I’ve heard of kickstarting all sorts of things and have even donated to Reading Rainbow’s kickstarter campaign, but a kickstarter for a book is a new one to me!
Given that the book in question ticks a couple of my things that make me happy boxes (feminist, steampunk, bicycles) I am seriously considering contributing.
The book could end up being totally silly, but it is coming from a very small publisher that has done this sort of thing before and has many bicycling related books and zines. And if it does turn out to be bad, $15 isn’t that much to lose. Hmmm.
Have you ever heard of a kickstarter for a book? And if so, did you donate? And if so, did you like the end result?
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There are a few Kickstarter books when you search on Goggle. But I don’t understand what your contributing for–cost of publishing, advance, etc?
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Richard, yup, I believe the contribution is cost of publishing, kind of like a subscription so they can guarantee that they at least break even on the cost.
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Kickstarting books is becoming more and more common, partly because it enables people to publish things that a mainstream house wouldn’t touch for fear of them “not being commercial enough”. I watched an amazing XO talk by a woman called Spike Trotman who’s an independent comics publisher; she kickstarted an amazing anthology of consent-based, queer/woman/disabled/minority-centric erotic comics, called Smut Peddler. There’s a second one coming out soon, and she’s also used Kickstarter to fund some of her own work. I think it’s a brilliant way to return publishing power to the masses. It’s also produced some more mainstream successes: Paul Kingsnorth’s The Wake was originally crowdfunded on a specifically literary site called Unbound, and it went on to be Booker Prize longlisted. If you’d want to read a book about velocipedes, why not give $15 towards making it a reality, indeed? 🙂
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Elle, so interesting! I had no idea kickstarting books and comics had become a thing but it makes sense now I think about it. It might be fun to give this one a try as an experiment for possible future ventures 🙂
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Definitely worth supporting, especially if there are things you love but that are maybe a bit “niche” or “nerdy”–this is the way to get books about them!
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Well I did it! I contributed. Now I have to wait until April which is ok because the library emailed me to say I have four books ready to pick that I was not expecting just yet!
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Aaahhh, the joys of a book lover’s life. There’s always something!
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Isn’t there? That’s all part of the fun! 🙂
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I donated to a book Kickstarter Zen Habits & I love it. Like you said $15 isn’t a huge investment for something you’ll most likely love!
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Helen, good to know! I am moving closer and closer to giving it a try!
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The only kickstarter I’ve ever donated to was for the Veronica Mars movie, and it was well worth it (I got a DVD and a t-shirt, plus the movie itself). With Cory Doctorow associated with it, I’d be more inclined to donate for a book I’ve never heard of before.
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Jeanne, the kickstarter thing is such an interesting phenomena that has produced some excellent results. I might just have to give the book a try!
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I hadn’t heard of book Kickstarters. How interesting! Thanks for sharing.
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Sarrah, you bet! It seems like they are becoming a thing. Who knew?
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I have seen a kickstarter campaign for a book before, but I think I would not have been the right audience and at the time my own budget was pretty precarious, so I didn’t donate, but this sounds like great fun. And the book sounds right up your alley–if nothing else you will end up with a book that might be quite entertaining at the end. I’d say the author is pretty enterprising in trying to get her work out there-why not!
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Danielle, you are right, whether or not the book is good it could still be entertaining and there will be a story to go along with it so that’s kind of a win right there! I think I’ll do it! Now the question is do I just donate the minimum for the book or do I do a little more for some additional bicycle related items? Hmm…
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A book I loved as a kid had a recent kickstarter to produce a new edition in graphic novel format. The author needed funding to pay for the illustrator, the printing and binding etc… If you gave more than I think $5 you’d get something in return- a free copy of the book, a copy and a stuffed toy of the main character and so on. But it was only going to be available in e-format and I’d really prefer to have a physical book! I think it did get enough funding to be published, I just can’t see myself really appreciating a graphic novel on an e-reader though…
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Jeane, sounds like a good project but yeah, I prefer my graphic novels in paper. Bookman reads them on the iPad and I’ve tried it but it just doesn’t have the same impact in my opinion.
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I backed Mothership: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond on Indiegogo and got an e-book and some music. Still haven’t read the book but that’s another question.
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Lasitaja, that sounds like a great project. Heh, reading the book is another question entirely! I took the chance and contributed. I won;t get the book until spring but that’s ok, not like I don’t have other things to read 🙂
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Did you decide if you’re going to do it? I know my husband has contributed to some bike-related kickstarter things and has gotten a DVD and some other things. I think he’s been pretty happy with the end-results of the projects he’s supported. You’ll have to keep us posted if you do!
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Iliana, I did! I donated for a copy of the book which will be published in April if all goes well. I’ll be sure to note when I get the book and of course it will get a review! 🙂
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