️ I’ll come by later and RANT
This is such a hard one, honestly. It's kind of like trying to write good romance dialogue; it can be really freaking hard, especially if it's a novel and you can't work with funny visuals. I have a character in Inheritance who provides a lot of the comedy, and he's a bit of a scoundrel. XD I don't have enough active readers to determine if people find him funny, but I certainly laugh like a fool at his jokes sometimes.
Most of the time, they just come naturally to me. Like, one of my characters was patching up a lot of ripped clothing and then my more comedic character marches in and notices that a pair of breeches was ripped right down the butt and he made a joke about it. XD I laughed at my own joke LOL.
They can definitely add depending on when they are told. I find that a lot of movies are TERRIBLE at doing this nowadays, though. Like, some Marvel movies will try to add in some really awkward humor in the middle of a dead serious scene and it just sucks all the tension out of it. And because Marvel movies make a crap-ton of money, a lot of other movies tried to emulate this. I try to add humor in only when it's a happier/lighthearted chapter because I hate it when tension is sucked out of a potentially great scene by adding in humor where it doesn't belong.
Yeesh these discussion points come thick and fast!
I've cut down the number of jokes considerably since my early work. I have a lot more confidence in doing sincere stuff now, but I'd still say I put in more jokes than most people.
My favourite types of jokes are things like anticlimactic payoffs or very dry under-reactions to big setups or extreme scenarios. I love mundane reactions to enormous, significant things, so one of my other tropes is in-universe media and social media where you get the usual banal headline or hashtag structures, but they're talking about monsters. I also like really character-based stuff where people just... can't even! Things that really resonate with the experience of being a flawed human being. Nowadays I guess we'd call that kind of thing #RelateableContent or something.
A mixture of low-self-confidence and years of school bullying that causes me to use self-effacing humour as a defence (or in my work for characters not to take the work they're in seriously), having Terry Pratchett as one of my big early influences and being from an area where comedy and banter are baked into the culture sort of primed me for comedy. My family would always sit together to watch comedy shows, basically for as long as I can remember, and sitting after a meal telling funny stories and jokes was how I grew up. So for me, the challenge is kind of not falling back on making jokes just because it's easier than being sincere and serious.
I think jokes can add or take away, which is why I've significantly cut down on the amount I use. I often used to use comedy as a crutch when I was too scared of being sincere and seeming sappy or uncool. It makes some of my old work feel kind of limp and lacking drama, even when the jokes hold up, because the jokes undermine the drama. Sometimes it's easier to be a clown and direct people to laugh at deliberately constructed silliness than to bare your heart to the room and risk people's scorn and laughter at your real emotions. On the other hand though, humour adds a lot of humanity to characters. It's always that fine line between "Hehe, okay this character is a person like me and I'm having fun!" and "Oh my god, Joss Whedon, can people stop quipping all the time and just act like people with emotions for five minutes!?"
I keep jokes to a minimum. I'm not a comedy writer so I only work things in if it follows the flow of the scene.
The jokes that seem to work for me the most are the ones that come naturally to the characters in their interactions and banter. Most of the time I underestimate how funny things can be. Like I'll write an interaction and think 'heh' but then when it goes live I get people commenting they're bursting out laughing. So that's good I suppose!
I never try to force a joke or actively think of something funny to write, since that's not my style. So anything that comes off as funny in my work comes like how it does in real life. It just happens.
It depends on the story if jokes will add or take away from it. Tone is super important, and the scale or absurdity of the joke should definitely be measured accordingly to the tone of the story. Then there's timing. If a character cracks a joke during an inappropriate scenes then for sure it can take away from the story. And of course, if the jokes only produce cricket chirps, then it probably would have been better to omit them entirely from the story.
Intimidation
I'm really shy and easily intimidated. 
I consider myself a baby, while the other creators are all adults, and that difference makes me want to just stay at the back of the imaginary room. I'm content being the silent fan of the bigger writers. So no, I haven't overcome this part. 
