Future of Xyliatales

[Barb Jacobs]

Well, as always I try to keep you - the loyalest of the loyal readers of Xylia- up to date on the project.

I've mentioned (more often than most folks want to hear) the struggles I face trying to keep this 'boat' in the water. The trouble is that I chose to do this webcomic in my most time consuming, full out style- and that is a problem. People still complain about the infrequency of updates, and yet my time in this project is prohibiting my attention on more financially lucrative projects. And that is a problem. And it's become even moreso in this troubled economy.

Big clients of mine who made up a large portion of my freelance business in the past years have cut WAY back on their spending, and therefore cutting my income. This has sent me scrambling, trying to find new clients and new places of income. This in itself is time consuming and it's time that doesn't always yield results but is necessary. I have to find clients who pay. And when I do find them, I then have to negotiate the projects and then actually DO them.

And there is the crux of what faces me and my desire to work on Xylia. My business is what I need to focus on. Paying work. I have done all I can for Xylia- thrown lots of time at this beloved project (time I really shouldn't have), but in the end, readership holds steady at a modest, but not income producing level. The most loyal of you have generously donated time and again whenever I have posted incentives- to which I can't express enough gratitude. But there are just that handful of you doing that- and creating the donation incentives requires still more time and the income just doesn't match what I'm investing. And it's valuable time I'm using on this project instead of finding and working on commissioned jobs. (And spending time with my kids too. Not to mention my non existent social life.) If not for the tiny group of you repeatedly investing in the incentives, Xylia would have barely any income at all. And I can't ask a small group of people to finance this project. If there aren't large numbers of people willing to give small amounts of money, it just won't work.

So essentially, from a hard-nosed business perspective: Xyliatales is a hobby. Plain and simple. I tried to make it otherwise, but it is what it is. The harder I've tried- the more time I invested, the more financially costly it has become for me. And my family.

At the outset of 2009, I set a six month business plan requirement for Xyliatales-: if it didn't show marked improvements in ad revenue and other income, I would have to decrease my time on the project. And the reality is- the income isn't there.

What this means is that in the near future, I will likely be scaling back the update schedule to one or two updates a month. It will truly be a labor of love at that point- I will be updating only for the love of the project when I have time available, and not for any hope or expectation of income. The good news is no whining for donations anymore. ;-) The bad news of course is that the story will really slow down, interest will likely wane, and I'm sure that the only readership will consist of the most loyal of you. But that will have to be okay for now. At some point, if my freelance business reaches a level of regular recurring work again, I hope to return to a more frequent schedule.

I hate to drop this bombshell on you all, but I have to be honest with you. I don't think anyone is more unhappy about it than I am. :(

As always, thank you SO MUCH for your support, interest and readership. Please remember: Xylia will continue, just at a less frequent pace.

Hugs,
~B

[Kasti]

I think the only thing in this that upsets me is that people still COMPLAIN about the updates. I mean, seriously, does no one appreciate the labor you put into such a well done comic? There are few comics like Xylia that's just fantastic when it comes to the amount of hardwork that you see put into these pages. I can imagine how many hours it takes to just put out one page and you're doing this for FREE? Mostly, I'm glad it's something that you love to do instead of thinking that it's a chore. Otherwise, you'd quit on it. And here you are, still wanting to tell your story, even if it meant cutting down on the updates.

I for one say, pursue in getting some clients for income. We'll always wait eagerly for updates. I just wish I could do more to help since I can imagine doing incentives is hard enough (you even expressed how you don't do speedpaints in your own time because you have NO time ;_; ).

We're all rooting for you Barb. I'm hoping for the best and will continue to look forward to any updates, whenever they come.

[Barb Jacobs]

Thank you Kasti! This is the thing- my loyal readers- like you! are the ones that I desperately don't want to disappoint, and yet you are all the most understanding. And I really truly appreciate that.

The complainers- well, they don't really get it - and yes, they're the ones looking for handouts and mad when they don't get MORE free stuff. So I just have to ignore them. ^_^

Thank you for the support, Kasti. Like I said- Xylia isn't going anywhere, just getting a little slower.

~B

[Joseph Volpendesta]

Barb, those of us who are all growed up and actually have to live in this world understand your dilemma perfectly well. Those who don't grasp this concept, hey, what can we say? In the end, you are the one who must answer for the performance of your business and the welfare of your children, not I or anyone else. It has only been your devotion that has carried "Xylia" this far but, sadly, that devotion don't pay the bills. Hang in there, Barb, those of us who know and care about you will just have to be patient for the next update and I'm sure that we will.
P.S., #1 grandaughter is graduating from high school as class validictorian and with a full college scholarship. Yes, I', bragging and without shame, too.

[Barb Jacobs]

Thanks, Joseph- like I said to Kasti, it's my loyal readers who are going to 'get' this - the ones who aren't fans who are going to raise a ruckus, and in all honesty- who cares? ^_^

Congratulations on your granddaughter! That's terrific!

~B

[Elsa]

I know exactly what you're going through. I love my job but we need clients to have work and without them things just don't work so I understand completely when you say it takes a lot of time just trying to find them, let alone please them. I will continue to follow Xylia even if it slows down (it just means I'll have more time to reread it over and over again ^.^). Good luck with your client seeking I know how tight things are in the industry.

