KickstarterForum.org

Well Hello There Everyone,

I will probably not be posting on here with the regularity that I used to, because, as the title of this post says, I have 3 days left on my Kickstarter. Did everyone collectively sigh and bemoan the universe? No? Just me? Okay.

Anyway, things are hectic now. I'm messaging like never before, emailing like a madman and calling in favors like I've never done (which I seriously have never done). I wrote the last post I'm going to for a while about my Kickstarter project (which can be viewed here: http://ark-storm.com/2015/09/03/the-final-3/) recently, and I discovered something while writing it. I have $7,935 our of $10,000 raised; if 100 people (which is the average number of views for my threads) each contributed $20, I'd be at my goal.

That was a huge realization for me. I've poured my entire life into being a writer; it's what I've always wanted to be. While I've always thought it would be cool to be able to do things like go into space or have any sort of singing ability at all, I've never considered anything else as my calling or my dream; writing is my thing, what I want to do for the rest of my life. I've put over three years into my novel on Kickstarter, Legend Land, and spent over a year with my publishing company improving on it. This forum has been crazy supportive of me and it's been great; I plan on keeping up with this, because I like how Kickstarter works.

But Kickstarter does have a certain way it works. So if I don't get funded within these next 3 days, as you all know, then I lose all the funds raised; my dream takes a huge blow. This novel is the culmination of my life's work as a progressively improving writer, and means the world to me. I realize that for $20 people could be getting iPad cases or Norton security software, which are all things we [i]absolutely[i] need. However, and I know it's selfish of me, I would ask others to perhaps postpone those purchases and help make this dream come true. People have shared, spread the word and it's been incredible. All I need now are 100 people to pledge $20. The average thread gets that many views within a day or two. So I'm asking all you viewers, all you fellow Kickstarter-ers and even any writers out there, to please check out my Kickstarter and, if you can, be one of those amazing, mysterious 100 people. Or if not (because if we had money we wouldn't be on Kickstarter right?) tell everyone you know, because they could be one of those 100 as well. Thank you all for all the support I've received from this forum and all the amazing people I've met on this journey. Here's the link, and I truly hope that those mysterious 100 pull through!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arkstorm/legend-land-a-novel-by-noah-barfield

Thanks so much,
Noah Barfield

Update everyone; I have less than 24 HOURS on my Kickstarter! Anyone who can show some support or share it or ANYTHING, would be really appreciated. Also, sorry for the capital letters, but we all know how it gets near the end. Thanks everyone.

Interrupting your precious Labor Day weekend with (hopefully) the final, stress-laced update of my Kickstarter. Which is a little over $500 away from being completely funded with less than 4 hours left. Be part of something great! Be part of something grand! Be part of something that means these last 30 days of 13 hour workdays have meant something! Thank you everyone; 50 people pledging $10 is enough to make my project happen. Thank you for all the support and I really hope this happens!

Glad to see you got funded! - You need to find some illustrators that are about your age and have them grow with you and your work. ...If you don't have anyone near by: checkout elance and deviantart to get some artists. It will be important for you to communicate your ideas.

@Quincy

Thanks! It was such a huge relief to get funded and I'm still databasing. It was fantastic to have so many people support me. We actually have an illustrator ready, but I love providing opportunities for those my age, and encouraging creativity whenever I can. As I have many friends who are artists, and I know there are many talented young artists out there, I would hope, in relation to future projects I have planned, "join forces" so to speak, with some illustrators my age to help bring my creations to life.

Hey Mr YouthWriter I am new here myself and your thread was one of the first ones i read here, i would like to say congrats on getting funded for your kickstarter, I was recently chatting to a friend of mine who's passion is also writing, he has written a good few books over the years and was wondering himself if doing a kickstarter project was a viable solution for taking his future writings to the next level, i shall mention this post to him and get him to have a read, it may just give him the confidence in starting such a campaign for himself, i hope your future ventures work out and the funding helps you realize your dreams and potential with your writing.

@mcpeanut

For one, thank you for stopping by this thread; glad to have you hear haha. Also, thank you about the congratulations! It definitely was not an easy trip and it really came down to the wire there at the very end, but it was a learning experience. To your friend I would say it definitely isn't for everyone; not even close. In the end, what I did worked, and so I wouldn't change a thing, but definitely don't model me. I would recommend putting several months of planning in before your friend launches his Kickstarter; it is unbelievably helpful to have an online presence before your friend starts his Kickstarter. Be active on Twitter, Facebook, (Reddit and YouTube if you can), as well as all these forums. Sending emails out for interviews and such to generate publicity BEFORE your Kickstarter campaign is going is also extremely helpful. Those should be easier since he's written a few books (though I don't know if he's published). For the actual Kickstarter page, your friend will want to have a good, genuine video at the top; don't be too stiff, or shy. He should be loose, genuine, positive and eager to share with the world. The writing on the Kickstarter page should be the same way, and pictures are incredibly helpful (online, people don't want to read a text wall). Your friend's rewards should be varied in price, and go all the way up to $1000 (or higher); they should be unique to your friend. Handwritten letters, short stories, characters named after contributors, etc. Make them feel special. And lastly, for the love of all that is good in this world, your friend needs to not only give a bit of his backstory (why he started writing, why he loves it, what the book is about that he has on Kickstarter, etc.), but also, ALSO, the risks and challenges involved. I don't know how many times I see people completely forget to mention the risks, and it seems like a scam. Don't let your friend do that; be very clear about the risks involved, but reassuring as well. Basically, your friend needs to build up hype before the Kickstarter, seem genuine, positive and personable on Kickstarter (and everywhere else too), and make sure the reward systems are great. Planning, budgeting for costs, shipping, etc. is also a must. There are countless people who will tell you basically the same thing I did. If your friend needs any help, please, feel free to ask not just me, but anyone here.

Being a 22 year old painter running my own project right now it's SO awesome to see a fellow young adult getting their dream funded. Hopefully I'm in the same boat, I have 52% right now, but seriously it's really amazing to see you get it funded. Props to you man!

@israelfickett

I found your project and it looks pretty awesome, I must say. You do a good job in your video and description, explaining why you need it, your background, inspiration, etc. Additionally (which I don't see a lot of, honestly), you have great and varied rewards; I find that to be key in a successful Kickstarter. You're doing so many things right (at least, in my opinion) and I really hope you succeed! Something I did notice though, is that you say "donate" pretty often; I personally tried to avoid saying that, as I didn't want to be seen as an act of charity. I would use words like "contribute", "support", etc. when I would write/speak. Because they aren't donating to you, per say; they're supporting you financially to be able to do these paintings, and they get things in return. That's not donation. Now, I don't think it's a big deal, saying "donate" and all, but I personally just avoided it, in case it pushed any potential backers away. Just a tip! Anyway, thank you so much for your kind words, and I wish you best of luck on your Kickstarter; if you have any questions, or there's anything I can do (besides financially contribute; if I could do that, I wouldn't have needed a Kickstarter, would I?) to help, just let me know.