Some thoughts on a new direction in crowdfunding
After a hectic summer working in the breathtakingly beautiful California wilderness, living with no reliable internet, and then a lengthy hospital stay and major surgery, I have finally been getting myself back into the game artistically. I have yet to dip back into the crowdfunding, though, and I'm afraid it has more to do with a lack of confidence than a lack of desire or need.
I desperately need to raise prices, because I need the money--especially after the insane number of medical bills I have incurred and am still incurring--but I'm afraid I'm going to shoot myself in the foot by doing so. I have tentative plans. For one, I'm considering hosting weekly $5 Sketch Days, rather than Free Sketch Days as I've done previously, but taking the first five prompts for free.
Detailed black and white drawings will ordinarily go for $50 and up, depending on complexity, and Discounted Character Portrait Days will be re-instated on a periodic basis at $30 per portrait. I'll also offer story illustration, both black and white and color, for $50 and up.
I have to remind myself that even these prices are very low for a professional, but I still have this nagging voice in the back of my head that tells me my work isn't good enough to charge that much, that no one will want to pay that much. It's a voice that I'm determined to ignore.
I hope to be delving back into the crowdfunding sometime this coming week. I may test the waters with a $5 Sketch Day.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to ease back into this after being away for so long? Any suggestions for how to raise prices gracefully to a more financially sustainable amount?