Buffers-- Do you have one for your comic/novel?

[Coffeeandmixtapes]

Wow, 30 pages, not bad!
I need some buffer episodes because I have a full-time job and other responsibilities. At the same I'm certain, as soon as I have some buffer episodes, I start to get lazy... Some people need a deadline and the stress behind it

[Coffeeandmixtapes]

Same here!!

[foxnflames]

For my first series, I had a five episode buffer. I updated every other day then dropped to three x a week and in hindsight, idk how I managed For my current series, I created a 20 episode buffer—while writing my first series—and I’m glad I did. My first series suffered and I ended up writing episodes the day before they were due to publish. 10/10 don’t recommended.

Now I have a 7 episode buffer and I’m working it back up to 10. Hopefully I can keep that up.

[Colours_dont_match]

I had a huge buffer and had a schedule, where I was able to upload 1 episode, but draw about 1-2 new episodes at the same time, till the new time came up.

Then so much private shit happened, where I wasn't able to draw several times for many days and I used up all my buffer. So I have none anymore and I doubt I'll be able to produce one again.

[Rhonder]

I want to get back to having one, but with how busy life is, I'm afraid I don't have the time

So I have none anymore and I doubt I'll be able to produce one again.

You may have already considered this, but just in case you haven't: don't forget that taking a hiatus to re-build buffer is always an option

As mentioned in my original reply, if there was one thing that I would go back and tell my first comic self, it would have been "Hey, in February 2019 take a break and rebuild buffer dummy! Otherwise your Spring and Summer will be schedule hell"

Of course, if you can live without one then it's up to you, but if you ever finding yourself wishing for a buffer but thinking you don't have time to make one... you can simply create time

[ApplesOverIndia]

I finished my novel in 2016/2017, long before I knew Tapas existed. I stumbled upon Tapas, thought "Hey, why not post that one story," so that's what I'm doing. I'm not sure it can even be called a buffer because it's entirely done. I do plan to add a few extras at the end that are already written but need some editing, but that won't be till mid-October. I go back and edit too much when writing to put chapters up as I write them.

[Dialusion]

I have a few buffers. I work in terms of a group of chapters (stages) and release on a bi-weekly schedule. On average, each stage is about 4 episodes, giving me around 2 months production per stage. It also gives me a bit of time to review (all though I'll never fully notice till it's out in the world. I repeat this for each stage, restarting the production cycle of Story Beats - Storyboard - First Draft - Final Draft - Line Art - Color - Text - Extra Pages(including credits/in-betweens). I'll even buffer the time for each step in case of unforeseen events.

I got myself on a routine so it's been healthier for me overall, especially with balancing studies, working out and basic human interaction. I buffer since I expect to lose some time. If I'm ahead of schedule and have time between my deadline and when I'm ready with everything per stage, I get to take that time off for myself.

[aeonsylver]

I too am an adept of buffers!
I'm used to update a 10 pages chapter every week and the current buffer is 3 chapters ahead, so I guess I also have a 30 pages buffer stored.

Working in a comic chapter and posting it right away is too much pressure and I got burned out in no time back when I didn't have one. Having one eased most of that, since I have time to review the pages and change something if needed. Also, I can take 1-2 weeks break if I want and there will still be chapters to upload and restart the buffer!

[MissEljebel]

Ahhh that’s true!! You have a point there. I just feel bad taking a hiatus but it’s something I should consider.

[EncryptedWriting]

Novelist here! There once was a time where I just sporadically updated as I went, and now I look back upon that and think "oh honey no." On here, my novel has about 14 ish chapter buffer and I plan on writing a chapter a week to keep up with the buffer. Each chapter is 2k words so it is very doable. I recommend a buffer just for the idea of security incase anything happens.

[Kann]

Actual footage of me working on my buffer.

[CarltonIsaac]

On Tapas, going at about 5-6 episodes for the ongoing comic and 20 or more for the ongoing novel.

Here's my show off thread on the subject -

SHOW OFF YOUR WEEKLY SCHEDULED EPISODES LIST [image] SIX EPISODES SET FOR THE WEEK of APRIL 22nd to MAY 2nd. Fantasy/Action/Comedy Comic Series

[Manyana]

I don't know if this can be called similar but... I also did a ten-chapter buffer before posting my novel on Tapas. I read that having scheduled chapters can help the authors to have enough time to work on their book and if they ever encounter a block, they won't worry as much because they have scheduled chapters so I did just that. I did Tuesday & Friday schedule and it didn't work for me in the end.

But, everyday and almost every time I click on my dashboard, check the performance and wait for notifications for my chapters even though it hasn't been opened yet. I constantly checked to the point that I removed all schedules and just published everything. Now I'm a "post whatever you finished, be it one chapter or more" kind of author. Which is not good for a panster, really. I jump chapters all the time.

[Kaydreamer]

I have a one-and-a-half episode buffer, which is much shorter than I need it to be. I'm trying to build it out, but as I develop a better sense of pacing, my episodes are getting longer instead. I'm easily spending two weeks on each episode, rather than one, which means building up a larger buffer is just... not happening.

Buffers are useful for a few reasons. They lower your stress levels, because you never have to worry about being 'late' with an update. They give you room to have a break if you find yourself unable to draw. (Something I'm currently struggling with, because I don't have enough buffer, and so I can't give my hand and wrist proper rest...) And finally, they give you breathing room to re-do early episodes if you so wish, something which can help draw in new readers. (Since most readers decide within the first few episodes whether or not they will read on and sub.)

It is frustrating not being able to share things which are finished, but not released yet! That said, you can put them on a Patreon, or share non-spoiler-y panels from them on social media as a form of advertising for your comic... So they can really come in handy there!

[PaulDevers]

I just finished up my most recent buffer last night! I'm up to a twelve page buffer right now; I think it's fine for what I need it to be. It used to be longer, but I shirked off for a few weeks until it was about... 6 pages? Then I got really nervouse and churned out a lot pages in a short time so I'd have it back to a healthy amount.
Better than my last comic; my last one didn't have a buffer at all. Learned the hard way on that.

[Rocksteady_Comics]

I started with a buffer of about ten pages, but I ran out around five or six months ago. Just recently during the last couple of weeks I've started building a buffer back up.

[rajillustration]

I have an unpredictable work schedule and sometimes I travel and I may have to just...be away from my computer for weeks at a time so yeah, I have to have a pretty sizeable buffer. That and while I don't have any thing serious, I have the tendency to catch a cold like a lot. Weird symptom of having Mono in college, I have a sucky immune system now. I pretty much expect to get laryngitis about 4-5 times a year. So like...I plan my sick days haha.

[GumshoeComix]

im buffered till CH 6 right now, currently lining CH 7 and Thumbnailing CH 10 (and writing ch 17 )
although with the fact that each chapter of mine is 22 pages I feel I should focus on CH 6 right now so I don't fall behind.

[Legendofgenii]

No. I should have paced myself when I moved over from Smack Jeeves, but I know nothing and threw thirty episodes up in one day

Now I just release episodes when they are ready.

[vapidink]

I'm a super slow writer, so I always have a buffer of about a dozen chapters before I start posting, and I usually post every other week. And sometimes it's still a close call, lol. But yeah, sometimes I just want to post everything at once.