Pubslush 101

Why Pubslush?

Pubslush is a global publishing platform for authors to raise funds, understand their audience, and publish successfully (via self-publishing or traditional publishing).

Books, books, books.

Pubslush is a platform exclusively for books. Often on other crowdfunding sites, books are lost next to extremely dynamic, visual projects such as films and inventions. Most importantly, we are first and foremost a community of book lovers and literary influencers.

Flexible funding:

We allow authors to keep the funds they raise, even if they don’t reach their goal. This is because the cost of publishing can vary greatly, and any amount of money can help.

Analytics:

Comprehensive supporter demographics so authors can target their book marketing campaigns effectively, using data science. Our advanced analytics collect an actionable dataset including supporters’ location, age, gender, traffic source, click through rates, and more. View Sample.

MKT.

Use our biddable marketplace of freelance publishing professionals to build your publishing dream team. Or find all the services you need from our trusted partner network.

A platform optimized for authors.

• Promotion tools:

  

  Advanced toolbox designed specifically for authors including direct email importing, embeddable HTML badges, social media integration, survey tool, etc.

• Resources:

  Professional resource series for navigating the publishing industry so authors can knowledgeably publish their book through whichever route they choose!

Low fee, free to start:

We offer the lowest flat rate in the industry at just 4% plus third party processing fees. Choose a campaign duration between 30 and 60 days.

We're a publisher, too.

Pubslush was built with authors in mind, by people who understand authors. Our independent imprint, powered by readers, acquires books for publication exclusively from our publishing platform.

Join our fight against illiteracy.

Our publishing imprint donates a children’s book to a child in need for every book sold. But simply by using our platform, any author can elect to be part of our commitment to support children’s literacy initiatives worldwide.

Risk free, contract free.

It’s free to submit a book on Pubslush, and at the very least authors walk away with funds to make their book a reality and a better understanding of their initial market. Plus, authors always maintain all of their rights. It’s a win-win-win.

International.

Our platform is completely global and for authors (and readers) around the world.

How it Works

Submit

Upload a summary and the best 10 pages of your work. Then design your own fundraising goals and incentives for supporters.

Support

Once you launch your campaign, promote your book and gain the support you need to meet your goals!

Publish

Use the funds you raise to publish successfully! Whether you decide to self-publish, approach an agent, or take the traditional publishing route, the money you raise on Pubslush will help you along the way.

Pricing and Logistics

Flexible Funding + Minimum:

Even though Pubslush uses flexible funding, all campaigns must raise a minimum of $500 to be funded. Also, authors may increase this minimum to protect themselves from receiving insufficient funds to fulfill their obligations to supporters.

Fees:

Pubslush Fee	4%
Third Party Fees*	3.5%
Total Fees	7.5% + applicable wire fees

*Pubslush has developed a secure processing technology with WePay, the world’s must trusted ecommerce solutions provider. Credit card processing fees are 3.5%.

Disbursement of Funds:

All funds will be delivered via wire transfer. At the completion of successful campaigns, authors will be asked to provide their bank details through a secure server. All funds are processed in US dollars.

Pubslush Press

We also operate a publishing arm, Pubslush Press: the people's publisher! We acquire books that trend highly on the site, and for every book sold, we donate a children's book to a child in need. Our publishing arm is very nontraditional. Here are some of the highlights:

Readers decide

We're cutting out the middleman and introducing readers directly into the publishing equation. Did you know that Harry Potter was rejected by the 12 publishers to which it was initially sent? Since its release in 1997, it has become the best selling series of all time. Doesn't say much about the existing process.

Freelance, project-based model

Our publishing model is not only scalable, but highly personalized. It doesn't matter if we publish one book a year or one million. That's because we keep our overhead low by building a specialized freelance team of professionals around each title, who actually have a vested interested in the project's success.

Logical distribution

Oh, distribution! How did it become so contrived, impersonal, and insane? We stepped back to look at what actually makes sense when printing and distributing a book. Our distribution model varies from book to book, and considers every option available to create a highly complex and informed plan of attack. We examine it all: offset, POD, trade, exclusive relationships, digital, indie, brick and mortar, book clubs, and beyond.

Linking publishing with literacy

The synergy seems natural, but bizarrely enough, it isn’t such a huge part of the industry. If anything, it mainly exists as an after thought and usually involves the donation of a publisher’s existing titles. We thought implementing a one for one donation program would be an incredible way to bridge the gap and allow us to donate books that are actually conducive to affecting children, and no we don’t mean the Twilight series.

