If you pay estimated income taxes on a quarterly schedule, today’s the deadline for your third-quarter payment. Checks postmarked with Sept. 17, 2018 will be considered paid on that date, according to irs.gov. You may also pay online, pay by phone, or use the IRS2GO app.
There seems to be some misinformation going around about whether it’s legal to ship comics using the Media Mail service of the U.S. Postal Service.
Since misunderstanding this could cost you thousands, let’s get it straightened out now.
Here’s the passage on the USPO Web site regarding comics and Media Mail — with the pertinent passage in bold.
Media Mail packages may not contain advertising. Comic books do not meet this standard. Books may contain incidental announcements of other books and sound recordings may contain incidental announcements of other sound recordings. In accordance with standards in the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), Section 170, Media Mail packages must have a delivery address and the sender’s return address and are subject to inspection by the Postal Service™. Upon such inspection, matter not eligible for the Media Mail rate may be assessed at the proper price and sent to the recipient postage due, or the sender may be contacted for additional postage.
So, if you’re shipping graphic novels that do not contain advertising, you can use Media Mail to do so — as long as those graphic novels don’t contain ads.
If you’re shipping floppies — i.e. monthly comics that contain advertising — then you may not use Media Mail.
Webcomics whackos Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! Brad took a four-week vacation from his comic this summer, and he says it’s the smartest thing he has ever done. THEN we take another swing at the topic of “Goof content vs. Viral content.” Have we over simplified the discussion? NEXT, Dave and Brad note that they’ve been using Bonjoro app all summer long. Are they still as excited about it as they were when they started? And FINALLY, why do we hate thought balloons so much? Is it time to re-think our animosity?
BUT FIRST, Dave’s DriveKickstarter.com funded in ONE DAY! He talks about the strategies he used to pull that off.
Show notes
Last month was an excellent example of the tremendous value offered by a subscription to Webcomics.com. My readers got early alerts on issues that would impact their businesses, helpful tutorials, insightful analysis, and meaningful feedback on their work. Here are some samples of what you may have missed…
Last week, I shared some on my strategies for achieving a Frequent/Consistent/Significant posting schedule for my Patreon backers. For me, this amounted to daily Patreon posts each month. As I implemented this approach, I found that I had actually generated even more opportunities for Patreon rewards than I had originally set out to create.
Here’s how that worked.
https://www.webcomics.com/articles/business/ebooks-and-esket…treon-exclusives/
The crowdfunding site, Ko-Fi, appeared on the radar of many creators during the Patreon payment gaffe of late 2017. Scores of angry creators announced they were closing their Patreon accounts and launching Ko-Fi campaigns.
This week, the site announced a new TOS that prohibits all adult content.
Here’s what that means for creators of NSFW comics…
https://www.webcomics.com/articles/crowdfunding/ko-fi-suspends-c…of-adult-content/
Patreon released a new feature recently, and it’s so simple, you might miss it. However, it has the potential to be a powerful tool in running your ongoing campaign.
The Webcomics.com Poll asked webcartoonists about their primary source of income. Patreon was the runaway favorite, at 40%.
I’ve had a touch-and-go relationship with selling original art at conventions. People walk up, touch it, and then go. Offering it on my website was no different. Oddly enough, it took Patreon to establish the value of my originals. And I think I know why…
The concept of a Hitch It / Ditch It critique is simple: I’ll take a look at your webcomic and identify one thing that you should consider improving. And then I’ll identify an area in which you’re excelling — not only as an encouragement, but as an example to others who would like to improve in that area as well.
As a general rule, I don’t make public posts on Patreon. And the reason why means understanding one, basic truth…
Comics educator and author Scott McCloud calls them the “bulgy Edsels of comics iconography.” Indeed, cloud-like thought balloons are spurned by most comics artists.
Let’s talk about why that is… and whether it’s warranted or not.
You’ve been doing your webcomic for over ten years now, and you’re just not getting anywhere. Worse yet, you have family obligations and other pressures that make it hard for you to devote time to your craft. It’s time to make the hard decision — not to quit — but to let your creativity cocoon for a more opportune time.
Further reading…
Inktober was launched by Jake Parker in 2009. He started Inktober as a way of challenging himself to improve his inking skills and as a way of developing positive drawing habits.
It has risen steadily in popularity, and it’d sure to be trending on your social-media feeds this October. If you’d like to participate, it’s really easy…
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While Brad’s son was at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, Dave called him in his hotel room to talk comics. Pantsless, Brad obliged. They discussed Dave’s new Kickstarter at DriveKickstarter.com and the agony of Kickstarter panic. THEN Dave gets some intriguing advice on using one’s own photo as a social-media avatar. NEXT, a patron asks about brainstorming from scratch. THEN another patron asks about the main sources of webcomics revenue and how it has changed over time — and which revenue sources should be the focus of beginner cartoonists. NEXT, Brad loses his ever-lovin’ temper over NSFW creators bad-mouthing Patreon. THEN a patron asks whether we’ve switched comics with other creators for something fun to do. Brad’s mood does not improve.
BUT FIRST, what can make an anti-social grump like Brad come out of his hotel room to attend social hour? Here’s a hint: It rhymes with bree fear.
Show notes
24-Hour Comics Day is in a few weeks — October 6th, to be exact. Here’s what you need to know…
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Welcome to September, and the kids are headed back to school. If you’re a parent, that probably means that the time you’re able to devote to comics just tripled. Let’s talk about using it wisely.
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