Today I’m floating an idea. Tell me what you think.
As I prepare to walk across 16+ countries, my thoughts go to income. I’m learning to successfully support myself without a job via Location Rebel (which works quite well, I might add). But on the road, it may be difficult to keep up.
So I’m assessing what I can offer my readers that might be worth money.
Worry not, Rogue Priest will always be free and, gods willing, I’ll update it throughout my trip. But I’d like to create something special that will be available to paying subscribers. Before I tell you about it, let me say what it’s NOT:
- NOT a plain text Letterly
- NOT repeated shameless self-promotion (because that’s worth paying for?)
- NOT promising content at the beginning that soon trickles off and gets forgotten
- NOT endless pontification
…yeah, I’ve been around the web. I know how it goes. So what’s the plan?
Look over My Shoulder
In my journey I’ve sometimes had moments I wish I could share with all of you. Moments when something incredible happens, or when I visit somewhere so beautiful it cries out to be shared, even if it’s a rundown building or a little café.
I’m inspired by Jonathan Harris’ Today Project, in which he took 1 photo every day for a year starting with his 30th birthday. This created a chronicle of a year in his life. Unlike the blog posts I usually write, which are essay-type pieces, these snapshots are paired with just a short blurb about the context of the photo.
I’m thinking of something in-between. On my trip, I’d like to take piles of photos (obviously!) but I’d like to pair the best of them with my introspection, musings, and anecdotes of the amazing and interesting things that happen.
By releasing 1-2 of these per week, with a photo and a paragraph-long story apiece, I hope to create a postcard-like series of intimate thoughts and candid moments from my journey.
I call it Rogue Priest Adventures & Interludes.
My goal is to make an attractive site or layout, take high-quality photos, and keep the content more personal than the normal RP fare. Some questions I have for you, my beloved community:
What do you think?
What would you want to see from something like this?
What would you not want?
Would you subscribe?
You guys have never steered me wrong before, so let me know!
Please share this post so more people can weight in.
Drew Jacob, Rogue Priest
October 8th, 2011 at 10:59 am
However cool I think your blog is, I would probably not pay for that. Perhaps I am old-fashioned but I almost never pay for something that isn’t printed out, your e-book being the one exception.
I am into photography, and I would rather save up my money for a nice photo book or new equipment than an online membership. I do not have much money and so my priorities lie elsewhere. This does not mean I do not value your blog, I am just being honest. Furthermore, I would still have your free blogs which are already awesome and I would probably not feel like I am missing out.
October 8th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Thanks Soliwo, I appreciate the honest answer. Though I’m hoping you’re the exception…. :)
October 9th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Plus … the more and more I read your blog, I am getting more and more independent. So now, I am planning my own adventure (walking the Camino de Santiago).
October 9th, 2011 at 10:31 pm
OMG Janneke that is awesome! Let me know how I can help or support in any way. I love seeing people launch adventures of their own. Do you know when you leave?
October 10th, 2011 at 8:49 am
Not until next year. I have had great problems graduating and want to do that first. To me that seems much more impossible than walking the Camino. Furthermore I really want to be prepared. In 2010 I went to Spain for a month and had some great adventures, but this time I want to be in a far better shape. This means finally being serious about learning Spanish and practice long-distance walking. Firstly I am doing my first official 10k run in November. After that I want to do 6-hour walk every weekend, in order to prepare myself. And then there is the matter of money.
I just read your newest blog post. And I think that group would benefit me a great deal, and that I might even be willing to pay for.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:02 am
No need! The Impossible League is free. :) Respond to that one & I’ll get you an invite.
BTW you probably read my post on Location Rebel but, in case you didn’t, I definitely recommend it as a way to make money before/during your journey.
Do you have a blog where we can see things take shape leading up to your trip? Would love to follow your adventure!
October 10th, 2011 at 10:02 am
I haven’t thought about that yet, but yes, perhaps I should create a blog. When it’s up I’ll let you know.
