# Kickstarter project creation — field inventory
**Researched:** 23 Sep 2026 (WAT)  
**Sources:** kickstarter.com/start, help.kickstarter.com, updates.kickstarter.com creator guides, kickstarter.com/help/images, Who can use Kickstarter, AI content guidelines, Our Rules (archive), Publishing project-page guide.  
**Scope:** Create draft → fill editor → submit for review → (later) launch.  
**Caveat:** Exact UI labels can shift; this maps the required *content* Kickstarter expects. Logged-in editor tabs are confirmed from official help (Basics, Story/Campaign, Rewards, People, Payment/Verification) plus Late Pledges controls on Basics/Rewards.

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## 0. Account & eligibility (blocks launch; not on the public page)

| Field / requirement | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickstarter account | account | Yes | Email verified |
| Age 18+ | eligibility | Yes | |
| Creator country | select | Yes | Must be one of: AU, AT, BE, CA, DK, FR, DE, GR, HK, IE, IT, JP, LU, MX, NL, NZ, NO, PL, SG, SI, ES, SE, CH, UK, US ([Who can use Kickstarter](https://help.kickstarter.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005128594-Who-can-use-Kickstarter)) |
| Beneficiary type | Individual / Business | Yes | Business needs entity registration in that country |
| Legal name (individual or entity) | text | Yes | Must match ID / tax docs |
| Government-issued ID | upload (Stripe) | Yes | Same country as project |
| Tax ID (SSN / EIN / local) | secret | Yes | Via Stripe onboarding |
| Beneficial owners (if entity) | repeat group | Yes if entity | IDs + tax docs |
| Bank account (same country, same name) | bank | Yes | Checking / current; supports payouts in project currency |
| Debit/credit card on file | card | Yes | CA: credit only |
| Stripe Connect verification | flow | Yes | Can take days; start early |
| Physical address for verification | address | Yes | In eligible country |

**Nigeria is not on Kickstarter’s creator-country list.** Launch must be through a registered entity (or resident) in an eligible country (e.g. US BurnedOut Media / WeOwnNet if that is the legal publisher). This is Decision D16+.

---

## 1. Start a project (pre-editor)

URL: https://www.kickstarter.com/start

| Field | Type | Required | Limits / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary category | select | Yes | Art, Comics, Crafts, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Journalism, Music, Photography, **Publishing**, Technology, Theater |
| Primary subcategory | select | Yes after category | Publishing includes book-type subcats (e.g. Nonfiction, Fiction, Art Books, … — confirm live list in editor) |
| Additional / second category + subcategory | select | Optional | On Basics later; for Kickstarter guidance only; **not public**, does not affect search ([category help](https://help.kickstarter.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005128114-How-do-I-choose-the-right-category-for-your-project)) |

---

## 2. Project editor — Basics

| Field | Type | Required to submit/launch | Limits / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project title | text | Yes | **≤ 60 characters** ([Publishing guide](https://updates.kickstarter.com/how-to-create-a-great-kickstarter-publishing-project-page/)) |
| Subtitle / short blurb | text | Yes | **≤ 135 characters** |
| Project image (hero card) | upload | Yes | Recommended **1024×576 (16:9)**; JPEG/PNG/GIF/BMP; max **50 MB** ([help/images](https://www.kickstarter.com/help/images)) |
| Project video | upload/embed | Optional for Publishing | Strongly recommended; ≤ ~250 MB historically; MOV/MP4/etc. Design/Tech may require prototype video — Publishing does not |
| Category / subcategory | select | Yes | Editable while live |
| Project location (city) | location | Yes | City that describes where the project is based; verification address still must be eligible country |
| Funding goal | money | Yes | All-or-nothing; currency from project country |
| Campaign duration | days or end date | Yes | **1–60 days**; Kickstarter recommends ~30 days / ~4 weeks; blueprint uses **33 days** |
| Target launch date (schedule) | datetime | Optional | Can submit for review then schedule launch |
| Late Pledges enable | toggle | Optional | Must enable in draft or while live ([Late Pledges](https://help.kickstarter.com/hc/en-us/articles/24875583879067-How-do-I-add-Late-Pledges-to-my-project)) |
| Tags / keywords | text | Soft | Improve discovery; put keywords in description too |
| Project URL slug | text | Auto + editable | Unique kickstarter.com/projects/… path |

