It’s been almost a month since the launch of Trial of the Trolls on this site. It’s hilarious to call it a launch since I’ve done none of the things commonly associated with launching anything; no press releases, no cozying up to friends and media and almost no tweeting on my part. Why?

This story is not about extracting as much as I can from you, the reader, in my pursuit for self fulfillment, fame and money. I’m pretty sure Trial of the Trolls will grant me none of those things and that’s okay. I want it to help people and you can’t force help on people who don’t know they need it. It hurts in those situations. So, my approach has been gentler with semi-regular posts on Instagram and Twitter. My existing Instagram account was already dedicated to my art so I used that for panel details and sneak peaks. On Twitter, I created a separate account for just the comics peeps so I could directly address people interested in my comics. One month in, I’ve already learned how wrong I was. There was no traffic to the site coming from either source. Why? I realized I use social media differently than others. For me, it is always a portal to something I never would have otherwise been exposed to. It’s my diving board for new ideas and visuals. When I post to Instagram, I think I’m posting something that will whet your appetite for more. Sadly the results indicate that most folks prefer to browse the imagery rather than explore any of them further. Same with the comics Twitter; zero engagement. I may have gotten a few clicks but I suspect the fact that this comic is different than expected was the only excuse needed to not come back. Gift not received.

So I’ve closed both my Instagram and comic Twitter accounts forever. This wasn’t a rash or spiteful decision. All future updates on any social media will be on my main Twitter account @infurnari for the time being. I invite you to follow me or join my newsletter to get the latest news and information.

I have a weekly strip that I’m working on as well as beginning some painting. My creativity is ramping up and there will be many more new things arriving at www.joeinfurnari.com

I hope you’ll join me.

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