Founding Patronage
Help bring the first Darkness Warmth Press flagship title to publication.
Important Note
Founding patronage is a form of cultural support for Darkness Warmth Press and its first publication stage. It is not an investment offer, share offer, loan request, public financial promotion, or invitation to buy ownership. Patronage offers no equity, repayment, profit share, voting rights, interest, or guaranteed financial return. Any support route, acknowledgement, reward, or fulfilment arrangement will be agreed clearly before money is accepted.
The Ask
Phase One seeks £6,000 to take Of Blood and Moor, the first Darkness Warmth Press flagship title, through final edit, proofreading, book design, metadata, proof copies, launch preparation, review-copy planning, and a clear route to publication. One book becomes demonstrably real first, giving the wider catalogue a careful path to follow.
Why this matters
Darkness Warmth Press exists for dark stories with a human centre: work shaped by shadow, memory, dread, beauty, survival, tenderness, humour, and the stubborn need to make meaning in difficult places. The press is founder-led and built around creative independence, disability inclusion, neurodivergent experience, LGBTQ+ dignity, ethical seriousness, emotional honesty, and writing that does not fit neatly into commercial boxes.
​
Its aim is simple but serious: to make room for strange, dark, emotionally truthful work without losing warmth, care, or conscience.
What patrons make possible
Founding patronage helps turn Of Blood and Moor from a finished creative work into a professionally prepared public book. Support for Phase One makes possible:
-
​
A professionally prepared print and eBook edition of Of Blood and Moor.
-
​
Careful growth without rushing, lowering standards, or promising commercial returns.
-
​
-
​
Final editing, proofreading, book design, formatting, ISBN and metadata setup.
-
​
Proof copies, corrections, cover preparation, a launch page, and reader-facing copy.
-
​
Review-copy planning and a clear route to publication.
A strong first proof point for Darkness Warmth Press before the wider catalogue is staged.
Phase One budget at a glance
Editing and proofreading — £1,800
Book design and formatting — £1,000
Cover refinement and visual identity — £800
ISBNs, metadata, proofs, and corrections — £650
Launch, outreach, and fulfilment reserve — £1,000
Digital infrastructure, admin, compliance, and tools — £750
Total Phase One target — £6,000*
*These are working allocations; supplier quotes and fulfilment assumptions will be checked before funds are accepted or committed.
Founding patronage can take different forms, depending on the level of support and the kind of acknowledgement a patron is comfortable with. Possible routes range from Friend of the Press at £50+ to Principal Patron at £10,000+, with thanks agreed according to level.
​
Possible thank-yous may include supporter updates, private or public acknowledgement, digital samplers, signed copies, private briefings, launch invitations, or first-slate bundles. Recognition can be public, private, or anonymous.
​
All acknowledgement, rewards, payment routes, fulfilment assumptions, and update points will be agreed clearly in writing before any money is accepted.
Patronage routes
Timeline
The working aim is to deliver Of Blood and Moor within roughly 9–12 months of securing Phase One funding. This allows time for final editing, proofreading, book design, proof copies, corrections, launch preparation, review-copy planning, and reader outreach.
​
This is a careful publication path rather than a fixed release-date promise. If timing changes because of supplier availability, editorial needs, proof corrections, health, accessibility, or fulfilment realities, the priority will remain the same: to prepare the book properly and communicate clearly along the way.