The Residents: Made in Wellington - A beautiful 200 page book showcasing 30+ Wellingtonians as you've never seen them before!

By Lucy Revill

NZ $37,010 pledged


441 people pledged


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This campaign was successful and closed on 25/08/2020 at 9:00 AM.

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The Residents: Made In Wellington - A Beautiful 200 Page Book Showcasing 30+ Wellingtonians As You've Never Seen Them Before!

Project 2020-07-06 20:41:51 +1200

UPDATE - Last Few Days and Some News from Me About Hardback vs Matt Laminate Cover

I'm excited to be heading towards the final days of my campaign for THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON.

Part way through this project we decided to add more stories of more Wellingtonians to represent a wider variety of diverse backgrounds. This has meant that the book you will get is longer than initially anticipated.

While that is fantastic news, it has also meant I've had to revisit the budget. I had initially envisioned a shorter book when I projected the $40,000 super stretch goal of hardcover books. But with the increased length of the book, I would need to raise closer to $55,000 if I wanted to make a hardcover book.

I know it will still look beautiful because we have an incredible team working on this project. And the feedback I've gotten from bookstores is that hardcovers aren't as important as I thought.

Therefore, I need to let you know, friends, that I will be unable to print in hardback, even if the goal is met on Tuesday of $40,000. I wish I could include all the heartfelt stories and make it in hardback, but I need to be a sensible business-lady and keep this project on track budget wise. 

I hope you understand and continue to share this project with your friends and family.

Keep up the wonderful support.

🎉 UPDATE - NEW GOAL $40,000 🎉

First of all, I am humbled by the support you have shown me. When I set out to launch this campaign two weeks ago, I had no expectations. I just wanted to see this project I had been working on for 18 months (but really 5 years) get across the line so I could print some half decent books.

I could never in a million years have believed that I would reach the stretch goal of $30,000 which will now allow me to sell the book into bookstores at a fair, wholesale price that booksellers can get on board with. 

It was always my dream to make this book in a durable hardback. Due to my decision to print the book in Wellington, I had to scrap this early on.  However, suddenly printing in hardback is a possibility - if we can reach the $40,000 ultra-stretch goal. Every book that is pre-ordered and contributes towards this even bigger goal will help this become a reality.

So keep on supporting this book by pre-ordering THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON. Keep reading below to learn more and pledge!

 

🎉 UPDATE - NEW GOAL $30,000 🎉 

                                     

I'm so excited that the team and I have hit our goal in *less than a day*! If we hit our stretch goal of $30,000 we will be able to print 1,000 books which will enable us to sell through bookstores. If we hit $40,000-$50,000 we can look to print in hardback! Wouldn't that be nice...

Thank you so much you kind Wellington lovers! You've made my childhood dream of publishing a book come true. Keep reading below and make sure you keep pledging!

Xoe Hall: Artist

THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON

 

The Residents: Made in Wellington shares many inspiring stories about how the residents of Wellington have been shaped by the creative, enterprising city of Wellington. During my five-year journey interviewing Wellingtonians on my blog The Residents, I’ve learned a lot about the people of the capital, what makes them resilient and how their styles and values are reflected in private spaces.  This literary and photographic collection features 30 people who excel in food, fashion, arts, small business and more. With rare vulnerability, they have let me into their homes and studios, giving us a behind the scenes look at how they live and work.

 

George Fowler: Hugo Grrrl

Sir Richard Taylor: Weta Workshop

Eboni Waitere: Huia Publishers

Murray Edridge: Wellington City Mission

Jacinda Ardern and Seashore Cabaret Owners Freya Aitkinson and Matt Wilson

PEOPLE OF NOTE IN THE BOOK 'THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON'

Hon. Jacinda Ardern (Honourary Wellingtonian)

Sir Richard Taylor (Weta Workshop)

'Mu' Chris Faimu (Fat Freddy's Drop)

Sophie Kasoylides (The Greek Food Truck)

Maciej Zimny (Noble Rot Wine Bar)

Murray Edridge (Wellington City Mission)

Marc Weir (Loretta)

Anjali Stewart and Rachel Easting (twentyseven-names)

Jessie Wong (Yu Mei)

Tilly Lloyd (Unity Books)

David Playle (International Award-Winning Hairstylist)

Margaret Hema (Skincare Developer and Facialist)

Matt Wilson and Freya Aitkinson (Seashore Cabaret and Good Fortune Coffee)

Stacey Walsh and Lydia Suggate (Mockingbird, Little Beer Quarter, Bebemos, Beach Babylon)

Hayley Sproull (Actress and TV Presenter, Great Kiwi Bakeoff, Have you been paying attention? Golden Boy)

Dr Acushla Dee (O'Carroll) Sciascia (Director at Māpuna Consultants)

George Fowler (Hugo Grrrl)

Eboni Waitere (Huia Publishers)

Amanda Millar (Director, Producer and Journalist)

Annabelle Wilson (Wilson Trollope)

Nick and Nevada Leckie (Okewa Rainwear)

Vijay Parbhu (Dixon Street Shoe Repair)

Xoe Hall (Artist)

Christopher Tubbs (DJ at Club 121)

Craig Springle (Union Tattoo)

Jacinta Gulasekharam (Dignity NZ)

Chevron Hassett (Photographer)

Anna Calver (Wellington NZ)

Talia Soloa (Layplan)

Marie Fitzpatrick and Nic Murray (Good Bitches Baking)

Professor Geoff McLay (Victoria University Law School)

Jay Hoburn Song (NZ Police) And more!

