SOS: Haitus

[Black Sparrow]

I think I'm burning out. I've been doing Operation: NEKO for about a year and a half. It was my first webcomic, and it's been doing well enough... but I don't think I can handle it much longer. I've fiddled with the schedule, changing it from triweekly, to biweekly, to every weekday to try to find the right niche. But five times a week is too fast, and I know I won't last long enough to complete it otherwise. And, frankly, the quality of the five-a-week stuff is crap. Further, it's starting to mess with my schoolwork.

Basically, I'm considering putting my comic on indefinite haitus. I know a lot of you guys have dealt with this before, many of you multiple times. How do you know when it's time to throw in the towel? How do you deal with the weight of yet another unfinished project? I'm a haitus virgin, and I swore it would never come to this... so I want to see if I'd be doing the right thing.

[Dutch!]

I swore it would never come to this...

Doesn't this answer your question?

[834n]

I think for the sake of the fans it's always better to give them some estimated time frame. For example, say you're taking three months (or whatever) off. But if you've honestly lost passion or if it's messing with your real life then by all means, drop it. Unless you somehow hope to get money out of this, odds are a webcomic is a hobby. And a hobby's no good if it's no fun.

[Mon Ami]

Why not go back to triweekly then? It is alright if you change your schedule as long as your viewers have explicit knowledge of it so they are not left in the dark :3

[Black Sparrow]

Currently, the storyline is LONG. If I went back to tri-weekly it would take about eight years to complete. I don't have that sort of stamina, not for this project. That's why I upped the schedule in the first place.

[Perk_daddy]

Yeah, but a changed schedule doesn't have to be permanent. I decided to go weekly for a while, until things get less crazy, and yeah, it's slow, but it's something. Burning out isn't the same as losing interest in every case; it sounds like this really is a labor of love for you. Just do what you can, the readers who are really fans will understand (or else they'll hunt you down and go all Misery on you...)

[Black Sparrow]

Ah heh heh...

Not as much a labor of love as you'd think. My interest in this thing has risen and waned. At the moment, I'm getting pretty sick of it. My main issue is that I WANT to throw in the towel, but I don't want to be "one of those people." You know, like Bob, but much less popular.

In chat, Gothia suggested going on sabbatical... taking a month off and seeing where I'm at by the end of it. I think that sounds like the best plan, at this point.

[Perk_daddy]

If that's the case, then take a break and see if the itch comes back or not.

Just be careful if you see Kathy Bates looking through your window...

[Sput]

*petpet* as i said, taking a month or two off is prolly best. though i'll be sad to see it go, don't make yourself hate it.

[Godai]

Go on hiatus if you feel like this.

First of all, being loyal to fans is important, but delivering quality stuff is more important. Pushing yourself you produce something poorer (generally).

From my own experience, I ended a comic (well, maybe not ended, but put in infinite hiatus) and when conditions changed 4 months ago I revived it and it's just as fine as it used to be. If I didn't stop doing it for some time, I'd start to hate it and drop it anyway.

And the readers - don't let them emotionally blackmail you :) You're the artist ;)

[Legendary]

I'd suggest toning down the schedule to maybe two times a week to recharge. That way it's still moving, you're still in practice, and when you feel ready to get back, you're audience will know about it a lot sooner. I don't really understand why you're going with the "All or Nothing" approach, but that can easily burn you out.

[Garneta]

If you feel like that, then it must be time to take a break...just explain it to the readers, and hopefully they'll understand.

[Glarryg]

Only tell the readers you'll be back if you actually have a tangible plan to be back (i.e. a specific time frame). I can't remember any time that a comic has come back from an "indefinite hiatus," and, frankly, I don't think your readers would appreciate broken promises. On the other hand, you technically don't owe them anything, so it's up to you to decide if that kind of thing would bother you.

Glarryg

[Warofwinds]

I love making my comic. I resent the time it takes away from my life, my work and my friends and family. So. Compromise. I take planned breaks, 2 months off per year during finals. That's my fix, and it's a well deserved rest, IMO.

If you miss an update or 50, don't sweat it. No one has precedence over your desires except yourself when it comes to your comic. Hiatus, break, vacation, time off, they don't really mean anything unless you want them to. If your audience gripes about it, then frankly, they need to get some perspective on life and realize free services may be free to them, but not to you, the maker. I quite enjoy ripping on my readers when some complain about update frequencies. It's one of my favorite past times. IMO, no one has the right to complain about something that's free. I let my audience know this.

So bottom line, the internet will still be there and waiting when you have time, whether it's next week, month or year.*

IF you really want to take time off, set a date for yourself to come back. If you don't, you mind yourself pushing that return day off more and more. Setting a date gives you time to rest and motive to return.

*(Unless the prophecy in the Terminator series comes to pass, in which case we'll all be dead, but by then we won't really care, will we? )

[Rkolter]

I don't buy into the selfish "It's my work and you're just readers" thing. I think you do owe your readers something.

A summary.

It's your work, and you end it how you feel best. But if you have devoted readers, you should at least explain how things were meant to turn out.

[Vorticus]

If you go on hiatus and don't come back, I'm shipping you to Australia to live with Joel for a MONTH!

[Wp]

I plan to finish my story, even if it takes literally 10 years. If my readers decide they can't wait anymore and ditch my comic, that's fine. I'm doing this mostly for myself and only a small fraction for attention (20% maybe). I say take as long as you want. The desire will come back someday.

[Warren]

Just walk for now. But give a reason, and a hoped-for return date.

On the return date, at least give a summary.

[Deaths Head II]

Just go on hiatus, but don't set a specific date if you don't feel you can. Just try to keep it on the back of your mind somehow, whether it be updating the current situation on your site if you think a return is possible or making a summary if its not.

[Elegant Gremlin]

Well technically we don't owe the readers anything, they are the reason we do this.

They are the reason we keep to a schedule. They are the reason we put this stuff up on the web. If you weren't doing it for the readers, you'd be content with drawing it and leaving it on your hard drive.

If you are burning out, get out now. If you continue to do this (and hate it), you will grow to despise it, and picking back up will be impossible.