---

## 3. Story / Campaign tab (public page body)

| Field / block | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign story (rich text) | rich editor | Yes | Sections become left TOC when marked as headings |
| Images / GIFs in story | upload | Strongly expected | Honest imagery; no misleading renders for physical products |
| Embedded video(s) | embed | Optional | Beyond hero video |
| **Risks and challenges** | dedicated section | **Yes** (expected by KS + backers) | Honest obstacles + mitigations |
| **AI disclosure** | story + sometimes submission | **Yes if AI used** | What AI, how used, what is original human work ([AI guidelines](https://updates.kickstarter.com/kickstarter-project-guidelines-for-ai-generated-content-and-ai-technology/)) |
| FAQ entries | Q&A list | Strongly recommended | Can grow during campaign |
| Collaborator / author bios in story | prose | Recommended | Link creator profiles |
| Environmental commitments | optional module | Usually Design/Tech | Publishing: often N/A / skip unless offering |

---

## 4. Rewards tab

### 4a. Items (SKU building blocks)
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item name | text | Yes | e.g. eBook (PDF + Kindle) |
| Item description | text | Optional | |
| Item image | upload | Recommended | |

### 4b. Reward tiers
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier title | text | Yes | Public name |
| Pledge amount | money | Yes | |
| Description | text | Yes | What they get; no equity/crypto/NFT |
| Included items | multi-select from Items | Yes | |
| Limit quantity | number / unlimited | Optional | Early bird = limited |
| Estimated delivery | month/year | Yes | Per reward |
| Shipping | no shipping / restricted / worldwide + rates | Yes if physical | Digital = no shipping |
| Image | upload | Recommended | Blueprint: 1200×628 |
| Available start / end | datetime | Optional | Time-boxed early bird |
| Late Pledge amount | money | If Late Pledges on | KS recommends ~+10% |
| Late Pledge window | datetime | If Late Pledges on | At least one reward must start when campaign ends |

### 4c. Add-ons
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add-on title, price, items, limits, shipping, delivery | same as tiers | Optional | |

**Prohibited reward content:** equity, revenue share, cryptocurrency, NFTs/tokens as the product, charity pass-through, misleading claims ([Our Rules](https://www.kickstarter.com/rules)).

---

## 5. People / Collaborators

| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project creator profile | profile | Yes | Bio, photo, website, social links |
| Collaborators | invites | Optional | Authors, designer, etc. with roles |
| Creator location / links | profile fields | Recommended | |

---

## 6. Payment / Funding / Stripe

| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds recipient (individual vs business) | select | Yes | |
| Stripe onboarding (ID, tax, bank, card) | Stripe hosted | Yes | Blocks submit/launch until complete |
| Currency | derived | Yes | From country |

---

## 7. Prelaunch page (optional but in blueprint)

| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelaunch / “Notify me” page | toggle + story | Optional | Collect followers before launch |
| Prelaunch story | rich text | If used | Can differ from final |

---

## 8. Submit for review

| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review checklist completeness | system | Yes | Incomplete Basics/Story/Rewards/Payment block submit |
| AI / honesty attestations | checkbox(es) | If prompted | Disclose AI use |
| Submit for review | action | Yes | Kickstarter Trust & Safety review typically **several business days** (plan 5–7) |

---

## 9. After approval (launch controls)

| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch now / schedule launch | action | Yes to go live | Blueprint: Friday protocol; 3:00 AM PST optional (D12) |
| Post-launch edits | limited | — | Category editable; some fields locked |

---

## Media cheat sheet

| Asset | Spec |
|---|---|
| Project image | 1024×576, ≤50 MB |
| Reward / social cards | Blueprint uses 1200×628 |
| Author headshots | Blueprint 800×800 |
| Hero video | 2–3 min; optional for Publishing; submit without if not ready |

---

## What “complete form filling” means for this campaign

Public page fields can be drafted from `ks-campaign-blueprint.md`.  
**Cannot be invented by an agent:** Stripe legal entity, tax IDs, bank, government ID, exact print unit costs, contracted retreat dates, live KS login. Those stay owner-only.