by nolahistoryguy | Sep 8, 2023 | Administrivia, Patreon
Even if I don’t need your product/service, let’s talk about how I can help you.
(cross-posted to YatMedia and Eloquent Profanity)

Basin St. Down The Line New Orleans
How Can I Help You?
Can your products/services actually help me? Odds are, the answer is no. That doesn’t mean we’re not useful to each other. I’m a 65-year-old teacher and author. If you think your services would improve my businesses, pitch me! Otherwise, how about we explore other possibilities.
Endorsements and recommendations
I consider it a privilege to endorse and recommend folks I know. If we’ve worked together in the past, or have other personal connections, ask me to endorse your skills. Networking improves when we overlap our circles.
We don’t know each other, you say? If you think my endorsement can help, let’s fix that.
“Consulting”
As an Independent Scholar and author of six books on the history of New Orleans, I am a font of NOLA trivia and minutiae. Working on something that needs details about New Orleans? Quick questions are always welcome. Sometimes it’s the little things, like checking a scene where your character orders a cappuccino at Cafe’ du Monde (hint: it’s not on their menu).
Yeah, you could check the menu of a place on Google, but asking a quick question nurtures a conversation, and possibly, a relationship. Feel free to ask. The questions often go beyond basic fact-checking, into restaurant recommendations, etc. These situations are often mutually beneficial. You get your answer, and you may be offering inspiration for a deep-dive article.
More extensive projects
I am always open to consulting work related to New Orleans. If you’re a content creator, journalist, or feature writer, and you have the budget to hire “experts,” let’s talk. This sort of thing often originates with the basic question.
Fees
I often receive emails and messages from folks that say, I’d love to buy you lunch and pick your brain. I’ve got an easy way for you to do that – click that “support me” button and buy me a coffee! Better still, become a patron of my History work, or my Fiction writing.
Let’s Connect! Let’s Talk!
by nolahistoryguy | Dec 31, 2020 | Administrivia, Patreon, Podcasts
Patreon History offers a path for supporting NOLA History Guy.

Patreon History
Tomorrow begins a new dynamic for NOLA History Guy, Patreon History! We’ll make a post a day available for subscribers only. Subscriptions will be one dollar (US$1) per month. I’ve had a Patreon account for a few years now, but never really structured it. That changes tomorrow!
Why Patreon?
There are a few reasons why Patreon History makes sense for me.
It’s popular. Patreon went through a few different phases. Startup, place to monetize sex work via photos and video, creative writing. Going into 2021, there are a number of very popular blogs and podcasts delivered via Patreon.
Patreon’s been around for a while. The platform is well beyond startup. The business model has shaken out. Blogs and podcasts across the spectrum use the platform to monetize their work.
WordPress Integration. It’s easy for me to link Patreon to my existing blogs. The reader/listener doesn’t have to use the Patreon site. They can enjoy my content on the existing blogs.
How it’s going to work

Logo for the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House in Laplace, LA. A photo of Kid Ory is one coming up in January.
I post one to three photos/images a day to social media. In 2021, one post gets monetized. You’ll have to subscribe to my Patreon to read the article accompanying that post.
So, the technical side: I set Patreon to show the first 100-ish words of a post. While the full article is behind the “wall,” the photo displays. You see the preview. You get this now, when I post to Twitter and Instagram. That remains the same. What you get for your support is the full article.
Rabbit holes and deep dives
I enjoy posting images to social media. They spark conversation. We fall down rabbit holes on some oddball subjects. Those rabbit holes often become 1000+ articles on the blog. That continues with Patreon History. Everyone sees the “featured image” and the first paragraph or so. Subscribers see those articles in their entirety.
Sometimes a rabbit hole turns into a “deep dive.” Subscribers get those 2000+ word articles. I’m also starting a substack for long-form articles. Those get cross-posted to both platforms.
Podcasts for Patreon Histoy

