What Can Crowdfunding Do?
Crowdfunding (aka Cyberfunded Creativity) is a new, growing business model. It allows creative folks to sell their work directly to online audiences. It enables viewers to support their favorite creators. It cuts out the middleman. It can be run through blogs, personal websites, or crowdfunding hubs, in assorted variations.
What It Does for Creators
Do you write weblit funded by your audience? Do you post your art for sale in an online gallery? Do you busk for donations? Do you just want to experiment and try something new? These are just a few of the crowdfunding models used by creative people who want to market their work online. More variations are emerging all the time.
Crowdfunding changes the "gatekeeper" system from something run by a few people (such as publishers or gallery managers) to something run by everybody. Your fans become your gatekeepers. That means instead of marketing your work to a limited number of people with fairly similar tastes, you can market your work to anyone interested in sponsoring it -- whatever tastes they may have. This may considerably boost your throughput, if you produce a lot of material that interests your fans more than it interests conventional acquisitions personnel. It also means you can work from home, or anywhere else convenient for you, and earn income not dependent on convincing someone to give you a dayjob.
Similarly, crowdfunding cuts out the middlemen. Because you sell directly to your own audience, you get to keep most or all of the money you make, minus minor things like PayPal fees or other overhead. You're not losing big hunks of money to agents, publishers, etc. That means you can set your prices lower and still turn a comfortable profit.
Creators also benefit from establishing a presence in one or more crowdfunding communities. There are blogging ones, like "Crowdfunding" on both LiveJournal and Dreamwidth. There are various art sites such as DeviantArt that let you post your pictures, interact with an audience, and sell prints or other art products; these are popular with some crowdfunding artists. Additional hub sites include TopWebComics and Webcomics Nation for webcomics and Web Fiction Guide and WebLit.Us for weblit. Other creators prefer to build a personal website and put interaction and marketing features on that, attracting their own community; for a very robust example of this approach, see Stardancer.Org by M.C.A. Hogarth.
Such community access allows creators to do many things. Announce new crowdfunded projects. Promote your current projects and reach a wider audience. Explain how your particular model of cyberfunded creativity works: what you produce, how you interact with your audience, what your perks are, and so forth. Ask for people's input on projects or decisions when you aren't sure what you want to do. Join discussions of crowdfunding theory and practice, success or failure. Network with people who provide services you might need -- writers can find editors, artists can find framers, an artist and a writer might hook up to collaborate on a webcomic, etc. Compare and contrast your results in cyberfunded creativity vs. conventional venues.
Crowdfunding changes the "gatekeeper" system from something run by a few people (such as publishers or gallery managers) to something run by everybody. Your fans become your gatekeepers. That means instead of marketing your work to a limited number of people with fairly similar tastes, you can market your work to anyone interested in sponsoring it -- whatever tastes they may have. This may considerably boost your throughput, if you produce a lot of material that interests your fans more than it interests conventional acquisitions personnel. It also means you can work from home, or anywhere else convenient for you, and earn income not dependent on convincing someone to give you a dayjob.
Similarly, crowdfunding cuts out the middlemen. Because you sell directly to your own audience, you get to keep most or all of the money you make, minus minor things like PayPal fees or other overhead. You're not losing big hunks of money to agents, publishers, etc. That means you can set your prices lower and still turn a comfortable profit.
Creators also benefit from establishing a presence in one or more crowdfunding communities. There are blogging ones, like "Crowdfunding" on both LiveJournal and Dreamwidth. There are various art sites such as DeviantArt that let you post your pictures, interact with an audience, and sell prints or other art products; these are popular with some crowdfunding artists. Additional hub sites include TopWebComics and Webcomics Nation for webcomics and Web Fiction Guide and WebLit.Us for weblit. Other creators prefer to build a personal website and put interaction and marketing features on that, attracting their own community; for a very robust example of this approach, see Stardancer.Org by M.C.A. Hogarth.
Such community access allows creators to do many things. Announce new crowdfunded projects. Promote your current projects and reach a wider audience. Explain how your particular model of cyberfunded creativity works: what you produce, how you interact with your audience, what your perks are, and so forth. Ask for people's input on projects or decisions when you aren't sure what you want to do. Join discussions of crowdfunding theory and practice, success or failure. Network with people who provide services you might need -- writers can find editors, artists can find framers, an artist and a writer might hook up to collaborate on a webcomic, etc. Compare and contrast your results in cyberfunded creativity vs. conventional venues.
