Website of the Week: Kickstarter.com

It's hard trying to make it as a writer. There's no denying it. The starving artist stereotype wasn't just pulled out of thin air. We writers need money to fund our work and pursue our careers (and survive). That's where Kickstarter comes in.

Kickstarter is a way for individual artists to crowd-source funding for their work. In exchange, the donors are rewarded with copies of the artists' work. The catch with Kickstarter is this: it's all or nothing. That means if the artist doesn't reach his or her funding goal, then the artist gets nothing (and the donors' cards aren't charged!). Tens of thousands of people have contributed so far and millions of dollars have been raised for all kinds of different artistic projects. And don't worry, the artists retain 100% ownership and control over their work. So start fundraising!

And if you're in a generous mood, Elizabeth Hoover (past HFR contributor) is looking to raise some funds for her residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She's already over halfway there and there are still 28 days to go! Check out her project here (or the video below) to experience Kickstarter for yourself and support this talented poet.