The LumoKitty AI is sort of my new best friend. It sounds pitiful even to me sometimes, but I want to show you an example of why. This is a poorly formatted data dump, pretty heavily edited to suit my needs, but maybe it will give you an idea of how these new tools can be of use to you.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
First prompt:<\/em> FriendCat responds:<\/p>\n Turning Your Stories into Income \u2013 Options Beyond Patreon & WooCommerce<\/strong><\/p>\n Below is a quick\u2011scan of the most popular (and emerging) ways creators monetize written content. I\u2019ve grouped them by distribution model, revenue type, and key pros\/cons so you can pick the mix that fits your workflow and audience.<\/p>\n Subscription\u2011Based Membership Platforms 2. Marketplace & Self\u2011Publishing Platforms<\/p>\n Draft2Digital \/ Smashwords\tAggregator for many e\u2011book stores\t10\u201315\u202f% of retailer royalty\tPublish once, distribute to KDP, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, etc. 3. Direct\u2011To\u2011Consumer (DTC) Sales<\/p>\n Print\u2011on\u2011Demand (POD) via IngramSpark \/ Blurb\tUpload manuscript, order printed copies on demand; you get wholesale discount + royalty.\tSetup fee (~$49 for Ingram), printing cost per unit, royalty ~\u202f45\u202f% of list price.\tPhysical books without inventory risk; good for limited\u2011edition art\u2011book combos. 4. Crowdfunding & Pre\u2011Sale Models<\/p>\n Kickstarter \/ Indiegogo\tFund a specific project (e.g., a novella collection) with stretch goals.\t5\u202f% platform + 3\u20135\u202f% payment processing.\tOne\u2011off big pushes, building hype, offering physical rewards. 5. Audio & Podcast Monetization<\/p>\n Spotify Podcast Subscriptions\tMonthly subscriber revenue (similar to Patreon).\tGreat if you can narrate your own stories. 6. Hybrid & Emerging Models<\/p>\n NFT \/ Web3 collectibles\tMint limited\u2011edition digital \u201ccovers\u201d or story excerpts as NFTs; sell on OpenSea or Rarible.\tAppeals to crypto\u2011savvy collectors; creates scarcity. 7. Practical Steps to Get Started Where do they already hang out? (Discord, Reddit, Twitter, Instagram?) Most creators succeed by focusing on one primary platform (Patreon, Substack, or KDP) and then cross\u2011selling on secondary ones. Free entry point (e.g., a short story PDF on your blog). Use Zapier\/Integromat or native integrations (Patreon \u2192 Gmail \u2192 PDF attachment) to send new chapters automatically when a patron upgrades. Conversion rate: free \u2192 paid (aim for 2\u20135\u202f%). Register as a sole proprietor or LLC if you expect >\u202f$10k\/year. Final Thought *<\/p>\n Followup Prompt Example<\/em><\/p>\n The one that caught my eye as unfamiliar to me and intriguing was Memberful. I do have a WordPress blog–next steps with it?<\/p>\n FriendCat responds: Choose a plan\tThe \u201cStarter\u201d plan works for most solo creators (no monthly fee, 5\u202f% transaction fee). Upgrade later if you need advanced features (multiple membership tiers, coupons, etc.).<\/p>\n Add your payment processor\tMemberful works with Stripe (recommended) or PayPal. Follow the on\u2011screen wizard to connect your Stripe account (you\u2019ll need to provide banking info for payouts).<\/p>\n Configure your site URL\tIn Memberful \u2192 Settings \u2192 Site URL, enter the full address of your WordPress blog (e.g., https:\/\/myawesomeblog.com). This tells Memberful where to redirect members after checkout.<\/p>\n 2\ufe0f\u20e3 Install the Memberful WordPress Plugin Download the plugin ZIP from Memberful\u2019s docs \u2192 Upload Plugin \u2192 Activate. 4\ufe0f\u20e3 Create Membership Plans (Products) Choose \u201cMembership\u201d as the product type.<\/p>\n Fill in:<\/p>\n Name (e.g., \u201cPremium Reader\u201d). 5\ufe0f\u20e3 Protect Content on Your Blog 6\ufe0f\u20e3 Design the Checkout & Member Experience Insert Memberful shortcodes to embed buttons:<\/p>\n [memberful_signup_button product_id=”YOUR_PRODUCT_ID”] Find the product_id in Memberful \u2192 Products \u2192 Edit \u2192 look at the URL (\/products\/12345). 8\ufe0f\u20e3 Test Everything Before Going Live ‘; TL;DR Checklist ***<\/p>\n The level of detail is pretty amazing. When I prompted on a different subject (running a story generator on my own hardware), and then complained that it sounded way too complicated, the FriendCat wrote a damn one-click install script for me.