The Cause

Pubslush Foundation - The of Pubslush

Be part of a cause that matters! When submitting your book, simply indicate a percentage of your funds raised to be donated to children's literacy initiatives worldwide. We work with established nonprofit giving partners to understand the needs of their children and provide books and resources accordingly. In addition, our focus is not only on academic books, but also on storybooks. We believe books ignite the imagination and facilitate sustainable change.

Before You Submit

Book Profile

Overview

Provide a 20 word overview pitch that encapsulates the essence of your book. Focus on setting a scene and capturing the mood of your book. This is challenging. Accept that.

Summary

Describe the book, outline the plot, capture the tone, set the scene, draw people in, but don't reveal too much! This should be 250 words or less. Briefly introduce the who/what/when/where/why, but be sure to withhold enough detail to create suspense. Do not (under any circumstances) give away the ending! You can indicate the genre if it's relevant, but don't compare your work to other novels (it's tacky). Remember, the summary should be comprehensive enough that the reader can continue on to your excerpt without confusion, but does not need to discuss absolutely every plot twist in the story. You want to present the best of the story line, and then leave them wanting more.

Cover image

This is your chance to portray your book visually. It should be creative, visually appealing, and relevant to your content. NOT a book cover.

Additional information:

• Genre and page length:

  Self explanatory we hope!

• Book status:

  Select from idea, working draft, or completed manuscript.

• Tags:

  A fun way to describe your book and to increase chances for discovery.

Excerpt

Choose the best ten pages from your manuscript (obviously, they should be consecutive). These pages should stand alone essentially as a short story. Meaning someone should be able to read and enjoy them without being completely lost. Your sample should be polished, captivating and pique your audience's interest. Avoid sections that require too much explanation, that reveal too much, or are confusing; you want to leave your readers aching to know where your story is headed.

Enhancing Your Profile

Video

Studies have suggested that videos play a crucial role in convincing people to support you online. A video message will let your readers know that you're serious about the publication process and you're ready to get the ball rolling. People want to feel connected to you and your compelling story. Why do you deserve to be published? What will convince your readers that you're worthy of their support?

Try and stay away from conventional book trailers. They tend to be boring. People want to see and hear you. Keep it personal!

The video should be a short clip that introduces you and your book. Tell us why you wrote it and why we should read it. The more you can incorporate your own personal story, the better.

Q&A

We will provide you with some suggested questions, but feel free to create your own as well! This section will serve as a short author interview or space to provide more detailed information that you think might be useful for supporters. This is an amazing opportunity to provide more personal insight into your book. Don't be afraid to share your story. What was your inspiration, what do you plan to do with your funds, when will you finish the book, etc.

Pinboard

Upload any images relevant to your book that help tell the story visually. They can be your own pictures or images you find around the web.

Funding Information

• Goal:

  This is the ideal amount you'd like to receive to make your book a success. This amount can always be exceeded.

• Minimum:

  All campaigns must raise at least $500 to be funded. You have the option to increase this minimum to protect yourself from receiving insufficient funds to actually fulfill your obligations to supporters. This amount must be greater than or equal to $500 and less than or equal to your goal.

• Duration:

  Choose between 30 and 60 days. We recommend 30 days for most campaigns, but if you’re going for a large goal we understand you may need extra time. Remember, the longer your campaign, the less urgency. Short, targeted durations are proven more effective. Books are funded at the end of the campaign duration.


• Pubslush Foundation:

  If you'd like to join our cause, you can indicate a percentage of your proceeds to be donated to our foundation. As a thank you, you'll receive special recognition on the site and increased visibility.

• Research your budget:

  You are responsible for knowing how much funding you need to publish your book so you can set your minimum and goal appropriately. Depending on your intentions and the type of book, costs can vary greatly. We recommend building in some padding.

Goal: Self-publish: 15,000

• Editing + Design + Layout + Digital + PR

Goal: Professional: 30,000

• Editing + Design + Layout + Digital + PR + Marketing

Goal: Attract publisher/agent attention: 40,000

Service	Price
Editing*	2500-5000
Cover Design	2000
Layout and formatting	2000
Digital Conversion	1000
Marketing	5000-15000
PR	10000-15000
Total	22500-35000

*Includes copyediting and proofreading.

Other costs:

Ghostwriting, copyright, ISBN, enhanced ebook

Reward Levels

As a thank you to your supporters, you will offer rewards for various levels of support. You can give anything you choose, but we have put together a list of suggestions to get you started. You are legally responsible to supporters for these promises, so make sure you can fulfill them.

Types of rewards include:

• Recognition:

  People love this! Give your supporters a special section in your book, send them thank you notes, make them feel appreciated!

