Need ideas for a new BL story, I'd love to hear about your college experience!

[9outofPen]

Hello all!

I'm recovering from a mild case of Tennis elbow strain, so while I can't draw much I thought I'd work on my story for a new comic! It is technically a BL pairing, but I want the focus to be more on the transition into the adult world. (No explicit stuff, just cute feel-good story). I loved college and want to recreate that kind of setting, but I need more ideas that were different from my experience.

One character is a college art student who is having trouble lining up job prospects because he can only find graphic design positions, when he wants to draw more illustration/commercial art.

The other is a server at a local coffee shop, who is excellent at his job, but doesn't know what he wants to do with the rest of his life. He wants to switch career fields, but doesn't know what to start training in.

If you can relate to either of these characters, or even if you don't, I'd love to hear about your personal experiences or ideas for them!

[KennDemon]

I would love to read this. I love cute BL.

I am currently in college for the third time/working on my second credential. I changed what I wanted to study the first time I went, so I didn't complete that program. Then there weren't really job opportunities in my field after I graduated with a scriptwriting certificate, so I went back to school and am learning Game Development now. Even with that, I went in wanting to be a writer and programmer, but now I really don't want to do programming and the art side is very appealing. So, yeah, I understand both changing your mind about what you want to do, and not being able to find a job in your chosen field.

Um... I'd love to help, but don't really know what to say. I guess I'm not go with broad questions. Like, what sort of experiences did you want to hear about: in class, on campus, crazy schedules?

[villainesayre]

Sooo I already graduated from Fine Arts Academy but I can really relate to the art student character! I always loved doing illustrations/comics etc but I also only found work as a graphic designer around my studies haha After graduation I was offered a job at the Culture Centre in my hometown, also as graphic designer (since it's my major) but as I'm really stubborn and in fact I always do the opposite of what I'm told - II've opened my own business. I still need to deal with graphic design but I also get to draw illustrations for clients!

Maybe they could later live together and open a little business and the barista would be excellent at time and work management or something? Just an idea

[lunaartemisasama]

I am an eternal student of graphic design to the point that some people think I am a teacher, have experiences and studies in other fields but always wanted to change fields and paint (just because ....?) loool. Am I in the middle?

I would love if the graphic design student help in any way to the barista to find their true passion . Like... I can show you the world Aladdin's music start playing

I know lots of graphic desginers that would have prefered to study art but because is not profitable and their parents aid them they didn't do it.

Also a person used to said if you want to win money as an artist you need to be really good (a.k.a crazy), have a foreign surname or marry a rich man/ old rich woman lol . (I know it's not like that but if you are thinking in some background things, just giving some random ideas).

[BraniAndNess]

I studied in Visual Arts where I learned nothing useful, then studied film animation which opened up my eyes! The program came with a course to prepare us for employment, and what I learned was that you have to do a lot of research in the field of your choice to know what exactly they're looking for, where the opportunities are, etc. If you're only attracting the kind of jobs you don't want, something is wrong with your approach and you need to change it. Don't put anything in your portfolio that you don't want to do, even if you have it on hand, and be sure to be talking to the right people. For example, if your character wants to do illustration and commercial art, a great place to start would be to build a kickass portfolio and apply to an illustration agency. It can be hard to find contracts without experience and contacts, but an agent finds them for you and has access to higer paying contracts than you may be able to get on your own.