This Saturday, Angela Boyle is coming to my livestream to talk about her new book, Threadbare Memories on KickStarter!
I’ve got questions – certainly YOU have questions. Ask them in the live-chat!
This Saturday. 1 pm EST. On YouTube.
Hope to see you there!
In case you missed it, I did a livestream this past Saturday! Watch as I draw a modern-day Valkyrie to completion. (I’m so proud of how this turned out!)
I had announced that commissions on Ko-Fi would re-open next week, but I must delay re-opening until January 22, 2021.
Why? Because I have a short story comic deadline coming soon. I want to make sure I get it done in time with as little pressure from outside projects as possible.
Once the comic is done, I’ll be available to work on commissions on Jan. 22.
Thank you for your understanding!
I think we can all agree that we’re SO HAPPY to leave 2020. Granted, the first week of January’s been a hot mess, too. I chalk that up to 2020’s final gasps of desperation, like the attention gremlin it is.
With 2020 out of the way…
This year, I’m going to have a theme for the year, not resolutions.
For me, the theme for 2021 is GROWTH. I want to grow my book catalog, my minicomic collection, and a LOT more. And I want to grow into new subjects and mediums.
To get there, I decided to play with numerology. I set 5 separate goals, because 2+0+2+1=5. And in those goals, I intend on making 5 things. Let me illustrate:
I’ve been getting more hands-on this past year. But that also means unfinished craft projects. So I want to finish some crochet, sewing, and scrapbooking projects that have stuck around for too dang long.
Funny story; a few weeks ago, I followed up with Quimby’s, whom I sell on consignment with. As I made minicomics to send to them for restocking their shelves, I realized something…
The stuff they wanted restocks for were over 5 years old.
My art has changed in the last 5 years. And I want my minicomics to reflect that growth. Also, there’s some story ideas and art tools that would work better in short form, rather than in graphic novels or novellas.
Real talk…I’ve been writing a lot more prose in 2020. But the art bug keeps biting me with those stories. These stories don’t want to be told as comics, though, so I’m going to draw select scenes and moments as large prints.
Also I have colored pencils and watercolors that I REALLY want to use to make more art. So these prints would be a good candidate for those. (Who knows? Maybe I’ll make some minicomics with these tools, too.)
This book count includes my own books, PLUS Sean’s book and a comics anthology project I’ve joined recently. I just really want Fantasyville Productions to grow its foundation of authors and creatives! And the world needs BOOKS!
NO, NOT LIVESTREAMS. Livestreams are fun, but they don’t count for this goal.
Instead, I want to grow into making animatics and short animations. And since I’ve joined TikTok recently, I may even make compilation videos of some of my own TikToks and post them on YouTube. (btw follow me on TikTok at kelcidc.)
“This is a lot of making stuff,” you might be thinking. “Why not have your theme be ‘Make’?”
Because I want to grow into new mediums, subject matter, and topics and challenges this year. Making things is the vehicle to grow into those challenges.
Will things get uncomfortable on the journey? I guarantee it. When trying out new things, there’s always discomfort. But I look forward to the challenge. After the trials of 2020, I look forward to seeing what this year will do.
Since this is a LOT of stuff I want to make, I’ll be blogging and posting on social media more often. So stay tuned for more updates!
That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!
You. Are. Awesome.
Weird, right?! In a year that needs no explanation for the dumpster fire that it is…I actually made my goals!
Kind of.
Every year, I blog about the goals from the past year, followed by the goals in mind for the year incoming. If you’d like to see the original post about 2020 goals, here it is.
But just what WERE my goals for 2020?
Ok, so I didn’t get all 20 (ish) chapters sketched out. BUT, I DID get 10 and a half. I even managed to script through some REALLY tricky plot points, so I consider that a success!
That said – moving to a new home did cut into my scripting routine. And it was hard to jump back after that. I have since learned to be a LOT kinder to myself with goals of “do this thing every day.”
So the book is ALMOST ready to get to print. I’m working with my editor on the final round of edits for these short stories.
This goal took a while to get off the ground properly because I wanted to hire an outside editor. I didn’t have the time to do edits, because of working with NeverEnding, making The Legend of Jamie Roberts, and taking up part-time gigs with DoorDash and Instacart.
ALL OF THAT, plus my first editor just…dropped off the face of the earth. And the second one did NOT do a good job.
The third editor? I went to my old college friend Melanie Doan to work with Sean and me on edits. Holy banana pants she knocked it out of the park!
Like I said, we’re doing the final passes. The goal post for publishing kept moving, so I’m not making any promises for when this book will go to KickStarter.
Well, to be honest, I shut down the Indie Comics Hub – the biggest reason I set this goal. That said, if we expand this to reading more books generally, then 2020 was my best year so far.
By Dec 31, 2020, I read 23 books, including graphic novels. However, I did not count single-issue comics, zines, or minicomics in that count. If I did, it’d probably be double that. Possibly triple? It’s hard to say.
Unfortunately, moving to a new home played a role in this, too. I had to leave behind my single-issue comics and a large chunk of my zines because they just. Couldn’t. Fit. In the Truck.
But 23 books? And untold numbers of single-issue comics and zines? I’d say that’s pretty good. Better than 2019, at least.
So what’s in store for 2021? Well, I’m going to write about that next post.
That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!
You. Are. Awesome.
