When you find that sweet spot during creating
As some of you may know, I work occasionally on some comic stuff. Not professionally, but my own stories. I've gotten two comic strips published (one became shortlisted in a humor contest) and I've been creating a slow and infrequent stream of comics over time.
For one particular fellowship I applied for, I created a 20-page graphic novel within a month and a half. Let me say I will not do that again! I didn't get the reward, but I learned more about myself as an artist in a more urgent medium. Similar to when I am involved in Inktober, the October event where artists globally participate by creating an ink illustration a day.
Why am I saying all this?
That's because I think I found the style I needed for one particular story. Tentative title is "Summer to Winter" and it's from my main character's poem. She falls in love for the first time and with her high school homeroom teacher. Before you screech to a halt, don't worry, I don't normalize abusive relationships in my stories. As a writer, I try to depict violence for what it is - something abnormal that can be overcome through solidarity, healthy emotional support systems, and the idea that the vulnerable and the oppressed need protecting as well as dignity and respect.
During graduation, she lets her teacher know how she feels about him before they part ways. They keep in contact during her college years but part ways again before both come back into each other's life through a crisis. Eventually, through trial and error, they become a couple. The story does not end there. There are other secondary and tertiary characters involved in their own romances and who get their own stories told but all eventually revolve around the former student and her former teacher's romance because the other cast members were from her class or her school.
This story started in the early 2000s and because I wanted to be one of the next U.S. manga creator, I purchased actual comic paper from my local comic bookstore. I tried inking with nibs -you know, dipping nib pens into ink bottles?- I even used an ink wash with paintbrushes. Yes, I was INSANE.
It turns out that it took me a month to create ONE PAGE. A MONTH. I would need 200 years of life to complete this story, so I scrapped it!
Years later, I tried a line art style. Black lines, solid blacks balanced with white. That worked for a time. I worked on regular-size art paper. I created more pages, however, the plotting was all wrong. The pacing had slowed, character motives weren't clearly thought out, it looked good and I was happy with the new look but I wouldn't want to submit this anywhere.
I scrapped it once again. I worked on other things. The same journals I used for other stories, I began scripting some of the more complex comic stories. I applied for freelance work. I submitted to contests, fellowships, and grants (I'm going back to applying for writing grants - wish me luck!). I also worked on other stories and submitted to publications.
And then I opened an Instagram account so I could show partials, unfinished sketches, draft pieces and progressions that I didn't want on my DeviantArt account. That's when I noticed the feedback I received from followers, friends, and colleagues. Another artist friend suggested using markers. I used to use them as a kid but now there were even more sophisticated types and different brands. They can make a piece resemble ink work, ink wash, watercolor, acrylics, and even pastels. Let me try some other formats! Let me experiment and since Instagram isn't commitment, dabble and see the responses.
Former student: This doesn't look like a draft! It looks finished! It looks professional! What markers are these?
Friends: I love your comics! Amazing outcome! Dreamy, steaminess, and romantic.
Colleagues: I know this character is your ideal man. You made this man good looking in just a few strokes. What materials do you use?
Pretty positive and a boost to the confidence I needed to try again. I have also been advised by peers and students as to how to market and I'm doing my research as I go. I also found some illustrator-friendly software while I was researching the software that would makeover my website, so I need to practice that as well.
And as always, thank you for sticking with me. In which ever format this comic story appears, I will let you, my dear readers, know the links and where to view and/or buy it.
A pleasure as always.
