How far in advance do you usually upload?

[Xwhy]

Just curious because I've hit both extremes, I think.

How far in advance do people update? How many strips/pages in advance?
Do you have a bunch "in the bank"? or do you fly by the seat of your pants?

I've had points where I had five or six or so ready to go -- which was one of the reasons I decided to update every two days instead of every three days -- and I've had times where I uploaded a strip a few hours before it was to be posted. (There were circumstances other than laziness involved, but that played a minor part.)

What's the comfort level for folks?
I'm shooting for 2-3 in advance so I'm good for maybe a week if something happens.

[Guildmaster Van]

Two-weeks to a month in advance is the standard recommended norm for webcomics.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

I suck, so I draw mine a day or two before I have to update.

[TRI]

We're supposed to update?

Two-weeks to a month is good.
More is always better.

[Ninjashira]

I draw really fast, so I've got like two month's worth of comics uploaded ahead of time. On the one hand, it's really cool, cause as long as I name the files right, I never have to worry about missing an update. On the other hand, sometimes I forget which strip is uploading that day, or I lose track of what's going on. So everytime someone emails me about the strip, I have to go back and check and see how far along the comic is right now.

[RobertBr]

I'm fairly new to it and working with someone else. Mostly due to my desire to have some scope for things messing up we started with about 16 pages ready, though since I don't do the upload I don't know exactly how many were uploaded. At one a week that is a 4 month buffer, but you'd be amazed how rapidly it shrinks.

Robert

[Xwhy]

I draw really fast, so I've got like two month's worth of comics uploaded ahead of time. On the one hand, it's really cool, cause as long as I name the files right, I never have to worry about missing an update.

The naming system is great. It also makes it easy for me to bump a comic or insert an extra one.
There were two occasions that I remember shuffling things around a little -- a tribute comic for Arthur C. Clarke and a comment on the mess with former NY Gov Eliot Spitzer. (In the latter case, I couldn't resist that he was Client Number 9 at the Emperor's Club and my character number "9" plays tennis, so he was a member of the Emperor's Racquet Club.)

[Boozeathon4billion]

I have a lot of stuff planned out and jotted down, but I draw the day before to keep myself fresh and fast. I also find it being more current to what is going on in and around my life, which is kind of important when you just do one frame an update. If I was doing a strip comic again, I'd want around a month in advance though.

[Td501]

I dream of having a backlog. Just never have had the time. I manually post my comic as soon as I'm done with it - which is usually between 9PM and midnight on Sunday. I try to keep to a strict schedule, though, to ensure timely updates. Do dialog on Monday, sketch two frames each on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (Wednesdays are LAN party night ), 'ink' on Saturday, and color on Sunday.

Sometimes I can get a day or two ahead of myself, but that 'backlog' quickly disappears. For instance, now that LARP season is in full swing, I lose a couple weekends a month, and have to struggle hard to make up that time earlier in those weeks.

Last year I just didn't bother to update if I had something going on that week, but then I only got 37 updates the entire year. Bit of a disappointment. Haven't missed an update yet this year (anniversary was October 12), and I'm trying very hard to keep this streak going.

Currently half a day ahead in my schedule, but will be back in the woods this weekend. Going to have to hit the grindstone and finish sketching tomorrow, and then tackle both inking and coloring on Sunday.

[KWill]

I had a few months when I started out and it slowly dwindled down to days before my computer broke and I was forced to stop.

[Warofwinds]

"Advance?" What is this word? <_<

[Paradox]

When I started up I had 10 strips set and made and a bunch more scripted...Then due to my own lazyness, 10 updates later they ran out . I now make my strips as needed. This has meant that one or two updates have been missed due to circumstances beyond my control, or due to simple lazyness, but yeah...I haven't really had a 'buffer' since day one.

[Wendybird]

I'm at the most extreme - I've got comics for the beginning of September uploaded. At two a week, that's what, 34 or so? I started out with 16 and updated once a week, and since then my goal has been to increase my buffer. It's got its disadvantages, but since my comic is primarily a fantasy story, I want to be constantly working on what comes next, so I'll stay interested and involved until the end of the story.

The main disadvantage I find (since I'm really just starting out) is that when someone gives me constructive criticism of what's on the site, I'm tempted to just say, "oh, I'm better at that now."

Every time a strip goes up, though, I go back and look at it and upload some notes. This is often a few hours before, but I know my friends look forward to my rants. I just have to not mention the future of the plot.

[Guyford]

I'm at the most extreme - I've got comics for the beginning of September uploaded. At two a week, that's what, 34 or so?

Man, I wish I had a buffer... With the exception of a few pages, I almost always end up cutting it really close to update day (which is anywhere in between "right before update day" or "right before the end of update day").

I was thinking of changing the art style back in the beginning, so I could crank out more pages (I draw fast but it takes me forever to color), but I ended up sticking with the original look instead.

[Tinfoil]

Since my schedule is random and I base the comics after events as they happen, I don't really have anything "in the bank."

[JTorch]

Buffers are for noobs. Sporadic updates are where it's at.

In other words, I'm a lazy sack of crap.

[R_coon]

I usually upload new comic, oh, about an hour before they are scheduled to go up. Speaking of which I have an update tonight, so I better go start that now.

[Drsaltine2]

Every Sunday, I load up all the strips for the week.

[RadPal]

Buffers are for noobs. Sporadic updates are where it's at.

In other words, I'm a lazy sack of crap.

What he said.

I've been good lately though. I update Mon + Fri. It's Tuesday and I have Friday's done already!!! And I might do Monday's tonight!!!!! (might)

[Robin Pierce]

Depends how long the queue is.