Francesca's Thoughts

Hello lovely readers,

I thought it’s high time I put a guide together explaining what the No. 1 Readers’ Club on Patreon is and how it works. I’ve had my Patreon page live since 2015 and it’s changed a lot over the years in terms of what I offer and how. I’ll update this guide as and when my Patreon page evolves further. Not all creators run their pages in the same way, so if you’re thinking of pledging to another creator, make sure you read their info carefully. This page is split into two sections: money and billing logistics (the nuts and bolts of using Patreon), and how the No. 1 Readers’ Club – my page – works specifically. Leave a comment if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you!

Money & Billing Logistics

If I join, when will I be billed and in which currency?

You’ll be charged on the day you join and then every on the same day month after that (unless you join on the 31st and a month only has 28 or 30 days, in which case I believe it’ll be the final day of that month). Your payments will be in your local currency, unless Patreon doesn’t support that currency in which case you’ll see GBP, which is what I’ve set as my currency, as I live in the UK.

Why do tiers start from £1?

Because I write a lot of young adult fiction and you know who subsists on pocket money and birthday cheques? Teens. Tiers go up to £15 a month.

Why have I been billed for more money than advertised on the tier?

Because Patreon will also collect local taxes like Value Added Tax. I don’t see that money (and there are fees within Patreon that I pay, as well as processing fees to access the money, so in fact I receive about 75p in every pound pledged).

Why am I charged more if I buy something from your page using an Apple iOS app?

Because Apple loves a good surcharge. Here is where I wrote about that. It’s generally recommended that you delete any Patreon apps on Apple products and make purchases on a browser instead, as the apps are also notoriously useless.

How the No. 1 Readers’ Club Works

Why is your Patreon called the No. 1 Readers’ Club?

Because people who join and support my work on a monthly basis are my very favourite readers.

What do you do with the money?

80% of funds (after processing and payment fees, so about 75p of every pound pledged) go to the Bank of Francesca. That’s my everyday life. Bills, rent, groceries – life costs. 20% goes back into running my creative businesses. This includes:

• Website and domain fees
• Editorial fees for my books
• Membership perks for the No. 1 Readers’ Club, like letters and postcards (and postage stamps. Good gracious they’re getting expensive.)

What are the No. 1 Readers’ Club rewards?

As of April 2025:

• A character named after you (this may be in a book or a short story).
• Your name in the thank yous of book(s) published during your membership (first name and/or last name and/or a pseudonym, your choice!).
• Sometimes I share books exclusively on Patreon before they’re published as paperbacks and ebooks, and you’ll get a new chapter per week when I do so.
• Early access to pre-orders, with a discount on pre-orders where possible.
• Exclusive short stories.
• A space to chat with other readers about my books
• Early access to public short stories.
• Monthly tarot readings and behind the scenes chat.
• Postcards and letters when I travel or during holidays
• A discount for my Folksy shop (higher than you’ll find anywhere else!)

Why do all tiers get the same rewards?

It makes admin easier for me, and also means you can switch between tiers if you’d like to, without losing out on rewards. Sometimes your financial situation changes and you want to remain a member, but on a lower tier – and that’s fine with me!

How often do you send letters and postcards?

Every three or four months. Usually something at Christmas and often something in the summer, and something in the middle too.

How often do you share short stories and/or novel chapters?

Depends on the year! I spent all of 2024 sharing Rotting Trees chapters before publishing the paperback and ebook for the general public. In 2020 I shared a short story per week for months, because what else was there to do during lockdown… What will 2025 and 2026 bring? Watch this space.

I don’t have the funds or desire to join the No. 1 Readers’ Club right now. Where/how else can I support your work?

No pressure, it’s not for everyone. You can find me over on Ko-Fi, where you can ‘buy me a coffee’ on a one-off basis. I also have a Folksy shop where I sell stationery and bookish merch and signed books. You can also follow this blog or sign up to my newsletter, which are completely free, or browse my portfolio to find my novels and short stories. You can also tell your friends about my work! You can also join Patreon as a ‘free member’ and access my free, public posts.

Have any questions? Leave a comment!

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Thanks for reading. If you’d like to read my short stories and see behind-the-scenes work, you can sample? the No. 1 Reader’s Club on Patreon for a month with this link. No pressure to stick around! Think of it as trying a miniature dessert with no requirement to eat the whole menu. You can also find me on Ko-fi. Thank you for your support – you’re helping to fund this space and pay for other costs of running a creative business, like paying editors.

Here are the books I’ve published so far and where you can find them. If you enjoy my book recommendations, browse my Bookshop.org page here.

I’m on social media (reluctantly), via Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. I prefer my montly-ish newsletter! You can find all my books and my unhinged reviews of books I love on GoodReads and StoryGraph.