web stuff 4 writers

One of my first posts here on web stuff 4 writers was about Bianca Zander’s website, Sponsor My Novel.  Later, Bianca also agreed to be my first interview victim.

I checked that website again today, and was pleased to see that Bianca’s raised $3250 towards her $8000 goal.  And perhaps, even better, she’s added 20,000 words to her manuscript since the appeal began.  I remember enjoying the extract that Bianca’s published on her site, and hope to one day see all those words and paragraphs and pages that have been sponsored inside the cover of a book.

Tags: Funding by Natasha
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In Wednesday’s post, I mentioned that one way people could sponsor Bianca’s novel writing was to donate via PayPal.  Today I’m following up with a post on what PayPal actually is and how it can be used by writers.

What is PayPal?

PayPal (www.paypal.com) is a website which allows money transfers to take place over the internet.  Having a PayPal account is kind of like having an online bank account.  You can ‘deposit’ funds and then use them to by goods and services.  Other users can also transfer money into your account.

It is free to set up and pay for purchases with a PayPal account, however there are transaction charges to withdraw funds and accept credit or debit card payments.

Paying for products and services with PayPal

It’s probably fair to say that most of the websites I buy things from regularly don’t accept payment by PayPal.  However, when I can use this service, it means that I don’t have to worry about submitting my credit card details directly to a supplier or about having the right currency for the transaction. 

It seems that online products and services, such as Skype and eBayare more likely to accept this type of payment.  So if you’re setting up a website to promote your writing for example, you may be able to pay for your domain name and hosting via PayPal.

Receiving money with PayPal

Perhaps more useful for writers is the ability to receive money through PayPal.  If you’re selling something via your website – such as an e-book (or a printed book), or even seeking sponsorship for your novel – you may wish to allow your site visitors to pay you via PayPal. 

If you are writing articles or other content for publications or websites based overseas, you may also be able to ask for payment into your PayPal account.  You can then transfer the money from PayPal into your local bank account, in your local currency, without the need to worry about receiving foreign cheques.  There is a list of supported currencies on their website.

Your thoughts

Have you used PayPal to send or receive money online?  Were you happy with the experience?

Tags: Funding, What is? by Natasha
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In the latest e-mail newsletter from the International Institute of Modern Letters, there’s a message from a past student.  Bianca Zander is 64,000 words into her first novel and she’s seeking sponsors to complete it.

To explain her idea, Bianca’s created a website called Sponsor My Novel, which contains information about her and her writing, a list of sponsors and an extract from the work in progress.  Sponsors seem to be able to pay directly into her bank account or online via PayPal.

For NZ$2 dollars, you can sponsor a sentence.  For $8, you can sponsor a paragraph.  For $20, a page.  Bianca, says she’s aiming to raise NZ$8,000 which will allow her to write full-time for six months.

The website is well-designed.  The information is clear.  I enjoyed reading the extract, and it’s very tempting to sponsor a sentence or two.

It’ll be interesting to watch how the site (and Bianca’s novel) progresses.

Your thoughts

Do you think this is an concept that could work for other writers?  Or is it one of those ideas, like million dollar homepages, which is inspiring when the first person does it, and then fast becomes cliché?  Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.  

Tags: Funding by Natasha
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