I wrote this post on a closed Facebook group for authors with Unbound:
Hey chaps, I did a mini interview earlier this week with a crowd-funding superhero, Mark…
…who has backed more than 70 books with Unbound.
(Yes, you read that correctly.)
I’m not sharing his full name because he might not come out alive.
But this is a picture of me with Mark (right) at Unbound’s party last year.
Anyway…
I asked for an interview this week because I wanted to know what drew him to back a book (or not).
And the single most important thing seemed to be that he’s drawn to people who are enthusiastic about their own book / general mission.
And there’s something else you might like to know.
Mark said he often looks at books and thinks about it…
…then goes away…
…and comes back…
…and thinks it over a bit more.
When I was fundraising, I often feared it was all or nothing: people would either
a) pledge for my book or
b) hate it and never take a second look.
Well, Mark (for one) isn’t like that.
Also worth pointing out: he’s NOT somebody I knew before.
But we gradually got to know each other.
For those of you starting out, I think that should be quite reassuring.
You can build a relationship GRADUALLY with people who may or may not back this book.
At the end, after Unbound had edited my manuscript, but before it went to print, I asked if any of my backers would like to read it.
Mark was one of 25 who did take up that option.
Between them, they saved me from some really elementary mistakes – and also originated some truly brilliant ideas.
(I re-wrote my last four pages entirely).
It’s a wonderful thing, through Unbound, to be able to meet your readers before your book is written – people you didn’t know before – and to have them help you more than just financially.
Keep on keeping on!