Indie designer Marty is on top of his game. When a major studio offers to buy out his popular crowdfunded adventure, Marty’s friends think he’s crazy to hold back. But Marty has a secret: he doesn’t just create video game worlds, he lives in them!
I’m Rick, and I love crowd funding and contests. Since all of you are entering this Fantasy contest (my genre of choice) and I’m going to end up bankrupt in the near future. I figured I’d give you some quick pointers on how to get started on the prospect of crowd funding. Because for many, you’ll quickly find it’s more daunting than you realize.
1. Contests are the best way to drive orders to your book because they provide a sense of urgency. ~Make sure you tell people you are in a contest, it’s a big deal, the top 3 get published and be excited.
2. In order to crowd fund, you need a crowd. This one is one I often see overlooked. Even if your crowd is 10 people, that’s fine, get those 10 people before you pitch strangers. There is this farmers market theory of kale thing that John Olivir did and it’s totally true. Nobody will buy the one, sad, lonely piece of kale. But that same kale with 10 more people behind it giving it a thumbs up! Perfect. Basically, before you go mass pitching to anyone who will listen: Get your immediate 100% surefires to order. Spend that time polishing your campaign page.
3. Use Video. @Joseph Asphahani ran a fantastic campaign using video updates. Short, simple, and sweet. @Tal M. Klein went and had some amazing muppet ad’s and he was the prior Geek N Sundry contest winner.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask people to support yourself, not your book. It’s a small division, but it makes a big deal. Ask people to help support you get published and back that dream. It will take 2 years before they have a book and there is a lot of editing that goes into it. Your story may look completely different, so focus instead on your idea, and who you are and why it’s important to you.
5. Focus on your own extended networks, family, and friends first, then turn your attention to crowds and other Inkshare authors. Yes, there is a community here, and everyone is trying to get their books funded. At some point, it’s about playing match maker and cross pollination of reader bases. That is a good and healthy thing. It’s okay to market each others books to your crowd. That’s why you knock your people out of the way first. Then you can help others and others can help you.
6. Passive media: Ads, cards, fliers, these things help you build your author brand and focus your vision, but they don’t help with crowd funding in a contest. They won’t net you any sales. What they will do: Is polish your writer brain into a fine-tuned 15 second selling machine.
So, those are some of my quick tips. Inkshares had blogged about it before: and Tal Klein wrote his tips. I’m willing to help and offer advice to anyone, just send me a PM.
There has recently been a raft of people sending mass emails without blind copying everyone. This is very insensitive to everyone and causes me concern.
Please note that if you send me a mass email without using BCC I can gaurantee that I will not be pre-ordering your book.
I know that many previous authors are considering entering the new Geek & Sundry Contest.
First, I’m very excited that G&S is meaningful to you as a Collection—and don’t worry, this won’t be their last contest on the platform.
But second, I want to make clear that we view contests at Inkshares as a broad opportunity for current and new authors alike. The trick is balancing out "fresh blood" with established members of the community. It would be unfortunate if an "established few" dominated contests over and over. This also carries the problem of people continually running campaigns rather than focusing on their in-progress funded books.
Accordingly, we’re implementing the following rule:
If you’ve been published via a contest (either selected or finished in the qualifying top spots) then you cannot enter another contest until your book is published.
Ghreman Vhen, ruler of the Iron Empire, wants to change his nation’s oppressive policies and find a way to finally end the Incursions that threaten to destroy the world. His good intentions may be what pave the way for the Outsiders’ victory.
