{"id":861,"date":"2023-09-23T12:14:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-23T11:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lostinanime.com\/?p=239613"},"modified":"2023-11-18T09:29:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-18T09:29:00","slug":"fall-2023-pledge-drive-its-a-marathon-not-a-sprint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/23\/fall-2023-pledge-drive-its-a-marathon-not-a-sprint\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall 2023 Pledge Drive \u2013 Wrap-up and Thank You"},"content":{"rendered":"

OK, so I had to fudge the deadline and the rules bit to get us there.\u00a0 But get there we did – with the last batch of new supporters LiA hit the campaign target of 25 new monthly subscribers and patrons.\u00a0 I included a few of the biggest one-time donations in there, because they move the needle quite a bit.\u00a0 It may be a case of “better late than never”, but I’ll take it with gratitude and humility.\u00a0 My sincere thanks to everyone who stepped up.<\/p>\n

What this all means is I can continue LiA more or less in its current format as we head into 2024.\u00a0 That is, no tiered content.\u00a0 I wish I could say that’s that, but this is an ongoing struggle and that’s just the way it is.\u00a0 I have some thoughts on how I can diversify things (YouTube shorts, seriously using Instagram, among other ideas), and I’m always looking for ways to grow the commissions program.\u00a0 But the core product continues to be available, ad-free, to anyone who wants to access it.\u00a0 That said, I’m going to continue to find new ways of rewarding supporters because they’re the ones who made all that possible.<\/p>\n

Here are the supporters who stepped up since the last update (apologies if I missed anyone (please let me know, if so): Brandon L. Gage M., Casey, Aisha, styxhalocapri, Nick N., Andrew C., Nicc, Dennis, Chawisara, Jason B., Jennifer S..<\/p>\n

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Thanks again to everyone who supported LiA, and everyone who visits the site and comments!\u00a0 As ever, please share any ideas you have for helping keep the site alive and growing.<\/p>\n

Stay frosty,<\/p>\n

Enzo<\/p>\n

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But only if you’re really loud.<\/p>\n

At this point we’re still a good ways short of the goal, unfortunately.\u00a0 But while the volumee of new monthly patrons has been frankly disappointing this go-around, a number of folks have stepped up with very generous one-time pledges of support, and I decided to count those towards the campaign goal (as some amount to multiple average monthly pledges).\u00a0 Heartfelt thanks to the LiA supporters who’ve come through since the last update: Ibrahim (Patron), M (Ko-Fi), and one-time supporters Steven S., Collectr, Robert S., Sharon, Laura S., Stephany, Stephen L., Brad S., Darrell, and Denis.\u00a0 Some of those folks have pledged before – and if I missed you this time, I apologize and please let me know so I can include you in the next roll call.<\/p>\n

As to what happens if LiA doesn’t hit the goal this time?\u00a0 Well, I’ll cross that bridge if and when I come to it.\u00a0 None of the options are great but there’s no point in dwelling on them until it’s absolutely necessary.\u00a0 I’m not an optimist by nature but LiA supporters have always managed to make it happen – here’s hoping history repeats itself.\u00a0 As always, sincere thanks to all of you who read and comment, and especially those of you that support the site financially.\u00a0 You’re the best!<\/p>\n

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Latest update: we’re still moving up, but it’s a crawl.\u00a0 The net gain (remember that attrition factor I talked about below) is a long way below where I need it to be to call this fundraising period a success.\u00a0 \u00a0This gets harder every time I do it, which is why growing the site is such a priority (more users means a larger pool of potential supporters).\u00a0 But the support levels have to be high enough to keep the site going in the first place.\u00a0 It’s a conundrum but I’m going to keep fighting to keep the site viable – and free for all.<\/p>\n

Sincere thanks once more to everyone who’s signed on, and all LiA’s existing supporters.\u00a0 You’re the best.<\/p>\n

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We’re past a quarter of the way there, thanks to seven very generous LiA readers who’ve signed on as subscribers or made sizable one-time contributions.\u00a0 Thank you to Nathan, M, Page, Dave, NickK, Casey, Jason, and Tom K.!\u00a0 It seems like such a small number, 25 new supporters – but for LiA, it’s the difference between continuing to deliver the same content to all who come looking for it and having a paywall (or worse).\u00a0 Thanks to everyone who supports the site – I know we can hit this goal.<\/p>\n

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It’s that time of year again (I don’t plan to do these in September, but for whatever reason it usually seems to “fall” that way).\u00a0 The challenge in keeping LiA alive never gets easier, never goes away.\u00a0 Yet I keep at it, because I feel like I’ve built something here that some people genuinely find valuable, and I’m egotistical enough to feel proud of that.\u00a0 It’s way too much work, but I’d be very sad if LiA had to close its doors.<\/p>\n

The background is this.\u00a0 I run this site completely solo, while working full-time.\u00a0 Site costs go up every year, and inflation has severely depleted my spending power (unfortunately patron spending power too, I get that) – especially with the Yen being at historic lows.\u00a0 I get new patrons every time I launch a fundraiser, and I’m immensely grateful.\u00a0 But there’s an attrition factor.\u00a0 I get a bundle of new subscribers in a short burst, but some of them drop away one by one as the months pass.\u00a0 It’s just the way this works\u00a0 – that’s part of the deal.\u00a0 But it does mean that after a year I’ve taken some steps backward after that little sprint forward.<\/p>\n

The truth is that LiA exists on the knife’s edge.\u00a0 There’s no margin for error – my message<\/a> from last year was no exaggeration.\u00a0 I’m just barely able to keep things going, but every time I lose a subscriber that knife’s edge gets thinner and thinner.\u00a0 Branching out to YouTube and commission work has helped, but those are also additional demands on my time.<\/p>\n

So, in effect, my reality is the same.\u00a0 I need to make up for that lost ground to make LiA tenable for me, there’s no sugarcoating it.\u00a0 We’re not talking about living off the site here, just not having it be such a financial drag that I can no longer justify maintaining it.\u00a0 So I ask, as I always do – if you find LiA to be a valuable resource or just something you really enjoy, I would be immeasurably grateful if you could support it financially.\u00a0 Monthly patrons are of course the lifeblood of the site, but one-time contributions help too.\u00a0 Whatever you can spare, whatever you think it’s worth – it’s the difference between LiA continuing and going away,<\/p>\n

Why is LiA valuable, in an age when anime websites might seem like relics?\u00a0 I’m too close to it to answer that impartially, but I think “community” is a part of it somewhere.\u00a0 There are endless places to go to read about and discuss the anime, manga, and LNs that dominate the fandom and commercial marketplace.\u00a0 I think LiA gives exposure to works which otherwise don’t get much of it (in English especially).\u00a0 I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a resource that delivers anime content more consistently than LiA does (including those with a full staff of contributors).\u00a0 Frankly I bust my ass to do so, and believe me, it’s not easy.<\/p>\n

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So how can you help?\u00a0 Fortunately that is<\/em> easy, and there’s a method to suit all preferences.<\/p>\n