Today I share an exercise I’ve used in my classrooms to help develop that “Analytic Eye” we talk about so much on the Art & Story shows. Learning how to stop and ask “how did the author [delight/terrify/disgust/amuse] me?” is a terrific skill to develop as a storyteller.
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Thunder Punch Daily 129 – Analytic Eye Read More »
Inspired by the latest Kickstarter campaign launched by Jamie Gambell and Jonathan Rector, I share a few thoughts I’ve been kicking around in regards to fundraising. Are services like Kickstarter and Indiegogo a new publishing platform, as Publishers Weekly suggests? Are they the one-stop panacea we’ve been waiting for? Or have they just removed yet another excuse indie creators have had not to be successful?
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Thunder Punch Daily 128 – Funding for Sustainability Read More »
Today I share a thought planted in my brain by Brandon Dayton during our time at Kids Read Comics. If you’re in a creative tribe, what is the chief taboo of your group? Are you in a tribe at all? Is a tribe worth searching for, or is the thrill of the hunt the real satisfaction of our field? I chew on these questions for a bit and share my own answers on the subject.
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Thunder Punch Daily 127 – Hunting for Tribes Read More »
Today I share some of the things I’m working on as we lead up to Kids Read Comics 2011 and use it as a demonstration of the many realms of concern that will face you as you begin your own public comics events. There’s a lot to do, a lot to worry about, but it’s all worth it!
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Thunder Punch Daily 126 – More Updates From the Road Read More »
Not much of an essay this time, but a series of updates on some projects I’ve been working on for Kids Read Comics and Comics Are Great! Also, fighting a cold.
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Thunder Punch Daily 125 – Updates From the Road Read More »
Today I share some big news from a meeting I had this afternoon, and offer some thoughts on avoiding brand cannibalism, picking battles, and how partnerships might work between an independent content creator and local businesses.
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Thunder Punch Daily 124 – Partnering Read More »
Today I share some thoughts about how I’ve learned to deal with failure a little better than in years past by watching the present as if it’s 5 years from now. It not only helps you laugh at your blunders, it also helps you maintain your course for future goals.
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Thunder Punch Daily 123 – 5 Years From Now Read More »
In part two of my audio essay in response to a recent thread in the A&S forum, I discuss my thoughts on “fandom” and whether or not a creator should treat all fans equally. Throughout my talk I highlight some terrific discussions I heard on a recent Spark podcast and Merlin Mann’s advice on an episode of Webcomics Weekly. The bottom line? If you’re putting stuff out there, you’re asking for it.
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Thunder Punch Daily 122 – Interacting with an Audience, Pt 2: Fandom Read More »
Today I begin what will likely be a multi-part series in responding to a thread in the forums begun by Rene van Belzen. How do you deal with an audience? If we’re sharing online, we’re bound to accrue an audience of some sort. Are there any “best practices” in handling ourselves publicly? Is there a “one size fits all” kind of advice we can look to? I ruminate about the only big idea I can identify when handling one’s self publicly: be Authentic. But there’s more than one way to be authentic.
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Thunder Punch Daily 121 – Interacting with an Audience, Pt 1: Authenticity Read More »
Today I share some thoughts on opportunities open to independent comics creators, having just attended an ALA “Unconference” in Ann Arbor. If you haven’t thought about getting your books into libraries before, I think I have some observations that will get you to do so.
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Thunder Punch Daily 120 – ALA Unconference Read More »