On this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer talk with longtime collaborators Christina Boufis (fiction/nonfiction author and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Nonfiction) and Victoria Olson (author of biography, fiction, and nonfiction; former university writing instructor) about how their co-writing partnership works and what it was like to use Kickstarter in their publishing journey.

They outline major hurdles and what they would do differently, share outcomes, and note Kickstarter is better suited to genre, niche, and quirky projects than many memoirs or standard domestic thrillers. The episode closes with where to find them (somdarkforest.com, christinaboufis.com, Penny Dreadful Media on TikTok) and what’s next: completing the sequel by spring and planning additional collaborative books (including titles Dark Circles and Dark Science) alongside their solo projects.

00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers (Meet the Hosts & Mission)

00:36 Today’s Guests: Long-Term Co-Authors + Kickstarter Publishing

02:03 How Their Writing Partnership Began (Dickens Camp to First Project)

03:27 Drafting Together in One Google Doc (Discovery Writing + NaNoWriMo Sprint)

05:20 Editing, Roles, and the ‘Jazz Improv’ Collaboration Style

06:50 Pros, Cons, and Keeping a Unified Voice as Co-Authors

10:30 Staying Motivated Through Life & Rejection (Why Partnership Helps)

12:01 Why They Chose Kickstarter (After a Small-Press Offer)

15:16 Kickstarter Reality Check: Visual Assets, Video, Swag, and New Skills

18:17 Running the Campaign: Backer Swaps, Reward Tiers, Stretch Goals & Fulfillment

19:21 Backer Demands & Going Physical: Paperback, Hardcover, Collector Mindset

21:14 When It Stops Feeling Overwhelming: Mastermind Support & Campaign Vetting

22:44 Kickstarter’s Built-In Community Engine: Updates, Requests & Reader Connection

24:12 Results & Aftermath: Low Goal Strategy, 400% Funded, Early Reviewers

25:23 Social Media Spillover: Promoting Beyond Kickstarter + Why TikTok

27:09 Kickstarter First Steps: Finish the Book, Find Community, Study Other Campaigns

29:49 Design, Video & Reward Strategy: Outsourcing, Swag, Special Editions, Signed eBooks

32:16 Would They Do It Again? Time, Energy, and the Real Learning Curve

33:42 Is Kickstarter a Fit? Genre vs Memoir, Niche/Quirky Books & Physicality

36:15 What’s Next + Where to Find Them: Sequels, Solo Projects, Websites & Farewell

Find more about Christina Boufis at christinaboufis.com!

Find more about Victoria Olsen at victoriaolsen.com!

Some Dark Force, a Victorian thriller, by Christina Boufis and Victoria Olsen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com