Let your star sign help you decide.
McSweeney's Looks To Raise $150,000 Through Kickstarter
Literary publications are going directly to their readers for funds — and the Eggers empire is looking to raise the most.
Crossett Library / Via flic.kr
The San Francisco publishing house/literary magazine/quarterly/humor website/podcast empire McSweeney's is looking to its large community of readers for money. It launched a Kickstarter campaign today looking to raise $150,000.
"It's a big one for publishing projects on Kickstarter, it's intending to support the next slate of publications and provide ongoing support for our website," Shannon David, the development director of McSweeney's, told BuzzFeed News. The money, if they raise it, will fund a summer issue of the literary magazine The Believer and an issue of its quarterly Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, as well as support its popular humor website Internet Tendency, along with its podcast The Organist. The funds will also support its book publishing efforts.
McSweeney's, founded by Dave Eggers in 1998, announced last year that it was transitioning into a nonprofit. And that's when Kickstarter's Maris Kreizman, who works on publishing projects, got interested in hosting their effort to raise money from fans.
The rewards McSweeney's backers can receive are a perfect reflection of the quirky, positive sensibility instilled by its founder Eggers and his small army of readers, interns, and fellow authors. Backers, depending on how much money they pony up, can get the classic literary tote bag ($35), a week of email correspondence with Nick Hornby ($750), a short story by Rebecca Curtis written on homemade paper ($1,000), a short story about you by Sheila Heti ($1,000), a choose-your-own animal painting by Eggers himself ($2,500), and a letter written to the recipient of your choice by Spike Jonze on the cover page of the script of his science fiction love story Her ($9,000).
The move to getting money directly from its fans comes after McSweeney's became a sponsored project of the nonprofit arts orgnaization SOMArts, making it eligible for tax deductible donations (the Kickstarter money, however, is not deductible). "Ultimately the transition is really about a long-term vision for making this sustainable and making this place really really stick to its ambitions and keep pursuing the big projects that we've made our name on," Jordan Bass, editor-in-chief of McSweeney's, told BuzzFeed News.
McSweeney's founder Dave Eggers
Kirk Kittell / Via flic.kr
"We've already been really happy to see some support from our readership, it's cool to see people really rally around us," David said. "If enough people pitch in, a relatively small contribution from a big group, we're giving people a chance to participate in what we do in a way we haven't done before."
There's never been more writing about books or a more precarious time for the people doing it. Readers can feast on free content, while publishers and writers make due with cheap web ads and donations.
"We've always been pretty open about that over the years, the viability of an independent press," Bass said. "Trying to publish an experimental literary magazine is never going to be a blue chip enterprise."
Other literary projects have successfully raised money on Kickstarter, but none with the cache of McSweeney's and for much smaller amounts. Emily Gould and Ruth Curry's feminist publishing and book selling project Emily Books or indie publisher Coffee House Press' book about cat videos were able to raise $42,000 and $31,000, respectively. The all-volunteer literary magazine Guernica was able to raise $27,000 to help pay writers, and publish e-books and special issues.
"This isn't a tip jar," Kreizman said. "It's a place where you can go and get something from the organizations you love while still benefiting them."
The campaign runs for a month, ending June 5. "We'll be biting our nails then for sure," Bass said.
Which "Great Expectations" Character Are You?
If I were you, I wouldn’t have great expectations for this quiz.
How Many Of These Movies Adapted From Books Have You Seen?
Even though the book was obviously better.
A Definitive Ranking Of Every Character Who Says "Winter Is Coming"
But really…Winter is Coming.
"Winter is coming" is probably the most quotable recurring line in Game of Thrones. It has been said many times, by many different characters. But who says it best?
Ramsay Snow*
When Ramsay utters those three magical words, he does so as a conniving little monster, who is only tricking Theon into thinking he's safe. To put it simply, he doesn't deserve to say it.
HBO / Via dailyedge.ie
Renly Baratheon
The full quote he says is, "Winter may be coming, but I'm afraid the same cannot be said for my brother." He's self-indulgent when he says it. He's looking out for number one. And to him, that's not Ned Stark.
HBO / Via makeagif.com
Benjen Stark
There's something special about a Stark saying "Winter is coming." While there's nothing wrong with the delivery, it doesn't have that Ned Stark spark.
HBO
This Guy Built A TARDIS In His House And We're Totally Jealous
Is this real life? Please say yes!
Ever want to have a party inside the TARDIS console room with all your friends?
Of course you have!
BBC / Via netflix.com
Well, there's a guy who can help with that.
And no, it isn't the Doctor.
Jayman White / Via youtube.com
Jayman White is from the countryside of Sunshine Coast Australia.
When he's not recreating the inside of the greatest time-space travel machine the universe has ever seen, he works part-time in construction with his father, and as a barista/bartender the rest of the time.
Jayman White / Via crazyfoalrus.deviantart.com
Jayman told BuzzFeed Life, he's been a fan of Doctor Who since he was 10 years old.
He grew up watching the black and white reruns after school.
Jayman White / Via crazyfoalrus.deviantart.com
