50 Things I’ve Learned About Publishing a Webcomic

Inspired by Shawn Blanc’s 50 Things I’ve Learned About Publishing a Weblog here are 50 things that I’ve learned from making and publishing comics online for nearly 14 years. (Your mileage may vary.)

Be consistent with your comic updates. Write for yourself first. Build relationships and expand your social circle. Share your knowledge with others. Empowering others is a rewarding feeling. If you receive an email from a reader, answer it. On critiques: Have a thick skin but an open mind. Ignore the trolls. Leverage keyboard shortcuts and scripts whenever you can. Be friendly. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Embrace rejection. Pageviews and site stat checking are a waste of time. There is no such thing as creative block. You are not your comic. Be yourself both online and in person. If there’s a local convention, go to it. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t be afraid to try new programs and tools. Spend time with your family. Unplug. Read a book. Never do work for free publicity. Pick your web host wisely. Draw things outside your comfort zone. Be honest. Don’t settle for second best when it comes to making merchandise and books. Never ask without giving something first. It’s never too late to make a book. Shipping books overseas is expensive. Find an outside activity that forces you not to think about comics. Embrace public speaking opportunities. Treat every person you meet at a convention like they’re the most important person out there. And mean it. More RAM can never hurt. Never trust your data to local back-ups alone. Invest in a cloud-based back-up service. Buy the best hardware you can afford. Produce great work. Don’t beat yourself up. At conventions, have items at different price points. Don’t put all your eggs in one book. Twitter is a great tool for sharing resources. Encourage others. You are what you tweet. It’s okay to fall flat every once in a while. With regards to update frequency: Quality trumps quantity. Don’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to building a website. Learn how to say ‘no’. Conflict always makes for an interesting story. Embrace CSS and HTML. No comments on your work doesn’t necessarily mean that you suck. Don’t compare yourself with other cartoonists. Never send an e-mail when you’re angry. Draw, draw, draw.