This is, erm, perhaps some kind of counterweight to Wednesday’s post. I scheduled yesterday’s post in advance (that’s why that one had an little picture and this one doesn’t) and almost stopped the system from putting it up, because I just felt like it was complete BS.
Right now, I feel like me being on the inside with regards to the comics industry is an absolutely ridiculous notion. Not just a funny idea but actually laughable. I’m just some chick who has convinced a small number of people she’s a comics publisher, and they are clearly all lamers who can’t tell I’m a huge fake.
Right now, I feel like I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing, none of my clever plans to help ITCH grow are ever going to work because I’m doing it all wrong and I might as well try to hammer nails into the wall with my head.
Right now, I feel like my drawings are no more than mediocre, and no one in their right mind would pay real money for them, and that freelancing thing I’ve been thinking about is never going to work out, and I’m going to do mindnumbingly boring work in the civil service until the day I die.
In short, I’m having a bit of a funk.
I’ve been in this funk for a couple of days now, which means I’m probably through the worst of it, unless something else decides to go horribly wrong. (I don’t want to go into all the things that went horribly wrong that got me here, because most of them are stupid and trivial and it’s not really important for my point, anyway.)
My point is (I think) that if you feel like you suck, and you have no discipline or staying power, and you’re never going to be as cool or successful or skilled as [insert somebody else here], you should know you’re not alone. [insert somebody else here] probably feels the same way, at least some of the time.
We all get this. It’s normal. It doesn’t really mean anything, and it certainly doesn’t mean that you should stop.
I know this, so I’m just going to keep going, and look for some perspective, and have faith that in the end I’ll get somewhere with it. And remind myself that I’m doing some stuff that’s kind of cool, if you think about it, like publishing comics.
@Violetta: you said you want to draw manga, but you don’t know where to start. The answer is: with the laundry at your feet. (Something tells me you’ll get that reference.) It doesn’t even really matter where you start, just pick something that needs work, and work on it. That’s all you need.
At least, I frickin hope that’s all you need, because that’s all I’ve got.
Wish me luck.
{ 11 comments }
Ganbatte, Willie!
ITCH is extremely necessary. You understand that the UK has some great manga talent and you’re dedicated to getting those books out there. I really think ITCH could be a cornerstone of the scene someday.
Some ideas you could try:
You have ISBNs, so try to get onto that Library registry thing. There’s some kind of way you can register your book so Libraries can get it, and from what I’ve found with workshops, Libraries are looking for manga suitable for younger teens, and that audience went crazy for Leek & Sushi. You get paid commission when they take them up, I believe.
A competition. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about this for a while, but I never seem to get hold of you. Anyway, I was thinking that the disappearance of the rsom is a problem. It served an important purpose in the UK manga community. So I was thinking it’d be awesome if the doujinshi groups came together to run a contest once a year. Since you work as a publisher with contracts, you could be the one to print and publish the resulting winning entries as anthologies, and the other prizes could include a bunch of comics from the doujin circles and maybe even get sponsorship from say, lettraset and have markers too. If Sweatdrop were involved too, this would be excellent publicity and fill the rsom shaped hole, since the rsom helped showcase new talent, give people a goal, bring the community together etc.
It’s early days yet, but it’s an idea.
Another idea: Create a monthly manga magazine for teens which contains comics, stuff on alternative/goth/loli/visual kei clothes, cosplay, games and technology. Basically a more sensibly aimed ‘manga pulp’. I think a lot of manga in the UK neglects the core market. 13-17 year olds. With the right comics and the right branding, advertised and sold in the right places, a mag like that could make a killing, I think.
So, uh yeah. Take or leave what you please, maybe you think they’re stupid ideas haha, but I thought I’d throw some at you in an attempt to give you a bit of genki.
Keep at it, Willie!
Ironically, was just the other day thinking how nice your latest drawing are.
I think the ‘funk’ is there to keep us doing it. If it was all highs it wouldn’t be anywhere near as addictive as it is
I’m seconding the gannbattage, this last year you’ve become a force to be reckoned with in self published manga, and we’re all behind you.
That said, I know exactly how you feel, It’s almost cyclical, you have to feel bad every now and then in order to feel up again and, ususally, the worse the down, the amazing the up.
