giganova
Well-known
Hi all!
Publishing a photo book through a traditional publishing house seems increasingly difficult these days. So I am toying with the idea of financing a self-published book with a Kickstarter campaign.
The book I have in mind is "100 Days of Protests", which is a photographic journey through the endless stream of protests we have had (and continue to have) in Washington D.C. over the first 100 days of the Trump administration. I have been documenting the protest from day 1 after inauguration. Day 100 is coming up shortly and I thought this would be a good time to pause and publish a book with a fast turnaround time.
Do you think Kickstarter is a good avenue to raise funds?
What fundraising goal should I set? $5k, $10k?
How should I stagger the "pledges" on Kickstarter?
Do you have any experience with Kickstarter or any good idea how to move forward?
Any ideas to get this project off the ground would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Stefan
Publishing a photo book through a traditional publishing house seems increasingly difficult these days. So I am toying with the idea of financing a self-published book with a Kickstarter campaign.
The book I have in mind is "100 Days of Protests", which is a photographic journey through the endless stream of protests we have had (and continue to have) in Washington D.C. over the first 100 days of the Trump administration. I have been documenting the protest from day 1 after inauguration. Day 100 is coming up shortly and I thought this would be a good time to pause and publish a book with a fast turnaround time.
Do you think Kickstarter is a good avenue to raise funds?
What fundraising goal should I set? $5k, $10k?
How should I stagger the "pledges" on Kickstarter?
Do you have any experience with Kickstarter or any good idea how to move forward?
Any ideas to get this project off the ground would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Stefan
RichC
Well-known
Not done one myself but have been involved in a couple as part of my job.
First and foremost is a marketing plan. It's crucial to have a plan of how you're going to "sell" your idea - how to reach a wide audience and get them enthused, how to get online blogs and social media talking about your campaign. If you don't get a buzz going online about your book, it won't get off the ground - unless you're relying on friends and family only for funding, in which case you shouldn't really be using crowdfunding.
Part of this is practical: e.g. professional-quality videos, book mock-ups and websites/pages. Part is having the right people: e.g. using someone with social media savvy to drive your campaign forwards. Also, sometimes the real world gets forgotten - there's more than just than e-campaigns: give talks and interviews, so think about newspapers, radio, magazines, local organisations, and traditional promotion such as flyers and adverts.
Crowdfunding can work but it's not an easy option and needs a ton of work. Most campaigns fail because people think that putting up a crowdfunding page and mentioning it to family and a few mates will be enough to get it going. It won't.
First and foremost is a marketing plan. It's crucial to have a plan of how you're going to "sell" your idea - how to reach a wide audience and get them enthused, how to get online blogs and social media talking about your campaign. If you don't get a buzz going online about your book, it won't get off the ground - unless you're relying on friends and family only for funding, in which case you shouldn't really be using crowdfunding.
Part of this is practical: e.g. professional-quality videos, book mock-ups and websites/pages. Part is having the right people: e.g. using someone with social media savvy to drive your campaign forwards. Also, sometimes the real world gets forgotten - there's more than just than e-campaigns: give talks and interviews, so think about newspapers, radio, magazines, local organisations, and traditional promotion such as flyers and adverts.
Crowdfunding can work but it's not an easy option and needs a ton of work. Most campaigns fail because people think that putting up a crowdfunding page and mentioning it to family and a few mates will be enough to get it going. It won't.
joe bosak
Well-known
What about Blurb?
giganova
Well-known
Hi Rich --
You made some excellent points I haven't thought about, in particular using someone with social media skills to drive the campaign forward. I am not on social media and know little about it.
Do you think it would make sense to hire someone for the social media campaign and pay them from the proceeds of the Kickstarter campaign?
Thanks!
You made some excellent points I haven't thought about, in particular using someone with social media skills to drive the campaign forward. I am not on social media and know little about it.
Do you think it would make sense to hire someone for the social media campaign and pay them from the proceeds of the Kickstarter campaign?
