Moving Forward 2016/2017 (Patreon)

Hello everyone glad you could make it. Let's just get right into it:

1) Currently listening to "The Art of Asking" by Amanda Palmer and though I haven't even finished the first chapter it's inspired me to redo my Patreon video so that it's a bit more authentic (see item 3)

2) I want Orcs vs Feminism to be a stand alone website. OrcsVsFeminism.com 

I can either create a kickstarter campaign to  hire a professional to design/launch the site soon?  or I can learn how to use WordPress and do it myself. I am leaning toward the latter option which will allow me to be more self-reliant.

* Printing Orcs Vs Feminism on paper is still a goal of mine but really I don't think it's doable until the comic gets more traction - which I believe is easier accomplished if the book is free online - with higher resolution images - easier navigation - and all the edits and extras I'd like to put in.

*Also the sad fact is that I made Orcs Vs Feminism knowing nothing about how books are printed. The layouts weren't designed with the gutters in mind. It's not in CMYK. If/when it does get printed it's very simply going to have to be a custom job where a lot of finagling and fixes will have to take place. Obviously I could dedicate myself to seeing this through but seeing as how there is less money to be made from print media I see no rush - esp when I could be working on exciting NEW projects.

3) AUTHENTICITY  

I'm going to be real with y'all. You can make money off of online comics, the formula is relatively simple and it involves advertisements. I can very easily populate my content with ads that will send me money every time they are clicked.  I can also look into sponsorship deals where advertisements are embedded in the comics themselves. I could even create a pop-up on my website that links to my Patreon. The only problem is...

...I hate ads! >_<

And really? "hate" is the exact word. I'm the person that mutes them if they have to watch TV. I'm the person who will not watch a YouTube video if I can't press the "skip ad" button. I'm the person who turns off the radio during pledge drives. I don't even get excited for movie trailers anymore (except you know kaiju stuff).

I don't ever want my stuff to have ads. Ever. But to avoid that I really need more pledges on Patreon because if I ever hope to do this full time I'm simply going to need to cover my cost of living (about $1,500 a month post House Wivery*)

How do I get more pledges? Well, that's kind of simple too, really. 

It's a matter of marketing. Posting more - at the right time - regularly. It's a 20 hr a week task. A task I simply can't accomplish with my day job.

Currently the only thing I can really do is focus on the comics. But even then I've found I have to focus on content I know will be successful. Right now that means comics (in order of demand) about queerness,  self love/care, feminism.

I really - really - want to branch out and do pieces on racism and abelism. I'd also like to cover ageism,  classism, and  depression/mental issues. But the truth is ugly - and these topics will simply not yield the same recognition as the comics I am "known for."

Much as I loved working on Unstoppable with Teena Fitzroy, and as warmly as it was welcomed by folks with Cerebral Palsy - the popularity of  It's Not a Race bulldozed any chance it had at gaining much readership.

I don't ever want to obsess over what is, and isn't popular. I did that once and my work sucked.

I want to challenge myself and challenge my readers with unpacking difficult content. But I also can't expect to do that regularly until I have the salary I need to work full time.

*and yes that salary will need to be bigger when I'm a house wife* with kids.

*and yes I said "House Wife" and I mean "House Wife." That is one of the careers I want for myself.