Sally Jenkins

Here’s a new way of getting your book published. Pitch your idea to a group of readers and ask them to stump up the cash to get it into print. The Unbound website goes into more detail saying:

“If you back a project before it reaches its funding target, you get your name printed in the back of every copy and immediate behind-the-scenes access to the author’s shed. If any project fails to hit its funding target, you get refunded in full.”

The ‘author’s shed’ includes access to interviews, draft chapters and progress reports on the book, amongst other things.

Readers can pledge differing amounts from £10 to £250 and earn similarly varying rewards from an e-book edition of the book to lunch with the author, invites to the launch party and goodie bags. Details are here.

The website has details of the authors and books currently looking for publication funding.

But the pitching is not all virtual. Unbound Live! events allow the authors to stand up and pitch directly to an audience (I can’t imagine anything more nerve-wracking than trying to explain my idea for a book to a room full of people!). Birmingham is to host the first library Unbound Live! event. It’s on July 10th 7pm at the Library Theatre. I’m disappointed that I can’t make it but for anybody that can, the details are here. (And thanks to Frances for alerting me to this event).

Publishing is a gamble so it makes sense to ensure that there is an audience willing to pay for your work in advance.

What do you think? Could you be tempted to fund a book in this way? Would you like to pitch in this way?

Related articles

• Unbound Live: Readers decide which books get written (theculturecut.wordpress.com)