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5 Reasons to Crowd-Fund your Writing

4/9/2019

KickStart your Writing Dreams

Those of you who are on social media may well have seen that I’m running a crowdfunder. It’s been a brilliant learning experience and surprisingly easy! Here I am to share what I’ve learned so you can see why it might be a great way to help your writing projects.

I’ve found it great because it’s forced me to push beyond my usual squeamishness about promoting Figment and my books. Remember, if you’re putting your project up there for people to fund, it’s because you feel it’s worth funding. Hold on to that when you’re feeling nervous!
For me, the KickStarter has worked well as a pre-order system. If you put an audiobook on Audible, if you keep it exclusive to Audible, then you receive a much higher percentage as incentive. So this was a way to offer the Wellspring and Magpie Mind audiobooks to friends an early bird discount without the Audible exclusivity. Plus the bonus is that this support is funding the professional production.
Crowdfunding your writing project provides a great deal of focus. With a deadline and a target, you become much more proactive. It forces you to consider the value of your work and helps you realise just how much you have to offer people.
Running a crowdfunding campaign stretches your marketing skills, helps you be more creative about marketing your work and you learn very clearly what people are interested in, who your engaged audience are, who values what you do, who’ll work with you, and who’ll reciprocate a favour. So you learn where to best put your energies.
You also find that you engage with more people: people you’ve not spoken with for some time, and new contact, because the more you go on social media to highlight your project, the higher your profile is – I’ve since had opportunities offered by people simply because they heard of me or were reminded of me while I was pushing the crowdfunder. I’m also working with more writing groups around Scotland now who’d like me to come do workshops on procrastination and creativity with them.

Tips

It’s all about the rewards. Think carefully about these: people will engage more if they know they’re raising money for a quality product, but also want the rewards you offer.

Offer special one-off opportunities. I’m offering people the chance to come and sit in while I record the audiobooks, plus the chance to come and read a section of the audiobook and have their voice heard around the world!
Work with others to offer rewards. The Stirling Photography festival worked with local artists, national photographers, Creative Stirling and the Art Collection to provide some brilliant rewards for funders.

Have a look at mine to see some examples of rewards. I add new opportunities on there practically every other day, so stay tuned! I’m always open to feedback, so please do feel free to let me know your thoughts and suggestions.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/figmentbooks/audio-book-creation-wellspring-and-magpie-mind

More tips

Use your contacts. It helped that I already know a lot of people. People I’ve done favours for in the past, people I’ve helped, supported, promoted and provided opportunities for.
Tell people about it before hand – I didn’t and I regret that!
Timelines: a six-week campaign is ideal. Finish it at month-end.
Use the time-limits to offer rewards for only a couple of days. This helps generate excitement about limited editions or special offerings – such as the little bespoke thank you boxes of inspiration in the picture above, every one with different props to inspire Wellspring (6-minute) writing.
Be prepared for the time it will take – promote every day. It will also take time and energy to think up new ideas for each day so that it doesn’t become samey and spammy. Remember the work doesn’t end when the crowd-funder ends – you then have to fulfill the rewards and keep in touch with the new contacts you’ve made.
People like to see their name in lights: offer to put their name in the back or the front of the book (or in the list of thanks at the end of the audiobook)

Here are some writing and publishing projects you might like to use a KickStarter to help you fund:

Book/pamphlet/magazine production (design, illustration, type-setting, editing, printing)
Audiobook recording
Fees for a professional tutor/mentor
Anthology production
Writing software
Calendars

Think about it - and if you do go for it, have fun! You've no idea the doors it might open for you.

Happy writing!
Laura

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Life of a Writer: overwhelm!

4/9/2019

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Hello, I’m Laura and I’m a writer.

I write poetry, short stories, non-fiction and novels. Anyone who knows me knows I spin a lot of balls, juggle a lot of hats, wear a lot of plates.

Wait, I got things a little confused there. That happens.

So many of us, while getting started in writing, have a lot of responsibilities to work around. As well as a writer, I’m also a mum, a teacher, a workshop facilitator and app developer. But I try to write as much as possible. It’s hard, but the more time goes on, the more I realise how important it is to make the time for it.

It’s funny how much is involved in being a writer that doesn’t actually involve writing. I joke that I have a low boredom threshold. That’s probably just as well. To be a successful writer – whether you’re self-published or traditionally published, you have to do a lot of other things as well. Along with the writing, comes the editing. Any writer worth their salt also does a lot of reading (ideally among different genre and perhaps also writing and style guides). Then there’s the getting yourself and your work out there. Submissions to writing magazines, agents, publishers. Performance and networking events, workshops.

If you’re self-published, there’s learning how to market yourself: Amazon AMS, Bookbub ads, Facebook advertising. KickStarter is a surprisingly fun way to get the word out about new projects, I’m discovering. Feel free to have a peek at the KickStarter I set up as an example of what you can do:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/figmentbooks/audio-book-creation-wellspring-and-magpie-mind

There’s always new things to learn! I’ll be reflecting as I go along, and sharing it with you in these e-mails.

Sometimes, yes, you feel you’re stretching yourself thin. It’s entirely possible that this isn’t the best or most effective way of being a writer. But it’s the way I’m doing it. It’s the way a lot of independent writers do it. If you want to give it a go, or if you’ve already started out, then I recommend you join Facebook groups for self-published writers. You’ll find your tribe. You’ll find support, encouragement and tips on all aspects of the industry.

I wouldn’t do it unless I loved it.

It’s fun. It’s exhilarating! And I’ve met a lot of interesting people on the way. Many of them have become friends.

Thanks for joining me on the journey.

Happy writing!
Laura

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Life of a Writer

4/9/2019

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Welcome to the first Figment to Reality post! As of today, you’ll get a sneaky peak into the life of a self-published author. Learn as I learn: witness the secrets, frustrations and successes as they happen.

Along with these behind-the-scenes insights, in your weekly Figment to Reality updates, you’ll receive writing prompts you can use each day to help get you started on your six-minute Wellspring writing sessions.

I might also include industry news, inspiring quotes from wonderful writers, as well as recommendations of books, websites, and useful podcasts!
If there’s anything else you’d like to support your journey as a writer – get in touch!

Make sure to follow Figment on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for advice and opportunities:

Taking the jump to go from 9-5 work to being a full-time writer is exciting!

It’s also terrifying.

Maybe you’ve been thinking about it for years. Wishing you could do it. Thinking of the freedom you could have to sit in the garden, notepad on lap, sunshine warming your skin. Or at your desk in your newly outfitted study, surrounded by bookshelves. Or in a coffee shop, J.K. Rowling style, wrapped in the sound of tinkling cups, whooshing coffee-maker and bustling conversation.

But it’s not all steaming-hot coffee and sunshine.

Welcome to finding out what it’s like to live your dream.

Buckle up.

For inspiration, tips and opportunities, sign up in seconds:

To receive our weekly Life of a Writer blogs, writing prompts and opportunities, direct to your inbox, sign up below. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We hate spam and promise to send you only writing support and info about opportunities.

To help us inspire the creativity of writers around the world and to find more support for your writing, find out more here:

Become a Patron!

1 Comment

5 Reasons to Crowd-Fund your Writing

KickStart your Writing Dreams

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for inspiration and opportunities, sign up in seconds

Life of a Writer: overwhelm!

for tips, inspiration and opportunities, sign up in seconds:

Life of a Writer

For inspiration, tips and opportunities, sign up in seconds:

To help us inspire the creativity of writers around the world and to find more support for your writing, find out more here:

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