14 Comments

This was an interesting break-down of your work process/hours, Colleen

The significant question is: Are you happy with this?

I hope you are.

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Yes.

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I'm a fiction writer. I track my daily / weekly word count with a spreadsheet. I do it to remind myself of how much I'm actually writing (usually more than I feel I am). But over the years, it's given me all sorts of insights about my life.

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This is helpful. I do this PT and at best can get 4 hours a day for art. You definitely have to make strategic choices to find a good rhythm.

Big ditto on the social media comment too!

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I'm still on there a bit, but nothing like I used to be. It's taking some time to transition to a quieter life of less stress! I'd forgotten what life pre-social media was like!

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Yeah, tough to quit it completely, but I think a lot of us are learning that we need stronger boundaries than we thought. I also remember pre-social media. Like, what did I do before I wanted likes on all my pics? Oh yeah, I went and did stuff 😂

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Thank you, Colleen.

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Thank you for sharing this info, Colleen. It sucks that creating comics is such a grind and not a simple 40h/week situation, which would allow for a better work/life balance. But on the other side, we´re creating entertaining, joyful or thought provoking art.

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Mad respect to you for your continued professionalism, hard work and excellence. Always knew it, but the data don't lie. ; )

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Not to be triggering but let's say a career drawing American comics looks... well, not great.

Actually, the economics bewilders.

As ever, one's remind of the Kirby quote.

And yet, there's the French model that still seems to be working over there.

That it still has trouble getting traction here is another level of befuddlement and, I suppose, frustration.

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You're idealizing the French market a bit. First off, I rarely do monthly comics and these monthly comics jobs were short stories. I usually do graphic novels, and have done for about a decade. But I hate to break it to you, most French cartoonists don't make much money. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisobrien/2021/02/01/why-frances-struggling-comic-book-authors-may-boycott-2021-angoulme-festival/?sh=6f55a3ca6fdd

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Thanks for the corrections.

If I may ask, is there a path to a viable career — roof overhead, food n table, health insurance etc.?

My non-professional gut is overly rendered art is not the way. But tell me I’m wrong!

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That's a short question for a long answer.

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I presume, maybe even assume.

But let’s put it out of our heads… don’t want to burn out any synapses.

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