Writing comics: Why you do what you do

chrcontagious

What's the most important thing to you, with your comic, as a creator? For example, are you trying to fill a niche that you think is lacking material, do you have a point you want to make, or are you just looking for a little personal glory ('fess up)? What's your number one reason for writing your comic(s)?

In my case, whenever I don't have some creative escape from the daily grind, I'm just not a happy person. Comics may not seem like my forte, since my artistic abilities are decidedly lacking, but is writing them good for my mental health? Absolutely, I love it.

PontiusMorgan

I do it just for fun. Comics, art, gaming and the like are all things I have hobbied for a very long time.

Having an outlet for creativity is a great thing to have, and I'm glad I have one.

captaintemerity

I've always had this urge towards storytelling, and comics have been the thing I've been most passionate about my entire life, so it's sort've a double whammy for me. I'm not expecting fame or wealth. I'm happy any time I see we've gotten a new reader here or there.

I read superheroes and have for so long, but I remember as a kid reading things like Richie Rich, Archie, Casper, Little Dot and so on. It's very important to me to have comics that kids can read that can also, hopefully, be enjoyed by adults as well. Writing Baujahr has been a delight for me, even though it wasn't my characters, and I came in mostly just to help Levi when he was stuck at one point. I'm trying to add something to the story, to their world (a new world is coming up, in fact), not so much to leave "my mark" on it, but just to give them more to explore.

I have other comics I hope to get to, some with Levi, some with other people. But I love the partnership of creating comics more than anything. Anyone I work with, I prefer it to be a full partnership, not a work-for-hire thing, because I truly believe the collaboration is what makes the comics better. It's also the part I enjoy the most.

If I wasn't writing comics (and there are times I'm not), I'd be writing something else. Books, music, for TV (that's the dream). But I've written for years for no other reason than... I like to write. The comics haven't changed that. Just enhanced it.

rocketpig

I write because I want to tell stories. I don't try to fill a niche, or a genre, or anything that *may* bring the comic success... I simply try to write the most interesting story to the best of my ability. It's my opinion that if you're not writing for yourself, your project is going to lack heart. Write what YOU like and if it's good enough, an audience will probably latch on and like it, too.

My last project was testament to that. I spent most of my time trying to change the project because it wasn't a good fit for me. Ultimately, it failed. Not terribly surprising.

decoy

I do it to hone my craft. I feel as though I have a LOT to learn. And while I know that doing it in front of an audience leaves me open to negative comments, it also gives me the opportunity to get constructive criticism.
And of course, I also do it because I enjoy telling stories.

ambitiouslove

I've always enjoyed comics, especially slice-of-life tales. I just want to be able to continue drawing, writing some kind of story, and meeting other creators.

Keeeng

I write my comic to relax, I work a ton.... to kick back and tell some far fetched story makes my day.... especially when a few other people laugh at it.

I love putting out my own content online cause there is noone to say "dont do that joke" so the best thing about webcomics is usually you are getting whats in the artists mind....most times....

chrcontagious

@Keeeng
"I love putting out my own content online cause there is noone to say
"dont do that joke" so the best thing about webcomics is usually you
are getting whats in the artists mind....most times...."

I actually worry about that a little (too much, I think). Sometimes I come up with what I think is a truly outrageous gag, then I analyze it a bit too much, rein myself back in, and write something more timid instead. Sigh.

Lo

I do it to keep sane.

No, really.

Keeeng

@chrcontagious I had a comic "I always wanted" where I pulled my punches, and I never put down the pen and said YES! Now with mayoking, meh people may not like it as much but most times when I read it to myself I laugh a bit, and that's good enough for me.

But if you are gonna tell a nice story........ well Aliens humping humans might not be the right route....

djsprockets

I can't not keep writing my comics. Quitting for 4 years was the worst thing I could have ever done.

I write what I know and it just happens to fill a niche.

