Hey! I'm not super young and I'm making a (far from great) comic.
There are a few in person friends who share similar interests that I've shared it with, but as far as family and most people I know and work with? They don't really have a reason to know about it. It's more fun as a sort of secret hobby rather than a source of stress.

Oh yeah, quite a few of my family members and close-to-kinda-close friends, as well as family friends and such know that I make comics. I've been drawing since I was young so it was never a secret, but I didn't start working on my first "serious" (i.e. with a plan and the drive to finish it beyond like 5 pages) comic until age 23.

For me it's less about promotion, and more just that I like talking about my hobbies with people~ Not everyone is equally interested of course. For example, most of my semi-immediate family knows that I make comics, but I don't write genres that they like (and they aren't comic readers, anyways) so they're supportive of my hobby but don't typically ask about it and that's fine. Most of the chit-chat is reserved for my close friends.

One thing that surprised me though was the amount of people who would silently read the comic from my Facebook art page lol. That's the platform where most people that I know from College and earlier follow my work, and my posts very rarely generate comments or likes. However sometimes I would be at a party or event and run into some friends or acquaintance that I don't see or talk to very often and a surprising amount of them would say "oh yeah, I've been reading your comic. It's awesome!" Very flattering, and I was always like "wow really, thanks!" but it was just shocking to learn how many people will interact with posts on social media without actually leaving any engagement

I haven't just shared my comic art with friends and family, I've also put it on display in local art shows. My town is a major art and music hub in the area, and some of my friends have managed art galleries where I've shown my stuff.

My husband, who is the writer for our comic, emailed it to all our friends pretty early on. I kind of died inside at the time LOL but it actually helped me start getting over cringey feelings I had about my own work and move on to being less self-conscious.

Some of them follow it and are very supportive, so that's really nice.

I only told people who I see fit (for being a potential audience, being a potential critique, or being tolerant about the theme)
For my current project (a novel) I almost don't tell anyone. So far I don't think it will interest any people I know, and might contains themes that is not widely accepted here.

I also would like to detach my creative life and my real academic/professional life. Internet is my major outlet, I have no support in real life.

Yea, I've shared it with my closest family friends and new friends who are also into art. They're all really supportive so I'm grateful for that!

I have and showed a few, basically 4 people XD.

Hm, not quite... I don't really tend to tell people about these kind of things...

I'm planning to tell some people later on. Only some of them, though; I want to tell people who share the same interest with me, or if they ask me themselves. Plus, I only have a few close friends, haha... I don't think it's quite necessary to tell people who aren't really interested. As of now, I'm currently just a new and small novel author! I'm also planning to separate my online life from my personal life, so...

If they are interested in small press/independent comics or webcomics, I tell them.

I want to talk about writing a comic with my friends, and I know they'd be cool with hearing about it. A few might even encourage me to finish it or show them stuff ahead of time! And my parents, well.. I can see myself getting a lecture for not making it Christian or making too dramatic lol but either way, it's something I feel I should avoid talking about for now tbh

I've announced quite a few creative projects in the past to friends, and fulfilled almost none of it. Real talk, it's got nothing to do with their opinions. I know that if I start talking about it and hearing feedback immediately.. I'm just gonna lose interest in making whatever it is that I'm making.

There's this idea that talking about your goals before arriving there can trick some people's minds into mentally feeling rewarded for something unfinished, and with that reward comes the feeling of completion. I.. actually relate to that a lot. So I try not to talk about it at all, just to stay creatively driven. I've made a rule of not announcing anything creative until it's mostly done or to only post something as soon as it's finished

Oh yes, pretty much everyone around me has at least heard of my comic or other artsy stuff I do. This includes my family, friends, students, supervisor, etc Chances are, if someone has small talked with me, then they probably know I draw a comic.

This is quite opposite of how I was in my teens and 20s, where I would even hide my drawings from others. At some point, I probably got so busy with other things in life, that worrying about insecurities or other people's opinions became irrelevant. Besides, even if not perfect, I like the stuff I create.

