I’m publishing my next full length YA fantasy novel using Kickstarter. Here’s why you may or may not want to follow in my tracks.
- I want a quality product. – Publishing a full-length novel is expensive. I have a diagram below breaking down the cost. You definitely want to splurge on a few things. One thing worth every penny is a good editor and a cover designer.
2. There are a lot of fantasy readers on Kickstarter. Brandon Sanderson brought a whole crew of fantasy readers to the platform. If you do well on the first day, Kickstarter will recommend your project to those readers.
3. I can afford fun perks to the books. Think painted edges, colored map, and artwork.
I think the three reasons above are amazing opportunities which is why I chose to go the Kickstarter route. Here is the downside:
- You control all the details. That means you pick the editor, you price the items, you pick the tiers, and you do everything in between.
- It’s like indie publishing, but with everyone able to see your success or failure.
- You can lose money on all the perks if you do not price it correctly.
With every new thing there is a learning curve. Kickstarter is no different. I’m not sure if that is a downside or an upside. I ended up hiring Sandpiper-Ink to help me with graphics and feedback. I highly recommend her services.
What else would you like to know about Kickstarter?
