Next up (Patreon)

Hello there, kind supporters.

Now that Vigil has successfully 'fledged' I've had a little time to reflect. 

I'm very grateful for how my story has been received. There has been more reaction than I could ever wish for. To the point that I am struggling to keep up with all the lovely comments. I will take my time reading and replying to each and every one of them. People have been very kind and patient with me. It is more than I deserve.

So don't misunderstand me when I say that Vigil is currently not doing well as far as audience engagement is concerned. For me personally, I am satisfied, over-satisfied even, with fan response. For webtoon's standards', however...

Speaking purely of statistics, Vigil managed to get about 90 likes and 750 views in one day. Those are very good numbers for a first episode. But compare that with other stories which have gathered nearly 5K likes and 33K views and suddenly it feels a lot less impressive. And although there are still ways to naturally increase like and viewership numbers before the contest ends, which I will apply, there is little chance of catching up with those already at the top.

Nearly half the score depends on those statistics. I won't hide that I absolutely loathe that. It gives an unfair advantage to contestants who already had big follower numbers before the contest. It feels more like a nepotistic lottery rather than a race. But this is the reality of the situation and there is nothing to do but to accept it.

Vigil is a pretty niche story, which is something Webtoon generally isn't really fond of. They want big numbers that draw big crowds. Which is the natural inclination of any business. But I wanted to stay true to myself when I chose the subject of my contest submission. I like niche things. So I will make niche things. Making something else to appeal to the masses would just leave me feeling hollow and miserable, even if I was more successful because of it. Vigil's main feature is that it is different. It is memorable and stands out because of that. Being different is a sword that cuts both ways, however. Especially here.

And so, I don't think I will win. And somewhere deep down I knew it would probably end like this before I even drafted the first sketch of the comic. I joined up anyway because I would regret it forever if I didn't and tried my absolute hardest. The 'what if's would nag at me for years to come. You miss all the shots you don't take, as they say. 

I apologize for this rather dour outlook. I know it comes across as petty and weak. I should be grateful for what I got. By all accounts, Vigil has done very, very well. Just... not good enough.  And I can't help feeling bitter. Even so, I won't give up. It is not over yet. There is still time to improve those statistics. Though I am under no illusion of how much the odds are stacked against me.

On a higher note, the outcome of this contest will ultimately have no impact on my resolve. I genuinely love making comics and i will continue to do so. And I realize that not working directly with webtoon ironically leaves me more freedom. No worrying about deadlines, or having to please anyone other than myself. I just can't do it full time and must combine it with my regular job. But what's so wrong with that?

I'm proud to have successfully finished another comic. That marks the third original story I have done. Those voices in my head that always whispered that I can never finish what I start have been silenced for good. And I'm full of motivation to start a new project. However... I need a break. 

I've been neglecting my health in exchange for more speed. For months I've worked 7 days a week, often till midnight. Unsurprisingly that has had a negative impact on my health, both physical and mental. I haven't had a single day off all year. So now I will take one week off. I have deserved one week.

After that, I want to change my workflow to something more sustainable. Replace my philosophy from 'a minimum of tasks completed every week' with 'hours worked every week'. I will no longer work in the evenings and at least not on Sundays. 

So, what is next?

Apart from hustling to grow Vigil a bit more, I will gradually start working on the Pure Light remaster again, just to get that over with. I don't enjoy making fan art anymore but I don't want to leave it unfinished after all the work I have already put in. 

I will be making a few changes to my Patreon setup as well. Because I've noticed some people have been taking advantage of my very lenient setup. Then I'll be doing commissions, practicing art, maybe building a website, writing future stories, etc. I expect to be completely occupied for at least the next 2 months. Once the PL remaster is finished, I will make my decision on which comic is next. 

Thank you again for the support! I hope you have enjoyed Vigil!