🤯 Oh, HOLY WOW
Hey, what's up? (pretending to be calm)
(immediately gives up)
OH MY GOSH CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE KICKSTARTER FOR A SECOND?
Unstuck is the memoir I wrote about moving to New Zealand.
Only, it's not about moving to New Zealand.
It's about becoming an adult and doing all the Things You're Supposed To Do and then realizing how TRAPPED you feel, but maybe you shouldn't, because you wanted all this, right?
It's about digging yourself out of that trap. Getting yourself unstuck.
For the Kickstarter, I set a low goal. The goal was $2,000 because I was worried I wouldn't hit it. (Classic fear of failure, a timeless hit. 🎶 You might know how that one goes yourself!)
We smashed that goal. The Kickstarter funded in two hours.
I had to leave the house and pace the neighborhood, no lie. I couldn't watch the numbers move, couldn't watch the incredibly lovely way people were supporting me. (Sometimes love and support freaks me out. Classic imposter syndrome, 🎶 another top forty hit.)
So now that I've breathed into a virtual paper bag for a while, I've set the stretch goals, and I'm going to confess to my dream. I do love confessing my dreams. Once I've figured where I've hidden them. (Classic denial! 🎶 What a perennial bop!)
So here it is:
I want to make enough from this Kickstarter to be able to call it my "book advance," the one I didn't get from a traditional publisher, because I didn't ask my agent to send it to any, because I wanted to keep control of this book, every inch of it.
You're a writer. YOU get it.
✏️ Speaking of being a writer, I have specific writer perks over there, including coaching with me (I rarely do this anymore) and my May online writing retreat is being offered at a huge discount. I'd love to write with you. ✏️
So stretch goals! What even are they?
They're cool! If we hit them, then EVERYONE wins! For each stretch goal hit, everyone who pledges gets a little more from the Kickstarter than they originally thought!
If we hit $10,000 (oh my god, we are so close), then I'm going to hire my favorite local artist to do a family portrait of me, Lala, and our dog, Professor Junebug. I will ask the backers to take a poll to determine what we should be DOING in this great piece of art. (That's what's known as fun danger.😁) And it will be inserted into all the books.
If we hit $15,000, then I'll write a bonus epilogue. Almost a full year has passed since I wrote the end of Unstuck - a lot of good material ripe for the epilogue-ing.
If we hit $20,000, then I'll gather some musicians around me and record a version of California Stars that might make you weep. If I can talk my sister Bethany (who recently moved here) into singing it with me, you will weep, and not because it's bad. Sister harmony, yo. (Classic confidence in our singing skills. 🎶 A top ten hit I wish I listened to more!)
If we blow past these goals?
Then I'll unveil even more. (I can admit I'm too scared to think past these.)
❤️ Thank you, if you're already pledged.
❤️ Thank you, if you're thinking about doing so.
❤️ Thank you, if you're just still reading in bed because you can't sleep and you can't or don't want to pledge but you just like hanging out with me in the ether of the internet. I appreciate you, too.
Always.
love,
Rachael
PS - One of the best ways to grow a Kickstarter is to share it. If you know anyone who might also like reading a memoir about getting unstuck, will you forward this to them? I'd be so grateful!