So.... remember when I said I would update this blog twice a month....? Hah! Me neither!
So far I've gotten to a rocky start when it comes to blogging lol. I'm surprised how hard it's been to really get motivated to work on my comics since the new year started. I think I was in "Comic Limbo" since I finished up the volumes I planned to get done in December. So now I've gotta do a ton of storyboarding which is always a bit draining for me lol.
BUT! This time away from working on this new blog post has actually been a good thing! Within this month, I stumbled upon new sites and some new info that I'd like to briefly discuss for this blog post. I'll talk about Places to Upload your Comic, Building a Fanbase, And Comments, and what they really mean!
So with out further adieu, here's Part 2 of "Tips on Starting a Webcomic!"
1. Sites to Host Your Webcomic
First off, here's a list of sites that are tailor made for hosting webcomics.
-Smackjeeves -Tapastic -ComicFury -Comic Genesis
-MangaMagazine -Komikia -GMI Manga -Drunk Duck
Out of all these sites, I have experience using Smackjeeves, Manga Magazine, Tapastic, Komikia, and GMI Manga.
Smackjeeves
Pros: This is so far my favorite place to host my comics. It was the first place I started uploading my works, and it's where the latest updates can be found. This site has a special place in my heart. It's easy to stumble onto new comics that are similar to your own, and you can customize the layout and overall look of your comics page!
Cons: You'll have to know some basic coding to be able to customize your comics page. (Looking through the forums helps tho!) That's about all I can think of for Cons.
Manga Magazine
Pros: This lovely site offers the opportunity to get paid to draw your comic. I'm not too sure how the folks at Manga Magazine find candidates among the sea of comics for Featured and Premium Status. So my only tip would be: Stay consistent with updating, and just work hard to make your comic the best it can be!
Cons: It's a lot harder to just stumble onto new comics. And you also don't get to customize your layout.
Tapastic
Pros: This is a very recent discovery. And I signed up to try out their Primetime Publisher Program where you get paid depending on your page views. You can learn more about the program HERE. So far this site has be awesome. And they layout their pages all vertically, which translates well for viewing on phones and tablets. It's still a fairly small community, but it's growing everyday and has so much potential so definitely check it out!
Cons: It's still a little wonky on a few things. When you get a comment on an "Episode", it's hard to track where that comment is if you have a lot of episodes. And if you sign up for the PPP, you have to upload a new chapter or "Episode" every week. So if you have very long chapters, you can't just simply add more pages to a current chapter. It won't count, so you gotta divide up the chapter. Example: Chapter One Pgs 1-12. That's one episode. And Episode 2 would be : Chapter One Pgs 13-20.
Komikia
Pros: This is also a fairly new discovery. It's also trying out paying for page views. So for every 1000 page views they reward $1. You can find out more about it HERE. So far it's a nice site. It's new, but you should check it out none the less!
Cons: The overall layout is still a bit confusing. It feels a bit unorganized I guess you could say? Hopefully they play around with their sites layout.
Global Manga Initiative
Pros: You can learn about them HERE. Basically, they host your webcomic, and promote it! Think of it as an online Anthology. They go to NYCC every year, and they're also working with Pronto Comics! They're still new, but their future as a growing business is looking great so far!
Cons: You gotta send them a pitch. So be sure you're ready to show samples of your comic, and that your story is ready for on going updates.
I suggest you check out all the sites. And decide which one is best for you. Also, it's a good idea to pick one as your main site to host on. Where all the latest updates can be found. You can also use more than one site as a way to gain more viewers! Just be sure to link back to your main hosting site.
2. Building A Fanbase
This also ties into what I brought up about using multiple sites for hosting your comic to gain more viewers. But there's 2 things you should keep in mind. Write the comics you want to write. And building interest in your comic takes time. A lot of time!
When it comes to your comics. You should feel free to write whatever story you want. With THAT said, it's ALWAYS good to hear feedback and criticism on your work. There are things other people will notice that sometimes will fly over our heads as the creator. It happens and we should always be open to listen, and improve. Plus, you'd be surprised, maybe it helps spark new inspiration for your story!
And when it comes to building a fanbase, just remember it isn't gonna be an overnight success. It takes time and a lot of hard work and dedication. I've been uploading my comics since I believe 2010 or 2011. I honestly can't remember lol. But I've been doing my best to be consistent and promote my works. So remember to work hard, and to keep going!
3. Comments and What They Really Mean
This is a personal observation I've noticed. Don't ever think your comic isn't doing well because of a lack of comments. This post on Tumblr is fantastic and really eye opening. It sums up everything so check it out HERE.
So just keep in mind that certain comics have certain audiences. As part of creating comics, you should think about who's reading your comic. Who's your target audience. It's important you know this, since it's something publishers look into as well. So just be ahead of the game and have this in mind.
I hope you enjoyed reading these little tidbits of Info I have to offer! I'll be going in depth on these topics in later posts! Again, thank you for reading and see ya next time!
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