How do you find an idea that you're passionate enough to stick with?

[aqua03]

So, after I finished up my one shot for the Tezuka Manga contest, I was thinking about what project to pursue next after I rested and recovered from the event.

I have had multiple ideas for what to do next. Mostly one shots, reviving Edible Green Tea, Alpha Alpaca, or finally working on Drachenseele. I have tons of good ideas for stuff, but my passion for them seems to fizzle out pretty quickly when I start working on the basic ideas. I've even lost a lot of excitement for Drachenseele and my older comics like EGT, Alpha Alpaca, and PupTeamEPic.

I can't tell if this phase is me just being creatively exhausted from completing a big project like my contest one shot or something else entirely, but I'm curious as to how you guys find ideas that you like well enough to pursue as full projects in one way or another. Especially when trying to make something new detached from prior passion projects and old character or concepts you have and are attached to.

How do you guys do it?

Thanks for the advice and help.

[nostalgicroxas]

As a person who's started and stopped a lot of stories I thought I liked a lot.... The only reason I've stuck with "Nearly There Nicely" so long and still enjoy it 100% is because it's full of characters / tropes / concepts that I love and enjoy. It's a cliche to say, but write and create for yourself. You are your own first customer and if something doesn't make you feel happy, comfortable, and emotional (sad and angry at what happens to the characters), then maybe you're just not invested in it enough.

Sometimes it's just as simple as pulling back and allowing yourself to work on simpler projects. For example my work "Campfire" is a work that has hard rules for me to follow - write what comes to mind and deal with the consequences of it - if a character says he sees a rhino, well heck, now there's a rhino in my story. It allows my mind to just come up with randomness on the fly and have to deal with it. It's an exercise and a stretch but because of that, if I don't like how something is going, it's no issue to change the direction - oh boo hoo they're stuck with these magical items that can fix all their problems : solution toss them up into a tornado that doesn't kill them but gets rid of that magical food. PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

Another thing is just letting yourself write the "small idea" that you have and have it be a short story or just a fragment and that's okay. I can't say that "out" is my best work or best small or short work, but that it was an idea I thought was interesting enough to sit down and write it for about an hour. I got it out of my system and can tell if I like it or not.
https://tapas.io/episode/1791310

[EmmyPax]

I think it varies by creator, what gets them through a project. For me, I have to love the characters and care very deeply about what happens to them in order to have staying power, but I know some people are driven more by the need to explore an idea that really fascinates them or by the desire to draw/write something they find aesthetically pleasing.

I do think there's a chance you might just be exhausted from your last project. I always take a break between bigger undertakings, where I focus more on reading/family time/whatever else for a month or so before diving back into another mammoth undertaking. I may work some during that time, but I try to ease the pressure.

Also, I think there's something to be said for giving up on the idea of finding "the one" story idea to commit to. My current comic has already become my longest, most intense art undertaking I've ever done, and I kind of started it on a whim. But that's part of what made the idea work for me - I actually decided, going in, that I didn't care if this comic was a complete and utter failure or if I dropped it in the middle and never returned to it. And for me, that took off a lot of pressure. It made it so that I could just produce something, without getting stuck in my own head over whether or not it was good. I really had to give myself permission to create crap I hated in order to make something I love.

[Kelheor]

Most times I have no problems with sticking with the project, but again, as a person who had a breakdown after finishing first one shot and who recently laid one week in a bed because I was absolutely useless when I touched my tablet (again, after finishing a one shot) I will hugely recommend to give yourself a rest.
After a few weeks you will probably take this pen yourself with "aha, I really wanna draw this" thought. You can also start small with separate artworks without immediately diving down onto the 235 chapters long comic

[RyzaCobalion]

It was hard for me just had layout my idea during my drafting of this series and i had many...MANY ideas for it for world-building, characters, and story plot but unfortunately some of them didn't really go anywhere or help progress the plot of the story. So I had to drop the ideas i had for this series but I didn't want to drop those ideas entirely so I put those ideas for another I may work on in the near future. After redraft so many times i want the series to move it without having random stuff that didn't go anywhere and made this story progress and made the characters multilayered