What It Does for Patrons and Other Audiences
Are you bored with Big House books? Are you tired of watching cookie-cutter movies? Are you sick of pop songs that turn into earworms and eat your brain? Explore cyberfunded creativity! There is definitely something new under the sun. In fact, there are whole new suns, and you can help keep them lit.
The first thing crowdfunding does is strengthen the connection between creator and audience. When you buy something in a regular store, you rarely get to meet the person who made it. In crowdfunding, you customarily get some kind of interaction. An artist might post sketches and turn the most popular ones into paintings, which then become available as prints; your comments help determine which get finished. A writer might call for prompts and create stories or poems from what you suggest. A web serial might feature characters that readers like, giving them more screen time -- or even let donors vote on plot developments. Many projects have some kind of conversational space such as a blot or forum, where creators and patrons can get to know each other, and the audience can also talk amongst themselves. This creates a sense of community which many people love; it's really fun to be able to support people you know.
Cyberfunded creativity allows ordinary people to become 'gatekeepers," taking on a role once held primarily by publishers, gallery owners, record company executives, and the like. A mass-market buyer has to please a large audience in order to make money; a crowdfunding creator can cater to a smaller audience of devoted fans, and you -- the buyer here -- only need to please yourself. So buy whatever you like. Also, you no longer have to writhe in frustration while your talented friends struggle to make a living. You can buy the stuff you love from them, and your money does them just as much good as Mr. New York Editor's money does. Plus, the whole amount goes directly to the creator instead of scattering across middlemen and leaving pennies for the person who did the original work.
Historically, the rich and powerful would pick a favorite artist, composer, or other creator to support. That got really expensive. Crowdfunding lets a whole bunch of people pool their funds, generating a much bigger impact than any of them could do alone. (Some websites, such as IndieGoGo, Kickstarter, and RocketHub provide fundraising opportunities for big projects that need a lump sum. Other projects may have small things you can sponsor on your own, such as an individual pencil sketch or poem.) Today, you too can become a patron of the arts. You have the chance to pick the good stuff, to decide what deserves recognition and permanence, to encourage creators to produce more of what you love. Now you don't have to wait for some business person to trickle things down to you; you can go out hunting them yourself.
This change encourages the growth of editing as a hobby. That's been around for a while, particularly with fanzines and other desktop publishing ventures -- but it's a lot easier now. You don't have to get ink on your fingers unless you just want to. You can sit comfortably in your chair and send money to a creator who will post things on a blog, put them in an Etsy shop, pack them off to CreateSpace, or otherwise make them happen for you. Your vital contribution is the selection and funding -- and promotion, if you want to be extra useful. Audience members often keep an eye on each other, learning whose tastes match, and will follow a favorite hobby-editor to see what that person is picking out next; if you don't want to pick things out yourself, you can watch other people who do. The more enthusiastic and active hobby-editors in crowdfunding can actually outstrip the purchasing power and publishing volume of some small magazines or other conventional venues.
You also might have more impact on your favorite creator's career, if you are a repeat patron, than a conventional gatekeeper who might only buy one or two items. Ongoing projects especially benefit from regulars who donate something every month or few. This can give you a chance to influence something long-term, such as a webcomic or serial; or build up an archive of sketches, icons, flash fiction, poetry, or other tidbits.
Patrons and other audience members benefit from crowdfunding communities. There you can look for new projects that you might want to view and/or support. Share news about your favorite projects as they update or announce the Next Great Thing from your favorite creator. Discuss what you like, your shopping or donation habits, what attracts your attention to a project, and so forth. You might also try your hand at reviewing crowdfunded projects, or otherwise providing feedback -- if you're good at this, you will make plenty of friends.
The first thing crowdfunding does is strengthen the connection between creator and audience. When you buy something in a regular store, you rarely get to meet the person who made it. In crowdfunding, you customarily get some kind of interaction. An artist might post sketches and turn the most popular ones into paintings, which then become available as prints; your comments help determine which get finished. A writer might call for prompts and create stories or poems from what you suggest. A web serial might feature characters that readers like, giving them more screen time -- or even let donors vote on plot developments. Many projects have some kind of conversational space such as a blot or forum, where creators and patrons can get to know each other, and the audience can also talk amongst themselves. This creates a sense of community which many people love; it's really fun to be able to support people you know.
