So during the course of my crowdfunded events people have asked me why I don’t just write something straight for the e-reader market.
My biggest reason is “because crowdfunding pays me now, and an e-reader market story might not pay me at all.”
It probably would, mind you, but I don’t know how well. Right now with the crowdfunding stuff I’m getting what I’d consider market value for my short stories and novellas–somewhere around $500 for short stories and around $3K for novellas–and that’s an awful damned lot of $.99 or $1.99 downloads.
So the question, as far as I’m concerned, swiftly becomes “Can I do both? Can I crowdfund a project to get it written and pay for my initial investment in the story, and then turn it over to the Kindle (or whatever) as a longer-term money-maker?”
That, of course, depends on what you, the reader, thinks. There is as a rule a much larger initial investment in the crowdfunded projects than there is in waiting for the Kindle (or whatever) version. So I’m wondering what You, The Reader, thinks is a fair return on your investment:
– the sheer and utter glory of knowing you’ve helped permit something that wouldn’t have otherwise been created, be created
– advance access to the story, of course, but how much? a week? a month? three months? six?
– an opportunity to buy a limited edition physical chap book of the story at cost/include the cost of creating such a thing in the crowdfunding donation bottom line?
– other things I’m not thinking of?
Discuss! I’m interested!
These are both avenues to growing and reaching your audience. I don’t see a percentage in not doing that, when you’re an author, so I’m going to take it as given that you should do both.
Some thoughts:
Explicitly call out the name if each crowd funded sponsor in all versions. Folks like to see their name in lights. (Make sure to tell folks about this and give them the option to opt out.)
Make the minimum conribution necessary to get access equivalent to the likely base cost of the kindle product, if you can — folks who crowd fund are super fans, and they’ll appreciate not being taken advantage of in their willingness to pay more. It’s entirely likely some of em will pay more, but it’s nice if they get to know that’s voluntary. If you do this there’s no real impact to offering the kindle version immediately — sponsorship would in essence double as a kind of preorder.
Definitely offer a contribution level at which the can get a mostly at cost physical edition. Make a level of co tribulation above that at which you’ll sign (up to X copies, first come first serve). In either case decide upon a workable flat fee for the shipping; you don’t want the ship costs to kill your cash.
Consider maybe one other ebook venue outside of kindle, using a format that anyone without a kindle or iPad could use; f’rex, sell a PDF version on DriveThruFiction.
I think people are reporting good sales on Kindle/smashword releases so one would think volume would make a difference. Not everyone who reads your stuff might think to check your website for the opportunity. But I think LOTS of people use amazon as a quick reference guide to what authors have to offer. So a lot more people would realize the stories are out there.
I’ll buy whatever you do, however it’s released, but I don’t know that I care that I have a story other people can’t get. I think everyone should be able to enjoy your work. Maybe you should check with some authors who have been selling their work that way?
I think the crowd-funded model tracks fairly well with the Advanced Reader Copy. The 3-month window of exclusivity, plus the published quality of what you produce easily makes the difference, too. Most ARCs are, well, shall we say, less polished output. Getting current funding and a long-term income from a project like that seems logical and reasonable to me. Nor should it offend anyone who enjoys your work and wants to see others enjoy it as well!
I would love to be able to buy all your work on my kindle.
Your write; I buy & read but would love a chance to get it on my kindle.