I see many threads like "sub for sub" and the like. I've never quite understood them. Does the subscriber count affect the comic's wellbeing on the platform? Because if not, all they do is increase some number, aren't they? Thus you can't even rely on it to guesstimate the number of people who are interested in your work anymore.
Jul '21
Jul '21
It technically does but it seems kinda weird and mildly sketchy to find a something with 6,000 subs but only gets 16 likes per episode, you know?
Yeah, I mean, technically with a certain number of subscribers, you theoretically start earning money, but... like... you need so many for it to matter! I doubt I'll ever reach that level, so I don't even worry about it. I'd definitely make more from a Patreon account.
This is all to say: I agree with you. I would much, MUCH rather have a smaller, dedicated audience that interacts with, and cares about, the story than a bunch of dead names and crickets in the comments section. And I offer people the same thing in exchange-- If I subscribe to your story, it's because I'm emotionally invested in it in some way. If I comment, it's because I have something to say.
I want (and promise) real interaction, not just a statistic.
Some people are looking to fill their milestones and unlock support, but I don't really see a point in doing that since support is only going to come from people who are actually interested in your work and not from those sub4subers.
Getting the milestones don't even really change anything, and it'll take like over 50 years to get a decent amount of money.
This is kinda why I've been spending more time writing scripts for YouTube VAs, they read 'em & their subscribers hear 'em & it feels like I get more positive feedback than I get here.
The number of subs is also a promotion for your novel/comic. If people see something that has lots of subscribers they'll think it must be good and are more likely to start reading as well. And once they start reading, they might like it and become genuine subscribers
Except that if I, personally, see a person practically always crying for sub4sub I suspect that their work is bad due to their lack of confidence in it generating natural growth. Might just be me.
I never actually look at someone else's stats. I have no idea how many subscribers any of the comics I follow have, or how long any of them have been running. If I like it, I like it.
That's because you're on the forum. The vast majority of readers are not and will never know where the subs come from.
I sometimes do sub for sub and I don't lack confidence in my work. It's just another form of promotion for me. In fact, I do it because I'm confident that I can turn a proportion of those soulless sub-for-sub subscribers into genuine readers over time
It can actually affect the comic/novel negatively on the platform, as a high subscriber count with low engagement unbalances the algorithms which determine what is/is not trending. I can only assume the people doing sub-for-sub don't realise they're actively kneecapping themselves. 
So glad I didn't fall into that trap early on. My first front-page boost on Tapas was via the algorithm. That wouldn't have happened if I'd messed it up with unengaged subs.
I much prefer having a smallish but comparatively active readership. It feels cozy, and I like knowing that the people subscribed to my work are there because they want to be there, not because they feel obligated. 
That is why I stopped going to sub4sub topic, Not only I made a fool of myself and looked desperate, but I realized how many of those subs where in the end... fake!? I rather have them come on their own or through promotion, rather than trading... even though... interaction still is quite lacking (But I do appreciate when those 1-2 make their comments, and those 10-20 put their likes).
Do you need 20 subs to be posted to the app? I've read that on the forum but I could never find it in the official guidelines anywhere. Poking around the app it seems to true. If it is true than getting those first 20 subs seems hugely important since most people are reading tapas on the app and not on the browser. That's the reason I've done sub 4 sub in the past anyway.
Yeah sub for sub just feels like people care more about numbers than actually getting people who are invested in the story itself ya know
I feel like this isnāt really that hot of a take! Iāve only ever seen sub4sub convos take a negative stance and the only genuine sub4sub attempts Iāve seen look to be younger kids who probably donāt know any better yet.
I believe the number is 15. Pretty sure that's when mine appeared on the app, but I could be remembering wrong.
Absolutely agree, OP. I'm writing a novel for people to READ, not to use as a trophy case for numbers. Even without doing sub for sub, a lot of my readers haven't engaged much, so I think dead subs are kind of inevitable, but I'm not gonna spend a lot of time trying to rack up more when I could spend that time working on my novel, or trying to reach people who might actually read it.
Like honestly, I've had projects with only one reader (and it was my brother) and that's what kept that project fun and alive for me. Now I have a few more readers than one (I hope, haha) and don't get me wrong, I'll need more subs to make any of my side projects a part time income, but as far as if I would ever stop creating--it would be if I felt no one was actually reading it. If it was just empty subs that would drain me so, so fast.
This.
Every single one of my subs on Tapas and Webtoon I know at least LIKE my work. And even though its a relatively small Sub family, slowly growing with each update, I rather take that. It feels good to know that the people who read my stuff and sub do it because they are enjoying either the story, characters, art, whatever it is; because making content is a long process and to have the payoff be people enjoying it is something I'll take any day of the week.
Can't imagine making content and the people who are subbed either don't care to read or look at, or just subbed due to obligation from a Sub for Sub thread
