Ever wanna get out of your current storyline?

Cope · Post by **Cope** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:55 pm

Whenever I feel my story is dragging, I make ad hoc changes or do a bumper-sized comic. Neither of those methods are particularly recommendable, though.

EDIT: Wheeee! Top Banana!

Zhan_Dvega · Post by **Zhan_Dvega** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:08 pm

I frankly cannot draw comics without having some sort of script to work off of. But I guess that's just part of doing a longform comic.

Either way, my whole comic up until now just plain sucked (though, admittedly, some parts do suck less than others) so I'm just going to work on an entirely different comic in the meantime to give myself time to write my current comic properly. Hooray, I suck. :(

Dutch! · Post by **Dutch!** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 12:27 am

My general plot is just the day to day adventures of a few kids. Kids don't plan their lives, so I don't generally plan the great, over-arching plot of the strip. I've a few ideas that will eventuate in the story at some point down the line, but I don't want to bring them in before I feel I've done enough to develop the characters and the little rural world they live in.

As for scripting, I usually get an idea and write a few sentences for the main set pieces, and fill other joke ideas around them to flesh out the minor storylines. Anywhere between half a dozen to twenty odd strips for each storyline. At the moment I'm into a major one that will cover two storylines before it ends. I've been enjoying that one, although there were individual strips in there I found difficult. I say it's a major storyline because of it's length...I couldn't really say anything groundbreaking occurs...groundbreaking stuff just doesn't really happen to kids that much...to them missing the bus is groundbreaking.

As for wanting to change mid section, I've had that once or twice, but usually because I've had the next idea brewing in the head which I think is better. But I'd not like to leave any hanging.

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 1:19 am

I probably would...I have a short attention span when it comes to such things.

That's why I'll probably never plan to do a storyline that goes any longer than say...10 comics max.

CaptainClaude · Post by **CaptainClaude** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 2:14 am

I use scripts but sometimes find it difficult to work with, being that when they're written I dont really want to go back over them again in comic form as it seems a bit of a pain.

Other thing I do if I'm especially bored with the storyline, is I'll select one with different characters in the main role for the next one.

War · Post by **War** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 3:45 am

My current storyline has been going longer than most of your comics. Yeah, I'm sick of it.

Nicotine · Post by **Nicotine** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:25 am

I don't have a storyline to get out of since each of my comics are one-shot

. But I do kinda feel somethings like your explaining. Like...I think of a joke but it's hard for me to present and I wonder "Why in the world am I drawing something so difficult?". Or I wanna get <b>in</b> a "storyline". Like...I'd like to do 3-5 comics relating to the same thing. But I think that would be kinda weird to do one-shot stuff then related things in the middle then go back to one-shots. It's kinda hard for me to explain

.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:35 am

Sort of. I mean, I've been sitting on my comic - for various reasons - for seven months. I want to finish the first chapter so I can start plugging it!

And, for that matter, so I can get the full website design up.

- Joel Fagin

Keffria · Post by **Keffria** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:37 am

Yes, yes I do. In fact, I'm tired of the current part of the storyline, to the point where I can't motivate myself to draw anything at all. Sometimes, pushing yourself to update just won't work -- and besides, I vowed that I would never let my comic become a chore. So, I'm sitting back and waiting for the enthusiasm to return (if ever).

Nicotine · Post by **Nicotine** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:09 am

Keffria wrote:Yes, yes I do. In fact, I'm tired of the current part of the storyline, to the point where I can't motivate myself to draw anything at all. Sometimes, pushing yourself to update just won't work -- and besides, I vowed that I would never let my comic become a chore. So, I'm sitting back and waiting for the enthusiasm to return (if ever).

That's why I'm scared to do anything with a storyline. I'm afraid I'll gert tired of it

Mvmarcz · Post by **Mvmarcz** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:21 am

The only problem I ever have is the middle of an arc. I always have specific scenes in my head...and the begining and end. Luckily so far with junkRIOT(it's the frist time I've gotten this far without a writer) I've been able to keep the characters going. Maybe it's because of my subject matter I don't know. But I do know that if I get stuck I take a hiatus because my babies shouldn't have to suffer just because I'm being one(a baby that is).
Also I used to say balzack to scripts, but now that i write them-even if only a few days ahead of where I am-they help ALOT

Fadri · Post by **Fadri** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:57 am

I'm happy with my current storyline, but I've so many things planned in advance and so many characters to introduce that I fear that impatience will slowly devour my soul. xD

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Mvmarcz · Post by **Mvmarcz** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:02 am

I believe in you!

Telecoda · Post by **Telecoda** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:45 am

I totally see where you are coming from.

I started verbaliser http://telecoda.keenspace.com and pimped it on the forum and got the feedback that "initially" it was a series of the same gag (which it was). I developed this into a more "story line" based strip, but felt it was taking forever to get on with the story. So at present that strip is on hiatus.

I have a number of strips still drawn up by hand and an ongoing story in my head.

However my true love is single gag comics. So I setup a new keenspace account called http://aaachoo.keenspace.com where I have been recycling a number of my old gags for now. Most of my work lately has been to standardise the look of the old gags to fit the look and feel of the new site.

My long term plan is to revisit the verbaliser storyline and pump out gag strips on two separate keenspace accounts. Therefore I get the best of both worlds.

Sadly work and family life get in the way of both at times

Blackaby · Post by **Blackaby** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:54 am

But Gothy's storylines are so fun... how can they ever be... unfun to do?

TheSuburbanLetdown · Post by **TheSuburbanLetdown** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:16 am

Having a script is always good. It's a guide but you don't have to stick to it religiously. Deviate when neccessary, and embelish when it's called for. Plus you have less of a chance of writing yourself into
a corner.

Evil Jamie! · Post by **Evil Jamie!** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:18 am

Sometimes, but I push on, for the good of all. I mean, you cant just use a gag to get out of a part of a story when writing something like an epic, unless you cut the villians head off.

Prettysenshi · Post by **Prettysenshi** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 8:50 am

Fadri wrote:I'm happy with my current storyline, but I've so many things planned in advance and so many characters to introduce that I fear that impatience will slowly devour my soul. xD

I know the feeling. Still, I think that once I'm in the middle of my storyline, and I can look back and say, wow, I made it...it'll be a cool feeling.

ManyWorlds · Post by **ManyWorlds** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 9:41 am

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[geoduck] · Post by **[geoduck]** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 9:43 am

My strip is one long plot arc, so there's not much chance of me cutting off the plot..

I have a general plot worked out, but doing a day-to-day script and sticking to it.. that would get boring real fast.

Comic Genesis Forums

Ever wanna get out of your current storyline?

Scripts are for cissies! Same as parachutes!