Think You're Ready For Kickstarter Success? Here's What Authors Need to Know | Oriana Leckert

You think you're ready for Kickstarter success? Here's what authors need to know.

Oriana Leckert is the Head of Publishing at Kickstarter — and she's seen thousands of author campaigns succeed, flop, and everything in between. In this episode, she's breaking down exactly what works, what doesn't, and what most authors get wrong before they even hit launch.

We cover everything from how to set your goal, what rewards actually excite backers, how to build your audience before launch, and why that Brandon Sanderson $40M number doesn't mean what you think it means.

Whether you're Kickstarter-curious or prepping your first campaign — this one's for you.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 — The #1 mistake authors make before they even launch
3:24 — Meet Oriana Leckert, Kickstarter's Head of Publishing
6:18 — "Kickstarter is saturated" — Oriana says think again
9:41 — The 25-backer stat that changes everything
11:24 — The 4 audience types every author needs to know
18:07 — The most creative rewards we've ever seen
21:21 — The $72 stat that will change how you price your rewards
28:53 — How many pre-launch followers do you actually need?
33:26 — How to set your funding goal (and why $500 is a red flag)
42:05 — The #1 thing every successful campaign has in common

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🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Kickstarter Learning Lab
Kickstarter Creator Hub
Facebook Group: Kickstarter for Authors

🎙️ Welcome to the Pint & Portal Author Podcast