For those of you who don’t know, I’m an aspiring author. I finished the 4th draft of my manuscript, “The Truths and Lies of Happily Ever Afters,” Â back in March and have since been looking into self-publishing. Well after months of searching, I’ve finally found a company that offers great editing and publishing services. However the cost is a little out of my pocketbook’s range. Never one to give up on my dreams, I decided to start a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds needed to get my book in print.
This is where you (hopefully) come in.
So – using my limited powers of persuasion – here are 10 good reasons that you should support my Kickstarter.
1. You’re a Fan of Me
I mean, if you’re actually following this blog, you must like something that I do. And considering all I do on here is write and be snarky, you’re going to love “The Truths and Lies of Happily Ever Afters.”
The lead character is a starry-eyed dreamer with a dry, sarcastic wit – so basically me but in male teenage boy form. The protagonist is brutally honest about the way he sees the world, from his dysfunctional family to his inept teachers to the girl of his dreams.
Readers have praised the book, saying that it has a very authentic feel and relatable characters. It’s a project I’ve spent four years pouring myself into and in the end I’m quiet proud of the work I’ve accomplished. If you like what I write on here, odds are you’re going to like the book. (Which you can read, in its entirety, HERE.)
2. You’re a Fan of YA Lit
Let’s be honest here, all the great books that everyone reads are either classics or Young Adult Literature. Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Twilight. All of it is geared at young adults but we all have given in and read them at some point. Why? Because they’re fun. Young Adult literature still has something that adult literature doesn’t: innocence.
While adult books are commonly darker, gritty, and – admittedly – more realistic, YA lit is hopeful. It is aimed at those people who are just starting to be bogged down by the heaviness of the future and are still struggling to find good in an increasingly dark world.
YA lit still believes that good can conquer evil, that love can prevail, and that there is something great waiting out there for all of us.
3. You’re a Fan of Fairy Tales
“The Truth and Lies of Happily Ever Afters” is, at its core, a fairy tale. The original concept of the book was to write a male-centric version of Cinderella, and it still retains many of those aspects, but somewhere along the way it became more than that. It became a story about how those childhood fairy tales grow with us and shape who we become and how we see the world.
I’ve written on here before about how fairy tales and Disney movies led me to see the world with a different perception than many people my age might have. The protagonist is the same way, still hopefully clinging on to the visions of princesses and quests and happily ever afters that we believe so firmly in childhood but that the real world strips away from us. For anyone who ever wanted to find a real once upon a time, this is a book for you.
4. You Believe in Dreamers
Haven’t you ever had a dream? That one thing in your heart of hearts that you have always wanted to accomplish? Maybe you’ve already achieved it, or maybe you’re still working on it. Either way, wouldn’t you like it if someone would help you make it happen? Because I know I’d sure love it if people would be willing to help me make this one dream a reality.
I know that self-publishing is a huge feat. It’s going to be hard and complicated and in the end probably won’t result in any glory, but it’s what I want to do. Since I started writing at eleven years old, I knew right away that I wanted to be a published author. No matter what I had to do to make that happen, I was going to do it. Now, almost fourteen years later, I’m finally getting my chance.
5. Indie Authors are Cool!
The world of print is changing. E-books are reshaping the way that the world of publishing works, and the technological age is providing new venues for people who might never have had the chance before to express themselves and share their gifts with the world. I have chosen this route instead of conventional publishing because I believe in this new era of the arts. Indie authors have more control over their final product, so the works that you receive are in their purest form, not diluted by what editors think will sell best and make the most money.
Also I’m not going to say that indie authors work harder, but we definitely invest more money. We pay for each of the services that a contracted author receives from their publishing firm. I believe enough in what I’m doing to put my money where my mouth is, and I hope that resonates with you.
6. The Rewards are Great
I spent a lot of time plotting and planning exactly what rewards to give out for backers, and the list is extensive. From limited time promotional materials, to handmade gifts, to my writing services, to electronic or actual physical copies of the book, there’s something for everyone. It doesn’t cost much to donate, but you get something special for your money.
And there will be secret, hidden gifts for every five backers!
 7. You Have Money to Burn
Yeah, I’ll admit this one’s a lot less likely than the others, but hey, on the off chance you do… Here’s a good way to spend it!
I mean, don’t go skipping rent payments for me or anything, but every little bit helps. Even if you just donate the spare change you found under the sofa cushions, I’ll gladly take that dollar and six cents.
8. You Can Relate
Do you remember going into your first relationship thinking that things would be easy and that even if hard times came up, the power of love alone would get you through it? Now do you remember the moment when you realised that it doesn’t actually work that way? I sure do.
A lot of what makes up the spine of “The Truths and Lies of Happily Ever Afters” comes from personal experience and seeing the love lives of people close to me. I started the book just as my four-year-long relationship was ending. After years of struggling and fighting and making-up, we simply came to the realisation that love doesn’t fix everything. That perhaps we were more in love with the idea of us than we were actually in love with each other. That maybe we were together simply so we didn’t have to be alone.
This book is for everyone who has felt that agony of first love and all the joys and sorrows that come with it.
9. You’re Feeling Charitable
We all get that feeling every once in a while. Some days you just wake up and feel like doing something nice for someone else. Or maybe someone did something nice for you and you want to pass it on.
Either way, I can’t think of a more charitable thing than helping someone reach their goals.
10. It’s No Risk!
The great thing about Kickstarter is that there is no risk involved. Either the project doesn’t get funded and you keep your money, or the project gets funded and you get cool swag out of it.
(Ugh, I kind of hate myself for using the word swag. *shudder*)
I’ve used Kickstarter a few times in the past for projects I really believed in and these people always come through for you. The people on Kickstarter are passionate about their projects and more than anything they want to share them with you. Helping someone fund a project is a win-win for everyone.
If, after all of that, you still can’t/don’t want to donate, I understand. Sometimes it’s just not there. Still, if you can’t help with money, could you at least share the project on Facebook/Twitter/whatever other form of social media? That way it can hopefully reach an audience that is interested.
Thanks, as always, for being the amazingly awesome people that you are.
Love and jellybeans.
– Nicki
A Room of One's Own 