I discovered Kickstarter.com just after I launched our Monster Commute Book 1 pre-order drive.
It's a pretty cool system, one that I've considered using for our second book drive. Basically, you list a project, and try to get funding for it. Folks bid their support, and if you make the goal, your project is funded.
However, I think that I'm going to use our own infrastructure again, and not use Kickstarter this time.
Why not Kickstarter?
- Kickstarter is all or nothing. If we get 90% of our funding goal, but not 100%, the game is done and you get zero funding. For Steam Crow, getting 90% funding is still 90% great and that helps.
- It isn't that I'm being greedy, but Kickstarter takes 5% of your funding. I'd rather have a few more percent of your hard-earned money go to our project. Sure, Paypal takes a percentage too, but it's less than 5%.
- Funding takes 2 weeks after it's all over. (If you succeed.) This time around, I hope to be delivering your books right after the project ends... rather than wait-wait-wait to even order your books.
What we're doing differently with our Monster Commute Book 2 Drive:
- We're starting the book drive on October 31st, and ending it January 31st. Basically 90 days instead of on and on and on...
- We're going to start shipping books right at the end of the drive. (Or as dang close to it as possible.) Supporters will have their books way faster than last time.
- I'm working on the book a lot earlier than last year. I should have the book almost done by the time that the drive starts. Way less stress for me.
Anyway, it's going to go something like that. You'll know more when it gets closer, but I wanted to keep you in the loop.
Please, if you're going to support the project, support early. We got 75% of our support in the last month of the Book Drive... that was worrisome and we had to cover the full printing bill in the meantime. If you support early, it'll indicate to others that it's a project worth supporting, and it'll make that printing bill way less painful.
And finally...
What's this Book Drive thing you're talking about?
Basically this: Pre-order our book to make it successful.
There will be lots of support levels to choose from... from a pdf to pre-ordering a signed book, to having me fly to your city and playing the Monster Commute RPG with you.
This is not a donation drive; every support level gets real stuff. (Mostly the book.)
- Daniel
