While I've found rare exceptions, in general, I don't trust any creator who publishes or posts too often. How good can anything be when it's being hammered out like a machine? I even back off on proven writers like Cullen Bunn or the heyday of Bendis when he was penning 5-6 comics per month. I just can't trust any of that shit is carefully crafted when it's coming at me through a firehose. (And in the case of Bendis essentially overseeing all of Marvel, this was definitely true.) And indie creators are not free from this: especially when you're the publisher and crowdfunding campaign manager and somehow you're still churning out books on a monthly basis? That's a red flag to me. You might prove me wrong, but still a red flag.
I think monthly is certainly manageable, especially if you have a solid process and work with creators with strong skills and good communication. I wouldn't recommend going that route for your first series though. LOL
With that said, I do think it's important to note that you (and probably other savvy readers and crowdfunding supporters) are aware of limitations, are looking for quality products, and likely won't continue support for support's sake if the product continues to be lackluster.
Ha, just the other day after listening to a bunch of motivational videos on YouTube about the importance of pushing through and doing the hard work, I stay late working on a page determined to finish it that day no matter what. The next day not only I was burned out and barely produced anything but also looking at that page I realized how sloppy it ended up looking. And the same basically happens every time I listen to those voices about productivity and results. Yet the best result happen when I just sit with the work and get in the flow without thinking about the outcome.
I very much agree that listening to intuition and living accordingly is the best approach.
Yeah, part of the problem is when a writer feels the pull to slow down and rewrite/revise but instead bows down to the pressure to finish faster. I can appreciate deadlines. I can appreciate knowing when good is good enough (as in, another revision pass is just perfectionism). But damn, that shame associated with not creating fast enough, of feeling less-than just because some influencers suggest quantity is all that matters... yeah, that's a heavy burden I'd like to see more inexperienced writers letting go of.
Damn dude. Really cut to the bone with this one. I write and publish a lot - about one comic a month - and I have to be careful to work ahead, otherwise I’m stuck in a cycle of sub par work to keep up. I believe I’ve mostly managed to avoid that but the pace still takes its toll.
I certainly think one issue a month is manageable from a quality perspective, and you've proven you have the skill and experience to make it work. I'm more worried about how that pressure to create more impacts writers and artists who haven't built their skills, stamina, and processes.
Writing is my day job and my night hobby. During the day, I can write good copy fast. I have a system. I have experience. I know what works.
Fiction is another beast. I didn't start writing comics until I was 40. I'm slow. I obsess over every word. Is the theme clear? Are the voices distinct? Does it have impact?
Fortunately/unfortunately, this approach led to some early success. Now I feel like 1. everything has to be as good as that first project (which slows me down), and 2. I'm running out of time to do anything (which speeds me up). I enjoy writing slowly. It works for me. But I feel pressure to write fast because there's so MUCH I WANT TO DO.
Dude, wait until you’re 50. I wake up thinking how limited my time is. lol
Personally, I like the idea of keeping everything you write as good as the first one. And the more experience you have writing, the faster and more confident you’ll get regardless.
I hope to hear more about your comic projects in the future.
Talk about pressure, in comics :D If you´re not a fast enough artist, you don´t get the monthly (or annual) jobs. If you are not on any titles, you don´t get the spotlight, you pass out of knowledge, like Sauron´s ring.
The Internet is full of excellent creators, that all seem to be more productive than me, or at least so it feels. Any success on social media (outside of the occassional lucky viral stuff) depends on daily output of almost anything. That often produces mediocre results. The pressure is indeed strong.
But I don´t want to be a nolifer, I cherish work life balance, I want to take it slowly. Hence I agree with your intuition and with not rushing.
That work/life balance is a wonderful thing, but I'm one of those people who dive all in for long durations, come up for breath, and realize I'm suddenly overwhelmed. It's easy to notice when you're doing things you don't enjoy doing, but when writing or making comics or anything related to storytelling, I lose myself. It's great, until you realize how much you've taken on. For me, I'm beginning to see it's twofold: first, forget all about the online influencers, and two, don't forget to slow down even when I'm having fun.
I definitely feel that pressure to publish more frequently. Writing is a challenge. It's like hacking away at a rock to uncover the sculpture underneath and that's hard for me. It appears effortless for others, but I also don't know what's going on in their heads either. They could be going through the same trials and tribulations or it's taken them forever and they're only just now sharing their latest work. In any case, I'm trying to focus on what I can control and what I want. I'm not asking anyone's permission to write.
I strongly agree with listening to and trusting your intuition. I have never ever felt shame about not writing more or faster. Writing is deeply personal. Everyone should do so at their own pace and not feel pressure to change.
Maybe shame is too strong of a word, but damn, sometimes the messsge can be relentless. But based on the fact that others don’t sense the pressure, I’m thinking I need to clean up my social media feeds. lol
I've found I have to treat it like what it is. If this is how you make money, treat it as such. If it is fun, make whatever you do regarding that process fun.
Especially if its a hobby. You have to figure out how to make time for your hobbies. If writing isn't fun, you are going to sit down to write and stare at the screen for hours, or you are going to turn to ChatGPT and churn out a bunch of unreadable garbage.
Most important, if you experience some kind of perceived win (selling a book, even selling a single copy, getting a positive review, whatever) make sure you turn that excitement into motivation to continue on (or start a new project).
