Work, college, comics...how do you guys do it?

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:55 am

my comic doesn't require too much effort on my part, so it doesn't take up a huge chunk of my time, and a social life is important for me to keep my sanity. (what's left of it, that is)

Warofwinds · Post by **Warofwinds** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:01 am

Wow, everyone's got their own plans for this...

Me, I just don't update and tell everyone to deal. I've threatened that if even one person complains, I'll PURPOSEFULLY skip the next update. I'm in my senior year of college here, and while I love my comics, it certainly is not in the top 5 priorities of life. I can deal with missing an update, and I'm sure to catch the next three on time. But there are those times where it's simply impossible, so I don't dwell on it. School comes way, way, first.

RemusShepherd · Post by **RemusShepherd** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:58 am

Work eight hours a day, draw the comic about six hours a day, sleep about six hours a night. That leaves four extra hours for eating, showers, exercise, mowing the lawn, etc. It works.

It's not an *ideal* life, by any means. I neglect friends and family, but they're all long-distance so that's not too bad. I take off one night a week (friday) to drive to town, get some socialization, and buy groceries.

The hardest part is when I stop to assess things, and realize how much time, energy, and dedication I'm putting into a project that is largely unknown, unacknowledged and unappreciated...well, it's best not to stop to assess things if they lead you down that path.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:57 am

Well, I do the research for my comic in my free time at work and at home - it's not so bad, since I usually enjoy what I'm researching.

The actual comic, excepting those rare times I have buffer, I do the day it's due for release. When I started drawing (as opposed to using PSP) the comic, I was a couple updates ahead of schedule. It helped that my comic actually makes sense being done on graph paper, and that I photocopied several three and four panel "blanks" for use.

Beth works the same hours I do for the most part, so we have the evenings together, and we generally plan our social events around the weekends. We do much cleaning and stuff during the week.

Tada. Work, College, Social Life, and enough change left over for coffee.

Alschroeder · Post by **Alschroeder** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:10 pm

I use the computer two hours a night and any morning when I wake up early enough...'tis enough, 'twill serve.---Al

The Neko · Post by **The Neko** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:47 pm

In answer to the question posed by the topic title... "I don't."

JTigerclaw · Post by **JTigerclaw** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:48 pm

The Neko wrote:In answer to the question posed by the topic title... "I don't."

Same here.

I don't know if anyone else is like this, but for me, if I start thinking of the comic as something I have to do, as in work, I put it off until I don't have enough time to finish. Yet, if I think of it like that, there's nothing pushing me to do it, so it's kind of a lose-lose situation.

The only way I get comics done is when I'm sitting on the computer doing nothing (like now) I tell myself "What the hell are you doing? You should be doing a comic!" and then I do it, which is the very tactic I'm about to use.

In fact, I really admire anyone who can balance all those things, even if it means giving up on their social life... wait, that sounds like a miserable existence... no I don't!

Black Sparrow · Post by **Black Sparrow** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:52 pm

I've been able to handle going to school and comicking, and I've been able to handle a full-time job and comicking... I'm not even going to TRY school, a job, AND comicking. Way too little me-time.

Kasaii · Post by **Kasaii** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:01 pm

What I generally do is write my storyboards and scripts at work. That being said, it only takes about an hour (usually) to do the actual comic if I have a script ready, since it's mostly sprites - and sprites, while sometimes finicky, are relatively easy to move about.

After that, I just make sure to schedule my one hour before bed to comic work, and work late if it falls apart (take tonight. I'm an hour past my bedtime. Goodnight!)

I guess my question is, how long does it take YOU to do those three pages? If you're spending an hour each, you have less time. Two hours each, you're matching me, and more than that per page (as many true artists do) and you've got a good chunk of time right there. There's a reason that most of the best comics don't update very frequently.

Taiwanimation · Post by **Taiwanimation** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:07 pm

I don't post on this forum that often anymore.

Game Misconduct · Post by **Game Misconduct** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:19 pm

I work at family run business. If its not busy and have nothing to do I sketch/draw/drop down scripts and possible storylines. I barely have a social life as the few times I go out are for ball games or grocery shopping. I try do most of it. Problem with me I'm too much of a perfectionist and half-assing a comic isn't going to do.

Princess · Post by **Princess** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:11 am

JTigerclaw wrote:
The Neko wrote:In answer to the question posed by the topic title... "I don't."
The only way I get comics done is when I'm sitting on the computer doing nothing (like now) I tell myself "What the hell are you doing? You should be doing a comic!" and then I do it, which is the very tactic I'm about to use.

I have heaps of stupid *finish my comic tricks*, like not eating until I've finished one panel

Dr_Destruction · Post by **Dr_Destruction** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:44 pm

I don't. Between work and a girlfriend and the internet I'm lucky to get one update a month. Age plays a factor too. I just don't have the energy that I had in my twenties.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:18 pm

I can't help but thinking, if I spent less time on forums, reading useless stuff on internet and lazying around, I could make more comics. (not to mention finally finishing uni)

Legendary · Post by **Legendary** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:49 pm

So far, I've been good at making my updates, but I have a very undemanding schedule (college hasn't started yet, and I don't have a summer job) and an undemanding style (It takes about 30 minutes to draw a new character from scratch and because of the program I use (Adobe Illustrator) I can pose an already drawn character fairly quickly if needed, usually in five minutes, maybe ten if the pose is really complicated.)

Rcmonroe · Post by **Rcmonroe** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 10:55 am

I gave a lot of thought to how much time doing a webcomic would take before I started doing a webcomic. I settled on doing a six-days-a-week, black and white, newspaper-style strip mainly because I figured I could handle it, time-wise.

Then I drew about four weeks worth of strips before starting the website. I've had anywhere from a four to seven week cushion ever since.

I think this cushion has allowed me not to get stressed out over updating. I think it's been very helpful to never feel like I have to draw; it's probably made me want to draw more than I otherwise would.

Anyway, I think being realistic about how much time you have and/or are willing to spend is key. I love the beautifully illustrated and colored strips but those things take forever so if you're going to do one of those you just have to accept that you're not going to be able to update very often.

CJBurgandy · Post by **CJBurgandy** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:01 am

rumor has it that McDuffiesactually has a Beijing cocktail running through his veins

Terotrous · Post by **Terotrous** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:51 am

My answer is that I don't manage it anymore. But to be honest, I'm sure I could still do it, but I kinda burnt myself out on comics. Also, generally when I could be working on comics, there's people I'd rather be talking to, or other things I'd have more fun doing with that time instead. I do feel bad about it, but it's not something I'm terribly motivated to correct.

I think one important key to maintaining a schedule is that it has to be fun. Though I enjoyed writing my comics, making them for me was something like a part-time job more than a hobby. Eventually your patience with something you don't enjoy or get paid for runs out.

Keffria · Post by **Keffria** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:57 am

mcDuffies wrote:I can't help but thinking, if I spent less time on forums, reading useless stuff on internet and lazying around, I could make more comics. (not to mention finally finishing uni)

*high-fives her big brother*

No, wait, this isn't something to be proud of. ;_;

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:00 am

Keffria wrote:
mcDuffies wrote:I can't help but thinking, if I spent less time on forums, reading useless stuff on internet and lazying around, I could make more comics. (not to mention finally finishing uni)
*high-fives her big brother*

No, wait, this isn't something to be proud of. ;_;

::pokes keff::