October 8th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
That sounds like a fairly normal travel blog, which is kind of what I expect this to turn into once you’re on the road. I’d go with having digital downloads for sale… you could check into microstock photography, write for paying markets, maybe do mini-guides to cities along your way, perhaps aimed at other “location rebels”. I’d also suggest trying to set up paid appearances for workshops or such along the way – I’m sure you could do some teaching.
October 9th, 2011 at 9:26 am
*Likes these suggestions*
October 10th, 2011 at 9:03 am
Thanks Kira :)
October 8th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
I would absolutely subscribe. Especially if I knew it was helping you (financially) on your journey.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:04 am
Thank you Saum! (Gonna hold you to that :P )
October 8th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
I think it would be intriguing and poignant to see a photo from the road juxtaposed with some of your deeper thoughts. Whether I would subscribe, of course, would depend on the price point (and of course, whether I found them useful. There is always that, of course.)
Great way to share your experiences, though, and the process of meeting the gods.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:05 am
I’m thinking I might offer different price levels, so people can choose to give a higher level of support if they wish/are able. I definitely want there to be a cheap option.
October 8th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Hey Drew! I’ve been learning that 99% of what’s on blogs today is being given away, so as much as it sounds like this would be a great offering, I’m not sure how many people would pay for something they might be able to get free somewhere else (even if it isn’t Drew providing it). Keep giving away stuff for free, and then offer in-person teaching or webinars on how to travel by foot (and other things you can teach!).
October 10th, 2011 at 9:06 am
Lisa, these are interesting ideas – not sure what the demand would be, but definitely worth looking into.
Of course I’m a writer by nature – going to be looking to do some kind of writing project in any case :)
Thanks as always for your level advice and for reading!
October 9th, 2011 at 5:14 am
I’m with all the haters. (Just kidding about the hating part.) I think what you’re describing is pretty standard for a travelogue. However, we all love you, so why not just do a short burst of fundraising? And then we can donate to the cause?
October 10th, 2011 at 9:08 am
Hmm maybe put those hands together? Asking for straight up donations is fine and all, but it’s nice to give people something for their money. If you’re going to give a blogger some money, wouldn’t you rather get A&I in return than nothing? (Or am I way off here….?)
October 9th, 2011 at 8:23 am
Lisa seems to have a great idea. Capitalizing on the authority you build as an adventurer and then teaching that seems like solid content people would pay for – and can’t get anywhere else!
Your sword fighting skills are unique enough that they could be worth paying for too (I’m thinking videos demonstrating moves, etc.), even without being able to be their in person to get your master trainer’s advice. Pack that along with jujitsu, wilderness survival skills, and *then* your introspection along the journey, and you’ve built yourself some major authority. I’d pay for that.
Also, the idea of donations isn’t half bad either. We like to feel good by supporting you. We don’t necessarily need a product in return every time! Anyway, a little donate button can’t hurt, can only help.
October 9th, 2011 at 9:28 am
*Very much agrees*
October 10th, 2011 at 9:09 am
I’m definitely open to doing more teaching, BT. Originally I had thought of offering sword lessons in parks at each city I reach along the way. But I want to write more….
October 9th, 2011 at 9:24 am
I’d pay something like $5 a month for that. I’d have difficulty considering anything costing more. I like what you suggest doing and can’t think of anything to add or remove from that set up.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:10 am
Thanks Rua! :)
October 9th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
I like the idea. A paid subscription for more personal e-postcards is justified as a normal evolution of the blog. I don’t really understand the “everything should be free” movement. It’s not because you like what you’re doing that you can’t sell it. So yes I would be a subscriber. Let’s be honest, I might come and go and come again. That’s what I do with my latterly subscriptions.
Now, for the content, I think a highly descriptive of tips and tricks you discover along the way would be good. People (I included) love to have guides and how-tos.
