Sure, they all laughed. Sometimes... sometimes I did too.

So, I like to think of myself as a creative person, but I have a terrible tendency to start projects, get bored, burnt out or blocked, and never finish them. I think I touched on this a bit in my previous post, when I was talking about blogs.

It's a serious hurdle for me. It seems like the closer to the end I get to a project the harder it is to make any progress whatsoever. Pressure mounts and I bow out, regardless of how serious or ridiculous the project was in the first place. I suppose at this point, I should mention Those Destined, my comic of six years (a classic example of the 'I really hope to finish this one day but WhoTheFuckAmIKiddingDon'tGetYourHopesUp') and possibly also my project for the 'Bitter Tears and Smiles' challenge comic, which was written with the sole intention to be a completed short story.

I'm still working on finding ways to combat this block. Thus far I have only two strategies: One, undertake small projects, like the 'Tears' comic, to force myself to complete things, and taste what it's like to write an ending. This is hard, because the Block exists for short works as well as long, but it's the only way to improve.

Two, have something light on the backburner at all times. That way, no matter how bad the block, you will never STOP CREATING. It's not about momentum or work ethic. It is simply that not creating is ... loss. If you are a creative person and are not creating something - no matter how small - you feel the loss.

Now that I've whined your ear off about artistic heartbreak, I want to let you in on the good news. I may not have had the stamina to work on a major project lately, but I have done several smaller ones - even completed them! I even finished a Halloween costume idea last year - on that required sewing! I NEVER do that! Quite frankly, I am regaining my confidence piece by piece.

These victories, along with the support of numerous friends, have given me the boost I've needed to start work on a project I've had in mind for quite some time now. I've talked about it a lot... half-heartedly, kind of jokingly, but now? I'm going to do it. Even if I don't finish it, I'm excited to see how far I can make it!

No, screw that. I can make it! I'll finish this one!



I'm going to make my very own Monster Army.