Should you launch a comic studio — or are you really talking about a comics collective, a shared workspace, or simply collaborating on a project? This week, Brad and Dave unpack what the word “studio” actually means and why adding another layer of branding might make your project harder, rather than easier, to promote. They discuss shared creative spaces, financial partnerships, anthology projects, comics collectives, and why most collaborations work better when everybody knows exactly what they’re signing up for.

They also argue that an anthology generally doesn’t need an umbrella “studio” brand at all. Keep the marketing focused on the book, make the financial responsibilities clear, and be wary of creating an organization that one hardworking person winds up carrying by themselves.

Also in this episode:

• Kickstarter late pledges really work. Dave reports continued pledges long after his campaign ended — but Brad and Dave agree emphatically that you should never advertise late pledges while the campaign is still running. Kickstarter depends heavily on urgency and FOMO.
• Why having more free time can make you less productive. Both Brad and Dave have experienced the strange phenomenon of getting less done when their schedules suddenly open up. They discuss rest, motivation, structure, and learning to shift to other useful tasks when the creative work isn’t happening.
• Dave introduces his “Three Sisters” approach to productivity: when one part of your comics career isn’t moving, switch to another complementary task — bookkeeping, website improvements, promotion, admin work, or another creative project — so the overall career keeps moving forward.
• Susan McTaggart returns! ComicLab’s internationally unverified motivational speaker offers another soul-fortifying affirmation.
• And Dr. Reginald Wigglesby explores Lionel Feininger’s 1906 comic strip Wee Willie Winkie — with exactly the level of scholarly rigor longtime listeners have come to expect.

It can be frustrating to “hit the wall” in your creative output, but — speaking from experience — that wall isn’t a wall. And once you realize what’s happening, you’ll feel much better about your journey as an artist.

As creative people, we often feel exhilaration when our brains are storming, our synapses are firing, and our output is exciting. These are the moments we live for!

But it’s not constant. Sometimes, creativity comes much slower. During those times, it feels as if we’re not progressing, and the excitement that comes from finding something new is a long-distant memory.

If you talk to many artists during those times, they’ll tell you their creativity has “hit the wall.”

But speaking from experience and perspective, I can assure you this is not the case. What you’re experiencing is not a wall but a plateau. It feels as if you’ve come to a full stop because you’ve stopped experiencing that exhilarating upward “whoosh” of creativity. But you are now on a horizontal plane.

That’s an important distinction. You can move forward on a horizontal plane. It may not be as thrilling as a vertical “whoosh,” but you must move forward.

After all, this is where you learn about yourself as an artist. This is where you build speed. And muscle memory. This is where you master all the things that became apparent during your last explosion of creative energy.

Moving forward is the only way to get to the next “whoosh” of creativity. Trust me; the burst of artistic energy after a long plateau is a satisfying experience.

Don’t get frustrated about “hitting the wall.” See it for what it is — a preparation for the subsequent big explosion of creativity.

Jumpstarting creativity

Here are some excellent strategies for getting your brain working again after you feel as if you’ve hit a wall:

Is there a limit to how many cartoonists can build successful careers—or is the real limiting factor the cartoonists themselves?

Cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett examine the surprisingly vast comics ecosystem, where thousands of creators can cultivate separate audiences without ever appearing on one another’s radar. The market may have room for far more working cartoonists than we realize — but success requires more than artistic ability. Creators must also be willing to learn business, communicate consistently with their audiences, and improve when something doesn’t work.

Also: Brad discovers that his brilliant new idea had already been implemented… by Brad.

ON TODAY’S SHOW

• Is there a ceiling on the number of successful comics careers?
• Why artistic talent alone isn’t enough
• The danger of waiting for Marvel, syndication, or a publisher to “make” your career
• Audience-building isn’t “shilling”—it’s part of the job
• Could 10,000 different Brad Guigars all make a living?
• How niche comics find their “true fans”
• Three essentials for a sustainable comics career
• Why repeated promotional messaging matters
• The Council of Brads
• Do Kickstarter creators owe sales tax?
• Kickstarter Pledge Manager vs. BackerKit
• Dr. Wigglesby: Which comic was the first successful daily newspaper strip?

It’s pretty easy to see the influence of manga on comics being produced today. Scrolling through Webtoons, it’s obvious that an entire generation of young comic creators cut their teeth on comics originally made in Japan. In general, that’s tremendous! The creativity, the kinetic energy, the jaw-dropping art — it’s all worthy of emulation. But when it comes to word balloons, something’s getting lost in the translation.

The ability to create Draft Layers — and apply Draft Layer settings to entire folders — is a huge part of what makes Clip Studio special. Here’s a brief tutorial to get you pointed in the right direction!