CtS in 2009
If you're reading this (and obviously you are) then the new year has arrived on our servers and Chasing the Sunset has to face up to the dark realities of 2009.
Now, I don't do resolutions. Invariably, these are things that are never achieved. Instead I make plans (that are only *usually* not achieved. I am by nature very lazy and I begin far more things than I finish).
What's the plan for CtS you (well, I) ask? Well, I'm glad you (I) asked as I have many goals for the comic.
1) As I've mentioned before, I'm hoping to use advertising on the site to generate some capital and then use this capital to attract more people to here. The goal is to have about 2000 daily visitors on update days by the end of 2009. As a comparison: before the holidays we had about 1100.
2) We're hoping, of course, to improve the strip. I believe the story has weakened some lately and I'm hoping to reverse this trend by putting more effort and time in the planning and writing of the script. Currently I have the rough outlines of the next two chapters in my head but am having some trouble fleshing them out.
3) Try not to end the comic. I need to think up more than those two chapters lest the story reach its conclusion next year. Leaf is getting closer and closer to the endpoint of his quest (though I already have some ideas of what happens after).
4) Improve the community. Nono, we're pleased with you all! You don't need to change! I just wish to add some new things to the site to increase reader interaction and to create a bit of a community around Chasing the Sunset. If you have suggestions, I'm all eyes.
5) Maybe release a Chasing the Sunset book. We've been pondering this for a long time now and it would require a lot of work to get the quality of the first 160 strips up to a printable standard, but it would be sweet to be able to hand my non-internet-enabled family members our comic. And hey, maybe some other people would be interested too?
6) Take a holiday without missing a strip. Alien and I are plotting another multi-week holiday. Though the destination is not entirely clear yet (either Egypt-Jordan-Syria or Zimbabwe-Botswana-Namibia-South Africa depending on our financial situation and the stability of these regions) we'll probably be gone for three weeks in september or october. Here's hoping we can get a big enough buffer up this time around.
7) Make people smile.
8) Deserve you.
Well, that's our plan so far, though we tend to just make it up as we go along.
Comments
I'd also like to politely point out that I have tried to stimulate discussion in the forums a couple of times but my efforts have been rather fruitless. I don't know what else to tell you in community-building here. If there's a specific way I can help feel free to tell me, you know how to reach me.
2)Yeah, I've been noticing a weakening storyline. I think the issue is that it's less based on the whole comic overall and more on individual strips. It's become more about punchlines. Also, you've walked away from the familiar World That Is a bit. (It's pretty much gone downhill since the dwarves. No offense, Nebra.) Malvenicus, for some odd reason, reminds me of Arpix. I was never big on Arpix.
3)I have to admit, the concept of CTS ending has never entered my mind. I mean, I always figured Leaf might find his father eventually, and then they'd try to go home, and they'd have yet more adventures... I never realized it would stop. *hides under bed scared*
4)Heh. All eyes. Heheh.
5)I would TOTALLY buy a CTS book! And then all my friends would slowly edge away from me! But I'd be able to read it each and every day without various people nagging me to stop hogging the computer!
6)Ooh! Go to Egypt! You could see the pyramids and stuff, and get AWESOME comic material, and have lotsa fun!! If you miss some strips after all, don't worry, we're totally understanding. You know we love you no matter what you do. Unless what you do involves, you know, a plan to destroy all of mankind. That's MY job, understand?
7)You make me smile every day. (Well, every day a new strip goes up. If it doesn't, I kind of don't think about it... heheh...)
8)You created the best comic I've ever read, and you're worried about deserving us???