My advice for other Creators...

So, a couple days ago I was alerted by a couple of webcomic creator friends that Webcomics.com had suddenly closed it's doors and was charging $30 a year for it's "advice" - Beyond the fact that it was a TERRIBLE idea and seemed to go against everything that crew talked about (looking content behind a subscription wall) - I couldn't figure out why I was so peeved about it. I slept on it, and woke up un-angry and not giving a shit really. To me, personally, it doesn't make a difference because I'm well beyond using something like webcomics.com as a resource myself.

I laugh because while those guys know so much about the niche of webcomics and selfpublishing, they really lack the knowledge of new media and how, all of THIS stuff actually works. I shake my head when I hear about a closed content wall like that, and think.... have they ever read Seth Godin? Or Hugh McLeod? Or have they ever read 279 Days to Overnight Success and understood it? It just seems to me that if this is your primary medium, you'd BEST understand "tribes" and how online communities and social marketing actually works. You don't just one day take a shit on your readers and when they complain, tell them tough luck.

I had another conversation yesterday with a mild-to-moderately successful webcomicker about the situation... where he agreed it was sort of a bait and switch on the community of fans and aspiring creators they had following Webcomics.com. A site which was supposed to be this open resource for creators out there, and many saw as some beacon of light or some shit.... suddenly POOF! Doors slammed shut on you.

In 2005, for the sheer hell of it, I decided to post a blog called "How to make money with your webcomics" - where I just shared everything I was doing with anyone who wanted to read it. The blog is long gone now and the old posts I did over that year are way out of date talking about Chitika and GoogleAds, etc... but many creators used that info and thanked me for it. I still get thank you emails from people who put a strategy to work and made some extra coin. And you know what? That felt GOOD doing it. I toyed with the idea of putting articles into a book or ebooks, but in the end I followed the advice of one of my longtime friends and collaborators who told me... "Those who CAN DO shouldn't do ABOUT." -- ever since he spoke those words to me, I totally GOT IT and it stops me from doing a full blown "how to" or advice site.

I still give advice freely to those who ask. The original blog was actually made for that reason come to think of it... I'd just get sick of answering the same questions about GoogleAds or SEO or tagging for your site, so I'd write articles that I could send people to. I did something similar recently about how to host your own friggin... - I do enjoy sharing what I know freely and openly and inspiring other creators, because it just feels good to do it, AND because I didn't have all these tools when I was learning.

So, YES. There is a HUGE opportunity for someone to swoop in and start a free and open site offering details about self publishing your webcomics, tips and techniques on making money with it.... and even though I've been asked to man such a site, It's not for me.... remember, those who CAN DO, should never DO ABOUT.

So what do you do then? I'm currently reading a great book called "The War on Art" by Steven Pressfield. It talks mostly about procrastination and the evil force of RESISTANCE keeping you from doing your work. It's a reminder that ANY distraction is something that's keeping you from doing your work. Any EXCUSE is keeping you from doing your work. When you think you're not ready yet... that's an excuse. When you think you MUST need help from others or some secret knowledge or special set of tools BEFORE you start your project... that's an excuse. All the time you spend online looking at, or paying for "advice" -- that's time NOT well spent. You are procrastinating. You are FOLLOWING someone else.

In that book, there's a mention about "Support Forums" of creators online... and how it's really a waste of time. You can't take those people with you. As Pressfield so elegantly puts it, one day you will have to sail away and leave those people on the dock behind you waving goodbye. We are wired to think as a GROUP and not individuals. We use the little things as excuses for not getting in our boats and sailing away.

Sure, there's something to be said for LEARNING things and sharing what you know and getting ready along the way... but the very best thing you can do is sit down (or get up) and DO YOUR WORK. Stop procrastinating and making excuses as to why you haven't begun your journey yet. Specifically for comic creators... sit down and draw! Don't spend your days and nights on forums or live streams, in the back of your mind using it as an EXCUSE to psych yourself up or the idea that you might learn something so new it will revolutionize your process.

The best thing you can do RIGHT NOW. Turn off the computer. Go do your work. Come back, Publish your work. The end. I should listen to my own advice...