Help me figure out why I’m so slow

[coppermouflon]

I can't help with the art part, but as general behaviour, I have also noticed that if I am busy, I get more things done than when I have an entire day free.

I read somewhere, or someone told me at some point (not sure), that if you are in an office and you want to get something done, find the busiest person in that room and give it to them.

The idea is that a busy person is already in the zone and getting stuff completed. Someone who isn't in that zone that day might be lazy and slow (does not mean they always are but at this point in time they are not working hard) and will therefore not kick into high gear to get stuff done. They will most likely drag their feet.

I feel I do the same thing. If I am already in the zone, doing stuff, then knocking a few more tasks off is easy, but if I started the day slow, it's hard to then kick into high gear and get stuff completed.

Personally, a strict routine has helped me stay a bit more on track with stuff I want to do, as that routine eases me into getting stuff done. The only issue now is to be consistent with that routine at the start of my day

[darthmongoose]

All right, we're making progress! So the issue isn't that you're lazy, it's just... yeah, a comic on top of a job is a lot, and for understandable reasons, you're having trouble maintaining motivation. Here's my advice:

• Try to build "making pages" as part of your routine. Having a regular update schedule really helps me get pages done because it's part of my routine now to make my weekly update. Have specific times or days where your plan is like "get up, have breakfast, do a workout, work on my pages, have lunch and a break, work on pages more, finish that for the day, make dinner and have nice evening".
• Make comics making friends and join communities (like this one and maybe a discord or two) for people who make comics to around your level and are encouraging and friendly. Talking to friends who understand how much hard work a comic is really helps me when I'm struggling.
• Set yourself milestones. Subscriber milestones are nice, but it's way better to set yourself page count, chapter or story milestones, like "make 10 pages!", "complete chapter 1", "Get to that cool plot twist" etc. Having these to work towards helps me avoid getting overwhelmed by the enormity of my long-form comic and is a lot healthier than obsessing over subs numbers.

[crimson_mystery_cake]

how long does it take you to draw one panel? maybe you could post an example of one of your panels here, so that would have a better understanding of what you're after..

I thiiiink about 2 to 3 hours, but I'm not certain. I don't tend to finish panels in one sitting, which is another problem that I need to work on.

As far as complexity goes it really just depends. There are some panels that are slightly more on the complex side like these:

but then there are some that are on the simpler side like these

This is what my more completed character art will look like, with colors and everything (though these panels still need backgrounds)

So about 3 - 4 hours to draw one panel, I think. And I'm hoping that I can cut that time down a bit once I feel more comfortable with the art style.

[crimson_mystery_cake]

I can't help with the art part, but as general behaviour, I have also noticed that if I am busy, I get more things done than when I have an entire day free.

I read somewhere, or someone told me at some point (not sure), that if you are in an office and you want to get something done, find the busiest person in that room and give it to them.

The idea is that a busy person is already in the zone and getting stuff completed. Someone who isn't in that zone that day might be lazy and slow (does not mean they always are but at this point in time they are not working hard) and will therefore not kick into high gear to get stuff done. They will most likely drag their feet.

Yes this is really what I have been noticing. So the question is how do I get "in the zone" when I have a ton of free time in my day?? I did go to the gym today and I do think that that helped, buuuuut I didn't get much sleep the night before so after going to the gym I took a power nap before work lol. But after working out I do definitely feel like I had the work mood in me. But I have nothing planned for tomorrow, and that scares me.

I feel I do the same thing. If I am already in the zone, doing stuff, then knocking a few more tasks off is easy, but if I started the day slow, it's hard to then kick into high gear and get stuff completed.

Personally, a strict routine has helped me stay a bit more on track with stuff I want to do, as that routine eases me into getting stuff done. The only issue now is to be consistent with that routine at the start of my day

Yeah keeping a routine has helped tremendously. As for now I'm going to try and commit myself to just doing three flat colors before bed. We'll see how that goes thank you so much for the advice!

[crimson_mystery_cake]

All right, we're making progress! So the issue isn't that you're lazy, it's just... yeah, a comic on top of a job is a lot, and for understandable reasons, you're having trouble maintaining motivation. Here's my advice:

Haha yeah well, maybe I'm a little lazy

Try to build "making pages" as part of your routine. Having a regular update schedule really helps me get pages done because it's part of my routine now to make my weekly update. Have specific times or days where your plan is like "get up, have breakfast, do a workout, work on my pages, have lunch and a break, work on pages more, finish that for the day, make dinner and have nice evening".

