How do you guys interact with other creators and readers?

[Zak]

This isn't exactly a vent post. But an ACTUAL question;

Lately. I have been trying to make friends with other creators, Twitter (HA.) has been making me feel quite invisible lately.
Like, Ive been trying to reach out and it's been dead silence. (Mostly for the last couple of years now it seems.)

I know there is a thing going around online about not forcing anyone to give you support and such and I'm not trying to be that guy. But man, Its not just trying to interact with readers being like: Would anyone like to be in a tag-list when I update my webcomic weekly? Or would people interested in if I made a discord server for keeping up to date? Or does anyone have any suggestions for a 200 sub milestone for my webcomic I should do since I am unsure what to do?.

But its also with other creators like; I try to reach out. Try to make friends and I get zilch back. Heck, asking how folks' days are/going and so on and just being friendly and I get radio silence. Am I just so invisible or unlikable or something as a human being??

Like I'm not trying to get folks to look at my stuff or nothing. I just want to make connections, but it just seems like... No one cares? Or anything??

Do you guys have these issues too or is it literally just a me problem and I'M the terrible person here?

[Nugtown]

That's the problem i've always had with huge chat servers, so I avoid them haha. It's always harder to get any genuine communication going with randos in big servers. Being in a tight knit chat group is always much better when you can establish yourself in one, though I admit it's hard to even get to that point when you don't really know anyone.

My advice is, if that's the case don't take it personally. These big communities naturally make it very difficult to cultivate any real comradery, so I don't think it's you at all.

[BoomerZ]

Tapas has a discord you could join.

[Zak]

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

[Zak]

Yeah I knooooow.

Like, Ive tried on a few discord servers and Ive been doing it for twitter for awhile since thats where most creators are,
I just can't seem to get it right. Someone suggested I start doing things for other people JUST to get their attention. But that seems like its basing things off on the wrong foot? Like, I'm trying to get them to do me a FAVOR afterwards?

And to go back to the twitter and discord thing. Besides timezones being a huge issue for me. It just seems like I feel like I get left on read. People ignore my messages and continue with something else.

I try not to take it personally. But man, I feel so lonely or like, to the point I don't fit in? Yknow?

Readers on the other hand. I am not sure of as well, I try my HARDEST to try and reach out them and they just, don't meet me halfway?

[Zak]

I'm in that one. I can't seem to... Get a word in? If that makes sense. I feel so out of place on there. ^^; So Ive been trying other places. Could try again but Timezones I can't seem to get anything to stick when trying to talk to folks and make actual friends

[Nugtown]

I think the way I did it was by establishing a reputation with people who had similar values as me. Also, by doing things together such as using an online drawing application (Drawpile, there's also Magma) and getting to know people there.

Yeah it does seem that maybe social media has provided this illusion of overabundance, resorting in people being less personable. And, I think also people are cautious about being spoken to directly online. Like the closer we seem, the farther apart we actually are.
I don't have great answers to this, despite finding my own place I still struggle to reach out and be friends with new people. I think just don't stop trying. You'll find them eventually.

[river121693]

yeah I dont know why forum went out of style to be replaced with discord. You basically only have 1 convo going per channel and back-reading and keeping track of convos is such a chore.

I don't think its you being a terrible person. Socializing in general is just hard.

I'm not super connected (partly on purpose bc I have busy life), but I find it easiest to make connection if you actively and genuinely reach out to folks on their social media-- reply to something they said on their IG story with your thoughts, comment on their work etc. You could also organize small drawing sessions or writing groups where you actually get to have personal convos with folks. I'm part of a collective which has given me support, despite my irregular engagement.

A lot of folks probably feel the way you do tbh, we're all just waiting for others to reach out lol

[cherrystark]

Forums like this and Facebook groups. I stopped putting much effort into befriending readers for the sake of my mental health. I started noticing that the writers that did behave more like influencers than writers, which wasn't my jam. I am not the best at making friends but it's a lot easier to just "exist" when you don't have to be a business person than trying to present yourself as a brand first, person second.

[denise]

My answer is kinda short but I felt the same way that you do. But when I was looking for a long term partner to do review swap (basically a beta reader) I created a discord and more people joined. We are a small community and most of us even live in differents time zones and we make it work and everything happens by kinda accident. Just in case we are all strangers. So I agree too, is easier to find a place in a small community rather than biggers ones.

[AmysGames]

Socializing is hard for sure! I've been slowly getting better at it myself, haha.

Re: interacting with other creators, honestly the best advice I can give is keep trying. Find conversations you can join in on, and chime in when you have something worth adding. You're probably gonna have a lot of comments go unnoticed, but the more you try the more likely someone is to respond. Timezones for sure make things tricky, but there's always overlap with someone in the world if they're willing to chat back.

Re: interacting with readers, I have significantly less experience with that so I don't have much advice, lol. I don't respond to every comment I get (saying "Thanks!" over and over seems a little silly), but I do read all of them, and reply when I have something to add.

