Writing is work. (You'd have to do it someplace else, though, I believe it'd be against AFF's terms). Of course it's ok to ask money for it, however, I can see @MissMinew's point, if you're going to do this, do it all about writing, without mentioning your situation. Maybe you can write one shots for people who offer more, or you can have special editions of your popular fics with a lot of more scenes, the problem I see is that this will require SO MUCH WORK, for so little money ;_;

I'm in a similar situation and I considered this, but then realized it isn't worth it for me. It takes me 10 hours in total to write a chapter of 3.000 words, including proof reading and without including research, and they're still not professional. If people expect to pay even as little as $5 for professionally edited books on Kindle, I don't see how they'd spend much on fics. Not to mention I can't convince 90% of my readers to comment, much less to give money xD

I was going to do this myself, but I felt really bad about it ULTIMATELY it's up to the readers if they want to support you and help you out like that and I wish you luck in getting out of that financial situation, sweetie, it when times are hard

hello!! :> i hope that your bad financial situation is not taking too much of a toll on yr mental/physical health :< pls take care!! i think donations are fine depending on the author and the circumstances. i think a writer should ideally write for themselves and so i don't encourage people who ask their readers to pay to read their work through donations like that. i think there should be a good purpose to it that is not materialistic and the author isn't trying to take advantage of their readers - bc ultimately those readers are strangers on the internet and also quite a few readers on here are underage and it's best that they're not giving money to strangers on the internet. i know some people who donate to their fav writers to get their attention and i don't think that's healthy. it would be great if yr friends can help you out a little! and i do think there would be readers who would be understanding/kind enough to donate but i don't think it's a good long-term solution but you can do it! a good purpose to ask for donations is that they're aiming to self-publish their own book or something that is related to their writing/career. or if it has to do with their health to which i would suggest gofundme.com rather than asking from readers. i think it's important to know where my money is going to. even if i respect them/love their work, i'm not gonna blindly give them my money even if i support what they do. i feel like that's a little superficial....just giving money....i think becoming friends with the author and sending them gifts to show yr appreciation towards the friendship/them is okay but money itself is a little... :/ it's important that it's made clear to the readers they have a choice and it's the reader's choice for what they do with their money, the author should be responsible and know what exactly they're asking for. as an author, i'd feel a little burdened bc i don't wanna feel like i owe people something? i think story commissions are a really good idea for busy authors and their readers who want to request something! and i would totally wanna try that some day even tho i haven't seen much success with authors i know who use it, although that's only 2 people hahahaha and they're pretty popular? it depends on how the author does it but i guess there's also the risk of the reader paying towards something they don't know how well it's gonna turn out to be and messy stuff like that. :< there are definitely better ways for readers to show their appreciation/support for an author but you should give it a try and see how it works out for you and yr readers. i would try it if i felt like it was rlly rlly necessary and ultimately, i hope they will respect you as another human being even if they don't agree with donations towards authors. so rather than it being another source of money, it's just a way for people to help you which i think is cool! i think it's commendable that you don't want to force people to donate by telling them yr situation. :> just be careful! i wish you the best of luck!

@BangDivAhMagicMoveMd They can? They can make it their job and I won't say anything. I'm not expecting anybody to work for free, not if it's their legit job. But making a donation fund for a hobby is what I dislike. There's a difference, at least to me. And no, not entirely but I understand that for some of them it is a job and that's fair enough.

@MissMinew Why is it not ok for someone to make money off of doing something they love? Some people write for years and years and they want to be rewarded. Is it because fanfic isn't as legitimate as actual books? As a fan of fanfic writers I see how you feel. If it becomes about money then it has no meaning. But why are artists,musicians etc expected to work for free? Anyone in the creative arts field. I feel fanfic counts as that too. Some people may not have any other talents or can use ff money to support their family. Do you agree with what Youtubers do?

@alwayswithme I would think they're greedy. I understand financial trouble but involving strangers in that is really something I find ... I won't say disgusting but I can't find another word for it rn. So if I was to see my fave author beg for money by asking people to donate "if they like my stories" (because that's what would usually be said) then I would consider them greedy and unable to handle their own problems. Which is definitely not fair but ... ;; I would think the same of a fanartist. I really don't like donation funds on the internet for people. But I think you're right, many people would think it okay for a fanartist but not for a fanfic writer.

