Intergalactic Rejects Kickstarter Live

Can I ask, why is this a kick starter? I see a lot of anthologies being published this way, many with well known and award winning writers. Can't these names get it trade published (obviously without the submission call, I doubt a publisher will go for unknowns being in it)?

Also, do you need to contribute financially to submit?

I do sometimes see these things and see something that's being self published with other people footing the bill for the expenses. Where does the money go? I read your link but can't see just what the money is spent on or how the book is to be published (paperback, e-book, both, print on demand). I just saw a lot of famous names that probably don't need to publish this way. If this info is there and I missed it, I apologise.

I'm sure they have their reasons and I'm not slating anyone here. I just don't get it.

ETA: I just noticed that it is paperback and e-book, but with the pledge levels that means that someone is really paying $30 for a paperback, which is a lot and $15 for an e-book, which sounds like a lot too. I know they call it pledges, but to me it looks more like a selling price.

Thanks for your interest @pdblake.

First to clear up what I think is your most important question: you do NOT need to contribute financially to submit (with the caveat that if the KSer doesn't fund, we won't be able to produce the antho--this isn't meant to convince you to contribute financially; it's just a reality). Also contributing financially will not impact editorial decisions.

This is a Kickstarter primarily because that's a major way many anthologies, books, and magazines get funded now. Brandon Sanderson famously made ~$41 million on a Kickstarter for new books. Kevin Anderson has done at least one and I think multiple Kickstarter to fund books he wants to write, but publishers may not want him to write (He's joked that he's been told by publishers that Dragon Business books aren't appropriate for the KJA name, but also that he can't publish without the KJA  name because it's so valuable). Kickstarter is also a great way to drum up interest for a book you already plan on doing some kind of inde publishing for, which is often much more lucrative than traditional publishing (Amazon pays you ~70% for an ebook; traditional publishers about 10%). There's a reason why Amazon pays authors more than all other publishers COMBINED. Even big names recognize that trade publishing might make them less money and often means giving up rights and creative control (James Owen has been told that he couldn't do his own covers--a publisher said "We didn't even let JK Rowling do her covers!"--he didn't go with that publisher).

These big names are also involved because Storm Humbert, the editor, has personal relationships with all of them to varying degrees, and they want to support his work and career. They also want to give back to the writing community and thus want to contribute to Calendar of Fool's mission.

The money for the KSer is going to to spent on paying authors (both the big names and authors from open call), production costs, shipping, giving KSer their cut. There's a very good chance that all the people editing/reading for the anthology are going to be volunteers entirely, although I don't make financial decisions for CoF. The stretch goal for the KSer are primarily for paying authors more.

The pledge levels for the ebook and paperback and other tiers are higher than the cost of most other books you find at bookstores, Amazon, etc. because the idea behind Kickstarter is that you also care about the creative project coming to be. It's not just about getting a book.

Thanks for explaining. 

There was also a great podcast about this project: https://soundcloud.com/writersofthefuture/270-calendar-of-fools-with-intergalactic-rejects?si=ee86d8e7d47d4402acc91f95fe6b0383&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Kickstarter is recently funded and blew past the first stretch goal. So we now have a forward from Neil Clarke and are paying authors 6c/word!  It's still open through Wed. Further stretch goes mean more free books for contributors and a higher pay rate for authors.