Crowdfunding For Authors

Looking for some financial support for your book? Explore these six types of crowdfunding models:

      1.  Perk-Based Funding

Investors may send small amounts of money to finance an arts-based or social-change venture. They earn the satisfaction of helping you create a worthwhile book and also receive a reward that is agreed upon, such as a T-shirt, being mentioned in the book, or some other recognition. The investor does not have equity in your venture. IndieGoGo is one site of many to check out.

      2. Pre-Order Funding

If they pay first, you will build it. Under this model, regular folks can pledge online funding via credit cards to pre-order something that doesn’t yet exist. If enough people buy in, the book can be created. Kickstarter is one to check out.

      3. Good-Cause Funding

Many online platforms such as StartSomeGood and the Facebook Cause page, allow people to donate money to fund a project they believe has a positive impact on morals and values.

      4.  Loan Funding

Micro-funding and peer-to-peer lending is popular. Entrepreneurs and authors can borrow money in small amounts from many people and gradually pay them back when and if the project is completed. LendingClub and Kiva are good examples.

      5.  Investor-Based Funding

Investors can describe their inventions and request seed money incrementally. People can make online pledges in return for a reward, but not necessarily an ownership interest in the project. See FundAGeek.

      6.  Equity Funding

This is expected to happen by Q4 2013, once the SEC publishes regulations and ruler regarding how people can invest with others in exchange for the chance of a profit tomorrow. Many ordinary people will be able to invest small amounts of money to gain equity in early-stage startups.

Of course, the only crowd you need is one of rich family and friends who believe in you. But these crowd funding methods as outlined in What Every Angel Investor Wants You To Know.

Interview With Unpublished Author Michele Kunz

1.      What type of books do you write? I write young adult novels that have a broad appeal.  My target audience include teens and discerning adult readers.  My genre of choice is fantasy and I enjoy writing science fiction as well.  I also dabble in poetry and have written several Children's books. You can follow me on my website; http://guardianofthestone.com/ and on twitter @Elfite.

2.      What is your newest book about? "Guardian of the Stone" is a comprehensive manuscript. There are two stories that conclude the saga; with three books that complete the collection. The second book, "The Deliverer" is the sequel. Each story takes the reader on a mystical journey, captivating their imagination. This is the story of human frailty and the will to survive; it is the epic tale of good versus evil, with surprising twists and a staggering ending. "Guardian of the Stone", is a story of endurance and hope and leaves the reader wanting more; "The Deliverer," completes the narrative and gives the reader closure. The third book; “On the Breath of Dawn”, tells the story from the beginning...

3.      What inspired you to write it? My writing is inspired by my children.  Watching them grow into adults and seeing their own characters develop has had the greatest impact in my writing. Also, I find inspiration in nature; my stories take place in a world that has not been compromised by over development, therefore nature itself plays a big role in establishing my story line. 

4.      What is the writing process like for you? Writing is therapeutic and I love the entire process from idea to fruition.  When I wrote my first novel, "Guardian of the Stone" it was handwritten in journals, which was time consuming.  Now I keep journals, but use them only as a guide and write the entire manuscript on my computer.  Journals are the most intricate part of the writing process for me.  Especially when I am in the zone, they provide a data base of sorts and are always available.  Often an idea will come to me and I have no access to my computer.  The journals help me develop a time line and offer direction for my characters. Writing is a passion for me; it is a lifelong dream, one that I waited to pursue until my children were grown.  Once I sat down with pen in hand, the story virtually wrote itself; all I needed was the time and presence of mind to do so. "Guardian of the Stone" has much to offer, and will be enjoyed by many if given the chance to reach the multitude of readers whom continue to search for a new adventure.

5.      What did you do before you became an author?  I was always an author, but it wasn't until my children were grown that I decided to pursue my passion. I was a dance instructor for many years; afterward I worked part time in retail while my children were in school.  Now I am a writer and I am presently working on a sci-fi novel.  "What Lies Beneath" takes place below the Myan Temples and will prove to be riveting.

6.      How does it feel to be an unpublished published author?

I hope to be published and get discovered. I have mixed feelings about the direction publishing is going.  In a time when anyone can publish their collective works, I do not know how much credibility any new author has. I am worried by the entire industry, still on the other hand it offers those who may ultimately get lost in the process a chance to get noticed.

7.      Any advice for struggling writers?  The best advice I can offer, is never to give up on your dream.  There are so many options available; but more importantly be true to yourself. Do not sell yourself short or give into peer pressure, do what you believe in your heart.  Writing is not something you can force, write when the concept is there and when you have an idea run with it.  They say the reward is in the writing itself and I can tell you first hand when I complete a novel there is a sense of accomplishment and personal joy.  I know that I created the story, and with the turn of a page many will find the same joy that I experienced writing it.  Although I myself am not yet published, I can tell you how important it is to protect yourself. Have you finished works copyrighted before you release them to the public. "Guardian of the Stone" is on file with the U.S. Copyright Office at The Library of Congress in Washington D.C..

8.      Where do you see book publishing heading? Wow, that’s a tough question.  One thing that is for sure, the entire industry is changing.  Whether it be for good or bad, the future of publishing now rests in the hands of the writer. We as authors must take an active role in promoting our books.  Self promoting through social media takes as much work as writing the book itself, and while I love the entire writing process I find this part to be the most difficult. Sadly at least for me e-books now incorporate a large percentage of the industry, I can't imagine not being able to feel a book in my hand or having the ability to turn a page. The future of libraries and book stores are in jeopardy.  Generations will no longer enjoy the grand space filled with hundreds of masterpieces.  Change is inevitable and like all things we have no choice but to adapt, otherwise like the dinosaur we too will become extinct. 

BLASTS FROM THE PAST

 “We encounter the central theme of existentialism: to live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.  If there is a purpose in life at all, there must be a purpose in suffering and in dying.  But no man can tell another what this purpose is.  Each must find out for himself and must accept the responsibility that his answer prescribes.  If he succeeds he will continue to grow in spite of all indignities.”  -- Viktor Frankl: Man’s Search for Meaning

“You have always had the raw materials and resources to take absolute charge of your life and to be in a position to contribute in some degree to the reformation, preservation, and sustainability of the world.  Sure, you’ll have to confront frustration, rejection, financial pressures, and any number of setbacks, challenges, and confrontations.  But you can do it – and it’ll be worth it.  Besides, where would the world be without your active and positive participation?” --  Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement, by Anthony Robbins

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013