 

 

SEE HOW THE BOOK WILL LOOK AND READ THE INTRODUCTION AND INTERVIEWS WITH HUGO GRRRL AND LORETTA OWNER MARC WEIR HERE.

 

WHAT IS 'THE RESIDENTS' BLOG?

 

The Residents is a website that showcases Wellingtonians who are bold, interesting and courageous, and it was founded by me, Lucy Revill, in late 2015.  I have written over 500 blog posts and grown a wonderful connected community of Wellington enthusiasts, with the goal of sharing meaningful stories and to showcase inspirational role models for those who have a connection to Wellington. 

 

For many readers, spending time on The Residents is much more than looking up the best place to get lunch on Cuba Street - it’s about finding a community and stories that represent our shared experiences as Wellingtonians, learning about a new city and staying in touch with their hometown. I’ve built up a global audience whose heart remains in the capital.

 

I couldn’t have written the blog without the help of the 175 brilliant Wellington people who were prepared to share their stories. I also couldn’t have done it without the encouragement of the lovely community who commented, shared and engaged with my own millennial stories that have covered a wide range of topics, from dinners to dating to fashion in Wellington.

 

To date, we've had 750,000 hits online, hundreds of kind emails, and nearly 20,000 followers across my Facebook and Instagram accounts, and now I want to give supporters of The Residents something physical to hold and keep for years to come.

 

Margaret Hema: Skincare Pioneer and Former Facialist to A-List Stars

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME?

 

To make the best book I can for you, that also circulates money back into the local Wellington economy (not offshore) I need to cover the book printing costs of $10,000 for a minimum of 500 soft-back copies (a bargain for NZ unit prices). Printing in New Zealand is significantly pricier than printing overseas, but I want to keep this story local by supporting local throughout the production process. A huge thanks to the guys at Pivotal Print at Martin Square for supporting this project and giving us a generous discount on their normal quote to help make this true a Wellington project. 

 

I need a further $8,000 to cover the book production costs, including photo editing by the amazing Ashley Church, written editing and proofreading by ex-Bauer ex-Wellington NZ editor India Lopez (Kia Ora, North & South) and book design by gorgeous Amanda Wilkinson (The Forest Cantina Home). Our small team are all Wellingtonians. 

 

The final $4,000 is to cover the distribution, PledgeMe Fee ($1300), give each person featured in the book a copy ($1600) and cover marketing to spread the word ($1100).

 

I need you to Pledge to support this project by either buying a book or going even bigger and signing up for one of my limited-edition rewards and experiences (you won’t find these anywhere else).

 

If I reach the goal of $22,000, the book should be ready by CHRISTMAS TIME. So don’t forget to stock up for your family, colleagues and friends too! Wellington Anniversary weekend is also just around the corner…

 

 

Sophie Kasoylides: The Greek Food Truck

 

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

 

The book is written and photographed and photographs have been edited for print. If I raise $22,000, I will organise the final tweaks to be made, and then get started with production.  I'll be printing 500 in the first production run. If I can raise more than this goal and reach $30,000, it will be possible to boost the first production run to 1000 copies.

 

In late October (before the Kiwi holiday season starts) I’ll send out an email to everyone who pledged for a book. I’ll be offering signed copies and special messages upon request. Your book will be posted eight weeks before Christmas allowing plenty of time to arrive. If you’re in the Wellington area, I’ll even hand deliver it to you.

 

  

Thanks so much for your support! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch by emailing lucy@theresidents. Please feel free to share this campaign with friends, family and colleagues - it helps us out so much 😀

 

Find us:

Online: www.theresidents.co.nz

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theresidents.nz

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lucyrevill_residents 

 

THE TEAM!!!

 

 

THE AUTHOR

Lucy Revill is the winner of 2017 Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Award for her website, The Residents. She is also a finalist for the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award, New Zealand Poetry Society Competition and Sunday Star-Times Short Story Competition. She started writing her blog after wishing there was a place/platform that reflected the stories of fellow Wellingtonians. She’s learned the art of photography, transcription and Instagram as part of her blogging journey and has written for Urbis, Trivago, Amex Essentials, Vice and The Spinoff. She refuses to Tik Tok.

 

 

THE EDITOR

India Lopez has twelve years’ editing experience. A passionate reader, she enjoys working closely with authors of fiction and memoir. She also brings her trained eye to academic writing, cooking and lifestyle books, news journalism, magazine features, legal publications and children’s books. As well as editing, India writes for Air New Zealand’s Kia Ora magazine and WREDA’s wellingtonnz.com. She has a BA in English and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism from Massey University.

 

 

THE DESIGNER

Amanda Wilkinson is an Interface and User Experience designer with over 12 years of experience in digital. She was a finalist in the IPANZ printing awards for her design work on the Forrest Cantina ‘Home’ Cookbook.

 

 

THE PHOTO EDITOR

Ashley Church is a renound Wellington photographer and photo editor who has worked with The Residents for 4 years. She also has worked with Capital Magazine and Wellington Woman Magazine. Ashley has a great eye and has had her own work exhibited at Hunters and Collectors, Wellington.

 

 

THE PRINTER

Pivotal Print is an award-winning digital and offset print supplier for business, advertising and publishing needs. Locally owned and operated in Wellington’s Te Aro area, they offer a wide range of production services.

 

Contact: [email protected] / 027 323 0994

 

Comments

Updates 7

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BOOK LAUNCH REMINDER - TONIGHT AT UNITY BOOKS FOR PLEDGERS

03/11/2020 at 9:22 AM

See you tonight!

Good morning to you - my beautiful friends and PledgeMe pledgers.

