Resources
This page lists resources useful for people who want to create, sponsor, or otherwise enjoy cyberfunded creativity. Here you'll find links to websites that host crowdfunded projects, hubs for finding and evaluating cyberfunded creativity, social networks for promotion, and other handy tools. Because the field is still emerging, there are not yet a great many resources catering specifically to cyberfunded creativity, so the list includes some multipurpose resources that count crowdfunded projects among other activities. Webcomics are ahead of the curve, though, with more dedicated sites.
Host Sites
These sites provide some kind of platform for posting and distributing content. Those focused on weblit, webcomics, or other creative material have an audience pool that consists of creators and readers, who look for entertainment in a concise and consistent environment.
ComicFury
Free comic hosting service. Offers a simple interface for publishing webcomics. Supported by donations, so it's crowdfunded coming and going!
Comic Genesis
Free comic hosting service, run by and for comic creators. Search and browse functions, plus news.
Digital Novelists
Sort of has a free option, but that doesn't include a listing on the DN site, so not much use. There are two paid versions, one with ads and one without. Specializes in original fiction with a focus on novels and serials. Very nice promotional aspects including a front page with a scroll of recent posts and updates.
DrunkDuck
Free service specializing in webcomic hosting and promotion. Also offers tutorials, news, forums, and other goodies of interest to artists and viewers.
FictionPress
Looks free, but the publically visible material seems aimed at readers far more than writers, so it's hard to judge what the upload process is like. It also seems to discourage monetizing methods, specifically ruling out ads and subscriptions, though it doesn't mention donations. Specializes in original fiction and poetry. Lots of sorting tools so readers can find things.
Webcomic Hosting
A simple list of sites that publish webcomics.
Weebly
Free, with an option for upgrading to paid with more features. Does not specialize in creative material or provide a ready-made audience pool; you have to do that on your own. Flexible buildware with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to design a sharp-looking website and/or blog, even for people with marginal technological skills.
WordPress
Free, and the software can be applied to your own website or used to create a site hosted through WordPress. Does not specialize in creative material or provide a ready-made audience pool; you have to do that on your own. However, it offers a decent selection of tools for the technologically average, or a considerably better set for the technologically deft.
ComicFury
Free comic hosting service. Offers a simple interface for publishing webcomics. Supported by donations, so it's crowdfunded coming and going!
Comic Genesis
Free comic hosting service, run by and for comic creators. Search and browse functions, plus news.
Digital Novelists
Sort of has a free option, but that doesn't include a listing on the DN site, so not much use. There are two paid versions, one with ads and one without. Specializes in original fiction with a focus on novels and serials. Very nice promotional aspects including a front page with a scroll of recent posts and updates.
DrunkDuck
Free service specializing in webcomic hosting and promotion. Also offers tutorials, news, forums, and other goodies of interest to artists and viewers.
FictionPress
Looks free, but the publically visible material seems aimed at readers far more than writers, so it's hard to judge what the upload process is like. It also seems to discourage monetizing methods, specifically ruling out ads and subscriptions, though it doesn't mention donations. Specializes in original fiction and poetry. Lots of sorting tools so readers can find things.
Webcomic Hosting
A simple list of sites that publish webcomics.
Weebly
Free, with an option for upgrading to paid with more features. Does not specialize in creative material or provide a ready-made audience pool; you have to do that on your own. Flexible buildware with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to design a sharp-looking website and/or blog, even for people with marginal technological skills.
WordPress
Free, and the software can be applied to your own website or used to create a site hosted through WordPress. Does not specialize in creative material or provide a ready-made audience pool; you have to do that on your own. However, it offers a decent selection of tools for the technologically average, or a considerably better set for the technologically deft.
Hubs
These sites do not provide content posting for crowdfunded projects, but specialize in networking. Creators come to promote their work that appears elsewhere. Readers come to find material gathered from its many separate sources.
EpiGuide
Covers a very wide range of online entertainment including weblit, webcomics, games, and more. Offers articles, forums, recaps and previews, and other goodies. Useful to creators and consumers of diverse types.
ErgoFiction
A webzine for readers and patrons of webfiction. Offers reviews, articles, and other resources. Read their savvy essay on patronage. Also useful for creators if you can get someone to review your project there.
