fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #1876 ]

[ SECRET POST #1876 ]

⌈ Secret Post #1876 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 04 pages, 095 secrets from Secret Submission Post #268.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 1 2 3 4 - too big ], [ 0 - repeats ]
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

27. http://i44.tinypic.com/2eojod4.png

Stop and think about WHY you'd have vocal haters. If people give you constructive criticism you're supposed to thank them and learn from your mistakes. If they're being dicks for no reason, your fans will defend you.

I'm gonna criticize your comic right now: the fact that it doesn't exist means that it can't be very good, or you'd have cared enough to make it. YOUR COMIC SUX

(no subject)

cleverthylacine - 2012-02-22 01:03 (UTC) - Expand

There are several billion people in the world. No matter what you create some people will hate it.

BUT.

Some people will love it. And there's someone, somewhere, who will think your webcomic (or blog, book, song, or art) is the coolest thing on the internet. If one person likes it, you've entertained someone, and it was worth posting.

This person hasn't read your comic yet, because you haven't posted it. There is an audience for everything. Post it for the person who will love it.

No pain no gain. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

SUCK IT UP.

just go for it! I started up a comic briefly a few years back (I lasted about two years before I finally had to give up because of school, which I'm still too busy with-but I'd like to start it up again someday) and it was a really good experience. For every criticism you get there will always be just as many people who love your stuff. Occasionally I still get messages from people who liked my old comic and it's a really great feeling. The best part is that the more work you do for it, the more you'll improve. Just check out some long-running comics from beginning to end and you'll see what I mean!

If you haven't taken art classes before, sign up for some. The crits will be harsh at first but they do wonders to help you a)distinguish between legit criticism and people who are just being assholes and b)learn to not take it personally.

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2012-02-22 00:25 (UTC) - Expand

The only things I know of that have a hatedom are either: really terrible and don't take concrit well, really skeevy and ignore the concrit altogether, or very popular things that are good but have serious flaws.

Here's some advice:
1. Do the art to the best of your ability and make sure it's polished to the best of your ability. Don't spend a month on one page, but make sure it looks good. Do something nice with the font and bubbles. If it's just lines, make sure it's clean and nice.

2. Don't copy. Don't trace. Nobody cares if you can't draw a toaster well, as long as it doesn't look just lazy. But if you've got attention and somebody finds that traced toaster, they're going to point it out. References are fine, just don't copy exactly.

3. Keep trying to improve artistically. Draw from life. It's fine to have a style, but your art is going to have flaws. Style is a thing you continually have to work at and improve. It's okay not to take concrit when there's a personal stylistic preference going on ("make it more anime!" "I hate that style of hat! make it a cuter hat!" "HER TITS ARE TOO SMALL, THAT'S NOT SEXY") but be gracious about it and actually think about the crit you get before dismissing it.

4. If you're writing a story with a plot, know where your plot is going to go. It's bad writing to make a million things happen and then just keep piling on more things. Don't make a conflict happen if you don't know how to resolve it and aren't willing to deal with the fallout of leaving it unresolved.

5. If you want the audience to love a character, do it by making that character actually appealing and interesting. Don't just have other characters talk them up. This goes double if there are actually pretty legit reasons to dislike this character. On that note, if a character is doing that naturally would have consequences, don't be afraid of that.

6. If you're doing a plotty comic, don't spend a lot of time on things that are going to get swept under the rug. Your fans might like the world building better than the romance, or the romance better than the political conflict, and if you're going to just abandon the world-building/romance/whatever without a good reason, then you'll have fans who feel short-changed. This isn't to say "don't do more than one thing," but if there are multiple draws to your comic, treat them all as important.

7. If none of your characters are queer, don't tease same-sex ships. Of course, people are going to ship weird things you don't intend, so don't feel like you have to tone down your really close friendships. But if you have girls kissing each other and groping each other's tits and talking about their relationships in a very romantic way, and then they both end up with boyfriends cause they're TOTALLY NOT AT ALL GAY, then people are going to be pretty understandably pissed.

8. It is not a bad thing to write characters who are not like you! But do the research, and avoid giving preferential treatment to the characters that are more like you. Remember that everyone is a person, that characters who belong to oppressed groups have a history of being written as less of people, and that your fanbase may include people who belong to said oppressed groups themselves and are sick and tired of Bury Your Gays or Black Dude Dies First. Don't go the other way and make your minority characters too perfect to be interesting, either, if everyone else is fucked up in their own unique and special way. Just try to be equal about it. Also, stereoypes are not accurate representations of people. The deliberate opposite of every stereotype out there is also not an accurate representation of people.

9. If you are writing about some heavy ass subject matter that you have not personally experienced, again, DO THE RESEARCH. If someone who HAS experienced it corrects you on an offensive portrayal of it, listen openmindedly.