I just wanted to send you a very short reminder that the PLEDGEME book launch will be held tonight at Unity Books, 57 Willis Street, at 6pm. I'll be signing books and you can come and collect your books and have a hug/photo/etc. I can't wait to see you there.

If you can't make it, don't stress. I will deliver your book to your address as you included when you pledged back in August.

Any questions just shoot me an email - [email protected]. Speeches start at 6:20pm and there will be food and drinks to enjoy.

Thank you so much for making this possible. I truly could not have this happen without my amazing crew - you guys are just so important to me and seeing this through.

Lucy xx

Book Launch Announcement

06/10/2020 at 6:55 PM

The Residents: Made in Wellington - Book Launch at Unity Books & Panel Discussion at The Wellington Museum

Good Evening!

As of today there is 10 days until we go to print on my first book. We're nearly there folks. I can't wait to get that file to Pivotal Print and start seeing those books roll out onto the floor.

Speaking of which...

The Unity Book Launch Party - Tuesday 3 November 2020

It is my pleasure to invite you to attend the official book launch for The Residents: Made in Wellington at Unity Books, 57 Willis Street.

There will be drinks and nibbles and some speeches.  I will also be on hand to write your message into your first edition of The Residents: Made in Wellington. 

Please arrive at 6pm and leave yourself free until 7:30pm. I can't wait to give you a huge hug and thank you for your incredible support bringing this project to life in these COVID-19 times of 2020.

I am also going to email you to send you another official invite, just so you don't miss out. 

The Wellington Museum x The Residents: Made in Wellington - Conversing With Pōneke - Panel Discussion

And, for those of you who are particularly keen, I will also be speaking on a panel on the Friday 6 November 2020 at The Wellington Museum chaired by Deputy Director Anton Carter (also DJ ant man by night).

The Wellington Museum is at 3 Jervois Quay

This will start also at 6pm and will feature 3 notable individuals from the book who will also chat about Wellington and their feelings on life and work in Aoteroa.

Names to be announced!

Can't wait to see you on the day. Feel free to bring along friends who you think would like to come! They'll be able to purchase books from Unity Books and The Wellington Museum on the night.

If you have any questions, please let me know. Bring ID so I can ensure I am actually giving the book to the right person!!

 

Cheers,

 

Lucy

THANK YOU! NOW, LET'S MAKE A BOOK!

02/09/2020 at 11:24 AM

YAY! WE DID IT!! 

Hi my lovely friends and readers,

(above: me attempting work-life balance)

I realised this morning that in all the kerfuffle of the last week I hadn't emailed you to THANK YOU for your wonderful support during the campaign. Last week I was on a secondment to another workplace, but now I am back with my feet on the ground.

Since the campaign reached the minimum, I have been finalising interviews, photographing subjects, organising photo edits, emailing my editor and getting subjects to confirm they are happy with their edited piece and photos. It's been a whirlwind. In fact, the other night I fell asleep and dreamed about someone in the book. It was very strange seeing her on Linkedin the next day and wondering why I felt like we'd had a falling out. Clearly, I need to avoid transcribing too close to bedtime!

Your funds are going to be used to make this book the best that it can be. I am excited to share that we've added new interviews so we're sitting around 38 stories in the book. I've also had an exciting update that none other than chef Monique Fiso (who's Wellington restaurant Hiakai was named one of TIME magazine's top 100 things to do in 2019) will be included in the final cut. I'm meeting her Friday. Wish me luck.

The plan is to 'shut the gate' as they say on the FINAL edits to stories in the next two weeks. My lovely designer Amanda is preparing the book layout and we met with Pivotal Print last week to finalise the look and feel of the book (and price!). 

I'm confident with this amazing team we're going to be really on the ball to deliver by the end of October. However, with all things COVID-y going on, I will make sure to keep things up to date if anything else changes. 

If you have any questions for me let me know. By now, you should have gotten an email from PledgeMe to transfer your funds. If not, let me know and I'll see if something has gone awry.

You've really helped me bring these fascinating stories of fascinating people to life in this book. I am excited and buzzed to keep on working on the book and bring it to you in finished form.

Let me know if you want to bounce any ideas or throw some suggestions at me for the next few months. If you have anyone who wants to inquire about pre-ordering more copies, let me know (I need to add up how many we've pre-sold - so much to do!!)

Okay, that's all from me. One final giant THANK YOU!

Lucy

A quick update from me

21/08/2020 at 6:03 PM

 

 

I'm excited to be heading towards the final days of my campaign for THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON.

 

Part way through this project we decided to add more stories of more Wellingtonians to represent a wider variety of diverse backgrounds. This has meant that the book you will get is longer than initially anticipated.

 

While that is fantastic news, it has also meant I've had to revisit the budget. I had initially envisioned a shorter book when I projected the $40,000 super stretch goal of hardcover books. But with the increased length of the book, I would need to raise closer to $55,000 if I wanted to make a hardcover book.

 

I know it will still look beautiful because we have an incredible team working on this project. And the feedback I've gotten from bookstores is that hardcovers aren't as important as I thought.

 

Therefore, I need to let you know, friends, that I will be unable to print in hardback, even if the goal is met on Tuesday of $40,000. I wish I could include all the heartfelt stories and make it in hardback, but I need to be a sensible business-lady and keep this project on track budget wise. 

 

I hope you understand and continue to share this project with your friends and family.

Keep up the wonderful support.

 

xo Lucy

PS Email me if you have any questions - [email protected] :)

Utterly jaw-slackingly amazing - Stretch Goal of $30,000 achieved! 2 weeks to go!

