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2024 End of Year State of Something Address
🕑 Added 2024-12-16 16:30:40 +0000 UTCThis SOSA took a bit longer to write, partly because I usually start writing these during November. But as you could tell, that was a very busy month for me to get it out. I still only just feel like I'm recovering from it, even if it did me some good on some level.
But, it might also have to do with the fact that 2024…well, it certainly was a year.
Especially some of the things we in the adult content creator community have had to deal with. Between Patreon changing their TOS to be vague once again regarding consent, Gumroad shutting down all NSFW content entirely, gloating about how record breaking their sales were the next day (and may they never reach that high again), and another uphill battle to come in the next few years, things have not felt kind to us.
That doesn't mean I'm giving up, dudes. Far from it. But we're not there yet. Let's try to wrap up this year before we get to that stuff.
For me, 2024 was a rather interesting year. While I completely went in on using Google Forms to sort through commissions, it was still a very bumpy road I'm trying to figure out when people would be ready for them. Granted, I blame a chunk of that on the ability to promote on certain platforms, but again, we'll discuss that later. I guess I did eventually figure it out, but it still felt like a difficult time to go through.
That experience did teach me a lesson, however; I can't just panic and try to fix something in the middle of the journey. And I'm going to try and implement that thinking next year, but I'll try to explain that a little later here.
On a bright side, I did start taking steps into trying and branch out into different aspects of entertainment again. While it's far from the audios I was making in 2020 and 2021, I started my comic, Deal With A Devil! And I'm happy with the work Z put into everything so far. I just wish I knew what you guys felt about it up to this point.
"No, Nut!" November was a success as well. I'm happy that you guys were able to help support over 30 days worth of content, but I think I'll certainly be retooling it from what I did this year. Even if I simplified it for myself, there's clearly better ways to do it.
I've had some time to do other projects, but unfortunately, a lot of them have sadly hit a stance of limbo. I'd have loved to see them get released by now and discuss them a little bit more to list off my annual accomplishments, but that's been out of my hands. Things have either just started or are out of my control at this point, so I have to be patient and see how everything goes from here.
I dunno, man. Where we stand right now and where we might be at this point next year has a lot to be seen, and I can’t say the future is definite, but one thing is certain across the board: Change needs to happen.
I’ve especially been wishy-washy with doing a lot to change my standards as a writer. But as I reflect on things now that I take my break, it’s pretty evident that I need to actually follow through with those changes. Things have been feeling sadly monotonous over the last few years, and in my Neverending mission to try and make myself happy writing smut as a job, I need to get out of that rut.
In my break throughout December, I’ve had the luxury of just…thinking. Breathing. Having some stance to step back between the constant games I’m playing and look outside the box at my current business model. I’ve had some time to look at my stance on my creative endeavors, the things I’ve written in the last year, and realized that, maybe instead of trying to be a Jack of All Trades, master of little, I should narrow it down a lot more. By that, I mean focus on the kinks that I like the most and not keep such a wide net. Yes, the wider net might catch more, but I know who keeps coming back now, and I know who I want to come back to for their business.
But I’ll try to get more into that in the first section. Let's start with one of the important things here, because I'm sure a lot of you have been wondering about the potential raise in prices next year…
Commissions
As it’s become an annual tradition, I’ve always changed the rate of my commissions due to increase in demand, as well as to support myself. I’m happy to announce that, for the first time ever, I will not be raising my rates.
Yes, $30 per 1k words is here to stay, as is the $22 per 1k sales, at least for now. This might change depending on how things trend for the time being. The $3 per 1k over 8k, is going to stick around though, but that shouldn't affect things too much.
I’ve been seeing more people using VGen to take on commissions, too, so we’ll see whether I start using that or stick to Google Forms.
However. I'm going to be more strict on what stories I do and do not want to write about. Some of you are good on this, but I find others are stretching me as far as I can go before I have to reel back in and figure out my comfort.
This is me being honest: The last year has started making me realize more and more the things I’m willing to do and not do, even if that’s after the fact. Yes, I have a list of things I will not do, I have changed my status on some kinks immensely, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that I need to emphasize: Just because it’s not on the list, it doesn’t automatically mean I’ll accept it. It’s been a matter of what does and doesn’t spark inspiration, and you see that the most in what goes into the sales.
There’s also a matter that has been bugging me that needs to stop: the clients with 2k word prompts. If you’re giving me between 500 or 1k words, even doing bullet points, that’s fine. I can flesh that out in my own way, there’s plenty of space to breathe my own life into things. But when even the bullet points start to go into micromanaged detail, that’s when I have to start saying ‘no’. When commissions are requested, you as the client have to put trust in the writer and let them use their own voice with the creative freedom that comes with making content. Yes, there can be room for compromise, but at some point it can become a poison to the brain to stay on such a narrow path. It’s not fun.
