WebcomicPepTalk

Webcomic Pep Talk

by FenmereTheWorm, of HarmlessFreeRadicals

I've been doing my webcomic for over a year and a half, so I know well your concerns with time and fun. There have been points where I've felt like the fun dissappeared, and I've been forced to take a week or even a month off at times, either from feeling burnt out or too many obligations. And especially now, when I'm beginning to get press here in my home town, I'm beginning to feel like it's a true obligation and it becomes more difficult to write my next comic.

But, I'm finding that despite that, I can still find the fun. This week's comic, though late and a cop out as far as the plot is concerned, has already given me the biggest reward any has to date. I had one of my friends rolling on the ground with laughter just a couple hours ago.

Your first priority is what you get out of it, period. Being a cartoonist isn't necissarily your identity, so your reputation as an artist won't necissarily hinge on how well it goes. So don't start one until you're really inspired by the whole concept. And you'll know you're really inspired when you find yourself story boarding it two months worth in one night.

Then have at it, call it an experiment, and quit when you can't do it anymore. It'll be a great experience whether you keep it up or not. And you will come up with new projects, I garauntee it. The trick there is to decide whether or not to take them on.

I guess my advice is NOT to think about it. Just do it and keep your expectations relatively low to begin with. The first one's always for practice, and you can always go back and rework the old strips at a later date when the cartooning comes easy. And if it turns out it's too much, stop, take a deep breath and try again when you FEEL ready (not when you THINK you are). Right now, you must go by feeling, the thinking comes later.

Or you can say, aw frack it, and not do a web comic. You won't be a lesser person for it. I just highly recommend the attempt.