10 Writerly Things to Love by Kristen Crowley Held

In honor of Valentine's Day,
a list of ten things that make my writer's heart go pitty-pat:

1. Up by Jawbone

You can track your sleep, activity, food and drink with this wristband plus app, but what I love about it is that it wakes me with a gentle buzz so I can get up and at my computer at the crack of dawn (or before) without disturbing my husband or my easily awakened small children.

2. Monday Coffee: Birdcage Tumbler 

Okay, I actually use it for tea, but this mug rocks! Thermal insulated, shatterproof, it holds eighteen ounces, is microwave and top dishwasher safe and it has a lid. What's not to love?

  3. Harney & Sons English Breakfast Tea Sachets

These "silken sachets" are faster and easier to use than loose leaf tea so I can get my caffeine on and get to writing ASAP.

4. Silicone Keyboard Cover

Fun and functional! Liven up your laptop and protect your keyboard from spills and toddler goo. Need I say more?

Knit mitts by Pia Barile (not my sis).

5. Arm Warmers

For some reason my office is the coldest room in the house, so my loving sis knitted some fabulous arm warmers to help keep my fingers flying despite the chill. If there's no accommodating knitter in your life, get thee to Etsy (the mitts pictured to the left are available from Pia Barile's shop).

6. Scrivener

The tagline says it all, "Outline. Edit. Storyboard. Write." And you don't even have to be a Mac user anymore to take advantage of this fabulous software program. If you're both meticulous and fragmented, like me, you'll love Scrivener too.

 

7. The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale

This corpulent tome never fails to assuage my polydipsia for a superlative word. Use it to add some pulchritude to your magnum opus, or even an opuscule.

8. The JuJuBe GigaBe Laptop bag

I discovered JuJuBe back in my diaper bag days and while I don't miss the diapers I did miss my tough, thoughtfully designed bag. So imagine my joy when I discovered they now make laptop bags! There are a number of patterns to choose from, as well as black and brown earth leather versions. There's also a smaller version called the MicraBe. Trust me, you'll love these "super smart bags."

9. Laplander Lap Desk

This lovely lap desk has a large surface area, elastic straps to keep your pens, notebook, cord, etc. from slipping, and the pillow detaches so you can easily pack it for travel.

10. Dropbox

"Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. This means that any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, phones and even the Dropbox website." Back up your writing files, share your manuscript with your critique group, or access your files from another device. And even if every electronic device you own dies, your files are safe!

There you have it! Ten things I'll be loving on Valentine's Day morning when I tackle my WIP yet again. How about you? What would you put on your list of writerly things to love?

Fund your dream with Crowdfunding!

Lemme throw the “I want to publish my book” equation at you.

  

Line editing $6,000 + Limited income +

Printing  $1,500 + Mortgage +

Illustrator $3,500 +    =      1.5 kids +

Marketing $2,000 + Car Payment 

 ------------------------------                   --------------------------
                      $12,000                           ( -$57.23 + X)

                               How do you solve for X?

The answer is:

1. Marry a millionaire
2. Sell a kidney
3. Win the Lotto
4. Crowdfunding.

If you chose a-c, more power to you but the only answer that does not require drugs or luck is crowdfunding.

But what is crowdfunding?

Think of crowdfunding as gift giving on a global scale.

It is not venture capital investing, where you must show a profit. Nor are you selling your rights to your work. With crowdfunding, Individuals from around the world offer donations to your project, prior to publication, in exchange for a gift.

A gift?  Like a set of purple earphones?

Not exactly. 

If you’re a writer you might offer to “give” your benefactors a signed copy of your book for $20 that will cost you $10 per book to publish.  The gap between the cost and the donation is what you use to fund your editing, printing, cover design etc.

With my AR graphic novel, The Goths, I offered my benefactors the opportunity to play one of the characters in the Augmented Reality elements.  For a lesser amount we would name a character in the book after them or have their artwork used as graffiti in the background of a scene.  

So how do you go about crowdfunding?

First choose an online crowdfunding service.  Here is a list of just some of the more popular sites.

Kickstarter

Indiegogo

Rockethub

Gofundme

Do your research.  Not all the services are the same or charge the same percentage.  
Kickstarter uses an all or nothing model where you only receive funds (minus their fees) if you meet or exceed your funding target.   They are also the most well known crowdfunding site but they don't accept every project that is submitted.

Indiegogo has a flexible funding option where you receive all the funds contributed minus fees regardless of your funding target.

I chose Indiegogo over Rockethub for my "Smittens Says" campaign because it requires fewer clicks to make donations.

After you  choose your crowdfunding service, then you get "jiggy with it."

1. You create a project proposal including a synopsis, pictures, list of team members
2. record a pitch video.  That’s right.  It’s you talking, juggling your dog or pony.   Whatever fits your personality and your project just as long as it’s you.
3. create a list of gifts that people will want, your book, their name in the credits...etc. 
4. establish a paypal account
5. upload your proposal
6. market online 
7. keep marketing
8. prod friends to share your link **
9. prod them harder 
10. add project updates that include "George Clooney wants to play the lead role"
11. prod your friends with your boot, a hot fire poker and pepper spray **
12. get funded!!!

Twelve easy steps.  That's all it takes!

Lemme know if you launch a campaign.  I promise to share.  I hate pepper spray.  

** Shares are essential for any chance of success.  "Likes" won't get anyone to your campaign.  The key to funding success is volume, so you need to reach beyond your own sphere of influence.  You need the 6 degrees of online friends to achieve success.  So even if your close friends don't back you with money... REAL friends SHARE!