Reasonable page per week ratio?

[punkarsenic]

So I've been trying to get into the habit of posting weekly, which seems to be a common amount, but leading up to hiatus it's becoming once every two weeks, at best. i noticed, however, that a lot of very hardworking artists only post 2 pages a week, and i wonder if im placing too high an expectation on myself.

the thing is, i hate posting incomplete scenes - it's just a pet peeve, and i hate what it does to pacing. i often get confused myself when reading comics that post scenes over a few weeks, so i dont want to do that any more than necessary (necessary = this scene is half the chapter, holy fuck). that means my updates are almost always at least three pages long, and ive pushed past 10 before. i cant do that in a week, sometimes not in two. my plan is to build up so much buffer that i can keep it regular, then go on hiatus to build up buffer again, but im unsure.

tl;dr:
- how many pages a week would be ideal to post / how many could you handle posting a week
- would you sub to a comic that only updated every two weeks, but did so with complete scenes of up to 10 pages?
- do you prefer complete scene updates, or staggering a scene out over weeks?

[Shanny8]

I only post 1 page a week. Though my work skill allows me to get more done, I use the extra pages to create my buffer so that I can get rest when I need to. Me posting more than once a week, would make my work suffer in the long run, and not allow me much time to rest or work on other projects between breaks on my webcomic series.

[antimekii]

- how many pages a week would be ideal to post / how many could you handle posting a week
3? A page a week for a running series is quite hard to stay committed to. I do 15 a week but that's already pushing it. Some people could do more so it really depends on your pace.

- would you sub to a comic that only updated every two weeks, but did so with complete scenes of up to 10 pages?
Yes, quality over quantity.

- do you prefer complete scene updates, or staggering a scene out over weeks?
No

[NanettesClouds]

Speaking from experience with the current project I'm working on I know that I can get 3-5 pages done in a good week. That doesn't mean I'm going to post 3-5 pages a week, or that I make 3-5 pages every week, or that I will always be able to make 3-5 pages a week. Because I'm not in school right now, and because I don't work full time, I can put most of my focus towards my comic, which is a luxury, but it's temporary.

I know that once I go back to school, it's very unlikely that I will have the time or energy to make a full page every week, so I need to plan in advance to have a backlog that can last until I'm done with having to focus on school stuff. So, I know that right now I can comfortably make 3 pages a week and that I'll be back to taking classes in the spring quarter. So between now and the end of December I could reasonably make 18 pages, but probably a little bit more.

Spring quarter lasts for about 14 weeks, So if I update once a week, my 18-page backlog will last me through the entire quarter. Ideally, I won't just sit back and let that backlog dwindle out while I'm taking classes, but I won't have to feel the pressure of having an additional deadline on top of my school stuff each week.

TLDR: Take some time to realize how much you can get done in a good week, pay attention to when your schedule gets busy and build up a deep enough backlog to last through that busy period.

As for the pacing thing you could do what Shaderunners does, where it uploads in full scenes here on Tapastic at an irregular pace, but updates on a consistent page-by-page schedule at the personal website. The backlog is deep enough that there's at least one episode ready in advance at any given time, but the authors wait for the weekly updates on their personal website to catch up.

[keii4ii]

The frequency doesn't make a big difference for me on Tapastic (unless you're updating MORE than three times a week -- then that's too much for me). But if you do batch updates, may I suggest not cramming a huge amount of content into a single episode? 2-4 pages are okay, but 10 is a bit too much. You could just post two episodes on the same day if you wanted to do a 10 page update, with each episode containing 5 pages or something.

[shazzbaa]

• how many pages a week would be ideal to post / how many could you handle posting a week

With the style of my current comic, I can only do one page a week -- that's as much as I can draw. There's nothing I can do about that, so I chose to script my story with that in mind. My pacing is a little quicker because of it -- each page tries to have a major "beat" of the scene, so that every page is setting its own mood and feels like something new is happening. I have "5 pages" in the back of my mind as an ideal length for a scene, so that it never feels like a scene is dragging out over the course of months -- sometimes I hit closer to 7 or 8 pages, but it's always something I'm paying attention to.

