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- Janne Kirjasniemi on Somewhere between "meh" and "smile" at 11:29 on 07-03-2014 - link I'm sceptical of clicktivism as well and it is good to be suspicious of such things. Things can go horribly, if somewhat cutely wrong.
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Arthur B on Kickstopper: Deathpledge - Spam of Neverfunded
at 10:31 on 07-03-2014 - link
I wonder if the book itself (which is ridiculously elaborate) was more expensive than he allowed for.
Missed this point but it is worth commenting on. For those of you who didn't click through, each copy of the book includes a chamber containing a dead wasp (which is the punchline to one of the strips). That and all the other embellishments he presents there really constitutes the sort of thing you put in a top-tier super-deluxe version of a Kickstarter product, not something you provide to every backer who stumps up for a physical book. -
Shimmin on Kickstopper: Deathpledge - Spam of Neverfunded
at 10:18 on 07-03-2014 - link
It's interesting in some ways, because from my point of view one of the massive strengths of POD is enabling minority publications. Minority languages can get stuff printed without the risks of trying to estimate demand - the cost-per-volume curve changes very rapidly when small numbers are involved, so you really don't want to underestimate, but you also don't want a lot of leftovers that are literally unsellable because everyone who can physically read it already owns it. These aren't necessarily homemade books either; even if they've been edited and supported by a language council, POD is still the sensible choice.
I imagine similar points apply to niche interests. Things like local history publications, with small and unpredictable readership, may well find POD a great option. - James D on Kickstopper: Deathpledge - Spam of Neverfunded at 23:28 on 06-03-2014 - link I suppose that all makes sense. No real downside to doing a Kickstarter, either. What's funny to me is how different the cultural connotations seem to be - POD still seems to be looked down upon as something reserved for vanity projects that "aren't good enough" to go the route of traditional publishing, whereas Kickstarted books seem to be viewed more as a hip, countercultural alternative to traditional publishing - even if the production method ends up being pretty much the same.
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Shimmin on Kickstopper: Deathpledge - Spam of Neverfunded
at 22:43 on 06-03-2014 - link
The publicity aspect could certainly be a help if you have up-front payment arrangements with other contributors and could do with getting that money back quickly. Moving sales forward in time could be a big help in that regard, so a Kickstarter rather than waiting for word-of-mouth to sell it.
Depending on the book, a Kickstarter combination could allow you to scale up a POD book's content quality incrementally. Create an edited, laid-out book that's adequate but not spectacular, perhaps using open-licensed art and graphics, or doing the accompanying CD yourself. Have a low basic goal because you're using POD, but stretch goals to get custom artwork, buy in nicer fonts, have a professional do the reading, hire a layout person to give the thing a once-over.
This could actually mesh really well with the strengths of the two.
* Funding-based stretch goals are genuinely useful because each backer benefits from the overall sum raised by increased quality. This contrasts with many Kickstarters where stretch goals benefit only specific tiers.
* The cost of any given book doesn't change as stretch goals are met, because you're tweaking the contents rather than completely changing it. Okay, you might add or delete a few pages.
* Every backer can buy the book in a format of their choice at their own price range. You can have as many formats as you or they want. They're paying for it. The only qualification is that some formats may need a new layout.
* Special bonus extra content can be added into books for particular reward tiers at zero direct cost to the writer; you're not having to do a special print run for those people and hope you guessed the number right, you're working off pre-set costs for printing. If there are more backers than you thought, you actually save money because costs go down, and you don't have to guess that in advance.
* The book remains as a POD publication available for an infinite number of future buyers, without you having to lift a finger to keep it in publication. -
Arthur B on Kickstopper: Deathpledge - Spam of Neverfunded
at 20:01 on 06-03-2014 - link
But if your book is already set up as a print-on-demand title, why would you bother with Kickstarter then? Wouldn't you just sell it normally?
Reasons to put out your Kickstarted book through POD:
- Actually completing the book involves substantial costs due to whatever licensing, interviews, artwork commissions, research and so on you need to do to actually complete the thing. (Beyond the Pit's Kickstarter copies were actually produced via Lightning Source, a print-on-demand printer, because the point of the Kickstarter was to get the money to licence all the gorgeous old art.)
- You want the publicity of having done a Kickstarter.
- You want to have a range of different presentations of the book for different reward tiers, so basic tiers get the Print-On-Demand thing whilst higher tiers get something fancier.
- The book is just one component of the reward tiers, but is the heaviest, and so getting the book done through print on demand means you personally only have to handle the postage of lighter components.
- You're in trouble and don't have the funds to do the print job you hoped you'd be able to do and want to get something in the hands of the backers.
That's just off the top of my head, mind. -
Melanie on Kickstopper: Deathpledge - Spam of Neverfunded
at 19:51 on 06-03-2014 - link
See, people say this, but on the other hand Campbell did actually get the dang books printed - the bonfire video is galling proof of that.
I wonder if the book itself (which is ridiculously elaborate) was more expensive than he allowed for. - https://me.yahoo.com/a/pwQl65QjyO_qKzMVXCk4NkWmA93bTB40uqFXg0tjtoso59j2K3E-#74262 on A Glass of Dickness at 18:17 on 06-03-2014 - link Whatever you think about Dick's issues with women, whoever came up with that cover for The Cosmic Puppets wasn't helping.