Friday, May 27, 2005

Back to work

Okay I am a moron because I just wrote everything I am about to write and then closed the screen sending it in to internet oblivion never to be found again.

So here's what's going on after the excitment of being published. I am back to the hard work.

Currently I am finsihing up the second issue of my comic and hopefully starting an artist on the first.
My problem with finishing the issue has been filling the pages but not boring the reader. I have no idea how this is done and hope that it's something I'll eventually learn. Let me just say now that anyone who will eventually read the comic should know that I am giving this project 200% but it is not going to be the most phenominal thing you will ever read in your life. In fact it will probably stink compared to most things but it's a learning experience for me that will hopefully build up to somehting I will write that might be half way decent. However, that does not mean it has to be the most boring thing you've ever read. So every minute I struggle with finidng a way to fill the pages with relevant material that is not going to put the reader to sleep as this jouranl entry probably is.

After finishing the second issue I might take a small break to write a horror /adventure story for an add I found. I also might write a sequel for Double Take. I did have some ideas for their future college years so maybe I'll do that.

Other than all the babble above I really don't have any exciting news to report except for the arrival of my new business cards that promote this blog and my writing of course. Now I just have to stop feeling like a fool about wanting to be a writer and start handing them out. Cuz that's the only way they're gonna work.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Exciting News

Okay let me first start by apologizing. I am very new to blogs and I think I messed mine up already. My first original post keeps appearing and you have to go to archives to find my latest post. I don't know how I did that, but hopefully this one works better.

So now for the exciting news. About a year ago I submitted Double Take, a short story to a new web zine called Paper Dragon Ink. The editor said he liked it and sent some changes, I made them and returned them. And didn't hear back. However, I still get issues sent to me and checked them out to support others for a while. But I hadn't been doing so lately. Well yesterday while trying to figure out how I messed up my journal here the new issue arrived in my mail box.
And my name is in the contents. YES! You heard me right. I have gotten my first published works. I encourage everyone to go to www.paperdragonink.com and check it out. Go to introduction, then back issues, May 16th. And check out their website it really is cool for writers and artist trying to get some publishing experience.
Well that's my exciting news. They must have ran out of better stuff to publish. But I'm thrilled no matter what.

Monday, May 16, 2005

The hard part is waiting

Well since my last and first entry not much has changed. And that is depressing. I sent in my completed science fiction and western story last week to the publisher and haven't heard anything back and I'm hoping that it's not because he hated it.
Also I have had a huge struggle trying to find an artist to work with since my decision to self-publish. I have responded to ads for artist who need work and put out an ad for an artist that wants work. Of course, I have also tried good old- fashioned networking. However, every time I get excited about an artist working out, something goes wrong.
My first prospective artist was very insistent that we could only meet at his house because he needed his supplies. I insisted on meeting at a public place and when I got there he tried to get me to walk with him over a mile to his house. Fearing that I was not being reasonable, I finally went to the house accompanied by a friend. It turned out his supplies were three small sketches that he could not carry with him. However, it was nice to visit his mother's basement and sit on old, stained furniture. I'm not joking!
The next artist I found had wonderful art but he was from the Philippines and spoke very little English. He had no idea what I wanted him to draw and I had no idea how to explain it.
I also found an artist who did great characters and but couldn't draw back grounds.
I gave another artist a very detailed scene description and a week to do it. It took three weeks and there was no background and only one of the two characters. And to top it off, the character he did draw was supposed to be a woman who's a mechanic that dresses in a masculine way, covered in dirt and messy hair. The sketch he gave was a very clean, neat girl wearing a midriff tank top and low slung pants. But she was holding a wrench.
Currently, I am waiting to hear back from two artist. One has a great attitude and great art but it wasn't quite the style I was looking for and the other I am still waiting to see the work.
So for now I continue to check my e-mail all to often and hope for some good news.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

My journey begins

Hello Everyone! As I start my attempt at becoming a comic book writer I have decided to log my experiences for everyone to read. Now you're welcome to sit back and laugh at me and the stupid things I am bound to do. I'll start today by mentioning what I am currently doing.

I just recently finished an 8 page sci-fi/western story that is suppose to go in a collection of stories with the same genre. If all goes well this will be my first paying comic book job.

I have been writing for as long as I can remember and nothing I ever felt was worth sharing until about two and a half years ago. After a lot of work, self-doubt and editing a year ago I finished a script for a comic book idea I had that really inspired me and made me think writing comics might be something I could do. After several company rejections and trying to find an artist to work with I decided to self-publish. Recently, I have finished a rewrite of the first issue and it's now in the process of being edited. I am also trying to rewrite the next three issues. Meanwhile, I am trying to decide graphic novel or separate issues. That's where I stand right now. I hope to add more on frequently and let everyone know how the situation's evolving.