ComicLab Ep 365 — Maybe You’re Not Funny

ComicLab Ep 365 — Maybe You’re Not Funny

In this episode, Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett share insights on the creative process of writing humor, emphasizing that humor...
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Something worth sharing

Something worth sharing

With Twitter going down the tubes, I decided to re-focus my efforts on social media. I wanted to see if...
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Maximizing the potential of Bluesky Starter Packs

Maximizing the potential of Bluesky Starter Packs

If you're one of the millions of new users on Bluesky, you're probably becoming familiar with Starter Packs. This was...
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Webcomics Confidential: What size should your webcomic be?

Webcomics Confidential: What size should your webcomic be?

Beginning cartoonists often ask what size they should make their comic. Many are looking for "standard" sizes. The answer is...
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ComicLab Ep 346 — In Over My Head

ComicLab Ep 346 — In Over My Head

What happens when your story gets too big for you to handle? Are you the right person for the job?...
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How many social-media posts per day?

How many social-media posts per day?

According to a Very Popular Influencer, one should post on social media six to eight times daily. I disagree, and...
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Detritus — What it is and why your comic needs it

Detritus — What it is and why your comic needs it

Let's discuss one of those savvy touches that can help take your art to the next level. And ironically enough,...
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Webcomics Confidential: T-shirt psychology

Webcomics Confidential: T-shirt psychology

Nobody wants to buy a T-shirt featuring your character or logo. It's not that your original character is terrible. Instead,...
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ComicLab Ep 266 — A minor problem with a comics major

ComicLab Ep 266 — A minor problem with a comics major

Does an aspiring comics artist/writer need a college degree? And, if so, which degree is best? Next, a listener asks...
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Webcomics Confidential: You’re wasting money on advertising

Webcomics Confidential: You’re wasting money on advertising

Unless you have a granular knowledge of advertising, demographics, and much more, you're probably wasting money on "plug-and-play" advertising like...
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ComicLab Ep 337 — Survivorship Bias

We’ve all heard successful creators complain that younger hopefuls “just don’t want to do the hard work.” They disregard the complicated nature of achieving their status and dismiss aspiring novices on the basis of one single factor. Survivorship bias is undoubtedly a result of flawed reasoning. …But is it bad advice?

ON TODAY’S SHOW

  • Survival bias
  • Working below your artistic skill level
  • Leaving original art in favor of digital
by on May 30, 2024
Posted In: ComicLab
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Survivor bias in webcomics

A ComicLab listener recently submitted a question for the show: “Some successful artists honestly believe that others aren’t successful because they didn’t ’put in the work.’ They don’t acknowledge the complex machinery of creative industries. What are your views on Survivor Bias in the creative community?“

Buckle up…

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by on May 27, 2024
Posted In: Creativity
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Bookplates

Offering an original illustration inside a book — as part of an Artist Edition — is a tremendous way to drive sales and/or Kickstarter pledges. But… have you ever tried to draw a decent drawing on a book’s inside cover (or an inside page)? It’s not easy. And — depending on the coating you used on your cover/pages — the ink doesn’t always take to the surface very well. There’s got to be a better way…

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by on May 22, 2024
Posted In: Art, Business
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Feeling awkward about promotion? Talk about your ‘Pride & Joy’ instead.

It’s difficult for many of us to promote our creative efforts effectively because it feels like bragging. After all, how are we supposed to extoll the virtues of our work without sounding conceited? I have a strategy for you that works every time — and makes your outreach much less ham-handed. Instead of talking about your comic’s greatness, talk about your “Pride & Joy” instead.

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by on May 21, 2024
Posted In: Marketing / Social Media
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ComicLab Ep 335 — How much story is too much story?

How do you know when you’re giving your readers too many details? — or not enough? Where’s the sweet spot between action and exposition? We’re going deep on storycraft this week! PLUS: Zines, gutters, and distribution!

THIS WEEK’S SHOW

  • How much story to write
  • Should you be doing a zine?
  • Gutters
  • Borders
  • Distribution
by on May 16, 2024
Posted In: ComicLab
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Webtoons déjà vu

It’s tough to be an independent cartoonist. There’s only one place to find comic readers online. There’s only one place where you’re able to get paid for your work. And there’s only one place you can be considered a professional and have hopes of building a career. No, I’m not talking about Webtoons. I’m talking about Keenspot in the opening years of the 2000s. Everything we said then was untrue, just as it is when folks say the same things about Webtoons today.

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by on May 15, 2024
Posted In: Business
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