Need Collaboration Advice

[sarrowsmith10]

Hi everyone. I'm the illustrator for the comic Goblins of Razard. Those who know me from around tapas, know that I work with a writer. Her name is Terri. Terri and I have been doing this comic together for 7 years now. I think we are a great team and work super great together. She really is the mastermind behind the story and I love her for it.

Last November she had her baby, which of course meant she couldn't work on the comic (I also took breaks when I had my two children, its not unusual). Then after a few months she wanted to jump back into it, but then she had some major personal issues come up that I'm not at liberty to talk about. I think its causing massive depression and she doesn't want to do anything, nor I think has the time to do anything. So I worked ahead on the pages with the script that I had, sort of without her permission. Fortunately when I was done she was sorta cool with it. I figured I would just keep working along by myself, but alas, I'm out of script to work off of. She says she has more for me and that she has the story completed all the way to the end of the series (it ends in 2 chapters, so we are super close to finishing), but she won't send it. Goblins of Razard has been on hiatus for months and months and I so badly want to keep going. Finish it up, you know?

Whenever I bring it up, she gets super frustrated with me and dives in to all the things going on in her life and how she doesn't think the story is good enough yet.. etc. etc. I love my friend a lot and I don't want to keep pestering her if its going to hurt our relationship. I'm feeling very conflicted and I don't know what to do. Should I just put the comic on hiatus indefinitely? Her issues aren't something that are going to resolve any time soon.

The crazy thing about this, is in the 7 years we've done this together, we've never argued over anything. anything!

[yansusu]

Hm, this is a little hard to give advice on. It's understandable that she doesn't feel up to work if there are issues in her personal life. Your side is very understandable too though.
If I understand it right, then she actually did finish the script but isn't happy with it yet. Maybe you could ask her if she would be cool with sending it to you nonetheless so you could have a look, see what you think and maybe give her feedback? That way, she might be inspired to work on it a little bit herself again despite the issues (probably depends on how serious it is, if it's not too bad, then sometimes a little spark from outside is all it needs to get back to work). Or maybe you'll find that everything is alright from your side and you can talk it through? Overall, I think it could help if she isn't left alone with the script but is offered help even if the script wasn't your usual job. That depends on whether she is alright with that though.

[sarrowsmith10]

probably depends on how serious it is, if it's not too bad, then sometimes a little spark from outside is all it needs to get back to work

I'm sorry for the vaguebooking! (I hate vaguebooking!) I think she is worried if she sends me an unfinished script I'm just going to go wild with it, since I went ahead with the start of the chapter. I can promise her that I won't draw anything until she is happy with it.. not sure if she will believe me... she also treats me like I'm one of the readers sometimes and doesn't want to spoil things or give me false hope, since there are plot points I'm definitely hoping for.

Maybe I can bribe her with lunch.. I don't want her mad at me for bugging her.

[yansusu]

I think vaguebooking (Thank you for that, btw, I just learned a new word ) is good in this case. It's her private life so outsiders shouldn't be told about that. I just wanted to say what I could imagine helping depending on the degree of her problems. Since you know what is up, you'll be able to judge best what might work and what might not
I think telling her about your worries and maybe even asking her if she has an idea on how to continue or offering your help somehow should be a good start. Even if you finally realize that you will have to put it on hiatus because of whatever reason, at least your relationship won't worsen because of it. So just try to talk it out with her (very carefully ...) would be my best take on how to proceed. But as I said, you know her and the situation best.

[sarrowsmith10]

My next sort of concern is how do I tell my readers? I don't really want to say that she has life problems and so we are going on hiatus. Think folks would think too much about it, if I just announced a general hiatus and not say why?

[KidJake]

Have you considered filler?

Maybe rather than going on hiatus you just find other little mini stories or random sketches to run until she's feeling better? It's not perfect, or ideal, but it would be something to occupy you and the readers for a while at least.

[minerrale]

Run a Q&A in the meantime? It usually works pretty well as a filler, and gives you a damned good reason to keep in touch with your friend about this project!

[yansusu]

Mn, yes, that's a bit difficult. I would say that as a reader I'd like to be told some reason not because I really need to know but just so I know what to expect. If it's just "We're going on hiatus. Over and out.", then that'd be as if the person said nothing at all - to me at least.
Maybe you can give some general explanation that some real-life-issues cropped up (Maybe not even say for whom? I remember reading in another thread once that you have a bigger team?)? 'RL problems' could be anything from too much work/school to anything else, basically, so people have a reason but could assume what they want about it?
Actually, I'd talk about that with her too

[sarrowsmith10]

just find other little mini stories

That's not a bad idea. I have been uploading sketches to my dashboard, but not to the series itself. We are sorta midchapter. Would that be weird to insert a mini story right now?

[Tanako]

not sure if you still need an advice but i'd say just go on hiatus. it's not worth losing a friendship. give her time. in the mean time try to come up with another comic idea or a mini series just like everyone else here is saying. life can be though and sometimes you just need a bit of space to cool off and get your head together. i'd say reach out to her one more time, maybe visit her. but if she still brushes you off with excuse then just back off and give her time.

[KidJake]

It's always a little jarring when something unrelated to the plot gets inserted out of nowhere, but just mention that 'technical issues' are keeping you from completing the story right now but you don't want to leave your subscribers hanging.

Hiatus is always an option, but as a reader I never take it as a good sign.