Screen Tones: A Webcomic Podcast

2:16 Do you outline your comic? What does your process of doing that look like?

Our processes range from not outlining at all to starting with a vague collection of story thoughts, characters and tumbling it all around until it comes into a good order that can be built upon and filled out more.

Tools used range from paper or notecards to applications like Trello.

21:01 How do you decide when a scene needs to be cut, or added, or moved around? Walk us through the logic process!

A big part of this is asking yourself questions. Some examples:

Does the scene advance the plot?

Does it relate to the themes you're wanting to convey?

Is it going to be enjoyable for the creator and the reader?

Take the time to reread your work so you can better notice and understand how upcoming scenes will or will not fit with the story so far.

37:45 What are some of the pitfalls and challenges involved with the outlining process?

It can be stressful and you can get stuck in the weeds. Remember it's okay to "take the scissors to it" and that the outline in general is a loose structure that CAN CHANGE!

Do what works best for you!

When you first start out in the world of webcomics, you might have ideas about how you want your launch and subsequent updates to go. You might look at the popular webcomics you follow, see their engagement, comments, and even fandoms and think to yourself “I want that too”, only to realize that your expectations don’t quite match what you’re receiving. The results can be disappointment, resentment and burn-out, so today we want to discuss how we manage our own expectations and find healthy ways to cope with setbacks!

1:55 What are your own personal expectations for your work? How have they changed?

Our hosts discuss the expectations they had going into their webcomic.

13:00 Did you ever have difficulty adjusting your expectations?

21:10 When you are preparing to launch your comic, it is important to build up hype for you and your audience. How do you create a good balance between this and the expectations it creates, and the reality that a comic might need time to reel in an audience? 

Reframe and rebalance. Webcomics are a marathon, not a race. You made the webcomic because YOU loved the story and wanted to share it, and it's okay if not everyone feels the same way about an update. Try to take a break from the grind when you feel yourself getting overwhelmed or disappointed. Remember the reason you started a webcomic and try to get back to that!

37:35 Sometimes we see creators turn bitter when their works don’t gather the attention they have hoped for, and even burn out while working on their webcomic. How do you personally avoid this?

Be genuine about your interactions. Don't treat everyone like a customer and don't treat people as investments that are supposed to create returns for you. Focus on things you can control. If something doesn't seem to be working, try something new!

Thanks for Reading

Have a comment? Question? Concern?

Contact us via Twitter @ScreenTonesCast or email [email protected]

Screen Tones Cast:

Ally Rom Colthoff (Varethane) - She/They, http://chirault.sevensmith.net/ http://wychwoodcomic.com/

Christina Major (Delphina) - She/Her, www.sombulus.com

Claire Niebergall (Clam) - She/Her, www.phantomarine.com

Kristen Lee (Krispy) - She/They, https://www.ghostjunksickness.com/ https://www.lunarblight.com

Megan Davison - She/Her, https://sorceryshenanigans.com/

Miranda Reoch - She/Her, mirandacakes.art 

Phineas Klier - They/Them,  http://heirsoftheveil.fervorcraft.de

Rae Baade(Rae) - They/Them, https://www.empyreancomic.com