I would love SO MUCH to be able to do weekly updates! I really want to try getting into the habit of waking up earlier in the mornings. I think that would be a great start, but I'm unfortunately just naturally a night owl.

Make comics making friends and join communities (like this one and maybe a discord or two) for people who make comics to around your level and are encouraging and friendly. Talking to friends who understand how much hard work a comic is really helps me when I'm struggling.

I do have some friends who make comics and they are great! Buuuuut we don't always talk and we also talk about other stuff. I would love to find, like, a comic team where we post our progress daily and motivate each other to keep making progress. I'd love to find a discord, but I've never really been the best with discord, joining new discords always overwhelms me.

Set yourself milestones. Subscriber milestones are nice, but it's way better to set yourself page count, chapter or story milestones, like "make 10 pages!", "complete chapter 1", "Get to that cool plot twist" etc. Having these to work towards helps me avoid getting overwhelmed by the enormity of my long-form comic and is a lot healthier than obsessing over subs numbers.

Yes I would love to have the first four chapters finished by october, that way I could upload everything on Halloween and be all cool lol. That's my goal and I'm trying to set daily milestone, but it's a daunting task. I think that another problem is that my chapter lengths might be too long. I may have to cut them down a bit. I really really appreciate your insight. Thank you!!

[wispysing]

Sorry for the not-so-helpful advice but reading all your responses it seems routine really helps you. Maybe set smaller goals for the meantime like finishing a panel per day. I'm on the boat if you want to share your progresses or if you need motivation, since both of us have yet to publish our comics. I'm not very comfortable with discord though, but we could send messages of our progresses through here if you want

[crimson_mystery_cake]

I actually did see a really good reddit post, not about making comics but more about general life stuff. It was about, like, being goal oriented as opposed to being process oriented. I think I'm a very goal oriented person, I want to have this done and I want it to look like this and blahblahblah, but when I look at the big picture and I'm starting from nothing it can be very scary. I want to learn to be a process oriented person where I just enjoy the process of making comics. And there are bits that I do enjoy, but it can just be so daunting.

[crimson_mystery_cake]

Sorry for the not-so-helpful advice

No it's ok. I really appreciate it, and I also believe that there is no such thing as not helpful advice or bad criticism. I think that there are nuggets of wisdom in every piece of advice, and I can only truly learn from seeing things from others perspective. I do appreciate it a bunch!! It'll probably just take me a lot of time to be able to truly dig out everything I want out of the advice though. I like to dwell on things, so I may just come back to what you said later and find EXACTLY what I needed to figure myself out. Who knows?

Maybe set smaller goals for the meantime like finishing a panel per day.

Yes. I do think I need to downsize my goals. I keep trying to push myself to do five or two panels, but I've got to take this real slow so that I can truly learn how to make this comic as proficiently as possible.

I'm on the boat if you want to share your progresses or if you need motivation, since both of us have yet to publish our comics.

Ayyy good to have people on the "haven't posted comic yet" boat. Maybe we can make a separate thread for people who are still working to get that mythical chapter one out into the world?? It could be fun!!

I'm not very comfortable with discord though, but we could send messages of our progresses through here if you want

Haha yeah same and I'm done for that!!

[wispysing]

Maybe we can make a separate thread for people who are still working to get that mythical chapter one out into the world?? It could be fun!!

That sounds like a great idea! I'll eagerly await that thread.

I might have to work double though, since I have both chapter one AND a prologue to deal with

[crimson_mystery_cake]

I'll probably be making it tomorrow if I don't forget as for tonight, well, I've got a comic to draw.

[darthmongoose]

I'll probably be making it tomorrow if I don't forget as for tonight, well, I've got a comic to draw.

Yessssss! You got this!

Hope your drawing goes well!

[crimson_mystery_cake]

Haha thanks! I've already reached my goal of the night, so I can go to bed now, but I may do just a bit more!!

[Kaydreamer]

It's weird when I have a day off I'm like "ok, I should do this when it's 3 or 4 there's so much time in the day." then when 3 or 4 comes around I'm like "Well I'll wait until it's night time night is when I'm REALLY active" and then night rolls around and when I'm lucky at like, 1 or 2 at night I finally want to sit down and do the work. When I've already gone out and work though it's like I'm at "work mode."

I can relate a lot to this bit. Procrastination like that has been the bane of my life. ADHD meds help me, but I try not to rely on them very much.

