The Terrible Anvil Episode Fourteen: Starting Over
Hi, Friends!
This week on The Terrible Anvil, Tom Hart and I dug deep on the topic of STARTING OVER. We noted there's a few different types of starting over:
1) Restarting an old, old, project
2) Starting a new project after you finish one you've been working on (or even working in a series or across multiple comics pages)
3) Completely rethinking a project you have sunk a lot of enthusiasm and hours into
Have you ever started over? Tom said he sorta started over in his approach to his graphic novel, and also while he was working on an outline for a follow-up memoir that one small dream sequence within it became a longer series, B is Dying. I noted that I when I was making comics about veterans, originally I envisioned myself as a character and removed myself once my personal narrative got too long and tangential to hook to the main story (it ended up being the idea for a different book that I didn't make!)
Sometimes, particularly on freelance/shorter work, I will keep going to the finish line and use the information of what was less than ideal as inspiration for future comics. It's not a starting over but a way to gain insights into a better working process.
Here's some gems from the chat, and thanks Meg Lentz our fabulous note taker!
Oneita brought up a good question:
What about starting over in the middle of what you are doing for a deadline but still be true to the pitch? Like how close do the thumbnails have to be to the pitch? What if I’m veering too far away from my pitch? And I don’t like my pitch anymore?
I was thinking that the best course might be to #keepgoing and get it over with, and then take those desires forward to the next project. And keep your collaborators informed if you really veer off topic! But mostly, I just try to finish stuff quickly and Tom Hart said book publishing editors are more committed to getting a book rather than the exact thing you pitched!
Tom talked about building a personal archive of ideas to mine later - maybe that book proposal didn't "work out" but there's a lot of good stuff to revisit!
In thinking about the big scary restart, I mused that rather than starting over on my projects, I usually just stop to clarify what I'm working on and being more intentional + specific - letting go of the things that don’t serve the main goal
Jim Hamilton shared: I plan on using the upcoming Graphic Novel Intensive to decide whether an idea I have has legs. I think maybe it won't, but it may take me in some other worthwhile direction.
Carole McKee Armen observed that: Getting feedback from valued critique partners can lead to a difficult decision whether or not to “start over” or stay the course
(Tom mentioned this awesome 'cinema shack' by the filmmaker Agnes Varda)
Tom Hart also talked about The Garden of Unfinished Projects - a playground where one could keep dreaming with other cartoonists about the nascent beanpoles of ideas quietly mulching in the comics backyard, getting bigger and riper.
Tom and myself both noticed the magic of thinking about PROCESS with others (versus PRODUCT, the final work). Tom said he's curious about the future of art and wonders if projects have to have clear beginnings middles and ends, or if they can be more about creating something and being in the company of others.
There’s always opportunities for starting over in a variety of ways. Doubt is an important part of the creative process (I joked that "doubt is the sexy part of faith" haha.)
We also thought about TOILING (it's value and maybe enjoyment?) and FROLICKING...
I asked Tom Hart: Starting vs starting over - what’s harder? are they the same thing? Tom says starting is harder - there’s more uncertainty and insecurity. A big takeaway from this Tom mentioned: Don't start from scratch, don't start with a blank page! What sort of artsy detritus can you unearth from your garden of ideas? Maybe start there first, less pressure, more fun.
There's lots more fun on the podcast, you can catch recordings via SAW's awesome YouTube channel and wherever you stream podcasts. Next week, we're talking about COLLABORATING!
Happy Making!
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Starting Over in your Comics