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Creative Sparks
Gaithersburg, Maryland | Film Feature
Documentary
An aspiring author meets with marketing experts, influencers and six-to-seven figure earning indie authors to see what it takes to succeed in the fast-paced, booming world of self-publishing then applies those lessons by writing, publishing and marketing a book.
Creative Sparks
Gaithersburg, Maryland | Film Feature
Documentary
Anthony Mormile
1 Campaigns | Maryland, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $21,392 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
161 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
An aspiring author meets with marketing experts, influencers and six-to-seven figure earning indie authors to see what it takes to succeed in the fast-paced, booming world of self-publishing then applies those lessons by writing, publishing and marketing a book.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
In the world of indie book publishing, there are no gatekeepers between you and a career as a successful author. You can write your own destiny, like the successful indie authors interviewed for this film have. This documentary is your inspiring and informative permission slip to get started today!
The Story
Thank you so much for your interest! It is deeply appreciated!
Creative Sparks is an inspiring and informative feature documentary that chronicles the filmmaker's earnest attempt at breaking into the booming self-publishing industry by writing-to-market and building an author brand, according to the wisdom and guidance of six and seven figure earning indie book authors and an array of adjacent experts ranging from marketing consultants, traditional publishers, Film & TV literary executives and agents, social media entrepreneurs, cognitive psychologists and more!
Filmmaker Anthony Mormile has already begun gathering expert interviews all across the United States!
HOW IT ALL BEGAN & WHY NOW
Like many during the 2020 pandemic, filmmaker Anthony Mormile began re-evaluating his life. Much of that reflection happened between reading books and writing his own stories. Along the way, Anthony stumbled upon a thriving community of highly successful indie book authors and was inspired by their jaw-dropping success using tools readily available to anyone with an internet connection.
It completely changed his perspective on what self-publishing could be.
Over the next year and a half, Anthony did everything he could to learn more about this amazing movement, in the hopes of one day participating as an indie author himself. In early 2023, the time finally felt right to write a book and embark on this journey! Upon reviewing all of his market research, a thought dawned on Anthony...
Why not use your years of experience as a Corporate/TV&Film shooter, editor, writer and producer to document this process for the next aspiring author?
And so began Creative Sparks!
The film will draw tonal influence from a variety of feature documentaries and docu-series as well as unscripted TV shows like Shark Tank and subscription-based educational videos like those found on the MasterClass app.
Funds raised through Seed&Spark will be used to produce and market the following products: the documentary film itself and the experimental book(s) authored over the course of production and beyond.
At this time, it is uncertain what Anthony's book(s) will specifically entail. That will be decided upon after speaking with experts, conducting independent market research and taking some time for further creative introspection - all of which will be documented in the film!
Our experts will share their origin stories, discuss their career trajectories, creative and entrepreneurial tendencies and provide additional commentary on the evolving publishing landscape and how to best navigate it.
PAGE 1, LEFT TO RIGHT:
- Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she’s been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience.
- Craig Martelle has published well over one hundred books and has sold over a million copies in his favorite genres of Science Fiction and Thrillers. He also runs the largest indie author conferences in the world along with the group that has changed innumerable authors’ lives for the better, Michael Anderle’s 20Booksto50k®.
- Ligia N. Guzmán-Cushman is a Dominican-American fantasy author best known for the "Rise of a Dark Throne: The Mōsa Chronicles." Ligia attributes her runaway success to a robust social media marketing strategy that empowers new and returning readers alike to enter the beautiful, bioluminescent world of her well-drawn characters.
- M.J. Marstens is a USA Today bestselling author that mixes romance and steam to create swoon-worthy heroes, kickass damsels, and villains you can’t help but love. When she’s not creating madness and mayhem, she’s refereeing her four kiddos that she homeschools. In her free time, she loves to eat, sleep, and pray that her kids do not turn out like the characters she writes about in her books.
