I’ve dicided to start Blogging here a little more often on the RAWRlog, with general stuff and things (especially the things). Mostly because it’s been too damned quiet here lately.
Why is that?, you may ask. Well, it’s mostly due to me using this Blog for my Concept Crash rant reviews, and those take a lot longer than I thought they would. Writer’s block is more of a problem than Comic-bloc it would seem. Therefore, to keep up with my promise from before, I’m going to update here at least once a week, with…something…anything. May not be a Concept Crash, or a Movie Meh, but it will be something.
This week, I’ve been thinking a lot more about what the hell I’m actually doing as a Webcomic artist. Not in a bad way, but more in a kind of…’Ha…I’m making a web-comic…who knew?‘ …sort of way. In a couple of months, shockingly Back Office will celebrate it’s first year of existence. In that time, I think I’ve learned a lot about what making a regular comic involves. Even my meager weekly update takes so much time, it’s really shocking. Admittedly, I lot of my free-time has been consumed by the un-ending house renovation project. I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end (I may end up with my own sound-proof studio when done…totally worth it.) but it has taking me away from the reasons I first got into this gig.
As my bio and many posts have said, Bata Neart was my first proper comic, and this work was what I really wanted to headline my own website with (thus the Bata Neart background on the main index). I have been drawing it for the past 5 years and when I finally get around to publishing my work…I’m doing Back Office instead. It’s kind of a wierd feeling. I love Bata Neart…but at the same time, a wacky office comic I didn’t really care for, has now become just as important to me. When the house is done, I pray to Nuggan that I will have to free time to release both, weekly on this site….and still have free time to play with (so I can have a life….which is nice to have).
I’ve also learned that net marketing is difficult as hell. I’ve been networking a lot more lately, trying to get Back Office listed and to get some banner exchanges going. I think the time is soon coming for me to launch my own advertising. You see, although I’m my own worst critic, I feel that Back Office has enough appeal to earn an OK level of readership. But alas, according the Comic Rank’s magical mystery analytics, as of today I only have 33 regular readers. I’m certain that I know 10 of those personally and that 5 more are actually me on several IPs addresses. So for now, I’m guessing that around a dozen people are my actual readership. Even considering my 200+ hits a day, that’s kind of a downer. I don’t let it get me down, since I have hope, and I know if a keep at it and keep chipping away at the internet, I can earn that modest niche market I hope for.
On that note, I’d like to shout out to the guys and girls of Comicracy (you may have noticed the banner on the Rawr Index and in Back Office). I’m getting modest traffic from there, but what I really love about the place is the sense that everyone else there is in the same boat with me. It’s a great place, I fully recommend checking it out.
Anyways, that’s all for this week. Stay RAWRtacular!
-Rawr
