Vietnam Coracle: Become a Patron via Patreon

Become a Patron of Vietnam Coracle

If you know what Patreon is, please click the red button to go directly to my Patreon Page:

If you don’t know what Patreon is, please continue below to read more about it:

Thank you for your support,

Tom | vietnamcoracle@gmail.com


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BECOME A PATRON OF VIETNAM CORACLE


Becoming a ‘patron’ of Vietnam Coracle is a way for readers to support my website via a recurring monthly contribution in return for exclusive patron-only ‘rewards’. Your support ensures this website remains totally independent: no sponsored content whatsoever. In order to enable readers to become patrons, I use a platform called Patreon.

I know it requires commitment and trust to decide to financially support this website, so I’ve done my best to explain the process in as much detail as possible. After reading this page, if you still have questions about becoming a patron of Vietnam Coracle, you’re welcome to email me: vietnamcoracle@gmail.com

*If you decide not to become a ‘patron’, please consider making a one-time donation to support this website instead on my Donations Page.

CONTENTS:

Become a Patron of Vietnam Coracle

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At a Glance: Quick Guide

Below is a brief overview of how becoming a patron of Vietnam Coracle works. For much more detail, read the other sections of this page:

WHAT IS ‘PATREON’?

  • Patreon is a crowdfunding platform that provides an opportunity for audiences to support the work of a creator by way of a recurring monthly contribution. In return for their support, ‘patrons’ receive monthly patron-only ‘rewards’ from the creator they are helping to fund. [More details]

WHY BECOME A PATRON?

  • Besides receiving patron-only ‘rewards’, every patron’s contribution helps my website to remain 100% independent and free to read: no sponsored content, no random advertising, no paywalls. With your support, I can continue to produce more and more high-quality content about Vietnam. [More details]

HOW TO BECOME A PATRON?

  • Choose from the 6 membership levels on my Patreon Page
  • Click ‘Join’ & enter your details
  • You will be billed on the first day of each month
  • You will receive your patron ‘rewards’ on the first day of each month
  • You can cancel your membership at any time [More details]
Become a Patron of Vietnam Coracle

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What is Patreon?

Patreon is a crowdfunding platform that provides an opportunity for audiences to support the work of a creator.

Launched in 2013, Patreon enables ‘readers’, ‘users’, ‘fans’ or ‘followers’ to fund the work of their favourite creators – writers, artists, bloggers, musicians, filmmakers – by way of a recurring monthly contribution, thus becoming a ‘patron’ of that creator’s work.

In return for their support, patrons receive monthly patron-only ‘rewards’ from the creator they are helping to fund.

In my case, my audience are my readers and my work is everything that you see on this website: guides, articles, interviews, reviews, short films and more.

Readers of Vietnam Coracle can actively support the work I do by choosing from my 6 levels of monthly contributions, starting from as little as $5 per month.

In return for supporting my website via Patreon, you will receive monthly patron-only ‘rewards’ corresponding to the level of contribution you have chosen. These ‘rewards’ are personally selected and produced by me. They are my way of expressing my thanks and showing my appreciation for your support of Vietnam Coracle.

By becoming a patron of Vietnam Coracle, you’re helping me maintain this website and continue producing the work you already read, use, and (hopefully) love. Moreover, your support ensures this website remains 100% independent: no sponsored content, no paid reviews, no Google Ads.

Become a Patron of Vietnam Coracle

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How to Become a Patron?

You can sign-up to become a patron of Vietnam Coracle on my Patreon Page. The process is quick and easy to follow. Below I have explained each step, including screenshots:

#1 Go to My Patreon Page: Click this link to go to my Patreon Page. You will land on a page that looks like this:

Patreon Page Screenshot (top)

#2 Select a Membership Level: Scroll down my Patron Page and take a look at my 6 membership levels. By default, only the first 3 levels are shown: to see all 6 levels, click the ‘See all 6 levels’ button circled in black in the screenshot below.

Each level is defined by a name, the amount of the monthly contribution (either in USD or your local currency), and a description of the monthly ‘rewards’ you’ll receive after becoming a patron. (For detailed explanations of each of the 6 membership levels please read this.)

Select one of the membership levels and click the red button labeled ‘Join’ circled in black in the screenshot below. Follow the instructions and enter the necessary details. (Note: if the screenshot below is too small, please click the image and zoom-in.)

Patreon Page Screenshot ('See all levels' button & 'Join' button

#3 Billing & Rewards: After inputting your payment information you are now a ‘patron’ of Vietnam Coracle. You’ll receive a welcome email from me and from Patreon confirming your membership. You will be billed for your contribution on the first day of each month. And you will receive your patron-only ‘rewards’ on the first day of each month. (You can choose to cancel your patronage at any time via the Patreon Page.)

