I'm burning my business plan and you're invited to watch.
Starting today, I'm experimenting with something radical for a writer who likes to not starve, run around naked in public, or live in a cardboard box:
Here's how it works:
If money is tight: You belong here. Period. Free membership, zero guilt, and full access to the pilot project The Girl Who Ran With Monsters – the cinematic edition. Your passion for stories is your currency.
If you're financially comfortable: Your paid membership supports not only my next books, it keeps the door open for every reader who can't afford to pay. You're not buying access. You're gifting it and enabling this community.
This is an honour system. Nobody needs to know which category you're in. That's between you and your conscience (and possibly your credit card, who's probably judging you harshly 24/7).
Why This Matters More Than My Story Addiction: Writers love to pretend we create in isolation, sustained by artistic vision and our disdain for humankind, especially for politicians, bankers, and white tech-bros. That's total BS. We create in community. Every comment, every shared tear over a character death, every 3am message about plot holes is what keeps us going. But NEVER grumpy emails about typos, just to be clear.
A lack of money shouldn't be what keeps readers from reading and writers from writing.
Oh, and also: This means, we're Going Invite-Only.
Don't panic, you're already in. I want this community to be inclusive in a way that matters, where everyone knows they belong (whether they pay or not), where vulnerable shares by me and you stay safe, and where we can spoil ourselves with free goodies. Speaking of which...
🎁 In my next email: The Great Victorian Book Adoption (my historical library seeks new guardians).
📚 Now: Cinematic Edition of The Girl Who Ran With Monsters free for everyone.
🎉 Always: Little surprises that make memberships feel special, like the Arlington novelette I'm about to finish for you:
Aaaaand (drumroll, please): The Bestie System™
Four times a year, you can invite your besties, the special weirdos who totally get you. Our first "Invite Your Bestie Party" and how it works will be announced soon.
Let Me Be Super Clear
This community should thrive on passion, not payment.
Some of you will be patrons. Some of you will be beneficiaries. Most of you will be both at different times in your lives. That's the beauty of taking care of each other.
I want us to build something different here. A place where being a booklover is enough, financial circumstances don't determine what you can read or not read, and where we lift each other up.
✨Want ALL my ebooks right away ($120+ value) and enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling of supporting this community and my writing? ✨
Welcome to our brand-new community experiment! Will there be more weird experiments in the future? I'm shocked you need to ask.
With hope and terrible business sense,
Annelie
P.S. If you're panicking about affording membership, stop. You're covered. We've got you.
P.P.S. If you're wondering if this makes me a terrible capitalist, yes. YES! That's one of my core failures, errrr....qualities.
P.P.P.S I made a thing for you: