What do YOU do about filler?

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

Why would anyone do that?

[JTigerclaw]

Like I said earlier, when I see people do it, I figure it is better than nothing. At least I'm seeing new work, even if it's not story progression, even if it's not the same. I guess we all view it differently.

I agree with Duff. As a reader, I'd rather see something new rather than nothing at all, as long as it doesn't go on for weeks. However, this is talking about viewing the front page of the comic, the newest comic as opposed to the archive, where the fact that the artist didn't have enough time to get the comic up doesn't really come into play. Also, remember that "filler" doesn't have to be a 15 minute pencil sketch with no words, it can also be a funny joke that just didn't fit in the story, and in my case, rather than take all 15 hours or whatever to get a comic done, I can just take 4 hours and get a simple yet funny gag comic out there for the day.

Also, while a separate section would be nice, I wonder how many people would even think to look at it, even if they are sure to enjoy the funny jokes within. It takes a certain amount of dedication/boredom to click on a link that says "Filler!", even if the filler isn't just random sketches. Plus, the nice thing about archives is there is a next button.

I stay on track by treating the comic sort of like a job: I do the work and get it done on time. Working on the comic thus becomes a habit. If I started putting time into filler, I'd fall out of the habit of working on the comic.

Man, once you start thinking of the comic as a job, it loses 90% of its appeal. Work =/= fun. I prefer to let my obligation to my fans and my desire to have a very good webcomic inspire me to continue when I start losing steam.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

I used to treat my comic as a job. But it was getting in the way of the Job I actually get paid for.

[Brigid]

Granted, I haven't done much drawing outside the comic once I started the comic, but to not have anything lying around? *boggles the mind*

I say let the author do what he/she will with the story. If nothing else, filler give the readers something new to look at and gives the author an opportunity to explain why the story isn't progressing. The most annoying thing to me is when a comic goes on an indefinite hiatus with no indication that the author is even still around.

There's one comic I've been following that's been on hiatus for over a year. At this point I'd be satisfied with a pixelly image of a notepad with a ransom note saying the comic's been taken hostage.

[BrownEyedCat]

There's one comic I've been following that's been on hiatus for over a year. At this point I'd be satisfied with a pixelly image of a notepad with a ransom note saying the comic's been taken hostage.

I've been following a comic that updates every year or so. I'd be happy if he just fixed the goddamn archives so that the second image of every multipage comic would actually show up!

I doubt if he even read my eloquent and non-demanding email asking him to. *sniffs*

[JTigerclaw]

There's one comic I've been following that's been on hiatus for over a year. At this point I'd be satisfied with a pixelly image of a notepad with a ransom note saying the comic's been taken hostage.

That happened to a comic that I read. I think it caused me to almost hate the guy, since he was still attempting to sell things while being completely absent from the comic site while his fans begged him to come back. And then he came back a year later like nothing had happened and resumed trying futilly to update once a month or something. It's quite frustrating to say the least.

[Leujin]

Personally, I like to use filler to help me get caught up with things. Granted, my comic gets delayed anyway, but it helps to have my friend come in and make some filler so my readers aren't staring at the same page for weeks at a time. Besides, this aforementioned friend is the person who helped me get the comic off the ground in the first place, so it's nice to give her something to do other than just bounce ideas off of me. Trouble is, her style is radically different than the normal style of my comic. That, and when I'm involved in a convoluted story it breaks up the pace.

[Keffria]

I like to throw "filler" up on my Livejournal -- that way, I let people know I'm still alive, but I avoid breaking up the storyline.

As for filler in other people's comics, I guess it's kind of annoying to see a "HIATUS" notice or something right in the middle of an archive, but I'm not opposed to sketches and such, especially when the filler is, say, between chapters where it can't interrupt the flow.

[Brigid]

There's one comic I've been following that's been on hiatus for over a year. At this point I'd be satisfied with a pixelly image of a notepad with a ransom note saying the comic's been taken hostage.

That happened to a comic that I read. I think it caused me to almost hate the guy, since he was still attempting to sell things while being completely absent from the comic site while his fans begged him to come back. And then he came back a year later like nothing had happened and resumed trying futilly to update once a month or something. It's quite frustrating to say the least.

I think we're thinking of two different comics. (The one I'm thinking of doesn't sell stuff, for one thing.)

Filler on the LJ sounds like a cool idea. I try to update my journal with something at least once every other week or so.

[JTigerclaw]

I think we're thinking of two different comics.

Yeah, I was pretty sure we were.