I’ve been burning the midnight oil so much over this graphic short story that it feels like it's really taken it out on my body. This morning I ached across my shoulders for working on the tablet for too long. Even my jaw aches from clenching my teeth too much as I’ve been concentrating painting within the lines... I also feel a great sense of anti-climax and frustration.
At half past two this morning, I printing out the final copy and felt like it was finished. I’d post it here because I’d love to get feedback but my chances of winning are miniscule enough without my ruining them entirely by publishing it. A few days ago I thought it the best thing I’ve ever done. Printed out and spread out across the table, I now see so many things wrong with it and the whole thing feels like a disaster. Why couldn’t I have drawn it better? Is it too wordy? Too dark? Too negative? Too angry? Not funny enough?
The other day, Mike Lynch wrote about the ’10,000 hour rule’, which suggests that it takes 10 years of working 20 hours a week before you master any skill. I don’t know how many thousands of hours I’m into my 10,000 but this strip makes me feel like I’m much closer to the beginning than the end. I had intended to wait until Monday before I send it off but I now worry that this is going to annoy me so much that I’ll spend the weekend trying to fix everything that’s wrong with it and, in the process, probably ruin what little I have achieved. What I should do is forget it. I should go and post it and then lose myself for an afternoon pressing my nose up against the window of the local PCWorld and dream warm thoughts about the Note 10.1. Then I’ll come back and get back to drawing and submitting cartoons. I’ve not posted enough cartoons and this blog is also beginning to look word heavy.
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