Ahoy hoy, to all my wonderful fans!
I'm so glad to see you all.
How was your New Years? How were your holidays? How is LIFE!?
Around this time last year, things were really looking down for TransCat, and I was lamenting about how I was worried this project could no longer sustain itself, and that I would have to stop, or reel it back considerably.
I'm happy to report that this year, things are starting to actually look up!
I took the second course of action this year and reeled things back considerably.
I only went to a few cons (four to be exact) and all of them were local (except for Sac Anime).
Apart from that, I've been really, really trying to pick up my online presence, which is nice because it doesn't cost me anything but time. I'm happy to have seen some good returns on that commitment, too.
I only released one book, as opposed to my usual four, and focused a lot on creating short, digital comics I put either on the site, or on my Patreon. More to come on that, by the way. Check it out early and often!
I'd like to say my prudence and my shift of strategy has worked out great for me this year, and the bleak, dismal mood of last year has finally lifted. I feel like maybe one more year committed to this format will in fact lift me out of my financial troubles, and will send me on the road back to putting my literal all into the con scene, and book releasing. The year of our lord Twenty Nineteen will be when the future of TransCat TRULY takes shape, but for now, I must lay my roots in the present.
So what ARE my plans for 2018?
Well, I don't have many yet, but I'll lay 'em out for you right now.
First and foremost, I want to release my Graphic Novel. That is THE thing I've been working on the hardest this last year (and am still working on tbh). That's gonna be the BIG thing right about now, finishing that. It's gonna be issues #1 - #6, and there's still a lotta editing to be done. I wanna make absolutely sure that the final product you get is the best, possible version of itself it can possibly be.
Finishing that ASAP is my top priority.
Secondly, The TransCat soundtrack is still in development. I wanna release that alongside the graphic novel if possible, but if I can't swing that, releasing it afterwards wouldn't be such a big problem. It's definitely second priority next to the novel, but still a priority.
Thirdly, I have appearances at WonderCon and Fanime already booked.
No cons for the Winter, but I'll be picking it all up in the spring.
Other cons I'm looking at are Sac Anime and Sac Con, Queer Comics Expo, Crunchy Roll Expo and, if I can swing it, maybe I'll make another appearance at Alternative Press Expo. Hell, if they HAVE one, I'd love to be at a Gaymer X, or a similarly themed convention sometime this year.
I think these are realistic con goals, and even if I only get to half of them, it'll be a great year.
Fourth, I wanna engage with my audience online a lot more.
I has a semi successful campaign this holiday season where I sent out Christmas cards to subscribers. I wanna do more things like that. I have something planned like that looming up on the horizon already, so please do keep an eye out for that.
Finally, In my time off, I've penciled at least two new TransCat issues (you can see one of them in its entirety on my Patreon, if you become a subscriber). I've also begun a third, and I think finishing and releasing any one of those books would be a great final goal for 2018.
And yeah, that's about it! Or at least that's it for 2018. I have other, BIGGER plans in mind for years to come, but a lot of that will be dependent on the whole money situation clearing up and getting better. I have faith in myself and my abilities, I know that this is something I can do, and hopefully sooner rather than later.
The TransCat storyline has exploded in my mind as of recently and I have WAY too many ideas to give up on. I swear, by the time I get my ass back on track, this machine is gonna chug along at an intense pace. I swear, we've got the story line for the next TEN TransCat issues solidly set, and the groundwork for the next twenty or so taking shape. Trust me, I have this all handled, and these stories WILL make it out to you soon! I won't leave you hanging for too long!
So let's talk about 2017 a little bit!
I know you COULD just re-read past entries in this blog if you wanted a recap on what went on this year, but i think a little end of the year wrap-up is just what the doctor ordered.
So as I said before, I began this year in despair. I was in the middle of working on TransCat issue #8 when I had gotten the news from my family that we were in Trouble with a capital T.
I dropped basically everything I was doing (except for a few already scheduled appearances) and set to work helping my family out (while at the same time, still trying to help myself) with a couple of night jobs that I juggled alongside my regular work schedule.
Things changed, but slowly, and it took me awhile before I started to feel secure enough to start even working on Transcat again. I managed to finish up Issue #8 and Released it in March, and took it on a short tour of four cons and one special appearance at the Shculz Museum in Santa Rosa, where I talked to a room full of kids about the challenges and rewards associated with a career in cartooning. Don't worry, I sufficiently sugar coated it for them.
I was also invited to an even put on by the Cartoon Art Museum where I got to read to a crowd (this time a more mature one) from one of my comics. I chose to read to them form the as of yet unpublished TransCat Issue #9, to help try and get hype going, so if you were at the event, you got a special sneak peek!
A TransCat story was accepted by a publication from Stacked Deck Press, and is set to release sometime this year after a phenomenally successful Kickstarter campaign. Some of my art will also be featured in a colouring book put out by the same publisher.
For being on hiatus, I certainly was busy.
I also began live streaming some of my works in progress on my Facebook page, I've made it a weekly ritual, and you're free to tune in any Saturday to check out what the heck I'm working on.
I'm considering maybe getting better traffic if I joined a thing like Picarto, or maybe even a Youtube channel! Who knows? Things to consider in the new year.
Also, the most important decision i think I've made, I've consolidated all my various social media platforms under the singular name "TransCat Comics". I am hoping that makes me easier to find on the internets.
So that's 2017 in a nutshell, here's to a happier 2018 that is as productive, if not more.
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