Eisner-nominated cartoonist Sarah Andersen’s strip Sarah’s Scribbles, which mixes observations from her life with jokes about monsters, cats, and weird animals, has been running online for more than 10 years on platforms including Tumblr, Instagram, and GoComics. The fifth and latest Sarah’s Scribbles print collection is titled Adulthood Is a Gift (Andrews McMeel, out now).
How early did you get started making webcomics?
When I was about 19 I started casually uploading them, and they did well. I had started experimenting with comics while I was at art school, but I didn’t know it could be my career.
What do you like about publishing comics online?
I kind of like and not like the same thing, which is seeing people react. I love to see people laughing and expanding on the joke, and it gives me a good idea of what’s funny and pushes me in new directions. At the same time, as someone who’s introverted, it can be intimidating. I have to be careful about what I say and how I say it.
Are there things you have to consider when you collect your comics into print books?
I always draw about 20 new comics for a book. I think about what its theme is and sort of write around that. It’s more in-depth than writing for the internet, because I’m thinking about it in terms of a collection.
How has the webcomics world changed in the decade since you started posting comics?
It’s more mainstream. I feel like, back when I started, there were just a handful of people making webcomics, and now I can’t even keep track, which is awesome and amazing. I love that it’s expanded. Maybe it’s harder to stand out these days, but webcomics are part of the day-to-day meme and social media culture.
You started your comic on Tumblr, and now it’s on multiple sites. What’s the advantage of having more than one online outlet?
I think it’s important for artists to be on as many platforms as they can, because there are different crowds on different platforms. Sometimes I find that a comic will go mega-viral on just one platform. You never know when a joke is going to land, specifically, with one type of audience, and that might be a really big, valuable moment for you that wouldn’t have happened elsewhere.
Have other things changed in the way you focus your comics?
I used to be more internal, writing a lot about myself. Now I’m more external; I write about things I see around me, things I love. I’ve moved a bit away from myself, which I think is a positive thing, because I used to be all ego.
