disabilities and assume my skills are “poor.” When how great you are doesn’t matter. Every disabled person is different. In some cases, they can work with the right adjustments. Most employers will just hire someone abled-bodied because they won’t wanna accomicate us. Would you hire someone that
is always calling out/have to go home early
need frequent breaks
who needs to keep something on them (meds, water, hand-held fan etc)
who has accidents at work ( dropping things, falling, etc)
who will work slower
needs to sit down
needs time off for flares
always going to the bathroom (gut issues)
It's easy for them to say.
Also, employers weed out disabled people in the application. Do those stupid personality tests and “must be able to lift 60 LBS ring a bell?”
Getting that out of the way.
Maybe people see I am monetized on Facebook and when I promote my kofi, they think I am sketchy. I need to expand my income because each month is different. Facebook can move the goal post like YouTube did with their monetization. I offer exclusive perks to viewers like early access to my content. Sorta like how you subscribe to Nexflix to access the content you can’t watch elsewhere.
When I try to crowdfund for food, to cover the rest of my biz expenses, I don’t get any tips. I think maybe folks think engagement=tips and when I promote my page again, they’re like “Again? people supported you and that wasn’t enough” When I get a tip, I go back to the thread and post to my insta stories and if I have a goal I am trying to reach, update on the progress of that goal.
If I don’t get tips, I have to ride out the storm. Recently, as of writing this, my mom and I were dealing with a possible mouse infestation ( my mom is the cleanest person in the world. My grandma is the cleanest person. I may be a little unkempt but my rooms wouldn't look like a hoarder ) and I was trying to crowdfund if push came to shove and I needed to hire pest control because they can find and seal entry points etc. I didn’t get any tips so I have to keep buying traps and repellent sprays. It would be better to have pest control. They can come out and get us ready for when it gets cold since you’ll likely get mice when it’s getting cold out. Nonetheless, I had to ride out the crazy weekend as a result of being unable to get the tips to hire pest control. It is a monthly service since they will come out monthly or so. I needed a quicker solution because I spoke with a lung specialist once and he said pests (bugs, mice, etc) make allergies and asthma worse. and both were in overdrive dealing with Be Be’s kids (what I called the mice we had to catch)
Emergencies won’t wait until payday, which is another reason why I constantly promote my Kofi, Patreon etc.
This will also allow me to save since I need glasses. I haven’t had glasses since 2021.
I added a neutral kofi goal since things change. If kofi adds a feature where you can set separate goals, then I can set one for bills/living one for biz expenses, and an emergency goal.
Diversifying your revenue is important. As of writing this, Tiktok is at risk of being banned for the 20th time, say I was monetized there, you see why I would start getting other sites monetized and not just rely on Tiktok. I don’t wanna only rely on Facebook, they paused their reels bonus program, I was luck to unlock ads on reels right when they rolled out everyone’s last pay. Facebook can move the goal post for their requirements for the ads program ( it was 1k followers) I should be lucky I didn’t have to apply and Facebook just unlocked it for me after 1k. Then Facebook unlocked the performance bonus where they pay you for posting photos, videos etc to your Facebook wall. How well my engagement is that month decided if I pass the payout threshold
I think the reason why small creators rely on ad monetization because it’s a way for people to support you for free. If they don’t have money for your merch, to join your Patreon etc, watching an ad can be a way viewers can support you for free. That and/or its hard to get people to trust you due to scammers.
Content creation provides so much flexibility. I can take time off for flares, for appointments if needed, and don’t have to worry about a greedy employer punishing me if an emergency pops up. If I need a vacation, I don’t have to get permission to go.
If possible, I feel everyone can benefit from this type of work.
Remember just because someone's donation post gets engagement, doesn’t mean those people bought something. Although scammers suck, no one will pretend to be disabled when disabled people are outcasted by society. They THINK it’s peaches and cream. However, it’s not.
I started blogging about autism back in 2019. I felt my mom expected all of my problems with autism to walk away. I felt unheard. I started a WordPress blog on wordpress.com. Then I bought hosting before COVID and moved to my domain.
I blogged about how autism made finding and possibly keeping a job hard, and how it can be hard to make and keep friends.
I took a step back from making autism content because I felt no one was seeing my content. when I posted my blog posts on Twitter, it was crickets.
Overall, I am cautious with whom I disclose things.
This post is from my substack
I don't know any other way to link blog posts
all blog articles are written by me!!!