Please take a moment to read this, it affects your use of Home for Fiction apps.

In the past few years, I've tried various ways of making this work – I tried keeping the apps free and unrestricted, I tried limiting their usage while keeping them free, I also tried putting them behind a Patreon log in button. Nothing seems to work.

Server expenses amass and, excepting for a few wonderful people who have offered their support, it seems most users simply want to use something for free without doing anything for it. That is, to an extent, understandable. That's how the internet works – and, pragmatically speaking, Home for Fiction apps aren't that important; they won't solve the world's problems.

What's less understandable, however, is things like actively trying to "game" the interface – for example, by creating throwaway Patreon accounts to keep using the free trial. This has had a (minor) impact on server resources but, above all, it has completely disillusioned me.

As a result, I have run out of options on how to keep Home for Fiction sustainable. I'm defeated – it turns out it's much easier to make it work with inane reaction videos and pointless TikTok dances, but not with essays on literature or writing programs.

For the time being, I've reverted to the "free and unrestricted" model, but this is only temporary. I have enough monetary resources to keep the site running for a few more months, but beyond that, the future is uncertain. I might end up with a static site (because I can host if for free). This means that, among other functionality, any dynamic content – the apps, book downloads, and Punning Walrus – will stop working.

In other words, feel free to keep using the apps (and the website in general), but please understand it might go away on any given day. Ideally I'd like to be able to warn you beforehand, but I might not be able to.

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