In a more general sense, I think 2 or 3 pages a week is what I consider the "ideal."

• would you sub to a comic that only updated every two weeks, but did so with complete scenes of up to 10 pages?

On Tapastic I don' t think this would be a turn-off! I guess the only downside I can see is that if I didn't get around to checking an update or two, I'd probably drop the series, since I would get the feeling of "falling behind" more quickly than I would with a more weekly schedule.

• do you prefer complete scene updates, or staggering a scene out over weeks?

I tend to prefer a comic that can update more frequently with small updates, so I can stay invested more easily......... BUT: honestly this depends a LOT on how the comic is paced.
If a scene depends a lot on mood setting, the effect is completely lost if the pages are spaced out -- I know I've used the example before on here of a hero approaching a spooky castle, looking up at its huge wooden doors, carefully walking up, pushing them open, peeking inside, and then seeing the dark, grand hallway, and entering, and slowly walking down the hall. As a 2 or 3 page episode, that's heavy with tension. As individual updates of "see spooky castle, look at door" > "carefully open doors and look inside" > "sees hallway, slowly walks down hall" each page feels not only mind-numbingly slow, but individually pointless -- without the buildup and atmosphere of the other two pages, a hero slowly walking down a hall doesn't carry any interest; nothing seems to be happening.

So I think there are some styles of storytelling that can make staggered updates work, and I tend to prefer that kind of update when it's possible -- but there are others that really need and are much more effective with the atmosphere of a complete scene, and I prefer those sorts of comics to update in the way that makes them most powerful!

[Down_the_Rabbithole]

As a 2 or 3 page episode, that's heavy with tension. As individual updates of "see spooky castle, look at door" > "carefully open doors and look inside" > "sees hallway, slowly walks down hall" each page feels not only mind-numbingly slow, but individually pointless -- without the buildup and atmosphere of the other two pages, a hero slowly walking down a hall doesn't carry any interest; nothing seems to be happening.

Dammit! I already fell into this trap!

I can only do about 2 pages a week and I post Mondays and Thursdays. I have a small backlog, so should I just post two pages on those days until the story picks up?

[heterodont]

I (normally) upload 2 pages per week, it's the most I can do without running my buffer into the ground (when I have it). Though in a good week, I can often make 6~ pages.

Others address the issue with setting up a nice pace and any atmosphere that's set with any set of pages would be an issue once you stagger it over updates, but I've never really had any reader mention that a scene's pacing was ruined because of weekly updates. I think it's more frustration of a cliffhanger because they don't know what's gonna happen next and frankly, I like that :Y

From what I've noticed people binge-read updates often times, so I don't think having ruined pacing is going to be a major issue if you already have a sizable backlog. Though I think if you can afford to take the hit, it might be a good idea to upload a scene entirely if it's "boring" or dependent on the action in the scene.

[DMBrigman]

I can do one page per week, from layout to full color. I don't think I could produce any faster than that but I have a full time job.

As a reader, I think consistency is more important. I don't want to be wondering when something might update and usually I forget about the series.

From a creator standpoint I do see there are people who check out each new page a week but there seem to be more people binge read after quite a few updates. I see greater increases in traffic after promoting a completed chapter, and small bumps when I promote a compete scene.

[punkarsenic]

see, the issue is if its a seamless scene that lasts ten pages (i know, thats a lot, but dialogue and big panels) then chopping it up messes with the flow, and i know its not that important, but id really rather my episodes were like parts of a book where each new episode is a *** break where you can stop reading and get off the bus. would a ten page episode really be that bad?