11/08/2020 at 9:30 PM

Thank you so much for supporting this project - to publish my first book - and bringing me TODAY to the stretch goal of $30,000!! 

🎉YAY!!🎉

First of all, THANK YOU!! I am so humbled by your support and kindess. To celebrate, I've posted a blog post with the amazing founder of PledgeMe, Anna Guenther on www.theresidents.co.nz.

Here she is! CLICK TO READ!!

But wait! There's more...

There are still two weeks to go to help get my book, The Residents: Made in Wellington made and out there into the world. I hope you'll continue to support it and spread the word to your friends and family who might be looking for a very unique gift for Wellingtonians for this Christmas.

We can now set our sights higher and go for the big one; YES. A durable, hardback edition. This seemed like an impossible dream when I first started this project, but maybe - just maybe - if we get to $40,000 we can make it a reality. 

Why is hardback so expensive and howcome you're only just bringing it up now?

Hardcover books made in New Zealand are prohibitively expensive. They need to have the case binding hand sewn and for this reason it just felt like too much to ask of you.

However, you've stood by me and blown my expectations out of the water.

I don't want to give anymore but I still want to support. How?

If you aren't able to support with money (and fair enough), you can share about this project with your mum, your colleagues and friends - and of course on Facebook or Instagram. There are still two weeks to go (campaign ends 25 August) and I have a sneaking suspicious feeling that there are more people out there who would love this book - if only they knew about it!

How do I learn more?

If you have any questions, please email me or send me a DM - I'm @lucyrevill_residents on Insta.

You're amazing and incredible and I can't believe we're doing this together!!!

Much love,

Lucy xxxooooo

$22,000 target reached in just 13 HOURS! Now let's hit that $30,000 stretch goal and print 1000 books!

29/07/2020 at 9:20 AM

INCREDIBLE! 

I genuinely am floored that we reached the minimum goal of $22,000 in just 13 HOURS!! Holy heck!!!

Thank you for your incredible generosity. I couldn't have done this without your help!! 

I won't rabble on but I want you to know that we still have 27 days of the campaign. And I'd love to achieve our stretch goal. 

If I can reach $30,000 that means that I can print 1000 books and that the unit price per book drops from $40 to $30. That difference is essential to achieve my dream of selling THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON in bookstores. Booksellers need to add a 45% markup to cover staffing costs, rent, put food on the table etc. So by continuing to spread the word and pledge, you'll help make this project one which not only is available via direct sales, but is available in your local bookshop like Unity Books.

I really want to reach this stretch goal because it will make the project much more viable for all the people in the broader ecosystem of the Wellington economy, particularly retailers. Let's think about our brilliant neighbours and retailers and support them (and me) by continuing to fund this project. 

Here's one bookseller who is in the book: Tilly Lloyd owns Unity Books and is an icon. What she doesn't know about books isn't worth knowing. Tilly spent 3 hours last week explaining to me all the things I need to think about, at her home over a glass of wine. She really wants to stock the book at Unity so let's make Tilly's desire to support this as a retailer, at a fair price, a reality.

If you have any questions about anything to do with the above, just email me. I've got Matt on the numbers so we can absolutely help you out if you want more details.

Keep funding this, baby!

Yours,

 

Lucy

    Pledgers 441

    Maxine Aylett
    25/08/2020 at 7:29am
    Anonymous pledger
    25/08/2020 at 6:44am
    Anna Krykunivsky
    24/08/2020 at 11:04pm
    Tony Ellis
    24/08/2020 at 10:54pm
    Shirley Hirst
    24/08/2020 at 9:40pm
    Nic Hetherington
    24/08/2020 at 8:31pm

    "Way to go Lucy! So awesome to see you smashing your goals and sharing your talents in this way! Be proud of your story too girl!"

    Tony Gardner
    24/08/2020 at 7:45pm
    Rose
    24/08/2020 at 5:48pm
    Anonymous pledger
    24/08/2020 at 4:45pm
    Ellen
    24/08/2020 at 4:21pm
    Anonymous pledger
    24/08/2020 at 10:01am
    Anonymous pledger
    24/08/2020 at 9:47am

    "Congratulations Lucy x "

    Macalister Mazengarb
    24/08/2020 at 9:43am
    Hayley Mackenzie
    24/08/2020 at 9:41am

    "All the best! "

    Anonymous pledger
    24/08/2020 at 8:22am
    Toni Wi
    24/08/2020 at 8:16am
    Aleisha McNatty
    23/08/2020 at 8:29pm
    Mark Baker
    23/08/2020 at 5:23pm
    Marc Weir
    23/08/2020 at 5:11pm
    Emma Mulhern
    23/08/2020 at 11:41am
    Zabeena
    22/08/2020 at 11:00pm
    Anonymous pledger
    22/08/2020 at 10:46pm
    Anonymous pledger
    22/08/2020 at 5:21pm
    Anna Kivi
    21/08/2020 at 8:52pm
    Katherine Fischer
    21/08/2020 at 8:48pm
    Maria
    21/08/2020 at 8:00pm

    "Shine on 🌟 "

    Lyndal Walker
    21/08/2020 at 7:58pm
    Mela Greenslade
    21/08/2020 at 7:44pm
    Mela Greenslade
    21/08/2020 at 7:43pm
    Nicole Murray
    21/08/2020 at 3:32pm

    "Nice one, Lucy!"

    Followers 1

    Followers of The Residents: Made in Wellington - A beautiful 200 page book showcasing 30+ Wellingtonians as you've never seen them before!

    The Residents: Made In Wellington - A Beautiful 200 Page Book Showcasing 30+ Wellingtonians As You've Never Seen Them Before!

