Yeah, I'm back… for now. Events on my end pretty much pulled me away from DrunkDuck and webcomics in general. As for what happened, let's say it's all work related…

All I could do was ride the storm and wait ‘til it calmed down. Took way too long, but it’s better than trying to get back into comics right after and finding myself too burnt out, I guess…

I hope I didn't miss too much while I was out. :)

we have the same story it seems.

On another note, yeah, how do people keep to their scheds? For the students i could understand, but some are parents and working people to boot, but they're still churning out updates on a regular basis.

Is there a trick to this? Or should this be moved to the Tips and Tricks Section…:cat:

Adariel
some are parents and working people to boot, but they're still churning out updates on a regular basis.

Is there a trick to this?

They are neglecting their children and others are picking up their slack at work. Eventually it will all come falling down around their ears.

What annoys me is when I see “Sorry this weeks art isn't up to scratch but I had to do x and y real life stuff etc”. Nobody is paying you to meet a deadline. Nobody is forcing you to meet a deadline. If you're making excuses for your work because of a self imposed deadline well, why would you do that? If you're not giving your best, why would I want to read it?

The trick is to be quick… and neglect children, do it on the sly at work and have no life.

Seriously though I do it for fun and find the time around other things. When my wife is at work in the evenings or when she watches crp on the TV. When my kids are eating breakfsst lunch or dinner. or when they are playing games and I have nothing else to do. Sometimes it is ten minutes here and there and over the course of a day I get a page done. my most productive time is between after the wife goes to bed and when I crawl up around 1 am. only yo be woken at 6 am to start over again.

As for self imposed deadlines… I think that is essential otherwise people will just procrastinate.

Last time I updated something for real (not for image host)…


Couple months?

The trick is to stick with your deadlines no matter what. It helps if there's something tangible breathing down your neck (like a contract or someone to keep you accountable to your work)

It's hard because there will always be SOMETHING in the way, I've noticed. We all procrastinated at university and school with things like reports by drawing comics…

Now we draw comics we procrastinate by doing everything else. The irony.

Adjusting your update schedule and doing nothing but drawing in every spare moment seems to work. It helps to build up an archive.

I just update whenever I feel like it, i guess thats why not many people read, because they dont know when to expect it, but im a kid so I can update all the time, but that brings up the problem of nobody commenting/rating the first few pages and then loads of comments on the latest page. that sucks, so im just uploading once/twice a day now.

Ironscarf
What annoys me is when I see “Sorry this weeks art isn't up to scratch but I had to do x and y real life stuff etc”. Nobody is paying you to meet a deadline. Nobody is forcing you to meet a deadline. If you're making excuses for your work because of a self imposed deadline well, why would you do that? If you're not giving your best, why would I want to read it?

sama
The trick is to stick with your deadlines no matter what. (…) It's hard because there will always be SOMETHING in the way, I've noticed. We all procrastinated at university and school with things like reports by drawing comics…

I think the truth lies somewhere inbetween. Finding the right measure is what counts, and to be your own judge when posting a filler is the right thing to do. I have found that even with webcomics, no deadline is ever 100% self imposed. I know that not updating will hurt my comic some way or another. People are waiting for it to update, and even if they aren't, updating regularly can build a valuable reputation. On the other hand, no reputation and no amount of readers is important enough to override every aspect of your personal life. So, as I said, it's a matter of finding the right measure.

Abt_Nihil
I think the truth lies somewhere inbetween. Finding the right measure is what counts, and to be your own judge when posting a filler is the right thing to do. I have found that even with webcomics, no deadline is ever 100% self imposed. I know that not updating will hurt my comic some way or another. People are waiting for it to update, and even if they aren't, updating regularly can build a valuable reputation. On the other hand, no reputation and no amount of readers is important enough to override every aspect of your personal life. So, as I said, it's a matter of finding the right measure.

Waitaminute. Are you sayin' that there are things more important than work? You'll never win the rat race with that attitude, mister!

The best advice that was ever given to me is to do what you say you'll do, when you say you'll do it, and in the manner you say you'll do it in. The trick to that is to understand what you can actually follow through with before you say you'll do it- and if your uncertain, include some wiggle room. Update when you say you will, in the manner you say you will. If that means updating left and right erratically, go fer it. If it means updating once a month, sure. Some approaches will build more regular readers more quickly, but if that's not what your after, don't worry about that part.

