My work isn't free just because you see it for free somewhere.
When you play my music on SoundCloud, it might seem simple: you click, you listen, you pay nothing. But for that music to even be there neatly organized as albums, playlists, and book soundtracks, I pay for a PRO account. In other words: I give music to people for free, but making it available for free isn't free for me.
It's similar with the website. Books, music, videos, articles, links, orders, QR codes, festival texts — all of this has to exist somewhere. A website means a domain, hosting, maintenance, work on individual pages, and constant fixing of things that the reader often doesn't even see. When everything works, it looks natural. But it isn't natural.
A book also doesn't begin at the moment someone holds it in their hand. It is preceded by writing, rewriting, typesetting, the cover, preparation of print data, test copies, the printing itself, transport, packaging, and dispatch. For an independent author, almost nothing is absorbed by a large print run. Each piece has its cost even before it reaches the reader.
And Svět knihy? That's not just books laid out on a table. It's a space in a collective exhibition, preparation of the table, posters, business cards, flyers, menus, bookmarks, QR payments, packaging, crates, displays, transport, and several days of personal presence. It's an attempt to step out of the internet into real space and say: here I am, this is what I created, you can look through it.
That's why I have a patronage option here.
It's not an obligation. It's not begging. It's an option for people who want to support independent art in a more concrete way than just a like.
Your contribution can help pay a music platform bill, part of a book print run, festival materials, website operation, shipping packaging, or time I can dedicate to further creation instead of plugging the nearest hole.
When you support me with any amount, you aren't just supporting one book or one track. You're helping keep an entire small-scale authorial operation alive: books, soundtracks, videos, the website, festival materials, orders, texts, and all that quiet behind-the-scenes work that isn't visible, but without which none of this could be out in the world.
Thanks to this, I can continue to release some things publicly. Music, previews, articles, visuals, videos, and texts surrounding the books. For some, it's just content on the internet. For me, it's work, time, and expenses that have to meet reality somewhere.
If you feel like you want to support me, you can send any amount.
It helps in a concrete way.
And I am truly grateful for that.
Tony
