WATCH ECCC: How to Kickstart your comic

Do you ever dream of creating your own comic book? It's never an easy road for first time creators, but Kickstarter's crowdfunding platform has powered numerous comic projects over the past decade. If you're looking to go that route, Camilla Zhang is someone you need to know. She's Kickstarter’s Comics Outreach Lead, and it's her job to help creators sell their comic projects on Kickstarter. At ECCC 2019, Zhang was a guest speaker at the How to Kickstart Your Comic! panel. And she wasn't shy about sharing her advice or clearing up misconceptions.

"People get this misconception about Kickstarter, that it's kind of a moneypot," said Zhang. "You just go there and money magically appears. That's really not the case. The money comes from your community, and you really need to nurture that community."

While Zhang noted that there have been comic projects that brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars, those are usually web comics with a large following. She urged creators to be realistic about their fundraising goals and how many readers they can attract. Zhang also stressed the importance of newsletters and e-mails to get the word out about the projects.

"Believe it or not, e-mail still works," noted Zhang. "It is the strongest driver of pledges. So, the best way you can build community is by going to conventions, meeting people who share similar interests to you, [people] who are working on similar stories, who share your style, and just getting to know them and trying to contribute to the community as well online and offline."

For more Kickstarter comic tips from Zhang, check out the entire video!