- Michael Anderle is a science fiction and fantasy author best known for The Kurtherian Gambit series of books and for creating the 20Booksto50k® movement which empowers indie authors around the globe to learn how to use book publishing as a means to become financially independent and retire early.
- Lacy Lieffers of Black Fox Marketing is an accomplished author coach with a passion for equipping clients with the skills and tools needed to stand out and succeed in the crowded and competitive world of self-publishing. Lacy has helped numerous authors take their books to market, develop their brand identities and cultivate passionate fan bases using a thoughtful blend of tried and true and innovative strategies.
- Tao Wong has been a full-time author since 2019, writing predominantly in the LitRPG and xianxia (Chinese fantasy) genres and has sold over a million copies of his work. He has published over 35 books, two anthologies, dozens of short stories and works with multiple co-authors to release multiple bestselling works in the science fiction and fantasy genre. Tao has translations of his work in German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages in multiple formats available for purchase, from hardcovers to audiobooks.
- Emily Childs (LJ Andrews) is a USA Today bestseller of romantic fantasy and contemporary romance. Emily has made over a million dollars in lifetime book sales.
- Sedona Ashe writes in the paranormal shifter romance and epic urban fantasy genres. Sedona earned $450,000 in book sales between 2021-2023.
PAGE 2, LEFT TO RIGHT:
- Bryan Cohen runs the 5-Day Author Ad Profit Challenge, an online event that has helped thousands of authors understand the complex machine that is Amazon Ads. He is also a USA Today Bestselling author, the co-host of The Sell More Books Show, and the CEO of Best Page Forward, an author copywriting agency. His books have sold 150,000+ copies.
- Katie Xu is an entrepreneur and content strategist with 81,000 followers on TikTok. Katie works with aspiring artists and professionals to develop authentic, personal brands within their respective niches.
- Melanie Jacobson is a USA Today bestseller and a three-time Whitney Award winner for contemporary romance. Melanie earned over $150,000 in book sales in 2022.
- Holly White, Ph.D., is a cognitive psychologist and freelance consultant who specializes in attention deficits, ADHD, creative cognition, neuro-diversity, and educational design. Dr. White has written and spoken widely on creativity in adults with ADHD and is the author of several empirical studies on the topic. Dr. White also maintains an active research collaboration with the Basic and Applied Cognition Laboratory at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
- Tracee Lydia Garner is an award-winning, best-selling author of 20 books. She writes about heroes and heroines who ultimately find love but not without a little adversity and suspense thrown in for good measure. Tracee is a motivating and humous speaker, and book coach who has taught courses at the academic level as an adjunct professor. Tracee loves the written and spoken word, gives tons of workshops for writing organizations and got her first book deal eons ago while in her early 20’s after winning the grand prize in a writing contest. Tracee holds a BS in Communications and resides outside the DC metropolitan area with her family.
- Jim Jermanok is an award-winning writer, author and filmmaker based in New York. His words and photos can be seen in The Washington Post, Indiewire, The Huffington Post and The Boston Globe. He has written three books including the bestseller The Way Up: Climbing the Corporate Mountain as a Professional of Color (Wiley), BEYOND THE CRAFT: What You Need to Know to Make A Living Creatively! and DIVE IN: Real Estate Investment Advice From A Pro. He is currently directing AN ACTOR'S ACTOR, a feature documentary about the life and art of Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau. His film, PASSIONADA, a sophisticated romantic comedy was released in 2004-2005 by Columbia Tri-Star in over 150 countries.
- Jana Eisenstein is a writer. Ok, so prior to her book Ghosted: Dating & Other Paramoural Experiences no one technically paid her to write, but it's what she loves to do. Growing up, she idolized Dave Barry and, as an adult, she thirsts for anything Tina Fey creates. When she's not writing or working her day job, she spends her time traveling (unless she's in lockdown), dancing (poorly), trying to convince herself that she enjoys running (unsuccessfully), and dating (when she needs a good laugh, or a good cry).
