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"Win An Award" Can't Be My Entire 5-Year Plan
14 years ago
Hello there everybody, I'm going to let you all in on a little secret about me. And that secret is that when I started drawing Woods for the Trees I genuinely, genuinely believed that within two years it would be massively popular, have it's own loyal fanbase, and that I would be guest of honour at a convention.
Genuinely.
Of course it's near enough six years on now, and that hasn't happened unless I somehow managed to sleep through it - man, alcohol great isn't it? - although I no longer feel ashamed for my original ego-centric imaginings.
Y'see, until a few months ago I hated myself for thinking that because my comic didn't have the readership of other - and in my eyes, often shitter - webcomics that it must be because either a) I'm a failiure and the comic is shyte or b) because it's so far ahead of it's time I'll be dead before I hear the first laugh at which point it becomes a feature film that finally provides David Mitchell a vehicle to get off the comedy panel show scene.
Then I would start to blame myself for lack of readers in other ways - oh, it's because I don't update reliably enough, or it's because the site looks like a child designed it in Fischer Price's "My First HTML Designer", or because the written text on the strip is handwritten and therefore completely illegible.
I used to think all these things, but now - not so much. I still hold out hope that one day Woods for the Trees will become more popular than a video of a skateboarding dog, but I also now accept that if it doesn't - who gives a flying toss?
I think this applys to everyone elses comics too. I've seen many comics start up, be funny for a few months - maybe a year - and then dissapear. I dunno why, I guess the artist got fed up spending their time drawing a comic for only a handful of people, or they just fell out of love with it, or someother really trite reason....
...But the truth is that most comics, at best, become cult hits - and of those only a select few provide the level of income nessesary for the artist to quit his dayjob. There are very few webcomics out there that make any profit at all, and as a buisness stratagy, drawing a webcomic is just about the stupidest thing you can do - indeed you'll probably end up losing money. Unless you draw about porn or computergames, in which case congratulations for being as original as the people who still Rickroll.
So what is this journal in aid of I don't hear anyone physically ask? Well voice in my head, it's mainly for me to point out that I don't care about being famous anymore, I don't care if Woods for the Trees ever gets more readers than the Bible, I don't care if I'll never make money off it, and I don't care if I ever win an award.
I'm just happy that something I do - to make me laugh - somehow makes a few other people laugh, and if you can make just one person other than yourself laugh then the joke is worth telling.
Right, I'm off for a Christmassey poo. Chin chin!
Genuinely.
Of course it's near enough six years on now, and that hasn't happened unless I somehow managed to sleep through it - man, alcohol great isn't it? - although I no longer feel ashamed for my original ego-centric imaginings.
Y'see, until a few months ago I hated myself for thinking that because my comic didn't have the readership of other - and in my eyes, often shitter - webcomics that it must be because either a) I'm a failiure and the comic is shyte or b) because it's so far ahead of it's time I'll be dead before I hear the first laugh at which point it becomes a feature film that finally provides David Mitchell a vehicle to get off the comedy panel show scene.
Then I would start to blame myself for lack of readers in other ways - oh, it's because I don't update reliably enough, or it's because the site looks like a child designed it in Fischer Price's "My First HTML Designer", or because the written text on the strip is handwritten and therefore completely illegible.
I used to think all these things, but now - not so much. I still hold out hope that one day Woods for the Trees will become more popular than a video of a skateboarding dog, but I also now accept that if it doesn't - who gives a flying toss?
I think this applys to everyone elses comics too. I've seen many comics start up, be funny for a few months - maybe a year - and then dissapear. I dunno why, I guess the artist got fed up spending their time drawing a comic for only a handful of people, or they just fell out of love with it, or someother really trite reason....
...But the truth is that most comics, at best, become cult hits - and of those only a select few provide the level of income nessesary for the artist to quit his dayjob. There are very few webcomics out there that make any profit at all, and as a buisness stratagy, drawing a webcomic is just about the stupidest thing you can do - indeed you'll probably end up losing money. Unless you draw about porn or computergames, in which case congratulations for being as original as the people who still Rickroll.
So what is this journal in aid of I don't hear anyone physically ask? Well voice in my head, it's mainly for me to point out that I don't care about being famous anymore, I don't care if Woods for the Trees ever gets more readers than the Bible, I don't care if I'll never make money off it, and I don't care if I ever win an award.
I'm just happy that something I do - to make me laugh - somehow makes a few other people laugh, and if you can make just one person other than yourself laugh then the joke is worth telling.
Right, I'm off for a Christmassey poo. Chin chin!
I still haven't sold six commissions yet. XD
Problem is when anyone can pick up a pen, anyone can pick up a pen. But you've reached the apathy stage, which is good, and less stressfull than caring.
I get what you mean though, and also if you're not drawing exactly what potential commissioners want (ie porn or fan art) then chances on this site you'll be ignored. There are a few people who make money off of badges and stuff, but they're mainly "old guard" - ie, ones who are famous for doing it before anyone else and leaving any newcomers sort of superfluous.
But therein's the problem - I'd love to be able to make a living off of my art, but I'm not the sort of person who draws what people want and I'm not the sort of person who'd change what they do just to make money. I think a lot of artists who do are more akin to performers than artists....
Using music as an analogy, there are two types of bands - musicians and performers. Musicians create music, new styles, play intimate small gigs and have a usually smaller - but loyal as hell - audience that love them for it. Performers are the bands who used to be musicians but now get by playing only their well known songs in massive area tours.
I know which I'd rather be in. I hate stadium rock.
I've always been of the opinion that an artist who draws what they don't like drawing simply for money/fame is akin to a performing seal.