BackerKit FAQ
How does BackerKit crowdfunding work?
Crowdfunding is a collaborative way to bring ideas and projects to life. Project creators post their idea for a project, and backers pledge money to make the project possible. Backers get behind the scenes access and backer-only rewards, which can include exclusive products, special pricing, creative input, content, and more.
To become a backer, select a pledge level that features the reward(s) you would like to receive when the project is successfully completed and make your contribution.
All-or-nothing crowdfunding model: The creator sets a funding goal and a deadline to raise funds. If the project does not meet the goal by the deadline, backers credit cards are not charged and no money changes hands.
Crowdfunding projects can happen at various stages of the creative process. Make sure to check the estimated timeline of when rewards will be delivered. Project creators will keep you updated on the progress toward completion and delivery of your rewards.
Backing a crowdfunding campaign is not the same as purchasing an item from a store. When you back a campaign you are supporting the creation of something new. Rewards are almost always delivered, but are not guaranteed.
When will I be charged for my pledge?
Your payment method will not be charged right away. You will be charged for the amount of your pledge when the campaign ends and the project reaches its funding goal. You will not be charged if the campaign does not reach its funding goal.
What happens after the campaign is over?
The Creator will send out a survey that will ask you for more information about your pledge, your shipping information, additional items you may want to add to your pledge, and collect shipping fees if applicable.
The survey will be sent to the email address we have on file with your pledge.
Any additional payment will be charged when you complete your survey and confirm your order.
Project FAQ
Where can I read Leif & Thorn online?
leifandthorn.com Eight years and counting!
Other than buying the books, how can I support Leif & Thorn?
Lots of ways. Just a few examples... - Find your local library and request that they add the books to their collection - Talk about the comic on social media! And/or your blog, and/or whatever online communities you're in - Follow the artist on social media (@ErinPtah on Twitter, leifandthorn on Tumblr and Facebook) and comment/share the promo posts there - Read the comic online...and, if you feel inspired, join the conversation in the comments section
How did you make those awesome digital mockups?
I browsed a LOT of online template sites, and grabbed whatever looked good. The book mockup used here is by DesignBolts: http://www.designbolts.com/2018/06/07/free-beautiful-paperback-book-title-with-spine-mockup-psd/ Old tablet screen shown in the digital rewards is from Freepik: https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/black-tablet-mockup_764893.htm New one is from Dribble: https://dribbble.com/shots/3184722-Ipad-Photo-Mockup-Freebie And the boxset in the stretch goals is by CoverVault: https://covervault.com/6-x-9-book-box-set-psd-mockup-template/
BackerKit didn't ask for my address, how will you know where to ship Leif & Thorn Volume 6?
BackerKit doesn't ask about that until the campaign is over. (This is so I don't get duplicate/contradicting information from people who change their pledges while it's is live.) After the funds are transferred, I'll send surveys to all backers to collect the information I need, including shipping addresses for everyone who got a paperback (or several).
BackerKit didn't charge for shipping when I made my pledge. How much is it going to cost?
For US backers: as usual, I built the cost of shipping into the pledge levels. For backers outside the US: we won't know the exact cost until I start putting your packages in the mail! But here are some rough estimates to help you make a budget (based on current USPS rates, all prices are in USD): For a single book: Canada: $20 European Union: $25 Rest of world: $35 For the whole 6-book backlist: Canada: $60 European Union: $75 Rest of world: $85 Depending on your country, there may also be customs fees/tariffs charged when the package arrives. I don't control or collect those at all -- please check with your local postal service to see if they'll affect you.
Are you sure you can ship Leif & Thorn Volume 6 to my non-US country at all? We keep having trade blocks, and new taxes, and quarantines, and, and, and...
All the international backers on previous Leif & Thorn campaigns have gotten their books. I have no intention of breaking that streak now! If there are problems with shipping to a specific country when the rewards are ready to send, I'll get in touch with the affected backers, and figure out a solution that works for each of you. This happened with the Volume 4 campaign! Shipping services from the US to Australia and New Zealand were temporarily suspended. I ended up holding on to those backers' packages longer than expected, then shipped them once the normal rates resumed, and they all arrived just fine.
If my tier includes a paperback with a hand-drawn sketch inside, do I get to choose who's in the sketch?
Afraid not. It takes a lot of extra organizational effort on my part -- and when I used to offer the choice, most backers didn't take it anyway. So I'm using the simpler, faster process of "you get what you get." Sketched versions of Volume 1 mostly got Leif; Volume 2 was Thorn; 3 was Kale; 4 was Hyacinth; 5 was Agent Dex. (Place your bets now on who I'll be putting in Volume 6.) If your tier comes with custom digital art, that's a separate thing from the physical sketch in the book, and is totally customizable!
What are my options for the "extra mini-print" and "extra ebook" add-ons?
I can't show images in these FAQs, so keep an eye on the Updates -- I'll make posts about your options there.