10. Double if it's rape.

11. Respect your fandom. They do not have to give you their time. Don't assume horrible intentions and don't be a dick about stuff that doesn't matter. If you think something's okay to do with other people's characters, don't get mad when other people do it to yours. You don't have to like it, but if it's not hurting anyone, try to just ignore it.

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2012-02-22 00:45 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

cloud-riven.livejournal.com - 2012-02-22 01:17 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2012-02-22 02:37 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

neoyi.livejournal.com - 2012-02-22 06:11 (UTC) - Expand

The only way to get over this fear is to put yourself out there. Trust me, I am an artist with very low to no self esteem and it's taken me a lot of years to really put myself out there but it gets easier.

The criticism will hurt, I won't lie, but if this comic is something you really want to do then you should at least try.

You gotta have thicker skin than that if you want to show your art to the world. No matter who you are, there's always going to be a critic. If you can't handle that, this isn't the field for you.

As others have said, the only way you will get over the fear and depression is to start putting yourself out there and thickening up your skin.

One thing which helps me, if the person just says 'you suck', is to make the person into a stupidly hilarious troll in my mind. I mean, come on! They gave no reason, they just wanted to tell you how much they hate your work, because they apparently have no life. (Mind this doesn't apply with actual criticism, which you should take seriously and with a grain of salt, but the point about flaming/borderline flaming stands.)

Oh, and save the positive comments. ESPECIALLY the ones that tell you what they specifically like. Remember that they liked your work enough to pinpoint why, and cherish those comments. That at least you did x or y good and you can improve on everything else.

Edited 2012-02-22 00:40 (UTC)

Do yourself a favor and don't bother
Because unless you can get over handling criticism the way you do, you won't get very far in any creative endeavour

If you already think you'll quit don't start. We have enough dead comics floating around.

There's a bit of judging going on in this thread. Apparently other posters were born with the innate ability to take criticism (constructive and otherwise) gracefully and have never been upset by it, ever. Well, you weren't, and I wasn't, and most people aren't! It took time. The first few times somebody harshly criticises you, it'll be devastating; you'll question what you're doing and if it's worth it and if you're like how I used to be, you'll want to take down your whole archive and never think about the comic again.

Don't do this. You'll get better, and taking criticism will get easier. Learning to handle and grow from feedback is an artform too.

Here's a post (http://beatonna.tumblr.com/post/17988404730/a-lil-q-and-a-part-one) from my favourite cartoonist that expresses it better than I can. :] Good luck!

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2012-02-22 13:59 (UTC) - Expand

If you let someone bring you down with just one comment, you're letting them win. That's what they want. To get you to give up before you've even tried. And learn to tell criticism apart from a personal attack.

Criticism helps you improve yourself. The fact that someone even left a comment shows it affected them enough to have to react to it. Even if it's "You suck." it's better than if it got ignored, right?

Also try going here: http://learnfromwebcomics.tumblr.com/

Advice for taking criticism: http://forums.hentai-foundry.com/viewtopic.php?t=26300&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=326d7359036633476bf006413c87c483 (nsfw logo, but the post has useful advice.)

Read some reviews / critiques of webcomics: http://www.smackjeeves.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=29&sid=a15bd88b52d6b33369989a1cb1a59b02

Just ... criticism doesn't have to be scary. As someone that draws some pretty bad webcomics myself, I haven't really had anybody actively get angry at me besides one troll that left a "fucking faggots should die" comment, which is hard to take seriously, lol.

Learn to handle criticism. Constructive, destructive, whatever. The more you throw yourself out there, and get exposed to those opinions you worry about it, the thicker your skin will get. I'm not saying you should just disregard everything anyone says against you or your work, but you really do need to grow a spine or you'll never even make a forgettable webcomic :/

Are there comic shops in your area? Do they have creator meetups? You can bring your scripts or panels and get a professional (using it loosely since local talent isn't always, uh, that awesome) to give it a once over. If there's anyone you know who would be willing to work with you, maybe they could give you feedback on your writing (like an editor or beta).

You're thinking too much into it before even starting. Your main concern should be if you can dedicate the time and effort to keep the commitment. From what I've heard that's a big challenge with webcomics that have to be updated regularly. Then you may or may not get a crowd that reads it. It's no guarantee. Having a fandom isn't easy especially with the number of comics that are being posted online every day; yours should really stand out to achieve that level of fame. If you do reach that point, manage to update regularly and get a fandom big enough that gets you a few haters along the way, then you're luckier than a lot of web artists and are successful enough not to worry about a few harsh critics that try to spoil it for you. Trust me even negative attention is better than no attention at all.

Do it! Put yourself out there.
It's scary but avoidance won't make that go away- when you get criticism, and you most likely will, this will be great practice for learning how to deal with it.
I was told with dealing with anxiety the more you put yourself in the situation the better you will be able to handle it in the future. If it becomes to much you can go on hiatus, remember you are doing it for yourself so as long as you enjoy it you should give it a go.
Like they say... better to have published and experienced than to have never published at all lol.
If it's something you are terrified of have a support person! Let them know what you are doing so they can help you with any flak you may get.
All the best in your endeavors anon.