• Memorabilia:

  For the less expensive levels, offering fun, limited edition, creative tokens (like a poster of your book cover) is a great way to give people a special part of your book's journey.

• Books:

  Well, duh! Be careful because books are expensive to print and ship, but of course offering the final, first edition copy of your book is a no-brainer. Digital books (and digital previews) are also a great option. Remind supporters that they’ll receive the book before it even goes on sale.

• Personal interaction:

  Promise a book club, a dinner or lunch, invitation to your book's launch, etc.

• Special:

  This is where you can get really creative. Perhaps offer to include a special writing in the epilogue of your book for your biggest supporters. Or a special mention in the front of the book. If your book is about Japan, maybe offer a handcrafted itinerary for visiting Tokyo. You get the idea.

Sample Support Levels + Rewards:

Level	Reward Idea
5	Personalized thank you email; love and gratitude; branded bookmark
15	Limited preview of digital book; signed postcard of book cover
25	Digital book
50	Printed book with "discovered by" recognition
100	Signed, special edited book with "discovered by" recognition; 4 copies to share
250	Virtual book club with the author; 12 copies to share
500	Dinner with the author (must be local); invitation to the book launch party
1000	Dedication in the front of the book; character named after you

A few reminders:

• Key levels: $25 - $100 will heavily influence whether or not you are successful. Make sure that the incentives for these levels are creative and desirable so that you can make the most out of your time on Pubslush!
• Disproportionate reward pricing: This is a fundraising platform, not a bookstore. If a book costs you $10 to print and ship, then you should be sure to price that level higher than $10 in order to earn a profit.
• Unexpected costs: Producing and delivering rewards can be expensive if you're not careful, shipping being the most overlooked cost. Be sure to research the costs you could incur to plan accordingly.
• International promises: If you're shipping physical rewards, it's a good idea to note in relevant reward descriptions that international supporters should add $X to their support.

Preparing for Success

A successful campaign doesn't happen overnight or without planning. It's up to you to get the ball rolling and develop a comprehensive outreach strategy.

Here are some key points to remember:

• Prepare:

  This is the most important part! If you do not prepare a strategy before you submit, your campaign will suffer. Outline your goals and how you plan to achieve them so when you submit, you're ready to go full speed ahead.

• Keep it targeted:

   If your book has a focus or obvious audience, go for that. Don’t spread yourself thin reaching out to every random person you can find.

• Creative, not stupid:

  We encourage finding new outlets for sharing your book's story, but don't be naïve or silly in your expectations. We're guessing Good Morning America probably isn't interested in talking to you about your book that's not published yet. Be smart and don't waste your time with pointless outreach.

• Offline:

  By all means, take your promotion to the streets. Go local, meet up, do it all!

• The Guide:

  Check out our amazing, comprehensive guide for running a successful campaign online. This is the real deal.

Pubslush Tools

The Guide - by Scott James (redhatproject.com)

You automatically have some advantages by using Pubslush:

• You are on a site dedicated to books, so you know that visitors are readers.
• You have access to professional presentation and social tools, payment processing, and support.
• You are on a site full of authors and readers who support a philanthropic, crowdsourced approach to publishing.

The fact remains, though, that getting the word out, using social media, managing your time, and writing your messages are all challenges. These charts are suggestions for how to successfully overcome those challenges and keep you and your Pubslush book project moving on the road to getting published!

Getting the Word Out

Do

Do Not

1. Use the network you already have. Now is the time to ask people and media you have a pre-existing connection with for help, not for building up your network. 2. Personalize your outreach. Sending individual emails and posts takes more time, yes, but it's also much more effective. 3. Figure out what works through trial and error. Try several outreach methods the first week of your campaign. Then spend more time on what is working and less on what is not. 4. Define your ideal reader. Use the Pubslush demographic and survey tools to find your readers. Whether your book is YA, Sci-Fi, memoir, or How-To, some people will be more interested than others. 5. Be specific. Ask for specific actions or help from your network. Also, promote specific aspects of your campaign, not just the fact that you've written a book.

1. Contact bloggers you don't know. Bloggers get LOTS of pitches. Even your perfectly crafted pitch email sadly has a small chance of getting noticed. Even then, it's hard to get people to write about you needing money. 2. Send out mass emails. Don't spam your friends, family, or work colleagues. We all get lots of these messages everyday. They're easy to ignore. Plus, people often figure someone else will help you out so they don't. 3. Wait until things are "perfect." There will always be changes and adjustments you can make. Don't make excuses and let yourself procrastinate. 4. Complain in public. Social media is not a good place to vent when you are building a readership. Vent at home, stay positive in public. 5. Be too humble. Nobody wants to deal with an egomaniac, but you just wrote a book. That's impressive, and people will want to help you. Believe in yourself when you ask people to do something for you. You are worth it!

