When it comes to releases, have you considered adding Kickstarter to your release plans?
I am currently in the throes of my first Kickstarter campaign…and since this is a new platform, here are some things to keep in mind when setting up your campaign.
- Networking is priceless – Many authors are now giving Kickstarter a try, and that means you probably have a couple of friends that you can swap Kickstarter shares with (you share their campaign with your platform, and they share yours). Simply reach out and make it happen, especially if their Kickstarter campaign is in a comparable genre as your own.
- Early Bird Perks – Even more, reach out to your author friends, and see if they might be interested in giving you a copy of one of their books that you can share in your campaign and with your audience. This gives them then free PR and Marketing (Make sure that you are actually sharing their book, tagging them and all, so that it is worthwhile for all involved).
- Have a clear goal – I am using Kickstarter to help create a hardback edition of my steamy paranormal romance, Make Me Howl. In doing this, though, I’m also making sure to offer digital reward tiers, too.
- Time – Time is your friend. I’ve set my Kickstarter to run for 30 days, which will give me enough time to reach my goal. With Kickstarter, it is all-or-nothing crowdfunding, so you have to meet your financial goal set in order to receive any of the money.
- Back campaigns – Kickstarter shows how many campaigns you’ve backed, but also, by backing the many different ones (you can do that for as little as $1), you get to see all of the updates and emails they are emailing out. This information will help you in how to create your very own campaign, too.
The great thing about Kickstarter is that you can use it for any genre, any project that you hope to get off the ground, from nonfiction to fiction to board games, movies, and music. The goal is that it will kickstart your actual project and get it on the roll for you.
Just as an FYI, Kickstarter is very different from Patreon.
We are currently testing out Kickstarter with our inaugural campaign for a paranormal romance called, Make Me Howl.
Currently, I am in the middle of my successful Kickstarter and have reached over 300% of my initial funding request. I will make a case study of this, as well, to share all that I’ve done to get these results. This case study is offered as a part of my campaign, so those authors who wish to support this will also receive information about what I did, how I did it, step by step, starting with concepts and plot, the planning, and all it entails to have a successful Kickstarter.
Check out the Make Me Howl Kickstarter.
Do you have a Kickstarter? Share it with the group in the Kickstarter thread, so we can support one another!
For further reading and to help you get started, check out Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter by Russell P. Nohelty and Monica Leonelle.