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arpeggiomax87
Jun '20

I know I keep running this into the ground, but it is a cancerous detriment to what I draw on a daily basis.

I cannot come up with a story, a building structure to a conclusion and I swear to every deity that may or may not exist that it is IMPOSSIBLE to start off from scratch, even if it's stupid or simple.

I just don't know why I lack the talent and encompass the stupidity of myself being dedicated to something I knew was never going to finish whatsoever.

Right now, I have only made 3 episodes of a comic that was last touch 2 weeks ago. I actually had a jump in popularity thanks to former True You writing partner Jens Richard's notoriety and dedication. Now i have lost it all because I've put off the comic for so long, being a pathetic moron who can't think of the simplest shit whatsoever.

I feel ashamed and pathetic at the fact that I cannot do this. 2 weeks of nothing but trying to come up with something and I can't even do that. Why do I even try at this point? Why is it the only thing I like doing is somehow based on me not knowing how to progress with it?

Fucking worthless.

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    Jun '20

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    Jun '20
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SleepingPoppy
Jun '20

Are you just looking to rant, or are you interested in advice/feedback? If its the latter, it'd help to be given more information about what kind of comic you make (or would like to make).

Also two weeks isn't a long time. I just got back from a year long break, it's okay. :thumbsup:

KelheorRegular
Jun '20

Because it's hard to write a story. There's no shame in it, some people have it, some don't, some are growing this talent up from nothing. Maybe it's better to start with something really short. If you have characters, maybe put them in a few situations first, just for 1 page, just for 3 panels even. If you need help, you can always ask some writers from the forum.
Again, no shame in the inability to create a story because it's not an easy task, so please, don't beat yourself over it.

arpeggiomax87
Jun '20
SleepingPoppy

Well considering that I made this under the Tips and Tricks column, I think it speaks for itself.

I'm done ranting, I am stuck, legit. Do you think I'm happy about me complaining to the fact that I haven't done anything in 2 weeks? For the comic I'm working on, 2 weeks is an eternity. Hell, 5 days is almost as bad.

Notice that I made the first 3 comics within a close time span. They were uploaded because I created them as close as I did uploading them. Now I'm stuck at zero and for the 2 weeks I was drawing, I had so much trouble trying to follow up.

I'm not trying to be complex and sophisticated with this comic, I just wanna make dumb little one-offs and see if people will enjoy or not. THAT'S IT.

DiegoPalacios
Jun '20

Creativity comes from a sense of play. Dont put too much pressure on yourself. Make sure to take some breaks to clear your mind.

My advice is to go for active inspiration seeking. Read a book, watch a show, see what you like and dont like and figure out why.

Start making a couple of characters and work from there.

Wish you the best!

jensrichard77In the making of Bunneh The Rabbit
Jun '20

I’m still around here.
I can provide some brainstorm for you to move on.
Let it be your stories and your doing. I can give you that little push.

Shad0w
Jun '20

If you lack inspiration, just ask for a writer in the forum.

NickRowler
Jun '20
1

If you can't come up with a story, you could start at the basic. There are a lot of stuff in the public domain that you could work off of. I am making a super short comic based on a twisted version of Little Red Riding Hood.

If you have an idea yet feel stuck, you could try to discuss it with other people to see if they can help inspire you. They may also give you insight into what might work or not work in a story. However, I have also had times that I felt so stuck that I ended just abandoning it and focusing on something fresher which was easier to work on. Sometimes some ideas just don't work, and that is OK.

Do you have a link to your comic? I am not the strongest writer but maybe I can help.

SleepingPoppy
Jun '20
arpeggiomax87

And I'm telling you that you'll get more helpful feedback by giving more relevant information.

Okay, here is a piece of advice, don't post things as soon as you make them. You're going to have periods of time where you get more done and less done, no matter how skilled you are. For the vast majority of us, it's better to create enough to have a buffer, then start posting on a schedule. That way you don't end up posting three updates one week, then nothing for a few weeks, then one thing in a week, then nothing for a month....

Granted there's nothing inherently wrong with posting more at random. For some people that just suits them better. But if it's making you anxious, I suggest slowly building up a buffer of pages so you don't freak out about coming up with ideas fast enough. (though if that doesn't work for you, or you're already aware of it as a common suggestion on the forums, apologies)

What I'd like to know is what kind of one-offs. Gag a day? Short stories? What kind of genre are you trying to write in? I didn't see a link to your comic anywhere, so I don't know what you've been doing so far.

I will second some of the advice from others, though. Grabbing a fairy tale with an established story you can rewrite is a great get-around to issues with writing. You can just remake the tale, or you can give it as much revamping as you're comfortable with. It's an excellent way to practice and get better, too.

And depending upon what you're trying to create, working with writers could also be a great solution. Guest writers perhaps each do a short one-off that you draw, and that gives you leeway to come up with your stories inbetween. So you might do one, two, or three stories by someone else, before your own, but you have more gap time to think, and possibly can brainstorm with said writers as you build relationships. And there are plenty of writers eager to work with artists of various skill level.

thedude3445
Jun '20

Take a month off. Read a bunch of short stories in prose, read a bunch of one-shot mangas, read a bunch of webtoons here on Tapas. Take notes after you finish about what you liked, or what they did that was neat structurally/artistically, and any possible inspiration.

Keep up regular practice of course but don't create anything meant for posting. Just consume media and try to get a feel for the types of stories you might want to make, especially if you want to do dumb one-offs.

Xentama
Jun '20

-it might help to set up a single conflict that needs to get resolved and think about how your character(s) would go about fixing said problem (ex: your oc spills hot soup on themselves. do they try to napkin it up? run straight to the bathroom? what do??)

-and I will tell you, Most people don't write a masterpiece in one sitting. It's's taken me at LEAST 3 years just to put together a concept I'm comfortable enough to turn into a comic, and I'm still not done writing it.