    Project 2020-07-06 20:41:51 +1200

    UPDATE - Last Few Days and Some News from Me About Hardback vs Matt Laminate Cover

    I'm excited to be heading towards the final days of my campaign for THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON.

    Part way through this project we decided to add more stories of more Wellingtonians to represent a wider variety of diverse backgrounds. This has meant that the book you will get is longer than initially anticipated.

    While that is fantastic news, it has also meant I've had to revisit the budget. I had initially envisioned a shorter book when I projected the $40,000 super stretch goal of hardcover books. But with the increased length of the book, I would need to raise closer to $55,000 if I wanted to make a hardcover book.

    I know it will still look beautiful because we have an incredible team working on this project. And the feedback I've gotten from bookstores is that hardcovers aren't as important as I thought.

    Therefore, I need to let you know, friends, that I will be unable to print in hardback, even if the goal is met on Tuesday of $40,000. I wish I could include all the heartfelt stories and make it in hardback, but I need to be a sensible business-lady and keep this project on track budget wise. 

    I hope you understand and continue to share this project with your friends and family.

    Keep up the wonderful support.

    🎉 UPDATE - NEW GOAL $40,000 🎉

    First of all, I am humbled by the support you have shown me. When I set out to launch this campaign two weeks ago, I had no expectations. I just wanted to see this project I had been working on for 18 months (but really 5 years) get across the line so I could print some half decent books.

    I could never in a million years have believed that I would reach the stretch goal of $30,000 which will now allow me to sell the book into bookstores at a fair, wholesale price that booksellers can get on board with. 

    It was always my dream to make this book in a durable hardback. Due to my decision to print the book in Wellington, I had to scrap this early on.  However, suddenly printing in hardback is a possibility - if we can reach the $40,000 ultra-stretch goal. Every book that is pre-ordered and contributes towards this even bigger goal will help this become a reality.

    So keep on supporting this book by pre-ordering THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON. Keep reading below to learn more and pledge!

     

    🎉 UPDATE - NEW GOAL $30,000 🎉 

                                         

    I'm so excited that the team and I have hit our goal in *less than a day*! If we hit our stretch goal of $30,000 we will be able to print 1,000 books which will enable us to sell through bookstores. If we hit $40,000-$50,000 we can look to print in hardback! Wouldn't that be nice...

    Thank you so much you kind Wellington lovers! You've made my childhood dream of publishing a book come true. Keep reading below and make sure you keep pledging!

    Xoe Hall: Artist

    THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON

     

    The Residents: Made in Wellington shares many inspiring stories about how the residents of Wellington have been shaped by the creative, enterprising city of Wellington. During my five-year journey interviewing Wellingtonians on my blog The Residents, I’ve learned a lot about the people of the capital, what makes them resilient and how their styles and values are reflected in private spaces.  This literary and photographic collection features 30 people who excel in food, fashion, arts, small business and more. With rare vulnerability, they have let me into their homes and studios, giving us a behind the scenes look at how they live and work.

     

    George Fowler: Hugo Grrrl

    Sir Richard Taylor: Weta Workshop

    Eboni Waitere: Huia Publishers

    Murray Edridge: Wellington City Mission

    Jacinda Ardern and Seashore Cabaret Owners Freya Aitkinson and Matt Wilson

    PEOPLE OF NOTE IN THE BOOK 'THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON'

    Hon. Jacinda Ardern (Honourary Wellingtonian)

    Sir Richard Taylor (Weta Workshop)

    'Mu' Chris Faimu (Fat Freddy's Drop)

    Sophie Kasoylides (The Greek Food Truck)

    Maciej Zimny (Noble Rot Wine Bar)

    Murray Edridge (Wellington City Mission)

    Marc Weir (Loretta)

    Anjali Stewart and Rachel Easting (twentyseven-names)

    Jessie Wong (Yu Mei)

    Tilly Lloyd (Unity Books)

    David Playle (International Award-Winning Hairstylist)

    Margaret Hema (Skincare Developer and Facialist)

    Matt Wilson and Freya Aitkinson (Seashore Cabaret and Good Fortune Coffee)

    Stacey Walsh and Lydia Suggate (Mockingbird, Little Beer Quarter, Bebemos, Beach Babylon)

    Hayley Sproull (Actress and TV Presenter, Great Kiwi Bakeoff, Have you been paying attention? Golden Boy)

    Dr Acushla Dee (O'Carroll) Sciascia (Director at Māpuna Consultants)

    George Fowler (Hugo Grrrl)

    Eboni Waitere (Huia Publishers)

    Amanda Millar (Director, Producer and Journalist)

    Annabelle Wilson (Wilson Trollope)

    Nick and Nevada Leckie (Okewa Rainwear)

    Vijay Parbhu (Dixon Street Shoe Repair)

    Xoe Hall (Artist)

    Christopher Tubbs (DJ at Club 121)

    Craig Springle (Union Tattoo)

    Jacinta Gulasekharam (Dignity NZ)

    Chevron Hassett (Photographer)

    Anna Calver (Wellington NZ)

    Talia Soloa (Layplan)

    Marie Fitzpatrick and Nic Murray (Good Bitches Baking)

    Professor Geoff McLay (Victoria University Law School)

    Jay Hoburn Song (NZ Police) And more!

     

     

    SEE HOW THE BOOK WILL LOOK AND READ THE INTRODUCTION AND INTERVIEWS WITH HUGO GRRRL AND LORETTA OWNER MARC WEIR HERE.

     

    WHAT IS 'THE RESIDENTS' BLOG?

