"Thanks for the subs!" drawings posted on other's walls

[hierogriff]

I did a "100 subs" doodle for Outside the Box when I reached that number and posted it on the first 100 subscriber's walls. I was thinking of doing a new general "Thanks for subscribing" doodle, but I wonder if I should send it to the 280-odd who have already subscribed a while ago? What do you guys think?

[UzukiCheverie]

It's different from person to person. Some people love sending them out, while some hate receiving them, and vice versa. If you don't like them, the most you can do is just smile, say thank you for the image and you're welcome for subscribing to them, and move on. That's the most universally respectful thing to do at least rather than just making everyone stop doing them entirely (:

I know I do the image for Uzuki, but I'll send personal PM's for Time Gate. Yeep. Best of both worlds ~ As for receiving them, sometimes they annoy me a bit, but I know that most of the creators here (myself included) are thankful for the readers they have and they just want to show that, so I'm respectful about it at the least. And I still encourage people to do it because it's just nice (and really fun to see the different versions people do!)

Yep. My two cents.

[Kenn]

Admittedly I find it a little bit of a pet peeve when people copy and paste the same "Thank you for faving my comic!" comments on every of their readers' profiles (it just doesn't feel like genuine gratitude)

I've actually seen a couple artist make special Thank You's for each reader. @Kenn, in particular, he actually writes the reader's name on each image. <3

Thanks for the mention Cyndi <3 I actually have several characters too that appear on those pictures, I'll generally have a quick peek on people's walls too to work out which character to use.

Lanu, that's why I do customize every one. Because it means a hell of a lot that every person that does like the comic enough to subscribe gets a little something in return, especially in a comic as buried in the system as mine haha ; P

[mjmassey]

I personally like getting an image. Even if it's the same one everyone else gets, it's extra art work from a comic I like, and the author noticed that I subscribed and took the time to post to my wall. I'm starting to get a few more subscribers, so now I am sending out Thank you messages. I try to personalize them a little bit so they don't seem copy/paste-ish, but I usually don't know the person very well, so it's hard to know what to say.

[michaelson]

Hm, I've been happy to see it pick up more momentum and become more of a norm on Tapastic. It definitely adds more to the reader experience which is nice.

I understand that some people feel that it is a cookie cutter message to promote yourself on other people's walls, but I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. I personally really enjoy seeing them, I get a bunch per day, I find myself not being able to keep up to responding to all of them (which I feel bad about).

But I guess, my question for everyone here is, what's next? What's the next logical step to make this special again?

There's this term called jamais vu (it's the opposite of deja vu), where something old feels new again. Every once in a while, I'll get a wall post image from a creator thanking me for subscribing that feels really fresh and well thought out. I'm always, always looking forward to those moments.

For example, I'll always remember what Little Endian did with Leaves (here) where she drew all her current subscribers. I thought that was really great (also time consuming, haha).

[Blacksanz]

I don't mind if I get the same pic as everyone in gratitude for faving a webcomic, it is better that than nothing at all D:
but me as a creator, I thank people with a comment written in that moment. My words of course always include "thank you" and "hope you like it", but may differ from one user to another, depending on what I see or feel or if this user has commented (by the way, people is not very used to comment, or it is just my webcomic case? LOL)

In the end, it is almost the same, thanking through images or words. For the pic you dedicated the whole large amount of time making the pict, for the words you spend a little time for each

[nikacomics]

As both reader and creator, this is definitely something I think about not infrequently. When I first joined, all the images on my wall were a little overwhelming, but the personalized messages made me feel welcome. When I just get an image, even if it says "Thank You", I don't really feel like I'm being thanked as earnestly as when the creator adds text to the post. Even if they're just copying and pasting, but I never check, haha! I also find it overwhelming if the image is SO SO big that it takes up my whole wall. Still, I do like the images, and they help me remember what comic the creator is referring to.

As a creator, I feel like this method of thanking readers is like basic Tapastic etiquette. I feel incredibly guilty if I DON'T thank my readers within the week. Similar to @CyndiFoster, I look for ways to personalize my message, whether it's reading through the bio or commenting on the avatar/series the reader is working on. I do worry that certain readers might feel like I'm spamming them, but I'd rather post and risk that than NOT post on a reader's page and have them think I'm snubbing them. I know, probably overthinking it, and the reader most likely won't notice, but there you go! xD

[Strontium]

There's this term called jamais vu (it's the opposite of deja vu), where something old feels new again.

