Why continue a story when you don't have viewers?

[Hellicat]

We have a hard time when we just started, and if you looked up for tips on making webcomics or so, you should already know that success doesn't come early.

Looking for people to look for your comics, even though your art is good (mine isn't hehe) it is always hard to find some audience.

So the topic question, why continue with my story if no one is following it?

I just want to know all your tips for people out there who may feel dissapointed with themselves or think they are just not made for this things.

I sometimes got myself frustrated but, we always do it because we love to draw, to make stories, etc. I'll wait for you opinions on the topic ; )

Cheers!

Edit: Here's my comic Vila#1

[shazzbaa]

If you have friends that you can share your updates with, that can be a really big help! ;u; When I first started posting my journal comic online, it was my friends and my mom that I looked forward to hearing from!

[monotone_ink]

Because if I don't keep drawing it, I'll go mad.

[saeedfaridzadeh]

The issue with most artists is that we are generally "broken" people who are looking for validation from total strangers.
It's who we are. We are compelled to create and share our work, even if the audience is not there yet.
Yes it's frustrating, and yes you will want to quit. But it really boils down to how much do you love it? How badly do you want to tell your story?
Sure it would be nice to tell a story someone wants to listen to, but with so many other stories on the internet to read you have to fight for the attention to get people to want to read your story.
Maybe a simple ad campaign on Project Wonderful?
Also, where is your comic's link? I didn't see one anywhere in your public profile or in your message?

[Noglastiaa]

I guess for myself, the only reason i don't quit a story when i start one is cause i never know when someone may stumble upon it and actually really like it. It's a hopeful i like to keep:P
and another reason is cause while i have a project continuing, i'll keep drawing and that means i can keep improving. Every drawing is helping me improve one way or another so even if i'm not good right now, i could be at some point. If i quit i'll never know.

[Hellicat]

I added it in the message, but here it is (didn't know someobe may be interested :')) Vila#1

[Hellicat]

Thanks for the replies! Not only me, or us, there are lots of people going trought a long way, but your messages will help our journey! : )

[jacintawibowo]

Continue the story because you like doing it =) getting readers usually involves just making friends with a lot of people and getting them naturally interested in your work. That takes time, but people take notice of someone who's enjoying what they do.

[PotooGryphon]

So the topic question, why continue with my story if no one is following it?

Well, it's as you said in your post already, "success" doesn't come early. Comics and webcomics take a lot of time to build up and it can only grow through the creator(s) of the series putting in the effort, constantly consistently creating it, and promoting it.

However, that aside, if we look at it as a hypothetical question of an artist in a vacuum creating, why do they create without an audience, my answer would be because it's something I enjoy doing, I'd feel useless if I don't create, I love working with my husband on our comic, and it's a story we have to tell. Having an audience is just a nice bonus on top of all that.

[nickysoh]

Well I think a creator should ask him/herself why they are doing the webcomic in the first place. THAT IS A QUESTION NO ONE CAN HELP YOU ANSWER. If you're doing it for self-fulfillment, (I've know of some who doesn't care if anyone read) then I guess having readers or not doesn't matter. The rest is asking yourself the basic question of,

1) How would a webcomic reader find out about my webcomic? Am I exposing my webcomic enough, at the right place, with the correct community?
2) Is my art good enough to attract the follower?
3) Is my story interesting enough to attract readers to follow?
4) How long are you willing to keep doing it until someone follows you?
The list goes on... Tapastic has a lot of help on advertising your work. Most effective way is to pay for advertising. If you're not willing then you'll have to gut it out and pray and hope that someone finds your work eventually and that it is good enough to keep them coming back.

[sadlittlespook]

There's a lot of reasons people continue working on their comics, even if they're not very popular at all. Its one of those things that only you can truly define yourself.

For me, I keep continuing on my webcomic because I want to give people the chance to meet some of my characters and see how their world works. Even if its just a few people, its still better than none and I'm one of those people who gets easily discouraged but my love for my characters and their story and the passion to continue it even if it gets zero attention is high.

[Hellicat]

This post got me in a better mood than expected, I read all your comments and let me say they make me happy and encouraged to do what I want to do! Thanks!

[demthorshie]

I think if you enjoy working on your comic, that is more than enough reason to not stop. Comics for a lot of artists can work as therapy in a sense. But I can definitely understand why it can be discouraging if no one is reading. I recommend sharing your work on different social media platforms and meet and connect with other comic artists through forums like this one.

[BitterOath]

You should continue because that is how you practice! That is how you get better. You just keep going. The good thing about having a finished product as well is that you have something to advertise. If the moment ever comes up, you can tell someone about your comic, and you'll have pages upon pages to show them!

If you just stop, and the opportunity to advertise comes up, you won't have anything to show for it then.
Or, at least that's what I tell myself to keep going. :'D

But seriously, there's some quote out there about doing 200 bad comic pages before you get better. The only way you're going to get better is to keep going.

[AnnaLandin]

Making ANYTHING and posting it on the internet can feel like shouting at the top of your lungs into an empty room.

But shout long enough and loud enough, and people will find you.

Getting no response at all can feel discouraging, but in those situations, the only way out is through. Keep working on the comic - or story or game or whatever it is you're making - and keep trying. Reach out and get involved via forums or via social media. Eventually, people will start noticing.

And really, the best way to NOT get attention is to stop. You fail 100% of the attempts you don't make. If you give up and stop working on your comic, that's that.

[Starfestival]

Do it for yourself, Do it because this is what you want. -Misato Katsuragi

[StevenDacasin]

I do it because I have this idea that im going to make something out of these comics. Its also fun to do to.

[joannekwan]

I do it because I really do see my characters as people who could or could have existed so I want to do them justice by completing their stories.

Also it's nice to have a completed body of work under your belt either for a portfolio or for your own self-satisfaction.

[PurpleGround]

Wow. that's a lot of response. But yes, basically, I believe each artist has a story of their own, whether its fandom or self-created universe. For me, I have that characters I really want to bring to live. I want them to start talking and start interacting with each other as if they have their own minds. I have a story to tell about this characters, about their development, their struggle in adventures and finally achieving something. Thus I started creating comic. Yes, it would feel empty if its not getting attention. As said by saeedfaridzadeh, we are generally "broken" people who seek validation from people. Keep going. Eventually people will stumble upon you and started following. Stan Lee once said in his interview, if he like that kind of stuff he draw, surely someone out there will have the same interest as him. You just need to expand your reach to other audience. =)

[mariusthered]

Comics for a lot of artists can work as therapy in a sense.

This is a truth ( so trust it to come from one of my comics biggest fans) .

My comic Talesfromeswipecity has a low number of subscribers ( hugs to all) but I know I get more people who read it from the shadows so to speak and never like or comment. I have been doing my comic for almost three years now and writing it for a lot longer.
It is not popular and some people don't like my art style on the comic as I use 3d backgrounds mostly. I have even lost money doing it but I keep going because quite honestly if I wasn't doing it I think I would crack up.

Writing and drawing Swipe city has got me through some very bad times of my life, times when I needed to get rid of all of my rage and frustration, I could have very easily crawled into a booze bottle and stayed there, instead I created a comic. and I will let you in to a swipe city secret , the first person killed in my comic represents a person who gave me lots of heart ache, but that's the fun thing about having your own comic you get yo kill off the people you hate.

even if I had to come off the internet and draw my ideas on napkins for nobody to see I would still write swipe city because it helps me control my inner demons and keeps me as a "nice person" to the rest of the world.

so yes viewers come and go but the story will be waiting for them.