The Dark Children of the Night | Tapas

[Freemints30]

That's difficult. My last comic I was passionate but I lost interest due to several personal things happening in my life plus the huge loss of art and script reducing me to just put it on a hiatus until further notice(might reboot My heaven your hell later but not now). What kept me interested in my current project was just me getting excited to finally showing off the twists and turns of my story already scripted. I just keep saying. "I have to show off this part"

I love my kids, but ofcourse I sometimes loss motivation to draw anything. Luckily I have a 2-3 chapter buffer so taking a one week break from art is feasible. I also work on my other ideas bouncing in my head that are less art intensive and more focused on writing. So Im not burnt out and I got ideas I have out of my head. I try out different art style. I listen to music that have a connection to the story and themes of my current comic or even future novels.

Its difficult since I can focus so hard on a topic only to lose interest later only to regain it back. I just will keep jumping from idea to idea while still having my script and buffer to hold me over until I return with enthusiasm.

Frequency overload | Tapas

[lilithfairenwrites]

Explore ideas. Ponder them, the characters, the settings, the ideas behind them. Write/draw a bit out, just to see if the enthusiasm remains after you've explored them a bit.

Then pick the one people will be most likely to care about.

[joannekwan]

For me it helps to have a solid framework of the story I want to tell.
Having a beefy outline proves to myself that I can have enough content to produce a satisfying story, for myself and for potential readers.
Having a planned ending also helps immensely as it acts as a standing finish line.

With the above, the goal is set, you have an idea of the course, so you just have to start the marathon if you so will it. And if you plan it with things to enjoy along the way, you will have a nice, scenic journey that makes the run less inhospitable.

[CosmicLeon]

It's nice to feel passionate about what you are doing, but sometimes you just need the self discipline to work though it. I have a love hate relationship with my comic. I am really passionate about what I do, but I don't always enjoy the process. To keep it interesting to me, I add things that I like such as geology, and symbolism. Even if it is in the background, it makes me happy. I also help fuel that interest by researching about said topics, and just being a nerd about it. I had a conversation with an artist/teacher at my school, and I told him that I wanted to join a publisher, so I would have someone to answer to. Because I found motivation in having some one inflict deadlines on me. He went off, and told me that I need to hold myself accountable, and self discipline. sacrifices. I was hard at first, really hard. But, once I got the hang of it, and how i need to organize things for myself it took a huge improvement on my passion and motivation. It isn't always about feeling that passion all the time, but sticking with it. I don't know if this helps you or not, but it helped me.

[TheGentleArtist]

I say that the idea has a plot that you like and concepts that you also like or finding interesting enough to be in said plot helps with being passionate about it. Especially if you jot it down and mull over it/daydream about it for awhile; sharing the idea with friends and family that understand and/or love what you do helps keep this idea to stick. Though, self-discipline will also help keep this idea from dying since you are being careful not to "go big or go home" with it.

[rajillustration]

It really is just finding that sweet spot. When you're doing something you enjoy and people are participating and it's fun--then you'll keep doing it. But, if you're working forever on a project that no one cares about and just isn't really coming together visually in the way you expected--you burn out. So it's a balance--what can you do that won't take so much time and energy that it's frustrating, and what can you do that will give you the engagement you need to keep going (because if you...didn't want engagement...you'd never post it online)

But eventually...everything comes to an end, youknow? So it burns out, it burns out. You just move on to the next thing.

[aqua03]

That makes sense. I think that was the problem with DRGN/DRAGOONS, I poured too much energy into it and burned out too quickly in that regard. Especially after not getting the immediate runaway success I always unhealthily placed upon that series it seemed.

So I guess for my next project I should stop focusing on making my next "big thing" and instead focus on just getting a good balance of having fun and getting some good engagement from friends and supporters if that makes sense.

[indysyew]

At risk of sounding trite: We don't choose a passion; it chooses us. It's a key difference between creating for ourselves, versus trying to do so for others ....

[domisotto]

I have a file full of ideas. When I notice that a certain idea gathered a lot of notes, I try writing a summary/pitch for it, maybe a sample chapter, and if it looks good, I start working on an outline. Usually, if I can get my 15 plot beats outline fleshed out, I am invested enough to write the project.

