I'd like to address my fellow indy comic creators for a few moments, and please understand I mean this in all seriousness and with the best of intentions.
As members of the small press and independent comics community, most of us dream of someday making this our full time job. In addition to perfecting your chosen craft, be it writing or art, part of your job while you're learning the ropes is to learn all you can about the comics market.
A huge part of learning the market is learning what sells at what price point. I know your work is near and dear to you, but $7 for a 20 page black & white comic (or any similar example) is absolutely ridiculous.
I hear many folks complain that they worked so hard to put something together and then their books don't sell. Sometimes they just aren't good, but frequently it's because you have no idea what your work is worth and you're simply asking far, far too much from your potential readers. People are willing to take a chance on something that seems like a good value, or at least like a reasonable risk, and you have to make it as attractive as possible for them. And that doesn't just mean a flashy cover, it means a price tag that is affordable.
So please, for your own sake and for those, including myself, who WANT to take a chance on you, don't go nuts. Look at similar books (in terms of quality and page count) and see what they sell for, then price your own appropriately.
I say this both as a creator and as a reader. I really do want to read as many indy comics as I can, but you gotta make it possible. I used to buy up every interesting looking independent book I could, but increasingly I've had to pass things up because they simply were too expensive to be worth the buying.
So please, help me support you. I really want to, and I know others do, too.
Thanks for letting me say my piece and I hope to be reading your book soon.
As members of the small press and independent comics community, most of us dream of someday making this our full time job. In addition to perfecting your chosen craft, be it writing or art, part of your job while you're learning the ropes is to learn all you can about the comics market.
A huge part of learning the market is learning what sells at what price point. I know your work is near and dear to you, but $7 for a 20 page black & white comic (or any similar example) is absolutely ridiculous.
I hear many folks complain that they worked so hard to put something together and then their books don't sell. Sometimes they just aren't good, but frequently it's because you have no idea what your work is worth and you're simply asking far, far too much from your potential readers. People are willing to take a chance on something that seems like a good value, or at least like a reasonable risk, and you have to make it as attractive as possible for them. And that doesn't just mean a flashy cover, it means a price tag that is affordable.
So please, for your own sake and for those, including myself, who WANT to take a chance on you, don't go nuts. Look at similar books (in terms of quality and page count) and see what they sell for, then price your own appropriately.
I say this both as a creator and as a reader. I really do want to read as many indy comics as I can, but you gotta make it possible. I used to buy up every interesting looking independent book I could, but increasingly I've had to pass things up because they simply were too expensive to be worth the buying.
So please, help me support you. I really want to, and I know others do, too.
Thanks for letting me say my piece and I hope to be reading your book soon.
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