Okay, guys, it's time to bit the pill and organise all the stuff for the incoming premium. So to get this over with, let's begin:
- As of 21.05.2020, this novel will be turning premium. That means that all the new chapters and quite a bit of the already published ones will be locked behind a paywall.
- THE COST OF CHAPTERS IS FULLY DEPENDANT ON ITS LENGHT! The only way in which I can influence the cost of the chapter is by making it shorter or longer. That means, whenever possible, if I can decrease the cost by cutting a few words, I will do it, but there will be times when I won't be able to cut the chapter without making it stupid. In those times, I might add a disclaimer to the pirate sites WITHIN the chapter, but I WILL NEVER DO IT if it will mean increasing its cost. Example:
A chapter cost is calculated by 200 words mark. With premium chapters required to be at least 1k words long, 1001-1200 words mean 6 coins, 1201-1400 words mean 7 coins etc.
If I have a chapter 1310 words long, and a disclaimer 50 words long, I might add it, as the cost of the chapter won't change at all. But if I have a chapter 1170 words long and disclaimer 50 words long, I won't do it in order to not make you guys pay more for what isn't the story!!!
As to how the premium works - starting with the moment this novel turns premium, you guys (and the few lovely girls that are interested in this hard work of mine aimed at showcasing just a bit of the immensely interesting Polish history to you <3) will have to use either your coins or fast passes to unlock the chapters I will release.
You can earn fast passes by doing daily missions like voting (preferably, on this novel <3) voting with energy stone and simply checking in upon visiting the site for the first time in the day.
WHY PREMIUM:
As with everything, writing takes a lot of time. I started writing this novel, because to this day, I don't really think I can fight with others in terms of talent, so my only avenue to somehow realise my dream of living off writing (I'm in Poland, so its that much easier xD) is by writing a lot. While it leads to constant improvement, the amount of research I have to do to write some of the chapters for this novel is simply horrendous, at times taking even more time than writing the chapter itself. And just like with everything, if I want to be able to spend 8h a day working on my novels, I need to be able to pay my bills with it. And as sad as it might sound, if in any realistic time I won't be able to achieve the point of self-sustenance with two premium novels, I won't have any other choice than go back to full-time work and write a few chapters now and then just in form of hobby. That's why, I hope you guys can support me, so that this great journey won't come to an abrupt end!
WHY PRIVILEGE AND HOW IT WILL WORK?
- Let's start it with an important thing. I don't really like priv for what it is, but there is one thing I have to acknowledge. So far, it's the only tool that the authors have to prevent the pirates from stealing our work to at least a minimal degree. With how they use bots and relay on fast passes from daily missions to steal the chapters, this is the only way to make sure at least a few of my newest chapters will remain locked behind a paywall.
- But how it will work, you might ask?
For now, I only intend to set up 1 tier, with 3 or 4 chapters, and costing 1 coin to unlock. Yes, you heard me right, you will be able to access it FOR ONE, SINGLE, EIN coin. It's there only to block the access for the bots. But that also means that the priv chapters unlocked, won't be able to be opened up with fast passes. Consider it a small advantage I give those who support me in the most direct way, as sadly, fast passes and bonus coins DO NOT contribute to the author's income at all.
But what will happen to the priv in the future?
- First thing first, I WILL NEVER CHANGE THE COST OF THE FIRST TIER!
It will forever remain one-coin. But if the idea will hit, then I might start adding normal tiers of privilege later on, with normal prices and more chapters behind them. I know that you guys won't really like it due to its bad fame, but I never really considered myself being any big figure on this site, and any means that gives me the chance of fulfilling my dream of writing full-time, is something I will latch on and hold onto with all my might! But for now, I think instead of dropping my entire life and smashing those keys to get more chapters for priv, I will make it a slow and steady growth. With the priv starting right away when I go premium, I think only about 40 days later (the end of the NEXT month) I will start adding a single tier with every month.
- AND NOW, FOR ALL THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW HOW PRIVILEGE WORKS
Privilege is a system in which an author can release his stockpiled chapters earlier than they were supposed to be released while asking you, the loyal readers, for some coins for getting the privilege to access those chapters in advance. It works in the form of a monthly subscription calculated by date, meaning than if you unlock a tier at 29th of May, then you will lose access to the advanced chapters starting June.
