Burnout While Wanting to Promote- I Will Get Back to the Comic Strip Later

After a few weeks of dealing with burnout and organizing the studio, I am hoping to get back into creation mode. Its’s sometimes a struggle to force myself to make something. It’s tough to keep going sometimes. I swear I want to get back to the comic strips, as I know the fans that follow this page probably prefer that type of post. However, I have so many projects started, I feel I need to get one or two done first.

I did finish writing my first novel, but few sales are discouraging. I’m not the best at promotion and advertising costs more than I have and I don’t really know the best ways to make ads to begin with. I am more a creator and will stay that way. I hope that some of the folks here also read books, and will want to hear more about mine.

I want to get more work done on book 2 of my novel series. I want to get this comic book done and get some paintings finished but I also don’t want it to be for nothing. I will have to figure some way to sell stuff. I could try patreon and post more often, but I feel sometimes that social media is a waste of time with little return. I do like to scroll through and soak in the creations of others though.

Maybe someone will happen to be interested in sci-fi books and want to hear about someone with bipolar disorder deal with something amazing, because that is what my novel is about. I put a lot of time and effort into it and I hope it was not just a waste of time. I like to write. I like to draw and paint but socializing and promotion are not my strong suits. Hopefully I will be able to figure something out. Burnout is a real thing and tough to deal with. I want to get so much done, but just feel overwhelmed by the huge daunting projects before me. Trust me, I still want to get back to the comic strips. I just need time to work out the other things I’m creating.

Writing With a Disorder- From Not Reading, to Writing a Full Novel

For a while, a long while really, I was not able to read. I didn’t have the focus, the patience, or the time. I couldn’t really do much in terms of writing, though I did post regularly to my old blog. My diagnosis got in my way. My illness took away my concentration. I felt the desire to read, but whenever I sat down to do it, I just gave up.

There were times I had an immense pull to create and I would write things I felt contained a ton of passion though they were just too manic to really amount to anything, and there were several starts to books in the past where I just gave up. I just didn’t have the concentration to really commit to a project so large and overwhelming.

A few hospitalizations later, and I feel mostly normal most of the time. I am reading all the time now, as much as I can. I read about a book a week, unless they are really big, thick sci-fi books. I LOVE to read now. I love to write as well. I feel I lucked out with meds that do what they are supposed to. It has been a tough road. In the past I would only be able to focus on spiritual books that I re-read a bunch of times.

I stuck with it though.

I read all of the Harry Potter books, The Stand, It, and a couple other books by Stephen King. I read two Game of Thrones books and will continue the series. I read some beat writers, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson. I read more sci-fi stuff, Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey, etc. I read all of Edgar Allen Poe and all of H.P. Lovecraft, and I continue to look for more to read all the time. I love it. And the more concentration I had and the more I soaked in, the more I wanted to write my own books.

As it goes, I was able to commit to one project long enough to finish to the best of my ability. And though I didn’t have all the support in the world, it was something I always kind of wanted to be able to do. In my novel, which I think will be a series of three, I cover Bipolar Disorder, fantasy, and sci-fi elements as well as some themes about violence, duty, and societal beliefs. I mostly had fun with the project, though there were times it was tough to put things into words on a page.

I must’ve went through six different drafts and editing and reworking. I read through it countless times, fixing things every chance I got. To actually get to hold in my hands a book that I lovingly crafted for a couple years, I was happy that I was finally able to get something done as big as that.

Please check out the book on Amazon.

A Lazy Day Post- Important to Take Time to Rest

Some days, I just don’t feel up to it. Whatever it is. I need time to veg out and relax or watch some tv or youtube or just read or listen to music. It is just part of the process now. You can’t keep emptying the creative well without taking some time to fill it up with some inspiration. I need time to relax some days, whether due to depression, fatigue, or just plain not feeling it. Burnout is a real thing and takes its toll when you least want it to.

Today is one of them days. I just don’t feel it. I want to get stuff done and it feels like I am having more slow days than fast days, but I need to take the time to soak up some inspiration. Even though there are multiple projects that need to be developed, mental health doesn’t follow a schedule or routine.

I’ve been overwhelmed with too many projects and not knowing how to get them all done when I want to get them done. Another thing that is difficult is not getting the results I think the work deserves. No matter how good I could be at creating, without some experience selling or advertising or being social, the work won’t get out there.

I’ve been low on contact for a while, creating the things that I wanted to, making the stuff I love to make. But I just don’t have the social skills to put the work out there the way it needs and deserves. I put so much time and effort into this stuff, I sometimes wonder why I keep going.

Social media is tough to figure out. I wish there were an easy way to figure out how to get the outcome that so many seem able to produce. That golden ticket hanging above my head of overnight success or of going viral or of whatever, that draws so many people to the internet is elusive at best. So many people are working at the same end goal of wealth, fame, and success it waters out every honest attempt to make something worthwhile.

I want to get this comic book done and move on to the next project, but I feel called to paint or to write or to play some guitar or maybe just write this blog post.