Humor
I don't consider myself a funny person so I often worry that I'm forcing things to be funny. Because of that, I let them come naturally in the dialogue. I don't force it or think hard about it.
Jokes do add or take away from the story depending on the timing and the atmosphere in the scene.
For the first bullet point, I can say that sometimes I actually feel like I'll get more time later on. I have a lot of schoolwork, so I feel like even adulthood will give me more time to do stuff (especially since there are a lot of adult creators with other full-time jobs).
For all the other bullets, I basically have the same answer: I do not believe my age has an impact on creation. I may be a teen but if I think I have a great idea now, I'll do it. I've learned that mistakes early on make you better sooner, so I might as well keep writing. Of course, I believe that some stories need more preparation and experience to make, but for the ones I think I can do now, I shall do. That's why I'm working on a short story-driven series right now -- so I can make a longer story-driven series later on. To me, I don't see age as something that stops me: it's all about that experience 
•To an extent, it was when I was about to turn 30 when I realized time on getting Dragon Sparking made was running shorter and shorter. I realized that I absolutely had to start it for real before I turned 30 or I'd never actually do it.
But now that I'm on the path, I'm not too worried, it was mostly just getting started that I was panicked about.
•Nope. I'm 32 now so no.
•Not really, but I'm very picky with what I read and watch already. Though video games have lost their shine, and I get really bored while playing them. I just don't have much 'fun' time to waste, when I could be doing my art instead, it's much more fulfilling.
•I remind myself that I plan on doing this art thing until I die so there's no immediate rush to be big or anything. Now that I've started, I can just run the race until it's done.
Definitely this notion. I got more comic work done when I was doing my internships (9-5 jobs) compared to when I was trying to do comic work during school. I just had more time. I'm still a young lady, so I still got more than enough time to work on my stuff. It's really all about the experience.
I will say that I feel more prepared, rather than too young or old. Before Our Universe and My Demon Valentine, I tried posting a crime comic on Deviantart. It didn't work out -- I kept trying to reboot the story over and over. I soon realized this wasn't a story I could tell yet, so I put it on the side and worked on shorter stories. And here we are today.
- Not quite, but I get anxious thinking of how long a single project takes and if I'm not wasting precious time on time on it instead of doing smaller ones. However, if I only do small ones, I can't make the big one I want, I guess.
- A bit; it's also the huge impression that either you get in straight out of college or you take 10+ years to get that call. Doesn't stop me from trying anyway.
- Not really, my mood for certain genres and mediums shifts every few months, not much with age. Except for horror, I used to tolerate it as a kid, now I can't get anywhere close to it
- Reading other people's works or talking with other creators! You really aren't alone in most of these feelings, so many people that share your age or position out there and are nice to discuss these matters with.
Oh my god I feel you! I've been making miniseries to share as many stories as I want, but I also REEAALLLY want to make longer stories. I have plans to make a longer one after Doing Fine, Supine however.
Every year as I hit my birthday, yes I do feel that march toward the inevitable end of the line. I'm 30 for the record.
Nope, I feel I'm getting old now and I WISH I had started younger. If not starting a comic, I wish I had began to build my online presence sooner, perhaps just as I was entering college. I didn't really dive into the online creative scene until I had already graduated. 
I'm definitely less interested in stories focused on teenagers now. I roll my eyes at anything where high school is a major setting.
The only thing that calms my worries is just producing more work honestly. It's why I'm beginning a shift toward novels as I realize I cannot feasibly only create comics to tell the stories I want to. Comics just take so long to complete.
Do I ever feel like time is running out? All the time, even if its not really rational or whatever, I'm a very anxious person and the pressure to succeed really weighs on me. Also, you never know what the future has in store for you, so I don't want to take the time I have now for granted.
Well I'm 22 now so if anything I feel a bit old. Which is silly I know haha, but I started this in college as a hobby, and so seeing people I knew back then achieving their goals, I can't help but feel like I'm falling behind. I wish I took art and comics more seriously at a younger age when the competition was less fierce, but I guess that would make me a different person than I am now.