I’m posting it on my insta too, which all my friends can see.
I thought that at best people just wouldn’t care about it, but actually I was really pleasantly surprised by the amount of friends that I thought wouldn’t be at all interested who messaged me and left comments about how much they were enjoying it!
Like someone else already said, it’s a good way to get over that cringe feeling where you don’t know if you should be making what your making! If they’re good friends then they will support you even if it’s not completely to their taste, and if they’re not then their opinion is unimportant!

First time I told it to people was when I was 8.
I never wanted to be popular or anything, it´s just something which is
a part of me, I´m a 24/7 artist. I write stories and songs, I draw comics,
I play instruments, I record, mix and master music, I design. I´m not interested
in other things and so it´s natural for me to talk about it when I meet people
when they tell me about their jobs, relationships, hobbies, houses, their dogs,
income, what they like to eat and drink and where they will spend their vacation

Aaah, I don't really tell anyone unless they're into it, like my friends who still actively read and write themselves. I might occasionally put a link up on my socials, but if I were doing a more er, sexy comic, they'll never know about it hahaha!

Uhhh idk what you mean by not young anymore, that's a vague description... But most people in my life (outside of online friends) know that I make a comic, not a lot of them read it because they simply have no interest in comics or webcomics for that matter. That's fine though, I don't really mind.

I don't like when my friends or my partner tells other people about my comic though, since it's an lgbt romcom and I don't want to have to deal with answering questions about it to people who don't see the point, for example if he mentions it to his older family members. He has also not read my comic though, just knows it exists.

I'm an adult, jobless, never attended any art school/course, not famous at all and I'm telling everyone what I'm doing because I don't care. And they don't care too, no one cares actually, everyone is too busy with their own lives, so I'm 'enjoying' my comic all alone.

Yeah! Though it's one of my biggest insecurities tbh. I don't know why it bothers me so much more to imagine my mom reading my work that however many hundreds of strangers. But pretty much all my friends know I at least have a webcomic, and a few that already read comics read mine fairly regularly. I kinda use Tham as beta readers too, since it's nice to have someone you can ask about the story in depth. But if someone has no interest in comics or art I don't tell them cus like.. why would I?

my one rule is that I don't talk too much about projects that are still in the works to them. So none of my friends know how the comic is actually gonna end. Except one who I told like three years ago when the idea first popped into my head, though I doubt she even remembers lol.

My friends, family and colleagues all know that I want to make a career change into illustration. So yeah, I tell them! Especially if they're curious about what type of illustration I aspire to do. Just today I was speaking with one of the other voice teachers, and she brought up how one of her daughters is a reluctant reader of regular novels, but will devour graphic novels. She'd seen me sketching a page and was really impressed.

It really hit home today that the field of illustration I want to work in is like a gateway drug to reading, for children who otherwise wouldn't enjoy reading. Feels good.

My direct Family knows it and some of my few friends -- they're very supportive in their own ways ^^
Some of my friends who have the same interest with me helps me in a way that they also share it among people they know who might be interested.
My direct family like my parents and siblings don't mind even if my comic are nsfw or the genre is a bit heavy ( I mean its BL lol) , they just support me to continue on or give me advice too.
My other relatives, supports my art (I do different types paintings, murals, and do graphics btw) however -- they don't know about my comic (because you know some relatives can be a bit judgy sometimes and stuff) so I don't let them know my pen name/ artist name
but all in all, I feel thankful for them for supporting me in their own ways ^^

A few people I know irl do know I'm an artist but I've only shown some of my art to one close person. I don't really plan on changing it. (Actually, when someone wanted to see my work, I kinda panicked and had to think hard of an excuse why I won't do that... ) I like to keep my hobbies, interests and online life private, even if there's nothing to be ashamed of. Just introvert things, I guess.

But I'm also scared of being judged. My art is nothing impressive or something you could show in an art gallery, it's just silly gay cartoons and animes (the gay part could be debatable, but it's getting gayer these days, and that's one more reason to not show it irl - it's... not a very LGBT-supportive environment here). Also my stories are very personal to me, which makes the fear of being judged stronger.