     

    The Residents is a website that showcases Wellingtonians who are bold, interesting and courageous, and it was founded by me, Lucy Revill, in late 2015.  I have written over 500 blog posts and grown a wonderful connected community of Wellington enthusiasts, with the goal of sharing meaningful stories and to showcase inspirational role models for those who have a connection to Wellington. 

     

    For many readers, spending time on The Residents is much more than looking up the best place to get lunch on Cuba Street - it’s about finding a community and stories that represent our shared experiences as Wellingtonians, learning about a new city and staying in touch with their hometown. I’ve built up a global audience whose heart remains in the capital.

     

    I couldn’t have written the blog without the help of the 175 brilliant Wellington people who were prepared to share their stories. I also couldn’t have done it without the encouragement of the lovely community who commented, shared and engaged with my own millennial stories that have covered a wide range of topics, from dinners to dating to fashion in Wellington.

     

    To date, we've had 750,000 hits online, hundreds of kind emails, and nearly 20,000 followers across my Facebook and Instagram accounts, and now I want to give supporters of The Residents something physical to hold and keep for years to come.

     

    Margaret Hema: Skincare Pioneer and Former Facialist to A-List Stars

    HOW CAN YOU HELP ME?

     

    To make the best book I can for you, that also circulates money back into the local Wellington economy (not offshore) I need to cover the book printing costs of $10,000 for a minimum of 500 soft-back copies (a bargain for NZ unit prices). Printing in New Zealand is significantly pricier than printing overseas, but I want to keep this story local by supporting local throughout the production process. A huge thanks to the guys at Pivotal Print at Martin Square for supporting this project and giving us a generous discount on their normal quote to help make this true a Wellington project. 

     

    I need a further $8,000 to cover the book production costs, including photo editing by the amazing Ashley Church, written editing and proofreading by ex-Bauer ex-Wellington NZ editor India Lopez (Kia Ora, North & South) and book design by gorgeous Amanda Wilkinson (The Forest Cantina Home). Our small team are all Wellingtonians. 

     

    The final $4,000 is to cover the distribution, PledgeMe Fee ($1300), give each person featured in the book a copy ($1600) and cover marketing to spread the word ($1100).

     

    I need you to Pledge to support this project by either buying a book or going even bigger and signing up for one of my limited-edition rewards and experiences (you won’t find these anywhere else).

     

    If I reach the goal of $22,000, the book should be ready by CHRISTMAS TIME. So don’t forget to stock up for your family, colleagues and friends too! Wellington Anniversary weekend is also just around the corner…

     

     

    Sophie Kasoylides: The Greek Food Truck

     

    WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

     

    The book is written and photographed and photographs have been edited for print. If I raise $22,000, I will organise the final tweaks to be made, and then get started with production.  I'll be printing 500 in the first production run. If I can raise more than this goal and reach $30,000, it will be possible to boost the first production run to 1000 copies.

     

    In late October (before the Kiwi holiday season starts) I’ll send out an email to everyone who pledged for a book. I’ll be offering signed copies and special messages upon request. Your book will be posted eight weeks before Christmas allowing plenty of time to arrive. If you’re in the Wellington area, I’ll even hand deliver it to you.

     

      

    Thanks so much for your support! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch by emailing lucy@theresidents. Please feel free to share this campaign with friends, family and colleagues - it helps us out so much 😀

     

    Find us:

    Online: www.theresidents.co.nz

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/theresidents.nz

    Instagram: www.instagram.com/lucyrevill_residents 

     

    THE TEAM!!!

     

     

    THE AUTHOR

    Lucy Revill is the winner of 2017 Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Award for her website, The Residents. She is also a finalist for the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award, New Zealand Poetry Society Competition and Sunday Star-Times Short Story Competition. She started writing her blog after wishing there was a place/platform that reflected the stories of fellow Wellingtonians. She’s learned the art of photography, transcription and Instagram as part of her blogging journey and has written for Urbis, Trivago, Amex Essentials, Vice and The Spinoff. She refuses to Tik Tok.

     

     

    THE EDITOR

    India Lopez has twelve years’ editing experience. A passionate reader, she enjoys working closely with authors of fiction and memoir. She also brings her trained eye to academic writing, cooking and lifestyle books, news journalism, magazine features, legal publications and children’s books. As well as editing, India writes for Air New Zealand’s Kia Ora magazine and WREDA’s wellingtonnz.com. She has a BA in English and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism from Massey University.

     

     

    THE DESIGNER

    Amanda Wilkinson is an Interface and User Experience designer with over 12 years of experience in digital. She was a finalist in the IPANZ printing awards for her design work on the Forrest Cantina ‘Home’ Cookbook.

     

     

    THE PHOTO EDITOR

    Ashley Church is a renound Wellington photographer and photo editor who has worked with The Residents for 4 years. She also has worked with Capital Magazine and Wellington Woman Magazine. Ashley has a great eye and has had her own work exhibited at Hunters and Collectors, Wellington.

     

     

    THE PRINTER

    Pivotal Print is an award-winning digital and offset print supplier for business, advertising and publishing needs. Locally owned and operated in Wellington’s Te Aro area, they offer a wide range of production services.

     

    Contact: [email protected] / 027 323 0994

     

    Comments

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    BOOK LAUNCH REMINDER - TONIGHT AT UNITY BOOKS FOR PLEDGERS

    03/11/2020 at 9:22 AM

    See you tonight!

    Good morning to you - my beautiful friends and PledgeMe pledgers.

    I just wanted to send you a very short reminder that the PLEDGEME book launch will be held tonight at Unity Books, 57 Willis Street, at 6pm. I'll be signing books and you can come and collect your books and have a hug/photo/etc. I can't wait to see you there.