Please check out my most recent finished project, my novel, The Prime Meroidial Collective Book One: Bradley’s Dream available only on Amazon

Penciling a Page for a Comic Book

Today I did some work on my 3rd comic book in the series called ‘Rejected Breakfast’. It took me several hours to get this one page penciled to the point that I can ink over. I made the panels yesterday and got right into the penciling stage today.

It takes longer than I want it to, and time seems to fly by, so it’s fun, but it’s also a chore sometimes because I feel like I am not getting much done. I wish I were able to get more done in one day. I am currently trying to wake up earlier to fit more drawing time in.

I started this with no idea what it would turn into. This comic series is done in a stream of consciousness approach. Above you see the basic sketch that I started with. I sometimes do several pages like the one above before turning to the finished pencils. I leave some room to improve so I can fuss over it later.

The initial rough sketch is not accurate in perspective so I brought out my ruler and tried to do as good a job as I can. I worked on getting the two point perspective right so that it looks more realistic and so the finished inking will be accurate as well. There’s always room for changes and improvements when I get to the inking stage.

Two point perspective is complicated to explain, but to sum it up, you use two vanishing points that are positioned on a horizon line, and all the straight lines should end at those points. There’s so much out there that explains what it is, so I would just say that that is what I loosely followed when I got to the perspective. I’m not too good when it comes to perspective drawing, I usually prefer abstract art and perspective drawing is really involved to work on. Each panel should have its own vanishing points, horizon line, and its own perspective.

Below is as far as I took it today. It feels like it will take forever to get it all done if all I can do in one day is a penciled drawing. I may work on it some more later tonight, but I think I may want to do some other things. In total, I probably spent 3 hours on this. I will most likely add more to this in pencils, but again, it doesn’t need to be perfect before inking and even that can be edited later when I scan it in, so there’s room for error. It’s sloppy and messy, but I can work with this.

Busy Work for Comic Books- Penciling and Inking Panels

I decided to do some prep work today since I had some free time. This is work that is necessary though not very creative. I’m using comic book Bristol paper that already has guidelines on it specifically for comic book work. It makes the process a bit easier than a blank sheet, though it is possible to add your own borders etc. It is 11×17”, the standard size as far as I can tell for comic books. I’m adding lines to create panels for the drawings I will do later.

I always draw in blue when doing penciling for comic work as I can filter out the blue when I scan it. I will ink over the blue drawings before scanning of course. Using the blue will save a few steps. I won’t have to erase all the pencil work because it won’t scan in, the computer can just block out the blue and only see the black ink work.

I am using a small t-square ruler that allows me to easily make 90 degree angled lines. It’s not so important to get it exactly right as I will draw over them with ink later and the designs may extend past the outline of the panels, but it’s good to get it as close as possible. They are more like a guideline than a precise dictate.

Above are some pages with panel outlines ready for the penciling stage that will come later. I do these in batches because it’s simple work but annoying and boring and takes some time to do. I like to have a lot to work with when I sit down to draw. I think it is good to set aside time for blocks of the same type of work. Getting all the paneling done at once is a good way for me to work.

I use the sides of the paper and the tops of the paper to line up the t-square and lock in the 90 degree right angle. I do this for most panels, though some pages I decide to get a little creative with, adding odd angles to make it a little more interesting. I put the ruler upside down so that the flat part of it is against the paper. It makes the process a little more interesting, though not as wild as some other comic creators.

The ruler has a cork back on it which makes it so when using ink pens, the ink will not be smudged over. There is a gap between the drawing and the ruler so that the ink has space to dry.

As I have my t-square ruler out and ready, I decided to get some other monotonous work done as well. The penciling stage was already finished for some pages and I figured I might as well prepare for the inking stage. I guess I did ten pages of panels in the penciling stage and ten in inking stage. To get ready for inking, I go over previous panel outlines and run an ink pen over the penciled lines, taking care to avoid areas where the image extended past the original blue paneling.

Please check out book one and two of this comic book trilogy.

A Bit About My First Completed Novel

Writing a book has always seemed some far off dream, something I could never accomplish. I had several starts and stops through the years, but was never able to focus long enough to get to an ending. I put things aside and all but gave up on the idea, thinking it was not for me.

But the urge to write overwhelmed me at times. I’d get the start to a novel in my mind, an idea would fester and not stop until it burst into a working word file. So I wrote. I had the idea and the attention span to get it done. For whatever reason, my moods allowed for it and I was able to stick to it. To the end.

I spent well over a year working on this novel and had many stops and starts. I went through plenty editing drafts, and eventually came to a point of conclusion— I was done. I took it to the zenith of my ability and though I had no editors and very little input, I felt I should finally post it and call it done, and move on to the next project. I have a bad habit of starting things and not finishing, but this book is as done as I can get it.

Writing has become a real passion for me. I started several more novels as I progressed through my preoccupation. Sometimes I think I have too many interests and at times I get into a bind, not knowing what to work on next. I put off the comic strips due to burnout, and worked on things behind the scenes for a while. Posting seemed to take up too much of my time. Time that could be spent creating. And finishing things.

I hope to get back to posting the comic strips sometime this year for sure, but I have so many other projects to work on. Sometimes I think I am too creative for my own good.

