Overwhelming Anxiety on Posting Day

[Greg_Dickson]

Hey all, I've been wondering who here has a feeling of overwhelming anxiety on the day that they post a new page? Lately, that's been the feeling I've always been getting. Since I only post weekly, when it gets down to my Tuesday posting time, I feel this amount of anxiety that's just crushing, and it sends me into a major slump. Now, I know that the last two months of this year are known to not yield heavy traffic, so I'm not surprised by that. I'm also pretty comfortable with the sub/like/comment count that I have. However, despite being pretty comfortable and aware of how traffic is low, things have been so quiet for me that it feels...eerie. It's hard to put my finger on.

Despite having grown since May, I feel like when it comes to posting day, I'm still only exposed for a moment, and gone just like that once a new wave of comics hit. I get the same amount of traffic or less each time, and all activity comes to a screeching halt by two days after my posting day, and then things become a ghost town for the rest of the week until my next posting day. I know it's more-so like this at the last two months of the year due to low traffic, but this has always been a constant with me since I started. I know some may say I just have to be patient until I grow more, and that's a pretty obvious thought on my mind, but when I'm in a time with lower growth, that makes it a little harder for me to mentally deal with.

Keep in mind, I've tried using twitter and the #ComicBookHour/#WebcomicChat hashtags, I've tried reading/following/commenting on plenty of comics, I got onto the front page of Bestwebcomics a couple weeks ago and it did nothing for my traffic, and I'm considering also posting on WebToons once I clean up my first few comic pages. Plus, I've been trying like hell every week to improve my work as much as possible. Yet, in reality, I just don't have much time to spare since I work/parent/and sleep in most of my available time. I can't physically pump out more than one page a week, so that's another avenue that I can't take to get extra exposure. I also don't know if it's just because my comic is in the Action genre, which is one of the most unpopular ones. Or maybe Tuesday afternoons are not a good time to post? And even though I have some devoted followers who say otherwise, sometimes I wonder if my comic is any good at all. Although I'm sure we all think from time to time, "just what is wrong with my comic?", when we're feeling down.

Is it like this for everyone else who posts once a week? Does your traffic dry up shortly after posting day, and you're left with a barren rest of your week? Keep in mind, this isn't a 'begging for attention' thread of any sorts. It's mostly me trying to sort out my thoughts and moods here, and try to pinpoint just how I'm feeling. I felt that if others felt a similar way as I do, then maybe it may help me come to terms easier with my own state of mind, as my anxiety tends to make my mind run wild sometimes. Really, I just need to know if I'm alone on this or not.

[shazzbaa]

First and foremost: I promise, as someone who has been through very slow points, what you're experiencing doesn't reflect a problem that must be fixed. I'm not gonna say "just be patient!!!" but I am gonna say this stuff takes years. I mean it!! This is a long, long game and you're only 29 pages in. My first comic didn't start getting commenters outside of my IRL friends until page like.... 50?? Just last chapter in my current comic there were still some scenes where feedback would slump and I'd only get a couple comments on new pages. It happens!

And yeah, I still have to psych myself up a little. I post a new page, and when I go to check for comments I literally whisper to myself, "There won't be any comments yet and that's okay" a couple of times before I do. I will prep myself to expect no new comments after Wednesday -- "everyone's done commenting now, and that's okay." When feedback is slower for a few pages I get my brain telling me that maybe my comic used to be good and now it isn't anymore, and I have to remind myself that my brain is a rotten liar!!
I mostly share this because I try to be real chill about stuff like this, and I'm really grateful for all of my readers and all their comments!! but I think it's easy for other creators to not see how much I actually do have to remind myself to be cool. You don't wanna take it personally when comments die down -- but it's okay to feel a little bummed when you don't get as much response as you hoped for! You just gotta remind yourself that it's okay for that to happen.

But to answer your actual question: yeah, that's how it works for me as a weekly comic creator! -- I post a page, it gets response for a couple of days, and then it's pretty much quiet until my next post! I don't think it's a bad thing, that's just how the internet goes -- and I don't really feel a need to fight to get eyes on my comic in the latter half of the week.

