If you’re into Indie publishing and Kickstartness, read on!
Especially, in this case, if you’re into psychological horror. Hang on a moment, and you’ll see why I say that.
So, here’s a fun little bit that describes all that is good in the publishing world. I received an email yesterday from Danielle Williams, who, with five books and a handful of stories out, I’d say is working hard but still a moderately new writer. She had backed one of my Kickstarter projects, and wanted me to know she had one out herself—which is nice. It’s hard to keep up with everything on my own, so I like it when people I’ve had contact with let me know what they’re up to.
Danielle’s project is an interesting one, too. She calls it a mid-length story, which I take to be a novella, but whatever. If you’re into psychological horror, this could be your thing.
Here’s the project image, and link.
It’s a straightforward project. Nothing flashy. A set of eBooks and a few printable signs. Kind of a “here it is, go get it” kind of a vibe.
The thing I love about this project, though, is embedded down Danielle introduces herself, and where she says she got the idea for the story—and wrote it—for an anthology. The story didn’t make it into that anthology, nor into a few other unidentified places. But she believes in this story, and so she’s taking it straight to people who might help her make it happen—readers.
Her goal is small, as makes sense for the work she’s putting forward, but the project is well-past halfway funded, and it looks to me like she’s going to make it happen. That’s exciting.
This is the thing about indie publishing. I wish I’d gotten to understand it quicker myself.
Assuming your work is “good” (whatever “good” is) people who buy directly from the artist are likely to do so again and again and again. People want to support artists. Read that again. (This is also why I’m not particularly concerned about all the AI doomsayers out there…I don’t think art generated purely by AI will carry the day because people want to support artists, not machines—but that’s a topic for a different time). Everything about being a long-time writer is about attracting readers (well, that, and not quitting). Kickstarting a project, even to a few readers, is a great way to find people who actually want to read your work. It’s a great way for writers to find people who will turn into that kind of reader who will buy whatever you do, and even if there’s only a few right now pressing on and on and on simply builds that number.
So, yeah. Her genre is not really my normal thing, but I’m interested in Danielle’s progress.
And if it is your genre, you can take a flier on her work and pick up “Bona Ossuaria” for only $3. Or, what the heck, splurge and for $6 you get “What the Cat Brought Back,” too.