Patron Terms

1. What a contribution is

A contribution funds Hermitsh Press — the website and the work of running it. It keeps the library free to read for everyone.

A contribution is not the purchase of a specific translation, edition, or book. You are backing the press, not pre-buying a title. The money goes to Hermitsh Press; the votes you earn go toward the author and language you choose. Those two things are separate, and we keep them separate everywhere.

2. Votes

Every $1 you contribute is one vote, with a $3 minimum. Your votes go toward one author in one language — your pick from the board.

Votes are a participation perk that lets you help steer what we translate next. Each week the top picks go into translation. They are not a pre-order and do not entitle you to a particular product or delivery date.

Your votes are counted in perpetuity. Every vote is backed by a completed payment and recorded permanently, so the count is auditable and nothing can be silently inflated or erased. If your author doesn't win in a given week, your votes stay with that author and language — counted, forever — until it gets translated.

3. Contributions are non-refundable

Contributions fund ongoing operations the moment they're made, so they are not refundable. Please contribute only what you're glad to give to keep Hermitsh free. Earning votes is part of the contribution — it is not a separate purchase you can return.

4. No guaranteed timeline

When an author and language win a week's voting, they enter translation. The full corpus is typically finished within about a month, but that is an estimate, not a promise. Translation can run long, and outside delays happen.

We do not promise any specific completion or publication date. Winning votes start the work; they don't set a deadline.

5. Patron recognition

If you'd like, you can have your name appear on the patron page for the edition you backed. Recognition is website-only by default and entirely your choice. You can include:

• a display name of your choosing,
• an optional one-line note, and
• up to three social handles, shown as links.

Your votes count whether or not you add any of this. You can edit or remove your patron card at any time using a verify link we email to you — only the email owner can make changes, and removal is self-serve. Edits get a quick glance from us before they go live.

Printing your name inside a published book is a separate, optional step with its own explicit checkbox at checkout. Because copies already distributed in the world can't be unprinted, that choice is permanent — your website card stays editable and removable regardless.

6. Privacy

We keep as little about you as we can: your email address (for your receipt and the go-live link) plus whatever display name, line, and social handles you choose to share.

Your card details never touch our servers. Payments are handled entirely by our payment providers (Stripe or PayPal), who collect and process your card or payment information under their own terms. We never see or store it. For everything else, see our Privacy Policy.

7. Disputes

If something looks wrong with a contribution, please email [email protected] before opening a chargeback — we'll work it out with you directly. We keep records of every contribution and the votes it earned, so we can usually sort things out quickly.

8. Changes to these terms & contact

We may update these terms as the patron program evolves. When we make a meaningful change, we'll update the date at the top of this page. Contributions are governed by the terms in effect when they were made.

Questions about being a patron? Email [email protected].