Once at a family party. . . I couldn't remember a woman's name to introduce her to someone, and the look on her face. .. I felt like a miniature cockroach about to be squashed.
Sometimes hearing brilliant writers inspires me, sometimes I get this "I will never write like that" notion stuck on endless loop in my brain. Maybe if I spend the evening scribbling Romans I can drown out the loop :P
So, I quit my day job--where's the fame and fortune? Hmmmm??
I was thinking of trying to do something painfully from the heart for 24-hour Comics Day on Saturday. I'll try not to worry about anatomy, although if I'm not worrying about anatomy, it's not going to take 24 hours to fill 24 pages :) (When I'm worrying about anatomy, yah, it could take 24 hours to fill one page.) I'd rather draw about, oh, spacemen on Mars, but that wouldn't be a deep, meaningful story for the ages--uhm, yeah, see, I've probably been thinking too much about some of the theories in that Scott McCloud book. He's not always entirely coherent in expressing his theories, but he did make me think about the value of what I do.
Which can be paralysing.
I've been told. rumour has it, they say, so I hear, that a rather successful, quite talented webcomic artist has decided to end the comic and try to figure out something "better" to do after reading Making Comics. Maybe that book is like the Necromonicon or the v secret diaries of Cthulhu or something, cursing the reader with demons from nethery places....
It's Charles from Sordid City Blues (http://www.sordidcityblues.com). He says on his website he's just a bit burned out at the moment and indicates he made the decision before reading McCloud, so perhaps Scott McCloud has not channelled the elder gods into his new book after all (though there is a whiff of the eldritch hovering over it). Here's an excerpt from the Sordid City Blues site:
"So, the long version: Sordid City Blues is good. I say that as a person with really pathetic self esteem. ... And it's gotten a decent response - not a lot of readers, but good press and some tips of the hat from people I respect. ... It has not, however, knocked the general public's socks off. There’s no shame in that; it's a hard thing to do in today's information-rich environment. ... Anyway, I think that one of the reasons peoples socks remain on their feet when they read my stuff is that it is very rough. It comes out of a place deep inside me, Henry Darger-style, and I've been in a hurry to get it out. So it kind of looks like a really happy, lazy Sin City. I can do better. So, I'm taking a break. I am going to relax, draw for fun, and think about my craft. Maybe read Scott McCloud's new book (and by the way, if you get the chance to hear him speak, go). Pick a comic series from the half dozen or so I've been floating around in my head, and see if it will run."
I guess I should stop floating around the urban legend that Scott McCloud is feeding webcomic-artists' souls to the devil.
Hey, I just went and read all the Sordid City Blues. I'll go leave him some positive vibes (knocked *my* socks off, but maybe I'm not the general public he's seeking). Funny thing is that I was just wondering today if this low-self-esteem thing kicks in with higher estrogen levels or something. I guess it happens to many of us, no matter our chromosomal makeup. You *are* a great writer, by the way, and can probably fix the grammar in that last sentence.
I'm still struggling to have something to put on the table. All my big plans evaporated while I was lying around feeling hurty. furboajerboa lass is going to help me, though.
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no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 02:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 02:22 am (UTC)Thanks for the recent strips!
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 03:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 02:36 am (UTC)My dear, sweet friend. :) You're a fantastic writer, and anybody can screw up introductions. It's not a flaw; it's just a minor slip.
And your artwork is superb. If I were half as able to convey emotion and action in my scribblings as you, I'd quit my day job.
--Kris
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 03:22 am (UTC)So, I quit my day job--where's the fame and fortune? Hmmmm??
:)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 04:41 am (UTC)It didn't.
In fact, it actually paralyzed me.
My suggestion, put all of the books on the shelf and write from your heart.
I have a feeling the greatest stories are in there. :)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 01:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 02:38 pm (UTC)Which can be paralysing.
I've been told. rumour has it, they say, so I hear, that a rather successful, quite talented webcomic artist has decided to end the comic and try to figure out something "better" to do after reading Making Comics. Maybe that book is like the Necromonicon or the v secret diaries of Cthulhu or something, cursing the reader with demons from nethery places....
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 02:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 04:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 05:37 pm (UTC)"So, the long version: Sordid City Blues is good. I say that as a person with really pathetic self esteem. ... And it's gotten a decent response - not a lot of readers, but good press and some tips of the hat from people I respect. ... It has not, however, knocked the general public's socks off. There’s no shame in that; it's a hard thing to do in today's information-rich environment. ... Anyway, I think that one of the reasons peoples socks remain on their feet when they read my stuff is that it is very rough. It comes out of a place deep inside me, Henry Darger-style, and I've been in a hurry to get it out. So it kind of looks like a really happy, lazy Sin City. I can do better. So, I'm taking a break. I am going to relax, draw for fun, and think about my craft. Maybe read Scott McCloud's new book (and by the way, if you get the chance to hear him speak, go). Pick a comic series from the half dozen or so I've been floating around in my head, and see if it will run."
I guess I should stop floating around the urban legend that Scott McCloud is feeding webcomic-artists' souls to the devil.
But it would be a kinda fun rumour to start....
no subject
Date: 2006-10-06 03:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 04:23 pm (UTC)You are a very good writer. And a damned talented artist too!
ANNNDDD... it's just what? About a week away we get to play? Yay! Yay! Whoo hoo!
We're going to have so much fun! Maybe we'll make up a new world or something. That's always fun!
Luv ya!
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 09:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 09:18 pm (UTC)