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7 Days to Build a Kickstarter: Day 3

DAY 3: SETTING UP YOUR PREVIEW PAGE




First, let's get your campaign draft started. Create a new project and select "Publishing." This begins your journey to the preview page - a crucial tool for building your following before launch.


Project Title Tips:Your title needs to work hard - it's your first chance to grab attention. Format: [Type of Book] + [Genre/Age Group] + [Hook or Key Trope]


Simple and strong title examples:

  • "Enchanted Academy: Deluxe Hardcover with Character Art | YA Fantasy"

  • "Murder at Midnight: Illustrated Special Edition | Cozy Mystery"

  • "Dragon Riders: Collector's Edition Box Set | Middle Grade Fantasy"

  • "Small Town Romance: Special Edition Trilogy | Clean Romance"

  • "Cosmic Horror Tales: Limited Hardback | Lovecraftian Horror"


You don't have to stick to just that format. It's a simple one that works, but sometime we like to get creative with Kickstarter titles while keeping them clear and marketable. Here's a few ideas of how to craft titles that stand out:


Play With Format:

  • "BLOODLINES: A Gothic Romance Reimagined in Gold Foil & Black Velvet"

  • "The Tea Dragon's Library | Hand-Bound Fairytales with Pressed Flowers"

  • "STARFALL ACADEMY: Where Every Page Sparkles (Holographic Special Edition)"


Use Unique Production Features:

  • "Leather & Starlight: A Space Opera Bound in Galaxy-Dyed Leather"

  • "Whispers in the Margins: A Romance with Hidden Messages in Silver Ink"

  • "Ravens & Gold Leaf: Dark Academia with Illuminated Pages"


Leverage Special Content:

  • "Witch's Grimoire: Recipe Book + Spell Journal (Interactive Edition)"

  • "Pirates & Sirens: Now with Sea Shanties & Navigation Charts"

  • "Dragon Keeper's Handbook: Field Notes & Creature Sketches Edition"


Play to Your Audience's Interests:

  • "Cottagecore Dreams: A Cozy Mystery with Pressed Herb Bookmarks"

  • "Sapphic Space Pirates: Pride Flag Special Editions"

  • "Monster Romance: Annotated with Love Letters to the Beast"


For Collections/Series:

  • "The Fae Chronicles: From Manuscript to Gilded Tomes"

  • "Wild Magic: A Trilogy Wrapped in Vintage Map Covers"

  • "Coffee Shop Romance: 4 Seasons, 4 Stories, 4 Specialty Bookmarks"


Remember to:

  • Keep it under 60 characters if possible

  • Make the format clear (hardcover, special edition, etc.)

  • Include keywords your audience searches for

  • Hint at unique features that make your edition special


The key is balancing creativity with clarity - your title should intrigue potential backers while clearly telling them what they're getting. Think about what makes your book unique and lean into that.


Header Image (1656x813 pixels):This needs to show your book in its best light. This needs to focus almost entirely on the book itself. Using character art as a background can help attract an audience, but the composition still needs to focus on the book. Fun fact, you don't even have to have text on the graphic! While you can pop the title on there if you want, you really can get away with just 3d mock ups and art and still have a very successful campaign.


Below are a few examples of headers from successful campaigns.





This entire campaign used stock images to build the campaign for everything other than the book covers! Most of these that we are showing actually used stock images to build a branded and eye catching campaign. We will show more of that in a later week to show how to use images to create a branded looking campaign.



Sometimes creating a hook such as Team Hero or Team Villain can pull potential backers in as well. These images also work great for social media and ads as well later. You also aren't stuck with just one image the entire time. You can swap things out and even put back up banners you've already used.




You can use a hook on your banner as well. If you do, you need to make it short so the text can be seen while it's in thumbnail. Most potential backers will only see it in thumbnail.


While you can hire out for someone to create graphics for you, to save money this is something you can learn how to do yourself.


For 3D book mockups, you have several options:


Free Tools:


Paid Options:

  • Place-it.net ($8-15 per mockup)

  • Book Brush subscription

  • Fiverr designers ($5-20)


Create your graphics using:

  • Canva (free or Pro)

  • Adobe Express (free version available)

  • Book Brush

  • Photoshop if you have it


Preview Page Content Ideas:

  1. Book blurb (hook them early)

  2. Trope list with icons

  3. Sample chapter

  4. Mood board

  5. Character art previews

  6. Interior formatting samples

  7. Special edition features list

  8. Production timeline


Before your Kickstarter can start gathering followers, you need to have your Kickstarter pass review. YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE A COMPLETELY BUILT KICKSTARTER TO GET IT TO PASS REVIEW. You really only need it to show a few things.


Your preview page needs to show:

  • This is a new product (even if it's a special edition)

  • Clear creator ownership

  • Professional presentation

  • Project focus (not personal funding/charity)

  • Basic rewards structure


You don't need a complete campaign for review. Include:

  • Basic project description

  • 2-3 reward tiers

  • Simple timeline (you are not committed to this launch date. Kickstarter will not launch your Kickstarter for you. You have to push that button yourself.)

  • Rights statement (confirming you own/have rights)

  • Creator bio


Key Elements for Your Header Image:

  • Book mockup front and center

  • Clear title (even if it's just on the book itself)

  • Genre indicators (visual elements)

  • Edition type (Special Edition, Illustrated, etc.)

  • Professional fonts

  • Clean, uncluttered design


Extra Preview Page Tips:

  • Let them see a sneak peek of what is coming

  • Put up a chapter or scene sneak peek. This can even be set up on Bookfunnel or StoryOrigin (even the free version)

  • Post visual hooks. Why this edition is so special and they NEED to get it.

  • Remember to keep this all about them. They don't care why you need this Kickstarter to fund. It's all about them.

  • Kickstarter is not a lowball site. People on Kickstarter are there to find the unique and special. They expect things to cost more.


Remember: The preview phase is crucial for building momentum. Take time to engage with followers and refine your page based on feedback. A strong following often translates to a strong launch. Some campaigns are up for a year or longer just gathering followers so they can launch bigger. Not everyone who follows will back it so the more the better.



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