How to run a successful Kickstarter & finding your own writing way...
An interview with Mark Leslie Lefebvre + a dang good rejection
I owe Mark a lot. And really admire this guy. Without his advice, my first Kickstarter likely would have failed. I was originally asking for too much as a funding goal. I had some modest success, but Mark’s Kickstarter is on fire. He just passed his $3000 Stretch goal.
Mark has been holding my hand as I tackle my dream of full-time fiction writing. (We can talk about the wisdom of my goal in another post.) Dare I call him my mentor?
His sheer enthusiasm for the industry and support of other writers is nothing less than inspirational. Short story writing is my true passion but I gnash my teeth and pull out my hair trying to find the money in it. Not Mark. He’s found creative ways to keep his short fiction profitable. He’s re-releasing a special anniversary edition of a collection he created 20 years ago!
My full interview with him will be available soon on Horrortree.com, but here is a sneak peek at my favorite take-aways.
AF: Your Kickstarter funded in less than six hours. Do you have any suggestions for other authors wishing to run a successful kickstarter?
ML: I think the most important thing is to have created some sort of reading audience first; even if it’s a small group of people. Folks who are genuinely interested in what you write. Second, it’s critical to lean in to your brand and the genre you’re writing, and be explicit in what special editions, features, or unique-to-Kickstarter rewards are going to be available.
I strongly advise that authors be familiar by supporting Kickstarters so they can see what others are doing, but also check out resources that are available to help, such as Anthea Sharp’s book Kickstarter for Authors.
And be realistic. Not everyone is going to have a 42-Million Dollar Brandon Sanderson success story. Nor is the average author going to hit the nearly $80,000 Kickstarter Kevin J. Anderson ran earlier this year.
But even earning $500 on a book project could be well more than the average author is going to earn in a year, or perhaps in a lifetime of a book that they’ve published.
AF: As an industry pioneer in both traditional and self-publishing. Which avenue should a new writer try first and why?
ML: I think it should be based on a writer’s fundamental personal goals rather than what I think. But I do believe that testing both sides of the industry is important for a writer’s ultimate growth. Otherwise, how would they ever know if they didn’t at least try?
I do attempt not to tell writers any SHOULDS and SHOULD NOTS as everyone has their own unique way of doing things and needs to experiment to discover the paths that are right for them.
What I do my best to express is that there’s no one way to do things and no one right path. So, trying different things, and being open to the numerous possibilities that exist are two of your best mindsets to adapt. You’ll try things and some will work for you and others won’t. The most important thing is that you’re writing, that you’re experimenting, and ultimately, that you never give up, regardless of which paths you try.
AF: If you could do something differently in your career path, what would it be?
ML: I think I’d try to write more. By, of course, gaining back the numerous lost hours wasting time on the dopamine hits that come from scrolling aimlessly on social media, or even staring at my sales dashboards (and even my Kickstarter dashboard) waiting for the numbers to miraculously flip.
If I want those numbers to flip/update/grow, the BEST way I can achieve that is by WRITING MORE. So that’s the one thing I’d change.
So far, in August I have subbed 45 stories.
35 Rejections.
5 Acceptances.
Let’s start with the rejections. A few of these were really frustrating, those rejections that say “we almost bought this…”. Argh.
Then there are those markets who keep sending me R’s. Markets I’ve been pecking at for over five years. (Apex, Pseudopod, Seize the Press, Orion’s Belt, Deadlands, Factor Four, Fusion Fragment, Drabblecast…)
This is how rejections normally make me feel. (We are all sadists aren’t we? Why do we do this again?)
HOWEVER, I did get one rejection this month that was really well-written. I’m going to share it, because what an art! Writing a rejection letter that can make a writer smile? Flunk is a newer market. I love that they’ve amalgamated all their first readers into one entity. GLORB.
Thank you for submitting 'The Insta-lair' to Flunk Magazine. We very much enjoyed the piece’s setting, though felt the escape was a little too easy. Glorb would have loved a little more horror and high stakes. At this time, we are unable to accept it for publication.
As always, best of luck with your writing, and we hope you consider submitting to Flunk Magazine in the future.
Kind regards,
Glorb.
This is a great rejection letter because it is
a) nice
b) creative without being condescending
c) gives helpful advice
d) allows me hope they may publish me in the future.
FIVE Acceptances.
So this number looks good because Bruce Bethke from Stupefying Stories said he could use three of my trunk stories. Some of my early work is very dark, I’ve since lightened up. But Bruce likes dark. And a little disturbing. So. Yay!
I sold a story to The Fabulist, which is a wonderful market. I’ve always been a huge fan of Josh Wilson. I meet him virtually when I attended an “Ask the Editors” meeting. If I could have folded him up and put him in my pocket, I would have.
“A Mother’s Yarn” will be published on August 29, 2025. A part of the new Fabulist Flash series.
A little mini flash of mine called “ABACUS Vintage Droid Model 001” (originally written for Apex’s Strange Machines) was picked up by Unorthodox Stories.
And speaking of my adorable droid ABACUS, his origin story will appear in AMAZING STORIES on September 9th, 2024. I’m super chuffed to have a story picked up by North America’s oldest sci-fi rag! (since 1926) This story was accepted on November 15th, 2023.
This industry teaches us PATIENCE.
Well, that’s all for now, folks. Keep an eye on your inbox. Some cool calls for Sept headed your way.
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