فلليپ وان ليو (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} stelfton15) wrote,@ 2007-04-22 20:02:00 |
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Alternative Press Expo 2007
Well, that was convention number four! I ended up doing 62.5% better than last APE, which is not bad.
Some new observations for next time:
• The minor changes I made to the booth's style seemed to have helped out, seeing as I did 62.5% better this time and last. My daily average for APE 2007, however, was still below that of Wizard World Chicago and WonderCon, but I'm content seeing as APE draws in a more casual crowd. I'm gonna see how different things are at FanimeCon next month.
• Moose River Deluxe is three years old. It's really time to move on and showcase the main Moose River series, mostly because I'm starting to notice how different it is compared to the main Moose River storyline (straight dark comedy versus real-life dramedy). I think the differences between Deluxe and the main series hurt my ability to sell my work, much in the same way the difference between my Moose River and non-Moose River minis didn't help me much. HOWEVER.... I can only do that as soon as I get a book of the main Moose River series in a sellable form. [cracks whip on self]
• Furthermore, I need to replace the poster I made of the Moose River Deluxe scene. It did help in a way; it got people to see an example of my work up front which did help close the sale for quite a few people. However, seeing as I should phase out Moose River Deluxe and start focusing on the main Moose River series, I need to make a new page-poster which is a bit more accessable to passing-byers.
• Curiously enough though, I did manage to sell more copies of Moose River Regular 1 than Moose River Deluxe; normally it's the other way around. I guess it's evidence that people ARE interested in dramedy.
• I really need to figure out what is so appealing about my work. I know people like it, but I really only have a vague idea why. This in turn creates a problem: how can I pitch my work to people if I don't know why people like it? I have an idea, but I gotta do more research on it.
• More so, I gotta think of ways to pitch my work to girls; I see so many potentially interested females walking past my booth, but I don't know what I need to say to be able to get them to come over. I mean, "do you like dark humor" works for guys, but I don't think it's a good enough hook for girls. What do you think, ladies?
• I left my booth twice today and Paul, Aaron and Dave were able to still sell stuff to people. In fact, they were able to sell it in ways that I can't, ie: "It's a good story; I'm not saying this just because he's my friend, I'm saying it because it really is a good story!" I might have to disappear from my booth more often when friends are helping me. :) (Thanks guys!)
• Boy there are a lot of cute girls walking around at APE! (^_^)
• "If Jeffery Brown can do it, so can I." Although I've known this for some time, it became much more apparent to me after talking to some dude. He was talking about how I can get published if only I made everything look not-crappy looking. For example, he pointed out my six-frames-per-page and chicken scratch handwriting was junk (not really "junk" but implied as such) and how I should do something more creative. I nodded at everything he said, but I was calling bullshit to mostly everything he was saying. Thing is Jeffrey Brown's first two books is nothing but six-frames-per-page and chicken scratch writing, and he got published. He's now one of comic's rising stars. I suppose that if I fail, it's not because of my art, but because of my writing. Which goes back to "If Jeffery Brown can do it, so can I."
So what do I need to do for next time?
• The main Moose River series should be my number one main focus. Moose River Deluxe is now two ("if you don't like dramedy, check out zainy dark humor!"). The rest is #whatever-I-can-get.
• New example comic frame poster.
• New pitches which touch upon why anyone would want to read my comics. "It's real life shit" versus "It's dark humor."
I really love learning this stuff. It's more valuable to me than going to college.
Well, that was convention number four! I ended up doing 62.5% better than last APE, which is not bad.
Some new observations for next time:
• The minor changes I made to the booth's style seemed to have helped out, seeing as I did 62.5% better this time and last. My daily average for APE 2007, however, was still below that of Wizard World Chicago and WonderCon, but I'm content seeing as APE draws in a more casual crowd. I'm gonna see how different things are at FanimeCon next month.
• Moose River Deluxe is three years old. It's really time to move on and showcase the main Moose River series, mostly because I'm starting to notice how different it is compared to the main Moose River storyline (straight dark comedy versus real-life dramedy). I think the differences between Deluxe and the main series hurt my ability to sell my work, much in the same way the difference between my Moose River and non-Moose River minis didn't help me much. HOWEVER.... I can only do that as soon as I get a book of the main Moose River series in a sellable form. [cracks whip on self]
• Furthermore, I need to replace the poster I made of the Moose River Deluxe scene. It did help in a way; it got people to see an example of my work up front which did help close the sale for quite a few people. However, seeing as I should phase out Moose River Deluxe and start focusing on the main Moose River series, I need to make a new page-poster which is a bit more accessable to passing-byers.
• Curiously enough though, I did manage to sell more copies of Moose River Regular 1 than Moose River Deluxe; normally it's the other way around. I guess it's evidence that people ARE interested in dramedy.
• I really need to figure out what is so appealing about my work. I know people like it, but I really only have a vague idea why. This in turn creates a problem: how can I pitch my work to people if I don't know why people like it? I have an idea, but I gotta do more research on it.
• More so, I gotta think of ways to pitch my work to girls; I see so many potentially interested females walking past my booth, but I don't know what I need to say to be able to get them to come over. I mean, "do you like dark humor" works for guys, but I don't think it's a good enough hook for girls. What do you think, ladies?
• I left my booth twice today and Paul, Aaron and Dave were able to still sell stuff to people. In fact, they were able to sell it in ways that I can't, ie: "It's a good story; I'm not saying this just because he's my friend, I'm saying it because it really is a good story!" I might have to disappear from my booth more often when friends are helping me. :) (Thanks guys!)
• Boy there are a lot of cute girls walking around at APE! (^_^)
• "If Jeffery Brown can do it, so can I." Although I've known this for some time, it became much more apparent to me after talking to some dude. He was talking about how I can get published if only I made everything look not-crappy looking. For example, he pointed out my six-frames-per-page and chicken scratch handwriting was junk (not really "junk" but implied as such) and how I should do something more creative. I nodded at everything he said, but I was calling bullshit to mostly everything he was saying. Thing is Jeffrey Brown's first two books is nothing but six-frames-per-page and chicken scratch writing, and he got published. He's now one of comic's rising stars. I suppose that if I fail, it's not because of my art, but because of my writing. Which goes back to "If Jeffery Brown can do it, so can I."
So what do I need to do for next time?
• The main Moose River series should be my number one main focus. Moose River Deluxe is now two ("if you don't like dramedy, check out zainy dark humor!"). The rest is #whatever-I-can-get.
• New example comic frame poster.
• New pitches which touch upon why anyone would want to read my comics. "It's real life shit" versus "It's dark humor."
I really love learning this stuff. It's more valuable to me than going to college.