- Shawn Inmon published his first book, a very personal memoir called "Feels Like the First Time," in 2012. It sold surprisingly well and he thought this whole publishing racket was easy! It took him years to match that success and he found out that publishing was not a racket and was not easy. He became a full-time writer in 2016. He is the author of forty books, including the eighteen-book Middle Falls Time Travel Series, The eight-book Alex Hawk Time Travel series and the new Chronicles of Altor, which killed off most of the world's population in the first two books. Shawn has more ideas than he can write if he lives to be two hundred, but he'll keep plugging away at the "To Be Written" list.
MORE EXPERTS TO COME!
In an effort to stretch every dollar, the film is predominately being produced one-man-band style. Anthony does all the jobs on set and provides his personal gear.
This video demonstrates that one-man-band process:
With your support, supporting crew members will be brought on for special event coverage where it would otherwise be impossible to have Anthony appear on camera and adequately cover the event. Additional crew will also be brought on for various post-production positions, budget-permitting.
This movie is a celebration of indie authors who have disrupted the traditional publishing industry using tools that are readily available to anyone with an internet connection.
In that spirit, the book(s) Anthony authors will be self-published in that same manner and the documentary itself will also be self-distributed through Film Hub after a short film festival run.
Learn more about Film Hub here:
This film would not be possible without YOU! Anthony and his collaborators are eternally gratefully for your support.
Here are all of the ways you can make this possible:
- Follow this campaign on Seed&Spark by clicking the "follow" button
- Select an incentive level and make your contribution
- Share this campaign link on social media
- Email friends, family and coworkers a personal message encouraging them to support this campaign
Sample Email:
Hey XXX,
Hope all is well! I just wanted to share this really cool project I'm supporting. It made me think of you. I think it's something you would really love to see happen too! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Best,
XOXO
Sample Social 1:
Love books? Love writing? Love documentaries? Love entrepreneurism? Love financial freedom? Check out this project I just backed! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Sample Social 2:
Bookstagrammers, Booktokers and indie authors unite! So much cool packed into one project. Let's help make it happen! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Sample Social 3:
I don't normally go out of my way to back film projects but this one is totally worth it. So cool! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Sample Social 4:
Love the passion behind this project so I backed it. Hope you will too! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post-Production
Costs $9,000
Stock footage, music licensing, animated graphics, picture edit, sound mix and color.
Relief Crew
Costs $2,000
It would be helpful to hire additional crew for some shoots. So far, I have one-man-band it all.
Production Travel
Costs $9,000
Flights, checked bags, vehicle rentals, hotels, location fees and meals during field shoots.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Our experts will share their origin stories, discuss their career trajectories, creative and entrepreneurial tendencies and provide additional commentary on the evolving publishing landscape and how to best navigate it.
PAGE 1, LEFT TO RIGHT:
- Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she’s been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience.
- Craig Martelle has published well over one hundred books and has sold over a million copies in his favorite genres of Science Fiction and Thrillers. He also runs the largest indie author conferences in the world along with the group that has changed innumerable authors’ lives for the better, Michael Anderle’s 20Booksto50k®.
- Ligia N. Guzmán-Cushman is a Dominican-American fantasy author best known for the "Rise of a Dark Throne: The Mōsa Chronicles." Ligia attributes her runaway success to a robust social media marketing strategy that empowers new and returning readers alike to enter the beautiful, bioluminescent world of her well-drawn characters.
- M.J. Marstens is a USA Today bestselling author that mixes romance and steam to create swoon-worthy heroes, kickass damsels, and villains you can’t help but love. When she’s not creating madness and mayhem, she’s refereeing her four kiddos that she homeschools. In her free time, she loves to eat, sleep, and pray that her kids do not turn out like the characters she writes about in her books.
- Michael Anderle is a science fiction and fantasy author best known for The Kurtherian Gambit series of books and for creating the 20Booksto50k® movement which empowers indie authors around the globe to learn how to use book publishing as a means to become financially independent and retire early.