I'm personally a big fan of having the entire story finished before I post anything. It's the closest I can come to knowing I'll be able to say “uninterrupted updates!” since even if my life falls to pieces, all the work for the immediate story is done and revising the social contract between stories seems less obtrusive.

Someone
Waitaminute. Are you sayin' that there are things more important than work? You'll never win the rat race with that attitude, mister!

That made me laugh, I assume it was supposed to.

Genejoke

Someone
Waitaminute. Are you sayin' that there are things more important than work? You'll never win the rat race with that attitude, mister!

That made me laugh, I assume it was supposed to.

So do I :p

ramlama
The best advice that was ever given to me is to do what you say you'll do, when you say you'll do it, and in the manner you say you'll do it in.

I consider myself a realist, after all. I know which comics I can commit to, and I will do all that I can to make them update on time. And I know which comics will only update irregularly, so that's no secret either. What I meant was: Life isn't the same every day or every week. Sometimes, a lot of stressful and/or time-consuming things will coincide, and in that case I'm not ashamed to post a filler.

ramlama
I'm personally a big fan of having the entire story finished before I post anything. It's the closest I can come to knowing I'll be able to say “uninterrupted updates!” since even if my life falls to pieces, all the work for the immediate story is done and revising the social contract between stories seems less obtrusive.

I never had the patience to do that :3

It's all about deciding what to sacrifice to do it. Also, planning everything out works well too.

I try to create a buffer to limit the amount of work i fall behind on. Though the buffers aren't like finished products, they tend to be a massive amount of pencils (as of right now i have the next 3 weeks worth of strips or so penciled and the next month+ written).

After that it's deciding whats more important. Obviously, there are certain things that can't be replaced (such as kids, work etc), but finding a bit of time to do one thing instead of another makes a different. Watch a TV show? try to record it and spend that half hour/ hour to work on the comic in some capacity.

These tend to be the things I look at when working on shadowjacked, but everyones process is different. Once you find the balance, then hopefully things will get easier to do.

The key to keeping up my comic is to draw it at work, to hell with that place. If I don't draw a comic per day or read a hundred pages in a book I feel like I really wasted the day.

I think the question also has to do with how you see your comic/s fitting into your overall life. Among us there is a huge range of motivation: some who are very dedicated, and among those, some who have been dedicated for many years, and then others who enjoy reading and trying, but don't have serious aspirations for a professional pathway.

Although I really like views (and comments especially) and I know that I won't get them if I don't update regularly, I have made many other commitments that I don't want to just blow off because this is my flavor-of-the-past-few-months. I'm extremely new to webcomics, and even newer to trying to make one, and I want to stay with it, but if I start feeling guilt
“oh no, I said every Weds and it's been three weeks”
I won't be good for anything — and frankly, that's not an option.

Don't know if this makes sense to anyone, but in a nutshell, I love my baby comic, but as soon as it starts becoming an obligation, the magic will be gone.

Q: So how do you deal with real life interfering with your comics?

A: Reframing. Why does it have to interfere? It could be helpful for story development, you know.

Always used real life experiences as fuel. You gotta make use of em. Exaggerate. And incorporate it into a comic. There's my simple, overused formula for making up stories. :)

Is the glass half full or half-empty?

Abt_Nihil
I consider myself a realist, after all. I know which comics I can commit to, and I will do all that I can to make them update on time. And I know which comics will only update irregularly, so that's no secret either. What I meant was: Life isn't the same every day or every week. Sometimes, a lot of stressful and/or time-consuming things will coincide, and in that case I'm not ashamed to post a filler.

Amen. The most important part of doing what you say isn't necessarily the doing part… it's being careful what you say you'll do. Take the world into account when you make promises to yourself and others. Take your own interests and limitations into account. I've never had much luck trying to accomplish things in spite of the world, but plenty of luck trying to accomplish things by going with the flow of it. Nowadays I usually add the caveat of “I'll make every reasonable effort to do x” to my promises. Saves me plenty of heartache more often than not.

kyupol
Is the glass half full or half-empty?