But how does unlocking works?
Let's take the first tier for example. You caught up with the story, and you see there are some advance chapters locked behind privilege. Then you can pay the entire 1 coin to unlock it, giving you the access for the rest of the month to unlocking the next 3-4 chapters (depending how much I will set the first tier to be). While those chapters still need to be unlocked (and you can't use the fast pass to do so), you will be able to read the story ahead of the free readers, unwilling to waste this one precious coin on this abhorred privilege.
UPDATE SCHEDULE AND MASS RELEASES
- Before going premium, I will maintain my daily update speed of two chapters. While at times I might have troubles keeping up the pace due to real-life reasons, I will do my best to limit all the mishaps on my side to the minimum.
- When going premium, I will do a mass release of new chapters. I won't claim how many of them there will be because how this kind of promises weights me down and makes it harder to write even daily chapters, but you can be assured - I will do my best to provide as much as I can!
As for the future mass releases, I won't claim anything nor promise you guys some empty words. Keeping up the release for two novels is already taxing, and doing mass releases takes an additional toll on me. If I will be able to do one, I will, but nothing more than that.
(Sorry for the length of the post, I'm kinda tired while writing it!)
Reviews:
As much I'm happy with every review that I will get on this novel, there are two kinds that I will delete on sight:
- Defamatory, Insulting, Provocative - if you don't like the novel and feel like you wasted the time reading it, then as much as it saddens me, it's your fault for not dropping it sooner. If you like the story but don't like the development at some point (especially if you are caught up) then remember that all in all, it is MY story. I will do my best to write it to the maximum of my storytelling and plotting ability, but that's all I can guarantee.
- Spam reviews - Here, I honestly don't care if its 5 stars, 1 star or 3.3333333 stars. If you can't be bothered to write those 140 words, then you have no right to leave a review on a novel where each chapter is at least 1000 words each.
Just to make things clear, those are the types of reviews I WON'T delete (plus all the other, normal ones):
- Negative reviews - if they do not apply to one of the above, feel free to express your opinion on this novel. You think my rate of update is bad? (but be real please, I'm not a machine) Feel free to 1star it. You think that my characters are bland and one-dimensional? Feel free to write about it and stare it as you like. Honest reviews help me improve my writing and are kind of checkpoint on the way of becoming a better author.
- will add if someone points something out. It's damned 2.30 am and I can't think straight since I'm going to write even more chapters now.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER!!!
This novel may consist of things that might come off as racist, nationalist or antisemitic. Let me explain all of them in advance:
- Antisemitism - In the setting of the story based on real history, Jews were the biggest autonomous nationality within the Commonwealth border. Not only did they create a specific culture around themselves and matters connected to them, but there were also a lot of natural tensions between them and the others, just like now right-winged people don't really like left-winged people and have troubles holding back on their words. Medieval times were much simpler and more straightforward in those matters, and this is something I want to include as well, as to not whitewash the history of the country.
- Nationalist - This word is actually wrong here because, in the times where the story is initially set, there was no such thing as nations. Most people identified themselves with their immediate surroundings (I'm a Krakowian, I'm Warsawian, I'm lesserfecelian) with only the Nobility identifying itself with either the country or its parts (Lithuania, Prussia, Crown, at some point even Rhuthernia, but that aspect was more religious than areal). The last remaining group were the citizens on the most eastern and southern borders, because those two regions experienced a lot of constant conflicts, developing a sense of fellowship among the people and hatred towards the enemies that were equalised to plunderers and invaders. As such, there will be conflicts based on those problems, but just like with the above - they are just a tool to keep the setting consistent and real.
- Racism - In here, it actually plays a lot smaller role than one could expect, because this region of the world wasn't really affected by the colonial influence and all the devils that it gave birth to. While there might be some occasional points about this matter later into the story, I will try to keep them minimal and humoristic. (And sorry, with how much I plan to ridicule every nation of the commonwealth and its neighbours, if I were to go easy on any particular race, it would come as insulting rather than respectful. This story is not going to be easy on anyone)
With all that said, I really hope this story, this day when I started it and this contest that pushed me to finally do it will mark the day where another long, and eventful adventure will begin as for me, as for everyone reading this story!