[Herofeeder]

i just shut down my pc go for a 10 hour walk with friends and then tommorow wake up with a couple of likes

[joannekwan]

I get what you mean, and while I don't experience anxiety personally, I do feel a sort of slump after the adrenaline rush of posting. My comments usually dry up a day or two after the update and I'm left with a certain wistfulness for interaction concerning my comic. Like during an update day I get all excited for the comments– reading them and replying to them, and then as they wane and I have fewer to read or address my excitement wanes as well. This is when I get into a habit of just browsing the internet for extended periods of time. But I have to bring myself together to work on the next update. I need the next update to feel that excitement again.

In short, to fill up that emptiness, I focus on other things, mostly work which needs to get done anyway. If I get hung up on one thing I won't accomplish much at all.

[Greg_Dickson]

Thanks @shazzbaa, that really does pick me up to know that even a larger comic like yours goes through the same lull in traffic after a page has been posted. Haha, I know I've got to chill out a bit more over stuff like this, but I guess during the quiet lull, my mind just gets wandering and I really needed that reassurance! Especially in the days after my commenting stops, it's not exactly like I think "where are the comments???", but more that I wish I could produce a second page a week, so that I could keep interest up and discussion going. I guess I just miss hearing from others during that quiet spell. And yeah, I get that it's a long game ahead of me, and by this point, I've expected that I won't explode with success overnight. Thanks again for your thoughts!

[Greg_Dickson]

@joannekwan Yes! That's it! A feeling of wistfulness for interaction. I get so hyped up earlier in the week, that I come off of that sugar high, and just crasssshhhh...I feel more productive around my posting days, and when there's no interaction later in the week, I find it hard to get excited. You're totally right. I just gotta power through!

(I should of just combined those last 2 comments by editing the first one...oh well).

[shazzbaa]

YEAH I agree, wistfulness is a REALLY good way to put it!!

Especially in the days after my commenting stops, it's not exactly like I think "where are the comments???", but more that I wish I could produce a second page a week, so that I could keep interest up and discussion going.

I FEEL THIS SO MUCH TBH, like, my mind and heart are so full of my story and I just want to keep sharing in it with everyone constantly but TO DO THAT I GOTTA, DRAW MORE PAGES FIRST,,,,

[joannekwan]

Yes, that wistfulness is also why I'm here lurking the forums so much! xD
Which isn't bad, since I enjoy getting to know other creators~

[alaingrey]

I have the same problem! I have to check the page I'm posting like 5 times, sometimes doing last minute changes several times after not liking the preview and all that.. After I post I just try not to look at comments, which is ok because I dont feel fearful, but then I frequently just forget to ever respond. I find that doing something like posting and then immediately leaving my house helps. I usually post, then head out to the pub for a guinness and a sit by the fireplace. That way I'm not refreshing a page endlessly and panicking, and I get a reward for working hard.

[infectedbloodcomics]

May I be very blunt? Life doesn't revolve around comics. So, no, I don't get any anxiety from my posting days, just happiness for having accomplished something small. Seriously, people, a bit of a reality check, once in a while, doesn't really hurt 😀

[spadesart]

Tbh I'm kind of the opposite? maybe it's because I used to have "whenever" update schedules for my old projects but I always want to immediately post new pages when I finish them and get excited for update days. I'm also pretty confident in my art and love getting feedback so that might be a big contributing factor too :v

[Kura]

Usually I'm not too bothered by getting comments. I mean I love them all I just don't go crazy waiting for them or get too upset when I get a lack of them.

BUT

Some pages for whatever reason, either because I draw it really well and it came out great (in my opinion anyway lol) or because it has a line of dialogue in it I really like, I just can't wait to see what comments it will get. So I will not leave the site alone waiting on them to pop up.

Usually for pages like that, I try to pull myself away from the computer and keep my mind on other things. Since very little work gets done anyway when I keep going back to the internet browser to load up tapastic again.