Cyberfunded creativity allows ordinary people to become 'gatekeepers," taking on a role once held primarily by publishers, gallery owners, record company executives, and the like. A mass-market buyer has to please a large audience in order to make money; a crowdfunding creator can cater to a smaller audience of devoted fans, and you -- the buyer here -- only need to please yourself. So buy whatever you like. Also, you no longer have to writhe in frustration while your talented friends struggle to make a living. You can buy the stuff you love from them, and your money does them just as much good as Mr. New York Editor's money does. Plus, the whole amount goes directly to the creator instead of scattering across middlemen and leaving pennies for the person who did the original work.
Historically, the rich and powerful would pick a favorite artist, composer, or other creator to support. That got really expensive. Crowdfunding lets a whole bunch of people pool their funds, generating a much bigger impact than any of them could do alone. (Some websites, such as IndieGoGo, Kickstarter, and RocketHub provide fundraising opportunities for big projects that need a lump sum. Other projects may have small things you can sponsor on your own, such as an individual pencil sketch or poem.) Today, you too can become a patron of the arts. You have the chance to pick the good stuff, to decide what deserves recognition and permanence, to encourage creators to produce more of what you love. Now you don't have to wait for some business person to trickle things down to you; you can go out hunting them yourself.
This change encourages the growth of editing as a hobby. That's been around for a while, particularly with fanzines and other desktop publishing ventures -- but it's a lot easier now. You don't have to get ink on your fingers unless you just want to. You can sit comfortably in your chair and send money to a creator who will post things on a blog, put them in an Etsy shop, pack them off to CreateSpace, or otherwise make them happen for you. Your vital contribution is the selection and funding -- and promotion, if you want to be extra useful. Audience members often keep an eye on each other, learning whose tastes match, and will follow a favorite hobby-editor to see what that person is picking out next; if you don't want to pick things out yourself, you can watch other people who do. The more enthusiastic and active hobby-editors in crowdfunding can actually outstrip the purchasing power and publishing volume of some small magazines or other conventional venues.
You also might have more impact on your favorite creator's career, if you are a repeat patron, than a conventional gatekeeper who might only buy one or two items. Ongoing projects especially benefit from regulars who donate something every month or few. This can give you a chance to influence something long-term, such as a webcomic or serial; or build up an archive of sketches, icons, flash fiction, poetry, or other tidbits.
Patrons and other audience members benefit from crowdfunding communities. There you can look for new projects that you might want to view and/or support. Share news about your favorite projects as they update or announce the Next Great Thing from your favorite creator. Discuss what you like, your shopping or donation habits, what attracts your attention to a project, and so forth. You might also try your hand at reviewing crowdfunded projects, or otherwise providing feedback -- if you're good at this, you will make plenty of friends.
What It Does for Activists
Do you wish that you could find more material created by women, people of color, members of an alternative religion, or someone else outside the mainstream? When the only lesbian in the novel dies halfway through, do you want to throw the book against the wall? Have you ever bought something, and then wished you could just dump it out like a box of cereal to see if there's a character like you somewhere inside? Maybe you just think that novellas and novelettes are great, and you wish that people would quit calling your favorite length a "literary dead zone." Cyberfunded creativity lets you change the world one creation at a time. Pull out your wallet and put your folding vote to use; or if you're broke right now, boost the signal for your favorite projects.
First, consider two aspects of activism that apply to creative material: the invisible-trope "Why don't more people write/draw/film/etc. any female/black/queer/poor/etc. characters?" and the stop-trope "Oh no, not another Dead Lesbian/Magical Negro/etc. die-die-DIE!" Now, jot down some of your favorite causes that would benefit from more or better portrayals. Cyberfunded creativity gives the audience a great deal of influence, and allows creators to cater to a market that the mainstream wouldn't touch with a 100-foot-long polearm. This makes it ideal for practical activism. You want it? Make it happen. Here are some methods you might consider:
1) Create it yourself. (Scroll back up to the "For Creators" entry above for tips.) Promote your project to folks who share an interest in the same cause. Ask them to support YOU and YOUR work which is THEIR kind of stuff, instead of supporting McFantasy Novel #666 or Hollywood Gives Us the Shaft Part IX.
2) Search for projects already in progress that feature the kind of content you want. Praise them. Give them money. Spread the word to help more people find them. Check out places such as:
3) Keep an eye out for crowdfunded projects such as Fishbowls or Free Art Days that have call for prompts. You simply request that the creator feature a cause or topic of your choice when making your item. Leaving prompts is usually free, though it doesn't always guarantee that you'll get something. Check the perks: most creators do guarantee coverage to donors, and some will make the item longer or in color or otherwise cooler. If you have any spending money, this is a highly effective way to make it support YOUR ideals rather than someone else's.
