Words Are Pictures 1.3: Even One Word Is Progress
WAP 1.3
Even One Word Is Progress.
I am not an expert.
I made some books. People seem to like them.
I am still making books and learning more with every page.
You want to think that there is some trick to it. There isn’t. There is only the work.
We can talk about talent later.
We can talk about deadlines later.
We can talk about the submissions and the publishers and the contact lists later.
Right now I want to talk about work.
You need to do it everyday. Every single day. I had an interesting conversation with Rodrigo Munduruia two weeks ago. Here is a champion judo fighter who looked at my work and said “I could never do that it’s too hard.” The man can take on everyone in the room without second guessing his ability, but drawing is too hard? I laughed. I asked him how he got so good at judo. “Well, practice.” he said.
I try to work at the same time(s) every day, if I feel like it or not.
Mood is for love. Art and writing is hard work.
By all means don’t do it if you don’t feel like it today. But remember that somewhere not far from you, a lot of folks are making the pages that are going in front of people the next day. While tomorrow, you will be just starting to “get in the mood.”
“But shouldn’t I love it?” Of course you should. You should love it. Love the final product. Love the act of creation. But sometimes that page, that phrase, that idea that you worked so hard on…well it just sucks. It’s awful. It’s horrid. I know, I know it took you months. But it’s really very bad. I’ve found that the best possible way to get over that is to have lots of work on your desk or in the studio to choose from. When you work every day for a month you’ll have a thirty false starts. But a month later maybe you meet someone and they say something that gives you the perfect idea to complete that one unfinished piece. Then you go home and finish what you started. Which I can tell you, is a great place to be. Rushing home to finish an idea, a script, an image, to finally see it done, that is the best. I sorry to say this but you don’t get to love every single finished page of illustration or writing. Sometimes you are going to get it wrong. Those ones die hard sometimes, but kill them you should. The point is, you made them, you learned from your mistakes, you moved on with more experience.
Steven King said in On Writing that you need to write at the same time everyday so the muse knows when to show up. But, really, you need to work at the same time everyday because otherwise life is going to get in the way. You need a reason, a priority. And no, other people are not going to understand that. That part is hard too. They are your family, your loved ones, your friends, your colleagues, and you are going to tell them “No, I can’t.” The Reason: You have work to do.
Even one panel is progress.
Even one word is progress.
Everday. They add up. Trust me.
Your Homework : Between now and next week you are going to write or make art or do both at the same time everyday for seven days. You are not going to give me reasons or excuses why this is impossible you are going to get it done. Then if you have not yet done so you will find and read a copy of Domu: A Child’s Dream.
See you next week.
GMB Chomichuk
Check out previous WAP Installments
WAP – 1.3: Even One Word Is Progress
WAP – 1.4 Creativity in Seasons: Use What Survives
"You want to think that there is some trick to it. There isn’t. There is only the work."
Truer words were never spoken! Keep up the good work, Greggy.