As for the question. I do daily updates, but the experience is very much the same. Comments for the latest update will appear around the 24 hour mark, after that comments left on it are more rare. It's very noticeable if I don't update one day for whatever reason. I come onto tapastic to see no comments even though I had updated within the week.

[shaneoid77]

"just what is wrong with my comic?"

Eeeevery day

I will admit, I'm on a shed load of anti-anxiety meds and don't know how I'd fare otherwise, but enough about me.
Don't Be A Hero looks amazing, i haven't tucked in to it yet but the art is fantastic.

Things that may be going against your comic are not your comic itself.
♦ We noobs are pretty much pebbles in an ocean until we have a few years under our belts. Give it time.
♦ As you say, you get a small window in the fresh section, then it's down to searching. Are you on a website that's best promoting its talent?
♦ A previous forum post highlighted Action comics aren't best received on this site.
♦ No HTML on here means you can't link with Comic Rocket or Project Wonderful - not the best sources of traffic, but sources nontheless
♦ There's also @promotecomics @supportcomics @topwebcomics and @best_webcomics on Twitter

I've found it tough selling the action genre out to an audience craving Manga, BL and gag comics. While there seems many more walls to climb with action webcomics than what's popular right now, I think you should be proud of what you've achieved

[Greg_Dickson]

@infectedbloodcomics - It's not that life absolutely revolves around them for me. I'm always an anxious person anyway, and it just kind of leaks into my hobby. I like your note on getting happiness just by accomplishing something small though. Wise words.

@stnmaren - I wish I had that kind of mentality. I do get excited for updates at the same time, but I think my anxiety interferes with getting the full enjoyment out of the experience, due to thinking of the lull of the aftermath.

@kurapikasuki - I do try to pull myself away from the computer too, at least until the evening. But waiting during that time has never gotten much easier as I'm always eager to reply to people, so it's on the back of my mind throughout the day. Ah, so for daily updates the experience tends to die down a bit quicker? Interesting.

@shaneoid77 - Yeah those points make a lot of sense, and I'll definitely have to check those twitter handles. And action is a really hard genre to sell when BL, slice of life, romance and comedy are the main points of interest to Tapastic's audience. Thanks, I hope you'll enjoy the read.

[allenthomas]

I suffer from the exact same feeling. Normally after I post my comic, I'll take a break from all things pertaining to my comic. I also upload in the action genre and while I'm not sure if it's like this for anyone else but it is definitely difficult to attract new fans. It's funny to hear you say that you upload your comic and then it'll lose exposure once new comics get posted. I've always thought the same thing. The key is to not get discouraged though. Trust me, I have only been on here for two years and my comic has still gone through plenty of lulls, lost subscribers, low viewership, and the like. These things happen and it's hard. You just have to find ways to chill and keep creating your art and trying to push it out to as many people as you can. Even when it feels like no one is interested in your comic but you.

[WakaXO]

I have horrible anxiety issues so I'm usually overwhelmed on posting day, but that's not saying much as I'm usually overwhelmed the rest of the time anyways. ;v; I find putting the pages on scheduled updates really helps cut the tension I feel. I don't know why, I guess it's just one less thing to worry about.
But for the most part I'm in the same boat as you, feeling pressured to do more, do better and get there faster while having basically no time. All I can say is don't let your feelings of anxiety corrupt your view, and kill the joy you feel for your comic. I think you're being overly critical of yourself and your work. You're usually your own biggest critic, and while that's not a bad thing as looking at your work in a critical way can help improve it, its also easy to go too far in the opposite direction and cripple your work.

It takes a long time to garner an audience and while there are some things you can do to speed up the process, you can basically expect 3-5 years as the amount of time your going to have to put into a comic before it starts really taken off. So the best thing you can do is be patience and enjoy the journey, don't worry about the destination too much.

I hope any of this helps, rest assured a lot of people are feeling the slow traffic of this time of year and it doesn't reflect the quality of your comic. In my opinion your comic has been getting better and better each update.

