Do you want to connect with readers on a deeper level?
Do you want your books to stand out in a sea of content by being authentic and personal in your writing whatever the genre?
Are you interested in creative self-development?
If yes, Writing the Shadow is for you. Check out the Kickstarter campaign here, and there's more detail in the video below.
Writing the Shadow is a book of my heart and it contains many personal stories — but this book is really about helping you reach readers with your words — and move to the next level in your writing.
We all long to write boldly, without filters or fear
To spin stories that capture the messy beauty of what it means to be human. Tales that lay bare the truth of living — darkness and all.
But something holds us back.
Whispers of “Who do you think you are?” and “You don’t have permission to write that.” Our own self-censorship and the judgment of others keep us from writing freely — and sometimes, from living fully.
But all great art taps into darkness, and your most compelling work emerges when you embrace your full humanity—both light and Shadow.
In Writing the Shadow, I’ll guide you on an intimate journey to explore the darkness and discover the gold lying hidden in its depths. Gold that may be the source of your best creative work in the years ahead.
The Shadow is calling. It’s time to turn your inner darkness into words.
Click here to check out the Kickstarter campaign (until 25 Oct 2023)
How does Kickstarter work?
If you've never heard of Kickstarter.com or never used it before, it is a crowdfunding platform where you as an individual can support creators bring their projects to life.
There are all kinds of different projects on the platform, from art and design to films and games and music, and of course, there are lots of authors creating beautiful books. Check out the Publishing category here.
If you back a campaign, you can get special editions, bonus content, all kinds of interesting merchandise, bundles, digital specials, print specials, and early access to many of these books.
You can also support creators you love directly and also find books you are interested in from new creators you might never have heard of before.
It is essentially a different way of shopping for very cool books, and I've supported lots of campaigns over the years. I love finding different projects this way before the books ever make it onto the big platforms and stores.
And of course, many of the special editions and special extras are not available on the stores or in bookstores later. So you can get an exclusive if you back a Kickstarter project.
If you've never used it before, you back a campaign based on the book or the product you want.
There are different levels of pledges depending on what type of format you want or what extras you like, but you are only charged when the campaign finishes and it gets what's called fully funded.
You can keep buying during the period of the campaign, so that's really important. Even if a campaign is fully funded, you can still keep buying.
At some point, it closes and it's done. And then afterward, the creator sends you what you purchased.
It's a form of direct sales and connection with the creator rather than buying through an online retailer or bookstore, which means you are connecting with that company rather than the actual order.
This means the author can make more money more quickly and retain a higher percentage of the royalties rather than wait months or years to get paid and have a large percentage taken out.
They can also connect with you directly over time.
It's a really good way of connecting with creators and also helping them get paid.
When will Writing the Shadow be available on the retailers?
The limited edition hardback with gold foil and black ribbon is only available in the Kickstarter campaign.
The other formats will be available from January 2024 on the retailers as usual.
Transcript of the launch video
Hello everyone, I'm Jo Frances Penn and I write thrillers, dark fantasy, crime and travel memoir as J.F. Penn and self-help for authors as Joanna Penn — and this Kickstarter is for my latest book for authors, Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words.
Do you want to connect with readers at a deeper level?
Do you want your books to stand out in a sea of content by being authentic and personal in your writing, whatever the genre?
Are you interested in creative self-development?
If yes, Writing the Shadow could be for you.
This is a book of my heart, and it contains a lot of personal stories. But this book is about helping you reach readers with your words, and move to the next level in your writing.
The Shadow is that unconscious part of our personality and contains the rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings, the things that family, society, school — publishers, agents, other authors! — other people, have told us to hide.
It also contains our hidden gifts and talents that may have remained unexpressed or unlived for fear of what people might say.
But all great art taps into darkness and your most compelling work emerges when you embrace your full humanity, both light and shadow.
In Writing the Shadow, I'll guide you on an intimate journey to explore the darkness and discover the gold lying hidden in its depths. Gold that may be the source of your best creative work in the years ahead.
The book is finished.
Here is a proof copy of the special hardback which has the gold foil on the cover and also on the inner cover and a black ribbon so you can mark your place.
I'm doing the Kickstarter primarily for printing these special signed and numbered hardback editions with the gold foil.
But there are also other editions, however you prefer to read or listen.
There's an ebook readable on your preferred device. There's an audiobook narrated by me, which you can listen to again on your favorite device. There's also a paperback and a large print edition and also a spiral-bound workbook with all the questions from the book that is in print or in digital.
And you can also get all the editions in various bundle deals.
If you'd like some accountability around your writing, I have limited Shadow Sessions where you can join me to write online with a small group and I also have a limited number of one on one consulting sessions available. Plus I have different add-ons if you'd like my fiction or non-fiction books.
Everything is complete and finished and I will not be publishing Writing the Shadow on the main stores for a few months.
This Kickstarter is early access and you can't get this special edition anywhere else. The gold foil obviously and the ribbon I need to print specially.
You can find lots more details about the book, read a sample, listen to an audiobook sample, discover the different backer levels and add-ons on the Kickstarter campaign page, and you're welcome to leave a comment or a question. I'd love to hear from you.
The Shadow is calling. It's time to turn your inner darkness into words. I hope you'll join me on the journey and see you inside.