Hi!
And with this chapter we’re started on Book VII, the last of the series. I hope you’ll enjoy reading the last stretch of Catherine’s journey as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again with all of you reading and supporting the Guide, especially those of you who’ve been here from the start.
This month’s extra chapter won’t actually be one of the Guide, it’s instead the first two chapters of the project I’ll be working on when the Guide ends. The series called Pale Lights, and you’ll get to the summary of both the series and the first book by clicking here. Table of Contents gets you to those two chapters. Have a look, you might up enjoying the new work! I’ll be returning to regular updates after that until the end of Book VII.
While on the subject of extra chapters, I’m making official a change. As those are a Patreon reward in the first place and they’re not necessary to understand the books, I’ll be making them Patreon-exclusive from April forward. That means they’ll be posted only on my Patreon, accessible only to people supporting me there. The extra chapters already currently up on the site will be staying there.
EDIT
Slight adjustment to the policy outlined above: as an additional perk for the people supporting me financially, which extra chapter is next written will be decided by a patron-only poll on Patreon where anyone can vote on a selection of options. On the flipside, once Book VII is finished its extra chapters will be added to the rest on the public site. Think of it more as an advance for supporters than a paywall.
Hoping you’ll enjoy the last book,
E.E.
A Practical Guide to Evil 
For the extra chapters, is it possible to get them via a one-time contribution via PayPal, or is it Patreon exclusive. And do we only get to read them only while we are actively contributing on Patreon?
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Typo thread:
“first two chapters of the project I’ll working on when the Guide ends.”
>”I’m working on” or “I’ll be working on”
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Welcome back! Great work on the prologue and I look forward to reading the rest of the book
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So suddenly hiding part of the content behind a pay wall is kind of surprising, but if you feel you really need that bit of extra money you’ll make, then whatever.
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Your fucking joking right? If EE wanted to make bank all they would have to do is release the chapters first on patreon for even a week early and people would signup in droves.
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You’re*
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I dunno, In my opinion those supporting the author financially should ideally have access to exclusive content. That has no impact on the existing storyline, is a non-essential read and a nice incentive to support the author.
Also, it is just 1 extra chapter a month, starting with a new volume, I feel like that is justified. Those who love the story and want to dive into the world or characters always have that option to support the author.
Will it be a per-post pricing on patreon or per month?
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EE is under no obligation to post any of this publicly. That non-Patreon readers have been getting 100% of the benefits at the same time is exceptionally generous and even borders on unfair the the ones paying. I say this having never been a paid supporter. I am very grateful for everything EE has already done.
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This is literally a completely free series homie, with easily 1000 hours of work into it… And you’re copping an attitude because Ericasta is changing something ~ inconsequential to the main storyline to show his contributors (supporting him during freaking covid) that they’re appreciated??
I only ever donated once, so Im not getting access, but even I am grateful to the people sponsoring pgte. So either pay up or, ya know… Shut the fuck up
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You know what? I love this. Welcome back.
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I fully support the need to make this decision personally. Since humans need money to live. And this story takes time and it’s fantastic you’re giving it to us for free.
I will say that the extra chapters are a lot of what’s sold this story for me.
Reading them out of order never seemed to work, and I’ve actually been surprised they’re in a separate index because it makes them harder to read in order. But luckily, if you’re just tapping “next chapter” the guide seems to give you the extras in their correct place.
But yeah the extras, the ones with Hakram, the backstories, are part of why the guide feels so alive to me, so much more special than just another fantasy story about a quest to save the world.
I’ll definitely try to and do patreon for these last few. So in a way that probably proves it’s a really wise decision. It lets readers who love your story commit to it at the end.
But I hope you mark the chapters place somehow, despite them being on a different site, so readers that come latter can fit them into the story.
And I hope that, for your next project, if you do something similar, you release the first few batches of extras to new readers. So they can get the depth in your next story that makes this story exceptional, and get hooked in the first place.
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Hi Guys,
Is it possible to get/buy the whole book so far in a pdf version or any other that can be read on a kindle? I am not a big fan of patreon but I do not mind paying as I like the story.
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EE is very much against PDF versions of his story. I’m not sure about Kindle though.
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Yeah, I know and it is understandable. I was talking about a pdf version after paying in case there is no kindle version. 🙂
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This is going to sound really hypocritical, but I found it really hard to justify subscribing to you when I’d be getting literally nothing in return. And yeah, I know, I know, supporting you and all that, but it’s just hard to rationalise when I’m poorer than most of my friends.
Off to become a patron now.
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Okay, so confusingly I’m already a patron. Apparently I’m giving you 3 bucks a month. But my point still stands, because I know for certain that for years I considered supporting you because what you do is great, but I kept backing out.
Going to increase the pledge now.
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I completely undestand you, at least you have the option, i am completely unable to become a patron right now T_T
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Same here. I’d love to, but suddenly having to rely on welfare because of a health emergency has put a real stopper to any of that. I even had to cancel all of my usual donations. =(
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Yes can’t wait for this!