Totally unrelated to the topic at hand but I'm so happy I learned what this word meant! It's the title of a song I like by a band called The History of Apple Pie. Thanks Michael!

I will contribute though: I do write "thanks for subscribing" on my new subscribers walls; I don't really have a picture for it, since I'm almost always on the ipad, but sometimes people write me back and we start up a conversation which I enjoy!
I also like to see if my new subscribers have comics themselves.

[jonsaintamant]

I agree with what most are saying. As a comic creator with under 100 subscribers, I get really excited (I even shout to my wife across the house when I see my subscriber number go up one). A decent drawing of my main character is a nice way to show that I noticed them, even if it is a saved file that is the same for everyone. If I could quit my job to focus on hand-painting personalized "Thank You" messages, I totally would. I did actually attempt to show a long-time subscriber personal gratitude recently by offering to send them a package full of series merch (stickers, zines, prints, etc.), but I think the subscriber got cold feet when I asked them for a mailing address. Oh well.

I also love receiving "Thank You" images. I want my page to be a gallery of creator-made images.

After reading the previous posts, I realize that I should be more personal, and include a unique typed message with the image from now on.

[mjmassey]

There's this term called jamais vu (it's the opposite of deja vu), where something old feels new again.

I have learned something new. I'm going to use jamais vu at some point in a conversation!

On another note, I actually got a "Thank you" picture on my wall today. Made me smile. I can't argue with getting free art!

[ErithEl]

Personally I really liked the picture you post as a Thank You. It was adorable! And it's never mattered to me whether or not the image comes with a personalized message or not...

I'm definitely the same as you where the minute I see that subscriber number go up I'll drop what I'm doing and run out into the living room and do a little happy dance (haha lame, I know!). I wonder if it's different after a couple thousand LOL XD

[getsuart]

Almost the same advice as everyone too !
I love receiving the thanks for the sub" images and everything. It's like a little collection with new cards. So I like giving ones too (unfortunatelly, it's quite slow for now two months to give it, but I'll surelly see the end and do one or two !).
The personnalized lessages is also a nice thing. It feels friendlier, more in the community than ever.

[Drezz]

I don't see the problem in posting a "thanks" pic to a reader's wall for their support - even if it seems cookie cutter. It shows that you as a creator have acknowledged the reader. I believe that most of the creators are being sincere and genuine when they do it.

I actually like talking to my readers when they decide to message me or comment. So if my 'spamming' is a way of getting them to chit-chat, then there's no harm. I could see if a creator is going out of their way to say "Hey, thanks for subscribing, now go tell your friends and make them a subscriber too - and you guys who check out this wall and see this pretty picture I made, you should be a subscriber too."

THAT is solicitation/spamming. These images are more like "Thank You cards." Maybe the folks at tapastic could implement a "Thank you" system that will send these things to a separate/private section that won't clutter up a person's wall and the reader can check it if they feel like it, since it seems to irk some readers that don't want to wade through a pile of thank you's and such.

Just a thought.

[Kura]

I hate it. I hate it a lot. I hate it so much. The amount of hate I have for it is immeasurable.

I appreciate the pictures but I don't want them filling up my wall or even on my wall. Some of them are just so big and they push out my updates or notices, and my wall is my own personal space. It's not an advertizement billboard, my reading list is already public, I am very happy to keep it public because I LIKE it when more people read the stuff I like. That said you don't need to further / over advertize it even more on my profile.

I don't like it. I don't like it to the point that I dread watching a new series cause I just don't want to chance another one of those annoying huge advertizements on my profile.

What's worse is some of these are not even unique images, but panels copy pasted from the comic, which is even more annoying cause then no work went into this image the artist is annoying me with on my wall, on my privet space.

But at the same time I feel bad deleting it because that's just rude on my part, I don't want to be rude. But I DO secretly want to be rude cause I want to get that bleeping image off of my friggen profile.

[gateofselidor]

If they bother you that much you should just delete them. Personally I would be more upset that I left something on your wall that you really hated than if you just deleted it. While there is a marketing element to the images, I think most of us post them primarily because we're genuinely thankful that someone likes our work, and it's more fun to express that with an image than a typed message.

[yuliusefferven]

unless they stalk you I doubt the creator will notice that you deleted it haha... so don't feel too bad.