I should get book 3 of my comic book series done soon (within a couple months if lucky). I will continue to post about it. I am thinking of calling the series done at the end of the current in-process book. Trilogies seem a good solid length.

But I finished a project. A big project that took me years to be able to do. It is a major accomplishment for me and something I can cross off the bucket list. And now that I know I can do it, I am eager to get more done.

The creative process takes time and can lead to tangents that seem unconnected, which is why I can’t seem to come up with a real predictable timeline or schedule. I never know what the next thing to work on will be. I may wake up one day and have no interest in the thing I’ve been working on, which will lead to needing to work on something else that also takes a long time to complete. It’s a never-ending cycle and one that I wish I had more control over.

All that said, I hope you will like my books, even if you are only here to see the comic strips. As a person with bipolar disorder, I have to be gentle with myself sometimes, and take time to heal or refocus. This novel was a big part of that, as the main character also has bipolar disorder. It was tough at times to tap into some of the themes in the book, but I persisted and wrote and wrote and wrote. I hope it has value for more than just me.

Please check out my book on Amazon and see if it interests you, or if maybe someone you know would benefit from my book.

A Bit About My First Completed Novel

Writing a book has always seemed some far off dream, something I could never accomplish. I had several starts and stops through the years, but was never able to focus long enough to get to an ending. I put things aside and all but gave up on the idea, thinking it was not for me.

But the urge to write overwhelmed me at times. I’d get the start to a novel in my mind, an idea would fester and not stop until it burst into a working word file. So I wrote. I had the idea and the attention span to get it done. For whatever reason, my moods allowed for it and I was able to stick to it. To the end.

I spent well over a year working on this novel and had many stops and starts. I went through plenty editing drafts, and eventually came to a point of conclusion— I was done. I took it to the zenith of my ability and though I had no editors and very little input, I felt I should finally post it and call it done, and move on to the next project. I have a bad habit of starting things and not finishing, but this book is as done as I can get it.

Writing has become a real passion for me. I started several more novels as I progressed through my preoccupation. Sometimes I think I have too many interests and at times I get into a bind, not knowing what to work on next. I put off the comic strips due to burnout, and worked on things behind the scenes for a while. Posting seemed to take up too much of my time. Time that could be spent creating. And finishing things.

I hope to get back to posting the comic strips sometime this year for sure, but I have so many other projects to work on. Sometimes I think I am too creative for my own good.

I should get book 3 of my comic book series done soon (within a couple months if lucky). I will continue to post about it. I am thinking of calling the series done at the end of the current in-process book. Trilogies seem a good solid length.

But I finished a project. A big project that took me years to be able to do. It is a major accomplishment for me and something I can cross off the bucket list. And now that I know I can do it, I am eager to get more done.

The creative process takes time and can lead to tangents that seem unconnected, which is why I can’t seem to come up with a real predictable timeline or schedule. I never know what the next thing to work on will be. I may wake up one day and have no interest in the thing I’ve been working on, which will lead to needing to work on something else that also takes a long time to complete. It’s a never-ending cycle and one that I wish I had more control over.

All that said, I hope you will like my books, even if you are only here to see the comic strips. As a person with bipolar disorder, I have to be gentle with myself sometimes, and take time to heal or refocus. This novel was a big part of that, as the main character also has bipolar disorder. It was tough at times to tap into some of the themes in the book, but I persisted and wrote and wrote and wrote. I hope it has value for more than just me.

Please check out my book on Amazon and see if it interests you, or if maybe someone you know would benefit from my book.

Some Progress for Rejected Breakfast 3, my comic book series

Here are some more progress shots of the comic book I’ve been working on. It’s not really got a full title yet but it will be ‘Rejected Breakfast 3’, the third in the series so far. I hope to get through the whole thing within two months if I push. I have started coloring some and continue to pencil the remaining half of this book. I’m aiming for 44 pages total, just as book one and two have.

A Small Sampling of Progress on Rejected Breakfast Book 3 and strips.

I’ve been keeping busy with all of my projects. Having just completed a novel, I’ve been getting more work done on book 3 of my comic book series, ‘Rejected Breakfast’. I’ve started some comic strips and hope to get some regular posts in by the end of the year. There’s so much work to do. It all takes time, but I haven’t forgotten about this site. I want to not burn out so I’m taking time to rest and go slow so I can keep getting stuff done.

The Prime Meroidial Collective— My new novel

I finally finished something big. My first novel. It’s about a bipolar man who gets inducted into a secret society that serves the universe. There’s fantasy and sci-fi elements and some adventure. It will have a sequel, which I’ve already started. I’m aiming for a trilogy, though if it does well enough it will continue for a while.

I’m still working on the 3rd comic book in my series and hope to spend time posting comic strips sometime this year, but probably only for a brief period of several months. It all depends on how much free time I have. Comic strips are a daily grind and take a lot of effort and can lead to burnout which is why you haven’t seen any in a while.

I hope my novel will be interesting enough to check out. There’s a digital ebook and a physical version available only on Amazon for now. I did this all on my own with little help. It was a big challenge and is the first time I was able to stick to one novel idea long enough to bring to completion.