Honestly? If you’re going to put your horny energy into writing 2k words for a concept of a story…maybe try to write the story yourself? You’ve clearly put a lot of structure into what you want to do, follow it for yourself and see if you can get your skills of a writer down. Maybe you’ll also understand my perspective on the matter.
Also, this will be a case by case thing, but I’m going to be a bit more aggressive about changes being made after a story is finished. Already I have it listed that if the number of changes goes over 500 words or lage chunks need editing, I’m charging $100 just for that. But even if those changes starts to go into an additional 1k? It’s still going to be $100, and I will be asking for that payment up front instead of after the changes have been made. No, nobody has burned me on this yet, but when the number of changes requires me to rewrite more than a small section to a point it feels like it doesn't fit the story anymore, it’s very aggravating to try and seek out a way to do it while making the minimal amounts of changes.
So that's where I'm standing on that right now.
Nothing but Bluesky
If you’ve somehow found this announcement via Twitter, well, hi. You’re probably one of the lucky ones, and I bet you didn’t even know I was gone.
I have left Twitter entirely. If you’ve heard any of the other stories from content creators as to why, it’s the same song and dance here. I’ve grown tired of the toxic hellscape the website has become. I have grown exhausted of the person who has bought the site and turned it into what it is now. I do not want to be part of that space, especially as an adult content creator, in a time where such content is already being suppressed.
Thus, I’m on Bluesky. And I recommend that you as a follower join and follow me there if you want to keep supporting me and stay updated on announcements such as this at fizzer.bsky.social. I can promise you it’s a much better social media landscape compared to the other place, as there’s plenty of safety precautions to avoid the toxic nature already present on that site. Not perfect, but still better than the alternative.
Currently, I'm at over 300 followers. I'm hoping to hit 1k by this time next year, so if you know anybody that has interest in my stories or the old audios, let them know to follow me here! It will help me exponentially, especially when it comes to hitting the endorphins.
Plus, my first few sales next year will feature a special offer: New Bluesky followers or first time requesters who put their Bluesky in the Form as a contact will get a 20% discount off their final price! If that’s not something to be pleased with, I dunno what is!
We Have To Change the Patreon, Guys
If you regularly check on this page, you might have noticed that I’ve been making a few slight changes to the tier here and there over the last few days.
Look, I'm gonna be blunt: Patreon has not been as great a model for my income like it used to be, and I still admit that I’ve been blaming myself for that when I did my split between here, Fanbox, and SubscribeStar. I've been looking at the number of supporters leaving, scratching my head at how to fix the leak while I'm neck deep in the water. Something needs to be done if I want to keep this going, especially since the money for Patreon is helping to fund Deal with A Devil.
But assuming I can put the image in here, this is how I’m looking at the Patreon for the oncoming future:
I’m also going to try and set up goals, even if Patreon doesn’t do those anymore. If I can reach 40 paid supporters, then I’ll release the old Resident Evil stuff I was leaving on here until a certain point. After that, if I hit a goal maybe every 20 supporters or so, then I can start releasing more of the exclusive stuff.
Adopt-a-comm?
I know a lot of those that commission me have a lot of ideas swimming in your heads, but hear me out.
As I've been doing this for nearly 12 years, I've had a lot of commissions that have fallen to the wayside. Either the original commissioner stopped or vanished or whatever, and to be honest I'd like to try and close the books on at least a few of those. Gorillas on the Horizon deserves some closure, dammit!
So I want to try something a little different in 2025; alongside my regular commissions, I want to go through some of my older commissioned content and continue them until they reach their inevitable conclusion. For most of them, I know where the ending was going, but it would just need a little help to motivate me to their ending. There can be some input, but for the most part I’d rather be able to end it as how either I or the client saw fit.
That one where Jaune converted into a beast and transformed everyone with him is certainly begging for an ending chapter.
Anything else?
Well, there’s one more thing I’d like to discuss…but I’ll probably wait for another time to bring it up. Just know that when I do, it’s going to be rather important with regards towards adult entertainment in the states when it happens.
2024 was a struggle in a lot of parts, but hopefully we can endure the next year, and avoid any pratfalls that could nuke our jobs and businesses entirely.
That’s all I have to say. Happy new year, Merry Christmas, and see you in 2025!
Comments
Mr. Fizzer
If I can get enough interest in the idea, it's likely I'm going to have a cutoff date and some criteria. Ie, if the client is still in regular discussions with me, it's off the table.
The Layman
TBH that "Adopt-a-Comm" idea has me interested as there's a few older fics you wrote that I read a while back that are currently on "the long hiatus". I look forward to the official list of those fics.
