Dec 2015
9 / 26
Dec 2015
Dec 2015
shazzbaa
Dec '15
lizm

I didn't even think of this one but it's super true for me too! When I post stuff right away there's a lot more expectation of a response, as if I just finished it and put it in front of someone's face and I'm waiting for their reply. Putting space in between creating and posting it helps a lot with needing that feedback, because I've given myself time to figure out how I feel about the piece, and input or lack thereof can't hit me as hard.

THIS ONE TOO. I have done this exact thing on my comic, when I went through a particular scene where the amount of comments I was getting dropped off. It was really worrying, but I realised it was also a scene with characters the readers didn't know as well, and also one where they weren't sure what was happening yet. I mean, as much as I would never get tired of hearing it, there's only so many different ways to type "I wonder what's going to happen next!!" so a scene where readers couldn't speculate or put anything together on meant they all went quiet.

These are ALL suuuuper good thoughts though!!

BraveHeartTatsumaki
Dec '15

What you're living on DeviantArt IS happening to me right now, and I know, it feels awful. I actually started to simply not going there, it just makes me feel sad, I'm seeing if I'll leave definitely or not so for now, it's like a hiatus from DA.
Fortunately, I found a friend with I can share my things and she helps me to cheer up and continue drawing, but now I'm mostly here in Tapastic, working in my comic, I actually get more attention here and it's better to talk with people here, I even get constructive criticism and I love when that happens cause they help me out smile
My friends on Facebook also helps me to stay positive about the things in my comic, so I don't fall that much in negativity.

efdvorsky
Dec '15

Something that helped me too is making a facebook page, I have a descent number of followers and less than half are people I actually know--so that caught me by surprise. Also getting an Instagram for your phone is loads better than posting on tumblr, I've noticed.

I only posted 8 WIPs and gained a faster following than all the things on tumblr. (Which i don't update as much, but it showed how there's people openly looking for artists' work)

The idea is to find something a lot of people use but also have the community: you post webcomics on tapastic because people here WANT to read webcomics. Instagram is much the same, aside from taking photos of food, there's a pretty big artistic community there, and as for facebook, almost everyone has one and all they have to do is click like.

So stay positive, and try to reach out via other sites and alternatives. I've heard twitter's great too but I personally can't seem to get into it.

PS, this is the most inspirational topic I've read so far, so thank you.

demthorshie
Dec '15

I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said in this thread. It can be extremely difficult to even continue working on a comic when there is lack of engagement. I've been doing comics for quite some time and what has helped me during down times was sharing my comic pages with friends, especially on pages i've spent 24+ hours on! You kind of make it an effort to make sure 'someone' sees the page if you've put in the effort xD!

I actually experience the same thing as you on DA, but that might be because I only post things a few times a month on there. I think getting a lot of exposure on any platform just takes time, unless some big celebrity comes along and shares your work or something. It took my 2 years for my second comic to really take off, it was about 100+ pages in at that point.

phen
Dec '15

Oh yes, dA has definitely dwindled down in the interactivity field recently. I'm thinking the novelty's worn down. Kids online grew up around it and it's not as fresh and intrepid as it once was. Tumblr removing their reply system certainly hasn't helped pick up the slack but that platform was never very helpful for new artists. So... I feel engaging others is a lot more difficult now even when you extend a hand.

That being said, getting face-time with someone you know is KEY! Once I graduated and moved, I didn't have friends to show/talk to about my art. So I finally turned to my brothers, which was really hard because they tease me a lot about my cartoons, hah^^ But it was worth the nervousness! Now I'm getting (hilarious) feedback from a third party and it's helped my confidence loads. Plus, you can whine around about not getting much of a response without the guilt of appearing whiny online! X]

PotooGryphonFriendly Neighborhood Gryphon Rider
Dec '15
2

Yes, a very common feeling of dread when a post doesn't receive the same amount of reciprocated love that you put into making it.

