The always-smart Christopher Butcher has published some thoughts about expert publishers utilizing Kickstarter. He’s referring to digital Manga, which is putting out works by Osamu Tezuka utilizing the crowdfunding site. They started by bringing Swallowing the earth back into print, then noted a new license, Barbara (not a book previously published by them). Their newest effort is Unico, a color children’s series. Chris has collected a set of his thoughts on the topic, of which these are only a few. (Some of the ones I skipped estimating are the much more positive ones, too.)
– It is disconcerting to see what ought to be a well-invested expert publisher requirement to take 380 preorders before a book is published. It’s only 380 pre-orders, that’s not a significant amount, however that is provided as the crux upon which the job will happen, or not. It is extremely disconcerting as somebody who is worked in the publishing market in which this publisher operates for the past 16 years. It is disconcerting as a fan of Osamu Tezuka.
– I feel it talks to a lack of confidence in the product, as well as a lack of confidence in the publisher to see a return in their investment of licensing this property, or has been hinted, “these properties”. …
– The fundamental acts of publishing are printing as well as promotion. If you are a publisher however you can’t print or promote, are you still a publisher? Some extremely wise people state yes, as well as I’m honestly not sure, since you’re not able to satisfy your fundamental functions as well as are counting on others to do that, as well as that’s where my dispute is. …
– I have no question that the future is going to continue to modification the meaning of “publishing” a excellent deal, as well as this is likely one such change. however it’s a modification as well as it’s worth speaking about as well as considering, rather than dismissing it as a new iteration of “pre-selling” or “pre-orders” or whatever.
Like Chris, I concern exactly how accountable this strategy is. It’s working for them, however if a publisher doesn’t even have the money to cover printing bills, as they stated in the Swallowing the earth case, then what value are they providing? I don’t have much to add beyond that — this publish is truly just a method of saying, “Yeah, what he said, we ought to be speaking about this.”
Update: The July 2012 problem of Wired has an fascinating short piece (not on the internet at this time) praising Kickstarter as a location for amateur inventors, hobbyists who don’t want to stop their day jobs. A essential quote:
Since Kickstarter doesn’t offer equity, it attracts a different type of funder, a person who’s much more like the creator — compelled by interest as well as curiosity. These funders don’t expect anything monetary in return — the method Kickstarter is currently set up, they can’t. Rather, they’re looking only for the complete satisfaction of being connected with an concept in its infancy as well as viewing it concerns fruition.
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