Muse's Success
A wiki devoted to cataloging, rating, and reviewing web novels and serials. Useful to writers, readers, and reviewers.
Novelr
Explores issues in reading, writing, and publishing fiction on the web. Deep archive of articles on many aspects of webfic. Most useful to weblit writers.
Web Fiction Guide
Lists free, original web fiction with a focus on novels and serials. Does not accept fanfic or erotica. Offers reviews, ratings, a forum, and other tools. The related Top Web Fiction page is a running poll that shows the most popular items. Useful both to writers and readers; good place to make a reputation as a reviewer.
Weblit.Us
Focuses on marketing and promotion for online literature including short fiction, novels, serials, essays, memoirs, and more. Forum, Twitter feed, resource page, and other tools. Part of Digital Novelists network. Mainly useful to writers.
EpiGuide
Covers a very wide range of online entertainment including weblit, webcomics, games, and more. Offers articles, forums, recaps and previews, and other goodies. Useful to creators and consumers of diverse types.
ErgoFiction
A webzine for readers and patrons of webfiction. Offers reviews, articles, and other resources. Read their savvy essay on patronage. Also useful for creators if you can get someone to review your project there.
Muse's Success
A wiki devoted to cataloging, rating, and reviewing web novels and serials. Useful to writers, readers, and reviewers.
Novelr
Explores issues in reading, writing, and publishing fiction on the web. Deep archive of articles on many aspects of webfic. Most useful to weblit writers.
Web Fiction Guide
Lists free, original web fiction with a focus on novels and serials. Does not accept fanfic or erotica. Offers reviews, ratings, a forum, and other tools. The related Top Web Fiction page is a running poll that shows the most popular items. Useful both to writers and readers; good place to make a reputation as a reviewer.
Weblit.Us
Focuses on marketing and promotion for online literature including short fiction, novels, serials, essays, memoirs, and more. Forum, Twitter feed, resource page, and other tools. Part of Digital Novelists network. Mainly useful to writers.
Social Networks, Blogs, and Other Stuff
These sites offer all different kinds of service. Blogs can be used to publish and network crowdfunded projects. Social networks are mainly for promotion.
Blogger
Free, easy setup. A blogging community linked to Google. Offers tools for monetizing your blog.
Dreamwidth
Free or paid. A smaller, more user-responsive blogging community compared to LiveJournal. Visit the Crowdfunding community for news, discussions, and project announcements.
Facebook
Free social network for microblogging and networking. Extensive list of tools and features. Creators may wish to establish a Fan Page for their project(s) and/or a personal page. This is also a promising site for hobby-editors or other patrons who want to pimp their favorite projects.
LiveJournal
Free or paid. A large, gregarious blogging community periodically plagued by unpopular management decisions. Visit the Crowdfunding community for news, discussions, and project announcements.
Twitter
A social network based on tiny, frequent updates. You can follow an individual feed or track topical posts via hashtags. Some useful hashtags for crowdfunding creators and patrons:
#amwriting (see related #Amwriting.Org site)
#crowdfunding
#crowdsourcing
#FridayFlash
#poetryfishbowl
#TuesdaySerial (see related Tuesday Serial site)
#webcomics
#webfic
#webfiction
#weblit
Blogger
Free, easy setup. A blogging community linked to Google. Offers tools for monetizing your blog.
Dreamwidth
Free or paid. A smaller, more user-responsive blogging community compared to LiveJournal. Visit the Crowdfunding community for news, discussions, and project announcements.
Free social network for microblogging and networking. Extensive list of tools and features. Creators may wish to establish a Fan Page for their project(s) and/or a personal page. This is also a promising site for hobby-editors or other patrons who want to pimp their favorite projects.
LiveJournal
Free or paid. A large, gregarious blogging community periodically plagued by unpopular management decisions. Visit the Crowdfunding community for news, discussions, and project announcements.
A social network based on tiny, frequent updates. You can follow an individual feed or track topical posts via hashtags. Some useful hashtags for crowdfunding creators and patrons:
#amwriting (see related #Amwriting.Org site)
#crowdfunding
#crowdsourcing
#FridayFlash
#poetryfishbowl
#TuesdaySerial (see related Tuesday Serial site)
#webcomics
#webfic
#webfiction
#weblit