[Rhonder]

I'm a fan of the approach where, after getting a new idea, you slap it on the back burner for a while. If after a time you return to it and it still seems like something you're really interested in then it means your passion is probably strong enough to invest time into it. If you come back to it and think "eh, I'm not that interested in this idea anymore" then you can either put it back on the back burner to revisit again even later, or just forget about it altogether.

I have this huge passion project that has been stuck on back burner hell for years and years now because now when I revisit it I'm like... not ready to let it go completely, but also think that it's way too flawed to actually invest into lol. I may come back and rework it someday but for now it just chills in the back of my mind and in the previous work I've done for it.

When I went to work on TreasureHUNT!! There was actually like a 3 month period between when I started it and when I really started it. I began writing and thumbnailing it in spring of that year (and even drew the first 10 or so pages) but then summer was really busy for me that year so I didn't get back to it until Fall. When I looked back at it I was still interested in drawing it so I pushed onward.

Aaaaand most recently I have my new long-form project that I've been kinda sorta trying to write the last few months. I keep getting stuck on different aspects though so I haven't pushed forward with it very seriously yet and have it chilling on the back burner while I work on a silly DND comic in the meantime. At this point I'm trying to see if I'll reach a break through on how to tie the plot together for that one, or if I should try to figure out a different idea instead. Time shall tell.

[DiegoPalacios]

I just go with this checkmark:

1-Do i find it interesting?

2-Does it has potential?

3-Do i have the time to work on it?

4-Do i have a clear idea where this project is going?

If all four answers are "Yes", i go for it.

[vblairehawthorne]

I think it's a matter of writing what's meaningful to you tbh or something you REALLY, REALLY find interesting or you're passionate about.

In my novel Megachurch, I wrote about cults because I like weird people following some weird people around. I just generally find cults so interesting to write about, and that drive to express my utmost interest for cults is the biggest reason why I'm still enjoying writing it so much hahahaha!

Finding that one thing that will stick to you is all about asking things you already know. Maybe you love your family, you love your friends, you love a boy, you're interested in gardening, you're passionate about teaching, you wish to talk about an important idea. Start there. Make it your theme. And then mold your plot and characters around that theme.

[dsptss78]

I spend my time watching my favorite tv shows or movies to draw inspiration from. Knowing what spikes people's attention is what is key. whenever I create a story I think of things that would interest me or keep me engage plot wise. However you first need to figure out your target audience before you engage in that idea.

[dewarcomics]

I also have multitudes of stories (I will work on them eventually) But the reason I stuck with my current webcomic is that whenever I get a new idea it's mainly for Joe Flamingo (My webcomic). Other things I stick to the back burner and if I don't still love it after a while then maybe it wasn't as good idea as I thought?

But like other's have said it depends on each individual. My advice would be don't be too hard on yourself and don't try to force an idea out. Let ideas simmer for a while and if you still like it and you're ready then go for it! If not maybe it wasn't meant to be and you'll come up with something better. Ideas or concepts never really disappear they often get reworked or modified for the future project lol

I wish you the best in your endeavors!
-Yan

P.S. This could be bad advice if you're prone to being lazy, Sometimes you just got to do it before you lose interest and while you're working on it that passion gets reignited! All the best!

[nostalgicroxas]

It's hard. Cause sometimes you want the thing that'll burn hot, but sometimes it burns so hot, it just fizzes right out.

I know for me personally: drawing, painting, colored pencils, digital art, acrylics, sewing - all of that is fun and I enjoy it and know how to do it, but when I go to bed thinking about writing a novel more than any of that.. or if I don't write something for a few days, a few weeks, and longer, it just makes me depressed. I noticed this actually when I was an early teenager first thinking up stories - if I didn't have an idea for writing something down, I was stewing about it, and I quickly noticed that it had become a thing I couldn't live without.

Like @dewarcomics and others, I work on several things at once. Sometimes I let a smaller project (like the novel for nanowrimo) become the "main" project for a while. It's fine. It's not like I'll forget what's going in my main story overnight.