Considering it's completely voluntary, I don't think that there's really anything wrong with it. However, you shouldn't make it so you will only post when you've received a certain amount of money.

@alwayswithme Understandable. I know a couple of authors who struggle with financial situations and start charging/asking for donations for their work. I would just highly suggest for you to ask for your readers' opinion because they're the possible candidates who're going to be donating. :)

Good luck and I hope things work out for you!

@alwayswithme But you're not actually charging them, you're giving them an option, right? My view on the writer who is now publishing didn't change after she opened a donation page, it just made me think "oh good for her!" cause I was honestly wondering when she would publish. (You would know her if you read bts fanfiction on AO3)

Personally, if I was doing something I loved a lot yet I was not able to do this anymore because of a financial situation then I'd be heartbroken, honestly! A few years ago, if I had been older and already writing I would've probably done the same, especially if I would've thought it would help my parents in their financial state as well. You've been doing this for 8 years you said, you clearly love it a lot and it's annoying/sad to know you WANT to update and kind of have to, yet you can't because of a stupid in real life situation, y'know?

@ErrorMirage No, it is okay! I am very happy you will tell me what you think and your opinion. I really need outsider opinions, who can give me another view. I see, I think it would be a dream if all readers think like you! but I am also understanding and scared of reader who will get mad and think I am so money-minded. T - T

@ErrorMirage I am in such a dilemma. I have wrote for 8 years and I will feel so bad if I charge readers for anything, even official work. Yet I think I spent so much time on writing fanfic and wanting to fulfill readers' request, and I cannot earn anything from it. It is so money-minded, but I need moeny. I feel like if I charge, I am corrupting the relationship between my reader and me.

Sad.... If you were me, what would you do? Would you find another way instead? I Hope I do not sound like I brag, but because my fandom is big, so I have some popularity, 3000-4000 subscriber. And because of that, My readers keep asking me to update, and I feel so bad I cannot update, but every time I write I think about the money I can earn if I go out and work (yet it is hard to find a job I can fit in with my school schedule). Aish

@alwayswithme Sorry for my spam of messages but this is an interesting little 'debate' in my opinion so I wanted to add a final bit of input into this. Hypothetically speaking: If someone works extremely hard on something and has very much enjoyed the process of it all, it is not wrong to want some kind of reward from it. If that support comes in money or in reactions that is up to the creator, right? Especially if someone is in need of money, then why would it be wrong to ask for a support network? It is not like the creator would pressure their 'reactors' it would be an open option. So, there isn't anything wrong with a donation service/subscription, it just depends on your own morals I suppose. And someone here replied and mentioned Ko-fi and I believe that's also a very nice service if you're still hesitant on the service you want to use.

@alwayswithme Yes! Her donation page is on Ko-fi so basically every 'coffee' you buy her is worth 3 pounds so I'll possibly donate 6 or 9 pounds since I really want to read this original work and she's fantastic, besides I trust fully that my money wont be misused.

Thank you for everybody's advice! I will think about it deeply. You guys have given great advice.

@ErrorMirage You said you are supporting the person who is publishing her fanfiction as original work, right? Can I know how much you might support her? I hope I am not a bother!

@koszernylosiu Yes! I read up on that on Patreon's page, and they said it is not illegal if you do not provide copyrighted work as rewards. They say it is okay to donate to somebody who is writing fanfiction, as long as you are not donating to get the fanfiction. Thank you for the legal advice! I will keep in mind.

@alwayswithme yes, exactly!

@ErrorMirage No worries, I understand! I am sorry, I think I phrase it wrongly. Not that it is not worth to you but it is of different worth between original and fanfiction, like you said, one is illegal so it has different worth.

Opening a Patreon though, as far as my knowledge on it goes it's like a subscription service, right? And of course it's up to your readers if they want to pay for that or not, giving them original work in return would be nice. I don't think opening Patreons like that makes anyone arrogant or short sighted nor do I think it's exploiting a fanbase as at the end of the day the consumer decides if they want to pay or not, right? It's totally up to you to open a Patreon and up to your fanbase to react to that as they wish, either they subscribe or they don't?