Also I am interested in what you feel, how it is to travel, what sensation you have. Being personal is always interesting.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:11 am
Thank you Manu! Love the content ideas. I really appreciate it :)
October 10th, 2011 at 8:07 am
[...] First off, if you haven’t weighed in on Adventures & Interludes, please do! [...]
October 10th, 2011 at 8:24 am
I called you over the weekend to talk about some ideas, but let me put them down here so I don’t lose them.
I think you should create a closed, paid community along the lines of “On the Shoulders of Drew” where you talk about the actual travel and adventure. I would see you posting videos from the road a few times a week as well as short essays on random events. This is quite distinct from Rogue Priest – the blog edition.
When people sign up to pay the monthly fee, they are also paying to receive the hardcover “Walking With the Gods” photo/essay book to be released at the end of the journey. There would be some sort of time length requirement of membership to get the book.
Also, as you’d be harvesting real addresses from people to send the book at the end you could send handwritten postcards from your trip to your individual readers as an unexpected bonus. Don’t actually advertise that as part of the service.
October 10th, 2011 at 8:49 am
“Don’t actually advertise that as part of the service.”
You just did :D
I like the idea of a hardcover book that subscribers get at the end though.
October 10th, 2011 at 8:51 am
I did, but Drew didn’t. I imagine only three people will have read my comment.
October 10th, 2011 at 8:53 am
We shall see *shifty eyes* (at least two, as someone already read this over my shoulder :)
October 10th, 2011 at 9:13 am
Lol I was just thinking this. But yeah, a reader suggesting it vs. me promising it aren’t quite the same.
That said, it would be much more likely to offer a discount to my list than a totally free version. It’s a little risky to offer a free hard-product to an unknown number of people.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:17 am
It’s “free” only in the same way the toy in your cereal is free. With the subscribers paying a monthly premium, the book is paid for way in advance.
And that’s the three people reading my comment…
October 10th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
I see your point. I’ll have to look more into the cost of physical self-publishing. Even with the monthly income of A&I, I have to admit it worries me to promise a large lump cost like that (printing & shipping), but if it’s feasible it would be great.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:11 am
I’ll give you a call back soon, Matt! Good ideas all around. Thank you :)
October 10th, 2011 at 10:06 am
Drew, I am a newbie here. (And thanks for the Twitter follow). I have read the comments and I think Matt has some really good ideas. My addition to your quest/adventure is why not put the whole adventure up on Kickstarter.It’s a funding platform for creative project in the world. You can fund projects from $10 and more. Promote your journey there (go to Kickstarter dot com), use Matt’s suggestions, get a camera that can capture film too and make a great documentary out if it as well, alongside a photo book, a signed hard cover of Walk Like a God.
I don’t know if it’s something up your sleeve, but I would like to support in that way I think. And if you get the funding in place you can create that intimate online followers to “share” your experience.
Peace and In’La Kesh
/Michi
October 10th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
That is an amazing and excellent suggestion, Michi. Consider me on the case!
October 10th, 2011 at 10:11 am
Having read your blog for a while, I think there is a Book with a capital B in this, and/or a documentary. I would recommend looking for sponsors from publishers and organizations that sponsor such things.
I also think that putting up a donation button/page is a good idea, with options for one-time and recurring. I think many of us would like to support you, and I suspect that this is something that will (has to) evolve over time so committing to A Thing (special blog) now may not allow that evolution.
October 10th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
The evolution standpoint is a really good point Susan. Thank you so much. And yes, I sure hope it becomes a Book book someday. Imagine!
(Interesting side note: today someone reached this site by googling “movie, the rogue priest” which gave a nice little boost to my ego….)
October 10th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
While I agree with a lot of the suggestions put forward here, books, v-logs of you teaching south american’s your particular style of swordsmanship etc, there is one thing that I would very much love to see and would seriously consider paying to be a part of and that is the following (I gotta use a bit of a paragraph to express it clearly).