- Lacy Lieffers of Black Fox Marketing is an accomplished author coach with a passion for equipping clients with the skills and tools needed to stand out and succeed in the crowded and competitive world of self-publishing. Lacy has helped numerous authors take their books to market, develop their brand identities and cultivate passionate fan bases using a thoughtful blend of tried and true and innovative strategies.
- Tao Wong has been a full-time author since 2019, writing predominantly in the LitRPG and xianxia (Chinese fantasy) genres and has sold over a million copies of his work. He has published over 35 books, two anthologies, dozens of short stories and works with multiple co-authors to release multiple bestselling works in the science fiction and fantasy genre. Tao has translations of his work in German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages in multiple formats available for purchase, from hardcovers to audiobooks.
- Emily Childs (LJ Andrews) is a USA Today bestseller of romantic fantasy and contemporary romance. Emily has made over a million dollars in lifetime book sales.
- Sedona Ashe writes in the paranormal shifter romance and epic urban fantasy genres. Sedona earned $450,000 in book sales between 2021-2023.
PAGE 2, LEFT TO RIGHT:
- Bryan Cohen runs the 5-Day Author Ad Profit Challenge, an online event that has helped thousands of authors understand the complex machine that is Amazon Ads. He is also a USA Today Bestselling author, the co-host of The Sell More Books Show, and the CEO of Best Page Forward, an author copywriting agency. His books have sold 150,000+ copies.
- Katie Xu is an entrepreneur and content strategist with 81,000 followers on TikTok. Katie works with aspiring artists and professionals to develop authentic, personal brands within their respective niches.
- Melanie Jacobson is a USA Today bestseller and a three-time Whitney Award winner for contemporary romance. Melanie earned over $150,000 in book sales in 2022.
- Holly White, Ph.D., is a cognitive psychologist and freelance consultant who specializes in attention deficits, ADHD, creative cognition, neuro-diversity, and educational design. Dr. White has written and spoken widely on creativity in adults with ADHD and is the author of several empirical studies on the topic. Dr. White also maintains an active research collaboration with the Basic and Applied Cognition Laboratory at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
- Tracee Lydia Garner is an award-winning, best-selling author of 20 books. She writes about heroes and heroines who ultimately find love but not without a little adversity and suspense thrown in for good measure. Tracee is a motivating and humous speaker, and book coach who has taught courses at the academic level as an adjunct professor. Tracee loves the written and spoken word, gives tons of workshops for writing organizations and got her first book deal eons ago while in her early 20’s after winning the grand prize in a writing contest. Tracee holds a BS in Communications and resides outside the DC metropolitan area with her family.
- Jim Jermanok is an award-winning writer, author and filmmaker based in New York. His words and photos can be seen in The Washington Post, Indiewire, The Huffington Post and The Boston Globe. He has written three books including the bestseller The Way Up: Climbing the Corporate Mountain as a Professional of Color (Wiley), BEYOND THE CRAFT: What You Need to Know to Make A Living Creatively! and DIVE IN: Real Estate Investment Advice From A Pro. He is currently directing AN ACTOR'S ACTOR, a feature documentary about the life and art of Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau. His film, PASSIONADA, a sophisticated romantic comedy was released in 2004-2005 by Columbia Tri-Star in over 150 countries.
- Jana Eisenstein is a writer. Ok, so prior to her book Ghosted: Dating & Other Paramoural Experiences no one technically paid her to write, but it's what she loves to do. Growing up, she idolized Dave Barry and, as an adult, she thirsts for anything Tina Fey creates. When she's not writing or working her day job, she spends her time traveling (unless she's in lockdown), dancing (poorly), trying to convince herself that she enjoys running (unsuccessfully), and dating (when she needs a good laugh, or a good cry).
