Do you have a creative side that you want to express? Show people your talent with a webcomic! This simple guide will lead you to success. It is not as difficult as it sounds!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Success
Step 1. Create a captivating concept
For many webcomics, it means having a good storyline. Your webcomic does not necessarily have to have a plot, but if it does, it will be easier to find ideas and not lose motivation. Use tools like Monomyth and Act Structure to give your story a good rhythm and allow readers to follow it. It may also be helpful to choose some issues and issues to deal with.
Remember the most common advice given to a writer: write what you know! This doesn't necessarily mean you should only write about your life or create realistic stories. It just means that you will usually write better when dealing with the experiences and emotions you know
Step 2. Create the characters
Create some main and secondary characters, if your comic will contain recurring characters. Draw a reference sketch for them, which you make sure you always make them consistently. Then write a short note that contains each character's story, personality, flaws, and other details.
Remember that characters who have a lot of flaws will allow you to work harder as a writer and develop them over time. Balance is important, but you need to have some wiggle room
Step 3. Draw some test comics
Write three or more test comics. They should incorporate all the main characters (if any) and follow the style you want to give the comic. Don't draw them too quickly or too accurately if you don't follow the same standards for all comics.
Your goal will be to figure out how long it takes to make a comic and learn how to speed up the process. You may come to realize that you need a simpler style, fewer colors, or other tweaks
Step 4. Listen to people's comments
Show test comics to your friends to get their review. If you don't think your friends are a reliable source, try finding a chat or friends online to read them to. You will need to understand the best sides of your comic and which ones to improve. Ask for detailed comments, don't settle for "I liked it!" or "It's fun!".
- Don't worry about meeting everyone's needs. You will only have to deal with the most common complaints.
- Don't people like your main character? Are your jokes funny? Is your drawing style slightly imprecise? Work on things like these before considering your finished comic.
Step 5. Decide on an update schedule
You will need to establish a regular schedule for updates and then stick to it. This way your readers will know when to look for a new strip.
Keeping an irregular schedule is the best way to lose most of your readers and drive away new ones. An update schedule will also help you find motivation to work on your comic, and avoid laziness and procrastination
Part 2 of 3: Getting your comic known
Step 1. Make a good number of strips
Try to start with as many strips as possible. Your first updates should include more than one strip, so your readers can understand the quality of your work, then you should have some in stock in case you can't work for a week (or otherwise meet the release deadline).. If you can't write all these comics, this isn't for you. You should probably have some ideas in mind already - you won't have to write so many at a time even in the future, so don't worry.
- Generally you should start with 1-3 months of strips. Write more if you are busy or have a tendency to procrastinate.
- If you want, you can use the same storylines as the first three test comics, modified appropriately to respect the comments received.
Step 2. Get a web domain
You can post your comic for free on websites like Comic Fury, Smack Jeeves, Drunk Duck, and others, but these sites will severely limit your earning potential. Often they don't even look professional. If that's not a problem for you, go ahead and use them! Otherwise, you should purchase a web domain.
You can find some very cheap and easy to manage. Give your website a nice name that is easy to remember - it would help to choose the same name as the comic
Step 3. Make the site operational
If you are not a web design expert, you can hire a professional or ask a friend for help. The company that sold you the domain may also offer you web design services. Hosting sites like Web Fury can help you if you have at least a little experience in managing sites, because you can use their tools and templates. You should choose a simple layout, with basic colors and few visual distractions. This will ensure that your site doesn't distract readers' attention from the comic. When formatting the site, try the following recommendations:
- Center your comic in the middle of the page. It shouldn't be too big or too small.
- Make the comic easy to browse. Include a link to the archive of all previous releases. Arranging them by stories or chapters is usually a better choice than doing it in chronological order, if your comic has a storyline. You should also include buttons below the balloon that allow you to see the "first", "previous", "next" and "last" comic strip.
- Write the name of the comic at the top of the page, along with the frequency of the releases.
- Let the readers see you. Include a Contact page so people can send you messages about the comic or about advertisements, collaborations, comments, etc. You should also host a blog, possibly under the strip, that contains random comments from you, possibly about the comic. This way you can keep people informed and help them connect with you.
- Allow readers to make their voices heard. Consider including an area where readers can comment on your comic. This isn't a one-size-fits-all idea, but it will make readers happy and make them feel more involved in the story. You will be able to add a forum later if the comments section can no longer hold the load.
- Consider a link exchange or link section. Other sites may do the same with your comic, increasing your traffic. Talk to other artists!
Step 4. Publish your comic
Upload the comic to your site. You can upload all the material at once, or spread it over time. Many sites allow you to set up an update queue, so that you can update the site at a set date and time, even when you are not present. You should already start writing new material from the moment you publish the first - always try to keep your stash!
Part 3 of 3: Succeed with an Online Comic
Step 1. Promote your site
People are not going to come to your site by accident. Talk to the people who run other webcomics and ask them to write a small post about you, or post a link to your site. Buy ad space for your webcomic on similar sites. Go to the forums and create threads on your site.
Post links on your Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account and in your signature on all forums you belong to. Ask friends who might like your comic to read it and perhaps promote it on their sites or blogs
Step 2. Connect with the community
Doing so can help you a lot to be successful, especially making friends with other creators. They will be able to give you advice, encouragement and help you promote your comic. The community is strong and ready to support new members, so don't be afraid to immerse yourself in that world.
Invest the time to interact and support other artists, and make sure you are respectful and positive
Step 3. Earn money from your comic
Running a website can be expensive, especially if you have a lot of readers. It can also take a long time. If you want to have more time to work on your comics, you will need to find a way to make the site perform so that you can work less.
- You can make some money by placing ads on your site (Google Ads is the easiest way), but most artists who publish comics online make money from merchandising.
- Be prepared to have books, posters, stickers and other items produced and shipped, as well as travel to conventions and similar events. If you're not willing to do these things, you probably won't be able to sustain your comic in the long run.
Step 4. Keep your site up to date
Don't let your webcomic die. If you've been losing popularity for a few months, don't stop updating the site with new content! If your material is good, visitors will come. Making a blockbuster comic is like becoming a movie star - it takes a lot of hard work and in most cases, success won't come right away. You will have to insist!
Advice
- Watch other webcomics for ideas.
- Don't be afraid to push the boundaries.
-
Always draw!
Don't stop drawing just because you don't have the urge to do it. It is good to have many strips ready for publication. In this way, if you happen to have some impediment (for example a vacation, a broken arm, an emergency) you will have sufficient reserves. And if that happens, think and create new ideas in the meantime.
- Make sure your material is always fresh and original.
- Any comic should be fun. If you make several comics about the same event, don't do them for the sole reason of creating the plot of the next comic.
- DeviantART is a great site to post your comics if you don't want to make money. You can reach a large audience and people can leave comments on each page.
Warnings
- Changing the register of your comics from humor to drama can be a trap. Manage the transition gradually and be wary of sudden changes.
-
You will likely meet strange people who will text you with the sole aim of discouraging you. It's because they have nothing else to do - don't listen to them.
Don't make the mistake of ignoring all criticism. Although some people just want to put you down, others want to see your skills improve. Remember: no matter how good you are, you can always improve
- It can be particularly dangerous to create webcomics about relationship ties. Make sure you don't create offensive comics and always do research. You would never put a kid next to a priest, would you?
- Don't let your comics become an obsession!