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I’m hyped for the last book!
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Changing to have a pay wall added near the end of a story is probably a good financial move. It’s also more infuriating than it has any right to be especially since the last extra chapter that isn’t being hidden is really a hook to get people to read your next work.
That’s a pair of reasonable moves designed to make you money that look like something I’d expect to come from one of the big 4 publishers.
I can’t stop supporting you since I couldn’t afford it but I won’t be recommending you anymore either. To be clear, I’m not pissed because you want to have something to give to the people who support you financially. I’m pissed because you have started to charge for something mid-stream.
It also makes me wonder if it’s a good idea to read another work from you since the next step is to just lock off the last chapter/book behind a paywall.
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He could release all the extra chapters later on, i think that is what he should have done since the begining, like releasing the extra chapters to the general public after each book was done.
Hopefully it happens like that xD
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While I really really hope it woks out like that too I seriously doubt it. The author would have said it would work like that if it was.
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Man am I glad to be wrong.
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The author edited to add that:
> On the flipside, once Book VII is finished its extra chapters will be added to the rest on the public site. Think of it more as an advance for supporters than a paywall.
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Wow, such entitlement! You’ve read one of the greatest modern works of fiction for absolutely free till this point, while those of us supporting EE have chosen to do so without the expectation of rewards because he’s just that damn good.
So now that he’s chosen to give his supporters advance access to the Extra Chapters – which are both unnecessary to the main story and only exist due to Patreon supporters anyway – ungrateful little sponges like yourself are throwing a strop?
I’m sure EE is quaking at the thought of losing the amazing value of you talking up the Guide to… whoever. I guess those of us past the emotional age of six will just have to throw an extra recommendation out there to make up for such a terrible loss.
Ya dick.
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And this is the incentive I need to get my ass in gear and sort out the payment business for my Patreon account!
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Well now i know what will be the first thing i spend online when i move to another country, even with corona i think i will move and get a job before the book is done xD
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“Premium Chapters” that are inaccessible to people not subscribing?
That’s a shame.
I get it, you’ve gotta make a living, but still.
Does Patreon require a subscription or is a one-time payment sufficient?
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Subscription
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To Erraticerrata, don’t let the people talking about paywalls and criticizing your decision intimidate you. You’ve put out content at no charge for years, you have a warning before the last book started, and the only thing that’s missing are extra chapters that will be available for free at the end of the book. You’re being more than sensible finding a way to reward your subscribers without compromising the story itself. Anyone who thinks they DESERVE your hours of work and passion more than you deserve to make a living are being selfish, plain and simple.
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To be fair, I think those people were criticizing the “paywall” BEFORE it became known it was NOT a paywall at all… and some of those are probably in the same position as me: not being ABLE to afford the Patreon, thus one of the things they really, really enjoyed seemingly taken away forever. Until Erratic corrected that.
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Welp, time to wait and then binge. I want all the chapters in the order they’ll be written, so I guess I’ll be seeing all of you guys in a year or so.
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I’d like to purchase a one time “season pass” for the extra chapters.
I’m freelance, which means I’m staying clear if subscription things as I don’t know how much money I’ll have in two months.
If that’s not possible, I guess I’ll wait for the book to finish before delving into it.
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Wow, i was going to suggest thats econd thing, that the extra chapters be made public at the end, but honestly the poll thing is an even better incentive
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Hi EE.
I have a suggestion for other things you can offer your patrons. Obviously, you don’t have to listen, but thought I’d raise the suggestion at the least.
The AMAs you’ve been doing once a year on Discord are super popular, but it’s also very much based on luck if people are around to ask questions.
Maybe make a higher patreon tier (maybe for 10 dollars a month or so?) where you let patreons submit a monthly question. And then at the end of the month answer a set number of those questions (obviously with the disclaimer that the reply might be “spoilers”.)
The replies wouldn’t even have to be hidden. The perk would be getting to submit a question that had a good chance of getting a reply.
(Note, the reason I’m suggesting a higher tier here, is so you don’t drown in 800 questions every month. It’s a practical consideration most of all.)
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EE, since that’s a new site, can I make a request? If the typo thread had its own tab or collapsible comment at the top it would be both easier to find for those interested and easier to scroll past for those not.
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welp i’m super late to this discussion, but EE thanks for writing this amazing story, and for the most part it being free for all is amazing.
If you ever choose to publish in an e-version (given that i’m in Malaysia any hard copy is going to be nigh impossible) I will gladly buy the series 🙂
Keep up the amazing writing!
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What does you bring in Malaysia have to do with how difficult it would be to get physical copies of these books if/ when they become available? Is it because of censorship? If so, what about this story would cause it to be banned? Is it the fact that the main character leads a rebellion/topples governments and deposes leaders, the supernatural/fantasy element, the way it portrays Good & Evil, some element in not even thinking of? Is it just a ban on Western Media? Or is it something else entirely? I know that I’m replying to something you commented a year and a half ago, but I really want to know the answer lol. I’m genuinely curious, not trying to be an ass or anything!
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