How to Run a Successful Kickstarter for your Manga

Running a crowdfunding campaign through websites like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo can be incredibly exciting and rewarding. There is a genuine rush seeing friends, family and yes, even complete strangers provide monetary support for your creative project. It’s especially empowering for a beginning creator who doesn’t have the financial backing of a professional publisher and must publicize, produce and sell their beloved works out of their own pockets.

While I think there are far more exhaustive posts on the subject out there, I’m interested in sharing the steps which I felt really worked for Polterguys’ campaign. I’ve witnessed the benefits of following these bits of advice firsthand and I truly believe with hard work and patience, anybody can achieve the same results.

The following is a list of future blog posts which I will link to as they get written. This way I’ll have the chance to discuss the topics in more detail and provide examples from my own Kickstarter. I hope you look forward to them!

Plan ahead.

The items in this section are intended to prepare you for the campaign and build your credibility as an artist and entrepreneur. Like it or not, when you ask people for their hard-earned cash you become a salesman (or woman!) It’s so much easier to sell a product when you appear presentable, passionate and show potential backers that you care!

1. Do your homework.
2. Participate in your community.
3. Create something that means something to you.
4. Present and promote your work regularly and professionally.
5. Engage your audience.

Organize an effective campaign.

The items in this section are meant to help throughout the duration of the campaign and beyond.

6. Plan your campaign details carefully.
7. Showcase your art.
8. Publicize but don’t pester.
9. Communicate and follow-up.
10. Be grateful. Always.

I’ll leave you with a quote from The Complete Guide to Self-publishing ( a book I highly recommend for creators interested in printing and selling their own books.) They talk about self-publishing the same way I think about running a crowdfunding campaign.

“The feeling is exhilarating, the rewards are great, and it is a lot simpler than it may seem. Not easy mind you, but simple.”

While it can occasionally be frustrating and challenging, it’s definitely not rocket science! If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and work on the hard stuff, your chances of success will be that much better.