[Kura]

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE it if they private messaged me the images instead of posting them directly on my wall. THEN it would be a whole different story and that would seem like actual 'genuine gratitude' and not 'lets use this artists personal space for a free advertizement'

[PotooGryphon]

You might be able to put that in your bio on your profile to warn others that you'd rather not receive the thank you post. Just like a 1 sentence disclaimer of "No thank you posts necessary," or something like that. The artist that check out the subscriber's info before posting, will probably not do it than or private message you instead. It seems like the majority of people love receiving them so it hard to tell which will and which won't.

[Kura]

That tactic honestly never worked on any other websites that I had a similar problem. It was even in big bold letters at the top so it was the first thing you saw on the page and impossible to miss. I would even get 'thank yous' consecutively from some people for EVERY SINGLE PICTURE OR COMIC PAGE that I liked. Just one after the other... it wasn't the mistake of 'oh I didn't realize I already posted on your wall a week ago' they were seconds apart all posted after the other with no breathing room. Granted tapastic is not near as bad for it, but I still dislike it because some of the images are just so friggen BIG and push everything out.

I'll also mention that the profiles on this website are twitchy an annoying to read through already so I really don't want to add more to it and just want to keep just profile info on it.

What would be nice is the ability to pin important posts I might make to the top on the wall. So the next time I post the "I will be out of the country for a month and unable to update" or "I'm sick with a flare up and in the hospital, so can't update for a while" that message will not be drowned out by THANKS FOR WATCH HAVE A PICTURE THAT TAKES UP YOUR ENTIRE SCREEN x 5 (cause go figure... if I can't draw I'll probably try reading new stuff and adding stuff to watch) That way I can avoiding getting the "DID YOU FORGET ABOUT THIS SERIES!??? DID YOU DROP THIS SERIES?? WHY DID YOU DROP THIS SERIES???? WHY IS THERE NO UPDATE??? YOU'RE NOT UPDATING ON PURPOSE BECAUSE YOU'RE FORCE ME TO PAY FOR THE NEXT PAGE!!!!!" PMs, e-mails and skype messages (and whatever the hell else these people manage to find me) bombarding my phone when I'm trying to attend a funeral or in the friggen hospital. Which yes... are not made up scenarios and me talking from experience.

[Creaux]

FIRST OF ALL I would like to point out this this is specifically targeting "thank you" posts, NOT "READ MY COMIC OK BYE" posts, the latter being the actual annoying type. I'll address it as quickly as I can.

I like to think of it as someone acknowledging that I've liked a creation of theirs in the first place and I personally would like a thank you image where I can show other people who visit my page what I like. If I didn't like it, I would have deleted the post/not followed the person!

It doesn't happen often, the thank yous, and when they do I'm like "Look, other people who come here, look at this thing I like! Like it too!" Because that helps me connect on this website with readers and creators. It's networking, if you don't do it, you're not going to get anything out there. I want my comics to help support me eventually, Yeah I do it for fun but hell. It's also starting to become a career choice and I'm not a doe-eyed kid who believes that if I believe in myself it'll just "work out".

That said: Hell yes, it's plugging. There should be nothing shameful about thanking someone and promoting yourself. There is something shameful about "READ MY COMIC IMAGE" when I already don't. and the person posting those doesn't read anything of mine, they just happened to see a comment box for them to violate. THAT to me is annoying and pushy. THAT to me is what the OP isn't addressing and I feel a little put off because the OP is talking about people who noticed you liked their thing. God forbid.

But, as a comic artist, if you don't find ways to plug and connect, you'll die out. And I hate to be the realist here, but if you think people shouldn't do this, and don't do this, then you also believe that a comic is something people find and share magically without ever being pointed into the direction of it. Ad if advertising happens through randomly finding a comic and then, over night, you're as popular as cucumber quest. No! You have to advertise your comic on someone elses' page as a thank you, you have to do it as an adspace, you have to network with other artists who will plug you. And if you think that other artists plugging you is "less shameful plugging" you might have a skewed look at things. It's no more or less shameless than plugging yourself.

There needs to be advertising. We have on-site ads here that share us with each other but so many people use ad blockers, so how else do we get ourselves out there? And if it's a thank you, then PLEASE, thank me and fellow artists with images. We want you to flourish, we want to flourish, and it's a form of quickie-networking.

I'm not going ot toss in any more, as the subject target seems to be wrong and upsetting to me. Thanking someone with an image is not shameless plugging, it's honest networking. Telling some random person to read your stuff is spamming, there's a clear difference as to why the person is on your page in the first place. Please think on that.