My Top Ten Tips for Starting a Webcomic

(aka "I Wish Someone Had Told Me This")

Are you thinking about starting a new creative endeavor that involves sequential art? Something you hope beyond family and friends will read? Have you thought about this project at all past the initial "can't wait to start working" phase?

Stop. Listen to what I am about to say. Many webcomic writers/artists make the same mistakes (myself included) by jumping straight to the "let's start drawing now" phase, bypassing the planning stage. Here are the most important items to consider before you even ink out the first strip:

1. Consider if there is a chance your comic will become printed. Not only do you need to consider its dpi (dots per inch), CMYK comes into play as well. It is much harder (sometimes impossible!) to retroactively make these changes instead of making the comic print-friendly beforehand. You can't enlarge a small comic that is built for the web without great quality reduction. Even if you believe there is no chance now...stay on the safe side. Save your copies in at least 300 dpi.
   
   (While I'm on the subject of print, also keep costs in mind. There are standard industry print sizes--if your comic is an atypical width and/or height, it'll have to be a customized print, which is obviously more expensive. Because this doesn't matter nearly as much on the web, starting artists sometimes don't bother with page specifications. Also, realize that color printing costs way more than grayscale/B&W. Consider making your comic without color if you believe you might print it later and won't be able to eat those costs).
   
2. Why should people read your comic?It's such a simple question, and yet many don't ask it. Is the concept something that has been done a thousand times already? Do you think your comic introduces a new twist to an old idea (but really who are you fooling)? This doesn't apply to just sequential art--any writer should ask this question. What is your target audience? Is there a target audience if the idea is fairly niche?
   
3. Don't use the first design of any character you make as the final design.It's embarrassing, really, what some of my first designs have produced. Chances are good that, when you are drawing a new character for the first time, you are still getting a feel for that person's personality/story. Make several versions of that character and choose the best. Likely it won't be the first sketch.
   
   Along the same vein, if you are especially designing a reoccurring character (such as the main character), make sure their design is one that you won't mind drawing over and over again. Something you can recreate quickly is preferred here. Avoid overly-complex tattoos, clothing, accessories, etc, unless you don't mind taking the time for it.
   
4. Choose your comic's name carefully. Make sure there are no copyright infringements. Domain name availability might also come into consideration. Don't name it after an element inside the comic that might be removed later.
   
   For example, my first comic was originally called Shape Quest. This was because the characters were basically comprised of various shapes for the art (a circle for the head, hair made of small triangles together, etc). But one day I decided I didn't want to make my art that way. I could switch the art, but then the name didn't make sense. It went beyond changing the logo to reflect the name change; I had to switch my entire comic URL because the domain name was the comic's name.
   
   The process would have been even worst in today's age with all the different social media usernames, often your comic's name. The name IS the brand. Trust me, you'll want to get this right the first time.
   
5. Write chapter outlines and an overarching plot summary (if long form), and script each page before you draw. You need to have a plan for your plot beyond what you think is in your head. Very few writers can pull off the "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" writing structure. If we're all honest with each other, you and I are probably not one of them. Without planning, you can't insert great story elements such as foreshadowing or plot twists.
   
   And don't think you're off the hook with a gag-a-day comic. Scripting a page out first will help you see if the joke will really work. It can also help you see if the pacing is okay and if you can cut down on some words. With gag-a-day especially, see if you can regularly "borrow" someone you know and ask if he/she honestly likes the joke.
   
   (Also--and this goes without saying--don't forget to proofread your spelling, punctuation, and grammar).
   
6. Organize your art workspace.If you work digitally, most software programs can customize tool panel layout. The Adobe products, for example, have something called Workspaces--you can predefine different layouts depending on what you are doing (lineart, painting, etc). This will enable you to have commonly-used tools at the ready.
   
   Once you organize the tool panels around your screen, you should also have your most common swatches, brushes, and text formatting/styles readily available. Finally, create a blank template file for your comic that you can open each time before drawing. These simple things will save you hours of time in the long run.
   
7. Don't take on too many projects. I think writers and artists--anyone of a creative mindset, really--have a tendency to do this. Burnout is so common in the webcomic industry. Often, we think of a great idea for a new story while we are still working on our current story. Or maybe we make merchandise promises we can't fulfill by the date we said. Most commonly, though, we can't keep up with the update schedule we set for ourselves.
   
   If this happens, don't be so hard on yourself. Situations change. Maybe you were in high school with a lot of free time when you first started the project, but college/a full-time job has since given you a rude awakening. Maybe a new baby came into your life. Maybe a medical emergency forced a hiatus. Whatever the reason--and there are many--your fans should understand. If worse comes to worst, your readers will prefer sparse updates (within reason) over no updates, especially if you explain the situation. If they don't, well...your sanity still comes first.
   
8. Know how to handle trolling, constructive criticism, and understand the difference. It's going to happen eventually. Someone is going to say something negative about your project. The line is sometimes fine between a troll and someone offering genuine feedback. Know when to listen; as more and more comments grow about a particular issue, you'll know it's time to give a serious look at what you might need to change. Also, realize you are not alone. Every single creative mind in the world has received criticism. Likely they emerged all the better because of it.
   
   The best thing you can do is to prepare for that inevitability and play the role of your harshest critic. Each new page should fall under your scrutiny--why is this page needed? Did I push myself this time? What should I do differently next time? Is each panel, each piece of dialogue needed? Which leads me to...
   
9. Don't let your art and writing stagnate. Constantly strive to improve. Your readers will love you for that. If you don't feel the need to become better, I don't believe you truly care about your craft. Always experiment--nothing ventured, nothing gained. Identify what you can't draw (different angles? body shapes?) and make a point to work on that. Though copy and paste with the same "talking heads" angle is tempting and quick, avoid these temptations. Deliberately focus on your weaknesses.
   
10. Be friendly (avoid flame wars) and give back to the community. Make yourself approachable, both by fans and fellow creators. Don't be afraid to argue a point you believe in, but don't let that argument devolve. Answer questions. When you feel like you have developed a unique technique or expertise about something, share with the community. We all have something to learn.

I truly believe the most important stage of your webcomic is the planning stage. And yet it is the one most often overlooked. If you follow each of these items, your webcomic will already be miles ahead of several thousand others.

What have your planning experiences been? Can you think of other items to add onto this list? Let me know in the comments!