As someone who has a webcomic, the break from the silence will be a welcome change.

OP, come here, let me hug you. I too am planning to start a webcomic, and am super-anxious about the response. However, with some previous stuff that I've done, I've found that even when you're expecting to be cut down by every negative response, sometimes it's the positive ones that create the greatest impression. When you're nervous and insecure and expecting the worst, even one person giving you a glowing positive comment makes you feel fantastic. Your self-esteem might get its ass kicked a few times, but it's never as bad as you imagine, and it's worth letting it shrivel up in fear of potential negativity when there's so much fun to be had by giving it a try.

As someone in practically the same boat, I can say I've spent a good amount of time working on not giving a hoot about what others think. Just be really selfish and think to yourself that you'll keep writing your story even if people hate it, because it's all about you you you. Idk, it's not fancy advice, but it's what got me to a place where I can realistically envision myself creating a webcomic without worrying about flamers. You may need to take a different approach, but you should try different things just to see if they work.

Seriously, if you've spent years working on this comic idea, spend a little more time working on your ability to receive criticism and hate. I don't think you'll get very far if you don't, regardless of how much work you've put into this story.

I started posting a webcomic a little over three years ago, the basis of which I started development for in highschool (I’m a college graduate now)… and it’s been one of the best and worst things I’ve ever done.

It’s been a huge source of stress for me, ranging from trying to meet weekly deadlines to people bitching and moaning because they dislike this or that aspect of the comic. And it’s only gotten scarier as time has gone on. I have a small group of readers, and it’s terrifying when you’ve spent literally hundreds of hours on something, and you don’t know how new people are going to react to it when they find it. While it’s rare that anyone dislikes something enough to say anything beyond benign constructive criticism, some people have been rather unpleasant, and have made me cry like a hormonal high schooler.

However, it’s also been one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. While starting out it felt like waiting at the bottom of a mountain, looking at the summit, I’ve been able to prove that I can keep at something, that I can do more than just draw a sort-of pretty picture. People let me know that I’ve brought enjoyment to their lives, and a couple even worked out what hour I’ll usually update on and will wait for me to post. People tell me they’ve learned things from my comic, and others take sincere interest in the characters. They come back week after week and read, and seem willing to forgive me when I screw up and misspell something, or miss an update. People have told me that my comic is a bright spot in their day, and have said so many kind, and supporting things… and you know, they’ve made me cry too, though a far different kind of cry.

I’d say… that while it’s really scary, go for it. Do your comic. If it becomes too much, it’s okay to take a break, or if you have to, quit. Just remember, you’re making a comic for yourself first, and everyone else second. Make a comic that you want to have, something that you will be happy with, and even if people get snotty, you’ll still have something amazing that you’ve made for yourself.

In the words of Dr Seuss: “Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting… so get on your way.”

Don't let potential negative comments keep you from doing what you want. Some people just aren't gonna like it because it's not their cup of tea, and some of them will be vocal about it and waste time picking through it for flaws because that's just how some people work. Those people shouldn't matter. If it's a decent enough story (and it sounds like you've had a lot of time to work on it) then just ignore the haters and concentrate more on your followers. But don't be afraid of constructive criticism either.

I know, that's easier said than done, but just think, if you're creating the webcomic because it's something you'd like to read yourself, chances are you're not the only person who would be interested. Maybe try starting on it and just keep it saved to your computer and backed up until you feel ready to upload it somewhere, and don't let a few dicks ruin it for everyone else who would enjoy your work.

I've maintained two webcomics, and I once had a disposition just like you about criticism. I know how easy it is to take it personally, the awful things people say because you can't see their face and they can't see yours. I once found myself in an entire thread of people bashing the shit out of my first comic. And for an afternoon I raged and fretted, but then I got over it, because haters gonna hate, you can't change their minds, just ignore them and focus on the positive. I had a lot of really loyal and vocal fans of my comic and that always cheered me right up.
As others have said, you can't please everyone, and people will always want different things from you. Take criticism but don't change for them. I once changed the end of a chapter because someone rightly pointed out that one of my characters wasn't reacting to an event in a believable manner, so I took it to heart, but couldn't do much for the people who wanted to see more focus on this character instead of that one, because that would have derailed my plot.
It's not going to be awesome right off the bat. Webcomics are a learning process. Look at the very first page of almost any webcomic and tell me its as good as the most recent page. With practice you'll get better- just like with practice, you'll get better at deflecting flames and cruel words (though heres hoping you won't have to do too much of that!). A thicker skin will grow. Just remember you're drawing it because you love the story and you love the characters and you love your fans. and fuck everybody else! Go for it, theres not a thing in the world stopping you!

you are an artist
and you find that easiest way to illustrate your thought is to include a stock photo
just.. don`t bother with webcomic