[Barb Jacobs]

Yep, that's right Elsa- you have to have clients or you ain't got no business. And right now, I have to find lots of clients instead of relying on existing ones. Once things get back on track- and I know they will- I can settle back into a creative pattern again.

Thanks!
~B

[Metruis]

I think... it really takes having created another webcomic to fully understand. A year ago I didn't even bother following comics because update schedules irked me and I'd rather read a lot in a shot... I didn't look at them the way I did now. A year later, I understand just how many hours and how much pain, and frustration, lack of sleep, irritation at readers who just can't sit back and be patient... it's hard to express how much of that really goes into making a webcomic.

I follow other webcomics now that don't update as often as they could, and I watch people post things like 'so just post with simpler art'... but it's not that easy, is it. And trying to make money with it? Even harder!

Yeah, there's a lot of people who won't appreciate the hours you put into each page. But some of us come here for the art too, because there's a few hundred other fantasy comics on the internet that we COULD be reading instead of Xylia... and I think most of us can agree: we don't want to see less quality, and we'll be patient even if it means only getting one update every two weeks until you get more clients. I mean, if you can't pay the bills, then you can't power your computer and you can't put up comics anyway! o.o

When you're doing a comic at a publishable quality, you invest the time in it that a publishable quality comic would take, but if you don't see the returns that a publishable comic makes... you may not be able to invest as much time into it. And we understand that. ^^

[Barb Jacobs]

Thanks for all the nice comments, Metrius- and yes, folks that don't do this really can't understand. I know that it must be frustrating to readers to not see more frequent updates- and they probably think- "Wait- this webcomic or that webcomic updates three times a week- why don't you?" For reasons I 've outlined too many times to say again here, it's comparing apples to oranges. I wish I could work faster- I wish my pages were less detailed- I wish I had a million dollars. But then there's Reality- and those are the parameters we all live in.

And you make a good point- my purpose of creating it in this style was to make something quality enough to eventually see print. To 'dumb down' my style just to get more updates up online for free is kind of defeating the purpose of what I set out to do- and at this point too much water is under the bridge to change styles now.

I thought about posting penciled pages, just ot get the story out there and going- like I've seen other webcomics do. Then to see it in color you'd have to buy the book. I suppose that's an option, but again- I don't knwo if it's worth it. Something to consider.

Thank you for your understanding, Metrius!
~
B

[Matt]

Hi Barb,

I really can't put it any better than the people who have posted before me, so I won't try. Suffice it to say that I completely understand - while my outlets may be different mediums, I can certainly relate to the constant tug-of-war between having to do what you *need* to do and being able to do what you *want* to do. *Sigh* If only singing mediocre ACapella music caused people to throw hundred dollar bills at my feet!! ;-)

I completely understand and respect your decision. You have my unwavering support. Next time I need an artist, I'll knock on your door. In the meantime, I will continue to check in here and put my hand in.

Matt

[Barb Jacobs]

Thank you very much Matt. Like I've said, it's my loyal readers like you, who are the ones that I loathe to disappoint. Not the whiny babies who will only come out when there is a problem so they can rattle their cages. But like I've said, the story will continue on, just a bit slower, or maybe a bit less colorfully. ;-) At least for a bit!

Thanks Matt!
~
B

[Silvara Dragontear]

Do what you think is best Barb, I think everyone understands that you have a life outside the world of Xylia and that your kids are way more important than Xylia. I 'm just happy that you wont give Xylia up and that we still get uppdates even if they don't come as oftens as they have in the past.
Hugs
/Silvara

[Sparks]

You're hardly the only webcomic artist to go through this, you know, so don't feel like this is any sort of personal failing or betrayal of the readership. We'll still be here for the story, even if we have to wait a little longer at times! The story's well worth-it.

But once you've got some time to ramp up again, I imagine you'll still want to see income from the project. What you might want to do is have a small monthly 'subscription' fee. People seem more willing to sign up for something that pays $2/month automatically than something where they have to remember to click a donation button and pay $10 or whatever. Several comics do this, and for the payment you get access to 'bonus' materials. Usually this is higher-resolution copies of the comics pages (as Erfworld does), or extra storylines (as Joyce&Walky and Faans do, but man, that'd be time consuming), or behind-the-scenes notes, like why a page was done a certain way. The Erfworld and behind-the-scenes notes would probably not a huge amount of additional work, and it's something people might be willing to pay a full subscription for.

The other option would be going to a pay-to-view site, like Wirepop or ModernTales. Which would be unfortunate, and you'd doubtless lose some readers, but would probably gain income.

I mean, yeah, anything you do that draws money out of folks, some people will stalk off because they want it for free. That's the internet mindset of entitlement... 'I deserve this, how dare you stop giving me doing all this work for me for free and getting nothing in return.' But not everything in life is free, and the simple reality is that if someone is giving you stuff for free, they're not making the money they need for the things that /aren't/ free. (Housing. Food. Etc.) So you have to do what you have to do... whether that's cutting back time on the comic, or finding other ways to draw in income from it, or both.

Your readers who've been here since the beginning (even if we're often quiet here in the forums!) will still be around. And our corgis will wait patiently for updates, too. :)