I want to very quickly write why I’m sharing more free resources and downloads.
“But Kelci,” I can hear some people say. “You’re a broke artist. Shouldn’t you charge for more things in your Ko-fi shop?”
I’m not putting resources behind a paywall. Trust me, I’ve been that broke art student just wanting to learn more, but was unable to because it had a price tag imposed by the provider.
When it comes to resource sharing, I would rather provide them for free. Tips are appreciated, but only by folks who have the means to do so. If you are broke, just download them for free. Pay me back later if you feel called to do so, but the resources are there for you.
I also have an aversion to charging for resources, blog posts, etc because for the last decade, we’ve been living with the Online Grifter Economy. And I don’t want to contribute to that, even accidentally.
Often the key way to spot these people is if they call themselves “gurus,” or have an almost obsessive focus on “productivity.”
This kind of grift stems from people trying to make a quick buck off the internet, when the original intention of the internet was to have information freely available for everyone for as long as the website could be maintained.
Call it what you will, but I want to see a return of an internet that shares information freely. Not within the walls of social media platforms run by fascists that demand you login first to see the information. Not behind a paywall on Patreon or some “online learning” course.
And definitely not on a “virtual reality” website that demands you use a fake currency (looking at you with a stink-eye, Decentraland).
To that end, I want to work to make this kind of internet a reality. And so I’m keeping my Resources tab updated as much as possible, and I will provide resources on my Ko-fi shop as free downloads. So things like the Master Convention Packing List, the Tabling At Conventions for Beginners’ slideshow, the Small Validations Teachers’ Pack, and the upcoming Promoting Your Work Without Social Media are all going to be free for everyone for as long as the resources are available. If Ko-fi collapses, I’ll find a new host for the resources. (Perhaps they may even move here).
I’m also going to update this blog more often with any new resources I find that I think are worth sharing. Keep your eyes peeled for the first one, which should come out soon.
That’s all for now. Thank you for your support!
You. Are. Awesome.
P.S. Last week I wrote about coordinating a boycott. I’m still working out the details, because effective boycotts need a target, a ‘why’, a call to action, and a goal/deadline. I have most of these figured out except the exact ‘call to action’ details.
If you are broke, do not stress about it. Seriously. The two best things you can do to support this drive if you’re broke as heck are:
Spread the word to the folks in your life who like comics about genderqueer pirates, caticorns, dragons, and adventure! Use the link ko-fi.com/kelcidcrawford
Subscribe to my YouTube channel. My other goal this year is to get to 1,000 subscribers on YouTube before the end of the year. It’s free and you get to see my art process in my livestreams!
That’s all I’ve got for now. Spread the word and get some zines!
This is a drive to get more memberships on my Ko-fi page, whether you give just once, or you join with a monthly membership. (Though there are definitely more perks if you join the monthly membership, more info below).
As of right now, we have 8 active Ko-fi members. If we can make these following benchmarks, we can unlock the following goals:
At 10 active members, all members (one-off and monthly) will get a 4×6-inch Little Caticorn mini-print!
At 15 members, all members (one-off and monthly) will get that PLUS a 4×6-inch Forest Spirit mini-print!
At 20 members, all members (one-off and monthly) will get these PLUS a 4×6-inch Prince Odinon mini-print!
At 25 members, all members (one-off and monthly) will get these PLUS a 4×6-inch mini-print of The Two Sisters – a watercolor painting from the 2022 Columbus, OH show, Comics vs Art!
More rewards will be announced as more goals are unlocked!
WHY
2025 is going to be an uncertain year for a lot of folks for many different reasons. For me, 2025 will be risky because of book bans and their challenges (I’m a genderqueer comic artist who makes comics about LGBTQ+ characters). Plus, for 2025 I’m *only* going to zine fests and shows in the Toledo, OH area. For one, those shows are friendlier to comics like The Legend of Jamie Roberts. Also, the proposed tariffs are affecting many artists’ ability to afford merchandise stock like keychains and books. This isn’t even mentioning that comicons and pop culture cons are too expensive to go to as a vendor, even with splitting tables with friends.
Because of these impacts, that leaves us with a question: how can comics like The Legend of Jamie Roberts, Vanita and the Demon King, and so many zines and minicomics happen with these challenges ahead? How can we solve at least one part of this puzzle?
That’s where Ko-fi Memberships come in.
Ko-fi Memberships are an easy way to get cool and custom rewards *and* support to keep making comics like The Legend of Jamie Roberts. The more supporters there are, the more comics and art that can be made and shared with more and more readers!
I want comics like The Legend of Jamie Roberts to keep going. More importantly, *the readers* want comics like The Legend to keep going. This comic especially is written with teens and young adults in mind, who, like me, struggle with gender identity and their place in the world. Stories like this cannot exist in a vacuum, and need support from readers like you to continue.
HOW
Ko-fi Memberships come in two flavors – one-time donations and monthly memberships.
If you give just a one-time donation during this Membership Drive, you get…
Ko-fi shop discount codes,
First dibs when I’m available for commissions,
If you join any of my monthly memberships – the Digital Club, the Zine + Sticker Club, the Art Club, you get all of that PLUS…
Webcomic updates two days earlier than the rest of the internet,
Sneak peeks at how comic pages are made,
Access to comic scripts,
Shout-outs on YouTube,
Member-exclusive zines and stickers (for Zine + Sticker Club and Art Club members),
Exclusive 4 x 6 inch mini-prints (Art Club members),
AND members-only rewards if you back a KickStarter or Crowdfundr campaign.
To get these rewards, head to my Ko-fi page and click “Memberships” to join monthly, or “Shop” to get some goodies. Spending $3 or more in the shop gets you the one-time rewards. You can also get one-time rewards by leaving a tip of $3 or more on the main Ko-fi page.
Keep in mind, too, that you can cancel monthly memberships anytime, no questions asked.
These are options IF you have the budget for it. If you are broke or struggling, absolutely *do not* feel pressured to join. Like I mentioned up top, I understand that 2025 will be a tough year for all of us. So if you are broke, share this campaign with other folks who love genderqueer pirates, trans girls, demon kings, dragons, fantasy malarkey, and supporting queer creators. Sharing is caring and helps spread the word that this campaign and these comics are even happening.
WHEN
This Ko-fi Membership Drive will run UNTIL JAN 31, 2025. I will be updating you once a week on Tuesdays to let you know how the campaign is going. Rewards will ship out after Feb 1.
That’s all for now. If you have any questions or anything, please let me know!