[DiegoPalacios]

But its also with other creators like; I try to reach out. Try to make friends and I get zilch back. Heck, asking how folks' days are/going and so on and just being friendly and I get radio silence. Am I just so invisible or unlikable or something as a human being??

My cheat code to socialize is coming up with a joke, inventing a fun game/activity or proposing a topic i consider interesting and that may interest others.

In "nerdy" circles talking about video-games, shows, movies and comics are an easy hook. Even if you haven't watched the same media, the recommendations can give something to talk.

In content creator circles talking about writing, art, tools, creators and media is a solid conversation starter.

Also......memes XD, those can easily unify people, but don't over-rely on them.

If you wanna hang out with the people you've met using discord can be a solid option. You can create a server or join some made by friends. And if you don't have a server in common you can go through pm's.

Not sure about the specifics of twitter, so i can't advice on that tho. I see that site as a wild Pandora box where the physical manifestation of human anger lives, so i don't use it

Hope this helps!

[Zak]

I just feel like I don't have the same interests as most folks I meet, and when I go to things that have the same interests its either they don't along with me, or they just don't want to interact at all unfortunately. So it's been a hassle to feel like Ive been feeling like I "fit-in"

I would make a discord server but I feel like people are already in 100's already and the fact due to time zones, when I'm asleep they are awake. It would just immediately die and not have any interactions at all.

Also hard to keep up with media when everything is a paid service and you barely have money to eat or pay bills already. But I appreciate the tips. I hope to try them out!

[Zak]

Honestly, I have agoraphobia in IRL, so Ive been practicing with online interactions so it being hard is REAL.

I just probably have tough luck when it comes to interacting with folks I'm interested in interacting with. Locally its such a small scene that there's not much going on TO interact with. As well as the fact the content they make I don't really agree with such as nudity and stuff.

I don't see much messages until 20 hours have passed unfortunately. Which sucks a lot!

I am the same with one particular person who doesn't miss a beat with commenting on my pages but man, when I try to interact with others and those who read it. Its just radio silence. Its insane.

Thanks for your comment!

[Zak]

Id love to do a discord server for my webcomic and just generally hang out with people and talk and chat and be actual human beings. But I feel like it'll die out once I'm asleep and people will move on.

Plusssssss, I feel like everyone and their mother has 100+ servers already to juggle. I surely do. ^^;

Thank you so much for commenting!

[Zak]

I try not to do business stuff when it comes to my webcomic, it feels so fake and forced. Plus too, it annoys alot of people and has gotten me banned from many circles unfortunately. I just can't get it right.

I try and be a person first and foremost just it doesn't lend itself when people don't give back?

Thanks for your comment!

[Zak]

Ive done that but it seems I'm usually late to the punch by 20 hours when I see it on any form of social media. Like art shares, challenges and so on that it doesn't get seen when I do interact.

I try and catch tweets early if I can but it screwed up my health so bad I needed surgery that I'm still waiting on so Ive been cutting back. Forums were easier back in the day for sure. Discord is easy too with getting notified and using a telephone to use it but man, Most ones I'm in 100% are just dead until they all wake up when I'm awake and then during the night my telephone just blows up. lol

Id LOVE to organize small drawing sessions and such just to talk and chat and what not but I can't ever seem to catch anyone on or anything. I do comment on artworks and stuff but I think it doesn't get seen at all too. Its really frustrating.

Thank you so much for your comment!

[Zak]

Values, not interests?

Ill keep trying but it seems very very difficult. lol, Just seems like reaching out doesn't amount to anything because most folks will see your work, cringe at it and then not bother to interact with you as if you're of "not higher status" or follower count is another factor or something. Its so... what's the word? Class defined?

[Lensing]

I made some online friends on facebook in comic groups.
Some because I loved their art, some because they gave me advice and some because
I gave them advice. Facebook is better for that than i.e. Twitter, Instagram etc.

I started jam comics on the tapas forum, that was a great way to interact with
people and I upload sketches every day in the sketch a day topic. I love sketching
and look at other people´s sketches and to interact with them. There are some people
who regularly upload sketches. You are welcome to join

[darthmongoose]

Are you in a place where going to in-person events is viable? Whether it's comic conventions, or smaller things like zine fairs, or even local "Drink and Draw" meetups, print workshops and similar?

I've found it much easier to connect with people and really make or deepen friendships that mostly persist online by meeting people in-person. Online communication can be very.... lacking in nuance, and if you're a quiet person, you can't benefit so much from just being there in somebody's company or listening. There are a lot of people out there who'd probably like to hang out with somebody who's just chill and easy to be around, but who would kind of be invisible on a discord server, and a lot of people who are stars of the discord server or similar would be exhausting to be around in real life.

Making friends online, I tend to find that directly reaching out to people, like if they made a really good post or piece of art, or comic that you liked, with a sincere compliment about what you liked about it, can be a good start. Most people are looking to connect with others, and to feel like somebody "gets them", and this can be a good way to initiate the initial chatting and getting to know each other part of a friendship.