Ideally, search for creators who share your interest, or at least will get interested in it once you point it out. Over time a substantial body of work can build up. Note that it doesn't take much to make a big splash in a small puddle; if there are few or no poems/stories/films/etc. on your specific focus yet, then a dozen poems/stories or one film will make a serious contribution. One painting bought and hung in a public place can reach a lot of eyeballs. A determined sponsor can have more impact than a magazine editor or book publisher these days, online or in hardcopy. That could be you. (For more on editing as a hobby, see the "For Patrons" entry above.)
4) Watch for more invisible-trope and stop-trope posts. When you spot one, take the opportunity to promote a favorite ideal and cyberfunded creativity in general.
5) Similarly, watch for "[cause]FAIL" posts. Periodically someone will do something stupid, such as painting brown characters pink on a mural or declaring that women can't write hard science fiction. You then get to play "Poke a Bigot in the Eye." Some fun possibilities include:
This can be a more cost-effective use of your time, energy, and attention than standard responses such as flaming or dogpiling, because you are creating and supporting more of what the bigots want to squash. When you respond to foolery with cyberfunded creativity, the material created will go on existing long after people have forgotten all about [cause]FAIL. This is also more civil than saying some version of "You can't..." or "You suck!" back at the person who started it. Sidestep the attack altogether and strike directly at the attacker's goal instead. Stab it with pencils and beat it with merry bundles of cash.
6) Link to this page, or start a post discussing similar points, in blogs or other venues that specialize in relevant causes. Tell those folks about crowdfunded projects that feature their favored topic. Why give money and attention to people who hate you and everything you stand for? Direct that to your allies instead. Cyberfunded creativity provides a viable alternative to unsatisfying mainstream options. The mainstream doesn't have a captive audience anymore.
First, consider two aspects of activism that apply to creative material: the invisible-trope "Why don't more people write/draw/film/etc. any female/black/queer/poor/etc. characters?" and the stop-trope "Oh no, not another Dead Lesbian/Magical Negro/etc. die-die-DIE!" Now, jot down some of your favorite causes that would benefit from more or better portrayals. Cyberfunded creativity gives the audience a great deal of influence, and allows creators to cater to a market that the mainstream wouldn't touch with a 100-foot-long polearm. This makes it ideal for practical activism. You want it? Make it happen. Here are some methods you might consider:
1) Create it yourself. (Scroll back up to the "For Creators" entry above for tips.) Promote your project to folks who share an interest in the same cause. Ask them to support YOU and YOUR work which is THEIR kind of stuff, instead of supporting McFantasy Novel #666 or Hollywood Gives Us the Shaft Part IX.
2) Search for projects already in progress that feature the kind of content you want. Praise them. Give them money. Spread the word to help more people find them. Check out places such as:
3) Keep an eye out for crowdfunded projects such as Fishbowls or Free Art Days that have call for prompts. You simply request that the creator feature a cause or topic of your choice when making your item. Leaving prompts is usually free, though it doesn't always guarantee that you'll get something. Check the perks: most creators do guarantee coverage to donors, and some will make the item longer or in color or otherwise cooler. If you have any spending money, this is a highly effective way to make it support YOUR ideals rather than someone else's.
Ideally, search for creators who share your interest, or at least will get interested in it once you point it out. Over time a substantial body of work can build up. Note that it doesn't take much to make a big splash in a small puddle; if there are few or no poems/stories/films/etc. on your specific focus yet, then a dozen poems/stories or one film will make a serious contribution. One painting bought and hung in a public place can reach a lot of eyeballs. A determined sponsor can have more impact than a magazine editor or book publisher these days, online or in hardcopy. That could be you. (For more on editing as a hobby, see the "For Patrons" entry above.)
4) Watch for more invisible-trope and stop-trope posts. When you spot one, take the opportunity to promote a favorite ideal and cyberfunded creativity in general.
- Link to current crowdfunded projects that specialize in whatever the person wants to see more of, and point out that supporting those will raise the chance of getting additional goodies in the future.
- Link to prompt-based projects, and invite people to attend the next open session when they can request the kind of material they want.
- Keep an eye out for posts that include anything along the lines of, "I would pay good money for..." That's a cue for creator activists; you reply with, "I am/could be writing/drawing/making that sort of thing. If you're serious about supporting this kind of material, please drop by my project page at [link]." Otherwise, again, link to a project or creator who can meet that need.
