I'm working on notes for my year-end reports as well as for my 2012 plans and goals. I'd like to invite other folks to share theirs too
( Read more... )
I'm new to crowdfunding, so I haven't done anything in 2011. However, I do have some ideas for 2012.
I'd like to put together a number of postcards or note cards for purchase in my etsy shop through the use of crowdfunding. I've got some killer ideas for incentives, but I'm not getting much feedback on the idea, so I'm a little wary about starting it.
I've been unable to contribute to other projects this year, but I do hope to be able to throughout 2012.
I like this community. I like what it offers and represents. I like that it's active, for the most part. I've only posted a few times, and I haven't received very much feed back on my posts. I don't know if that's due to the nature of my posts that others don't have any advice or input, or if this community is slow on the comments. I'm not saying this because I expect dozens and dozens of comments (I don't), I'm just bringing this up because not receiving very much feedback makes starting projects a bit daunting particularly for someone who's entirely new to this.
>>I'd like to put together a number of postcards or note cards for purchase in my etsy shop through the use of crowdfunding.<<
Yay! This sounds like an interesting idea, though I've little money for shopping myself. I enjoy seeing people try new things with crowdfunding. You never know what will catch on.
>> I've got some killer ideas for incentives, but I'm not getting much feedback on the idea, so I'm a little wary about starting it.<<
Sooner or later, every creative project begins with a leap of faith. I think it's especially true for crowdfunded projects, which are a relatively new branch of business endeavor.
>>I've been unable to contribute to other projects this year, but I do hope to be able to throughout 2012.<<
I hope so too!
>>I've only posted a few times, and I haven't received very much feed back on my posts. I don't know if that's due to the nature of my posts that others don't have any advice or input, or if this community is slow on the comments.... )
Re: Thoughtsswirvel42December 31 2011, 04:58:52 UTC
The idea is that with the use of crowdfunding I could get a surplus of items printed. Each person who contributed x amount would get a set number of the items (say 3-5 depending). The extra items would go up for sale in my etsy shop.
Note cards would probably be more popular, but the post cards are cheaper to get printed. The money raised through crowdfunding, would pretty much entirely cover the printing costs, which really aren't that much.
Hopefully within the next couple of months I will have a few ideas put together for designs, and then I can crowdfunding one.
Maybe it would help if you included more of the creative side, rather than talking about nothing but money and materials. I can't even tell if the cards you're planning would use photos, or paintings, or vector art, or consist only of a typed quote, or what else. It'd be easier to get interested in a project of yours if there were samples of your work available. Also, would there be anything like prompts, polls, or other input from people regarding what motives (or whatever) you create?
I contributed to a few projects, though more frequently with prompts (and links) than money.
And I experimented with two projects.
Flash Fiction Fishbowl I consider this a success so far, and would like to keep it going.
I'd really like to offer more tip or link incentives, but I'm running into problems coming up with ones... trying to crib from other people I see ones relying on having ongoing series (having to worry about continuity makes writing much more difficult), and promising to write more words, or stories to all of someone's prompts, makes me worry if I can actually do that.
Small ArtThe second round was... no improvement from the first. I did not advertise it as widely as I had planned, and then I dropped the ball on getting images done as fast as I'd promised. Well, still got some nice art done, eventually
( ... )
>>I contributed to a few projects, though more frequently with prompts (and links) than money. <<
Everything is helpful.
>>Flash Fiction Fishbowl I consider this a success so far, and would like to keep it going.<<
I liked this.
>>I'd really like to offer more tip or link incentives, but I'm running into problems coming up with ones... trying to crib from other people I see ones relying on having ongoing series (having to worry about continuity makes writing much more difficult), and promising to write more words, or stories to all of someone's prompts, makes me worry if I can actually do that. ... )
Re: Thoughts on Flash Fiction FishbowlankewehnerJanuary 2 2012, 10:45:20 UTC
With the Flash Fiction I'll be trying to write some loosely connected ones in future, and see how it goes.