If you need further explanation, please email me: vietnamcoracle@gmail.com

*If you decide not to become a ‘patron’, please consider making a one-time donation to support this website instead on my Donations Page. 

Become a Patron of Vietnam Coracle

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What Rewards’ Do Patrons Receive?

When you sign-up to become a patron of Vietnam Coracle via my Patreon Page, you’ll receive monthly ‘rewards’ based on the value of your contribution. In my case, there are 6 different patron ‘membership levels’, each of which is defined by the value of contribution and the ‘reward’ that accompanies it. Each level has a name, price (either in USD or your local currency), and description of the ‘reward’ you’ll receive. You can easily browse my 6 patron ‘membership levels’ on my Patreon Page or alternatively see the screenshot below and the following detailed descriptions of each level. (Note: each level also includes the ‘rewards’ of all other levels below it. For example: Level 4 also includes the rewards of levels 1-3; Level 6 also includes the rewards of levels 1-5, and so on).

*Click the screenshot below and zoom-in, then scroll down this page for full descriptions of each of my 6 membership levels


• Level 1: Early Access Patron | $5/month

*See my new posts before anyone else does: 24-48 hours before the content is publicly released.

When you sign-up as an Early Access Patron for $5 per month, you’ll get advance access to my new content. When I finish a new guide, article or review, you’ll get to read it 24-48 hours prior to its general release.

Become an Early Access Patron of Vietnam Coracle

• Level 2: Behind-the-Scenes Patron | $15/month

*Receive a monthly patron-only scrapbook including photos & descriptions of where I’ve been & what I’m working on.

If you sign up as a Behind-the-Scenes Patron for $15 per month, I’ll send you a monthly digital ‘scrapbook’ detailing my work and activities during that month. The scrapbook includes images of where I’ve been traveling, what I’ve been doing and where/what I’ve been eating, as well as brief notes on what I’ve been working on. Please note that the behind-the-scenes scrapbook is not as highly produced as the content on my site.   

Become a Behind-the-Scenes Patron of Vietnam Coracle

• Level 3: Bonus Content Patron | $30/month

*Receive monthly short bonus written content: including sketches, creative writing pieces, diaries, scenes & unpublished articles.

Sign-up as a Bonus Content Patron for $30 per month and you’ll receive previously unpublished short writings from my archive. Over the years, I’ve written various short sketches, diaries and scenes (mostly in Vietnam, but some in other countries) that haven’t appeared on my website or anywhere else. Each month I’ll send you one of these short pieces of writing, or in the case of longer works, such as diaries, I’ll serialize them. However, please note that this written content will not be as highly edited or produced as the content I choose to publish on my website, and there’s no guarantee they will remain exclusive: I may decide to publish them in some form or another in the future. In addition, when my archive runs out, I will write new bonus content each month, such as short, on-the-spot sketches or brief descriptive writing.  

Become a Bonus Content Patron of Vietnam Coracle

• Level 4: Priority Contact Patron | $50/month

*Get priority email contact: I’ll reply to you first. Plus, receive a short monthly ‘thank you’ video clip from me on-location in Vietnam.

When you become a Priority Contact Patron for $50 per month, you can communicate with me directly via email or Patreon’s messaging service and I’ll reply to you before anyone else. I receive thousands of emails from readers around the world asking for travel advice or information on anything Vietnam-related. I do my best to reply to all emails, but as a Priority Contact Patron I will make sure to respond to you first. I’ll try to answer any questions or queries you might have to the best of my ability, but in cases where I can’t provide an accurate answer, I will try to suggest an alternative contact or source that may have the information you’re looking for. In addition, you’ll receive a short ‘thank you’ video clip from me on-location in Vietnam every month.  

Become a Priority Contact Patron of Vietnam Coracle

• Level 5: Credits Roll Patron | $100/month

*Your patronage has made my work possible: you deserve recognition. Your name will appear in the credits of all Vietnam Coracle content (unless you wish to remain anonymous).

If you sign-up to be a Credits Roll Patron for $100 per month, your name will be included at the bottom of every page of my website in recognition of your contribution to, and support of, Vietnam Coracle. At the end of every guide, article, and review a credits roll will list the names of all patrons in this category. (However, if you prefer to remain anonymous for any reason at all, just let me know and I will make sure your name is not included.)  

Become a Credits Roll Patron of Vietnam Coracle

• Level 6: Champagne Patron | $500/month

*Nothing I say or do could communicate my appreciation & the value of your patronage. Each month I’ll write you a long-form personal email about everything Vietnam Coracle-related & send you a bottle of champagne, or, if we’re in the same place at the same time, I’ll gladly take you out for said bottle.

When you choose to become a Champagne Patron for $500 per month, you are making a significant contribution to the work I do and it would be impossible for me to adequately express the value of your patronage to my website. But as an attempt to show my appreciation, I’ll write you a detailed personal email each month about everything Vietnam Coracle-related as well as sending you a bottle of champagne (or non-alcoholic alternative, if you prefer). If we happen to be in proximity to one another during the month, I’ll happily meet in-person to take you out for the champagne and a meal. 

