I just wanted to post a few thoughts for New Year's, while I'm still coherent enough to do so. This past has been... tumultuous, to say the least. Every year has it's ups and downs, and 2013 was no exception. Somehow, this time around, the ups were higher than I'd expected, and the downs were much lower than I was prepared for. But somehow, with the kindness and support of many, I've made it through. Every year since I decided I wanted to write comics, and I was going to make it happen no matter what, I've managed to get closer to my ultimate goal. Slow going as ever, but I have no choice but to remain optimistic.
This was a good year for me comics-wise. I self-published 2 comics, had tables at three conventions. I learned a lot about what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong. I met a lot of very nice people, people very generous with their time and advice. It's pretty clear that 'breaking in' to the comics industry is a pretty tough thing to do, and the upside is that once you've 'made it', most people seem to have a lot of patience for people who are still on the path.
Something else that I've learned this year is that 'breaking in' is kind of a myth. It seems more like working your way to the front of a large, packed crowd. You don't just appear on the scene, and suddenly everyone's buying your stuff. You get some people interested in this book, and then the next one a few more people pay attention to, and maybe eventually you're making a little money on your books, or getting a bit of interest from editors. The trick seems to be to never stop moving.
Anyway, to recap, I had a table at Heroes Con in Charlotte, where Anonymous Nancy #1 debuted, and really I kind of did too. I attended San Diego, spending four days trying to network to the best of my abilities. That was when I decided I wouldn't be the guy harassing editors at the bar after the con closed. Next was Baltimore Comic Con, where I had Nancy and Lunatic Fringe, and I even managed to sell a few copies. After that was Pittsburgh, and then I travelled to New york for NYCC, my first time attending and I had a great time. Throughout I've been working on short scripts, and developing longer projects as well.
And what's in store for 2014? I have a feeling the coming year is going to be a good one. Busy, no doubt, but also very good. Anonymous Nancy #1 should be available on comiXology soon, and #2 shouldn't be too far behind. I'm going to keep plugging away on scripts and hopefully get moving on new projects. I'm already booked at Nittany Con in State college, PA, in March. With time and money being a big factor in the coming year, I'm planning to do mostly smaller, more local conventions, Central and Western PA, Ohio, West Virginia. I will, of course, keep posting when I have dates.
Beying that, it's just a matter of keeping moving. Keep working my way through that crowd. It's easy to get lost, or stuck, or just plain worn out. Lose interest and just stop. But then what?
So my New Year's wish for everyone is to keep moving, keep fighting, keep working for that thing you want more than anything. No matter how thick the crowd gets, no matter how much longer and harder it gets. Sure, you'll get sidetracked, you'll get lost and you'll get stuck. Even inching forward counts as progress.
If nothing else, I wish for health and happiness, and I hope that your downs are never lower than your ups are high.
Happy New Year
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