One perk I could offer that not all authors can would be adding an illustration to a story, or doing an illustration based on one of the other prompts, but I'd rather try that out without having promised it up front.
Postcards... If I already have a drabble or other very short piece that would fit the theme, I could make up genuine postcard fic to mail to donators. Or rely on writing one during the call.
I've also been experimenting with zine/chapbook making, but I want to test how much work it is first. (I'm definitely going to use staggered tip thresholds for a resulting ebook - a relatively low one for a basic version with a text-only cover, a higher tip total gets a cover illustration added, maybe a third to add small inside illustrations/divider graphics. Another thing I need to figure out how much work it is first.)
>>On the other hand it limits how much detail I can put in and get the image done in a reasonable time (considering that it doesn't pay much, and since it's mostly character- or pet portraits, I don't really expect interest from people other than the one who requested an image, RE buying originals the requesters did not want, or buying prints, to be a bit mercenary.)<<
You might be surprised what people will like. I've sold poems that I thought were really personal -- to someone other than the original prompter. Then too, consider that you may pick up character portraits that already have an audience attached. I tend to spread out my requests across my series, but sooner or later I'm likely to ask for a portrait of one of my more popular characters, and then prints might be worthwhile. I'm not the only person running multiple series; you could well pick up someone else who is.
Notice that you're not in direct competition with anyone else. djinni is mostly doing icons. meeksp is doing whole scenes. You've staked out a small but not tiny
( ... )
I'd have to say that I've been getting reasonable attention with the divination I've been offering. I think that doing it more consistently every month will help a lot; people respond better to a fixed schedule they can get used to. If that means it eats into personal reserves of time and energy, I can always cut back on hours or adjust the schedule another way.
In any case, I'm happy to report that every month, there was someone who could be helped, and donations did pay for a few small things I needed to boost my energy and mood. Hopefully both participation and donations will increase next year.
>>I'd have to say that I've been getting reasonable attention with the divination I've been offering. <<
That's good to hear.
>>I think that doing it more consistently every month will help a lot; people respond better to a fixed schedule they can get used to. <<
That fits my observations with my own projects and those of others.
>> If that means it eats into personal reserves of time and energy, I can always cut back on hours or adjust the schedule another way.<<
Right. As a project grows, it tends to take up more time. I crashed into that once this year when my fishbowl got out of hand, but I was able to figure out which things I could hand off to volunteers. You'll figure out what works for you. Some diviners limit the duration of a session, and others set a particular number of requests that they'll fill.
>>Hopefully both participation and donations will increase next year.... )
Comments 18
I'd like to put together a number of postcards or note cards for purchase in my etsy shop through the use of crowdfunding. I've got some killer ideas for incentives, but I'm not getting much feedback on the idea, so I'm a little wary about starting it.
I've been unable to contribute to other projects this year, but I do hope to be able to throughout 2012.
I like this community. I like what it offers and represents. I like that it's active, for the most part. I've only posted a few times, and I haven't received very much feed back on my posts. I don't know if that's due to the nature of my posts that others don't have any advice or input, or if this community is slow on the comments. I'm not saying this because I expect dozens and dozens of comments (I don't), I'm just bringing this up because not receiving very much feedback makes starting projects a bit daunting particularly for someone who's entirely new to this.
Reply
>>I'd like to put together a number of postcards or note cards for purchase in my etsy shop through the use of crowdfunding.<<
Yay! This sounds like an interesting idea, though I've little money for shopping myself. I enjoy seeing people try new things with crowdfunding. You never know what will catch on.
>> I've got some killer ideas for incentives, but I'm not getting much feedback on the idea, so I'm a little wary about starting it.<<
Sooner or later, every creative project begins with a leap of faith. I think it's especially true for crowdfunded projects, which are a relatively new branch of business endeavor.
>>I've been unable to contribute to other projects this year, but I do hope to be able to throughout 2012.<<
I hope so too!
