Kickstarter for Authors

Anthea Sharp is the USA Today bestselling author of the Feyland series. In addition to writing fantasy novels, she has helped hundreds of authors with her consultations as the owner of Indie Compass Consulting. She also is the founder of the mighty Kickstarter for Authors group on Facebook. Discover more about her books and consulting services at fiddleheadpress.com.

Kickstarter for Authors by Anthea L. Sharp

Ready for some expert help to make your Kickstarter book campaign shine?

Whether you're writing fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or children's books, editing anthologies, or involved with any number of bookish endeavors, Kickstarter for Authors: Empowering Writers to Fund and Flourish gives you the essential tools and techniques to launch your first project - or lift your next one to new heights.

•Make awesome books!
•Nurture superfans!
•Boost your income!
•Free yourself from the retailer hamster wheel!

"Anthea's knowledge about Kickstarter has been invaluable. From how to use the platform, to best practices, and more, Anthea has been a huge help with navigating Kickstarter." - Rebecca L. Garcia, creator of four successful campaigns funding a total of $140k

This book distills all the best advice and research in one bursting-at-the-seams package. In addition to detailed step-by-step instructions and a comprehensive Kickstarter Checklist, it contains the current best-practices for successful campaigns, pitfalls to avoid, and a look at the newest tools Kickstarter has rolled out to help creators. Plus, read an exclusive interview with the Director of Kickstarter's Publishing.

CURATOR'S NOTE

Anthea L. Sharp's Kickstarter For Authors is the go-to book on crowdfunding in 2024. Anthea has run a number of highly successful Kickstarters. She also writes amazing fantasy novels, because she knows that repeat author Kickstarters don't work if the readers don't like the books. – Kristine Kathryn Rusch

REVIEWS

"As an author, Anthea's guidance on the Kickstarter platform has been irreplaceable. When I first saw her post about her personal results on Kickstarter, I thought "that's wonderful, but it would never work for me." Still, I joined her Facebook group and started reading and studying. My first campaign funded at $9,000+. All I did was read Anthea's advice and study campaigns. If you're serious about running a Kickstarter or even just exploring the idea, back this project and read this book!"
– E.V. Everest
"Anthea Sharp is the Kickstarter master! I would not have had such a successful campaign without her wisdom and guidance."
– USA Today Bestselling Author Rose Garcia
"If authors are looking at the possibility of doing a Kickstarter for their work, this is one of THE key resources you should get. Anthea has studied this extensively, run her own campaigns, and oversees a popular Facebook group for authors looking at Kickstarter. It was so helpful in running my own successful campaign. It's well-organized, easy to read, and very informative. I highly recommend it."
– Jason C. Joyner
"What an outstanding resource. Any author planning to do a Kickstarter campaign must have a copy of this in the toolbox. The information is super-current, extremely readable, and packed with critical information and tips."
– Kayce Lassiter

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Kickstarter for Authors is a comprehensive guide created by a writer (me!), for writers. Drawing on my experiences of running eight successful campaigns to date, plus my deep study of the platform, I'll walk you through every step of crafting a successful Kickstarter campaign, start to finish. From strategizing your project and setting attainable goals to building an enticing campaign page and engaging with backers, we'll leave no stone unturned.

But crowdfunding on Kickstarter isn't just about raising money for your book (though that's a significant perk). It's also about opening up the potential of your writing career. It's about connecting with readers who'll love your work as much as you do. It's about leaving your mark on the world with your words and stories.

It can be immensely dispiriting to feel like you're launching your books into the void, or desperately scrabbling for crumbs on the retailer hamster wheel. I encourage you to step off that path and instead use Kickstarter (and the tools in this book) to begin growing a loyal core of supporters. You'll realize you don't need to price your books in the very bottom of the bargain basement to find readers. You'll also discover the freedom of knowing who your actual readers are, and have the opportunity to meaningfully connect with them.

I've witnessed the power of successful Kickstarter campaigns to help authors get their writing mojo back after intense burnout. I've seen writers get a much-needed confidence boost when a struggling series reached new, appreciative hands, or raised enough funding to defray the costs of publishing. I've also seen authors bring their rabid fans to the Kickstarter platform and raise $125,000 in the first twenty-four hours. For those authors, Kickstarter offers the opportunity to create special deluxe editions of their books and give other perks to their fanbase that can't be offered on any other platform.

Success on Kickstarter takes many forms: it's not a one-size-fits-all where you must raise thousands of dollars to succeed. There are several intangibles when you create a project that are equally valuable in feeding your creative soul and keeping you energized and engaged. This book will help you figure out how using Kickstarter fits into the bigger picture of your own writing journey.

Whether you're considering launching your very first campaign or wanting to level up your existing tactics, Kickstarter for Authors will help you reach your goals. In the upcoming chapters, we'll delve into how to craft a compelling campaign, avoid common pitfalls, set realistic reward tiers, discuss promotion strategies, and much more.

I hope you're excited about joining the hundreds of authors who are using Kickstarter to re-energize their careers and connect with fans in exciting new ways!