FC2012 ... Should I or Shouldn't I?

[the_gneech]

Okay, I'm really having trouble deciding if I should go to Further Confusion this year, especially after an 8-hour flight and less-than-stellar sales at CFz. (Nothing against the CFz folks, they're all awesome! But I'm just not the rising star I used to be.)

The pros for going are: I'd get to see friends I don't often get to see, I will have the SJ 10-year books by then, which hopefully would generate some interest and sales, and if it goes well I'll get a post-con bounce of creative energy.

The cons for going are: it's a pricey trip, I'm really skating on thin ice with vacation time, it's a 5-hour flight, my sales have been sluggish for a while now and I have no reason to think this might change, without a business partner, running a table is very difficult for me, and if it doesn't go well I might end up depressed.

As you can see, it's a tough choice! So time to do what everybody making a tough decision does: poll the internet!

What do you think, LJ peeps?

[Poll #1741664]

Input welcome and desired! What do you think?

-The Gneech

Comments

[laurie-robey.livejournal.com]

To me, every answer after the top three are invalid. If you decide not to go, it should be because you don't want to go. You have just as much right to be there as anyone else.

[graveyardgreg.livejournal.com]

Mrs. Gneech speaks the truth! Go if you want to!

[bjbuttons.livejournal.com]

As far as going to FC, I cant give you an answer. I have never sold or tried to sell anything at a con, my motivation for going is more to hang around with friends, and have fun, heck I don't even go to most of the panels at a con. I have never been to FC, and I don't think I will be going to FC anytime soon. I do not like large cons, FC is just to big for me, and I even skipped MFF this year. Size was not the only factor, but it was one of the "other " reasons. I guess it depends on how you are looking at a con is the deciding factor. IS going to FC a Business" trip or pleasure. Business trip, you are there to make money 1st, having fun is secondary. You have to look at the costs and travel involved from a pure " am I going to at least break even if not make a profit from this trip?" angle. Pleasure, I am going to have fun, if I can cover my costs by selling so be it, but if I don't that's fine as well. That I think is the question I would be asking myself, Business and taking a loss for the trip? the answer is no stay home, pleasure and to have fun, and maybe cover part of the costs? answer would be Yes go to FC

[indigoangelcat.livejournal.com]

Personally FC is one of my fave cons because of your pros and the fact that CA is more open to "the unusual" than the eastern states. Jen and I didn't go last year because of the costs and the fact that my job isn't giving me the time off that they used to. If you have been seeing sales declining, maybe try more of the local cons (I am driving up to FAU next weekend to check it out, and I am interested in doing Katsucon next year- if you are interested in doing a table there let me know and we could get connecting tables).

I cannot make the call for you, but I know from personal experience, it is easier to do the local stuff and start branching out from there (heck, you could drive in each day for Katsucon)

[kensterfox.livejournal.com]

If you go, I promise I'll buy the anniversary books from you there. And give you a place to advertise them in a gameshow, don't forget!

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, there's $90 covered! ;)

-TG

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

My opinion will change based on whether I am going to Further Confusion, which I won't know until I know whether I have a full-time teaching job next year to allow me to pay for such an adventure.

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Srsly.... Do whatcha think will be best... you are right, it's a combination... not any single thing that we decide with... :>

Localized peak of excellence

[rowyn]

shaterri uses this term -- "localized peak of excellence" -- to describe why people stay in a position that they're not really in love with. It's like hiking all the way up to the top of one mountain, and then you get up there and you see that it's not actually the highest mountain around. There's these other mountains that are higher or nicer that you'd rather be at the top of, but to get to them you'd have to climb back down from where you are and then climb all the way back up again only *even higher*. And it took so long to get to the top of this one, and who knows if you'd even make it as far if you try another? Staying on the one you're already at the top of feels very tempting.

I have no idea if this applies to you or not, but the way you talk about being a furry comic artist does kinda make it sound like your heart's not in it.

My advice would be to go if you want to! Not because you're afraid of what will happen if you don't, though.

Re: Localized peak of excellence

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

That's a pretty nifty analogy, actually. :) I wouldn't say it covers all of it, but there's certainly some truth there!

-TG

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

What is your objective for going? To make money selling comics, or to have a good time? If the former then no, the trip would probably not be to your liking and there are closer cons to you later on. If the latter, go and have fun.

And if you lament the fact that you don't have a comic at the moment, well, the only one preventing you from creating a new comic is you. How about "A glitch in the matrix" where a small group of hackers is hell bent on finding ways to defeat the evil matrix and free humanity. (spoiler: there is no matrix, everyone is tilting at windmills to comedic effect, and once in awhile something profound is discovered.)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't particularly lament not having a comic at the moment ... I'm just as happy to have a break from that. :) I do kinda lament that without a comic behind it, my art doesn't seem to have as much general appeal, but that's a whole other topic.

-TG

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

If your art is drawing primarily from the comic, then yes, without the live comic going your viewers will be lost and less excited about character Y. Hitting the Bloom County note once again, how many Opus items do you see on the shelves today versus how many you saw in the late 80s and early 90s? Was a time you couldn't enter a gift shop without seeing a stuffed penguin -- after the strip ended, there was no longer any reason to care about him.