The slow grind that is webcomics and how to combat it

Once the honeymoon sheen of releasing your new project wears you can easily find yourself burnt out by the concept of having to muster the energy to continue working on it. Sometimes you might have written yourself into a corner or maybe you feel like you are not liking the art direction. Unfortunately, even with jobs you love, the “grind” comes creeping in and trying to keep that comic boulder rolling up that hill is a struggle. So here are some things to remember to help keep your nose to the grindstone through those tough times.

Plan, plan, plan
One thing that cannot be overstated is you need a plan. Work out your overall story and then think about how many chapters/issues/pages you wish to complete that work in. By giving yourself a framework not only does it reduce possible tangents that can muddy a story, you also know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Do pages in bulk
Once you have a plan laid out then decide how long your chapters may be and do each step in bulk of 10-20 pages. Work out the thumbnails, then the sketches, then the inks and panels and finally colour or shading and lettering. This will help you maintain consistency in your look too.

Do a smaller one-shot comic
If you’re feeling burnt out from your project, you can shake it up by creating a small one-shot. Typically 30 pages, this gives you a chance to really exercise your planning and producing in bulk skills whilst feeling like you accomplished something.

Find ways to interact with other creators
A big part of webcomics is interacting with the audience but, if you’re feeling like you need some encouragement there are plenty of communities that can help give you the little push you need. The DrunkDuck Forums are a great place to start if you need advice or support. Twitter also has a strong webcomic community with chats every week. By getting out there it can help alleviate the feeling of isolation that often comes with the craft.

How do you maintain focus when creating your projects? Do you find it a struggle at times? Let us know in the comments below! And join us on Sunday evening for our Quackchat at 5:30PM(EST) where we’ll be talking about this topic!