Writer's Journey - Brandon Sanderson's Surprise
So, I’ve been watching Brandon Sanderson’s incredible Kickstarter, which was launched as a surprise on every level. If you haven’t come across Brandon, in addition to his own series, he wrote the last three books of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time and is a creative consultant on the series on Amazon Prime.
Brandon’s surprise was offering four surprise new books for a Kickstarter with a million dollar goal. My guess is, based on his video about the project, is that these were books he wanted to write and the publishers weren’t going to be particularly interested in.
What apparently surprised Brandon is when even CNBC noticed he’s raised more money on Kickstarter than any other Kickstarter ever, and first surpassed $20 million raised in only 3 days (that was the formerly the most money raised and achieved over a month).
Brandon is one of the founders of the Superstars Writing Seminars that I attended again last month. I had dinner with him eleven years ago at that conference with five other authors.
Brandon raised on the order of $14 million the first day of the surprise Kickstarter, making it the #2 most successful launch in Kickstarter history. Four days later, support quickly topped 90,000 backers. (After the first eleven days, it topped 120,000 backers and $28 million.)
At Superstars — or any of the cons where I’ve been to panels on Kickstarters — no one suggests doing a surprise Kickstarter. But Brandon’s been building up his fan base, and connecting with them since before I met him years ago.
Seminar co-founder Keven J. Anderson shared at last month’s conference that Brandon had hoped to join us this year but was rather busy. (I guess working on a million dollar surprise Kickstarter will do that.) He told us that Brandon plans to join us next year. Somehow, I think he’ll be talking about the importance of connecting with readers and building one’s fanbase… His writer’s journey is inspiring. He wrote his first published novel, Elantris, while working as the night manager at a hotel. He then met the man who would about a year later become his agent. He was just chatting with the person next to him at the bar at a sci fi convention. They’d been having an interesting conversation, at the end of which he learned the fellow shared he was an agent, and asked, “If you have a book, send it to me.” Brandon did. The agent sat on it for a year busy with other projects, then seeing he had no other manuscripts to read and a few minutes before he went on vacation, read the first few pages. He missed his vacation and sold the book.
Brandon’s big into paying it forward. About nine years ago, he was the Guest of Honor at Balticon and had his agent hearing pitches from anyone who got in line. I suddenly pitched a science fiction novel. It wasn’t what the agent was looking for, but I, like scores of others, got a wonder chance to pitch our books. Brandon didn’t have to do that. But that’s Brandon. (I’ve since published that book and a sequel.)
So, I couldn’t be happier at the success of Brandon’s Kickstarter, which will give him four best-sellers out of the box and may remind his publishers in the future that, well, maybe they should have considered one or all of those projects. Then again, Brandon likely surprised them as well. According to the CNBC article I read, Brandon’s purpose of doing the Kickstarter was to be able to sell his book swag more effectively -- and he was writing books his wife was going to enjoy. I guess, that’s one way of looking at launching four books without titles or even sharing what they are about. Though, Brandon has shared that they are, “Awesome.”
That’s good enough for his fans — and this fan.
Now, on the promo front, Knight of the Broken Table is Free on Kindle on March 6 and for several days thereafter. Changeling Knight, Book 2 of the Knights Tower series, is my current project and scheduled for publication later this year.
In addition, Last Knight, prequel to Knight of the Broken Table, appears in Sci-fi & Fantasy Giveaway. The Dragon’s Curse appears in Free Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal eBooks promo, which is a prequel to Highmage’s Plight, along with Knight of the Broken Table which is in the Kindle Unlimited promo, Kindle Dreams and Nightmares group promo.
My, oh, my, a wonderful week to check out free books and novellas.
Also, on the giveaway front, Apocalypse Knot, prequel to Bigfoot is Not Your Friend is featured this month in the Dystopian & Apocalyptic Collapse promo.
Finally, on sale are:
Nowhere to Go But Mars, my reverse Ellis Island meets Noah's Ark immigration experience (novella) in this wonderful promo, Quick Read Novellas & Short Stories.
Terran Catalyst, Book 1 of my space opera, is now on sale for 99 cents in a variety of ebook formats (Books to Read links). Catalyst (Kindle) follows the ship and crew of the retrofitted freighter, Charlie B., on what was supposed to be its last run to save the family and company from insolvency.
Dare to Believe.
D.H.