Hi Ben, I don't know enough about kickstarter to have an opinion, and I hear you about wanting to have the option of print books (especially some nice hardcovers) to give out or sell. Have you considered publishing with a print on demand service like IngramSpark? This means you don't have to commit to a print run of x copies to publish your book. (This is what I'm thinking about for my book.)
So I followed the link. It was very interesting and very informative. The thing about the Kickstarter that I liked, was that it makes it easy enough. They have a choice of 2-3 different printers to work with. That being said, if you can generate enough interest with the perks you offer--Free sign up for 6 months--a tee-shirt, or hat, that sort of stuff. Oh yeah, an autographed copy of a first edition limited issue--and send them in special boxes. I was looking at some cigar boxes. So again, it's marketing and sales. So if I offer something special, the "collector" in them will want to have it. If I offer it at a low price, say $25-30, all I need is 400 backers. There's a potential market of millions. I'm leaning toward the POD Amazon/Kindle whatever, or maybe I'll just do it on my Apple? I'll have to look into that. Although, as long as it comes in under $10 a book, I'll have a $15 profit to play with...but it's Apple. You know that's gonna come in with no profit at all.
Well, I looked into the Kickstarter thing a little and it is intriguing. It also seems like a lot of prep and planning has to go into it, but it could pay off if you get enough backers. Might be worth a shot!
I know! I was looking at what some of them were offering their backers and thought, that's pretty ingenius. They were simple videos. But they had layers of "slag" they were giving away starting at $5 and up to $300--and getting it! If you only need $7,000 and get 15,000, you've made everything you need. I can make audiobooks and ebooks, have a cap on the first printing at, say, 500, and package it up so it looks good. I'm thinking why not? If you don't make your goal, you don't lose anything because you haven't really invested anything.
This is an interesting idea, Ben, but printing advance copies of a book is risky, even without a successful kickstarter campaign. Perhaps allowing paid subscribers to download an ebook of their choice for free from the list you provided?
I agree...but still, there's something about holding a book in your hands. Of course, it would all depend on the success of the Kickstarter campaign. I can't do it for any less that $7500 (Can), so if I don't get it, maybe ebook would be my only choice? When I was 19 I wrote a book and published it through a Vanity Press (I didn't know what I was getting myself into.) They gave me 100 free copies which I sold at $5/copy so I could have drinking money on the weekends. I sold all of them, but people insisted that I sign them.
Feb 8, 2023·edited Feb 8, 2023Liked by ben woestenburg
I do prefer physically holding a book in hand. My worry is that, should subscribers drop off after one month, they're essentially getting your book for $5, rather than the intended $30. Perhaps you can offer a choice? A hardcopy for a subscription or subscriber choice of a free ebook from a pre-selected list? Best of both worlds, though certainly not perfect...
I like it. It's not a perfect world, but there are people out there that would join and quit on me. But I think most of them would hang around. But if I get the money from Kickstarter, and can pay everything from that, I'll still come out ahead...sort of. As long as I don't have to put up my own money. I mean who knows, what if the Kickstarter campaign brings in 300 donors? That's 300 books I have to print up, because essentially, they're buying the book for whatever they donate to the cause. They could drop $5 into the account, or $100, they still get the book.
Having looked into it even more...I can gift an ebook; gift an audiobook; and not have to print up the book until I know how many I need. I'm not printing the books in advance, I'm taking orders and then printing them.
Hi Ben, I don't know enough about kickstarter to have an opinion, and I hear you about wanting to have the option of print books (especially some nice hardcovers) to give out or sell. Have you considered publishing with a print on demand service like IngramSpark? This means you don't have to commit to a print run of x copies to publish your book. (This is what I'm thinking about for my book.)
Here's a good post about POD options: https://blog.reedsy.com/print-on-demand-books/?utm_source=mailparrot&utm_campaign=how_to_self_publish_a_photography_book&utm_medium=how_to_self_publish_a_photography_book_8
So I followed the link. It was very interesting and very informative. The thing about the Kickstarter that I liked, was that it makes it easy enough. They have a choice of 2-3 different printers to work with. That being said, if you can generate enough interest with the perks you offer--Free sign up for 6 months--a tee-shirt, or hat, that sort of stuff. Oh yeah, an autographed copy of a first edition limited issue--and send them in special boxes. I was looking at some cigar boxes. So again, it's marketing and sales. So if I offer something special, the "collector" in them will want to have it. If I offer it at a low price, say $25-30, all I need is 400 backers. There's a potential market of millions. I'm leaning toward the POD Amazon/Kindle whatever, or maybe I'll just do it on my Apple? I'll have to look into that. Although, as long as it comes in under $10 a book, I'll have a $15 profit to play with...but it's Apple. You know that's gonna come in with no profit at all.
Well, I looked into the Kickstarter thing a little and it is intriguing. It also seems like a lot of prep and planning has to go into it, but it could pay off if you get enough backers. Might be worth a shot!
I know! I was looking at what some of them were offering their backers and thought, that's pretty ingenius. They were simple videos. But they had layers of "slag" they were giving away starting at $5 and up to $300--and getting it! If you only need $7,000 and get 15,000, you've made everything you need. I can make audiobooks and ebooks, have a cap on the first printing at, say, 500, and package it up so it looks good. I'm thinking why not? If you don't make your goal, you don't lose anything because you haven't really invested anything.
Yeah, it's a cool idea. Now you've got me thinking... :-)
This is an interesting idea, Ben, but printing advance copies of a book is risky, even without a successful kickstarter campaign. Perhaps allowing paid subscribers to download an ebook of their choice for free from the list you provided?
I agree...but still, there's something about holding a book in your hands. Of course, it would all depend on the success of the Kickstarter campaign. I can't do it for any less that $7500 (Can), so if I don't get it, maybe ebook would be my only choice? When I was 19 I wrote a book and published it through a Vanity Press (I didn't know what I was getting myself into.) They gave me 100 free copies which I sold at $5/copy so I could have drinking money on the weekends. I sold all of them, but people insisted that I sign them.
I do prefer physically holding a book in hand. My worry is that, should subscribers drop off after one month, they're essentially getting your book for $5, rather than the intended $30. Perhaps you can offer a choice? A hardcopy for a subscription or subscriber choice of a free ebook from a pre-selected list? Best of both worlds, though certainly not perfect...
I like it. It's not a perfect world, but there are people out there that would join and quit on me. But I think most of them would hang around. But if I get the money from Kickstarter, and can pay everything from that, I'll still come out ahead...sort of. As long as I don't have to put up my own money. I mean who knows, what if the Kickstarter campaign brings in 300 donors? That's 300 books I have to print up, because essentially, they're buying the book for whatever they donate to the cause. They could drop $5 into the account, or $100, they still get the book.
Having looked into it even more...I can gift an ebook; gift an audiobook; and not have to print up the book until I know how many I need. I'm not printing the books in advance, I'm taking orders and then printing them.
Are they available?