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Original Life Hiatus
11 years ago
General
Original Life is going on an indefinite hiatus. It's not an easy thing for me to do. I've realized how stretched I am, and it's not just about physical time, but the time spent thinking about new projects. Several things have lead me to this:
- The ideas for new stories and pages aren't satisfying to me and I find myself begrudgingly working to fill out my weekly quota, while I'd rather be working on other things.
- This is disheartening to me because I like having that avenue of creativity to keep out there. I just haven't had the place of mind to really be into creating it for the past several months.
- The only way to maintain the comic as it is would be to eat into the production of other things that I prefer working on, or to give myself no spare time to relax at all. I've found that when I make myself work on something, the quality suffers.
- I don't want to grit my teeth and force myself to produce pages I'm not happy with.
There's every chance I will update the comic sporadically as I come up with page and story ideas, instead of forcing myself to produce two pages a week regardless of what else I have going on.
1,210 webcomic pages in, I'm slowing down. Thanks for the continued support. You're great fans.
- The ideas for new stories and pages aren't satisfying to me and I find myself begrudgingly working to fill out my weekly quota, while I'd rather be working on other things.
- This is disheartening to me because I like having that avenue of creativity to keep out there. I just haven't had the place of mind to really be into creating it for the past several months.
- The only way to maintain the comic as it is would be to eat into the production of other things that I prefer working on, or to give myself no spare time to relax at all. I've found that when I make myself work on something, the quality suffers.
- I don't want to grit my teeth and force myself to produce pages I'm not happy with.
There's every chance I will update the comic sporadically as I come up with page and story ideas, instead of forcing myself to produce two pages a week regardless of what else I have going on.
1,210 webcomic pages in, I'm slowing down. Thanks for the continued support. You're great fans.
Hell I even reread it too
:3
Better to take a break and recover than attempt to push through and end up crashing entirely.
There could be alternatives to making updates like Eric Schwartz
does a few strips a moth or whatnot, but with other projects on the way, things can get hectic. So you do what you gotta' do bro.
Hell I still mine here on FA. over 1,000pages too in the last 10 years. x.x
I first went traditional in penicls and then evolved digital. Due to so much detail I put in digital, I've been reduced to 1 page a week., so I hear you on that.
As far as I can say, I'm still a fan of the story and read it everytime I come home from work as a pick me up whether the days was good or bad.
So prettymuch ty for making a good comic to keep me entertained. ^^
Must admit though, there was a few highlights that somehow hit home, for instance thomas and the recorder right next to his mo0m sleeping on the couch.
Perhaps you will find another creative idea soon in which you will find joy. And if you do, your readers will enjoy it as well. I know I will; I like your style and your storytelling.
I think it takes a special kind of courage to break things which are better off broken instead of trying to please everyone around.
Also, what other projects might you be working on? :) Do we get any details?
hugs
Bunners
Other than the characters growing up and learning new life lessons or whatever.
It's fine and reasonable to take a break, seeking new creative inspirations in order to continue.
I may not be an artist, but I know a little of writing, so I feel your pain.
What kind of other ideas do you have? I would love to hear!
Glad you're taking a break before you burn out on it though. It's no fun doing something you don't enjoy. Kick up your feet for a while and come back to it with fresh ideas. ....man, I can't imagine how hard it is to push out two strips a week for as long as you have. I admire you for that :)
Keep being awesome, we'll be around!
But as I said, I get being drained, and I can't begin to imagine how draining it is to turn out art twice a week while maintaining such standards. And they'll still be there, after all. So until the day you return to OL, I'll still be here, re-reading them and enjoying them. And when the new pages come out, I'll eagerly snap those up, too. But until then, do what you gotta do.
But, I've also learned (unfortunately the hard way) that I should never walk away from a theme for too long. It's hard to pick up from where I'd leave off, and my quality suffered.
The trick I found... learn to let it be fun again, on my time, and not on a deadline time.
So, when you find yourself returning to the comic (even sporadically) we who read it, enjoy it, chuckle at your humor, shall be there.
PS: I want to thank you for those past art tips and guides you've provided. They've been truly valuable
'Better Days' was my introduction, and I STILL re-read it from time-to-time.
An Author should have the right and ability to call a 'Time Out', ESP. for a work that's 'Free'.
Kick up your heels an' frolic to your heart's delight!
We'll be hear with bells on when you meander back!
:-P
That said, as an Artist And as a business person, you do have to make those decisions.
I look forward to seeing what you have planned.
Will continue to support you in whatever you do next!
I'm hoping that this means you MIGHT be opening up for commissions. I have a really good one that I really want you to do for me...
i discovered Original life when it started, and it made me discover that there was a whole fandom around. take your time....
Thanks for working on these comics for so long, and for free. I've thoroughly enjoyed every page since the beginning of Better Days. I can understand the need to take a break.
I do hope to see more comics again someday, but considering how long you've worked without a break, I understand if it's not for a while.
Enjoy your mini-vacation! :)
"I need more time to make dat sweet YCH money"
You pump them out like a factory now.
Thanks for having us as fans and giving as much as you have. Hope this alleviates some of that 'stretched-thin' feeling, and that someday we'll be able to see more of these stories when you have more downtime.
Sometime a pause is what you need... perhaps it'll return later, better than ever... Or perhaps you'll begin a new one... like you've ended Better Days earlier ...
What ever you do, don't do something you don't really want to do...
It was fun while it lasted :) And it will be fun in the future :)
Ever thougt about releasing those strips as a Book or something like that? (I definitly would be interrested (Paper feels better than the computerscreen...)
So of course I'm going to be disappointed that we won't be seeing as much of Original Life as we're used to, but I can't wait to see what you come up with, with the extra time you will have.
So, good luck with whatever will happen to Original Life. I'll long for more pages, 'cause it will mean they had become easier for you to make them again. ^^
I just wish I got to see more of Fisk in OL, Guess theres the adult comics for that hopefully~
Look forward to see the things you are working on in the future.