8. GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE.
This is a weird one. Trends change all
the time. You will find, even if your
story is picked up for print, that you
still have to push the advertising
yourself. You will have to make contacts, you will have to come out of
your shell and start meeting people.
Start submitting your links, make
deals with other webcomics you like
(mind you, some creators are really
picky what they will showcase—for
me, it is quality and age-appropriate
material) to host one another’s links.
Find time to promote someone else;
you might be surprised to see the
favor returned. This game, though,
is always changing. Social media is
changing and Facebook is not as
creator-friendly as it used to be.
9. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.
your books, your family, your friends, etc.... but when it comes down
to it, those numbers are really small. Yet, the person that finds your
webcomic and takes the time to comment, returns daily, etc., will be
the one that will buy the hard copy. It is the truth. Yet, you can still
create income as indy... It’s just learning what options are out there.
I am a dad. I know what I want my kids to see online, so I make
sure my work runs in that vein. I also know my audience loves
reading fantasy and likes certain things, so I make sure I please
my audience, while not losing the integrity of my original
vision. Basically, do not sell your dream short for a few hits.
The Bean was written to be a printed story. It fits this pattern If you keep true to your vision, your audience will find you.
to the letter. I plan each book to be 152 pages of the online
story, plus extras (maps, notes, etc...). I have three books done 10. HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?
and I am now in the process of finishing Book 4. I make sure
the cover is nice and strong and that it is something my fans This is my biggest thing. Do not tell me how bad you want it.
would want and enjoy. It is a tribute to them, because The Show me. Put the time into your work. What are you willing to
Bean will not always be up here. Each book has been funded sacrifice to make that dream work? I love video games. I rarely
by Kickstarter—and now the coloring is being funded through play them, because I would rather tell my story. Family is first,
Patreon. These sites and our personal stores allow people to my dream is second—because my dream would be nothing
help keep our webcomic stories up and free to the masses.
if I destroyed my family in the process. Yet, I still sacrifice to
make the dream happen. I love entertaining, but when they go
When searching for comics, I am the same way; if I find a web to bed, I sit up and draw. When it fails (which Bean did three
comic that I really enjoy, I will pick up the hard copy.
times), do you get back up and rework to make it work? Only
you know. So, honestly, how bad do you want it?
7. MAKE YOUR SITE FUNCTIONAL
These are just ten simple things that have made my world
and use a good tracking software to see hits, etc. Unique hits a reality. I have had so much fun creating this and I know if
are more important that regular hits. A unique hit number others are inspired to do the same, the world of webcomics
is a more accurate representation of how many people are will be as strong as print. Fans will come and that labor of
reading your comic. So if your website gets 500,000 hits and love will pay off.
has only 12 unique hits, that means only about 12 people and
one might be your mom, are reading your comic. So, focus on So, keep creating, keep dreaming, and keep drawing.
getting the unique hits up.
SELF PUBLISHER MAGAZINE 2014
33