172 lines
8.9 KiB
Markdown
172 lines
8.9 KiB
Markdown
# Kickstarter project creation — field inventory
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**Researched:** 23 Sep 2026 (WAT)
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**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.
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**Scope:** Create draft → fill editor → submit for review → (later) launch.
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**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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---
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## 0. Account & eligibility (blocks launch; not on the public page)
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| Field / requirement | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Kickstarter account | account | Yes | Email verified |
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| Age 18+ | eligibility | Yes | |
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| 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)) |
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| Beneficiary type | Individual / Business | Yes | Business needs entity registration in that country |
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| Legal name (individual or entity) | text | Yes | Must match ID / tax docs |
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| Government-issued ID | upload (Stripe) | Yes | Same country as project |
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| Tax ID (SSN / EIN / local) | secret | Yes | Via Stripe onboarding |
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| Beneficial owners (if entity) | repeat group | Yes if entity | IDs + tax docs |
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| Bank account (same country, same name) | bank | Yes | Checking / current; supports payouts in project currency |
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| Debit/credit card on file | card | Yes | CA: credit only |
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| Stripe Connect verification | flow | Yes | Can take days; start early |
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| Physical address for verification | address | Yes | In eligible country |
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**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+.
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---
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## 1. Start a project (pre-editor)
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URL: https://www.kickstarter.com/start
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| Field | Type | Required | Limits / notes |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| Primary category | select | Yes | Art, Comics, Crafts, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Journalism, Music, Photography, **Publishing**, Technology, Theater |
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| Primary subcategory | select | Yes after category | Publishing includes book-type subcats (e.g. Nonfiction, Fiction, Art Books, … — confirm live list in editor) |
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| 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)) |
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---
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## 2. Project editor — Basics
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| Field | Type | Required to submit/launch | Limits / notes |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| Project title | text | Yes | **≤ 60 characters** ([Publishing guide](https://updates.kickstarter.com/how-to-create-a-great-kickstarter-publishing-project-page/)) |
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| Subtitle / short blurb | text | Yes | **≤ 135 characters** |
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| 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)) |
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| Project video | upload/embed | Optional for Publishing | Strongly recommended; ≤ ~250 MB historically; MOV/MP4/etc. Design/Tech may require prototype video — Publishing does not |
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| Category / subcategory | select | Yes | Editable while live |
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| Project location (city) | location | Yes | City that describes where the project is based; verification address still must be eligible country |
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| Funding goal | money | Yes | All-or-nothing; currency from project country |
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| Campaign duration | days or end date | Yes | **1–60 days**; Kickstarter recommends ~30 days / ~4 weeks; blueprint uses **33 days** |
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| Target launch date (schedule) | datetime | Optional | Can submit for review then schedule launch |
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| 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)) |
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| Tags / keywords | text | Soft | Improve discovery; put keywords in description too |
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| Project URL slug | text | Auto + editable | Unique kickstarter.com/projects/… path |
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---
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## 3. Story / Campaign tab (public page body)
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| Field / block | Type | Required | Notes |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| Campaign story (rich text) | rich editor | Yes | Sections become left TOC when marked as headings |
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| Images / GIFs in story | upload | Strongly expected | Honest imagery; no misleading renders for physical products |
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| Embedded video(s) | embed | Optional | Beyond hero video |
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| **Risks and challenges** | dedicated section | **Yes** (expected by KS + backers) | Honest obstacles + mitigations |
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| **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/)) |
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| FAQ entries | Q&A list | Strongly recommended | Can grow during campaign |
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| Collaborator / author bios in story | prose | Recommended | Link creator profiles |
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| Environmental commitments | optional module | Usually Design/Tech | Publishing: often N/A / skip unless offering |
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---
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## 4. Rewards tab
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### 4a. Items (SKU building blocks)
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Item name | text | Yes | e.g. eBook (PDF + Kindle) |
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| Item description | text | Optional | |
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| Item image | upload | Recommended | |
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### 4b. Reward tiers
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Tier title | text | Yes | Public name |
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| Pledge amount | money | Yes | |
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| Description | text | Yes | What they get; no equity/crypto/NFT |
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| Included items | multi-select from Items | Yes | |
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| Limit quantity | number / unlimited | Optional | Early bird = limited |
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| Estimated delivery | month/year | Yes | Per reward |
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| Shipping | no shipping / restricted / worldwide + rates | Yes if physical | Digital = no shipping |
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| Image | upload | Recommended | Blueprint: 1200×628 |
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| Available start / end | datetime | Optional | Time-boxed early bird |
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| Late Pledge amount | money | If Late Pledges on | KS recommends ~+10% |
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| Late Pledge window | datetime | If Late Pledges on | At least one reward must start when campaign ends |
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### 4c. Add-ons
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Add-on title, price, items, limits, shipping, delivery | same as tiers | Optional | |
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**Prohibited reward content:** equity, revenue share, cryptocurrency, NFTs/tokens as the product, charity pass-through, misleading claims ([Our Rules](https://www.kickstarter.com/rules)).
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---
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## 5. People / Collaborators
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Project creator profile | profile | Yes | Bio, photo, website, social links |
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| Collaborators | invites | Optional | Authors, designer, etc. with roles |
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| Creator location / links | profile fields | Recommended | |
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---
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## 6. Payment / Funding / Stripe
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Funds recipient (individual vs business) | select | Yes | |
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| Stripe onboarding (ID, tax, bank, card) | Stripe hosted | Yes | Blocks submit/launch until complete |
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| Currency | derived | Yes | From country |
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---
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## 7. Prelaunch page (optional but in blueprint)
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Prelaunch / “Notify me” page | toggle + story | Optional | Collect followers before launch |
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| Prelaunch story | rich text | If used | Can differ from final |
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---
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## 8. Submit for review
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Review checklist completeness | system | Yes | Incomplete Basics/Story/Rewards/Payment block submit |
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| AI / honesty attestations | checkbox(es) | If prompted | Disclose AI use |
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| Submit for review | action | Yes | Kickstarter Trust & Safety review typically **several business days** (plan 5–7) |
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---
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## 9. After approval (launch controls)
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| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
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| Launch now / schedule launch | action | Yes to go live | Blueprint: Friday protocol; 3:00 AM PST optional (D12) |
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| Post-launch edits | limited | — | Category editable; some fields locked |
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---
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## Media cheat sheet
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| Asset | Spec |
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| Project image | 1024×576, ≤50 MB |
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| Reward / social cards | Blueprint uses 1200×628 |
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| Author headshots | Blueprint 800×800 |
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| Hero video | 2–3 min; optional for Publishing; submit without if not ready |
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---
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## What “complete form filling” means for this campaign
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Public page fields can be drafted from `ks-campaign-blueprint.md`.
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**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.
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