Ahhh well those stories in a middle school/high school setting are a bit iffy for me rn. Though actually, as a creator now that I'm older I feel more comfortable doing genres I wouldn't have in the past.
Hmm guess I just keep drawing, keep making comics, and just focusing on the art. Also, socializing and trying to be a part of the community has helped as well.
Yeah, this has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm not even that picky. I just want an audience. XD I don't even necessarily want to publish, haha. It's silly, though. I know there's plenty of time for my story to gain an audience.
Nah. Now might be the ideal time, but I just don't have the time/money to be working toward this. Once I have my Masters (and money) I would love to try and work on this.
Yep. I think I'm pretty much done with YA and (most) romances. Sometimes people write really good romances, but... I find most of the ones on this site are just... Really shallow, and it just kind of bothers me? A lot of romances are really shallow in general.
Music and videogames, spending time with my family, trying to focus on small goals that I can accomplish now (such as just writing down my story).
Sort of. Mainly because my family and friends never fail to remind me that in a few years, I'm turning 30. I feel like I should be doing all the I can now or at least, finish some stories.
No. I don't think publishing is age-related. Just go for it.
I was just thinking about this last night while reading a manga set in high school. I keep on making this face
while reading (it's smutty romance). Though I think I can still handle fluffy romance in high school.To calm my feelings, I just do my work. Even if I'm slow, I'm still making progress. One step at a time.
This post was written and submitted by a black LGBTQ person and was chosen to both mark the beginning of Pride month, but also to get creators thinking about their works in light of recent current events. It comes with the assumption that we are all trying our best to show a range of experiences in our works, be it gender, race, sexuality, disability, mental health, or any other characteristic or identity.
It really depends on the POV of the character. Sometimes if I'm in the POV of someone who is 'normal' and is in a situation that they don't understand, I would write in humor with their reaction. If I have a character who is a prankster then the jokes are part of their plot and ploy (and whether the audience finds it funny is more of a side effect). Situational humor works the best for me in my writing. That and bringing in the personality of the character too.
Jokes don't take away from the story as long as they are within the personality of the character and fit into the situation. Or other characters react appropriately. (In IT: Chapter 2, Richy makes an inappropriate joke, gets called on it, and then says "Well Fuck me for trying to bring a little levity here". That entire sequence made me laugh cause Richy is a well established smart-talker so it's within his personality, the other people react with shock and "too far man', and he pokes fun at himself and the situation). If the jokes come out of nowhere, if no one takes into account the situation, if it completely clashes with the setting or theme of the story (like who would make a superbly dark gallows humor joke at a child's birthday party and it's a happy scene?) then jokes can add to the tale.
Also; sometimes you need some kind of joke for the reader to breathe. If it's nothing but doom & gloom ALL THE TIME, people are going to stop giving a shit and get tired of it (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DarknessInducedAudienceApathy)
No. If I thought like that, then I wouldn't draw or write again because what is the point then? In my opinion, it's demotivating and sets a person up for failure. Considering all the successful authors who were 'past their prime' before they made their first best-selling hit, this 'expiration date' concept is obviously a self-fulfilling prophecy and should be tossed away. It's never too late to create.
Nope. I know I'm not too young now being in my early to mid 30s, but people should feel free to try out their idea. I do put a caveat on the necessity for doing some editing, making an alias or pseudonym and having some beta readers first, but that should be advice any age author should follow. Rejections can and will happen, so you play the numbers game and keep going.
Sometimes, I do think that. Only sometimes. Then I remember that JK Rowling was 32 when the first Harry Potter book, a kid series about a boy who becomes a wizard and goes to wizarding school. Then she was 42 when the last book, which would be more YA in themes, was published. She was well out of the age their, but those stories were awesome. You are never too old to create anything.