    If you can't make it, don't stress. I will deliver your book to your address as you included when you pledged back in August.

    Any questions just shoot me an email - [email protected]. Speeches start at 6:20pm and there will be food and drinks to enjoy.

    Thank you so much for making this possible. I truly could not have this happen without my amazing crew - you guys are just so important to me and seeing this through.

    Lucy xx

    Book Launch Announcement

    06/10/2020 at 6:55 PM

    The Residents: Made in Wellington - Book Launch at Unity Books & Panel Discussion at The Wellington Museum

    Good Evening!

    As of today there is 10 days until we go to print on my first book. We're nearly there folks. I can't wait to get that file to Pivotal Print and start seeing those books roll out onto the floor.

    Speaking of which...

    The Unity Book Launch Party - Tuesday 3 November 2020

    It is my pleasure to invite you to attend the official book launch for The Residents: Made in Wellington at Unity Books, 57 Willis Street.

    There will be drinks and nibbles and some speeches.  I will also be on hand to write your message into your first edition of The Residents: Made in Wellington. 

    Please arrive at 6pm and leave yourself free until 7:30pm. I can't wait to give you a huge hug and thank you for your incredible support bringing this project to life in these COVID-19 times of 2020.

    I am also going to email you to send you another official invite, just so you don't miss out. 

    The Wellington Museum x The Residents: Made in Wellington - Conversing With Pōneke - Panel Discussion

    And, for those of you who are particularly keen, I will also be speaking on a panel on the Friday 6 November 2020 at The Wellington Museum chaired by Deputy Director Anton Carter (also DJ ant man by night).

    The Wellington Museum is at 3 Jervois Quay

    This will start also at 6pm and will feature 3 notable individuals from the book who will also chat about Wellington and their feelings on life and work in Aoteroa.

    Names to be announced!

    Can't wait to see you on the day. Feel free to bring along friends who you think would like to come! They'll be able to purchase books from Unity Books and The Wellington Museum on the night.

    If you have any questions, please let me know. Bring ID so I can ensure I am actually giving the book to the right person!!

     

    Cheers,

     

    Lucy

    THANK YOU! NOW, LET'S MAKE A BOOK!

    02/09/2020 at 11:24 AM

    YAY! WE DID IT!! 

    Hi my lovely friends and readers,

    (above: me attempting work-life balance)

    I realised this morning that in all the kerfuffle of the last week I hadn't emailed you to THANK YOU for your wonderful support during the campaign. Last week I was on a secondment to another workplace, but now I am back with my feet on the ground.

    Since the campaign reached the minimum, I have been finalising interviews, photographing subjects, organising photo edits, emailing my editor and getting subjects to confirm they are happy with their edited piece and photos. It's been a whirlwind. In fact, the other night I fell asleep and dreamed about someone in the book. It was very strange seeing her on Linkedin the next day and wondering why I felt like we'd had a falling out. Clearly, I need to avoid transcribing too close to bedtime!

    Your funds are going to be used to make this book the best that it can be. I am excited to share that we've added new interviews so we're sitting around 38 stories in the book. I've also had an exciting update that none other than chef Monique Fiso (who's Wellington restaurant Hiakai was named one of TIME magazine's top 100 things to do in 2019) will be included in the final cut. I'm meeting her Friday. Wish me luck.

    The plan is to 'shut the gate' as they say on the FINAL edits to stories in the next two weeks. My lovely designer Amanda is preparing the book layout and we met with Pivotal Print last week to finalise the look and feel of the book (and price!). 

    I'm confident with this amazing team we're going to be really on the ball to deliver by the end of October. However, with all things COVID-y going on, I will make sure to keep things up to date if anything else changes. 

    If you have any questions for me let me know. By now, you should have gotten an email from PledgeMe to transfer your funds. If not, let me know and I'll see if something has gone awry.

    You've really helped me bring these fascinating stories of fascinating people to life in this book. I am excited and buzzed to keep on working on the book and bring it to you in finished form.

    Let me know if you want to bounce any ideas or throw some suggestions at me for the next few months. If you have anyone who wants to inquire about pre-ordering more copies, let me know (I need to add up how many we've pre-sold - so much to do!!)

    Okay, that's all from me. One final giant THANK YOU!

    Lucy

    A quick update from me

    21/08/2020 at 6:03 PM

     

     

    I'm excited to be heading towards the final days of my campaign for THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON.

     

    Part way through this project we decided to add more stories of more Wellingtonians to represent a wider variety of diverse backgrounds. This has meant that the book you will get is longer than initially anticipated.

     

    While that is fantastic news, it has also meant I've had to revisit the budget. I had initially envisioned a shorter book when I projected the $40,000 super stretch goal of hardcover books. But with the increased length of the book, I would need to raise closer to $55,000 if I wanted to make a hardcover book.

     

    I know it will still look beautiful because we have an incredible team working on this project. And the feedback I've gotten from bookstores is that hardcovers aren't as important as I thought.

     

    Therefore, I need to let you know, friends, that I will be unable to print in hardback, even if the goal is met on Tuesday of $40,000. I wish I could include all the heartfelt stories and make it in hardback, but I need to be a sensible business-lady and keep this project on track budget wise. 

     

    I hope you understand and continue to share this project with your friends and family.

    Keep up the wonderful support.

     

    xo Lucy

    PS Email me if you have any questions - [email protected] :)

    Utterly jaw-slackingly amazing - Stretch Goal of $30,000 achieved! 2 weeks to go!

