How often do you update? (and how many pages)

[rainbowolfe]

Oh boy, almost everyone on here so far has such an organized upload schedule.

I try to update my comic twice a week with 5 to 6 pages. But ever since I ruined my buffer, I've just barely managed to do that while managing my normal school work. XD
I mostly do this because as as reader, I prefer updates with multiple pages! There's less forgetting of the plot and getting into it better. However, too many pages in an update is a bit much when your reading on mobile ^^; I've noticed longer chapters make the app crash on iOS I think my only exception to this is Tag, but they update, like, daily.

I honestly don't mind waiting long for a comic to update, especially if it's really good and I love it (like Fisheye Placebo or Midnknighters). Fisheye was actually on hiatus, but Midknighters is posted in "seasons", so there's usually a few months between major chapter update.

[Bii0]

Lol it's a good thing I couldn't care less about popularity, if I'm lucky I'll manage 1 page every 2 weeks, working a 10 hour job that sometimes goes 12 days straight really messes me up. Also being an introvert, directly working with 100+ unpredictable people a day, I hardly ever have the energy to even move around after work. I just want to sit by myself in a quiet room, and watch let's plays.

[Aspie_Gamer]

Right now I'm aiming for a few pages per week with Life of an Aspie

[GlenMiles]

I update one page a week on no particular schedule so pretty much whatever day works best for me based off when I can find the time to work on the pages. I don't have a buffer, I jumped right in with posting because I'm too critical of my work and if I didn't just start uploading I would have gone back and edited, and deleted, and rewrote stuff. (I still wound up going back and editing stuff).

So essentially my story would have never come out if I didn't start posting immediately after creating each page. And just as a point of reference each page takes me about 2-3 days to complete, depending on the page and what's going on in my life. (Wife, kid, family, errands, etc.) So when I get a tad more acquainted with sequential story telling I do plan to either start posting twice a week with my series Battle Brats or start developing a second story that's been haunting me and begging to be developed.

[Zpreader]

I'm actually in this same situation right now. After thinking about it for quite some time, I honestly think I'll just settle on block updates. For me that means fairly large chapters (upwards of 20 pages) released every 1-2 months. I know it isn't really good for building a large subscriber base, it has its benefits for someone like me.

1) A slightly freer work schedule than weekly uploads can provide. Good for someone going to college full time.

2) I tend to have fairly large chapters (and even larger one-shots) written and edited before I even think about picking up my pen, so a full release just feels much more comfortable and complete.

I actually wondered if 20 pages bimonthly would be small, but then I realized that it's actually slightly more than a biweekly update schedule.

[blu3random]

pg or two a week. I like an avg of 3 pgs a week if possible, that way ur readers will have a sufficent amount of material to enjoy week by week

ps: i just joined yesterday! Newb pride : D

[Shiori_Saku]

The very fist web comic I ever attempted posted only once a month but I would post whole chapters at a time. I found this to be very stressful so with Star Watcher (my currently running project) I update one page once a week. This gives me time to build up a stock of pages (if I'm good about working on them) so that I dont get as stressed and bogged down with additional pages as I work two full time jobs in addition to drawing comics.

Ultimately you should base you updating schedule on what you can handle as far as work load without causing yourself undue stress. The more stress a project causes, due to deadlines or other difficulties, the less you enjoy working on it and the more of a chore it can become. I always want to enjoy my story as much as I hope that my readers do so what I recommend to new artist is to take your time, dont rush yourself and ENJOY what you do.

If you need some tips on getting your comic planned and going I recommend reading this: The 5 Steps of Creating a Webcomic

[ToonDoctor]

From a user perspective, twice a week yields better results for Web comics. It's easier for readers to engage, come back and not forget that you exist. Technically, it's very difficult for artists who have other responsibilities and are not doing web comics full time to deliver two pages a week, unless they have created the pages in advance and have a good buffer. So for may of us, one page is all we can do.

Instead of delivering several pages at once, I would deliver them twice a week or three times, but one page each. I think it's a better way t grow readership and not lose any impact with your comic. When you post two pages, the subsequent pages lose their own marketability. You lose an opportunity to engage your readers over time. Your reader gets a freeby page, without having had to make the effort to load the comic. You are not encouraging readers to engage and interact with your work, if that makes any sense.

[williamjbowles]

My comic, Outcast Kingdom, updates about once every two weeks. Specifically, on the 1st and 15th of every month. This is a significant step forward from my schedule of once every two to twelve weeks.

[Lance_ff]

I also prefer reading several pages at once, opposed to one-pages update, so I started updating once every two weeks when I launched my webcomic, but now I changed my mind and I believe it is better to try to update at least once every week in order to have a big readership and keep your content fresh.

[jeffanime1]

I would upload page by page frequently. I think if it takes to long people may forget about it.

