"Sorry, I wish we could contribute to your campaign right now, but we don't have the funds because..."
"Good luck with your campaign. I'm not on Twitter so I can't give a shout out for you and we are not in a financial position to help you."
These are the typical responses I get pretty much on a daily basis mostly from old friends. On the first day of campaigning, I didn't think much of them, but by the second week, I felt like a bowling pin constantly being knocked over. How much more knocking over could I possibly take? Authors who successfully went through the Pubslush experience told me to let go and move on, which I accepted, but the response would still sting. The "silent" kinds were the worst. Some of my emails are probably floating in someone's inbox and will never have the chance of day.
Crowdfunding is the fastest way to make money for your product, service or book - no matter what platform you use. You build a buzz and a brand, gather orders, increase your online visibility. It's a win-win from all aspects.
But memoirists like myself, who want to build their business and a brand, face a double whammy. Writing a memoir is hard enough. You're telling your truth which may not agree with a lot of people. Your words are vulnerable. Putting yourself out there with a crowdfunding campaign is almost like sending yourself to the slaughterhouse.
The one thing I have had to learn was detaching from outcomes especially when reaching out to friends and family for financial support with the book project. For some, the connection to Israel and the Israel Defense Forces (the subject of my memoir) was obvious and helped personalize the emails. With others, I connected from the days of living at Westbeth, a subsidized artist residence in New York City where I was born and raised.
Now that I'm in week two of my Pubslush campaign, I've changed my strategy. I'm now reaching a fewer number of supporters each day which doesn't result in a major sting. I also started doing what author Frank Thomas said in our interview about his wildly successful campaign for his memoir Rise over at Kickstarter.
I read psalms. I prayed. I worked hard not to let their reactions define my worthiness. Over time, I'm feeling less beaten and bruised. This is how I am able to detach from outcomes every day.
Now every time a response comes in with the words: "Sorry. I can't contribute to your project right now," I respond first by saying, "thank you for taking the time to read my email." I'm working to come from a place of gratitude and from there, I move on.
Let go of expectations and have faith that the people who want to support your project, product or service, eventually will. Your tribe will help spread the word. They are the ones who will cheer you on and lift you up. And that's what matters.