For me, I can overcome my tendency to procrastinate over my work if I stick strictly to a routine. If you have a set window every weekend, say between 2pm and 6pm, and during those hours you're only allowed to work on your comic, you may find yourself settling into that routine pretty naturally after a few weeks. If you tell yourself you're not allowed to use those hours for anything else, you can strong-arm yourself into working.

[cookieroach]

What do you feel when you've actually finished a panel or page? The reason I'm asking is because I had a big problem with procrastination. I never wanted to work on or finish anything, because I would beat myself up when I didn't think it was good enough. So it kind of created this negative spiral where I didn't want to work on anything, because I'd just feel bad afterwards. Then I tried to change and be happy that I actually made something, even if it sucked. And now I've been working on and updating my crappy comic every week for almost a year. Lol

And I agree with what has already been said, I think keeping habits and a weekly schedule makes it so much easier to get things done.

[crimson_mystery_cake]

I can relate a lot to this bit. Procrastination like that has been the bane of my life. ADHD meds help me, but I try not to rely on them very much.

I'd like to get diagnosed for ADHD. I think maybe that could help.

For me, I can overcome my tendency to procrastinate over my work if I stick strictly to a routine. If you have a set window every weekend, say between 2pm and 6pm, and during those hours you're only allowed to work on your comic, you may find yourself settling into that routine pretty naturally after a few weeks. If you tell yourself you're not allowed to use those hours for anything else, you can strong-arm yourself into working.

That's a smart idea. I'd be totally willing to try that. I think I have tried something similar in the past, but I wasn't able to stick with it so that kind of killed the momentum. Thanks for the advice!!

[crimson_mystery_cake]

What do you feel when you've actually finished a panel or page? The reason I'm asking is because I had a big problem with procrastination. I never wanted to work on or finish anything, because I would beat myself up when I didn't think it was good enough. So it kind of created this negative spiral where I didn't want to work on anything, because I'd just feel bad afterwards. Then I tried to change and be happy that I actually made something, even if it sucked. And now I've been working on and updating my crappy comic every week for almost a year. Lol

I more so just feel relieved when I finish a panel. Like I can finally move on to the next panel. But unfortunately whenever I finish a panel I can't really seem to kickstart myself to working on the next panel. I always want to take a "short break" and then that ends up me being done for the day. I do kind of feel what you're saying , I usually like to work on a panel until I get to a point where I can say "Ok this is good enough" even though there are a bunch of tiny little things that I kind of want to improve on.

And I agree with what has already been said, I think keeping habits and a weekly schedule makes it so much easier to get things done.

Yes so habit building seems to be a good part of being consistent. I shall try my best to keep a habit of working on it.

[crimson_mystery_cake]

Another roadblock is that some days I just don't really feel well, mentally. Like, today I woke up not feeling so great, and it was kind of like that for a while last night too. It's kind of hard to focus on a comic when you're battling negative thoughts.

[Ordinaryaverageguy]

Are you perhaps the kind of writer whose stories percolate in the subconscious when you're occupied otherwise & then flow out when you finally have some time? Maybe too much time to consciously focus on the work (maybe trying to force the words out) is, for you, kinda not productive.

[Tailzkip]

I see a lot of writers going for perfection on here...why? You can only get better if you fail. You won't produce the perfect story now, nor ever. It does not exists. Who cares if your stuff goes out and it's mediocre? The fact that you wrote something is an achievement that more than most out there will accomplish, ever.
Your skills grow as you get older, that's just facts. I started posting comic's when I was 14, I knew they were bad and I still had readers who loved them for some reason so I kept at it. If it's something you enjoy, it should never be such a chore to make. If you had fun writing it, who cares how perfect it is? not everyone is going to love what you create. But as long as you love it and the chances are at least one or two people out there will, that is a win.
You might make it big one day, you might not. You might get lucky, you might not. Just enjoy the ride and inspiration will come to you. I find that trying to force it only makes it worse, both for your mental health and for your creativity : )

[crimson_mystery_cake]

Are you perhaps the kind of writer whose stories percolate in the subconscious when you're occupied otherwise & then flow out when you finally have some time?

Yeah that sounds about right.

Maybe too much time to consciously focus on the work (maybe trying to force the words out) is, for you, kinda not productive.

Well, it’s not so much that I have a problem with “forcing the words.” I know where the story is going and everything. I have chapters 1-4 completely outlined and storyboarded, I kind of just have to make a few slight changes here and there (mostly just jokes I forgot to throw in lol.)

It’s moreso I have a problem with sitting down and creating the darn thing. Whenever I try and make time to work I always find something to distract myself with.