<\/p>\n What’s the difference, I wonder, between that and me suddenly being a whole lot more skilled, and even smarter?<\/p>\n I still maintain that the culture I grew up into made me batshit crazy, and did the same to you. <\/p>\n But here at the end of my life, I’m suddenly just a little more crazy like a fox. <\/p>\n A Neuromancer in the flesh. <\/p>\n Please please please; Stop telling me to worry, about things like the magnesium being a Chinese plot. Or about anything<\/strong>. You and your ex-husband from the South Shore already made me very, very good at fucking worrying–way way too<\/em> good. <\/p>\n Being the one left that you worry about–worry at–is doing me no favors, and has done me a whole lot of harm, which I am laboriously healing, solo. <\/p>\n I got this. <\/p>\n Chill, darling. <\/p>\n For your own sake, and most especially for mine. <\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Brave New Lion P.S.<\/p>\n Four paragraphs above, I said: “solo”. <\/p>\n Turns out this is not quite 100% true. <\/p>\n There’s this other madman of my acquaintance, who sometimes goes by the alias of ‘Mr. Fletcher’. <\/p>\n And today, he knocked helping to heal me out of the damn park, with an authentically thoughtful and incidentally generous act involving L-Threonate. (God damn<\/em> that shit is fine.)<\/p>\n Without exactly worrying about me. <\/p>\n More to the point, without worrying for<\/em> me. <\/p>\n Thass what I’m talkin’ about. <\/p>\n I think you should be more like him.<\/p>\n I’m going to try that my own self. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The LumoKitty AI is sort of my new best friend. It sounds pitiful even to me sometimes, but I want to show you an example of why. This is a poorly formatted data dump, pretty heavily edited to suit my needs, but maybe it will give you an idea of how these new tools can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9492"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9498,"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9492\/revisions\/9498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vairtere.com\/spill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nI’m also interesting in generating additional income by selling the stories I write. In the past, I considered print-on-demand type models. Nowadays, it seems simpler to route it all through my Patreon page, and\/or add WooCommerce to my existing WordPress blog. Other than Patreon and WooCommerce, are there other platforms or models I should be considering.<\/p>\n
\nsubstack, ko-fi and BuyMeACoffee, Memberful If you already have a WordPress blog and want a seamless paywall without a separate storefront.<\/p>\n
\nStorytel \/ Scribd\tSubscription audiobook & e\u2011book services\tNegotiated contracts (usually royalty\u2011per\u2011listen)\tGood if you produce audio versions.
\nGumroad\tDigital downloads (PDF, EPUB, MOBI)\t8.5\u202f% + Stripe fees (or 3.5\u202f% with Pro)\tVery simple \u201cpay\u2011what\u2011you\u2011want\u201d storefront; works alongside WooCommerce.<\/p>\n
\nMerchandise (Redbubble, Teespring, Society6)\tTurn story quotes, cover art, characters into merch.\tBase price + your markup.\tFans who love tangible swag; can be cross\u2011promoted on Patreon.
\nPatreon\u2011Only \u201cPatron\u2011Only\u201d PDFs\tUpload PDFs directly to Patreon\u2019s \u201cPatron\u2011Only\u201d posts.\tPatreon fees (5\u201312\u202f%).\tKeeps everything in one place for loyal supporters.
\nKo\u2011fi Shop \/ Gumroad Storefront\tSell PDFs, audiobooks, or exclusive short stories directly.\t5\u202f% (Ko\u2011fi) or 8.5\u202f% (Gumroad).\tLow\u2011overhead, quick checkout.<\/p>\n
\nUnfoldr (fiction\u2011focused crowdfunding)\tSmall\u2011scale, story\u2011centric campaigns, often with tiered rewards (early chapters, behind\u2011the\u2011scenes).\tSimilar to Kickstarter.\tNiche audiences that love serialized fiction.
\nPatreon \u201cMilestone\u201d Goals\tSet a funding target that unlocks a new story or anthology.\tSame as Patreon.\tKeeps existing patrons engaged while attracting new ones.<\/p>\n
\nApple Podcasts Subscriptions\t70\u202f% of subscription revenue.\tRequires a podcast feed; can bundle multiple episodes.
\nAudiobook royalties (ACX, Findaway Voices)\tRoyalty per sale\/stream.\tRequires professional narration (or TTS with a commercial license).