- Shawn Inmon published his first book, a very personal memoir called "Feels Like the First Time," in 2012. It sold surprisingly well and he thought this whole publishing racket was easy! It took him years to match that success and he found out that publishing was not a racket and was not easy. He became a full-time writer in 2016. He is the author of forty books, including the eighteen-book Middle Falls Time Travel Series, The eight-book Alex Hawk Time Travel series and the new Chronicles of Altor, which killed off most of the world's population in the first two books. Shawn has more ideas than he can write if he lives to be two hundred, but he'll keep plugging away at the "To Be Written" list.
MORE EXPERTS TO COME!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
In the world of indie book publishing, there are no gatekeepers between you and a career as a successful author. You can write your own destiny, like the successful indie authors interviewed for this film have. This documentary is your inspiring and informative permission slip to get started today!
The Story
Thank you so much for your interest! It is deeply appreciated!
Creative Sparks is an inspiring and informative feature documentary that chronicles the filmmaker's earnest attempt at breaking into the booming self-publishing industry by writing-to-market and building an author brand, according to the wisdom and guidance of six and seven figure earning indie book authors and an array of adjacent experts ranging from marketing consultants, traditional publishers, Film & TV literary executives and agents, social media entrepreneurs, cognitive psychologists and more!
Filmmaker Anthony Mormile has already begun gathering expert interviews all across the United States!
HOW IT ALL BEGAN & WHY NOW
Like many during the 2020 pandemic, filmmaker Anthony Mormile began re-evaluating his life. Much of that reflection happened between reading books and writing his own stories. Along the way, Anthony stumbled upon a thriving community of highly successful indie book authors and was inspired by their jaw-dropping success using tools readily available to anyone with an internet connection.
It completely changed his perspective on what self-publishing could be.
Over the next year and a half, Anthony did everything he could to learn more about this amazing movement, in the hopes of one day participating as an indie author himself. In early 2023, the time finally felt right to write a book and embark on this journey! Upon reviewing all of his market research, a thought dawned on Anthony...
Why not use your years of experience as a Corporate/TV&Film shooter, editor, writer and producer to document this process for the next aspiring author?
And so began Creative Sparks!
The film will draw tonal influence from a variety of feature documentaries and docu-series as well as unscripted TV shows like Shark Tank and subscription-based educational videos like those found on the MasterClass app.
Funds raised through Seed&Spark will be used to produce and market the following products: the documentary film itself and the experimental book(s) authored over the course of production and beyond.
At this time, it is uncertain what Anthony's book(s) will specifically entail. That will be decided upon after speaking with experts, conducting independent market research and taking some time for further creative introspection - all of which will be documented in the film!
Our experts will share their origin stories, discuss their career trajectories, creative and entrepreneurial tendencies and provide additional commentary on the evolving publishing landscape and how to best navigate it.
PAGE 1, LEFT TO RIGHT:
- Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she’s been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience.
- Craig Martelle has published well over one hundred books and has sold over a million copies in his favorite genres of Science Fiction and Thrillers. He also runs the largest indie author conferences in the world along with the group that has changed innumerable authors’ lives for the better, Michael Anderle’s 20Booksto50k®.
- Ligia N. Guzmán-Cushman is a Dominican-American fantasy author best known for the "Rise of a Dark Throne: The Mōsa Chronicles." Ligia attributes her runaway success to a robust social media marketing strategy that empowers new and returning readers alike to enter the beautiful, bioluminescent world of her well-drawn characters.
- M.J. Marstens is a USA Today bestselling author that mixes romance and steam to create swoon-worthy heroes, kickass damsels, and villains you can’t help but love. When she’s not creating madness and mayhem, she’s refereeing her four kiddos that she homeschools. In her free time, she loves to eat, sleep, and pray that her kids do not turn out like the characters she writes about in her books.
- Michael Anderle is a science fiction and fantasy author best known for The Kurtherian Gambit series of books and for creating the 20Booksto50k® movement which empowers indie authors around the globe to learn how to use book publishing as a means to become financially independent and retire early.
- Lacy Lieffers of Black Fox Marketing is an accomplished author coach with a passion for equipping clients with the skills and tools needed to stand out and succeed in the crowded and competitive world of self-publishing. Lacy has helped numerous authors take their books to market, develop their brand identities and cultivate passionate fan bases using a thoughtful blend of tried and true and innovative strategies.
