A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of being able to read and review the first edition of M. Holly-Rosing’s comprehensive guide to crowdfunding creative projects. It was full of useful information, marketing and promotion tips, personal stories of both success and failure in crowdfunding, and just about anything else you could possibly need to help budding creators on their way to launching their own successful Kickstarter campaigns.
Of course, a lot can change in two years. For one thing, there are a myriad of other crowdfunding platforms out there for all different types of projects, big and small. Plus, Kickstarter and the other established sites have evolved somewhat, as well. And of course, new experiences yield a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. With that in mind, the book has been revised and updated to provide an even better guide to making your crowdfunding dreams come true. The basic focus of the book, and much of the information, are the same, so if you want an overview, read my previous review. Right now, I’ll focus mainly on what’s different.
For one thing, there’s a more comprehensive overview of crowdfunding options—mainly because there are a lot more of them now than there were two years ago. M. Holly-Rosing remains loyal to Kickstarter, largely for its dedicated community that can discover and help promote projects, to expand its reach beyond just your own circle of contacts; however, she gives a great overview of the pros and cons of Indiegogo, Seed & Spark, Patreon, and others, so that you can choose which one best suits your particular creative needs.
There are also a couple of new sections. The first edition dealt extensively with how to deal with failure (and hopefully eventually overcome it). This one adds a section on how to deal with success. What actually happens when you reach, or even exceed, your goal? How do you keep from letting the success—and sudden windfall—go to your head? There’s also a section on taxes, which is extremely helpful, particularly for people like me who are completely clueless on the matter. And apart from that, there’s also new and updated information in just about every other section.
If you create, or aspire to create, anything, from comics to films to pieces of art to whatever else, then Kickstarter for the Independent Creator is the resource you need to help you on the way to making that passion project into a reality, with the help of a like-minded community. Even if you already bought and read the first edition, you’ll still want to pick up this one. The new sections and updated information are essential reading and definitely worthwhile. A lot has changed in two years. With this book, you’ll have a better chance at staying on top of those changes and finally making your own artistic dream into a reality.
