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BAD IDEAS

Banes at 12:00AM, July 16, 2015
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Image by Internet.

On the Quackcast this week, we talked about the MISTAKES we make when making our webcomics. In the end, we agreed that the biggest mistake one can make is not creating their webcomics in the first place!

It's easy to get lost in uncertainty, anxiety and self doubt when creating something. I often find myself spinning my wheels when working on a story, character, or what have you.

An interesting technique that I use all the time is the TEN BAD IDEAS list.

It goes like this: for whatever you're stuck with, write a list of ten BAD ideas. What are ten bad ideas for an ending? What are ten bad ways to resolve a scene? What are ten bad ideas for a monster or villain?

As someone who often starts doubting and prejudging everything I want to do, I find myself using this approach several times a week.

Clearly, the idea is to let you off the hook for coming up with bad ideas. To put that internal inner editor aside, take the pressure off, and let yourself play around a little bit.

The ideas are to be written without too much detail, in point form, and they don't HAVE to be good. The whole point is for them to be bad!

Of course, in writing down ten ideas, there's a strong chance there will be something GOOD in there!

I'm not sure how often I've used the ideas from my many, many Bad Idea lists, but it's a fantastic exercise, lots of fun, and most importantly, keeps me writing!

Hope you have a good Thursday!
-Banes

comment

anonymous?

bravo1102 at 7:50AM, July 16, 2015

Every idea I have is bad. This is my normal writing technique.

fallopiancrusader at 7:49AM, July 16, 2015

I use a similar method when starting a drawing or design. I generate a pile of quick thumbnails, in order to get the bad designs out of my system right from the beginning. After the first 10-ish sketches, the worthwhile designs start to resolve themselves. Sometimes I have to be halfway through the final before I realize how terrible it is, and then I have to start over.

KimLuster at 6:40AM, July 16, 2015

Hmmmm never even heard of the '10 bad ideas' Idea *chuckle* - If ever get stuck I'll try it... but then, I never come up with Bad Ideas ;D


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