- Tao Wong has been a full-time author since 2019, writing predominantly in the LitRPG and xianxia (Chinese fantasy) genres and has sold over a million copies of his work. He has published over 35 books, two anthologies, dozens of short stories and works with multiple co-authors to release multiple bestselling works in the science fiction and fantasy genre. Tao has translations of his work in German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages in multiple formats available for purchase, from hardcovers to audiobooks.
- Emily Childs (LJ Andrews) is a USA Today bestseller of romantic fantasy and contemporary romance. Emily has made over a million dollars in lifetime book sales.
- Sedona Ashe writes in the paranormal shifter romance and epic urban fantasy genres. Sedona earned $450,000 in book sales between 2021-2023.
PAGE 2, LEFT TO RIGHT:
- Bryan Cohen runs the 5-Day Author Ad Profit Challenge, an online event that has helped thousands of authors understand the complex machine that is Amazon Ads. He is also a USA Today Bestselling author, the co-host of The Sell More Books Show, and the CEO of Best Page Forward, an author copywriting agency. His books have sold 150,000+ copies.
- Katie Xu is an entrepreneur and content strategist with 81,000 followers on TikTok. Katie works with aspiring artists and professionals to develop authentic, personal brands within their respective niches.
- Melanie Jacobson is a USA Today bestseller and a three-time Whitney Award winner for contemporary romance. Melanie earned over $150,000 in book sales in 2022.
- Holly White, Ph.D., is a cognitive psychologist and freelance consultant who specializes in attention deficits, ADHD, creative cognition, neuro-diversity, and educational design. Dr. White has written and spoken widely on creativity in adults with ADHD and is the author of several empirical studies on the topic. Dr. White also maintains an active research collaboration with the Basic and Applied Cognition Laboratory at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
- Tracee Lydia Garner is an award-winning, best-selling author of 20 books. She writes about heroes and heroines who ultimately find love but not without a little adversity and suspense thrown in for good measure. Tracee is a motivating and humous speaker, and book coach who has taught courses at the academic level as an adjunct professor. Tracee loves the written and spoken word, gives tons of workshops for writing organizations and got her first book deal eons ago while in her early 20’s after winning the grand prize in a writing contest. Tracee holds a BS in Communications and resides outside the DC metropolitan area with her family.
- Jim Jermanok is an award-winning writer, author and filmmaker based in New York. His words and photos can be seen in The Washington Post, Indiewire, The Huffington Post and The Boston Globe. He has written three books including the bestseller The Way Up: Climbing the Corporate Mountain as a Professional of Color (Wiley), BEYOND THE CRAFT: What You Need to Know to Make A Living Creatively! and DIVE IN: Real Estate Investment Advice From A Pro. He is currently directing AN ACTOR'S ACTOR, a feature documentary about the life and art of Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau. His film, PASSIONADA, a sophisticated romantic comedy was released in 2004-2005 by Columbia Tri-Star in over 150 countries.
- Jana Eisenstein is a writer. Ok, so prior to her book Ghosted: Dating & Other Paramoural Experiences no one technically paid her to write, but it's what she loves to do. Growing up, she idolized Dave Barry and, as an adult, she thirsts for anything Tina Fey creates. When she's not writing or working her day job, she spends her time traveling (unless she's in lockdown), dancing (poorly), trying to convince herself that she enjoys running (unsuccessfully), and dating (when she needs a good laugh, or a good cry).
- Shawn Inmon published his first book, a very personal memoir called "Feels Like the First Time," in 2012. It sold surprisingly well and he thought this whole publishing racket was easy! It took him years to match that success and he found out that publishing was not a racket and was not easy. He became a full-time writer in 2016. He is the author of forty books, including the eighteen-book Middle Falls Time Travel Series, The eight-book Alex Hawk Time Travel series and the new Chronicles of Altor, which killed off most of the world's population in the first two books. Shawn has more ideas than he can write if he lives to be two hundred, but he'll keep plugging away at the "To Be Written" list.