[indagold]

I got more important things to be anxious over and lose sleep over than comics lol I've been making comics for 10 years and whatever problems I encountered when I was first doing it I've long forgotten since I was 12 since i'm used to it by now. You are probably never going to get the feedback you want, you have to accept that. Focus on your life first, irrelevant things only make you worry about nothing.

[Down_the_Rabbithole]

I know this sort of anxiety very, very well. The best thing to do when this beast rears its ugly head is to wrestle it into submission. It sounds easier said than done, but hear me out.

I've been doing this to my other anxieties and it's been working for me. I address all my anxious thoughts and subconsciously tell them, "No! You can't stop me from doing this! I want to do this!" The real reason to write a webcomic should not be to make money or get popular, that's how you crash and burn. You're making this because you want to make it. Let your passion guide you and you will feel satisfied in just getting something done.

Keep in mind that you will fall and succumb to the anxiety sometimes, but the most important part is to stand back up and fight back. And it does seem like you already have people who like what you do. Be happy about that. Think of them cheering you on as you go. Though growth is nice, getting your story told is your top priority. Feel proud that you've committed yourself as far as you have without giving up. Feel even prouder as you make more pages in your story.

[Shanny8]

I've been doing fairly well this month of November. From the day I post my comic, to the next following week, I'm usually screaming my head off on various social platforms to generate reads for my comic. I'm pretty okay when it comes to posting a new page; for me the 1st day is always the best day- the best part is that I ride the wave of New Comic Book Day(since I post on Tuesdays) on Wednesdays; the momentum of "Indie Comic Thursdays' and by Friday I'm planting seeds in everyone's heads to read my comic while they're resting on the weekend. Monday is the only day where it seems like I dont do or say much coz I'm usually transitioning myself to get ready for the new page on Tuesday.

It's gonna suck when I finally have a lull between this chapter and the next.

And @Greg_Dickson- you have FAR more readers & subs than I have! You're moving at a good pace; you just need to start figuring how to make better usage of your time- which I know is hard, coz you have a fam & all. I think you're doing okay so far...if you feel you're overwhelmed maybe you might want to A) take a break and get caught up/get ahead art wise or B) make shorter chapters/episodes. Try looking at promoting on various other social platforms besides Twitter. If I took pics like nobody's business and had an Instagram account, I'd be promoting there..!

I praise your comic, because you put a lot of effort into it, and you've made leaps of improvement over months. It's fun to read, and I enjoy the characters.

[Greg_Dickson]

@allenthomas Yeah, it's so easy to be bumped off that Fresh page, and it's always been difficult to make it onto Popular or Trending. The best we can hope for is for someone to browse the action pages and stumble upon us. I'm definitely trying my best not to be discouraged, but I just had to vocalize this just to see if I'm not alone. Let's try our best out there.

@WakaXO - Thanks, friend. It makes me feel better knowing someone close to me is going through the same thing. I mean, I'm not glad you're anxious, but it's comforting to know I'm not alone. Haha, yeah I do have a tendency to be overly critical. I've always been too hard on myself, and people tell me I need to stop. I'll try my best to keep a cooler head. Thanks for all the kind praise. It's always made me happy to know that you're enjoying my comic so much, and I've definitely been enjoying Neon Rabbit just as much. I feel the same way about yours.

@indagold - Actually, I do get a lot of feedback I want. I guess I just get anxious waiting for it to come. lol.

@Down_the_Rabbithole - You're right, getting this story told is the most important thing to focus on. My mind has always had a tendency to tell me that I shouldn't be doing things or that I'm not good enough, even though I know it's wrong. I've never had practice with dealing with it like the ways you're stating so maybe I should practice.

@Shanny8 - I think I have far more anxiety than you have. lol. And yeah, you're definitely the tweet king when it comes to vocalizing your comic. It is SO hard to figure out how to use my time with this comic, because I spend so much time working/sleeping/parenting and even several nights a week staying up later hanging out with my wife. I've been trying to come up with a scheme to make shorter episodes. I want to shorten down CH 2 for sure. Thanks so much for the encouragement Shanny. You're a great friend, and I look just as much to Ray Thunder each week.