While I've found rare exceptions, in general, I don't trust any creator who publishes or posts too often. How good can anything be when it's being hammered out like a machine? I even back off on proven writers like Cullen Bunn or the heyday of Bendis when he was penning 5-6 comics per month. I just can't trust any of that shit is carefully crafted when it's coming at me through a firehose. (And in the case of Bendis essentially overseeing all of Marvel, this was definitely true.) And indie creators are not free from this: especially when you're the publisher and crowdfunding campaign manager and somehow you're still churning out books on a monthly basis? That's a red flag to me. You might prove me wrong, but still a red flag.
I think monthly is certainly manageable, especially if you have a solid process and work with creators with strong skills and good communication. I wouldn't recommend going that route for your first series though. LOL
With that said, I do think it's important to note that you (and probably other savvy readers and crowdfunding supporters) are aware of limitations, are looking for quality products, and likely won't continue support for support's sake if the product continues to be lackluster.
😬
Ha, just the other day after listening to a bunch of motivational videos on YouTube about the importance of pushing through and doing the hard work, I stay late working on a page determined to finish it that day no matter what. The next day not only I was burned out and barely produced anything but also looking at that page I realized how sloppy it ended up looking. And the same basically happens every time I listen to those voices about productivity and results. Yet the best result happen when I just sit with the work and get in the flow without thinking about the outcome.
I very much agree that listening to intuition and living accordingly is the best approach.
Yeah, part of the problem is when a writer feels the pull to slow down and rewrite/revise but instead bows down to the pressure to finish faster. I can appreciate deadlines. I can appreciate knowing when good is good enough (as in, another revision pass is just perfectionism). But damn, that shame associated with not creating fast enough, of feeling less-than just because some influencers suggest quantity is all that matters... yeah, that's a heavy burden I'd like to see more inexperienced writers letting go of.
Damn dude. Really cut to the bone with this one. I write and publish a lot - about one comic a month - and I have to be careful to work ahead, otherwise I’m stuck in a cycle of sub par work to keep up. I believe I’ve mostly managed to avoid that but the pace still takes its toll.
I certainly think one issue a month is manageable from a quality perspective, and you've proven you have the skill and experience to make it work. I'm more worried about how that pressure to create more impacts writers and artists who haven't built their skills, stamina, and processes.
Writing is my day job and my night hobby. During the day, I can write good copy fast. I have a system. I have experience. I know what works.
Fiction is another beast. I didn't start writing comics until I was 40. I'm slow. I obsess over every word. Is the theme clear? Are the voices distinct? Does it have impact?
Fortunately/unfortunately, this approach led to some early success. Now I feel like 1. everything has to be as good as that first project (which slows me down), and 2. I'm running out of time to do anything (which speeds me up). I enjoy writing slowly. It works for me. But I feel pressure to write fast because there's so MUCH I WANT TO DO.
Dude, wait until you’re 50. I wake up thinking how limited my time is. lol
Personally, I like the idea of keeping everything you write as good as the first one. And the more experience you have writing, the faster and more confident you’ll get regardless.
I hope to hear more about your comic projects in the future.
Talk about pressure, in comics :D If you´re not a fast enough artist, you don´t get the monthly (or annual) jobs. If you are not on any titles, you don´t get the spotlight, you pass out of knowledge, like Sauron´s ring.
The Internet is full of excellent creators, that all seem to be more productive than me, or at least so it feels. Any success on social media (outside of the occassional lucky viral stuff) depends on daily output of almost anything. That often produces mediocre results. The pressure is indeed strong.
But I don´t want to be a nolifer, I cherish work life balance, I want to take it slowly. Hence I agree with your intuition and with not rushing.
That work/life balance is a wonderful thing, but I'm one of those people who dive all in for long durations, come up for breath, and realize I'm suddenly overwhelmed. It's easy to notice when you're doing things you don't enjoy doing, but when writing or making comics or anything related to storytelling, I lose myself. It's great, until you realize how much you've taken on. For me, I'm beginning to see it's twofold: first, forget all about the online influencers, and two, don't forget to slow down even when I'm having fun.
I definitely feel that pressure to publish more frequently. Writing is a challenge. It's like hacking away at a rock to uncover the sculpture underneath and that's hard for me. It appears effortless for others, but I also don't know what's going on in their heads either. They could be going through the same trials and tribulations or it's taken them forever and they're only just now sharing their latest work. In any case, I'm trying to focus on what I can control and what I want. I'm not asking anyone's permission to write.
Focusing on what we can control is always a great method. And not seeking permission? Music to my ears!
I strongly agree with listening to and trusting your intuition. I have never ever felt shame about not writing more or faster. Writing is deeply personal. Everyone should do so at their own pace and not feel pressure to change.
Maybe shame is too strong of a word, but damn, sometimes the messsge can be relentless. But based on the fact that others don’t sense the pressure, I’m thinking I need to clean up my social media feeds. lol
I've found I have to treat it like what it is. If this is how you make money, treat it as such. If it is fun, make whatever you do regarding that process fun.
Especially if its a hobby. You have to figure out how to make time for your hobbies. If writing isn't fun, you are going to sit down to write and stare at the screen for hours, or you are going to turn to ChatGPT and churn out a bunch of unreadable garbage.
Most important, if you experience some kind of perceived win (selling a book, even selling a single copy, getting a positive review, whatever) make sure you turn that excitement into motivation to continue on (or start a new project).
Well said.