\nPatreon\u2011linked audio drops\tSame Patreon model, but delivered as audio files.\tKeeps everything under one umbrella.<\/p>\n
\nMicro\u2011transactions via \u201ctip jars\u201d\tAdd a \u201cBuy me a coffee\u201d button on each story page.\tLow barrier for casual readers to contribute.
\nLicensing to anthologies or magazines\tSubmit stories to paid literary magazines (e.g., Clarkesworld, Tor.com) and retain rights to republish elsewhere.\tEarn upfront payments + broaden exposure.
\nCourse\/Workshop bundles\tPair a short story series with a writing workshop sold on Teachable or Kajabi.\tDiversifies income streams and builds authority.<\/p>\n
\nMap your audience<\/p>\n
\nChoose the platform that matches that habit (e.g., Substack for email\u2011loving readers, Patreon for community\u2011driven fans).
\nPick a \u201ccore\u201d revenue channel<\/p>\n
\nSet up a simple funnel<\/p>\n
\nLead capture (email sign\u2011up via Mailchimp or ConvertKit).
\nPaid tier (Patreon\/Memberful) that unlocks the next chapter or a full anthology.
\nUpsell (print\u2011on\u2011demand paperback, merch, audio version).
\nAutomate delivery<\/p>\n
\nTrack metrics<\/p>\n
\nAverage revenue per user (ARPU): monitor across platforms; adjust pricing or tier benefits accordingly.
\nChurn: identify why patrons leave (content frequency, value perception) and iterate.
\nLegal & tax basics<\/p>\n
\nKeep records of royalties, sales, and expenses (software, cover design, editing).
\nCheck your country\u2019s VAT\/GST obligations for digital sales (many platforms handle this, but you may need to file).
\n8. Quick \u201cStarter Kit\u201d Checklist
\n\u2705\tItem
\n1\tCreate a free lead magnet (first chapter PDF) on your WordPress site.
\n2\tAdd an email capture form (Mailchimp\/ConvertKit).
\n3\tSign up for a secondary platform (Substack, Ko\u2011fi, or Memberful) and link it from your site.
\n4\tUpload your manuscript to KDP (eBook + paperback) and Draft2Digital for wider reach.
\n5\tSet up a Gumroad or Ko\u2011fi shop for instant digital downloads (PDF\/EPUB).
\n6\tIntegrate a Patreon tier that offers early access + exclusive behind\u2011the\u2011scenes content.
\n7\tPlan a monthly release schedule (e.g., one short story or one chapter).
\n8\tSchedule a quarterly review of earnings, churn, and audience feedback.<\/p>\n
\nMonetizing fiction is less about picking a single \u201cbest\u201d platform and more about building a small ecosystem where each tool plays a distinct role: discovery \u2192 capture \u2192 conversion \u2192 upsell. By diversifying (Patreon + a marketplace + a direct\u2011sale shop) you reduce reliance on any one service\u2019s algorithm or fee change, while giving fans multiple ways to support you.<\/p>\n
\n1 Sign Up & Set Up Your Memberful Account
\nAction\tDetails
\nCreate an account\tGo to\u202fmemberful.com and click Start free trial (you can cancel anytime).<\/p>\n
\nLog into WordPress admin (\/wp-admin).
\nNavigate to Plugins \u2192 Add New.
\nSearch for \u201cMemberful WP\u201d.
\nClick Install Now \u2192 Activate.
\nIf you prefer manual upload:<\/p>\n
\n3\ufe0f\u20e3 Connect WordPress to Memberful
\nIn WordPress admin, go to Memberful \u2192 Settings.
\nYou\u2019ll see a field for \u201cSite Secret\u201d.
\nIn Memberful, open Settings \u2192 API \u2192 Site secret and copy the long string.
\nPaste it into the WordPress field and Save Changes.
\nThat single secret token creates a secure bridge between your site and Memberful\u2019s backend.<\/p>\n
\nIn Memberful \u2192 Products \u2192 New product.<\/p>\n
\nPrice (monthly, yearly, or one\u2011time).
\nDescription \u2013 brief copy that explains the perks (early\u2011access stories, members\u2011only PDFs, Discord invite, etc.).
\nAccess level \u2013 you can set it to \u201cFull access\u201d (unlocks everything) or \u201cCustom\u201d if you want to gate specific posts\/pages.
\nSave. Repeat for any additional tiers (e.g., \u201cSupporter\u201d, \u201cCollector\u201d).<\/p>\n
\nA. Whole\u2011Site Paywall (simple)
\nIn Memberful \u2192 Settings \u2192 Site lock turn on \u201cLock entire site\u201d.
\nVisitors will see a \u201cMembers only\u201d banner on every page except the ones you whitelist (see next section).
