How to get Paid as an artist

I have wanted to run a blog for as long as I can remember. I would start a project, post a few times, and then watch it slowly die as I lost interest or got distracted. But ThoughtsOfMayhem is different. This blog is the longest I have ever stayed consistent with a creative project, and I think I finally figured out why: I stopped trying to force myself into a specific niche.

Instead of picking one topic, I cover everything from my random hobbies and temporary obsessions to long term interests like Personal Knowledge Management (PKM). I love spending time here and writing about whatever is on my mind, whether it is finance, World of Warcraft, or optimizing my workflow in Obsidian. However, as the site grows, two questions keep coming up:

How do I get more people to actually read this, and how can I cover the costs that come with keeping a website alive?

The Audience Problem

Let’s be real, the usual advice for getting readers is „post on social media.“ But I have zero interest in starting a new profile and spending my life staring at a phone screen. In fact, I have a whole piece about „How to stop Doom-Scrolling“ Because I think constant social media use is straight up counterproductive.

Instead of playing the Instagram or X algorithm game, I took a page out of Austin Kleon’s book and decided to „show my work“ by creating a community. I started a subreddit called r/TheBlogHub. It is a place where people can share their articles and blogs without the pressure of a personal social media account.

I do not want my writing to depend on whether people read it. I find enough joy in the process itself – that is why I studied journalism, after all – but I would be lying if I said I didn’t want an audience. As Kleon says, building a space online to share your work is one of the best investments you can make.

How to Actually Get Paid as an Artist

Once you start looking for ways to grow your readership, you eventually hit the next big question: how do you get paid as an artist? There is no reason to stick to the „starving artist“ romanticism. Charging for your work or your time does not limit your creativity; it sustains it.

I looked into several ways to monetize your blog, and here is how they break down:

• Patreon: I used this for a different project, but I found it a bit awkward. There was no „easy way“ for someone to just give a one-time tip. You had to sign up for a monthly subscription. While you could subscribe and immediately cancel, most people do not want that extra friction.
• PayPal: This feels way too personal. I really do not want strangers from the internet seeing my private account details or sending money directly to my personal email.
• Buy Me a Coffee: This is the middle ground I have been looking for. It allows for one-time donations (like five bucks) or recurring memberships. It is simple, transparent, and does not feel like an interrogation.

Taking My Own Advice

As I am writing this and thinking through the best ways to support a creative mindset, I have realized that it is better to have the option available than to wonder „what if“ later. Even if you do not have a massive „Second Brain“ or a complex PKM system, you should still have a way for people to support your work if they find it valuable.+1

So, if you are reading this, I have officially set up a Buy Me a Coffee account. Not because I expect it to replace a day job, but just in case someone finds a summary or a tip here that actually helps them. If you want to support the blog, you can find the link below.

Check out my Buy Me a Coffee page here: buymeacoffee.com/thoughtsofmayhem