I try not to think about it and when I do, I take a little break and calm down, distress. I don't need anymore stress on my life and the main focus is to enjoy my passions, not turn it into another job.
I have to say I'm not sure what motivation there should be other than I am basing the cast off of what I'm already used to seeing. I grew up as a military brat, surrounded by all sorts of people. I am Puerto Rican, but my Spanish is poor and I lived mostly between California and the UK. My mom is white and my dad is black, but ethnicity wise they are also Puerto Rican so they each had their own struggles. I have always created characters who were from different places because it made sense. So it's no longer a conscious decision for me in a way. I do try not to hide my characters skin tone and culture in my writing because I want people to know that about them. At the same time, the cultural divide is not a massive theme in current series so it's not explored in a whole lot of depth.
I mostly research country names and sometimes terms since for Birth of a Sin, Ira is from Africa and her family were shepherds along the desert plains. However, my focus on her past is not so much that but rather the impact being a child soldier had on her, so my research went more deeply into PTSD, sociopathy, reading very depressing things about child soldiers and trafficking, etc. I think for my next stories, I'll be focusing more on Aztec and ancient South American religions since I may work on a steampunk, vampire-hunting story starring a huntress who is the herald of Tezcatlipoca...but that'll be way in the future.
Yes. I am quite aware. I'm also aware that I'm writing a story of fictional characters in a world with Superpowers. Being aware of that and doing due diligence is important in telling a story. It's very important to do some research on a country before making sweeping generalizations and recognizing one's shortcomings is important to improve story telling and character creation. Sometimes, however, I feel like there is a risk for a lost of diversity if authors don't take a risk. I feel like if I didn't take a chance on creating a character that is very different from me, then maybe no one will.
- To represent reality.
It is never a conscious one for me. No, I am not the good person who wants to give people "representation" nor it is the point of my works, there are better people with such intention that can handle it better. I just find it off when we can find fifty shades of alien races with bizzare biology but not a single person of colour or someone who does not want to fuck.
- I just try to do some research and play it safe.
My works are all fantasy with fictional worlds and races, the rule and power dynamic are different from ours even in a work where our world exists. However, the races are inspired by real-life ones and although they are different I try to avoid offensive things and stereotypes associated by their real-life inspiration. Researching and reading a lot of things that are happening in our world helps a lot. It is even more helpful when you look from another perspective: e.g. when you read what a racist thinks about racism, you will get a clearer point why it exists.
In fantasy setting it is can be tricky, because you are challenged by questions you cannot find an exact answer. For example, it is racist to make a group of shape shifters have brown skin in their human form? Will it reinforce the notion that people of colour are animals? Although being what you categorise as people of colour myself I do not find it offensive, I tried to play safe by implementing the logic that their human appearance is mimicking a human race they are close to, and having another kind of shape shifter who looks white in their human form.
For some other topics which is more difficult for me even if when I do my research, I try to just know my limit. For example, writing neurodiverse people, people with mental illness, and survivors needs immense amount of sensitivity and empathy which I lack. I will rationalize: How important it is for the story? If it not I will discard it to avoid presenting it incorrectly, if it important then I need to do extra effort to make it acceptable.
I just wish, both creator and audience can be reasonable in this topic. Creators first should do their research, ask for opinion, and most importantly listen to people. Audience should give creators chance to fix their mistakes, you cannot be woke overnight and be perfect.
Not everyone is living in woke America or Scandinavian dreamland. Some live in restrictive place with heavily censored media/internet, religious zealots that will harm you for showing the smallest symptoms of gayness, growing up indoctrinated in homogeneous environment, abusive parents who will do god knows what it is when you look up "unacceptable things"; it is not as easy for them to gain freedom, information, and change of mind overnight. Sure they can change, but change can be a slow progress and rather than demonizing them from making mistake, as long as they are willing to listen please guide them.
- Of course.
I have a low empathy myself but I try to rationalize and combine their identities, their social status and power regarding to their identities, and their other struggles to synthesise how they possibly perceive themselves and the world.