Tips on staying focused with collection 0

[NoMan]

Things are falling apart over here on the "staying focused" part of comic collecting. Tips anyone?

Edited April 30, 2017 by NoMan

[Bird]

Cull the herd. Nothing focuses your collecting thoughts like selling.

[ADAMANTIUM]

1 minute ago, Bird said:

Cull the herd. Nothing focuses your collecting thoughts like selling.

deep but true

[Bird]

1 minute ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

deep but true

That's what she said.

[Readcomix]

4 minutes ago, NoMan said:

Things are falling apart over here on the "staying focused" part of comic collecting. Tips anyone?

Waaaaay easier said than done....that said, what is your focus and the reasons behind that choice? Go back over your reasons; if the decision is still sound, at least you know it's not that your interest is moving away from your focus.

Is your "creep" toward a logical expansion/broadening of your current focus? Other than that, the most common deviation I allow is a strategic acquisition that I know I can sell or trade for more value, poured back into my collecting goals.

And of course it's okay to still be a reader. If I see cheap books I've always wanted to read, even if I know I might lose a few dollars turning them loose again, that has to be okay sometimes. Mind you, I'm not buying gold and silver keys to read once and sell fast at a loss, but I'm talking about finally finding that short run that ought to be in a dollar box, and it's six books at $3 each instead, or somesuch. At that level, it's just entertainment consumption like anything else from a book to a movie to a class to a bucket at a driving range etc. Whatever your other hobbies may be.

Hope this helps you kick it around, especially since your boardie name was my favorite Thunder Agent!

[ADAMANTIUM]

Just now, Bird said:

That's what she said.

Insert Friday and DDDDaahhhhuuuMMMM

[FineCollector]

1 hour ago, NoMan said:

Things are falling apart over here on the "staying focused" part of comic collecting. Tips anyone?

What is your focus?  If your focus is too narrow, you'll never find anything to buy, get bored, and try other stuff instead.  If your focus is too broad ("significant issues" or "covers I like") your budget will run out long before your potential buying pool.

[oakman29]

2 hours ago, NoMan said:

Things are falling apart over here on the "staying focused" part of comic collecting. Tips anyone?

Focus is all about self control. Dont buy every little shiny trinket that catches your eye. stick with a plan to completion, then move on to the next focus. I guarantee you'll have one hell of a collection that is free of bullspit drek.

[jcjames]

Currently I am in the "acutely-focusing my collection" phase as well.  Here's my plan:

Step 1: Take half of what you own, and sell it.

Step 2: Then take half of what's left, and sell that.

I'm deep into Step 1 and I've gone through nearly all of my collection and pulled out a little more than half of all my books and separated them out into "sell" boxes without even giving them a second thought. It was so liberating.

I think after Step 2 I will be left with an acutely-focused,  incredibly meaningful and probably highly-valuable yet easily-managed collection.

The trick is to know the difference between what you really want and what you don't really want.

[lizards2]

4 hours ago, NoMan said:

Things are falling apart over here on the "staying focused" part of comic collecting. Tips anyone?

I've got nothing.  

Just under 50 years of scatter gunning has worked for me. 

[NoMan]

6 hours ago, jcjames said:

Currently I am in the "acutely-focusing my collection" phase as well.  Here's my plan:

Step 1: Take half of what you own, and sell it.

Step 2: Then take half of what's left, and sell that.

I'm deep into Step 1 and I've gone through nearly all of my collection and pulled out a little more than half of all my books and separated them out into "sell" boxes without even giving them a second thought. It was so liberating.

I think after Step 2 I will be left with an acutely-focused,  incredibly meaningful and probably highly-valuable yet easily-managed collection.

The trick is to know the difference between what you really want and what you don't really want.

Yup. That is the trick. I think, for me, just saying out loud things are getting a little scattered is enough. We'll see.

[NoMan]

9 hours ago, lizards2 said:

I've got nothing.  

Just under 50 years of scatter gunning has worked for me. 

That was working for me for a while. But it's a fine line. And the line blurred. Thanks for the input lizards2. I always enjoy your posts. 

[lizards2]

38 minutes ago, NoMan said:

9 hours ago, lizards2 said:

I've got nothing.  

Just under 50 years of scatter gunning has worked for me. 

That was working for me for a while. But it's a fine line. And the line blurred. Thanks for the input lizards2. I always enjoy your posts. 

The biggest problem I see with focus on individual title/series is that you end up paying too much to complete that title/series.  I instead focus on targets of opportunity (nice stuff obtained on the cheap).

[F For Fake]

As I get older, it gets easier to start selling, and once you break the ice on selling, it's much easier to KEEP selling. That is how I was able to narrow my focus. Of course, it also helps that I mostly collect super cheap books.

[Architecht]

15 hours ago, NoMan said:

Things are falling apart over here on the "staying focused" part of comic collecting. Tips anyone?

You could try a registry set. Whether you prefer a competitive or a custom set - either way, the format itself encourages you to think about the theme of your collecting and participate in something with a goal and a focus.

[NoMan]

10 minutes ago, Architecht said:

You could try a registry set. Whether you prefer a competitive or a custom set - either way, the format itself encourages you to think about the theme of your collecting and participate in something with a goal and a focus.

Good idea. Don't even enter my mind. Thanks!

[lizards2]

15 minutes ago, Architecht said:

15 hours ago, NoMan said:

Things are falling apart over here on the "staying focused" part of comic collecting. Tips anyone?

You could try a registry set. Whether you prefer a competitive or a custom set - either way, the format itself encourages you to think about the theme of your collecting and participate in something with a goal and a focus.

Or you could just try being a jerk!

[porcupine48]

2 hours ago, lizards2 said:

Or you could just try being a jerk!

[Architecht]

2 hours ago, lizards2 said:

Or you could just try being a jerk!

Sorry, what is the point you are making?

[Kevin76]

2 hours ago, NoMan said:

Good idea. Don't even enter my mind. Thanks!

It's a trap