5) Similarly, watch for "[cause]FAIL" posts. Periodically someone will do something stupid, such as painting brown characters pink on a mural or declaring that women can't write hard science fiction. You then get to play "Poke a Bigot in the Eye." Some fun possibilities include:
- Make the targeted category the next theme in a crowdfunded project. If you're a creator, you can do that in your own work. If you're a patron or other audience member, suggest it to creators who share your stance on this issue. Mention the background, such as: "This theme is brought to you courtesy of Mr. Fail's "[cause]FAIL" post. The more you tell me I can't, the more you make me want to go out and do some extra."
- Go donate to a project that already showcases the targeted category. Include a note along the lines of, "This donation is brought to you courtesy of Mr. Fail's "[cause]FAIL" post. Thank you for your positive portrayal of [cause]."
- Host a link fair. Describe the targeted category and point back to [cause]FAIL. Next, list your favorite projects and creators who fit. Finally, invite everyone in your audience to add their favorites and echo or link the main post so that even more people will see it. This raises the visibility of projects and people that might otherwise not get much notice. During a FAIL event, lots of folks will be watching for anything remotely related and will gladly boost the signal.
This can be a more cost-effective use of your time, energy, and attention than standard responses such as flaming or dogpiling, because you are creating and supporting more of what the bigots want to squash. When you respond to foolery with cyberfunded creativity, the material created will go on existing long after people have forgotten all about [cause]FAIL. This is also more civil than saying some version of "You can't..." or "You suck!" back at the person who started it. Sidestep the attack altogether and strike directly at the attacker's goal instead. Stab it with pencils and beat it with merry bundles of cash.
6) Link to this page, or start a post discussing similar points, in blogs or other venues that specialize in relevant causes. Tell those folks about crowdfunded projects that feature their favored topic. Why give money and attention to people who hate you and everything you stand for? Direct that to your allies instead. Cyberfunded creativity provides a viable alternative to unsatisfying mainstream options. The mainstream doesn't have a captive audience anymore.
What It Does for Freelancers
Are you an illustrator or inker? Are you a proofreader? Can you cut mats or build frames? Can you code a website? Chances are, somebody in the crowdfunding world would like to hook up with you.
Unlike the conventional marketplace, in crowdfunding, the creator is responsible for everything. They either do it all personally, or hire someone to do it. That creates a higher demand for freelance services and craft-related goods. Folks in this branch of the business world also tend to think outside the box -- they are as likely to barter as pay cash for what they need. Barter works especially well for exchanging matched skills: writing for art or editing for writing. So if you need something done, check around to see if someone else has the reverse set of skills and needs as yours.
The cool thing about this is that, like other applications of cyberfunded creativity, it means money can fall from the sky at any time. Even if your old job as an editor or art shop clerk or whatever has gone up in flames with the economic meltdown, you may still be able to use your skills on a freelance basis. You don't even necessarily need to make a business out of it, although plenty of people do; you can just do it on an occasional basis for people you know.
Freelancers benefit from crowdfunding communities mainly for the networking. Watch to see what goods, services, and rates people are asking or offering. Search for freelance artists, editors, programmers, etc. to handle aspects of your project that lie outside your own skills. Conversely, promote what you can do for potential customers. Let people know whether you prefer cash or barter, or both. Be considerate and supportive. Help with networking by connecting people who might need each other, even if you're not a match yourself -- one of them may remember you fondly and return the favor someday. Networking makes the crowdfunding world go 'round!
Unlike the conventional marketplace, in crowdfunding, the creator is responsible for everything. They either do it all personally, or hire someone to do it. That creates a higher demand for freelance services and craft-related goods. Folks in this branch of the business world also tend to think outside the box -- they are as likely to barter as pay cash for what they need. Barter works especially well for exchanging matched skills: writing for art or editing for writing. So if you need something done, check around to see if someone else has the reverse set of skills and needs as yours.
The cool thing about this is that, like other applications of cyberfunded creativity, it means money can fall from the sky at any time. Even if your old job as an editor or art shop clerk or whatever has gone up in flames with the economic meltdown, you may still be able to use your skills on a freelance basis. You don't even necessarily need to make a business out of it, although plenty of people do; you can just do it on an occasional basis for people you know.
Freelancers benefit from crowdfunding communities mainly for the networking. Watch to see what goods, services, and rates people are asking or offering. Search for freelance artists, editors, programmers, etc. to handle aspects of your project that lie outside your own skills. Conversely, promote what you can do for potential customers. Let people know whether you prefer cash or barter, or both. Be considerate and supportive. Help with networking by connecting people who might need each other, even if you're not a match yourself -- one of them may remember you fondly and return the favor someday. Networking makes the crowdfunding world go 'round!