>>I've only posted a few times, and I haven't received very much feed back on my posts. I don't know if that's due to the nature of my posts that others don't have any advice or input, or if this community is slow on the comments.... )
Reply
Note cards would probably be more popular, but the post cards are cheaper to get printed. The money raised through crowdfunding, would pretty much entirely cover the printing costs, which really aren't that much.
Hopefully within the next couple of months I will have a few ideas put together for designs, and then I can crowdfunding one.
Reply
Maybe it would help if you included more of the creative side, rather than talking about nothing but money and materials. I can't even tell if the cards you're planning would use photos, or paintings, or vector art, or consist only of a typed quote, or what else. It'd be easier to get interested in a project of yours if there were samples of your work available. Also, would there be anything like prompts, polls, or other input from people regarding what motives (or whatever) you create?
I'm more interested in postcards, personally.
Reply
And I experimented with two projects.
Flash Fiction Fishbowl
I consider this a success so far, and would like to keep it going.
I'd really like to offer more tip or link incentives, but I'm running into problems coming up with ones... trying to crib from other people I see ones relying on having ongoing series (having to worry about continuity makes writing much more difficult), and promising to write more words, or stories to all of someone's prompts, makes me worry if I can actually do that.
Small ArtThe second round was... no improvement from the first. I did not advertise it as widely as I had planned, and then I dropped the ball on getting images done as fast as I'd promised. Well, still got some nice art done, eventually ( ... )
Reply
Everything is helpful.
>>Flash Fiction Fishbowl
I consider this a success so far, and would like to keep it going.<<
I liked this.
>>I'd really like to offer more tip or link incentives, but I'm running into problems coming up with ones... trying to crib from other people I see ones relying on having ongoing series (having to worry about continuity makes writing much more difficult), and promising to write more words, or stories to all of someone's prompts, makes me worry if I can actually do that.
Reply
One perk I could offer that not all authors can would be adding an illustration to a story, or doing an illustration based on one of the other prompts, but I'd rather try that out without having promised it up front.
Postcards... If I already have a drabble or other very short piece that would fit the theme, I could make up genuine postcard fic to mail to donators. Or rely on writing one during the call.
I've also been experimenting with zine/chapbook making, but I want to test how much work it is first.
(I'm definitely going to use staggered tip thresholds for a resulting ebook - a relatively low one for a basic version with a text-only cover, a higher tip total gets a cover illustration added, maybe a third to add small inside illustrations/divider graphics. Another thing I need to figure out how much work it is first.)
Reply
>>On the other hand it limits how much detail I can put in and get the image done in a reasonable time (considering that it doesn't pay much, and since it's mostly character- or pet portraits, I don't really expect interest from people other than the one who requested an image, RE buying originals the requesters did not want, or buying prints, to be a bit mercenary.)<<
You might be surprised what people will like. I've sold poems that I thought were really personal -- to someone other than the original prompter. Then too, consider that you may pick up character portraits that already have an audience attached. I tend to spread out my requests across my series, but sooner or later I'm likely to ask for a portrait of one of my more popular characters, and then prints might be worthwhile. I'm not the only person running multiple series; you could well pick up someone else who is.
Notice that you're not in direct competition with anyone else. djinni is mostly doing icons. meeksp is doing whole scenes. You've staked out a small but not tiny ( ... )
Reply
In any case, I'm happy to report that every month, there was someone who could be helped, and donations did pay for a few small things I needed to boost my energy and mood. Hopefully both participation and donations will increase next year.
Reply
That's good to hear.
>>I think that doing it more consistently every month will help a lot; people respond better to a fixed schedule they can get used to. <<
That fits my observations with my own projects and those of others.
>> If that means it eats into personal reserves of time and energy, I can always cut back on hours or adjust the schedule another way.<<
Right. As a project grows, it tends to take up more time. I crashed into that once this year when my fishbowl got out of hand, but I was able to figure out which things I could hand off to volunteers. You'll figure out what works for you. Some diviners limit the duration of a session, and others set a particular number of requests that they'll fill.
>>Hopefully both participation and donations will increase next year.
Reply
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