[navyzerimar]

Publishing one page a week is for the best.
That is my regular posting ratio and it works to maintain a good rhythm of content and a keeping me on my toes for the next week...
Un like many creators I am not ahead of the pages for the subsequent weeks but that is most definitely an excellent way of having a safety net in case

[keii4ii]

would a ten page episode really be that bad?

But you see, with a physical book, you have different pages. You don't have a page that's physically bigger/longer than the rest just because the author wanted to fit a longer scene in one page.

It's worse with some comics than it is with others. If the panels flow naturally and are not too crowded, then it's easier to get through a longer episode.

[Kyulein]

As a creator my update schedule is heavily influenced by the number of pages I can make within a week in order to maintain a buffer, but also not burn out.
There are a lot of additional commitments that literally suck the time and energy out of your week. Topmost is of course a dayjob, especially a full-time job, but also family, friends and social interaction in general, that sometimes make it difficult to concentrate on working on comic pages.

If you can create only one page a week within your personal environment, then every reader will understand that. As long as there are regular updates and proper communication in case of skip-week, everything's alright.
If you can maintain a more frequent update schedule, by creating about as many pages a week, then by all means go for it It's just important to keep in mind that a webcomic isn't a sprint, but a marathon.

[NickRowler]

how many pages a week would be ideal to post / how many could you handle posting a week
I used to do 5 pages a week but I toned it back to 3.

would you sub to a comic that only updated every two weeks, but did so with complete scenes of up to 10 pages?
10 pages ever other week is OK. I really dislike plot based stories which post once a week yet there is only like 3 panels with very little dialogue or action on each page. I end up forgetting what is happening. I feel like every update should be able to stand on its own.

do you prefer complete scene updates, or staggering a scene out over weeks?
I prefer page by page updates. It also allows you to have time to work on pages while you are uploading, this allows you to upload continuously without huge hiatus like gaps.

[hushicho]

I recommend two updates per week of one comic/page each. This should allow you to keep a steady pace, keep regular output coming, and replenish any of your buffer that is depleted with every update.

If people can't handle that, they probably don't have the focus to follow a story anyway.

I understand if you really don't like to break up scene flow, but at the same time...it's something that won't matter much to people reading from the beginning who decide to follow the comic later. Due to the significant differences between comics printed in, say, a collected book and those published in webcomic format, audience expectations aren't typically (and indeed shouldn't be) the same.

And to be honest, it would be different if you were getting thousands of dollars coming in for every story you did. Sure, I could ramp up production for that and do an update every day, probably! I could get assistants and end up cranking out a dozen pages every couple of days. But that's not the case here. It's important to value your own time and, in turn, set the example for others to value creators' time. And speaking from experience: if you push yourself to produce, produce, produce to the limit of your capability for too long, you're going to end up likely either burning yourself out or injuring yourself. It may not happen today, it may not happen soon, but it will happen eventually. Care for yourself!

[shazzbaa]

Dammit! I already fell into this trap! [...] I have a small backlog, so should I just post two pages on those days until the story picks up?

This is honestly up to you! If it were me, I'd consider the pros & cons of cutting into my buffer to speed up pacing vs. just cutting my losses and saying "oh well, this little bit will come out slower than I prefer" -- I've done both! It would ultimately depend on a lot of different factors. Like, how long is the "slower" section? Or, how important is this scene emotionally? For example, maybe it would make sense to upload a couple extra pages to add punch to an important moment, but other than that, update normally, and leave your buffer intact.

I mean, there's always gonna be parts you wish could be faster; that's just the nature of webcomics.

And the truth is, there are different schools of thought in how to approach this. I view webcomics as a serial, where that's the way it's meant to be read, so I work hard to make each installment work with the pacing of my updates. Others see webcomics almost like... an early access to a finished comic. Plenty of creators value the finished work over the individual updates, so if the updates are a little slow that's just the nature of the beast -- once it's all put together and reads well as a completed chapter, that's the part that matters most to them.

That's not my approach, but it's also valid -- it's all about what's most important to you and your story!