NOLA History Guy Podcast goes to twice a month, starting tomorrow. One episode stays outside the “wall,” the other goes behind it, for subscribers. The model for this changes from the posts. I set podcasts so that anyone who has ever donated to the Patreon account sees them. That means, if you donated a dollar three years ago, you get the podcasts. If you sign up for January and cancel in February, you get them. We’ll be soliciting sponsors for the podcast as well.
A number of pods use the two-ep-per-month model. Some require a Patreon subscription level of $5/month. So, if you listen to three of these, you’re putting up $180/year. That’s not what we want. Maybe we’ll add “premium” content in the future. For now, if you give us a dollar, we’re good.
Other content
Years ago, I split up my multiple social media personalities. A friend fussed at the mix of food porn and politics in @YatPundit. So, I started a second account on Da Twittah, @YatCuisine. That became two blogs. Add the history blog to that. NOLA History Guy grew out of my streetcar blog. It absorbed the streetcar stuff. The other subjects continued in separate spaces.
NOLA History Guy – All. The. History. Along with the podcasts.
YatPundit – rants, politics, local stuff.
YatCuisine – Da food!
Eloquent Profanity (at ebranley dot com) – Fiction, verse, personal logs.
Content on each blog/site goes Patreon in 2021. Like the history blog, the others present both open and subscriber posts. YatPundit’s Pub podcast remains open.
The ultimate goal
I’m not looking to get rich by expanding Patreon History. The ultimate goal here is to raise a steady stream from supporters to a) pay Lady Duchess of the Red Pen (my editor, Dara Rochlin) and b) hire a proper producer for the podcast. If I can get a minimum of $300/month of support, that can happen.
by nolahistoryguy | Aug 13, 2019 | Administrivia
NOLA History Guy’s new connection to the Bayou Brief

Bayou Brief
I’m pleased to announce that I’m accepting a position with the Bayou Brief. Lamar’s dubbed me, Creative Content and Social Media Director.
I’ll be taking the lead on the publication’s social media presence. My main work is behind the scenes on improving the website’s reach in the Dark Arts of SEO. I’ll also be writing a bit for BB. We’ll be queuing up articles from NOLA History Guy and YatCuisine for initial publication on Bayou Brief.
NonProfit Journalism for Louisiana
It’s been two years now since Lamar White, Jr., founded Bayou Brief. It’s mission is simple, to be a nonprofit publication covering various newsworthy topics in Louisiana. BB produces serious work by serious writers. Lamar covers political stories at all levels, local, state, and national. Sue Lincoln writes on state government, particularly the Louisiana Legislature. Others offer content, both political and cultural, on a freelance basis.
Lamar will tell you, he’s a writer, not a marketer or a website person. Cayman Clevenger handles the business side of the operation, and we’ve got a website manager/webmaster. I’m not much of a marketer, but I’ve had some success with personal branding that I plan to bring to the team. The big thing now is, Bayou Brief is a good product that more people need to know about.
Social Media – Amplifying Bayou Brief
We have a presence on Twitter (@BayouBrief). On Facebook, we have a Bayou Brief Page and Group. So, Facebook’s current push is to keep people in groups. We’re targeting that. The Bayou Brief Group is growing, and we expect good/fun things from the members. What’s the difference? A Facebook “page” is the landing page/point for an organization/business/author/personality. Posts from followers of a page get shunted aside, allowing the owner to focus on branding. A “group” is a classic discussion forum. Members post and comment as they see fit. We moderate posts on our group, based on the rule, “Be nice or leave!” – otherwise, come talk.
We also have an Instagram presence, BayouBrief. Since Lamar, Cayman and I all have a certain disdain for memes, we’re going to have to see where IG goes for us.
The big thing now is that we’re working daily to amplify the publication’s presence and reach. Our content is good. We want more people to read it.
Creative Content

S. Carrollton Avenue bridge over the New Basin Canal. It was demolished when the canal was filled in, late 1940s.
As Creative Content Director, I’ll be the gatekeeper for pitches that aren’t hard news/politics. So, until now, “creative content” meant BB published non-political articles folks pitched to Lamar and filled in the gaps between the Serious Things that he and Sue Lincoln write. It’s been great stuff, like our recent story on the history of the shrimp cocktail. I’ll be writing pieces that I’d otherwise share on NOLA History Guy. We plan to get back to regular book reviews. Cayman and I will write food-related articles, on anything from burgers and pizza to the cuisine that shapes and defines the local scene. It’s time to bring the YatCuisine brand over to Bayou Brief.
Briefly Speaking – Bayou Brief Podcast

I’m also kicking Lamar’s butt about a regular podcasting schedule; we’re working out the format now. I’m thinking twice a month for now, expanding to weekly by the end of the year. Got ideas for segments? Let me know.
Food/Dining/Drinking/Cooking for nonprofit journalism

Menu from Lenfant’s on Canal Blvd, 1940s.
The YatCuisine brand is also coming to Bayou Brief. While we’re working out the permanent format, we’ll offer podcast content.
Bayou Brief food collab
This will be a collaborative effort, since we want to reach out beyond metro New Orleans. Pitch us restaurant reviews and items, particularly in other parts of the state.
Sports on Bayou Brief

