Creator identity?

[Rhonder]

Hmm, I don't think there's anyone that I know IRL that isn't like a light acquaintance or less that doesn't know that I'm into drawing. I've been pretty passionate about it as a hobby for like 11 years now since Middle School, and although I used to be kind of shy about sharing it outside of close friends/family at first, that's long since dissolved. Like anytime "What are your hobbies" or "what do you like to do for fun?" it's like "Drawing and video games!" As far as my recent comic drawing ambitions go, mostly only a few close friends irl and online know any of the particulars, although I've been teasing it on my recently established art social media platforms, so any of my irl or online friends who pay attention to those should be aware.

The big exception to the above is my co-workers. I've only been here a year and would have no problem talking to them about my hobbies, but no one ever inquires so I never talk about it. They're at least aware that I'm into gaming, because I took a day off last year to go to all 4 days of PAX West (and one of my boss' sons actually works for a game developer and thus also goes) but my drawing never got brought up xD I had a few pieces in my interview portfolio (I work in an architecture firm, so including drawings made sense) as well as a few comic storyboards actually, so recognition might be there but I dunno.

I guess part of it's on me. Whenever I get asked what I did over the weekend, if it was something cool (like a concert or other event) I'll talk about it, but if I just spent the whole time drawing or whatever I'll usually say "oh, not much. Just kind of relaxed" rather than "I spent 20 hours drawing 8D"

[Shanny8]

I'm pretty much on a "none of your business" approach with most of my co-workers at my RL gig. There's a few that know I do comics(hell, my boss has bought some of my stuff); I sit at my desk during lulls between tasks and work on my comic stuff- but when asked, I downplay and try to deflect a lot of it coz I dont want folks feeling that they can ask me to do some art for them(especially when what they ask isnt what I want to do). Not ashamed of what I do- I just like my privacy(when it comes to them).

I'm more or less really vague about stuffs in general. Most of the conventions that I table at are on the weekends; the only 2 that I have taken days off for are MomoCon(starts on a Thursday) and Anime Weekend Atlanta(starts on a Friday). My fam knows I make comics/webcomics and do con shows- they also know I spend most of my weekends working on comic stuff, watching Netflix & anime, and dont care to be bothered most of the time.

[Laht]

Many people know I draw, but I only personally told 2 of them I make comics. XD
I live far away from convention sites so... well. I haven't meet IRL any comic creators. Some of my university friends draw and write a book, but they never really go around telling others.

My comics can sometimes be really personal, so I don't really want anyone near me to take a peek inside my mind ahah. Not that I'm ashamed of what I do, I'm proud of them. I just like my own personal space. It let me breath and not worry about what people may think if I write certain things. It's my freedom oasis.

If anyone finds out, well, I won't freak out or anything. Since I have nothing to hide. I think many would support me in fact. I just like to create my own peaceful place. That's all.

[joannekwan]

I also want to add, that pretty much no one I know in real life (my husband aside) knows about my other interests— how I have a deep thirst over some subjects for example hahaha.
Sometimes it bleeds over into my art and comics, but like I said before, people don't look too in depth. The platforms where most of my irl connections follow me on, facebook and instagram, I keep sfw anyway.

I think I'm the only one of my irl circle who is so wired to the internet, with niche interests. And when I get together with my friends I sometimes think in the back of my mind "Oh? You're into Fairy Tail? That's the most non-mainstream thing you like? That's cute."

I kind of like having this other side to me. Not many people know it's there. Do they dare ask?

[SpavVy]

My family and friends know I make a comic and that I'm in with a small digital publisher. Some of my friends have admitted to reading it regularly in fact. However I'm not too open about sharing links and stuff with some of my relatives because my family on my dad's side are rather...conservative and very Christain. I draw and write some pretty NSFW and sensitive stuff and I kinda don't want them seeing that lol.

[Akhdas]

people whom i know of, know i make comics. they just dont care

[375]

So with me, people know I write because hey when you have 22 best friends they kind of find out what you do and will support you especially your best best friend. But out of the 22, they do know but never read anything of mine. So im hidden but im not hidden?? XD

[lunaartemisasama]

I prefer to keep it private because people ask too much if they know.
I once knew a fujoshi IRL and we were like, ok I will give you my internet alias if you give me yours.... ,but we couldn't... awkwardness everywhere.