Neither. The glass is completely full. Half of the fullness is liquid, the other half of the fullness is air :3

Being a realist is probably the best way to do it. Never start out thinking, "oh, I'm going to update five times a week and force myself to continue this schedule!" Instead, you have to think the opposite. Create a more manageable schedule, start slow.

Then try picking it up, say for a bonus week or something. If that works out for you, then you can update more regularly. Well, this is all coming from a guy that believes that consistency is very important for your fans, so unless you don't believe in that doctrine, make sure to set something you can maintain!

Someone
Neither. The glass is completely full. Half of the fullness is liquid, the other half of the fullness is air :3

I like that

Draw. At the most inappropriate moments. Eventually everyone in your life will recognise that you're a passionate individual who is intensely unreliable.

And when your life is falling apart all around you, you won't give a shit because you're drawing. They never should have trusted children and flammable things with someone as unreliable as you.

Also quit TV and videogames.

noncannonfireworks
Also quit videogames.

Noooooooo :cry2:

videogames is technicallly part of my genetic make up.

Adariel
videogames is technicallly part of my genetic make up.

If thy right hand offends thee, cut it off.

Real life ends up becoming my comics in most instances, as just about every page is based off of a conversation or something I experienced.

In terms of interfering, meh. When I have an idea for a new one, I take the time I would have spent playing a game or programming, and draw. It's no biggie for me.

NickyP
I take the time I would have spent playing a game or progamming

Wait, did you mean to say that you are a “pro” at gaming. If so, which game?!

I will be the first to admit that my real life has started to interfere with my comics and how they update…Partly due to the fact that i'm starting to get out more, hang out with friends, I have a job now, am in a new relationship and i'm basically trying to enjoy my life. I feel kind of guilty for not keeping up with my comics religiously like before, but now that I finally have my health back (and hopefully for good this time!) this girl is ready to live it up! xD

I mean, i'm always going to be very devoted to my comic. I love it and I enjoy updating 3 times a week. But I don't really have the time to do what I used to do. I have a lot of stuff to do now :].

Peipei
I will be the first to admit that my real life has started to interfere with my comics and how they update…Partly due to the fact that i'm starting to get out more, hang out with friends, I have a job now, am in a new relationship and i'm basically trying to enjoy my life. I feel kind of guilty for not keeping up with my comics religiously like before, but now that I finally have my health back (and hopefully for good this time!) this girl is ready to live it up! xD

And you should!! ^_^ (And not just because as far as I can tell, you've done an insane amount of comic pages over the past few years.)
Basically, most of my comics are meant to compensate for the life I don't have :p
Oh, and since we've had some “my life inspires my comics” comments: My life inspires my comics too, but that doesn't mean it doesn't interfere with them too. Also, comics are a part of my life, so it's a (vicious?) circle anyway :p

I cheat and make my webcomic my homework. The current chapter of A Loonatic's Tale is now my senior project at art school (graduating this semester).

DrLuck
I cheat and make my webcomic my homework. The current chapter of A Loonatic's Tale is now my senior project at art school (graduating this semester).

That explains why there are so many different art styles in one comic there.

——

Cubicle aside (since I'm not the artist on that one), I usually plan out a comic (from script, to sketch, to final) far in advance so that I'm freed up to do other things, namely job hunting, art shows, trips to visit friends, etc. Then again, when I make an arc for Negligence, I push through it from beginning to end, not stopping until I'm finished, even if I can only work on one or two comics a day (for a twenty-comic arc). I treat making the comic like a real job, then I take a bit of vacation time like a job as well.

blindsk

NickyP
I take the time I would have spent playing a game or progamming

Wait, did you mean to say that you are a “pro” at gaming. If so, which game?!

Sorry, mispelled programming. :P Though I did competitively play Super Smash Bros Brawl and Pokemon.

I couldn't so I didn't with my last comic so this time around I had everything done before I posted anything.
Since this is a hobby and I know I can structure my time to fit in what has to be done I squirrel away time for this. It also helps that as a security guard I have lots of down time to play on my laptop.

When doing the pictures I schedule everything like a movie shooting schedule with a check list and all.