Have you ever wanted to create your own show and have a major network fund it and air it? Sure you have.

So has Joe Murray. He created Rocko's Modern Life for Nickelodeon and Camp Lazlo for Cartoon Network. Life has been good for Joe.

"I've had two shows so far that I really enjoyed doing," says Murray. "The network says when they're done and I really wanted to do more. Although I'm grateful to the networks for picking them up and funding them, I still wanted to try and find a way to do a show that can live on."

Murray continues, "I looked into syndication, but I realized instead of one boss at a network, I'd have 50 in the syndication world."

"Then I wrote a book for Random House, Created Animated Cartoons with Character, which comes out this summer. I wrote a section on how to be independent on the web. In my research, I figured if this is doable, why don't I give it a try?

"I produced one episode of my new series, Frog In a Suit, and took it to a lot of meetings with money people. In order to do what I want to do in the bigger picture, I wanted to have the least amount of strings attached from big business."

One of Joe's bloggers suggested he try a website, Kickstarter.com.

Kickstarter is an easy-to-use online tool for raising funds for creative projects. Creative on their site can mean art, music, design, fashion, games, apps, video, film, journalism and more. They allow you, the creator, to keep 100% ownership of what you create. Kickstarter simply collects 5% from the funds you raise, if your project is successfully funded.

The way this works is pretty cool. Funding is all or nothing. You start a fund-raising project, set a goal for the amount you want to raise and set a time the funds must be raised by. If the goal is not met by the due date, no money changes hands.

Kickstarter is not an investment tool. Those who give to a creative project are supporting artists much the way we give money during a PBS drive. When you give to PBS, you don't own the programming and on Kickstarter you won't own a part of the projects either.  

If you want to give to a project, you pledge an amount with your credit card but your card isn't charged until the project is fully funded. This way you don't get stuck offering money to something that won't happen.

In order to entice pledges, you should offer something to people like products, benefits or experiences.

In Joe's case, he has a variety of offerings for people who pledge different amounts. Pledges can start as low as $5 each. For $5, you will have access to a special web page with behind the scenes info, art and a video on the making of his new series. The more you pledge, the more you get like DVDs, credits on the project, online mentor classes, lunch with Joe and more.