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jgfelix86
Apr '21

Hi I'm working in a fantasy-action webcomic, but I want to know, how many panels do you update???

I'm planning to upload in webtoons, and using the webtoons challange as a refference, they mention at least 30 panels per chapter, they don't say it has to be publish every week, bi-weekly or monthly so... Lets Say, if I update bi-weekly(as I plan to do so), are +30 panels ok??? Or, do reader's expect more panels??

I'm working on a buffer, and plan to upload during fall. Thanks for taking the time

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    Apr '21

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    Apr '21
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BreakingChalk
Apr '21

Depends on the format of your comic.

I think 30 panels is okay for something biweekly, but the weekly format tends to be more engaging.

Before soft-rebooting my action comic, I uploaded 32 pages per month, and asking for feedback, people told me they preferred shorter updates, as they are easier to digest.

Now I'm uploading it here and in webtoons weekly with 4-6 pages of 5-10 panels and is doing better in less time.

CyberAxl
Apr '21
1

Hi there!

First off, great job on creating a buffer, it will save you a ton of time.

Also for the 'requirements' that is mostly if you sign a contract to be an original and partner with the site which is really the goal of most artists but hard to do.

You'll find that most Canvas comics on webtoons (nonofficial) it varies a lot.
So people update once a month with 50-60 panels
Others update every 3 days with 5-8 panels
Others go weekly/biweekly with 20-30

The more frequently you update the more exposure you can get but it's also about consistency.

The best schedule is the one you can keep up with and have consistency in.

kinleypavone
Apr '21

I personally do updates every other week that are about 40 panels long. There's no set requirement for webtoon canvas or tapas series that aren't premium/originals, so it's all about what works best for you/ what you can reasonably make. I've seen success for series that update one/two pages at a time once a week and I've seen successful series that update once a month with big chunks of story. So there's no 100% right or wrong way to go about it.

Kaydreamer
Apr '21
1

I update bi-weekly, and I'm aiming for about 20 panels per update. I'd love to be doing around 30, but until I rebuild my buffer, that's the best I can manage. (I've just recently started working in a purely vertical format, too, so I'm readjusting my workflow and trying to capture that balance of efficiency and quality again. I also put an above-average amount of time into each panel, haha.)

Readers do tend to prefer medium-to-long episodes, and most will be okay with a slower update schedule in order to accommodate that. (I found, having started with single-page weekly updates, that longer, bi-weekly episodes were much preferred.) So, balancing length with your update schedule is key.

Also, consider what type of story you're telling. Character driven stories, where you're getting inside the heads and hearts of the cast, benefit from longer episodes. It allows the reader to feel immersed. Same with plot-driven fantasy and sci-fi, action, and so-on. Other genres can get away with shorter episodes. Think about what works best for your comic.

Bi-weekly, for me, strikes a good balance between staying present in the minds of my readers, while giving me enough time to have long enough episodes. I would love to move it monthly, to pack even more panels into each update, but I worry that such a distant deadline will result in me slowing down my pace. (Also, when you're starting out and your audience is small, a slightly more frequent update schedule will help your story remain present in the minds of your readers. If I were to go monthly, I'd do it after I break through that first 1000 subs.)

dreamysheep.01
Apr '21

I update weekly and I just draw however many panels the scene requires rather than giving myself a strict panel quota though I think my average is 20-30 panels? I think that's a good average for weekly and bi-weekly updates as it's enough to show a whole scene (or end on a cliffhanger) while also being a quick read.

Webtoon recommend a 30 panel minimum for their challenges because the challenge goal is usually to become a webtoon original and that's the minimum panel requirement for webtoon original updates (iirc slice of life and comedy have a lower minimum tho?) but don't forget that webtoon original creators are being paid for their work so can afford to and are expected to dedicate more time to drawing their comics than those who draw for free.

Also honestly while it's good to have a relatively consistent episode length, being too strict about it can negatively impact pacing and general storytelling - ie a scene gets dragged out with extra panels to meet a set minimum or scenes are awkwardly cut off or shortened so it doesn't go over a maximum panel amount.

(sorry this is probably very rambly and poorly written, I'm sick rn so my brain is working at like 10% lol)

jgfelix86
Apr '21

Yeah, I Understand. pacing should dictate the number of panels in the story, is just that for me 20 panels a week won't work, not even 30. At least for me.

Since I've decided I won't upload until I have a good buffer, and considering the best I can do, I'll use the 30 panels criteria for my webcomic, but not sticking strictly to it. Let's Say +30 it's what I'll look forward to publish.

Thanks for your reply.

jgfelix86
Apr '21
Kaydreamer

Yep, I think bi-weekly is my best shot right now,
I'll burn out to soon if I go weekly and My chapters Will fade away soon. On the other hand, monthly I think I can do it, but exposure could be none.

And thanks for your answer. It has helped a lot.

Rhonder
Apr '21

One thing to realize up front is that the expectations for the featured/paid webtoons are generally different than those placed on Canvas creators. Most readers understand that Canvas creators aren't doing this as a job, and thus most of them have other responsibilities on top of making their comic. As a result, either shorter episodes or less frequent ones are normal and understood.

That said, when picking a length for your comic, it's worthwhile to consider the following factors:

1.) What works best for your comic?

Some comics like comedy strips work really well with short panel counts, as adding too many more in would ruin the pacing of the joke. Others, like drama or action stories, may read better with longer episodes that allow you to get through lengthy conversations or action sequences in 1 go rather than breaking it up into a bunch of pieces. If you look at your script, think about how much you would prefer to get in one episode as a reader.

2.) Visibility.

One thing to note as a Canvas creator is that, especially early on, most of your visibility on the site/app will be through the "recently updated" section of your genres. Aside from that, once you get pushed off of those lists by other series updating, you'll largely be invisible outside of the occasional search or whatever external promotion you do.

With that in mind, it's best to post more often if possible for maximum visibility. A lot of creators aim for weekly updates similar to many of the featured series as a result. If you post less often, then you have to accept that you'll have less eyes on your comic, generally speaking.

My experience has been like this:

My first comic was a story driven one-shot. For that one I decided to do 1 page per week (about 5-7 panels), so I prioritized visibility (frequent updates) over ideal reading conditions (In this case, I think my episodes would have been better to read if they were longer).

My current comic is a slice of life D&D comic. For this one I'm trying the opposite approach: I'm only updating once a month, but with 15-40 panel episodes. In this case I'm going with the panel counts that feel the best to read at the expense of visibility.

After this current comic is done I'll have to compare and contrast and see which approach worked better lol. My new comic is still pretty young so I don't have good data :sweat_smile: