Or, as I like to think of it: Things I wish people would consider before starting a web comic.

There seem to be some misconceptions about web comics, specifically when it comes to starting, running, and continuing them.  Overnight, new web comics spring into being, only to vanish after a few pages.  The reasons seem to vary, but they end just the same.

For some people, it probably sounds easy to make a web comic; just draw some characters, make up some setting, throw in a few plot ideas, and slap it all up on a webpage.  When you’re caught up in the adrenaline and frenzy of a new idea, taking on such a big job can look like walk in the park.  After a few pages you’ll be popular and people will flock to read your new creation.

Web comics are more than starry-eyed ambition and turning out pages.  Every web comic can’t be an instant, or long-term, success.  When things don’t work out, many creators simply leave one last, depressing post, closing down their web comic with one last promise of possibly returning one day, when they regain their interest in the comic.

So, without further ado, here are some points I wish more web comic creators kept in mind (in no particular order):

1. Create a Plot Outline (Don’t forget them bones!) - Creating something off the top of your head might work for short stories, but it rarely holds up in the long term.  A plot without some sort of basic structure will often trap itself in a corner, if not derail entirely.  I’m not saying that you need to write a novel in order to create a web comic, but an idea outline certainly helps.  You can always start simple, working up a timeline of main events, then fill in minor ones, and finally throw in dialogue.  It’s like trying to drive somewhere without knowing the destination; you don’t have to have GPS to get there when a map will do…but guesswork will probably get you lost in the middle of nowhere.

2. Look Before You Leap (Are you in over your head?) - It can be easy to get caught up in the idea of something, especially something you really want to do.  Before you start advertising your upcoming creation, you need to ask yourself a few questions.  Do you have the time to make a web comic?  If you’re busy with school, work, or other activities, you might not have enough time for a comic as well.  Will you be willing to manage archives, create a webpage, meet deadlines, and interact with fans?  Can you handle criticism along with the compliments?  In the case of longer web comics, will you still be willing to do the work six months down the road?  How about a year, or three?  If you can go the distance, can you keep your schedule?  Three times a week or once, an update is an update.  Think twice about jumping in if you can’t swim.

3. Be Yourself (Don’t stand in the shadows of others!) - Admiring someone is fine, as long as you don’t let it consume you.  There are a lot of successful web comics out there, along with quite a few amazing creators.  Aiming to be as successful as your role model can give you a lot of drive…but there comes a time when you have to stand on your own.  Your web comic is YOURS.  Don’t panic if it isn’t as fancy, popular, or long as someone else‘s.  Hold yourself to your own standards, rather than striving for the bar of another.  Don’t be afraid to try things your way, enjoy your own style, and find your own place.

4. Remember the World (Life is more than a featureless plane!) - Having a stellar cast is wonderful, but even the greatest characters need to interact with something.  Start by thinking beyond the present.  If the character is older than one minute, create their history.  Do they live in a realm of nothing?  If not, make sure there’s more to their existence than four blank walls.  Are there other races, cultures, countries, or planets out there?  I’m not saying you have to go overboard with details that will never matter…but try giving a thought to the greater picture around your characters.  Everything from names to religion can play a part, and it’s your job to decide just how vivid and varied your comic will be.

5. Stay Committed (There are good times and bad…) - It’s easier to do things when they're fun, but web comics aren’t always that way.  A lot of work goes into a successful web comic, as I’m sure any long-term creator would be happy to confirm.  If you can’t handle the tough times, then web comics probably aren’t for you…especially long-running ones.  Readers may hurl insults, comments may be seldom, the website might be a hassle, and real life may decide to fall on you without warning.  Those are just a few of the troubles and you can’t count on them striking singly.  Before you decide to jump into the web comic world, make sure you’re ready for the good times and bad.  Leaving your readers with a sudden goodbye the first time things get hard isn’t fair to anyone, including yourself.

6. Be Patient (It’s a virtue, y’know!) - If Rome wasn’t built in a day, then web comics don’t strike it big in an instant.  Putting your site on the internet might mean access for the world, but the world won’t come knocking at your door just because you’re there.  Create your site, post your web comic, then wait a while.  When you have enough pages under your belt, and you’re certain you won’t be abandoning ship anytime soon, go out and advertise.  There are many places devoted to promoting web comics, adding them to lists, and recommending new ones.  Look into link exchanges with other web comics, contact review sites and ask them to take a look.  Patience and persistence can pay off, but only if you give them a chance.  

7. Create a Buffer (Sometimes life throws you a curveball!) - Shit happens, anything that can go wrong will, and when it rains it pours.  These are sayings for a reason.  When life suddenly decides to take sadistic glee in picking on you, try to be ready for it.  Most readers will be understanding if something comes up, but it’s easy to miss one update and have it snowball from there.  By creating pages ahead of time, you’re ready for sickness, sudden problems, and surprise visits.  The need for a buffer is twice as important if you regularly attend conventions and the like.  Sudden problems are one thing…knowing that you’re going to be gone for a week is an entirely different story.  At the very least try to have some filler art ready.  A wonderful portrait of a favorite character can go a long way to soothe those ruffled feathers.

8. Remain consistent (Not all surprises are good ones…) - People like familiar things; we’re creatures of habit.  When things are suddenly changed without warning, it throws people off.  The problem only increases when those changes are bad ones.   One of the more common ones ties in with location.  If you’re going to change a url, give plenty of advanced warning!  Also, try to think of those readers that maybe only check every month or so; leave the old url intact, with a link to the new site.  If someone visits and the comic isn’t there, they may assume you’ve closed, rather than hunting down some obscure url that you changed to the day before.

9. Watch that Webpage (The eyes, they bleed!) - Part of a successful web comic is the website behind it.  Before running off to the land of fancy effects and complex coding, consider your readers.  Black backgrounds are rarely a good thing, as most colors (especially fonts!) look horrible on it.  Standard red and blue should not be used atop one another…they have different depths, and many can become sick at the difference it causes their depth perception.  Frames can be handy, but bad layouts and complicated formatting can leave the reader lost and annoyed.  Try to keep your archive neat and accessible. (A personal pet peeve are those archives based purely on date posted.  It makes finding specific arcs or strips impossible.)  When it doubt, go for something simple with a soothing color scheme.  Sometimes a litel simple elegance can make a big difference.

10. Don’t Forget Your Readers (Yes, even the bad ones…) - A web comic is nothing without readers!  Putting up new pages is all well and good, but there are people behind those hit count numbers.  Forums are a great way to communicate, allowing your readers to see you as more than some faceless creator.  A forum also lets readers talk to each other about the comic, gives you a second place to post announcements, and keeps people interested if you can’t post for a bit.  Donation rewards are another popular give and take with readers, as are freebies.  If people enjoy your work enough to keep coming back, why not give them a free wallpaper or icon?  It not only shows you appreciate them, but in the case of icons, it can often promote your web comic as well.  Readers keep you alive…so don’t ignore them.  Even a simple greeting post now and then can work wonders.

It’s easy for many people to take web comics (or comics in general) lightly.  Instead of running into the unknown, try preparing a bit first.  There are a lot of success stories out there, but with so many newcomers fighting to be the next shining example, the bar has to be raised.  
One last suggestion: Keep trying.  If your first shot doesn’t work, try again.  There are those few that succeed to start with, but the rest of us have to take the long road.  Just keep going and see where it takes you.

Lisa Anderson