I just saw another crowdfunding campaign where the author is asking for money to be able to do what they love to do…write. These types of campaigns are usually not successful, and this is why:

1) Everyone has a dream. Why should the world pay for your dream?
2) A lot of people, millions as a matter of fact, wish they could write and publish a book.
3) A lot of people, millions as a matter of fact, ARE writing and publishing books without asking for money.
4) There are ways to publish without paying to publish.

I’m known for suggesting to fledgling authors who intend to self-publish (paying to publish) or hybrid publishing (paying most of the publishing cost), that they consider a crowdfunding campaign. But:

1) Most don’t want to pour their heart into the campaign.
2) Most post a campaign and do not work it.
3) Most write the campaign about themselves instead of the mission of the book/magazine/anthology they need money for.

Crowdfunding is not about you. Most err in asking for money for themselves, and that’s not very palatable to the people out there who wish they had money, too.

Crowdfunding is about funding a project or idea. The entire energy of the campaign needs to be about this marvelous, never-been-done-before project that’s highly entertaining or incredibly educational or remarkably memorable. The point is to make it intensely tempting or to see its unique value. The point is for people to want to be a part of this project because you made them believe in it.

You are asking for money. Put the shoe on the other foot. What makes you cough up money for someone else? A rewarding value for your investment, that’s what.

A successful crowdfunding author proves to people that they are creating something worthy and worth  the reading. . . not that they need to make your life easier by paying for your book. A successful campaign shows that the book has value, whether educational or entertainment. The book has potential . . . it has energy.

The successful book crowdfunding campaign is rarely about the author. It’s about making the world better through what the campaign stands for, what the book means, and how people will feel after reading it. Push that.