Comments and the first storyline featuring Larisa
I am a bit baffled that even simple strips like the last two ones seem to constantly get more than 20 comments now. I’m feeling a lot of pressure to get everything right in my scripts since I know that every detail in the next strip will instantly get dissected by several enthusiastic readers. This does not mean that you should stop writing comments, but I can’t say that I’m feeling relaxed when I am reading them. And this despite the fact that almost all feedback to Sandra and Woo has been positive so far… I guess when you are such an introverted person like me you really have to take care to not get overwhelmed by the reaction of the public to your work. This means that I will no longer read all the comments posted on our website in the future, but only have a look at them occasionally. I hope that there are now enough readers so that one of them will be able to answer open questions when I’m not around. Since my mother really likes to read the comments, she will notice me when someone posts spam or inappropriate content.
Having said that, the first long storyline featuring Sandra’s friend Larisa will start next Monday. And it won’t start with a whimper, but with a bang.
– Novil
The only one i’ve felt even a little confused by was the “rose” strip, andi clicked pretty quickly.
(Of course, “Raccoon Tools” was opaque for me (though i thought it was kinda funny, even not Completely Getting It), but i either missed or forgot the “Far Side” it referenced.
Must be a cartoonist trait. Understand many are introverted personalities. The guy who did “Calvin and Hobbs” stopped doing the strips because of this; he couldn’t meet the public. As to all the comments, blame the internet.
A side question: how old are the characters, or do they have no specific age?
Sandra, Cloud and Larisa all look and sound too old to be “mere children” and also, they aren’t seen with smaller kids in school but older ones, so they’re likely already in middle school.
But there also aren’t any teen activities going on (there are videogames and movies, but they attract a wider age group than just teens) so I’d put them into the first year of middle school, or 6th grade, which should be equivalent to 11 going on 12.
Then again, the alternate pictures of Sandra suggest she’s younger. So I may have spent too much thought on a matter that wouldn’t be resolved anyway…
Do not worry so much, my friend. Most of it can be attributed to the reception your works receive. But authors and artists are both insecure at heart. Relax and be glad, as we are, that you’re doing such a wonderful job of entertaining us, and making us think, as well. This is the highest form of entertainment.
Roci
Ambi: I think the original premise was that they were supposed to be about 8-9 years old, unless that’s a false memory… Its hard to avoid sometimes making them seem more adult when it’s being written by someone much older.
Novil: I wouldn’t worry about it. There’s always going to be obsessives – and just out-and-out trolls – who will lay into and needlessly dissect such things. Its fun to sometimes talk about a joke, or an issue raised by a strip, but when it gets ripped to pieces and savagely critisised, often by folks who have never created a unique thing in their entire lives, it makes me kinda angry. You shouldn’t listen to them too much and let your respective writing and art styles develop naturally. Responding to attention seekers (argh – hypocrisy on my behalf, right?) might only cause you problems in future :-/
You do good work, I am looking forward to the next story arc. The community that has attached itself here so far is pretty impressive. If staying out of the comments is what you have to do, more power to you.
I’d say not to worry about it, but you will anyway. 😉
I often find that comics where the creator is permanently worried the comic is not good enough are usually pretty good, while those where the creator boasts about his greatness suck.
Unfortunately, in several of my favorite comics, the good comic went on hiatus because the creator wanted to use the time to improve it in secret. Please, don’t do that. Caring for family or having problems with college or the job are good reasons for a hiatus. Hiding from the world because you think your good comic is a failure isn’t.
‘Course, generally people who don’t like the comic won’t stick around long enough to leave a comment.
Cairn Destop: Bill Watterson stopped Calvin and Hobbes because it was redefining his life as a means of producing a comic strip and he wanted to dedicate himself to other, different projects. He seldomly had trouble with his fandom, most of his chagrin was with the newspaper editors and with the people that would pressure him to create mechandise of his characters.
Oliver: This is my first comment here and probably my last. Stop being afraid of your public. It’s quite normal, especially for a starting artist, but it is something you have to overcome or you’ll never reach your full potential, always afraid of being misundertood by some, criticised by others, indiferent to the rest. Be faithful to your artistic vision and integrity, you are an artist and one that publishes his work on the internet without much of a profit goal on mind, at that. Meaning that your readership is secondary.
You cannot please everyone, and the more you try, the less loyal you are to your own vision while the more upset the few ones that you don’t cater to will get. Since you are not trying to make a living of SnW, go town with it. Make it your personal project, no matter who’ll you offend or bore. In the end you’ll be left with the people that really care and feels indentified with your art and as you grow as an artist and develop your style and your characters gain life of their own, you can rest assured the people that will feel attracted to it will increase. Yeah, you still have lots of areas to improve, but don’t come to the comments section expecting to find the advice that you are needing. Read books, browse related art and comics, ask the opinion of people who actually know more than you. Then believe in yourself.
And don’t stop reading the comments. They are good practice for when you become a more known artist and you get actual people telling in your face out of jealousy or plain assholery that your stuff suck. Learn to stand them and not let them get to you, either positive or negative. Use them to gauge your readership, to know what target group are you reaching: That will be good information the day you decide getting any kind of profit out of your art. Play your strenghts and strenghten or avoid your weakneses. (For example, I’d say I’m a better storyteller than you. However your art is far better than anything I can muster and you knowledge of wild life is impressive.)
Let me finish stressing once again the importance of not trying to please everyone. If this thought crosses your mind many times per day: “Im not / will never be as good as ~” that’s ok. Don’t try to be better, try to be unique, that way you’ll have less competition. As far as I know, right now there’s only another webcomic that has a strong focus on wildlife (The Abominable Charles Chriostopher), but that one is far more dramatic, while yours is spliced with internet popculture and politics, in other words, you have the chance to do something really unique if you follow your vision and take SnW as far as it can go before moving on with your next project.
(This isn’t exactly related to your post, but I figured here was better than on a comic page) I’ve just been searching your site and I couldn’t find the button to vote on Top Web Comics. After going there and searching, I noticed that you weren’t very high up. I’ve watched a few comics more than triple their readership directly due to TWC, so I think it’s something you should really consider.
@ tahrey: I have never determined the exact age of the characters, but 8 years is certainly too young.
Love the strip and the topic, since I’ve seen school administrator’s this dumb.
I had this type in school before. I was one a injection regimen and had to get the superintendent to give my shots because the principal refused to let me inject my body with the anti rejection medicine.