I would say only a handful of my closest friends know I'm doing my webcomic! My boyfriend shared it on Facebook when I first started and a lot of mutual acquaintances/his friends commented on the post but none of them actually stuck around for it, so they know it exists but they don't know anything more.

My boss and coworkers all know about it. I work heavily in content creation/social media marketing so I've shared some of my experiences. It's a very relaxed environment so I felt comfortable sharing with them. I don't think any of them have actually read the comic but they follow me on Instagram and see some of the art related to it. They're all super supportive! My boss and supervisor is convinced that I'm going to get famous from it and end up leaving the company some day. I laugh at that but appreciate the confidence boost.

If it blows up, I might share it on my Facebook, but I don't really want irl people to know anything about me.

Yeah. Just about every one I know, knows. My wife is the most supportive of it, she's always there and encouraging me to keep chasing my dream.

that's okay I mean I'm on my mid 20's but my IRL friends doesn't know about my gay comic lmao
I keep mine privately, because I'm really shy showing them my work.
the only person who knows about my comic is my fiance, even though I make BL , he still supports me,
though everytime I try to tell him a scenario about my work, he always make faces, lmao

Yes because they help keep me going (whether or not they read it). I also enjoy talking about it, and bouncing ideas off of them. I don't so much talk about it with my parents though, but that is the way it is. XD

Yeah, my family and friends know.

Some are big fans of it, but for others, it's just not their cup of tea.

But one way or another they support me.

I haven't told coworkers or anything, but I've told my friends and family about it. The trick is getting them to actually read it!

Depends on the friend.

Some friends I can tell just fine. No issues.

Other friends I will not tell them, because if I tell them, every other fucking day I'll be getting messages from them along the lines of

"HEY I GOT THIS AMAZING COMIC IDEA THAT YOU SHOULD DRAW FOR ME"

sends really bad jokes or script "You can draw this for me right????? I see it going viral/BIG!"

"You know if you're ever looking for ideas for comics to draw I got THOUSANDS of them I can sell to you."

"Can you put my character in your comic?? Not as a background character, needs to be a main character, I just think you're story will be better if my character is in it proceeds to send me 500 page backstory on said character

"Ever think about publishing a MANGA?? I got the perfect script, think Promare, crossed with Attack on Titan, and then some Yuri on Ice to top it off It'll be bigger than Naruto. We'll make millions, 50/50 split."

"Have you ever thought about drawing FANFICS???? I think my fanfics will make GREAT comics!"

And like... I know these requests happen online too, but when you know a person IRL, they are FAR more pushy. I don't know if it's because they know an actual artist in real life or what but it is the most draining thing to deal with.

Then if I ignore them because they will not take no for an answer, (but only when they make those requests) I'm the one who's the asshole for ghosting them and being a bad friend.

Additional Note: THIS BS FUKING EVEN EXTENDS PAST MY OWN RELATIONSHIPS!!! AND WILL ATTEMPT TO GO THROUGH MY OTHER FRIENDSHIPS.

If my mom tells her friends that I draw comics, they will start harassing her with this same messages to send to me or they will add me on facebook and send me these requests. But it'll be so fuking out of touch like

"God gave you a gift, he wants you to draw comics for god I have the perfect script for you."

And it's like "Mam, I am not Christian and I draw gay comics to match my gay personality. Please find someone else to draw your bible comics for you."

Dude! I haven't had the time to sit down and read through all of your pages yet, but the page that really got it's hooks in me was #43. What an epic page! Show em that one!

Oh, thanks dude! I've been meaning to check yours out too. I'll do it soon!

Its my full time job so it has to come up in conversations when i meet people (the classic “what do you do for a living?”) and i wish it didnt! I hate explaining what i do and the forced response of “id love to read your work!” and only maybe 3% of people ever actually mean it and its just sooo uncomfortable. The worst is when people understand that it means i have a social media presence so they ask to see my Instagram or whatever RIGHT THERE.... so uncomfortable

I used to try to just say im an illustrator and try to avoid that whole line of questioning and discomfort but then it leads to “what type of illustration?” and circles right back to me having to say “i draw comics/im a cartoonist”