Have you thought about putting out long a form comic?
I have tried and failed on multiple counts.....
After many years of starting and abandoning projects I finally came to the realization that being able to finish a few short 4-panel comic strips is wayyyy better than creating a draft that will never see the light of day.
Besides fatigue of course, a big hurdle I also encounter is just the lack of writing skills I have. It's definitely a goal of mine to eventually sit down and try to create a chapter-sized doujinshi of some sort, but first I really need to get better at writing lol... As besides the art, the stories I come up with are mediocre at best.
'Wasn't it sunny two weeks ago?' John grumbles, taking a too-big gulp of too-hot tea as the usual outside chaos of a Monday morning in London is superceded by-- for fuck's sake-- snow.
His personal chaos, though, is (perhaps predictably) worsened by it.
Sherlock doesn't look up from where he's feeding Rosie from a beaker of scrambled eggs. 'Why is it that people insist on asking inane questions about the weather?'
John turns his eyes heavenward, then crosses to put his mug in the sink. 'I cannot wait until Rosie grows up so I can have a normal conversation with someone,' he mutters.
Sherlock makes a derisive noise. 'Rosamund is not normal nor should she aspire to be. And she is already conversant.'
As if on cue, a sound resembling the word 'Snow!' squeals into the kitchen air.
'That's correct, Ms Watson. 'Snow day.'
'Snow day!' Rosie repeats enthusiastically, flinging her hands in the air. John casually moves the beaker out of flight range. Eggs are relatively easy to clean up, but still.
He looks towards the windows, where the curtains have been pushed back to reveal that brightness that only comes with snow. 'There's barely half an inch out there, you know.'
'Doesn't matter,' Sherlock insists. 'Snow day, it is.'
'Her nursery is still open,' John puts in.
'Snow day!' Rosie yells again.
'I have to go into the clinic,' he tries. The thought of leaving now, though, makes him even grumpier than just the fact of it being a Monday morning with snow on the ground.
Sherlock leans into Rosie. 'What do you think, Rosamund? Don't you agree it's rubbish that your father insists on keeping hours at that dirty place?'
John rolls his eyes. 'Always nice to see your snobbery in full force, then.'
'Nonsense, I'm just stating a fact.'
'Rosie brings home shedloads of germs from nursery every day, Sherlock.'
'All the more reason for you to stop working, cut the number of foreign bodies by half.'
'Sherlock, what--' But John stops, mind stumbling to a conclusion as he stares at Sherlock. Whose neck is starting to redden.
'Never mind,' the detective says, clearly trying to sound neutral but failing. 'Go forth and remain part of the toiling masses.' He plucks Rosie up and takes her over to the window. 'We'll be here having all the fun, we won't miss you at all.'
John pauses, wavering. He puts his coat on, listening as Sherlock and Rosie chat in a language only they understand.
Then he stands up straight, and goes to kiss his daughter goodbye.
Her cheek is soft, her mouth gummy yet sharp with tiny teeth. 'Well,' he says, smoothing back her hair but looking only at Sherlock. 'I cannot say the same will be true for me.'
Sherlock's eyes widen almost imperceptibly. But John's not ready to say more, so he nods once, and makes his way out into the snow.
How did April’s Camp NaNoWriMo session go for you? Congratulations to all the writers who participated!
If you made a big push to finish a project last month, take a little bit of time to relax, or check out some of our “next step” resources! And if you didn’t reach your writing goal, just remember that, while big challenges can help you accomplish lots of things, sometimes the best thing you can come away with is a sustainable writing routine.
In the words of NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty: “Despite what you may have learned last month, sustained writing is best accomplished as part of a balanced lifestyle, one that includes things like grocery shopping and speaking in complete sentences with your significant other.”
(From No Plot? No Problem! Revised and Expanded Edition: A Low-stress, High-velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days)
Text added over original image by Scott Warman on Unsplash.
No Plot? No Problem! is an excellent read for anyone wanting to do NaNoWriMo. If this is your first year doing NaNo (or even if it isn't) I recommend you read this book. It'll prepare you well, and you'll have a better idea of what to expect. Throughout, it feels like Baty has your back!
For anyone struggling with writing, this is a super uplifting, procrastination shaking up, happiness-inducing writing book.
A good book full of lots of tips and tricks for NaNoWriMo that feel accessible and easy to do. Having participated int he event for a couple of years, I found that the personal accounts are accurate. I hope to implement some of the things mentioned here next month.