Too often, at least in my part of the world, people ask ‘Are you sure’ and are prepared to accept whatever the first answer to the question is. What I have not heard before is ‘I don’t care if you are sure or not, what I want to know is Why you are/are not’ and that is the first half of what I would dearly love to hear from you on your Walking with the Gods. The second half is being able, albeit at a slightly second handed level, to experience all the moments that you have on your journey (blimey I must be getting over high-school, I can use that word without hating it… almost), the good, the bad, the uplifting and the disappointing. Being able to know what you feel and think when you come across a, for example, sacred site or holy person of whatever path and whether you ‘feel’ something from them or what they do and the whys of your feeling…
Hopefully thats not TOO… yeah… obtuse.
October 10th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
Seeker, thank you so much for this response. A two part answer:
First, the idea of letting readers experience the journey exactly as I do – the sacred places, the special people, the highs, the lows – is exactly the idea of Adventures & Interludes. I wish I could have worded it as well as you! Glad to know people are interested in that.
Second, the “why am I sure” that I want to go on this trip is something I’ve tried to put across in this blog – do you feel it hasn’t been well answered? What remaining questions do you have? Or did you mean that’s a question I should ask people along the way? ….Or something else?
October 11th, 2011 at 4:48 am
I’m going to go with the ‘something else’ option, only because I think that you should continue to do what you have been doing, at least as far as the second part of your answer is concerned!
Despite your, mine and everyones talk about things that are/are not impossible etc, the fact of the matter is that right here, right now, today you, Drew Jacob are going to search for the gods in South Africa and we are going to be looking to you for guidance and knowledge; much in the same way as there used to be apprentices, journey men/women, masters and so on, you are the journeying intermediary and we are the people that learn from. The only difference between now and then is that we wont have to wait months and months to go over the things that you discover…
October 10th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
I’ll answer each of your questions! Here goes:
What do you think?
As someone who keeps an on-going self portrait diary herself, I say more power to ya! It’s not only a fun way to document your daily/nightly adventures, but also a pleasant visual exercise of self exploration. The more photos I’ve taken of myself at various stages/phases/emotions, the more I learn to appreciate myself and the world around me. I, also, ache to share with the rest of the world, not just my friends and family, the beauty I discover everyday all around me. Whether or not you’ll publish it on your blog or in a book, it’s a great way to tell a story! PLUS, as your friend, a woman who hasn’t been able to visit you personally in over six years, it’s the NEXT BEST THING to getting to sit with you and hear your stories. You want to share? I want to look — no, SEE — and listen. Thank you.
What would you want to see from something like this?
Basically I expect to see a visual journal. I used to teach journal writing and believe it to be a necessary and needful thing to do when on a journey — whether it be a journey across countries or just across your backyard — but more than a log book, a record of your experiences, thoughts, feelings, and insights really captures who you are during the journey. You can look back and see where you’ve come from and where you’re going in a much more intimate light. A Visual Journal is EXACTLY what you’re suggesting you will do. You will be pasting a photograph with your words and telling your story to us as if we are there. I expect you to fill me in on the details other travellers would overlook because you’re not a tourist, you’re a thinker on a quest. I wish I could be there with you, but with you making a visual journal like this, I can travel with you from the comfort of my own home.
What would you not want?
I’m not sure! Wait. I know. I don’t want you to hold back. I want to see and read all the good with the bad, fabulous and the embarassing, the makings of the legend I know and love: Drew on a mission!
Would you subscribe?
I don’t even subscribe to magazines or newspapers. I don’t have any fancy online accounts like PayPal and have never had/used a credit card OR debit card. I’d maybe send you a small donation in the mail, paid by money order or check, whatever I can afford. Or I’ll just paint an elaborate, beautiful image for you… but then again… I’d rather just donate to you something better, something useful like a head scarf or Guatemalan sling bag or all-weather jacket to keep you well on your journey. So I’m saying: YES! In whatever why I could.
No matter what, count on me to continue to encourage you and cheer you on, Rogue Priest Hero Trooper You. ;-)
October 10th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Valentina, thank you so much for your detailed response. It’s incredibly helpful!