Take it easy lady, we all love ya ^_~
Waaah, thanks you guys! What a nice thing to wake up to!
You’re right, Anna, it is cyclical. Frustrating, but knowing that I’ll feel better again later does allow me to work through it these days. I used to just walk away and not do anything for weeks.
@Ness: you might be right. I guess constant highs would not be nearly as motivating. Hm… interesting thought.
Mongoose: Yes, I have been thinking about running a competition, I agree that the loss of RSOM has taken away a very useful point for us all to focus on. The main reason I’ve parked the idea in my own head is that I’m not Tokyopop, and asking people to draw 15-20 pages is asking a lot. I want to make sure the rewards are worth it so it doesn’t turn into the saddest competition ever, with about 3 entrants.
We should talk about this though. Your number crunching about the number of manga kids in Cumbria has made me think; there is room for us to do cool stuff. Hmm… Let me catch the next wave and we’ll talk.
Just got back from China! I want to tell you, Willie, no matter how you feel, I will always respect you for jumping into this crazy and demanding industry.
I also want to say that I believe I know how you feel about the “funk”, since I feel like that quite often, but I find your style very unique and your stories fascinating, so don’t give up =]
I think that you do a great job and it’s clearly good as you received a positive review for Leek and Sushi from me (which is obviously important
) and more importantly from Neo this week. You do a great job, don’t let things get you down.
I think a monthly thin magazine may be good, maybe a chance to showcase new manga talent in the industry so people can submit a few pages of manga to you and you can sell it on as a “teaser” or alternatively do something like Yen Press do in the USA and launch multiple mangas through a monthly magazine, with news and reports inbetween. It’s an idea anyway
.
Holy frack, the NEO review! O_o!! I completely forgot, I haven’t even seen it yet. >_< *lol*
OK, so I’m glad to hear it was good. XD The idea of a magazine has been around and around again, I think it could be really cool, but the challenges will be getting enough material and getting enough subscribers to make it viable. They are not small challenges. I see more in tackling the contest thing first. A magazine type thing would be good though, and it’s something worth thinking about. We can build up to it maybe.
Build… like crazy little Lemmings.
*clip*
*clip*
*clip*
… *shrugs*
*walks of the edge*
A magazine would be difficult, but if you could get seralised manga in a monthly (or quarterly) magazine you may be able to get subscribers.
Yeah the review was very positive
, although the cover was used elsewhere as well in the magazine by Mr Clements.
However many times I think ‘Damn, it would be hella awesome if we had serialized manga in the UK’, I have to remind myself that we just recently lost the DFC. Perhaps, as you say Willie, it’s better to tackle something smaller like a competition first, before going after the rather more ambitious goal of monthly manga.
However, wherever ITCH decides to go next I’m sure you’ll do a good job of it. Leek & Sushi was a triumph, here’s to Leek & Sushi 2
I’m sorry to hear some things went wrong, but there’s been a lot going right as well.
, and a good one at it because you care and really DO know your stuff.
I don’t really regard Itch as “inside” the industry myself, but you’re certainly a step up to the industry, and that’s what a lot of artists really need. Suppose Itch weren’t there, there wouldn’t really be any original manga publisher in the UK, would there? That makes you queen of the hill
I think the Pepsi comic was a succesful sort-of-contest, and Leek ‘n Sushy is widely acknowledged. There’s a pattern in contents and contributions there, and since your expertise lies in business, publishing, marketing, and generally being a likable entity, I think contests will work for you.
The only advice I would give you is the advice you’ve given yourself: Keep at it, because only along that way will you come across your chances to success.
Also, If you come up with some crazy international plan, you can always give me a call
Re: Mongoose’s post and Libraries. The way to get your books in libraries is a) to get your books sold by suppliers – most libraries use the same supplier conglomerates. So, basically it’s getting these small group of companies to act as a distributor for your books. b) take (or send) the books to your local libraries yourself and say “I am a local author” and ask them to stock your books. With Leek and Sushi, if everyone who contributed did this you’d have it all over the country in no time. c) Get people to reserve your books at libraries! As long as you have an ISBN they should be able to find your books and buy them.
And also: Holy shit, Leek and Sushi is reviewed in NEO? Must get hold of a copy.
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