Posted on

Statement on Hotel Stormcove: Final Week

29 October 2018: For Immediate Release.

This statement addresses the situation of our campaign: (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atthisarts/hotel-stormcove) with only one week to go. Topics covered include our bottom line, a summary of what all this means, and other factors, like why I didn’t pre-select authors and also the impact of current events and Kickstarter fatigue. Please read on!

We need a hand

We are not currently on a track leading to success for this project. But crowdfunding can turn quickly, so we can definitely still succeed. We ask people to continue to back the project if they are interested, and to continue to spread the word. Despite all my work to get the word out (much of which was behind the scenes and/or has not materialized), it’s clear we need an external boost of some kind: either some larger-size pledges or, better, a substantial signal boost. So if anyone out there has a hand to extend, we will gladly grasp it. However, I’m just not going to continue to reach out to individuals at this point. I’ve reached out as far as I’m comfortable and now, while I’ll continue to make general posts about it, I am putting this campaign in the hands of fate. I hope fate likes short stories.

Summary of our project and goal

This project takes pre-orders of a collection that, if successful, will be produced in the spring. The collection will feature a diverse set of indie writers writing high-quality, artistic short stories and flash fiction around a fun theme: five minute snapshots of life within an infamous hotel. This can go so many directions, both serious and silly, so it offers a broad palette for writers. Summary: People pre-order the collection so we know we have enough money to pay the writers. Your pre-orders are not donations—they are purchases—but they help a small press support indie writers by helping to fund our up-front costs. Consider it supporting the arts and supporting small creators in a world biased toward large creators. And if the project doesn’t reach the funding goal, we will lose all the pre-orders and all the funds. And then we’d have to regroup on what to do about this collection.

If you haven’t backed the project

If you enjoy short stories or like supporting indie writers, we ask you to consider pre-ordering a copy. To do this, you’d go to this website: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atthisarts/hotel-stormcove, select a pre-order type on the right, and then check out. If the project doesn’t succeed, you won’t be charged any money. If the project does succeed, it will be because supporters like you joined us.

If you’re a current backer

Thank you so much. Your support means so much to me and to the writers who will be included, and I’m not giving up. And thank you for letting people know about the project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atthisarts/hotel-stormcove

It will be a good book

I can say this with confidence because 1) I believe in our production team 2) Writers are really interested and many of them are already preparing for the submission period.

Positive points!

Perspective time: Hey, we have over 50 pre-orders for an anthology that doesn’t exist yet, and isn’t hinged on specific names or a provocative theme. That’s awesome, and it proves people believe in us, our values, our commitment to art, and the quality of our work. However, without either more pledges and/or some higher-end pledges, it’s not getting us there. Not as it stands at the time of this post. (29 October, 51 backers, $819 in pre-orders.)

Pre-Selecting Authors

We’ve had a lot of people comment that our issue may be that we don’t have the authors up front. So, I actually thought I was doing something sort of nice by doing it this way. Something very equality-vibed that I thought people would connect with. There are two main points about this: So, say we could get a known name to agree to be in the collection, which I think I could. This just feels a little crossways with our whole point—which is supporting indie writers and amplifying unique voices. We’re not against established voices; we love them and hope they’ll submit their stories. But I thought people would like the idea of supporting a collection that will be selected on merit, not just who I think will bring more people in. Again, I know there’s a middle ground there. But, to be even more blunt, we’d probably have to guarantee a certain payment or exposure to that known voice. And now our whole equality vibe is starting to slip. If that makes sense. And…then the other point is, but if people knew they’d be included, their readers would be supporting it. Ok, honestly? The writers who would most enthusiastically promote the campaign are those who are not as established. And they are going to be buying copies themselves, bringing in their family, etc. And I didn’t want to get in that position: The whole point of this collection is to support talented indie writers, not to put the funding burden on them. Now, if this fails, maybe we’ll be forced to go back to selecting authors first. It’ll be an option on the table. I wanted to get away from that, if that makes sense.

The Election

Several people have told me that our problem is the election, the political environment, and of course a string of heartbreaking and deeply concerning attacks here in the US. I know these issues are important. None of us can stop thinking about any of it. And I hope everyone in the US who is able will do their research and vote. Yet—I believe art is important too. And while I appreciate the unapologetically angry political content of a lot of anthologies right now, we can’t live in that space all the time. It’s not healthy. And we can’t ask artists to either go into stasis during politically important times or only create art directly speaking to those issues. Besides, this anthology is meant to be unifying—our no harm guidelines ensure an inclusive, positive environment for art and diversity. So I’m not saying this collection is all fluffy either–we believe fostering and enforcing inclusive, non-harmful writing is a worthwhile contribution in these challenging times. We hoped people would see and support that, and if you’re reading this you probably have. Thank you. But, like, if the rationale out there is “you can’t make an artistic anthology because of Trump,” … I mean, that is some deflating logic. Especially if it’s true.

Fatigue

Hey, I know. And one reason I’m still hoping, really hoping, we can get this to succeed is I don’t want to have to impose another campaign on everyone again. Not saying we would, but that would be an option on the table. So, anyway, I made the call to make this collection separate from our catalogue campaign in August. I stand by that, but please know, we have no other campaigns planned right now. It would be at least a year before another collection, if we even go that way.

Way Ahead

So let’s reinflate! (pfffff…) I believe in this project, and I just know that if we succeed, we’ll put together a noteworthy collection that readers will enjoy.

But we clearly need some additional support at this point to succeed. We won’t give up, but if anyone able to offer a boost, we’d sure appreciate it. And we’ll craft a collection worthy of that support.

Again: none of the pre-order funds go to myself or my company. Every cent will go to paying indie authors. So if anyone out there has a hand to extend, we will gladly grasp it. Higher-level pledges are one way, but even better, that includes anyone out there who can boost our signal and/or get people excited.

Reasons to support: (Please feel free to share these in any way you see fit when talking about the project)

  • You enjoy short stories and flash fiction.
  • You want something fun to read or to give as gifts.
  • You like providing indie authors a paid, high-quality platform for their work.
  • You want to support a small Detroit-area press (we’re here in Funky Ferndale).
  • You believe in our values, such as amplifying unique voices or our no harm guidelines.
  • You like supporting small and indie creators, and not letting us get squeezed out by bigger companies (we aren’t against bigger companies, but there’s room for both).
  • Maybe you feel strongly about anti-oppression philosophies and want to see the only vegan-owned fiction press on Earth (to my knowledge) succeed – and you don’t need to be vegan to support this! You just have to believe in diverse voices and perspectives, and the idea of a fiction press run by someone fostering anti-oppression and non-violence ideas.
  • You like me or the team, and want to see our company succeed. (No, really, I’ll just take being liked. Yay!)
  • You believe in supporting the arts.

I do hope this perspective helps! If we don’t get there, we’ll regroup and decide what to do. But right now, I’m focused on the next week. And hoping the wind shifts our way.

Thanks for your time and support,

Emily.