But what is crowdfunding anyway? It can be said it is nothing more, nothing less than to pass the hat in the digital era. Crowdfunding for books is based on the process of budgeting in advance a production value for that product and offering it with a fundraising target to customers, inviting them to help finance the book project so that it leaves the paper and gets produced.
Unbelievably, publishing funding is not something new in Brazil. In the 70s and 80s, many independent authors already sold their works in advance to readers interested in investing. This was a way to help them finance their projects. Today, in the digital age, this feature has become even more efficient and accessible.
what are the Benefits of this new editorial trend
Currently, a large part of the book market works following the traditional logic of publishing. In this way, project costs are budgeted according to print run, cover price, and expenses with production, graphic design, print marketing, transport, and storage.
Therefore, this product is placed on the market, hoping that the investment made will have a return for the company and the author of the work. But when we talk about crowdfunding, all costs involving production are usually guaranteed by the collaboration of customers even before the production process is started.
This makes authors able to promote and publish their books without having to pay large amounts, which encourages new writers in their projects.
Catarse, the largest crowdfunding platform in Brazil
Most of these books that are collectively financed in Brazil happen with Catarse, the largest crowdfunding tool in the country. Founded in 2011, the platform is now a meeting point for a community of people interested in effectively contributing to bringing thousands of creative projects to the world.
Beyond books, Catarse brings together journalists, artists, musicians, researchers, gamers, and entrepreneurs looking for supporters for their projects. In recent years, the platform has been a strong ally of the Brazilian publishing market, as it is a space that allows the viability of various publishing projects.
“Without a doubt, the possibility of publishing a book through advance sale in the crowdfunding format makes independent literary projects possible”, says Chris Ritchie, who has already used Catarse for the publication of the illustrated book “Around the world in a December”, an initiative of her project “Livro Que Marca”.
Ritchie also points out that this way of publication “results in a wide variety of themes and authors outside the dominant axis, which means being able to give voice to minorities and silenced or erased realities”.
Still talking about her experience, she explains that despite the difficulty of daily disclosure for the realization of the financing, the days of hard work without receiving, and the anxiety of all the expectations for the long-awaited publication of the book, believing in her project of literary activism was what kept her going.
“It makes us believe that a fairer, less petty, and utilitarian future is possible – and that, in my view, is perhaps the greatest merit of crowdfunding”.
Chris Ritchie
—————————————————
The article above was edited by Isabela Novelli.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Casper Libero home page for more!