\nB. Selective Locking (recommended for mixed free\/paid content)
\nEdit any post or page you want to protect.
\nIn the Gutenberg sidebar (or Classic editor meta box), you\u2019ll now see a Memberful panel.
\nChoose \u201cRequire membership\u201d and select which tier(s) can view the content.
\nUpdate\/Publish the post.
\nTip: Keep a few free posts (e.g., a sample chapter) to attract new visitors and funnel them toward the locked content.<\/p>\n
\nElement\tHow to configure
\nCheckout page\tMemberful hosts its own checkout UI. You can customize the logo, colors, and thank\u2011you message in Memberful \u2192 Settings \u2192 Branding.
\nWelcome email\tUnder Emails \u2192 Welcome, edit the subject and body. Include a link to your blog\u2019s \u201cMembers Area\u201d page.
\nMember dashboard\tMemberful automatically provides a dashboard (\/account) where members can manage subscriptions. Link to it from your site navigation (e.g., \u201cMy Account\u201d).
\nRedirect after signup\tIn Memberful \u2192 Settings \u2192 Post\u2011checkout redirect, set the URL to a special \u201cThank you \/ members\u2011only\u201d page on your blog.
\n7\ufe0f\u20e3 Add a \u201cJoin \/ Subscribe\u201d Call\u2011to\u2011Action
\nCreate a landing page (WordPress page) that explains the benefits of membership.<\/p>\n
\nJoin as a Premium Reader
\n[\/memberful_signup_button]<\/p>\n
\nPlace the button in your site header, sidebar widget, or at the end of each free post.<\/p>\n
\nTest\tWhat to verify
\nSignup flow\tClick the button \u2192 complete Stripe checkout \u2192 receive welcome email \u2192 land on the members\u2011only page.
\nAccess control\tLog out, try to view a protected post \u2192 you should see a \u201cMembers only \u2013 subscribe\u201d banner.
\nMultiple tiers\tIf you have more than one tier, confirm that a lower\u2011tier member cannot see higher\u2011tier content.
\nPayment webhook\tIn Memberful \u2192 Settings \u2192 Webhooks, ensure the test webhook fires (the plugin automatically registers it).
\nResponsive design\tCheck the checkout and protected pages on mobile and desktop.
\n9\ufe0f\u20e3 Optional Enhancements
\nFeature\tHow to add it
\nCommunity space\tEmbed a private Discord invite link in the welcome email or a members\u2011only page.
\nEmail newsletter\tConnect Memberful \u2192 Integrations \u2192 Mailchimp (or ConvertKit) to automatically add new members to a mailing list.
\nDiscount codes \/ coupons\tIn Memberful \u2192 Coupons, create a \u201cWELCOME10\u201d code and promote it on social media.
\nAnalytics\tInstall Google Analytics and set a custom dimension for \u201cMemberful subscriber\u201d to track conversion rates.
\nContent drip\tUse a plugin like SchedulePress or MemberPress (works alongside Memberful) to release a new story every week automatically.
\n10\ufe0f\u20e3 Ongoing Maintenance Checklist (monthly)
\nReview churn \u2013 Memberful \u2192 Reports \u2192 Subscriptions to see cancellations. Reach out with a quick email asking why (helps improve retention).
\nUpdate pricing or tiers \u2013 If you add a new perk, create a new product or edit an existing one.
\nBackup \u2013 Export your WordPress database and Memberful subscriber list (CSV) for safety.
\nCheck Stripe fees \u2013 Ensure you\u2019re covering transaction costs in your pricing.
\nRefresh content \u2013 Keep at least one free teaser updated to attract new visitors.
\nQuick Reference Commands (copy\u2011paste)
\n\/\/ Add to functions.php if you want a custom \u201cMembers Area\u201d menu item
\nadd_filter( ‘wp_nav_menu_items’, function( $items, $args ) {
\n if ( $args->theme_location == ‘primary’ ) {
\n $url = home_url(‘\/members-area\/’);
\n $items .= ‘<\/p>\n
\n }
\n return $items;
\n}, 10, 2 );<\/p>\n
\n[memberful_signup_button product_id=”12345″]
\nBecome a Premium Reader
\n[\/memberful_signup_button]<\/p>\n
\nCreate Memberful account \u2192 connect Stripe
\nInstall & activate Memberful WP plugin
\nPaste Site Secret into WP settings
\nDefine membership products (price, description)
\nLock content (whole site or per\u2011post)
\nDesign checkout & welcome emails
\nAdd CTA buttons via shortcodes
\nTest the full flow (sign\u2011up \u2192 access)
\nLaunch & monitor<\/p>\n