How to Crowdfund as an Indie Author

In this episode of Most Writers Are Fans, Terry sits down with old friend and fellow teacher-author Cody Walker to talk about one of the most practical and often intimidating tools in the indie author's toolkit: crowdfunding.The conversation starts at the beginning, Cody's first campaign for a comic called Noir City, launched in the shadow of the Sullivan Sluggers controversy, an early cautionary tale about the hidden costs of international shipping. From there, Cody walks through his evolution as a crowdfunder: the failed December Everland comic campaign that taught him never to launch during the holidays, the pivot away from comics after realizing he didn't want to depend on outside artists, and the discovery that his prose could carry a story on its own. Terry and Cody dig into the mechanics of sustainable indie publishing. Cody keeps his Kickstarter goals modest (around $1,500, enough to cover a cover artist, editing, printing, and shipping, with a small buffer) and has found that a reliable core of roughly 30 repeat backers provides a meaningful floor for each campaign. On Patreon, he runs a simple, low-pressure operation with a single dollar tier, driven less by audience obligation than by his own need to feel creatively productive.One of the episode's most interesting threads is Cody's relationship to ambition. Terry observes that Cody doesn't seem to be chasing a career pivot; he identifies primarily as a teacher, and yet he has books planned years out and a creative output that would embarrass many full-time authors. Cody traces his philosophy back to his grandfather, a master craftsman who gave his work away freely because the making of it was the point. That ethos shapes everything: Cody crowdfunds to cover costs, not to get rich, and his most fulfilling moments have nothing to do with sales numbers; they're reading aloud to his son at an empty signing and watching him cry with laughter, or hearing his dad call Patchwork the best thing he's ever written.Topics Covered:[0:30] Intro — Terry introduces Cody Walker and his work[1:20] How Cody got into crowdfunding: his first Noir City comic campaign and the Sullivan Sluggers controversy[3:54] The failed December Everland comic campaign and what it taught him[4:46] Pivoting from comics to prose and recognizing his own strengths as a writer[5:29] Building a loyal backer base over time, Patreon, and the value of community support[7:57] Why Cody chose Patreon and how he keeps it simple and sustainable[10:34] Kickstarter goal-setting: why Cody aims for $1,500 and how social media algorithms have changed promotion[12:01] Lessons learned from early campaigns — only promise what you'll actually deliver[14:50] Balancing full-time teaching, adjuncting, and a prolific creative output[16:06] Cody's grandfather's craftsman philosophy and why the making matters more than the money[17:10] The most fulfilling moments: reading to his son at an empty signing, and his dad's reaction to Patchwork[21:52] The weird and specific dynamics of being a teacher who is also a published author[26:43] Final crowdfunding tips for authors thinking about taking the leap[27:45] "What Have You Been a Fan Of Lately?" — Lore Olympus, Vampire Hunter D, Elric, and James Gunn's Superman[38:26] Where to find Cody onlineGuest Bio: Cody Walker is a high school English teacher, poet, and indie author based in Missouri. You can find him and support his work at patreon.com/popgunchaos and on Instagram at @popgunchaos.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tyranny of the Fey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is now available in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hardcover and paperback⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠eBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠audiobook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Read my stories now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠terrybartley.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Send requests to be a guest or comments about the episode to [email protected] Theme Song: Young Squire - TrackTribe, Piano track by sing2pianos