You may wonder why the title of this blog is “Little Elf in Big Pond of Drama, The Comic Industry.” “Little elf in big pond of drama prefer to “little fish in big pond”. I am a comic book writer starting out and trying to get my name out by using what I was referral by other people. They say use social media to sale yourself and get your brand name out there. However, it has been almost impossible to grow my followers on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. I am getting a lot of growth on Instagram but little to no one on Instagram click the links on the post. So, I cannot get traffic to my website or other platform such as Etsy and YouTube. And YouTube is no better, I have been getting like 2 views per video on YouTube after I follow the instruction from education tutorial on SEO keywords, making better thumbnails for video etc. I ran a few tests myself and found out that YouTube is not recording the external views I get from linking the video on other site such as my website, Facebook, Twitter, email, WordPress, and more. For I have reach out to a few business relation and friends to asked them to review my video. They have told me yes, “I have watched your video and love it.” News is growing on the web that Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are censoring people who disagree with them, small entrepreneur, or anything that maybe against the large tech company that support the three giants.
In reality, it is hard being a creator in today social media. You may ask why they would do something like this to me that is not very known, I don’t think they are target me directly. I think they are censor small entrepreneur, so we will not become competition later in the future.
I will start by explaining what my business is and what I have been working on. I will be publishing my first comic series call Angie’s Adventures in Oct 2019 under the first ever graphic novel and comics publisher call Zazu Zine + Comix Publishing. I also have a digital comics series on Webtoons call Nocturnal Orphan. I am working with Kim Eley of Kwe Publishing LLC to promote Zazu Zine + Comix. I created a video on YouTube talking about the vision for Zazu Zine + Comix. The vision that Eley have for ZAZU is to give new artist a chance to introduce new content to comic industry and to give new artist a chance to shine. You would think this is good news and no one would have a problem with it; however, when I post this information on Facebook or Twitter, I get crickets… The reason why I know something is not right with views on Facebook and Twitter is because I share the news about my business with my two blogs on WordPress NC Outdoor Adventures Mia and The Fun World of Dating yesterday. I receive several likes and new followers in the last 24 hours.
It got me thinking about how much news is out there that the comic industry is dying and how people should give up on making comics. It left me with the thought what if Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are supporting this news and want everyone to think comics is dead. If that is the case, it would explain when I made videos that comics is not dead and more people like the idea of having more diversity genres of comics than I am going against what the main media is saying. It makes me an outsider by default which is sad. For there are many people in the education field who like the idea of new comic writers. I have at least three people in the education field have asked for me to come talk with the students about making comics; one was a professional at VCU who would like for me to talk to the college art students about alternate educations, one was a recreation coordinator in my apartment community center in section 8 housing apartments who want me to talk to the children about a future in comics, and a librarian in urban setting who want to hired me as public speaker to talk with the children that visit the library about comics.
There are real people who want original content in the form of graphic novels and comics; however, there are people out there that just want only a hand full of people to make comics. They do not understand the disservices they are doing to the many people who want to encourage children from reading. Graphic novel is growing because school have open to the idea that it is better for children to read graphic novel than not read at all. People in the education field are trying their best to keep children in this model age interesting in reading and graphic novel and comics help in this area. However, the current comics industry is not meeting to the needs that education required. They are blocking self-publishing comics from getting into comics stores which in return the comics stores cannot stay in business that way. However, there are a few comics stores that have adopt more diversity of publishers, self-publishers, and brought in tabletop games. They have created an environmental of community welcome of families. These comics stores are not in the large cities, they are in the small cities across the country. That is why you never heard about them in the social media and that have been the key to their success for small entrepreneur.
I am adopting this concept into my business practice. I am focus on my location community here in Richmond, VA, USA. Therefore, I go to network meeting in my area for they cannot stop me from getting in contact with the other business entrepreneur in my area. I also travel to anime and comic con. I have staff at a couple of anime con and make a few connections with other writers who are more successful than me and publishers’ companies.
I also have not given up on social media, for I still have a voice; I will keep sharing my brand and promote Zazu Zine + Comix Publishing.
If you would like to learn more about my business Maria Hargis Art, visit my website at www.mariahargis.com. And if you would like to learn more about ZAZU, the website is www.zazuzine.com.
Oh, if you were wondering why a elf instead of a fish, it is because my main character in Angie’s Adventure is an elf. I have a soft spot for elves.
Little Elf in big Pond of Drama, The Comic Industry USA 