Become a Champagne Patron of Vietnam Coracle

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How Does Your Support Enable My Website?

Maintaining Independent & Quality Travel Advice:

Vietnam Coracle is free-to-read and 100% independent. I am the founder and creator of the site. For a decade – between 2012 and 2022 – I was the sole author; researching, writing and financing hundreds of guides, articles, reviews and much more. Since May, 2022, there is now a team of contributing writers, but the ethos is the same as always: there’s no sponsored content, no paid reviews, no paywalls, no algorithm-based advertising, and I’ve never paid to promote this website in any way. I produce all content for Vietnam Coracle to the best of my ability and as far as my time and finances allow. By becoming a patron of this website, your monthly contribution helps to provide a stable and sustainable income so that I can continue to create high-quality content while ensuring that Vietnam Coracle remains totally independent.

The Vietnam Coracle archives currently hold over 300 publicly available and free-to-access travel guides, motorbike routes, food and drink reviews, hotel reviews, articles, interviews, videos and more. Each post is thoroughly researched and informed by over a decade of travelling, exploring, living, working and learning in Vietnam. These days, so many travel blogs, vlogs, and online travel guides are poorly researched and algorithm-based, or just regurgitated content aimed solely at generating traffic, ranking high in Google search results and generating advertising revenue. I created Vietnam Coracle as an antidote to this, and as a means to express and communicate my passion for travel and Vietnam so that others might be able to experience and love the country in the same way. I never receive payment of any kind in exchange for writing about something or somewhere, and I only write about places I’ve personally visited. No one tells me what to write about or how to write about it. This independence is something that is increasingly rare in the world of online travel content, and that’s why it’s precious. I value my site’s independence and I want to keep it that way. To do that, I would appreciate your help.

Where your Contribution Goes:

Your monthly contribution as a patron of Vietnam Coracle goes straight into my website, actively enabling everything I do: from research trips to write-ups, from site maintenance to technical innovations. All patron contributions are hugely beneficial to me in order that I may continue to create content and maintain this site. Whether it’s transportation costs for a research trip, a coffee in a cafe where I’m writing up a new guide, a meal at a street food vendor I’m reviewing, or a night in a far-flung homestay on a new motorbike route, your patronage makes it possible.

How I’ve Financed this Website:

Prior to setting up my Patreon Page, I’ve financed my website via affiliate programs allowing readers to book their accommodation and transportation directly through my site, and by making limited advertising space available only to companies I specifically know, like, or consider beneficial to my readers. However, for nearly a decade Vietnam Coracle has occupied the majority of my time and money, and I can’t maintain the website in its current form indefinitely without the support of the people who use it: people like you.

Me working on the website at a cafe in Meo Vac, Ha Giang Province

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Final Note Before Becoming a Patron

If you like, please write a short comment about Vietnam Coracle and why you’ve decided to become a patron of my website: either publicly in the comments section at the bottom of this page (so other readers, patrons, and potential patrons can read it) or privately via email: vietnamcoracle@gmail.com

Please bear in mind that your contribution as a patron of Vietnam Coracle in no way gives you any power or say over the content of my website whatsoever. I would hope that, if you’re considering becoming a patron of my website, you are already familiar with my work and the general personality and values behind it. If, for some reason, my content ever causes you offence, there can be no financial compensation to patrons. If you wish to know more about me and my website before becoming a patron, please read this interview or listen to this podcast or see my About Page.

Please note that any contributions via Patreon are non-refundable, under any circumstances. If you wish to cancel your monthly contribution via Patreon, you can do so at any time on the Patreon Page.

Thank you for your support,

Tom | vietnamcoracle@gmail.com

Become a Patron of Vietnam Coracle

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Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free & independent. I’ve written this guide to becoming a ‘patron’ of Vietnam Coracle because I want my content to remain independent. This is important to me & I want my readers to know about it & have the opportunity to support my site if they wish to. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements here

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Leave a Comment

Questions, updates and trip reports are all welcome. However, please keep comments polite and on-topic. See commenting etiquette for details.

  1. Tom says:
    January 11, 2022 at 3:00 AM

    Hi,

    I highly appreciate the content of your blog because of the quality of its content and its financial independence.
    With the hope you will be able to keep this wonderful project going on, I decided to become a patron of Vietnam Coracle 🙂

    Thanks again for all the inspiring articles you write and share with us: each new post is a precious gift that makes me remember how much I love Vietnam!

    Cheers,

    Tom

    1. Tom says:
      January 11, 2022 at 3:20 AM

      Hi Tom,

      Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate that. And your support of my site by becoming a patron absolutely does help to keep this all going.

      All the best,

      Tom