PI-Dye

1. Stress

Stress can be a pretty hard thing to deal with. I used to work so much and overwhelm myself that it would make me physically sick. It’s also SO important to make sure you’re not comparing yourself to your success. If your comic or your work isn’t getting the attention you wanted, that doesn’t mean you as an individual are doing bad or a bad person! It likely means you haven’t met your audience yet, and the more you push towards your goal, the closer you’ll get to reaching it.

That being said, stress in comic work is hard to avoid. If you find yourself being overwhelmed, take a break. Get a coffee, take a walk, go hang out with friends and family, and ground yourself and surround yourself with what you have and other things you enjoy! You might also find help in writing down a list of everything you’re working on and putting aside the ones that cause too much stress and/or won’t get you any gain.

2. Dealing with Constructive Criticism

This is a topic that can be so hard to deal with. Ever publish a chapter of your comic you’re so proud of, only for someone to bash it? It can feel like someone’s hurting your baby. A lot of times, the criticism isn’t even helping in any way and is just rude. Next time you come across a criticism, make sure not to immediately act off of adrenaline and ask yourself, “Is this helping me or hurting me?” Sometimes criticism can help us grow, and it’s important to see where they’re coming from. But after analyzing it, if it doesn’t help in any way or is completely irrelevant, the best thing is to just ignore it.

3. Comparing Yourself to Others/Numbers

I and a lot of other comic artists struggle with this. Everyone goes through it at some point. It’s hard not to look at someone else’s work and think, “why don’t I get the success they’re getting?” And it’s the same way with numbers. If a new chapter isn’t getting your normal amount of views or likes, it can make you feel disheartened and worthless.

The most important thing to help with this is to understand that everything starts small. Yes, there are some cases where creators gain huge success overnight - but those cases are VERY SLIM and a lot of times have some sort of payment or deals behind the scenes. Otherwise, everything starts from 0. If you often find yourself comparing your work to others, it’s very important to understand that those same creators were once where you are, and the more you work towards your audience and your goal, the more you’ll grow. Your work is yours and yours only - that’s what makes it special. And it may not feel like it now, but there’s an audience out there waiting for you. You just haven’t found it yet.

When it comes to numbers, the same concept applies - everything starts from 0. You must remember that your audience has their own schedules and lives too - while they are invested in your comic, they might have work, school, or other events going on and don’t always have the time to read. Like aforementioned in the previous paragraph, your audience - and the numbers - will come eventually. The more you work, grow, and push towards your goal and releasing your content, the more you’ll see your audience and this success grow.

What’s the Takeaway?

In comic making, there are so many different things hurt your mental health, from overworking yourself to comparing yourself in unhealthy ways. All in all, if you find yourself struggling, take a step breath. Ground yourself and take a much needed break. Sometimes these breaks need to last a long time in a hiatus - but that’s perfectly fine! Your audience will understand. And who knows?

Maybe, after taking a much needed break, you’ll come back to find that your audience has found you.

Like most of you reading this, I make comics, too! You can read “Your Future Past” on Webtoon and GlobalComix.

If you’re interested in the character, you can find him in future updates of my comic, “Your Future Past”!