I'd like to be able to support myself with doing my own thing. I know it won't bring me fortune, but a little fame is a nice thing. :)

observetoexist

At first I just wanted to do it because I read so many webcomics and thought "I can do that!" And sometimes, "I can do that better!" Then one day i just kinda dove in on a dare to myself. Now I can't imagine NOT doing it, its just too much damn fun!

djsprockets

@observetoexist - That's how I started too! Except it was a college newspaper strip.

Ugh, print comics. I feel so old.

chrcontagious

@djsprockets I still buy print comics.

Mind you, I still occasionally buy CDs.

I also own some dinosaurs.

observetoexist

@djsprockets @Chrcontagious - hey in this economy the value of dinosaurs can only go up. amiright?

chrcontagious

@observetoexist
True, I only have to wait a few million years until they become crude oil and I'm set for life!

PaveTheTigt

I just want somebody out there to have enjoyed something I made. I think it's a combination of the selfish desire to be validated and the one to just feel like I had done some good.

Keeeng

This is a great post, very glad it was started. Hearing what drives people to create always makes me want to take a break and draw.

djsprockets

When I said "print" I meant "newspaper comics."

prydonian

I do my strip, purely and simply, to entertain. If someone gets a giggle out of one of my strips, then I know my job is done.
If they come back, and continue to enjoy my work, and the number of those people grows, then that keeps me raising the bar and striving to keep them amused, entertained and enthralled.
That is why I do it. Anything else, commentary, donations, merchandise sales, is just the icing on the cake.

merrylurkerstudios

Yeah. I wanna' show off. B-)

However, I also want to make something that's WORTH showing off, and have a hell of a good time doing it. I want my story to have a life of its own, and be something other people can pick up, add to, and think about. I want my story to become your story. Creating something like that would kinda' kick @$$.

david_hl_higgins

I write and draw as a means to understand human behavior from another point of view particularly an outside one when possible. Aliens are the perfect vehicle as an outside observer when it comes to dealing with humanity. It is a rather serious pursuit of mine trying to understand how our kind tick, but I try to throw in a little humor while I am at it. Questions always come up about how we think feel and act which seem to have answers/reactions/responses/results as outcomes totally contrary to logic, which is why I do this. The more common but queer behavior that I observe in real human life from the inside the more I wonder how an external observer might perceive it. Would there be confusion? pity? disgust? curiosity?...by other kinds of intelligences toward our kind. When I turn on the TV (which is rare unless I'm watching Doctor Who) I see all sorts of human interpretations of humanity which is by default skewed. And ask myself how we went from rapid advancement using computers with the power of the average pocket calculator today to land on the moon, to computers with exponential capacity potential and processor power but put them to use editing Snookie and the Situations scenes for Jersey Shore--meanwhile the moon remains unexploited. I have a number of theories concerning such things, none of them are of benefit to our collective inflated egos--maybe one day I will go back to college and finish out with a doctorate and study the topic academically but for now this keeps me sane.

AdrianaGameOver

I draw comics because I love art, I observe society a lot and I want to make someone's day a little better.
Also, not being the most social person out there, drawing comics allows me to open myself to others and show how my head works.
I want to show that even though there are a lot of negative things in the world, we can always use humour and survive a little better.

Tauhid

I feel as though comics is the thing I'm supposed to be doing. There are other things I can and have done with my art, but if forced to choose one there's honestly no competition. More than anything I just want to make something definitively cool. DO something cool. I don't need to change the world or leave a legacy or whatnot. I just want to be able to point to something when asked "so what have you done?" I feel strongly that my best chance at achieving this goal is through comics.

prydonian

I want to add that I do what I do, because I love to write. I also love to entertain. I've always wanted to entertain. Be it writing, doing comedy, acting, drawing. It's been in my blood since birth. I always wanted to do it. It compels me and drives me onwards.
Some say it could be a need to be loved, to fill a void, to leave a legacy, but I have always tried to do what I do, in some form or other. I want to succeed in entertaining people, and leave them with a smile on their faces and a laugh in their hearts.

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