Calling for Year-End Reports and New Year's Resolutions

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm working on notes for my year-end reports as well as for my 2012 plans and goals.  I'd like to invite other folks to share theirs too.

Creators:  Did you host a crowdfunding project during 2011?  If so, please consider posting a year-end report about what you did and how well it worked for you, along with any major news in project development.

Do you have plans for a new project in 2012, or expansions and refinements in a current project?  Share your creative goals here too.

Patrons and fans:  What crowdfunding project(s) did you support during 2011?  Are you looking for anything new in 2012?  Maybe someone else is thinking along similar lines.

Everyone:  What do you think about this community?  How well is it meeting your needs?  Are there things you'd like to see more or less of here?  Let us know what the crowdfunding community does for you.

Comments

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

I contributed to a few projects, though more frequently with prompts (and links) than money.

And I experimented with two projects.

Flash Fiction Fishbowl
I consider this a success so far, and would like to keep it going.

I'd really like to offer more tip or link incentives, but I'm running into problems coming up with ones... trying to crib from other people I see ones relying on having ongoing series (having to worry about continuity makes writing much more difficult), and promising to write more words, or stories to all of someone's prompts, makes me worry if I can actually do that.

Small Art
The second round was... no improvement from the first. I did not advertise it as widely as I had planned, and then I dropped the ball on getting images done as fast as I'd promised. Well, still got some nice art done, eventually.

I wonder about this project. It's traditional media and postcard size, because traditional media means you can at least potentially get the original, and postcard size can be mailed way more cheaply than even 5x7. I see that as a major plus when compared with digital sketches or the like.

On the other hand it limits how much detail I can put in and get the image done in a reasonable time (considering that it doesn't pay much, and since it's mostly character- or pet portraits, I don't really expect interest from people other than the one who requested an image, RE buying originals the requesters did not want, or buying prints, to be a bit mercenary.)

On the third hand just getting more practise would do me good. That mule was a challenge, and I was pretty happy with the result. XD

Ehwell.

General thoughts
Assuming I don't find a dayjob that takes up too much time and energy for this to be practical, I'd like to expand both writing and art.
What's important there is that it does not stress me out - I have a tendency to freeze up when I take on too much. That includes that I don't want to make things too complicated bookkeeping-wise.

Hm.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>I contributed to a few projects, though more frequently with prompts (and links) than money. <<

Everything is helpful.

>>Flash Fiction Fishbowl
I consider this a success so far, and would like to keep it going.<<

I liked this.

>>I'd really like to offer more tip or link incentives, but I'm running into problems coming up with ones... trying to crib from other people I see ones relying on having ongoing series (having to worry about continuity makes writing much more difficult), and promising to write more words, or stories to all of someone's prompts, makes me worry if I can actually do that. <<

Maybe post sections of something you write in advance, for linkback perks? Or one extra story if a donation threshold is met? Some people have a drawing for an extra perk, rather than giving it to everybody, so that's less work. Then again, you might do something offset -- like if you set a theme, collect some postcards related to the theme, and send them to your donors.

After you've run a regular project several times, you can just ask your audience what they would like.

>>Small Art
The second round was... no improvement from the first. I did not advertise it as widely as I had planned, and then I dropped the ball on getting images done as fast as I'd promised. Well, still got some nice art done, eventually. <<

I know it can be frustrating if you don't get as much action as you'd like. But that does give you a chance to learn the project and make early mistakes without dozens of people watching you. I think the art turned out great, by the way.

>>I wonder about this project. It's traditional media and postcard size, because traditional media means you can at least potentially get the original, and postcard size can be mailed way more cheaply than even 5x7. I see that as a major plus when compared with digital sketches or the like.<<

I agree. I think it's an effective size. Also, it's bigger than what the Free Icon Day folks are doing, that's a very popular project type.

Re: Thoughts on Flash Fiction Fishbowl

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

With the Flash Fiction I'll be trying to write some loosely connected ones in future, and see how it goes.

One perk I could offer that not all authors can would be adding an illustration to a story, or doing an illustration based on one of the other prompts, but I'd rather try that out without having promised it up front.

Postcards... If I already have a drabble or other very short piece that would fit the theme, I could make up genuine postcard fic to mail to donators. Or rely on writing one during the call.

I've also been experimenting with zine/chapbook making, but I want to test how much work it is first.
(I'm definitely going to use staggered tip thresholds for a resulting ebook - a relatively low one for a basic version with a text-only cover, a higher tip total gets a cover illustration added, maybe a third to add small inside illustrations/divider graphics. Another thing I need to figure out how much work it is first.)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>On the other hand it limits how much detail I can put in and get the image done in a reasonable time (considering that it doesn't pay much, and since it's mostly character- or pet portraits, I don't really expect interest from people other than the one who requested an image, RE buying originals the requesters did not want, or buying prints, to be a bit mercenary.)<<

You might be surprised what people will like. I've sold poems that I thought were really personal -- to someone other than the original prompter. Then too, consider that you may pick up character portraits that already have an audience attached. I tend to spread out my requests across my series, but sooner or later I'm likely to ask for a portrait of one of my more popular characters, and then prints might be worthwhile. I'm not the only person running multiple series; you could well pick up someone else who is.

Notice that you're not in direct competition with anyone else. djinni is mostly doing icons. meeksp is doing whole scenes. You've staked out a small but not tiny character portrait size, and you're good at it and can do various styles; that's likely to catch on.

Another possibility, if you'd like to do some larger pictures, would be making that a perk or a donation option. Frex, you might say if you get 12 participants, you'll randomly select one to get a picture at the next size larger (whatever standard sizes you work with). Or you could just set a donation threshold for a larger size picture, maybe $20 since you already have one at $10.

>>On the third hand just getting more practise would do me good. That mule was a challenge, and I was pretty happy with the result.<<

I've found it highly valuable to set a combination of monetary and nonmonetary goals for my projects. Practice is often one of them -- frex, with Schrodinger's Heroes I started out practicing script writing as for podcasts (a format that never interested me before) and then got into exploring comics and how to write for those.

Maybe think of some techniques in art that you'd like to improve? Or set a theme for something you draw sort-of well to see if you can get the hang of it better?

>>What's important there is that it does not stress me out - I have a tendency to freeze up when I take on too much. That includes that I don't want to make things too complicated bookkeeping-wise.<<

Okay, so you know that and you can work with it. Ideally, goals should be where you can reach them with a bit of a stretch, not too easy but not daunting either. Then as you meet them, you can gradually raise the bar higher.

I try to keep my bookkeeping fairly straightforward, although it does add up. Some folks I know have marvelous but intricate systems that I could never handle. But that's okay. My system works tolerably well for me, so I know who's reached various donation thresholds. If you start simple you can let the system evolve along with your project; that seems to be the best way.

Re: Thoughts

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

I'll be experimenting with how to add larger format things to the call, yep, thanks for the additional ideas.

I'm using a spreadsheet with name (and link to their request), amount donated and people referred. If I get more practise, I might add linkbacks, too, but I'm leaving that out for now.
I'm also counting referrals as an extra tip since that is easier than coming up and keeping track of a separate kind of perk.

I'm trying a few things for the "not wanting to get overwhelmed" bit: staggering plugs over a few days (so I can start on the first requests before the last come in, rather than having all of them up front), or this time not promising art by a date.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions and encouragement!

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you have some good plans in progress. I look forward to watching your projects develop.