Getting word out about comics without social media
More of a lamentation than a guide, sorry ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Here Be Dragons - Early October
♫ Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere;
This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere. ♫
The Sun Rising, John Donne
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This highly erratic email drop goes through what I’ve been up to in my writing - I have to account for myself and what I have to show for my efforts recently. Have I been productive, or not…? A map of my brain, so to speak, and here be dragons.
2023 -- better.
Thinking about how to do a full court press for my next two comic releases.
Not gonna lie, it feels like a harder proposition these days. But I’m not sure if that’s honestly true or not. Here are some thoughts…
My Comics Prelaunch War Chest - At Present
This newsletter is the best place for outreach. I’m closing in on 1000 subs, with a decent open rate each time. It feels like people who actively care about my comics are here and are getting the good word.
These missives turn up in inboxes; they’ve been actively asked for; and I can run whatever length I need. I’m a fan of these - as both creator and consumer.
Substack Notes is cool, but I don’t really have the energy to massively engage with it. A decade of scrolling/refreshing social media hasn’t left me wanting to add something new to that part of my brain when I’ve just successfully scrubbed this Pavlovian bell from my lifestyle. I don’t really post or scroll on anything anymore - Twitter was the last to go as it was my favourite and the place where I had the most success in regards to finding good peeps and having solid engagement. But I don’t really know how much any hearts and views ever transitioned to actual store preorders or comic purchases. Maybe I’ll never know. But it feels less “active” in the hunt for getting my word out without it. Though that doesn’t mean I’ll be heading back at all.
I haven’t posted to the Meta owner Facebook/Instagram double tap in a few years. I don’t know how I’d feel about any possible return just to post and leave. I’m sure it’d be squashed by the algorithm as they see me for what I am - all take and no give [of my attention/soul/scroll]. As for any other places to pop a little preorder news and hope it finds purchase - I’m thinking your tumblrs, hives, blueskies, etc. I don’t have the platform nor the energy for it.
It always felt fairly hollow, so I’m keen to navigate a star field into a future that doesn’t require being plugged into such inanity.
Email is a strange arrow in the quiver. I can email stores and press. I can email other creators and see what they can do for support. It’s a smaller outreach, but hopefully with a more personal connection.
My site. It’s more of a round up dump of info for those googling me. I don’t curate it for any sort of community, so it feels more for those who need to discover me.
All of these are fine. But they are hard to manage and add up how they are working. It feels like I have less avenues than I did while launching comics in the last decade, but I also still have more than most comic creators had pre-internet.
I guess what I’m wondering is, what’s the best way to get news of my comic out beyond my own reach? How can I use these tools to make something pop?
I’ll do my best to keep my own energy high, and I’ll share my best news and ideas, but then I guess I have one other thing to ask:
Can you share my comic info posts with others?
Just forward the email to a pal? Or drop a link to my posts/newsletters with someone you know, or a social media, or your store if you’re on good terms with them?
In turn, I’ll eschew my pride and just ask for what I need. My collaborators deserve as much, as do these comics. I’m so passionate about these stories, so I hope you’ll join me, in whatever level of enthusiasm and platform of sharing you prefer!
Here’s to more awesome comics in 2024, however we discover them.
I'm here reading and I'll do what I can. Can't wait to hear more about your next two comic releases. I prefer catching up on Substack versus the endless scroll of social media (and irrelevant ads that some algo thinks I want to see?)
It's tough for sure. I don't think there's an easy way to do it anymore, which is pretty disconcerting.