Opinions please

Stinkywigfiddle · Post by **Stinkywigfiddle** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:31 am

Since I apparently can’t make decisions by myself and I’m not getting any opinions elsewhere, I’ll ask for them here.

First, I am publishing one story from my site through lulu. When this is done should I take most of the story off my site (leaving maybe ten pages) so that the whole thing is only available through a purchased print. Or should I leave the whole story free on my site along with it being available (with better quality and extra material) in print?

What do you think?

Dutch! · Post by **Dutch!** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:53 am

I'd say leave it on there. Otherwise those first ten pages better be bloody great or I'd not bother spending money on something I can't be guaranteed of the quality of.

Redtech · Post by **Redtech** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 5:01 am

Brigette's Belly does a similar idea, but kept the originals up. It's mainly for people who want a hard copy and I love that kind of stuff.

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:08 am

i'd keep the originals up on your site. Those interested in buying a copy of your work will do so regardless of whether it's online or not. I speak from experience.

Stinkywigfiddle · Post by **Stinkywigfiddle** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:55 am

I just realized that you can read a comic for free in a bookstore before deciding to buy it. So keeping it online is pretty much the same thing as looking at it in the store.

KWill · Post by **KWill** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:58 am

stinkywigfiddle wrote:I just realized that you can read a comic for free in a bookstore before deciding to buy it. So keeping it online is pretty much the same thing as looking at it in the store.

That and it is difficult to get a webpage signed. =P

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:13 am

but not impossible.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:35 am

Which story is it Stinky?

Garneta · Post by **Garneta** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:47 pm

I'd say leave it all there...

at least until I get around to reading what I haven't yet...

Stinkywigfiddle · Post by **Stinkywigfiddle** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 4:03 pm

Alright. I guess I will leave it all up. Thanks for your opinions.

rkolter wrote:Which story is it Stinky?

It is "Cake." I'm waiting to get my test copy. Once I check to make sure it's all good, I'll make it available to the public.

RentAThug · Post by **RentAThug** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:26 pm

I think adding extra content that is only available in the book is a much better route to take than removing content from the website. The extra content gives people incentives to buy the book without alienating anybody by taking away the content you've already given them.

KWill · Post by **KWill** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:56 pm

legostargalactica wrote:but not impossible.

Okay, now you've piqued my curiosity. =)

Lance · Post by **Lance** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:19 pm

Comics on paper are cool and totally different from the backlit web read.

I can't speak from experience but I have read posts by creators who had quality issues with lulu. I'd vote for leaving the material online.

Drugsmugglingcartoonist · Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:45 pm

I've got this question myself at the moment and my plan on it is this; serialise the comic at a rate of a page or two per week and time it so you publish the complete thing two months before the serialised one finnishes on the site. This way the reader has a choice of buying now and reading the whole story, or being patient and still reading for free off the site. People who enjoy it so much will want a hard copy and people following it more casually will probably carry on reading it for free.

Lance · Post by **Lance** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:58 pm

RentAThug wrote:I think adding extra content that is only available in the book is a much better route to take than removing content from the website. The extra content gives people incentives to buy the book without alienating anybody by taking away the content you've already given them.

yeah, I think that's a good plan.

Stinkywigfiddle · Post by **Stinkywigfiddle** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:28 pm

Lance wrote:Comics on paper are cool and totally different from the backlit web read.

I can't speak from experience but I have read posts by creators who had quality issues with lulu. I'd vote for leaving the material online.

I don't know. I recently bought a comic from Lulu and the quality is very good. The quality is all up to the person making the book. The comics of mine that I rescanned at 300 dpi look good as printed by Lulu. In other words, it looks good if you know what you're doing. I'm still learning.

Lance · Post by **Lance** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:37 pm

stinkywigfiddle wrote: I don't know. I recently bought a comic from Lulu and the quality is very good. The quality is all up to the person making the book. The comics of mine that I rescanned at 300 dpi look good as printed by Lulu. In other words, it looks good if you know what you're doing. I'm still learning.

I'm very pleased to hear this.

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 4:51 pm

KWill wrote:
legostargalactica wrote:but not impossible.
Okay, now you've piqued my curiosity. =)

put the webpage up on a laptop, have the laptop signed.

or... if you wanna go simple, print it on your printer and have it signed.

Legion of Boom · Post by **Legion of Boom** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:31 pm

Keep all your stuff online and add some non-web content to each book/comic book you publish. Down the road you may want to do a cliffhanger as well and have the resolution in the printed edition. Just a thought.

Also, I haven't done Lulu yet, but I ordered $40 in comic book samples a year ago. I also visited the Lulu booth at MegCon. Samples all looked pretty decent for POD.

Doomsandwich · Post by **Doomsandwich** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:25 pm

you could do extra features or something for the book but....

as long as you have a compelling story people will buy the book and be more appreciative for being able to make sure they wanted it first. Id keep the story on the site if i were you