MORE EXPERTS TO COME!
In an effort to stretch every dollar, the film is predominately being produced one-man-band style. Anthony does all the jobs on set and provides his personal gear.
This video demonstrates that one-man-band process:
With your support, supporting crew members will be brought on for special event coverage where it would otherwise be impossible to have Anthony appear on camera and adequately cover the event. Additional crew will also be brought on for various post-production positions, budget-permitting.
This movie is a celebration of indie authors who have disrupted the traditional publishing industry using tools that are readily available to anyone with an internet connection.
In that spirit, the book(s) Anthony authors will be self-published in that same manner and the documentary itself will also be self-distributed through Film Hub after a short film festival run.
Learn more about Film Hub here:
This film would not be possible without YOU! Anthony and his collaborators are eternally gratefully for your support.
Here are all of the ways you can make this possible:
- Follow this campaign on Seed&Spark by clicking the "follow" button
- Select an incentive level and make your contribution
- Share this campaign link on social media
- Email friends, family and coworkers a personal message encouraging them to support this campaign
Sample Email:
Hey XXX,
Hope all is well! I just wanted to share this really cool project I'm supporting. It made me think of you. I think it's something you would really love to see happen too! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Best,
XOXO
Sample Social 1:
Love books? Love writing? Love documentaries? Love entrepreneurism? Love financial freedom? Check out this project I just backed! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Sample Social 2:
Bookstagrammers, Booktokers and indie authors unite! So much cool packed into one project. Let's help make it happen! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Sample Social 3:
I don't normally go out of my way to back film projects but this one is totally worth it. So cool! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Sample Social 4:
Love the passion behind this project so I backed it. Hope you will too! https://seedandspark.com/fund/creative-sparks
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post-Production
Costs $9,000
Stock footage, music licensing, animated graphics, picture edit, sound mix and color.
Relief Crew
Costs $2,000
It would be helpful to hire additional crew for some shoots. So far, I have one-man-band it all.
Production Travel
Costs $9,000
Flights, checked bags, vehicle rentals, hotels, location fees and meals during field shoots.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Our experts will share their origin stories, discuss their career trajectories, creative and entrepreneurial tendencies and provide additional commentary on the evolving publishing landscape and how to best navigate it.
PAGE 1, LEFT TO RIGHT:
- Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she’s been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience.
- Craig Martelle has published well over one hundred books and has sold over a million copies in his favorite genres of Science Fiction and Thrillers. He also runs the largest indie author conferences in the world along with the group that has changed innumerable authors’ lives for the better, Michael Anderle’s 20Booksto50k®.
- Ligia N. Guzmán-Cushman is a Dominican-American fantasy author best known for the "Rise of a Dark Throne: The Mōsa Chronicles." Ligia attributes her runaway success to a robust social media marketing strategy that empowers new and returning readers alike to enter the beautiful, bioluminescent world of her well-drawn characters.
- M.J. Marstens is a USA Today bestselling author that mixes romance and steam to create swoon-worthy heroes, kickass damsels, and villains you can’t help but love. When she’s not creating madness and mayhem, she’s refereeing her four kiddos that she homeschools. In her free time, she loves to eat, sleep, and pray that her kids do not turn out like the characters she writes about in her books.
- Michael Anderle is a science fiction and fantasy author best known for The Kurtherian Gambit series of books and for creating the 20Booksto50k® movement which empowers indie authors around the globe to learn how to use book publishing as a means to become financially independent and retire early.
- Lacy Lieffers of Black Fox Marketing is an accomplished author coach with a passion for equipping clients with the skills and tools needed to stand out and succeed in the crowded and competitive world of self-publishing. Lacy has helped numerous authors take their books to market, develop their brand identities and cultivate passionate fan bases using a thoughtful blend of tried and true and innovative strategies.