[hushicho]

And the truth is, there are different schools of thought in how to approach this. I view webcomics as a serial, where that's the way it's meant to be read, so I work hard to make each installment work with the pacing of my updates. Others see webcomics almost like... an early access to a finished comic. Plenty of creators value the finished work over the individual updates, so if the updates are a little slow that's just the nature of the beast -- once it's all put together and reads well as a completed chapter, that's the part that matters most to them.

It's so true! When I worked on Incubus Tales, which enjoyed a good, solid readership for its run of over seven years, I created each chapter as a single story, rather than pacing it as a serial. People still enjoyed it, but I sometimes did get feedback that it was harder to follow in real-time and easier to go back and just read from start to finish of a chapter. Because of that, I've tried to adjust my individual comic updates into more of a serial pacing, to give readers enough to enjoy from each update and, ideally, keep them coming back for more next time.

But it is definitely something where potential readers can't come in expecting a "gag-a-day" format. I think that's less and less an expectation anymore, thankfully, but for a while it was a big thing webcomics had to struggle against because of many early webcomics (and even plenty of webcomics today) being "gag-a-day" strips. I wish people would remember when Little Nemo's adventures, or Flash Gordon's, would be right there beside more single joke style comics, because that's closer to the landscape evolving for webcomics.

[Emma]

- how many pages a week would be ideal to post / how many could you handle posting a week
I would personally love to do 3 pages a week, but with my current schedule, it won't happen. ESPECIALLY now that we're heading into Christmas season - I'm an organ student, so I have to play in like, 3 church concerts during December. Maybe it will be possible next year?
- would you sub to a comic that only updated every two weeks, but did so with complete scenes of up to 10 pages?
Yes.
- do you prefer complete scene updates, or staggering a scene out over weeks?
Both are fine for other comics. For mine, I prefer doing it over a few weeks.

[dojo]

In response to @shazzbaa comment about the different schools of thought, I'm def one of those people who's more in the "finished product matters more" vein. I figure most of my readers aren't going to see my comic until a good chunk of it's out there anyway, and if they already care about it, they're not going to mind a slow scene here and there where it's necessary, even once they're caught up. Although I still write pages more serially with each page designed to serve a particular purpose (although I think some of my earlier pages are weaker in this regard. My recent pages show this faaar better. I'm considering going back and redoing a few of them to fix this, but at a point when I have time and it won't interfere with current updates)

ANYWHO in responce to your actual questions,

• how many pages a week would be ideal to post / how many could you handle posting a week
  I think 2-3 pages is pretty much the norm, but if you can't do more than that, I wouldn't worry about it. If someone loves your story, they'll read it regardless of how often you're posting. (I currently do two stories and between the two, am posting 5 pages a week)

• would you sub to a comic that only updated every two weeks, but did so with complete scenes of up to 10 pages?
  Well, since tapastic tells me when stuff updates I would. But if I were trying to follow a comic without a subscription thingy telling me when the comic updates, I probably wouldn't keep up with it, but that's just because I have a really bad memory and don't remember to check things frequently. That isn't to say I don't think people should update like that, though. It'd give readers a lot to chew in big juicy chunks and if I were better at paying attention to anything I'd probably eat it up if my favorite comic did that.

• do you prefer complete scene updates, or staggering a scene out over weeks?
  Both I guess?? For when I'm reading them, anyway. If I'm really into something I like being able to just read a complete scene without having to wait, but I also like staggered scenes because it satisfies my impatience. As for my own comics, I just do single page updates. I did try and do batch page updates in the past but I really need a set schedule that I can't easily dodge and weave around for self discipline purposes so it's just better for me to dish 'em out one at a time.

Hopefully this is all coherent. It's very late here and I'm about to fall asleep, but decided to write forum posts before doing so like a champ.

[punkarsenic]

well, flip that on its head, in a physical book you have sections and chapters that vary in size, but ill bear that in mind