This comic was hard to make and publish, because the up-shod is admitting failure. I launched a podcast last spring after reading Podcasting for Dummies and figured, “I can do this”. I have the gear, and I’ve always had a dream of being a DJ – albeit spinning records, not scratching them.
Lessons learned:
- It Takes Two -
Going solo on a podcast is something not ordinarily done; even though some podcasts I’ve tried listening to overdo the in-jokes, silliness, and giggling – it seems another host to “play off” is the norm - Marketing -
“If you build it, they will come”. No they won’t. Not without marketing and advertising. And I didn’t. So the traffic was always anemic.
Here’s a very recent webcomic by Chris Eliopoulos that – out of sheer coincidence – sums it up pretty well: Misery Loves Sherman.
To quote the great Rodney Dangerfield:
To give you an idea, the first time I quit comedy, nobody even knew I quit.
So, my first effort at podcasting is on indefinite hiatus. Here are podcasts I currently favor:
Webcomics Weekly by the authors of How to Make Webcomics. These guys have the clout to put the podcast on hiatus, and when they come back – people care.
The Lightbox – Illuminating Webcomics This one is a new favorite on the play-list. Straight-talking, no-nonsense tips from practicing webcomic artists Chris Flick and Matt Stout, hosted by Rob Chandler.
The Granddaddy of all: Art and Story with comics creators and teachers Jerzy Drozd and Mark Rudolph. I’m a big fan, and there’s a gem in every show.