Hard Lessons in Self Publishing

[Andrew John Standish]

If only I knew when I started my web comic what I know now

While I await my quota of ISBN numbers (needed for general retail distribution) the book is available as a print on demand at :IndyPlanet

(Please use the link above banner)

The follies of a pennyless novice, a cautionary tale:-

First mistake: Deleting all my original finished files to save computer memory.

Second mistake: Working at low resolution for display on the web.

Third mistake: Believing that the on screen display shows accurate image of printed page.

What I did to save my bacon:-

Work Around One: I had to collect and save all the finished pages posted online, increase dpi to 300 and resize.

Work Around Two: Carefully re-touch every single image ensure lettering is within "safe area" and add "bleed" to the edge of the pages, pretty much re-drawing and re-lettering the whole thing.

Work Around Three: Print out the finished pages and examine for tonal inconsitancy and clarity etc.

I also had to overcome the limitaion of working in Photoshop Elements (it only saves as RGB, most printers rightly recommend CMYK) and not having a design tablet to draw on, everything had to be done via the mouse. My solution to the first limitation was to find a printer that would accept RGB files (although it may have been simpler to find a free programme to convert to the more acceptable format, since all interior pages are black and white it didn't seem worth it). The solution to the second limitation was simply a case of gritting my teeth and getting on with it, a very time consuming process.

So that's the way not to prepare your first printed work, better preparation (more thought before action) and cash outlay (on software/hardware) may have speeded up and simplified the process but inspite of this I'm quite pleased with the results.

If you have a comics website and would be prepared to review the book, free copies for the purpose are available from me on receipt of your physical address and website URL (e-mail: [e-mail])

[Andrew John Standish]

Hey, you beat me to it, distribution was going to be the next blog subject. Initially I'm self distributing it via bookshops and I'm also hoping that Shane Chebsey might help out via smallzone, but I have to send him the package first. It's also available as a print on demand book from Indyplanet, I need to get some online ads sorted out soon, I'll put some ads on facebook which is fairly good value and well targeted to different interest groups. I also intend to publicise through such sites as comicspace and deviant art. I looked at Diamond but the submission procedure, numbers and postal requirements put me off, though I'm not ruling it or any other options out.
Thanks for starting the forum subject I'll keep an eye on it.

[John Freeman]

There are several review sites out there - TRS2, Bugpowder are probably good places to start. How are you distributing it? Might be worth throwing this question to the rest of the group, I'll start a forum post.

[Andrew John Standish]

Thanks for taking time out to comment John, looks like the book is a "must have" for me. IWish I'd known about it when I started!
The web comic has been a good excercise for me in dealing with clinical depression which I've had for over ten years now, probably longer though it was undiagnosed. Due to the nature of the illness I'm basically unemployable because my output is inconsistant, Some days it's all I can do to get out of bed. I use various tools to deal with the disability and it's a day at a time battle. The web comic is a good focus and gives me a sense of achievement, it's great because all I need is a pencil and paper to do the page then all the finishing is done in Photoshop, no inks, or artboard required. I'ts been a big help, a reason to live almost.
I wonder if you might be good enough to suggest any contacts that might be willing to review my print comic? Don't worry if you can't, I feel a bit cheeky for asking but it would be helpful to get some feedback from an objective perspective.
Cheers!

[John Freeman]

Ouch! I recently came across "How to Make WebComics" which, besides offering great advice about making web comics (it's by Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett, Scott Kurtz and Kris Straub) also has plenty of info on what size to save images etc for print. It's available from amazon.co.uk - still ploughing through it but well worth picking up.