We need to hear from you. Please read this carefully.
We have 15 members now. FIFTEEN members ! And 34 comics. And over five hundred unique readers average per day. Wowsah.When I started this site four years ago, I figured we'd get a group of five or six or so artists together and perhaps a few comics. It's all grown so damn big, it's hard to believe.
Which makes this very hard for me to write. Because I've always loved the whole Probeersel.com project dearly and I love that it's fairly successful.
But I may need to quit. Between Probeersel.com and ClickBurg I'm getting way too busy with everything and I'm more and more exhausted these days. I love every minute of it because both projects really have a heart AND a whole lot of people eagerly supporting it, but I'm really getting overworked. And I want to know that I'm getting overworked for a reason. If not, I may have to consider pulling the plug on some activities and projects, for the sake of my own sanity and wallet. And focus on my comics themselves instead.
This is not a shout-out to the artists to publish less or anything, nor is it a shout-out to the staff. Because I know that if I really would quit, several of them would most likely continue what we were doing here. That's not why I'm writing this. I'm not quitting. Yet. But I might.
It's a shout-out to readers of this site who want it to continue to exist. I want to hear from you all. Everyone who isn't a Probeersel.com artist and wants the site to continue, please respond. Let us know that you treasure this site. Write what you like best about it. Write which artists you admire, or which comics. Or in any case, be honest about it, write which comics you don't like, or wether or not you care about the site. I want to hear it all for once. I've enabled anonymous comments in hope that everyone will feel free to give us honest feedback. I really want to know, because if this site should continue, it will need to grow drastically - everything will have to become bigger and better. New design, improved technology, more promotion, more artists, more comics, more involvement with our audience, more hosting expenses, the works. But if it turns out that no one really cares.. why should we bother then ? Why wouldn't I just up and quit then and leave things in no doubt capable hands of whoever wants to continue it ? I really, really, REALLY need to know if it's worth it all. So please tell me.
How do you feel about Probeersel.com ?
Comments
How do I have to read this, René? Do you REALLY want to quit, or is this shout-out primarily meant to get positive acclaim?
Personally, I appreciate Probeersel.com for its non-conformist comics and cartoons. I already reviewed The Grim Dotcom (your own comic) and RexRex (by Troy Titane), and I did an online interview with Bandirah. If your and their work didn't reach me in some ways, I'd never done that.
Not everything on the site inspires me, though. I'm no fan of Benjamin Kikkert, for instance, and I don't bother about Béné leaving the bunch last year. Furthermore, the design could be upgraded to something more modern and subtle. The deep blue is not really my thing.
But don't get me wrong: Probeersel must do what Probeersel already does. Publishing online comics, that is. Enjoy it, and make other people enjoy too. If it is too much work for you, let the other members take over your duties. I'm sure they will keep the Probeersel spirit alive.
This is not a cry for volunteers or whatever, nor is it for pity. Nor for positive acclaim. I really just want to know - and you already answered it above, thank you for that - what this site does to its readers. The positive, the negative, everything. From that, I'll make my own decision what to do. That's all. But it's fairly important.
I do want you to make it bigger and BIGGER.. but you also need to deal with clickburg, your own weekly and everything around it.
its not smart having to deal with everything your dealing right now, its not healthy.
I suggest you really find someone that can replace, or help you. so you can spend more time on drawing. or maybe find someone that can take over probeerself.com for you. then you can keep your weekly and just deal with clickburg.. (or is that still too much?) Replacement and assistance is what you need.
You know how I feel about Probeersel and this unique entrance (for me) to the webcomic world and its effects on you (both positive and negative). You have to do what is best for you, in my opinion.
As for what I like/don't like about it, I like all of it that I can read. If I ever learn Dutch, all will be well. I haven't come across a comic in English (or without words) that I didn't enjoy on some level. I would completely understand if you gave up some of your duties, and I'm sure someone can carry it on with the same spirit you created it. Again, my opinion is that you should do what's best for you and let the chips fall where they may.