[dawgofdawgness]

At the beginning of the year I was pretty secretive about my comic, but nowadays 70% of my friends know it exists. In fact I doodle my characters EVERY where - my homework, the whiteboard, the desk (oops), my tests - the teachers have learned to just accept it... And some even like them

[LordVincent]

Eh. I draw dicks and anime cuties killing each other for a living and everyone knows it.

I'm not very private, reserved or secretive. Never seen the point and I'm nearly incapable of even telling a lie so i couldn't lie about it if I wanted

[eochoa92]

Regarding my writing, I get crap from my supervisor because of the moleskine I carry with me. He says that my days are filled with me packing that notebook with my angst. While I have told him that I do write comics, that's all he knows. I've never shown him any, nor do I tell him what I have in the works.
Same with other people I know and family.
I tend to be reserved about myself, thinking that my talking about my projects is coming off braggy, despite the absence of my own following. If anybody asks, I'll answer. If someone wants to see what I have, I'll show them. But I won't just randomly bring up the topic and shove my content in someone's face. I've been confronted with too many people trying to sell their mixtapes in that fashion.

[sandpaperdaisy]

I'm more the "I forget to tell people stuff" type person. I have friends who would be perfectly happy to read my things but it takes me forever to actually shoot them a link because I'm too busy playing Turtles in Time with them or cooking or whatever.

There's only a few people I purposely don't show my stuff. I'm talking in-laws, etc who are sweet wonderful people but who believe that D&D is satanic and certain sexual preferences don't actually exist and several million people are just making it up. You get the idea. I think of not sharing my work as "sparing" them because they still have to interact with me, so at least I can ensure they're not picturing horrible shapeshifting alien beasts and killer schoolgirls while they're talking to me.

Realistically, I know I'm just sparing myself the conflict and sideways glances though. XD

[KSlinger]

I'm happy to share my life with people on the Internet. Pics, Snapchats, places I go, me and my. friends. I've never felt unsafe or uncomfortable doing that. But I don't tell lots of people about the comic IRL. Most people know I draw sometimes and that's all. Just feel weird otherwise.

[Bosque]

I've always opted for the anonymity on internet because I'm shy and I prefer the criticism of people who I can't see than the ones who I meet outside, just 3 persons know about my comic "Bite" but I think in a future this will be spreaded because I want to expose and be a professional after all :c

[ilustrariane]

yes, they all know, they just don't care a bit. i post my updates on facebook and not even my boyfriend give a like on it. i'm so popular XD (not)

[bear1]

I don’t mind telling friends and family that I draw comics. I don’t spam them tho but I also don’t hide it.
Most of them don’t really care tho, but I also never got attacked for it either. But my comic has no controversial scene’s, no sex, no politics, no violence (well...except cartoon violence xD).
The worst thing might be some cheesecake scenes and coded adult jokes. But overall I don’t see any reason to hide the comic from people who know me personally

[gateofselidor]

I never used to tell people. Now I do so whenever the opportunity presents itself, and I often link them to it as well. I work in a creative industry, so it benefits me to throw my work at people from time to time, and it never hurts to have a few extra page views. I don’t usually share links with family, as they’re not typically interested, but I’m happy to show them what I’m working on most of the time.

[mrtoontastic]

I like when people come up to me and ask me about my work. It's always fun to share my comics or cartoons when people notice and are interested! (At least if they're interested in some goofy artwork like mine anyway XD)

[gh0stcr33p]

I don't have any friends so nobody besides my parents and some other older family members know about my comic

[Cavechan]

I think the majority of people know that I draw stuff at least since I am in a somewhat creative field and I have an itabag that I carry around everywhere to show off my weeb side. But I don't really go around promoting my comics since getting anyone I know to read it, I may as well be pulling out their teeth. Doesn't help that 99% of the people I know just don't have similar interests to my own. Only person I've ever had successfully read my comic is my husband. He is supportive at least.

I would talk about/promote if people were interested, but nobody is interested, so I don't bother.