Why do people not sub?

[domisotto]

I’ve met a few people on the forum & they are great, but I am hoping for organic growth in readers who would just like reading my story. Why more people don’t like my book, I don’t know. Personally, I think it’s pretty interesting.

[Green]

Can I be honest with you?

I looked at your comic, my first reaction was uncomfortable. The first thing I saw was a weird title on each episode called "Grandpa" and the strange thumbnail of a girl looking all sexual, same on the cover.

I was expecting the worse when I clicked into the pages. but they are actually good! So it could be they thought the same way as I did but didn't click into the actual pages?

This is just my thoughts of the "why".

[KiabIce]

Oh no! Were you thinking something horrible like... EW! I don't even want to know.

I didn't know it could be read wrong like that. You're making me worry.

I could change the name of the chapter. There's a reason it's called Grandpa.

I'm EXTREMELY Worried now.

[KiabIce]

OK I changed the title of the first chapter.

I hope it doesn't give any wrong ideas. I also hope it doesn't describe too much of the story.

Thanks for your feedback.

[rajillustration]

There could be all sorts of factors. Some ones I've noticed because I am a black and white page format comic creator myself, many won't sub if it isn't phone format (they're on they're phones so it's hard to read) or they won't sub because it's not in color (many people have a problem where they can't tell the difference between characters in black and white comics. This can be helped by adding some contrast in hair, but overall...it's just a problem some people have)

I can tell that you're learning and getting better as you go, so don't despair if the numbers are small now. As you improve, so will the numbers, just gotta do the time. There's not really a quick fix to learning. But as you learn to draw more cleanly (which is honestly just practice) it'll attract more people. But for my 2 cents, trying to fix everything all at once with a huge check-list of things to improve on, is overwhelming, especially for a beginner, and might just...stall your progression. It's best to focus on one place of improvement at a time.

[WisdomChimp]

Your art has simple lines and no color. The backgrounds are very basic and lack perspective.

Your story is a bit obvious when it comes to plot and dialogue, yet shows promise in how you transition from plot points and exposition.

Given those 40 subs, you seem to be doing well with what you have. I recommend you study anatomy(manga), perspective backgrounds, shading, and maybe some color if you wanna improve that. The color you used for the cover is simple yet stylish.

[KiabIce]

Thanks for the advice it really makes a lot of sense. I do need clean lines. My hand is slowly healing I can type better and draw actually so that's good.

I will keep all you said in mind. Thanks

[KiabIce]

I will release my comic in color when the time is right. Right now I currently am lacking in coloring skills. At the level I am now, there's no way I could be able to release one colored page a week. I already struggle with clean lines and more perspective drawings.

I guess I wanted to tell my comic with the skills I have now and couldn't wait.

In the future I know I actually will use color, but for now one step at a time.

[rajillustration]

Oh yeah, I feel the pain, I once did a comic on carpal tunnel and it's lines were...way worse than what you've done here. Carpel tunnel is the worst.

[KiabIce]

My first physical therapy appointment is on the 16th, Looking forward to that.

[rajillustration]

Good luck!

[KiabIce]

I noticed you've been on Tapas since 2018 and have over 100 subs. That's amazing it does take time.

I also noticed you have super clean professional like lines~!!! IT's inspiriing!

[rajillustration]

Aw thanks! Yeah it takes a while! I've heard that gaining readers on these sites is sort of like having a faucet turned on and off--you get a ton of readers all at once if you get featured or something--but most of the time it's just a slow and steady drip drip drip. At least that's been my experience.

Luckily there's no race, youknow?

[GGY]

@CrystallikeICE

Oof I think I'm in a similar but worse place! I have over 8000 views but only 30 subs XD and I think it's mainly because of my art style in the first chapter.

It's not great and I get sad looking at the numbers tbh but now that my art style has improved and I'm more confident in my story I've been working on re-creating the first chapter to at least lore ppl in and not scare them. XD

Anyways don't give up! I love your passion and its gonna be great!

-G.G.Y

[Amivivi]

Sometimes i like the artstyle so I click the comic but then I see It’s not a genre I like and I leave

[PaulDevers]

Wish I knew, wish I knew. Sometimes it feels like I'm just kind of throwing my pages out into the ether, y'see? I'm on chapter 3, about... 70-odd pages? I don't know how well I'm doing, compared to others with similar sizes? Maybe I need to advertise more, be less nervous and stuff.
In regards to your comic, I feel like the thing that keeps me from subbing, at least to me, is probably the word balloon formatting. Often, the words don't properly fit into the balloons and it looks a little awkward. It's a minor thing, it really is, but that bothers me a lot. What I'm getting at is that a lot of people may have some small things that bother them that may keep them from subbing.
Can't give any advice on trying to retain reader base, blind leading the blind and all, but it looks like there's been a lot folks here who've already given some good advice!

[gempompadour]

It could be that your thumbnail pic is in color while the comic is in black and white. I get super excited when I see a good looking thumbnail and honestly feel a little disappointed when the art in the comic doesn't match the pic. If the premise is interesting and the artist makes the b & w look work I'll stick around, though. But it's because I find black and white art really gorgeous. Some people see the comic isn't in color and lose all interest immediatelly. There's nothing you can do about that other than coloring the pages.

[SignedA]

I would say don't worry. Because most of the time the number of views of community sites like tapas and especially YouTube included in its calculation each person who sees or reads the content, including the creator of the latter. I haven't checked it out on Tapas yet but on another content sharing site, I still feel like it's an industry standard to operate like this.

And finally, I will deal with my situation when I am a reader. In my case, sometimes I don't necessarily need to subscribe. I read the story and when it's over I leave. Eventually, if I liked this one, I leave some likes. But I only subscribe when I feel ... how to say ... that I want to follow it to the end. It's hard to explain!

But sometimes my feelings fail me. And after I stop reading a story and subscribe to it in order to come back and finish reading it later, I don't feel the need to do it anymore.

In fact, I think it is the serial publication model that creates this behavior in me and maybe in others as well. Just like the TV series that always do a recap of the previous episode before starting the new episode of the day, because viewers not only come and go but also go and return sometimes.

[KiabIce]

Oh interesting. I didn't know people could get annoyed at bubble and speech placement.

To me it's minor but maybe I should consider it. Didn't realize someone would not sub or continue to read because of bubble and speech placement.

Thanks for the likes and feedback, I'll do what I can.

[akemikae]

There's also cases of people finding your comic through google and not having a Tapas account and not necessarily wanting one. I know back in the day I would just bookmark things in my browser. Though who knows if people still do that these days.

goes back to my grave