The Kickstarter Handbook: Real-Life Success Stories of Artists, Inventors,…

This is really two books in one, please do not see the page count (224 pages) and worry that you need to process through that much material to even start a campaign. Well, you do and it's not going to be easy, but this volume is interwoven with both practical lists and worksheets and tips from those who have succeeded and failed on Kickstarter.

The lessons drawn from both the worksheets and the tips are universal and applicable not just to Kickstarter projects, but most any business or project I can think of. The primary and most important lesson is that if you want to succeed you need to do the work and that it's not going to magically happen overnight.

The other lessons all build upon the need to Do Work. That's not a bad thing! Success is rarely achieved through passive endeavors. There are tools to help you, but they will not do it all for you, you need to do the work.

The other large lesson I felt was prevalent through out is the reminder to be yourself and tell your story. Asking for money isn't easy for many and doing it in a way that isn't slimy may seem impossible. I had a light bulb moment when I read Musician Nano Whitman's own realization: "Oh I can just sing my request to people? I was okay with it." (p 96).

Is there anything missing from this book? There is, however it is something I am as yet unable to put my finger on. I suspect it might be the speed in which social media and the online world changes. In a year, will any of this book still be useful? Yes. I think the stories of successful (and unsuccessful) projects could stand the test of time.

Overall this is an enjoyable quick read and nice concise guidebook for Kickstarter. I also appreciated the resource list of other programs similar to Kickstarter. I recommend this book even if you're just curious about what's involved in a Kickstarter campaign.

Disclaimer: I received this title through my participation in the Library Thing Early Reviewer Program. ( )

A guide to using the Kickstarter platform for the first time to your fund creative project. Lots of examples about how to plan, market and follow through. Recommended for those with some business savvy and willing to plan and work hard. The starry eyed should give give this book and Kickstarter a miss, it will be too much work for them. ( )

Before reading this book, I had only vaguely heard of Kickstarter and thought it was a website used to help raise money for pretty much any project, and pretty easily at that. Instead, I now know that it's for artistic projects only, and there are many factors (and a ton of work) that go into making a successful campaign. In addition to basic information about setting up your own Kickstarter project, Steinberg shares stories of actual campaigns, both successes and failures, so that the reader can get tips on what works and what doesn't. It's a bit intimidating how much work goes into each campaign but inspiring to read about people getting the funding for their dream project. The website itself is such a great idea and I've since backed a few campaigns myself. ( )

"The Kickstarter Handbook" guides you in using Kickstarter as a way to support your creative endeavors. I personally have given money to several kickstarters and have always thought it would be great to use crowdfunding for a project. The book is good but the most important thing is for you to have a good idea first. ( )

The Kickstarter Handbook is a great beginner's guide to Kickstarter. I think it provided an excellent foundation for getting your project on the site; I wish I had something in the works so I could practice what I've read. Loved the examples provided in the book, which was quite a pleasant and interesting read, not some dull guide that you have to force yourself to plow through.