    11/08/2020 at 9:30 PM

    Thank you so much for supporting this project - to publish my first book - and bringing me TODAY to the stretch goal of $30,000!! 

    🎉YAY!!🎉

    First of all, THANK YOU!! I am so humbled by your support and kindess. To celebrate, I've posted a blog post with the amazing founder of PledgeMe, Anna Guenther on www.theresidents.co.nz.

    Here she is! CLICK TO READ!!

    But wait! There's more...

    There are still two weeks to go to help get my book, The Residents: Made in Wellington made and out there into the world. I hope you'll continue to support it and spread the word to your friends and family who might be looking for a very unique gift for Wellingtonians for this Christmas.

    We can now set our sights higher and go for the big one; YES. A durable, hardback edition. This seemed like an impossible dream when I first started this project, but maybe - just maybe - if we get to $40,000 we can make it a reality. 

    Why is hardback so expensive and howcome you're only just bringing it up now?

    Hardcover books made in New Zealand are prohibitively expensive. They need to have the case binding hand sewn and for this reason it just felt like too much to ask of you.

    However, you've stood by me and blown my expectations out of the water.

    I don't want to give anymore but I still want to support. How?

    If you aren't able to support with money (and fair enough), you can share about this project with your mum, your colleagues and friends - and of course on Facebook or Instagram. There are still two weeks to go (campaign ends 25 August) and I have a sneaking suspicious feeling that there are more people out there who would love this book - if only they knew about it!

    How do I learn more?

    If you have any questions, please email me or send me a DM - I'm @lucyrevill_residents on Insta.

    You're amazing and incredible and I can't believe we're doing this together!!!

    Much love,

    Lucy xxxooooo

    $22,000 target reached in just 13 HOURS! Now let's hit that $30,000 stretch goal and print 1000 books!

    29/07/2020 at 9:20 AM

    INCREDIBLE! 

    I genuinely am floored that we reached the minimum goal of $22,000 in just 13 HOURS!! Holy heck!!!

    Thank you for your incredible generosity. I couldn't have done this without your help!! 

    I won't rabble on but I want you to know that we still have 27 days of the campaign. And I'd love to achieve our stretch goal. 

    If I can reach $30,000 that means that I can print 1000 books and that the unit price per book drops from $40 to $30. That difference is essential to achieve my dream of selling THE RESIDENTS: MADE IN WELLINGTON in bookstores. Booksellers need to add a 45% markup to cover staffing costs, rent, put food on the table etc. So by continuing to spread the word and pledge, you'll help make this project one which not only is available via direct sales, but is available in your local bookshop like Unity Books.

    I really want to reach this stretch goal because it will make the project much more viable for all the people in the broader ecosystem of the Wellington economy, particularly retailers. Let's think about our brilliant neighbours and retailers and support them (and me) by continuing to fund this project. 

    Here's one bookseller who is in the book: Tilly Lloyd owns Unity Books and is an icon. What she doesn't know about books isn't worth knowing. Tilly spent 3 hours last week explaining to me all the things I need to think about, at her home over a glass of wine. She really wants to stock the book at Unity so let's make Tilly's desire to support this as a retailer, at a fair price, a reality.

    If you have any questions about anything to do with the above, just email me. I've got Matt on the numbers so we can absolutely help you out if you want more details.

    Keep funding this, baby!

    Yours,

     

    Lucy

      Maxine Aylett
      25/08/2020 at 7:29am
      Anonymous pledger
      25/08/2020 at 6:44am
      Anna Krykunivsky
      24/08/2020 at 11:04pm
      Tony Ellis
      24/08/2020 at 10:54pm
      Shirley Hirst
      24/08/2020 at 9:40pm
      Nic Hetherington
      24/08/2020 at 8:31pm

      "Way to go Lucy! So awesome to see you smashing your goals and sharing your talents in this way! Be proud of your story too girl!"

      Tony Gardner
      24/08/2020 at 7:45pm
      Rose
      24/08/2020 at 5:48pm
      Anonymous pledger
      24/08/2020 at 4:45pm
      Ellen
      24/08/2020 at 4:21pm
      Anonymous pledger
      24/08/2020 at 10:01am
      Anonymous pledger
      24/08/2020 at 9:47am

      "Congratulations Lucy x "

      Macalister Mazengarb
      24/08/2020 at 9:43am
      Hayley Mackenzie
      24/08/2020 at 9:41am

      "All the best! "

      Anonymous pledger
      24/08/2020 at 8:22am
      Toni Wi
      24/08/2020 at 8:16am
      Aleisha McNatty
      23/08/2020 at 8:29pm
      Mark Baker
      23/08/2020 at 5:23pm
      Marc Weir
      23/08/2020 at 5:11pm
      Emma Mulhern
      23/08/2020 at 11:41am
      Zabeena
      22/08/2020 at 11:00pm
      Anonymous pledger
      22/08/2020 at 10:46pm
      Anonymous pledger
      22/08/2020 at 5:21pm
      Anna Kivi
      21/08/2020 at 8:52pm
      Katherine Fischer
      21/08/2020 at 8:48pm
      Maria
      21/08/2020 at 8:00pm

      "Shine on 🌟 "

      Lyndal Walker
      21/08/2020 at 7:58pm
      Mela Greenslade
      21/08/2020 at 7:44pm
      Mela Greenslade
      21/08/2020 at 7:43pm
      Nicole Murray
      21/08/2020 at 3:32pm

      "Nice one, Lucy!"

      Followers of The Residents: Made in Wellington - A beautiful 200 page book showcasing 30+ Wellingtonians as you've never seen them before!

      This campaign was successful and got its funding on 25/08/2020 at 9:00 AM.
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