@500sunny500 That is true! I wish i could be as carefree as you and able to put in genuinity without worry about money, but my financial situation does not allow it. Because I am pinching pennies and I cannot work because of school, I am desperate for any source of money that will not burden my parents :( I used to be that way, updating because I am thankful for readers, but it gets hard to meet their requests when I cannot manage in real life, which is why I hope I can fulfill their wish and at the same time earn enough for me. When I become financially stable, I will be like you and be satisfied with just the reader's support <3 Yes, thank you for the advice! I will look into it. And I will ask them for opinions, my readers.

Oh sorry, then I must have read it wrong! And no fanfiction is worth a lot to me as I write myself as well but I was comparing that I personally would never ask for money if I wrote fanfiction simply because it's not "original" work as in, it's illegal. I guess. Idk I hope you understand what I mean? But I misunderstood what you meant, sorry about that ^^'

@MissMinew Can I ask why will you think of the author differently? No hate! Just wanting to know so i can consider another viewpoint. I was thinking about it in the situation of a fanartist. I think people tend to see fanfiction as having less worth as fanart, which is why people will think it is unethical for fic writers to take comissions but okay for fan artists to do so.

@ErrorMirage I think you read wrongly, I'm opening the Patreon because I don't want to ask for donations. ^ ^ But I understand, fanfiction is not worth much to you, not like actual original work, and you are right that it is a hobby at the end of it all.

Okay, my comment just disappeared... Got not much time or brains at this hour to write another detailed one so I'll keep it short: ethical choice aside, this can bring you in trouble. First do your research thoroughly. I work with lawyers and have heard stories of quite a few legal issues about donations (not directly patreon so can't tell). If you're proven to be providing not purely original work in return for money (like fanfiction which is illegal) you're going to be in bigger financial trouble than when you began. So before you make a decision: research, research, research. Don't go blindly in, never worth it.

Recently, one of my favourite fanfiction authors has opened a donation page because she will be publishing one of her fanfictions into an original work (which I will be supporting). So, for that reason I will give her money. However, I'm not sure I would do the same if it was just for fanfiction as writing fanfictions is more of a... fun/hobby thing. To donate money for someone for their financial state is something I don't know if I'd feel comfortable with, as much as I feel terrible fo anyone in that situation it's a bit of an odd cause. Perhaps I would feel differently if I had been following the fic writer for ages though and had spoken to them? I think it's a very personal thing, where your money goes and all that.

I don't have much time or brain to leave a really valuable comment but I thought I'll drop something. I work with lawyers and have heard about a few cases of legal issues with donations - not pointing directly at patreon but it does do a very similar thing. Your idea might get you in serious financial trouble if someone proves you provide something that is not purely an original work for money. So before you make a decision, do a ton of research first. This is really important

I think in your situation you should use your talent for writing to make money. Make money off of what you love. But then there also comes the stress of being perfect, when you take something you love and do it for money. If you really need it you should do it. Why would it be illegal to sell fanfic? Is it because you are not using your own original characters? I feel like fanfic is a market that hasn't been tapped yet, and it would be interesting to see what would happen. I feel like only a minority of individuals should do this or else fanfic looses value like music. How people just make music to sell, but it's usually bad and has no true artistry.

I dislike the idea of getting donations for writing fics and I would look at my favorite author differently if they have a Patreon. I don't know, I just don't like the idea. I kind of think it's unethical, but I also know there are plenty of people out there who have nothing against it and happily donate.

Personally, I don't like the idea. I think it's wrong for me to ask my readers to give me money for something that's not being professionally done. I'm already highly satisfied with my readers because they're so supportive and I just love them <3

I have a friend who uses kofi, which I think is similar to Patreon. For her, she thinks it's reasonable to ask her fans for money because she thinks she works really hard on her contents and doesn't think it's a bad idea to make a little profit from what she makes.

I suggest you talk to your readers about this. As a writer, I don't like it, but I know many more authors who think it's only fair to do it. In the end, the decision is entirely up to you. :)