Heart of a Killer Kickstarter Wrap-Up: Final Numbers, Lessons Learned, and What’s Coming Next
Heart of a Killer just wrapped on Kickstarter, and I’m still riding the high. My original goal was $1,000—something I hit in under 48 hours. My final stretch goal was $3,000…and I hit it with forty minutes to spare. Forty. Minutes. I still can’t believe it.
This was my third Kickstarter, and at this point I can tell you with absolute confidence: you learn something new every single time. Here are the biggest takeaways from this round—what worked, what I’ll never do again, and what I hope helps the next author who’s thinking about jumping into Kickstarter.
1. Finish the Book. Finish the Book. Finish the Book.
If there’s one piece of advice I will preach forever, it’s this:
Do. Not. Launch. A Kickstarter. Until. Your. Book. Is. Done.
I had people tell me this from the beginning—JF Penn on her podcast, other creators, friends, basically everyone—and I still had to learn it the hard way. With Grand Mesa, I was finishing edits during the campaign. With Soul Jumper, I was writing bonus scenes while the Kickstarter was live. Apparently I needed the lesson twice.
But with Heart of a Killer? Everything was finished. The book, the edits, the bonus material, the art. When the Kickstarter ended, the only thing left to do was wait for funds to drop so I could order the books. No one was waiting on me. There were no last-minute writing sprints, no scrambling with editors, no panicked emails.
Unavoidable things can still happen—like when the sprayed-edge machine was down for Grand Mesa and delayed everything—but don’t let you be the reason things slow down. You will not be the exception. Finish the book first.
2. Know Your Actual Numbers (Not the Numbers You Wish Were True)
If you want to avoid surprises, run the real numbers:
Printing
Shipping
Packaging
Extras (stickers, bookmarks, dust jackets)
Art
Cover design
Kickstarter fees
Your time
If you’re okay breaking even, fine. That’s a valid choice. But if you want to make a profit, that has to be built into the pricing from the start.
At Author Nation, Ines Johnson said something brilliant: she calculates exactly how much she needs to make per month to pay bills, adds the extras she wants, chooses her book price based on that number, and breaks it down by how many books she must sell daily to reach it. That mindset translates beautifully to Kickstarter and direct sales.
Pay yourself. Direct sales can drain you if you aren’t intentional.
3. Communicate More Than You Think You Need To
During my first Kickstarter, I worried about annoying people. I didn’t want to flood inboxes or post too often. But here’s the truth:
Backers want updates.
They want to know where things are in the process.
They want to feel included.
Give regular updates, answer messages ASAP, and keep communication transparent. It builds trust—and trust matters.
4. Keep It Simple (Please Learn From My Chaos)
I did things backwards. Truly.
With Grand Mesa, I printed and released all five books at once.
With Soul Jumper, I did two different hardback covers.
With Heart of a Killer, I finally kept it simple: one cover, one format. Hardback only.
And it was the best decision.
Paperbacks will come later. The Kickstarter editions are special, and the choices were cost-effective, streamlined, and way less stressful. Printing is still going to be around $1,500—more now that we added the reversible dust jacket—but that’s a controlled cost I’m prepared for.
Experimentation is great. Try new tiers, stretch goals, and bonuses. Learn from others. But my biggest recommendation:
Start simple and work your way up.
5. Kickstarter Is Not a “Post It and They’ll Come” Situation
You have to market it every single day. To the point you feel annoying. And then past that.
Post the link everywhere.
Email your list.
Build your list.
Ask backers to share.
Share updates.
Talk about it in your groups.
Message people (respectfully) who’ve supported you before.
Kickstarter is its own community. There are readers there who won’t find you anywhere else. But to reach them, you have to show up consistently.
With Heart of a Killer, I grew my email list, expanded my Facebook group, and connected with new readers I never would have found otherwise.
What’s Next: Heart of a Hacker
Now that Heart of a Killer has wrapped, it’s time to shift gears.
Next up is Heart of a Hacker, Book 2 in the Ashenheart series, starring Adrian—the oldest Ashenheart brother—and Sava, the assassin who is Cassius’s only friend. My target launch for the Kickstarter is March 2026.
I’m thrilled about this one. The chemistry, the danger, the slow-burn chaos—it’s everything I love writing.
Looking Ahead
I’ve run three Kickstarters now, and I’ve exceeded my goal every single time. But I’m still learning, still refining, still figuring out the best way to integrate Kickstarter into my long-term business strategy for 2026 and beyond.
Every campaign has made me a better author and a better entrepreneur. And I’m excited to keep growing from here.
As always, if you have questions about Kickstarter, indie-publishing, editing, etc. email me: shalanabattles@gmail.com. I’d love to help you!