My solution is I tend to try to forget about things once they're posted and I'm done advertising it all over social media, I stop thinking about it and start working on the next page to post. I, of course, will respond to comments and interactions that I do get from it, however, I don't let myself get wrapped up in it. I have too much work to let that happen haha

However! There are also ways and methods that artists can use to make themselves more appealing to engage with. I explored the concept a little bit in the first post of this thread.

The question is also brought up in this thread post too with lots of great advice:

I agree that Deviant Art has gone down hill, many artists are abandoning their profiles, and engagements are quite terrible there, but I think Tapastic yet again excels in this area. Interactions on Tapastic are great with so many happy positive readers that it's the main site I focus my efforts on for really having fun and being engaging.

Each site has their own social norms. Tumblr is more of a blog site so beyond likes, reblogs, and the occasional short comment string, it's also not the site for engagements for me. It's more of a place to post art process posts, WIPs, extra sketches, a few update links, etc.

This is another one of my favorite forum posts on building a social media presence you might find informative:

Tentakustar
Dec '15

This reminds me of an old Topic I has a while back.
@shazzbaa mention something that almost sounded like this. it some how sounds nice to hear it again! I recall her saying it takes time to make a new "friend" which in this case is comics. having this mentality sounds really awesome! thanks for bringing something like this up! I guess why it's finally gotten to me is because I've been on DA for years and things only started to pick up around 2013-2014 only to be shot back down again in 2015. DA was the only site then I was active on! and as a result, it backfired and now with these other sites I have to clime back up again.

Tentakustar
Dec '15
phen

lol I see. I have done the same with my brother and sister also. I decided to also post this because I know that im not the only one in this situation either. so my hope is this post will help others out as well!

Tentakustar
Dec '15
1

@starsyscomics

The funny thing is that I have this mentality. but it when things start to get too rough I completely forget. and talking about ti really helps out a lot! I told someone this before, but I think feeling really got to me now because i've been on DA for years and things only picked up around 2013-14 and got shot back down in 2015. it was the only site i was active on. so im pretty much starting over again...

@shazzbaa I have been talking to my friends about it so it does definitely help! it's this feeling of being behind. and i'm not sure why that bothers me so much. possibly because i've been thrown back because of DA.

@demthorshie

yeah... the thing is im totally aware of this! and I know it and im usually very patient too! but as i've told everyone else. I think I started to feel this way because of DA. I know things take time and it takes time to build an audience. that it could take years and totally fine with that. I think what's happening is i keep thinking about how i've been set back. 2013-14 were the best years I had on DA. it's changed so much and its pretty much a ghost town. so here I am starting on other platforms starting all over again. and I think because of this... i feel so behind...

@CyndiFoster whooa! I super appreciate this! I'm hoping this thread can help out others too! thanks so much for sharing these!:)

Warpedwenger
Dec '15

Above all remember that as an artist you create because it is fulfilling to you. You have to have a burning desire to create and let it out. The audience will come.

Vikiro_Hop
Dec '15

Like everyone said it's tough, some content quality aside will just be more engaging than others. I just keep making stuff, if the last thing I made didn't get the response I like then I'll just move on to the next thing.

Make the kind of work only you can make and it will get out there.

Aspie_Gamer
Dec '15

I go out of my way to engage with people I follow who may or may not be a follower of my comic. Offering guest comics (if they want them) isn't a bad way to not only help yourself, but also help the person you like as a creator here on Tapastic.

carloswebcomic
Dec '15

If you want engagement from them, you're going to need to engage them first.
People don't care about your burning passion to tell a story or how much work you put on a page, they want to know YOU'RE TALKING TO THEM.

For example, one way I drive interaction is by placing Easter eggs in my comics. Little hidden things that address the reader directly like a sign somewhere where I ask them if they want a coffee or little in-jokes that break the fourth wall so they are aware that the comic is self aware and that it is talking to them directly, not the nebulous internet.

