Why do you donate?

[aldersprig]

As I was IM'ing eseme "Stop me before I tip again" last night, I was laughing at myself for my nickle-and-dime donations lately.

But I write a webserial, and I know that nickles and dimes pay the bills. And why people tip is useful information.

We discussed this a bit in this post by stryck on tip incentives, but perhaps we can discuss, specifically,

Comments

[aldersprig]

I forgot an important one!
I like the artist & the product they provide and I want to support them.

[eseme]

Yeah, that's one of the important bits.

And you've reminded me of another one, donating for someone else, as a gift. You've donated for me a couple of times when I couldn't, and I'm hoping to return the favor. It's fun to support things your friends like (especially if you both like the same project).

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I rarely have the money to contribute, but when I do, my leading reasons include:

* I get something, or something more, directly for donating
* The project directly involves a cause I wish to support (like quennessa raising money to buy a new computer for her small press)
* The project is new and I want it to continue.
* Something particularly awesome has just happened in the project and/or I hope that a donation along with a suggestion will make something awesome happen.
* I like the creator and want to support their work.

[kyleri]

I make a living in the best way -- what I'm doing is my passion, it's what I live for. So when I see someone doing a crowdfunded project and it's what they love, it's their passion, I've got to honor that passion and support them.

[ext_287696]

1. I enjoy their stuff and want to make sure they continue to produce it.

or

2. I know people who enjoy their stuff but can't afford to contribute. (I've contributed to some people whose stuff isn't for me for this reason especially if they're having crisis appeals).

[haikujaguar]

#2 is an awesome reason. You rock. :)

Hmm...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Now that you mention it, I've seen people in my audience buy stuff for each other. A fair number of the poems that get sponsored in the Poetry Fishbowl are not the ones written from the sponsor's prompt, although I think most people do sponsor their own. But someone who says, "I love this but I'm broke this month" has a good chance of getting that poem covered by someone else, especially if the topic is one that several people liked.

[haikujaguar]

I give money to artists (writers/etc) that I like when I feel:

* the artist is hard-working/productive.
* the artist needs encouragement to start working online.
* the artist needs encouragement to keep a project I like going.
* the artist has significantly improved my quality of life by adding beautiful or thoughtful things to the world.

I don't give money:

* to get things. I don't like physical things, and I hate having to come up with the mental energy to come up with a non-physical thing.
* to artists who are doing it for some cause. Both charitable (if I want to give to a charity, I will directly) or to fund something (I don't like the sensation of the artist in question suddenly having an expensive toy a month after they're asking for money to fund a medical cause. If you need money, work. But don't twist my arm asking).
* to artists who are angry or bitter or sound ungrateful.
* to artists who rarely produce frequently and/or consistently.

Attitude is important to me. Getting stuff isn't.

[miintikwa]

This this this!

I enjoy giving to people and projects that I think:

*respect and honor my donation
*are adding beauty to the world
*are feeding their soul and spirit through their work

And

*are creating a community

I like best the feeling that the project is creating a place where we can all contribute to it, with commentary and feedback and money. :)

[haikujaguar]

Ah, that's a good one. I like community too... sometimes. If I feel welcome in it. There are creators whose attitudes or politics can exclude me even if I like their work.

To be clear: I will donate money to people who don't share my views. But not if they diss me and act as if they believe that people who disagree with them could never like their work.

There's one author whose work I really like who is in the process of doing this to me, and it makes me very unhappy. I want to support their work, but their constant tweets about Those People sucking and how we need to defeat Them because They are idiots, jerks, stupid, etc...

Don't do that, please. :(

(Not talking to you, Deya! I know you aren't like that. :) )

[miintikwa]

Oh no! I know you don't mean me. :) But I actually agree with your point. I ran into that feeling myself recently. Where I was really excited about an artist, until I read the rest of their blog, and just...

Yeah. I concur. Political discussions are fine, but don't make it about "us versus them."

[haikujaguar]

I should probably add: for me once the money is given, it's gone. I don't give it in expectation that the artist will keep producing something specific. I don't want to get something and have to keep track of whether I receive it or not. To me, it's money thrown on the wind, a karmic investment in the continuing production and release of beautiful things for the world to see.

For that reason, I don't like giving to "walled" stuff, where I give money but I'm the only one who sees the content. I also don't like to have to incur the emotional burden of being upset if someone doesn't use the money I've given them to do what they said to do. I prefer giving money to someone randomly for something they've already done, than to give money to someone in order to get them to do something.

So the best way to get money from me is to do great things, without anger or hating on your audience, and constantly put them out there... and have a tip button available. No tip button, no "wow, they rock, I should give them some cash" moment. :)