This is a quick article explaining to everyone who wants to buy Vile how they can do so via Kickstarter. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/vile/vile.
Since I posted the article about how to buy tickets for our launch parties, https://www.aboutwriting.org/how-to-join-us-at-the-book-launch-parties-for-vile-in-london-dec-7th-and-paris-dec-14th/, I’ve had a few people who can’t be at the parties ask how they can buy the book.
At the moment, the best way to do so is via Kickstarter. Here’s an explanation with diagrams for how you can do this, and why crowdfunding is so important to the successful launch of an indie novel.
How to buy the book on Kickstarter
First, you need to go to the Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/vile/vile
Scroll down until you can see this panel on the right-hand side. If you like, you can take a moment to look at the other options – there are lots of ways to buy the book, with T-Shirts and shinies and all sorts of goodness. But if you just want the book, this is the option for you:
When you click on panel, Kickstarter will ask you how much you want to pledge. £25 is a minimum donation (which is totally fine, thank you so much), but if you are feeling especially generous you can choose to donate more. I’ll explain what that’s all about in a minute.
Kickstarter will take some details, including payment options. If the campaign reaches its target of £2000 by November 30th, then on December 1st the money will be taken from your account and I will post your signed copy to you as soon as possible afterwards (should be with you well before Christmas).
If we don’t meet the target, then the whole thing falls apart. You won’t be charged, but there probably won’t be any book. Let’s talk about why.
Why is crowdfunding important to an indie book like Vile.
Obviously, we all know that the book is written, that the cover art is done (because you’ve seen it), and that I’ve had it professionally edited. So, what is crowdfunding for? Why do I need to pester you all to invest in the book before it is released?
The market for fiction is HUGE. Most people launch their book into the void, cross their finger, and hope for the best. The problem is that if nobody has bought your book, nobody is going to buy your book. Why should someone who has never heard of me buy Vile when they can buy the new Tad Williams (which I really want to read but won’t deliver to France, dammit.)?
Crowdfunding does two important things.
The first and least important is it helps me raise the cash to fund marketing during the first month of release. Mrs Crawford may be a posh executive (I remember when she was a cute Uni student who just wanted to eat well, dance, and sleep – what happened!), but I pay for this out of my Navy pension and if you think the British government cares about veterans… well, that’s a story for another time.
Money put into promotion in the month of launch (when the amazon algorithms care the most) gives me the best chance of getting my book in the hands of people who have never had a beer with me. So, money is good, crowdfunding helps me get money that I don’t have. Thank you. Seriously.
The second and more important reason is creating a buzz. We’re back to the Amazon Algorithms. If when the book launches it has already been bought by a bunch of people, then it will appear on more searches. It will already have a profile. It won’t be a dead book – it will be a living bundle of potential, brought to life by the support of my friends. And Amazon, noticing that it has generated some interest, will start showing it to other people who like this sort of book.
So, this is what it’s about. If you’ve had a beer with me, if you’ve enjoyed my blog, if I published your play or gave you feedback or hell if you just think my kids are cute, buying the book on Kickstarter gives me the best possible chance of making the book a success.
If you can’t afford the book, just donating a couple of quid at the “donations” section at the top of the column will help. If you’re feeling flash, the T-Shirts are really nice.
So, come on. Be part of something special. Click on the link below to find out more.
