Minor Milestones, but Milestones Nonetheless

[eristeine]

Or, I'm interested in reading about other creator's milestones. Minor things. The small milestones that feel like the stepping stones to major ones. Why'd you decide on it? When did you reach it?

For me, my minor milestones usually revolve around how much writing and buffer I got finished. If I have a buffer enough for one month, that's already a milestone. If I managed to write down a draft for 3 chapters, boom! Another milestone! I usually do these minor milestones to keep me motivate and help me visualize all the stuff I got down so I don't feel discouraged too often.

... I have yet to reach these milestones, ahahah. But they're much more reachable than the big ones, like "reach 100 chapters" or "finish an entire season"

What about yours?

[Penni]

One of my minor milestones is consistently updating my story. At first, it was difficult to mange my time throughout the week to make it happen but I eventually figured it out.

Another minor milestone I'd reached is putting more effort into viewing and commenting on other people's work. I can't say I'm 100% on it but I'm sure most are like me who love engagement from their readers, so I try to put as much effort into that as I can spare.

[LortiaMJB]

Oh that's a good question!

I take things week by week to not lose my head, I end up usually creating 2 pages a week as my main goal, then often a concept piece besides that if I end up thinking up a new scene or chapter.

Since I upload only one page a week, it's a good realistic goal for myself to not get burned out over it and still create a pretty decent buffer for my comic. ^^

Bigger things like reaching 100 subscribers are just extra, hell I barely crossed out getting 10 over the weekend and that on it's own got me SO motivated to keep on going too.

[eristeine]

Ahh, schedules. I'm glad you managed to find a way to do so! They were a giant headache for me, so yeah XD

Same on the engagement front! Like, I do know what it's like to never get feedback and how discouraging it can get, so I try to. Well. Comment as much as possible. Thing is, sometimes my social meters can't really conjure anything substantial and I fear I 'm just giving back drivel

Do you also engage with comments on your stuff?

[eristeine]

That's a pretty good pace! And yeah, any amount of subs are good for motivation. Losing them is. Hm. Do you ever take breaks from making comics?

[Penni]

Absolutely! I make sure to respond to as many comment I can when I get them. I love getting feedback from my readers (especially when they enjoy what they've read). It's such a great motivating feeling.

Sometimes, even a comment of "keep up the great work" is appreciated if you can't think of anything to respond to the actual episode. It can be hard to do that sometimes, but if you enjoyed it, it's great to express that.

[LortiaMJB]

It's only a single project I'm working on, and with a 40-60 hour workweek usually from my dayjob I'm often stuck with cramming my Sundays for art. I try to draw as much as possible at any time I'm at home, comic or otherwise.

Since I started this comic my artistic itch to create got worse and worse, so getting myself to start is getting pretty easy. My main goal for this is just to say I finished a project, if people like it it's only more reason to continue!

[eristeine]

Right! I mean, likes are great and all but reading words about your creations is just so nice, you know?

Yeah Hell, sometimes, back in my early days, I forgot to even leave a like. Nowadays I'm sketching out fanart lmao

What about you? OOOoooh, actually, what was your first comment? Have you any readers that have consistently stuck around?

[OneSadDonut]

I really like the idea of minor milestones! their a lot more achievable and gratifying when you achieving them!

well my very firsts milestone was

writing my first chapter

thumbails and layout for page 1

inking page 1

and all I have to do next is

bubble placement (i just recently learned that I should have put the speech bubbles during the layout)

and colouring it!

and honestly it feels soooo nice crossing that to do list.

[eristeine]

Just finishing something is a goddamn struggle man, I applaud you for cramming it in between work hours! I can barely do it between school hours XD Damn uni.

Ooooh, do you sometimes doodle during work? Nothing serious but like, 'i have this great idea and i need to write/draw it down NOW'

[eristeine]

DUDE RIGHT?!
Especially if the list is a physical thing. Just. Having this actual record of shit you've managed to do is very motivating!

Bro, what's your comic about?

[LortiaMJB]

Oh how I wish I COULD actually draw during work, but I'm mostly outside for my job and taking a sketchbook along wouldn't survive for a week knowing what kind of people I work with... It pays the bills but that's where my interest in it goes.

The cramming isn't too bad, since it's my main way to relief stress. The thing I try going for is just 30 minutes a day to work on my art, anyone can make 30 minutes of time for something right? That alone makes me get SO MUCH done even if my head isn't on drawing after a long day.

[OneSadDonut]

I KNOW! and thats how I pretty much started to collect notebooks now. (also their covers can be so beautiful that i can't help myself)

Well my comic is about a superhero who got turned back into a teen and basicly forgot about his past life except for bits and pieces that his former self left behind, with help his re-learning how to use his powers and finding why his memory got wipe and who did it and finally stopping them.

i'm planning to call it "The Magician" but thats also a wip

but like whats your comic about!!!!

[eristeine]

Ahhh, outdoor jobs. Sucks >.>

I see! That's great, means that you can stress relive and get something done! Nice! And yeah dude, even just half an hour is quite a lot, especially if it's a daily thing.

[LortiaMJB]

Can't be helped, it at least pays the bills for now.

If you want to get things done, I'd really suggest 30 minutes a day though! Hell, do so inbetween studying while taking a break or eating! It means you won't be multitasking but also get a good distraction. I usually take the first 30 minutes after dinner, food helps a lot. ^^

[eristeine]

True. Also, I may do just that! I do have my days of just. Being unable to churn out anything creative. So XD

[daeofthepast]

I use the website Habitica for this exact thing actually X3 To keep track of minor goals and such

I have some very minor goals like "Finish the script for chapter 1" and for chapter 2 and for chapter 3... I'm on the script for chapter 7 now! :33 I will probably do the same for thumbnails and sketching and linearting and coloring chapters X3

A slightly bigger goal I have to to hopefully have chapter 1 all finished up by June! : D

[LortiaMJB]

We all do That's no surprise since we're busy people!

Starting is always the hardest though, I always try to at least set up a page, then go panel by panel, having that tiny bit set up already means you're never looking at a blank page, which is often the biggest obstacle

[eristeine]

Habitica! I remember that thing. I don't remember my password/email though XD

Oh dude, yeah, scripting is also one of my minor goals. I made the mistake of just. Starting this long series comic, twice, and having to pull the plug twice due to poor planning on my part. So now I refuse to draw anything unless I script it. I assume it's the same for you?

Oooh? Next month! What's your comic about? I'll check it out after class.

[375]

One of my minor milestones is being able to constantly update and maintain a schedule. It is a miracle that I could continue doing that and every time I schedule an episode I have this sigh of relief or when I thought I wasnt going to make it but ended up doing it anyway.