Direct selling continues to grow in the indie publishing sphere, and one of the ways to sell books direct to readers is through crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter.
You’ll likely be familiar with Kickstarter if you’re big into comic books, boardgames, or upcoming tech. But not many in the book side of the world knew what Kickstarter was until Brandon Sanderson made over $20M in 2022 by launching four secret novels on the platform.
Since then, more bookish creators have created their own Kickstarter campaigns as an additional or alternative way to make income.
So what is Kickstarter, and why are indie authors hopping on board?
Kickstarter is a platform where creators pitch a product to customers, and customers can invest in that product by pledging a monetary amount to it. It is not a charity like GoFundMe or other fundraising sites; in fact, Kickstarter’s rules explicitly state that the funds raised cannot be for a charitable cause. They must be for a product because the platform is for entrepreneurs.
Essentially, you can buy things on Kickstarter, but you will only receive what you’ve bought (and you’ll only be charged for it) if the project—known as a campaign—fully funds. Campaigns typically run for less than thirty days, and once they close, you can no longer get the product unless the creators decide to sell it elsewhere in the future.
A couple of Kickstarter terms important to understand are backer and reward. A backer is someone who pledges money to a campaign—essentially, the customer. A reward is the product you get for backing that campaign. Simply put, it’s the thing you’re buying.
Each campaign typically has multiple tiers you can back that offer different rewards. For example, the first tier in a book campaign might be a swag pack, then the second tier might be the ebook, the third tier might be the paperback, and so on.
Why is this an effective selling model for indie authors?
Kickstarter allows indies to connect with readers in a different way than selling through retailers or even directly through an online store. Kickstarter requires that sellers engage with their buyers frequently, and they can offer specific engagement rewards that buyers won’t get anywhere else.
For example, many book Kickstarters offer readers the opportunity to have their names in the book’s acknowledgments, or allow readers to submit names for future characters. Readers essentially pay for a chance to be involved in the production of the book.
Using Kickstarter also helps authors offset production costs, making it possible for indies to produce high quality special editions that wouldn’t otherwise be feasible.
Kickstarter exclusive special editions are a highly sought after item for readers as of this writing, especially in the fantasy genre. Picture a book with custom artwork, foil on the cover, sprayed edges, a ribbon bookmark, and more. If you need a visual, a great example is Day Leitao’s A Traitor Sister romantasy campaign.
Authors can even offer full book boxes complete with extra goodies, like in Ruby Roe’s NSFW Lesbian Vampire Romance Special Editions campaign.
Creators choose the prices for their tiers and shipping, so authors can set the price high enough to cover production costs and marketing (potentially) while also making a profit. Unlike on other platforms, buyers on Kickstarter are generally willing to pay a premium. They don’t expect free or discounted books like they would on a platform like Amazon because they know they’re directly supporting an author they love while receiving a premium product.
What do indie authors need to know if they’re interested in running a Kickstarter?
Preparing and running a Kickstarter are only half the gig. Once a campaign closes, authors must package and ship their books and any other rewards in a timely manner.
Kickstarter backers are used to waiting months and sometimes years for their rewards. But since most authors will be selling their books elsewhere after their Kickstarter campaign, it’s a bonus to get the book finished early so it’s ready to ship soon after a campaign ends.
Luckily, there are a couple helpful guides out there for how to set up and run a Kickstarter as an indie author, so no one has to go it fully alone:
Kickstarter for Authors: Empowering Writers to Fund and Flourish by Anthea L. Sharp
Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter by Russell P. Nohelty and Monica Leonelle
Anthea L. Sharp has also set up a few Facebook groups you can search for where other experienced Kickstarter authors will look over your campaign and give you advice, and where you can do campaign swaps (akin to newsletter swaps).
As of this writing, I am currently in the pre-launch phase for my first Kickstarter! I am selling a Kickstarter exclusive special edition hardcover of my new sapphic romance, And They Were Neighbors. The campaign doesn’t have official dates yet, but it will likely launch sometime in March, 2025!
I hope this post has inspired you to at least check out Kickstarter when you’re looking for exciting new reads!
Let me know if you’ve run a Kickstarter before or if you’re planning to run one in the future. It’s an exciting opportunity for indie authors to reach a wider market!
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