Pelicans manager Jimmy Brown with two Loyola players, Moon Landrieu (l), and Larry Lassalle, 1948. From Baseball in New Orleans by S. Derby Gisclair.
We’re going to work on this. Initially, I want to bring in some of the local sports folks for the podcast. There are a lot of writers in town who are currently underemployed. So, maybe we can help each other out as we develop this. We’re nonprofit journalism, but we want to talk about Da Saints, Pelicans, other teams statewide. Dem Tigers. Also, our National Teams, and I guarantee I’ll sneak an Arsenal column in there at some point.
Cultcha!

St. John’s Eve on Magnolia Bridge
Clearly there’s more to Louisiana than what I’ve mentioned. Got an idea I haven’t mentioned here? Pitch it. Got something you think merits our attention, but you’re not a writer? Let me know.
Let’s have some fun!
I’m not doing things that aren’t fun. Therefore, I’m also following old, sage wisdom, that one should surround oneself with people smarter than you. #TeamBayouBrief is an exciting bunch, and we’re looking forward to expanding our offerings to you, the readers.
by nolahistoryguy | May 5, 2019 | Administrivia
Because of the uncertainty surrounding The Advocate’s nuking of the Times-Picayune, I’ve created a new food/beverage/dining/culture group on the Book of Face. We don’t know what’s going to happen to the T-P’s “Where NOLA Eats” group, since The Advocate’s social media presence is so abysmal. If you’re active on this platform, check the group out.
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YatCuisine |
Public group · 532 members |
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Discussion of all aspects of New Orleans food and drink: cooking, dining, restaurants, etc.
GROUP RULES: Be Nice Or Leave! |
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by nolahistoryguy | Oct 10, 2018 | Administrivia, French-Spanish Colonial
Support NOLA History Guy – sign up on Patreon.com

Plan of New Orleans, 1722
Support NOLA History Guy
I’m adding history content to my Patreon stream. I’ve thought about how to offer “premium” content here. A couple of people suggested ideas. Those ideas weren’t specific to Patreon, but you know how the process goes. Someone says something, you go, “hmmm…”, then an idea gels. That’s this idea.
Patreon
Put simply, Patreon is a platform for hosting paid content. Creatives post content. Readers/viewers subscribe to the creative’s page. Pricing begins at a dollar a month. Patreon creatives set the value of their content. So, subscribers choose a level that works for them.
Edward Branley on Patreon
I planned to use Patreon as a platform for the writing. I regularly write short stories. While most of those stories end up in some editor’s slush pile. I decided to drop them on Patreon. Therefore, a $1 subscription isn’t all that bad a deal!
In addition to short stories, I’ll be adding future novels as they develop. For example, the third Dragon’s novel, tentatively titled Dragon’s Defiance, will be around 55K words in 11 chapters. So, the novel will come out on Patreon by chapter, starting in December. I’ll post each chapter in 2-3 segments over a month. Why December? That gives me time to let Lady Duchess of the Red Pen go over it. We have a routine, and now Patreon will slide into that.
The YA novels sell for $13 apiece. Eleven chapters at a dollar a month subscription isn’t a bad deal! It’s possible the Patreon content may deviate slightly from the published work, of course. Things evolve as a story develops. So, subscribers who stick with the process will have the chance to get the finished epub as well.
NOLA History Guy on Patreon
This is the new stuff. Starting today, the Patreon stream includes history content. This month’s content is the hi-res (6697×5000 pixels) version of the 1722 map at the top of this page. Can you find this online? Yes, can you get it for free? Yes. Will you get a hi-res map or image each month directly from NOLA History Guy? Nope.
I’m also working on detailed content for the site. That content will be offered first on Patreon. October’s Patreon article will be on Alejandro O’Reilly, the second Spanish governor of Louisiana. The blog features short articles, streetcars, shopping, personalities. People like a quick dose of history. Over time, those short articles add up to a longer feature. Patreon subscribers will get those articles first.
How it works
- Keep reading NOLA History Guy! – make suggestions for features and new content
- Subscribe to Edward Branley’s Patreon Page
- Enjoy being a patron!
Thanks!
by nolahistoryguy | Jul 21, 2017 | Administrivia
1. What topics would you like to NOLA History Guy podcasts on?
2. I’m expanding the pod to include interviews. Suggestions?
3. I do a “YatBooks” podcast, and history books are certainly fair game. Any suggestions?
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