Kickstarter has changed my entire author career, so I love to talk about it! There are a few things that I find myself telling just about everyone who asks me questions about running a Kickstarter campaign for their own books.
Where do I start?
1 - Start exploring Kickstarter. Back a few campaigns. See which ones are funding, which ones aren't funding, and try to figure out why. After you spend a little time on the platform, it starts to become obvious. You can see all of my campaigns here if you need a place to start!
2 - Read Kickstarter for Authors* by Anthea Sharp. It's partly a brief explanation of the Kickstarter mindset (which is VERY different than retail mindset!), partly a step-by-step guide to creating a campaign from start to finish. While it may not all be right for you and your campaign, it is worth every penny as a shortcut to understanding the platform.
3 - Join the Kickstarter for Authors Facebook group. This is an invaluable resource. Read the pinned/featured posts. Look at campaigns, and give feedback. Even as a new creator, your feedback is valuable. You'll learn so much by lurking in this group!
4 - After doing the above, start to decide which project might be right for you for Kickstarter.
What project should I do?
Everyone's ideal project is going to be different, but there are two main kinds of campaigns I see.
1 - Early Release
2 - Special Edition
I go for Early Release campaigns, so I can't give much advice on special editions. The pros for me are that I can launch a book that's already paid for itself, and I don't have to worry about the ebook being in KU.
My campaigns are very low bling, and still do very well.
But other authors do incredibly well with special edition campaigns! I recommend doing the steps in the previous section before you decide which project will be right for you and your career, because there are pros and cons to both.
Can closed door romance/my genre work on Kickstarter?
Everything can work on Kickstarter.
While there are some genres that will do better than others, and yes, spicy books tend to fund higher, good campaigns that follow the best practices rarely fail.
Read the book, join the Facebook group, get involved in the Kickstarter author culture, and you should be able to at least get started on making your book profitable!
But I'm scared.
Kicsktarter can be terrifying, I know.
But it changed my entire career, and it's worth pushing through the fear.
I believe in you! <3
*Affiliate link.