If you simply tell them a story, they will sit there, quietly. If you address them directly and talk to them, they'll answer back.

phen
Dec '15

The mysticism dispelled in breaking the ice, perfect! This is precisely how to be genuine in an approach with someone. The fluffy, rose-tinted lens of "my passion will get me seen" doesn't necessarily work if you aren't passionate about work in its whole which includes the people you're showing your work to... which I never even considered until recently! All by stepping outside of yourself, outside of your work. Give 'em something to talk about! X]

demthorshie
Dec '15
Tentakustar

To be honest with you, i've had similar experiences over at DA within recent years. I think it might have been because of all the changes they've made since before this year. I did notice that things I post on DA don't seem to get as much traction as they used to.

Don't worry, I can definitely relate to how difficult it is to feel like no one is seeing your work, it's absolutely frustrating. Don't give up the good fight though. Like anything, you rarely see good results in the first couple of months. The only solid advice I have for you is to keep pumping out art! The more stuff you have floating around the net, the more likely you are to be found, always remember that smiley

Also, as Warped stated above, first and foremost, you need to be creating comics and art for YOU. If you are truly passionate about your work and you love doing what you do, your passion will resonate with others. sunny

keii4ii
Dec '15

This is true for a good number of people, INCLUDING viewers who are creators themselves. But here's the flipside: if you had to ask, can you really expect the response to be as genuine or enthusiastic as an unsolicited response? This is the biggest factor that holds me back from asking. I don't want to make people feel pressured to say nice things about my work. Not saying solicited responses can never be genuine... but ehhh.

Another worry is that if my comic is just pages and pages of uninteresting stuff that's just required to be there for the good parts to make sense, is it really worth reading -- ESPECIALLY to people who don't even know whether the good parts are ever gonna happen?

elixiadragmire
Dec '15

@lizm @keii4ii I think THIS is what your talking about it.

youtube.com/watch?v=5LScL4CWe5E

You need the slower, quieter pace to balance the "good parts" (thou we shouldn't label them as good as all of it when it works together is 'good')

IF EVERYTHING WAS ACTION! ALL TIME! ACTION ARGH!!!!!

THATS boring, eat you savouries AND your sweets, helps balance the palette wink

Tentakelgottheit
Dec '15

That´s a problem I struggled with lately as well. Depending on what kind of story you´re writing, the people that read it my also differ. I noticed that people seem to be more inclined to comment on fast-paced comedy (like gag-a-day strips) than on more quiet, drawn-out epics.
This of course does not mean that one is better than the other, just that the author has to expect different reactions to different genres.
Just like carloswebcomics said it´s also about engaging the readers. Most react stronger to comic-strips that are close to somewhat real life, because they can relate to that easier.
In my experience, we got the most reactions on parts of "Strayer", when we either used little easter eggs, like special prints on shirts or peculiar things in the backgrounds or when we did complete shorts set in the universe of the story, without them being part of the main storyline.
I think that might be, because it´s easier to react to something that´s completed.

Of course you won´t be able to put that in every story you create and especially for a slower pace it can be quite difficult sometimes to keep the readers engaged.
For such times I think it works best if you remember why you´re drawing and what it is about your story you personally like so much. It can be really uplifting even if others don´t seem to care that much.
I say "seem" because that´s probably exactly it. Some readers aren´t just as vocal, but they probably still read and enjoy your comic even if they don´t comment on or like every page. I have to admit I´m just like that. I read a lot of comics, that I dearly enjoy and I often forget to tell the artists that.
Sometimes it just takes a lot of time to build a readership that is engaged in what is happening in your story.

Besides that I really noticed that people are not that vocal towards works as they have used to be? I´m not sure if that´s just me though.

shaylafarley5
Dec '15

Wow 700+, I only have 19 and that's motivating me. But it might depend on how long you've been working on just one thing. Sometimes you need to switch it up a bit and work on something else at least for a day or two. Or try drawing something new in different art styles.