Using Social Media

Do

Do Not

1. Use your current networks. If you use Twitter and Facebook already, do your outreach there rather than setting up a brand new account somewhere else. 2. Time it right. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the days when the majority of people are active on social media. Put the bulk of your energy into getting the word out during that time. 3. Be specific. Talk to individuals, not big groups. Use @messages & DM's on Twitter, use tags on Facebook, forums on GoodReads, etc. 4. Use analytics. Pay attention to the Pubslush analytics and learn from them. Use a url shortener like bit.ly to shorten your link. It is free and it will tell you things like how many clicks you get, what network they came from, and what time people click. 5. Stay consistent. You already have a network of people you talk to. Continue using it the way you always have, just add your Pubslush book project into the mix. I suggest a 5:1 ratio of "Other stuff" : "Your Pubslush project."

1. Sign up for a new social network. If you aren't on there when you start, don't join to promote your campaign. You will waste a lot of time learning how to use it and trying to "get followers/friends/etc." 2. Reach too high. Don't try to get celebrities to RT or talk about your project. It rarely happens, and even if it does, you may very well be disappointed in the results. 3. Be general. Don't post things to your feed/stream and wonder why nobody is clicking on them. We are all on information overload and respond best to things directed specifically at us. 4. Fail to adjust. As Einstein said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." If something's not working, it won't start working just because you are hoping harder. 5. Be spammy. It's tempting to only talk about your Pubslush project because that's what your life is about during the campaign. Keep interacting with your friends and online connections like you always have. Simply add in your Pubslush campaign as a topic.

Writing Your Messages

Do

Do Not

1. Be specific. When you ask for help, ask for something specific. For example, "Please pre-order the book on Pubslush" or "Please post my Pubslush Project link to your Facebook page." 2. Ask for one thing at a time. If you want people to pre-order the book, just ask them to do that. Sending a list of things you expect them to do is unrealistic. You risk people losing interest and not doing anything, or feeling overwhelmed, or putting it off until they have time to do everything. Focus on getting people to do the one thing you want them to do. 3. Get to the point. Emails should be less than 100 words. Social media posts should all be around 140 characters. 4. Stay positive. You are leading a campaign. To show that in words, you are "growing" or "building" or "working hard." 5. Send a link. When you send a Pubslush project outreach email, send one link per email. Keep everyone focused and don't be confusing. People have a limited amount of time to read and then act on your email. Make it simple for them to know what you want them to do and then go do it.

1. Be general. If you just generally ask for their support, everyone will have a different definition of "support." You will get lots of different responses, often not exactly what you intended to ask. For example, do not tell people "Whatever you can do would be great!" 2. Give options or a list. People often don't have time to do a whole list of things to help you. And if you give people options, you'll get two things done halfway. Pick one action, send an email about that. 3. Write too much. Save the description for your project page. In emails and social media, keep it crisp and interesting. Your goal is to get people to click. Once they get to your Pubslush Project, then you WOW them with a video and a description. 4. Complain in public. You will get tired and frustrated. Don't air that. In words, you are not "exhausted" or "going crazy" or "worn out." That you tell whoever you live with or your bartender :) 5. Don't send attachments. Links are easier to trust, you can change the text, and they are easy to cut/paste.

Here's a good outreach email:

Hi Tom,

I'm writing about my new Pubslush project for the novel I just wrote! Learn about it here: Pubslush.com/mynewnovel.

If you like it, please post it to your Facebook page.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best,
Pubby McPubslush

Here's a confusing outreach email:

Dear Sir or Madam:

My name is Pubby McPubslush. I've been an author for over ten years, and I can't believe it has taken me this long to finish my first novel! Like many writers, I struggle with finishing my projects. But that's why I'm writing to you- I have finished my first novel!!!

I'm using a new service called Pubslush. It's this amazing website where you can list your book, and then people can go and donate money and when you donate a lot of money then the book gets published. Isn't that great?

I posted my new book there. It's a sci-fi hipster romance about two vampire aliens trying to build a log cabin on Jupiter, but the Zombie government won't let them because of Red Spot zoning issues. It has a little bit of Twilight plus some Asimov in there, and I think you'll love it.

Anyway, if you go to Pubslush.com and search for "Jupiter's Cabin" it will come up. I greatly appreciate any support you can give me!!!

Thank you so much,
Pubby McPubslush