[shazzbaa]

For most of its run, my comic has updated with one page, once a week!

Reading big chunks gives you more control over pacing and lets you get a bigger chunk of the story to your readers at once, but more frequent updates helps you build readership more easily! I remember reading one webcomic that updated with a full chapter couple months or so -- it had more manga-style pacing, so it didn't have a whole lot happening on each individual page, and that method made sense -- but even that comic suddenly had its readership SHOOT UP when it started updating with one new page twice a week instead.
It's a trade-off! You can definitely choose to update in chunks, but it will hurt your ability to gain readers, so it depends on how much that matters to you!

It also depends on what you're personally able to do. I highly recommend drawing the first few pages as if you're on a schedule, so you can see how long it takes you to finish a page, before you start posting pages online and before you decide on your schedule. It'll help you be more realistic about what's actually feasible for you!

[AffectedMind]

If I could I would update whole chapters at once, but it takes a month, sometimes even two :<
So I update twice a month, scene by scene. It's usually from 8 to 20 pages, depends how long the scene is ^^

I think it's a good way, but the best is chapter by chapter, I don't really like page to page method. My memory of a goldfish :v

[heterodont]

I know as a reader, I highly prefer a weekly/biweekly updates of single pages over a bunch of pages being uploaded every so often. I often forget to check on a comic once I catch up, and while it's a pleasant surprise when I find that there's been A TON of pages uploaded the next time I check, it doesn't keep me involved as a fan.

Sure, uploading by page may seem super slow - especially during scenes that aren't actiony - but as other people have stated, it keeps readers involved and coming back constantly rather than every other update day.

I upload two pages per week, with a buffer thats roughly two weeks ahead. I do this over school work as well, which is a feat by my standards as my college is renowned for having a ton of hw. I've kept this schedule since my early high school years, and while updating with multiple pages would help my story along - it's not my preference.

[Chiper1811]

I agree. There are so many temptations around. Like for example, I'm supposed to be working on my own comic strip about 2-3 hours ago, but I use the precious time reading other people's comics. Ops. Haha. Procrastination is our worst enemy.

[amoritacouret]

(6_6) I update once a week, with only one page.
But that´s because I´m about to graduate college and I don´t want to promise more than I can deliver.
I will chancge my schedule once I end the class period, tho.

[Chiper1811]

@actualquienn Hmmm... there is a lot to be considered when it comes to update schedule, I guess. I draw short comic strips, which is very easy to follow because every episode is unrelated. At the moment I can only draw after the kiddies are in bed, and that is also after I finish other responsibilities. I really want to enjoy drawing my comic strips, so I try to come up with a schedule in which I'm not gone for too long but also not too intense to give me a lot of pressure as my flow of ideas tends to stop when I'm under a lot of stress. As I still have a toddler at home, I only limit myself to one episode update every 2 weeks, which I'm trying to increase to weekly now that things have gone easier during the day. Also, I'm hoping to draw comics more seriously in the future, that's why I think it's important to maintain a regular contact with the readers on regular basis. Whatever the frequency is, I think the readers have to be given an expectation. If you want to update once a month that's fine, too - especially for more established comics - but managing the readers' expectation is the key.
And having buffers definitely help in this regard.

BUT.

If it happens that you fail to update on time for some reasons, I think it's also okay not to be too hard on yourself. After all, life happens There was one time when everybody was very sick at home, including myself, so I have to postpone drawing for 2 weeks to renew my energy, so I shifted my update schedule around according to my situation and put forward my shortest episode of the month. And after than everything went back to normal. But I try not to let this become a habit.

On paper it is very easy to set schedule for 10 pages a month, but I believe we need to be realistic on how much details and how long it takes for us to do one page ( it took me 10+ hours to complete 1 web panel). With your school and work, imagine if you can only commit 2-3 hours per day to draw. Find out how long it takes approx. to make 1 page (time it if possible) and divide it with the available time per day, then you'll have your answer to how many days it take to do a panel.

Anyway, just something I learn along the way. I believe in being responsible to the readers, but I also believe in maintaining a healthy perspective - there is no point in drawing if the only thing you could get from it is the stress. Doing too much burns you out pretty quickly and in the end you may leave your project behind.

[Marton]

I update twice a week, usually Mondays and Fridays. But I feel my story is not meant to be read page by page, I'm thinking changing my schedule into fewer updates but more content. I think that is better for story oriented comics.

[starlightcityentert]

1 or 2 pages each wednesday. The page number depends on story flow, like if I post a title page I'll make sure another page is along with it.

[johndanims]

As my pages are simple little single doodle sketches I update one page 3 times a week. I try to keep to the schedule of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I only missed one day so far since I worked out the schedule and I posted that page on the Saturday instead of the Friday. If I ever do a more in depth narrative driven type story I'd probably try to start with one page a week and see how it went from there.