Thanks!
gns
Well-known
I don't know if it's harder or easier now, but there are about 200 photo book publishers listed on the Photo Eye site. That strikes me as a lot.
http://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/pubshowcase_home.cfm
giganova
Well-known
Well, there are still plenty of publishers, but getting a deal is difficult. I sent a portfolio for a book idea to some 15 or so publishers to see if they bite. About half of them responded "thank you, but no", and three very reputed publishers said they would print it, assuming that I would cover some of the expenses. So it seems that you have to enter the deal with a significant amount of funds, hence the Kickstarter idea. But then, if I have the funds, I can just as well publish myself.
RichC
Well-known
If you can persuade someone to do that, great! Alternatively, swop skills. Rather than pay cash, I've offered to barter trades, e.g. photography or editing/typesetting (which is my job), and when I know someone hasn't much cash, I again offer to barter. There's often a local neighbourhood scheme for this kind of thing.
Re. getting a publisher. Photobooks are never big sellers and the model these days is to get the photographer to pay the cost of production (can be up to $15,000). Unfortunately, that's just how it is - I know a Magnum Photographer who's published several books, and even he has to cough up costs up front!
However, there are two huge advantages to using a publisher: (1) they have a distribution network to get your book into museums and shops; (2) they have contacts to promote your book, so it gets reviews, seen and talked about. You or I can make a book perhaps as good looking and well designed as a publisher, but we probably can't distribute or promote it as well...
Nothing stopping you from crowdfunding to cover the cost of getting a publisher to produce your book... which I personally think's a better idea: I work in publishing but would be wary of self-publishing - all that time and money with the danger that I just end with a zillion mouldering copies in a back room!
kxl
Social Documentary
I second this.
Blurb has a program that allows books created with its online tools to be sold on Amazon. Once a book is created through Blurb, authors may choose to create an ISBN, name a price and list the book for sale with the online retailer. Blurb charges a base price per book to cover printing, and Amazon charges a fee - 15% of the list price plus a handling fee. Profit left over is paid to the author via Paypal.
http://www.blurb.com/amazon
The above addresses the mechanics of getting your book in the market. You get less $$ per book, but at least your book is 'out there.'
Obviously, you still have to do the marketing and promotion.
giganova
Well-known
I recently had a small print test run with Blurb and was very disappointed with the results: all B&W photos had a greenish hue and overall, the quality left much to desire. A had a second print test run with Mypublisher and the results were way better. Plus, the "no Blurb logo" and ISBN fees are significant and made a small printrun (a hundred or so) uneconomical. Are there other options out there?
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
Check out https://www.smartpress.com/
They were recommended to me by an acquaintance who is a printing consultant. I asked them for advice for finding a short run (100 copies) printer for a comic book (true monochrome). I haven't placed my order yet, so I do not have firsthand experience with their quality, but if this person recommended them, I trust it will be decent.
As for kickstarter, you will help yourself by keeping print numbers low. I've been involved with several successful large run book projects (funded for over $20,000 each), but I know a lot of people who've had lots of success funding small runs, projects that cost under $2,000. If you don't have a big online presence, aim low. If you only need $1,500 or so, you're far more likely to get funded. If you need to print more books do that as a stretch goal, or just run another kickstarter later. As for rewards, you can do things like offer a print as a reward for one tier, book as a reward for another, book + print as another, and so on. Get creative, but don't make it a lot of extra work, "stacking" rewards for higher tiers is easier than coming up with entirely new stuff for each one. Also remember to include ALL ancillary costs, printing, packing, shipping from the printer to you, etc. when you estimate your costs for the kickstarter.
They were recommended to me by an acquaintance who is a printing consultant. I asked them for advice for finding a short run (100 copies) printer for a comic book (true monochrome). I haven't placed my order yet, so I do not have firsthand experience with their quality, but if this person recommended them, I trust it will be decent.
As for kickstarter, you will help yourself by keeping print numbers low. I've been involved with several successful large run book projects (funded for over $20,000 each), but I know a lot of people who've had lots of success funding small runs, projects that cost under $2,000. If you don't have a big online presence, aim low. If you only need $1,500 or so, you're far more likely to get funded. If you need to print more books do that as a stretch goal, or just run another kickstarter later. As for rewards, you can do things like offer a print as a reward for one tier, book as a reward for another, book + print as another, and so on. Get creative, but don't make it a lot of extra work, "stacking" rewards for higher tiers is easier than coming up with entirely new stuff for each one. Also remember to include ALL ancillary costs, printing, packing, shipping from the printer to you, etc. when you estimate your costs for the kickstarter.
AusDLK
Famous Photographer
I raised $26K to publish my book FAIR WITNESS. It was a TON of work, before, during, and after, months of preparation and cultivation. It is not for the faint of heart. You must have a plan and a strong social network. And luck.
Emile de Leon
Well-known
Why not cut costs ..and just do as a e-book...and leave it at that..
Instant sales..high quality downloads...no shipping..little to no risk...
Paper is a money pit...and usually a guaranteed loss...
Instant sales..high quality downloads...no shipping..little to no risk...
Paper is a money pit...and usually a guaranteed loss...
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
Complete nonsense.
aizan
Veteran
it's not nonsense...it's actual.
the majority of published books lose money. you're lucky if you break even, and a few make money.
if you want to see your work in print, expect it to cost a lot of money. boxes of unsold books might clutter up your garage, too.
the majority of published books lose money. you're lucky if you break even, and a few make money.
if you want to see your work in print, expect it to cost a lot of money. boxes of unsold books might clutter up your garage, too.
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
Ten years ago, sure. Or even today if you're too ambitious or inexperienced.
I've self published three books, and worked on three others with publishers. Beyond that, if one is having customers preorder (kickstarter) there's not really any risk of losing money unless you've simply (stupidly?) miscalculated costs.
Publishers are more likely to lose money than you are, they're investing a lot more money and counting on economies of scale and sales to make a profit. They're also paying profiteering distributors and their own people, so a lot of money is already down the drain before a book even hits shelves. Doing it yourself, you don't have to worry about any of that. You fund printing and shipping through kickstarter, then send the books to people who paid to cover the cost. Unless you're printing an insane number of books for buyers who don't exist, or have severely miscalculated costs, you're not going to lose anything other than time and maybe some sanity packing and posting books.
You're not going to make a living off of self publishing, but you're not going to lose any money either if you're smart.
dmr
Registered Abuser
Maybe I'm missing something here, but I would think something like Blurb or any of countless demand shops would be just the thing!
I've thought, off and on, of doing some kind of "Collective Works" coffee table book of some of my own stuff, mainly for gifts. I've checked into it and the cost is actually quite reasonable.
kxl
Social Documentary
True - I've been disappointed with prints from Blurb; however, the advantage to their service is getting your book in a global marketplace like Amazon. I am sure other online services produce better prints and enable online ordering, but getting your book in front of people would mean a lot more work.
Another way to do this would be to get your own domain name and set up shop with Smugmug or Zenfolio, and use their services to enable e-commerce for prints and albums. Other than the subscription to Smugmug or Zenfolio there are no upfront costs, but this option would require A LOT of marketing and promotion.
Go to my website to see an example of what you can do with Zenfolio. Note, however, than I am just a hobbyist, so I don;t actively market and promote my website.
Just a thought...
aizan
Veteran
tuna, we were talking about traditional publishing.
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
Did you not read the first post? They're asking about using kickstarter to fund printing a book on their own.
You figure you need $X to print and ship Y amount of books. You make a kickstarter for $X. If you get $X, then you print and ship Y amount of books. If you don't get $X, then you don't. In this context, writing that printing the books will be a "guaranteed loss" and to not even try, is complete nonsense. You can't really lose money unless something goes catastrophically wrong after people have already paid, the books are in essence pre-ordered, they're paid for before they even arrive on your doorstep.
AusDLK
Famous Photographer
you are all but guaranteed to lose money. despite my successful Kickstarter, I probably lost $10,000 on my book. no regrets but books are all about vanity unless you are famous or terribly, terribly lucky. mr. tunalegs, have you self-published a book successfully?