Some forms of writing, like diaries, are meant to remain private. Comics are not. As comic creators, we want people to read our stories—and, ideally, buy our books so we can continue making more. Duh, right? But reaching that goal requires one crucial task: building a community.
I am a huge fan of the 1000 True Fans concept put forward in an essay by Kevin Kelly.
The gist of 1,000 True Fans can be stated simply:
A creator, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author – in other words, anyone producing works of art – needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.
~ Kevin Kelly
As a creator of niche sci-fi comics, it is encouraging to think that I don’t need millions of fans reading my comics to make a go of things. Frankly, I don’t even need a thousand. It really comes down to finding my people. In this post, I’ll share how and where I plan to engage new fans and endeavour to foster connections with those already interested in my work.
Substack: The Hub
I’m all-in on Substack as the central hub for our comics community. Yes, I have a dedicated website, but currently, it points here because this is where I feel I can be the most useful to both creators and fans.
Substack offers several advantages, but the ability to export email addresses is particularly significant. If Substack ever goes sideways, I’ll still have a way to bring my audience with me.
The email-first focus ensures my connection with readers can’t be randomly severed—a stark contrast to the fleeting, algorithm-driven nature of platforms like X and Facebook. Substack also continues to innovate in ways that prioritize creators and audiences without resorting to cluttered advertising. During the Lump Dog campaign, my small-at-the-time Substack audience still accounted for nearly 8% of total revenue—the largest single non-Kickstarter source of backers. As such, growing my subscriber list is a top priority, and most of the initiatives I outline here will either help build my Substack subscriber base or add value for existing subscribers.
Social Media: What’s Working (and What’s Not)
Instagram was the only legacy social media platform that generated any revenue for my last campaign, accounting for 2% of total funding, even though I ran paid advertising on the platform. I’ll continue using Instagram (@gregtjosvold) because I’m already there, connecting with family and friends. However, I’ll focus less on paid advertising and more on organic engagement.
Twitter/X BlueSky
Twitter was a complete non-starter for my campaign, even before restrictions on external links were introduced. While I won’t delete my account, I don’t see the point in posting frequently. Instead, I’m focusing on building my microblogging presence on BlueSky (Let’s connect. Join me @tjosvold.com).
BlueSky’s federated protocol offers future flexibility, in theory allowing me to move followers to a different platform if needed. So far, it hasn’t throttled links, and its algorithms seem much more conducive to creator content. While I haven’t tested it with a campaign yet, trusted peers have shared promising data about engagement and conversions.
I’m actually saddened by Twitter’s decline—not in terms of features (it still leads in some technical features - e.g. Spaces) but in its disregard for the “social” part of social media. My experiments with pseudonymous centre-left political commentary have been met with a shadow ban, link blocks, and minimal engagement, even on a paid account. It has become what they railed against. It feels like the platform has shifted into an echo chamber for far-right propaganda, making it impractical for creators who need to share and engage with a broader, more centrist audience.
Relaunching the Podcast
In 2024, I narrated and released my book Comic NFTs: An Ethical Approach as a podcast. In 2025, I plan to repurpose the feed1 as an interview-style podcast featuring conversations with fascinating humans who find themselves at the intersection of comics and technology. From crowdfunding platforms to AI tools, I’ll dive into topics that matter to creators, bringing insights and opportunities to light. As always, I won’t shy away from tough questions if they help us learn and grow.2
Replacing “The Ramble”
Long-time subscribers may remember The Ramble, a regular post focused on digital comic drops and technology news related to comics. I’ve been building out a more efficient way to deliver that information: a dedicated Tech for Comics Discord.
The Discord will function more like a library3 than a traditional Discord-based discussion forum. It will provide curated links to articles and resources on controversial topics like AI and digital collectibles, catering to both skeptics and enthusiasts. Access will likely be limited to Substack subscribers who’ve demonstrated their ability to engage constructively with controversial material.
Our Virtual Office
In the first half of 2025, I hope to launch a virtual office at Kumospace where we can connect as a community. This space will host group writing sessions, guest appearances, and potentially showcase creator comics from across the web, creating a sort of digital Comic-Con. Access will likely be limited to paying or comped Substack subscribers, ensuring a troll-free, supportive environment.
When?
While I’m excited about these initiatives (heck, they are almost ready to go!), realistically, they won’t roll out until late Q1 2025. In January, I will be busy with tax season, and in February and March, we will be focused on preparing to sell the house and move. But by sharing these plans now, I’m holding myself accountable for getting these features launched as soon as possible.
The ultimate goal is to foster a community where creators and fans can connect, learn, and support each other. And hopefully, attract a few true fans. Whether through Substack, Discord, or Kumospace, I hope to create spaces that inspire learning and growth, helping us all thrive in the world of comics.
The fifth and final installment of How to Restart a Comic Writing Career—One Critical Change—may prove to be the most controversial. I’m going “digital-first.” More on that tomorrow. My last post of 2024 should be an interesting one.
I plan to remove the book from the feed now that it is available as an audiobook.
Do you have wisdom you can offer the Tech for Comics community? Are you interested in being a guest on my new podcast? Do not hesitate to reach out with your idea(s).
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Cool stuff Greg! Love the idea of a virtual office
I’m commenting to remind myself to re-read this more closely