- Tao Wong has been a full-time author since 2019, writing predominantly in the LitRPG and xianxia (Chinese fantasy) genres and has sold over a million copies of his work. He has published over 35 books, two anthologies, dozens of short stories and works with multiple co-authors to release multiple bestselling works in the science fiction and fantasy genre. Tao has translations of his work in German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages in multiple formats available for purchase, from hardcovers to audiobooks.
- Emily Childs (LJ Andrews) is a USA Today bestseller of romantic fantasy and contemporary romance. Emily has made over a million dollars in lifetime book sales.
- Sedona Ashe writes in the paranormal shifter romance and epic urban fantasy genres. Sedona earned $450,000 in book sales between 2021-2023.
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- Bryan Cohen runs the 5-Day Author Ad Profit Challenge, an online event that has helped thousands of authors understand the complex machine that is Amazon Ads. He is also a USA Today Bestselling author, the co-host of The Sell More Books Show, and the CEO of Best Page Forward, an author copywriting agency. His books have sold 150,000+ copies.
- Katie Xu is an entrepreneur and content strategist with 81,000 followers on TikTok. Katie works with aspiring artists and professionals to develop authentic, personal brands within their respective niches.
- Melanie Jacobson is a USA Today bestseller and a three-time Whitney Award winner for contemporary romance. Melanie earned over $150,000 in book sales in 2022.
- Holly White, Ph.D., is a cognitive psychologist and freelance consultant who specializes in attention deficits, ADHD, creative cognition, neuro-diversity, and educational design. Dr. White has written and spoken widely on creativity in adults with ADHD and is the author of several empirical studies on the topic. Dr. White also maintains an active research collaboration with the Basic and Applied Cognition Laboratory at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
- Tracee Lydia Garner is an award-winning, best-selling author of 20 books. She writes about heroes and heroines who ultimately find love but not without a little adversity and suspense thrown in for good measure. Tracee is a motivating and humous speaker, and book coach who has taught courses at the academic level as an adjunct professor. Tracee loves the written and spoken word, gives tons of workshops for writing organizations and got her first book deal eons ago while in her early 20’s after winning the grand prize in a writing contest. Tracee holds a BS in Communications and resides outside the DC metropolitan area with her family.
- Jim Jermanok is an award-winning writer, author and filmmaker based in New York. His words and photos can be seen in The Washington Post, Indiewire, The Huffington Post and The Boston Globe. He has written three books including the bestseller The Way Up: Climbing the Corporate Mountain as a Professional of Color (Wiley), BEYOND THE CRAFT: What You Need to Know to Make A Living Creatively! and DIVE IN: Real Estate Investment Advice From A Pro. He is currently directing AN ACTOR'S ACTOR, a feature documentary about the life and art of Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau. His film, PASSIONADA, a sophisticated romantic comedy was released in 2004-2005 by Columbia Tri-Star in over 150 countries.
- Jana Eisenstein is a writer. Ok, so prior to her book Ghosted: Dating & Other Paramoural Experiences no one technically paid her to write, but it's what she loves to do. Growing up, she idolized Dave Barry and, as an adult, she thirsts for anything Tina Fey creates. When she's not writing or working her day job, she spends her time traveling (unless she's in lockdown), dancing (poorly), trying to convince herself that she enjoys running (unsuccessfully), and dating (when she needs a good laugh, or a good cry).
- Shawn Inmon published his first book, a very personal memoir called "Feels Like the First Time," in 2012. It sold surprisingly well and he thought this whole publishing racket was easy! It took him years to match that success and he found out that publishing was not a racket and was not easy. He became a full-time writer in 2016. He is the author of forty books, including the eighteen-book Middle Falls Time Travel Series, The eight-book Alex Hawk Time Travel series and the new Chronicles of Altor, which killed off most of the world's population in the first two books. Shawn has more ideas than he can write if he lives to be two hundred, but he'll keep plugging away at the "To Be Written" list.