Day 4

Day 4 was another productive evening. I was able to get 4 pages done, which was my goal. To keep on track and finish the script by Sunday, I need to finish about 3 pages per day. So, with 12 pages done, I'm right on track. Sweet.

I've been reading Jim Shooter's blog. I enjoy the snippets about his time as Editor-in-Chief at Marvel. In more than one passage he's written, he talks about how many writers were asked to script out a story overnight. In one very recent instance, he himself wrote dialogue for a comic, overnight, which, as a result, didn't sleep that night and went to work the next day. See, when he was an editor, that was his full time job, and any freelance work is done after hours (not on company time).

Stories like that make me feel lazy. A script in 7 days?? Hell, I should have seven scripts in seven days. But, I told myself very early on that, if I am going to do this, I will not jeopardize my full time job, which means late night and all-nighters just can't happen at any regular basis. I'll accept it may happen on occasion, but my full time job takes priority. My wife agrees. Even if the comic thing takes off and I get regular work and higher pay, I'd still have a tough time leaving behind a steady full time job.

I've been thinking about what I want out of my career lately. With my full time job, I've recently been promoted to District Manager, which, consequently hasn't gone through yet, because they are trying to hire someone to take my old position--there is no one within the company locally that can fit the position, so to speak. They are being very picky. Which is good, but until they do find someone, I'm stuck with my old position and my old pay. Bleh.

I've wanted to draw comics for money for a long, long time. I won't get into the whys and hows and wheres and whens, but this is my first opportunity to make money doing something I really love and want to be a part of (and actually pays fairly well). My full time job is neither here nor there. It is decent work, and the opportunity of the District Manager position has re-ignited my interest in the Company and the printing industry. But, the comics thing, yeah, that is my hobby and where my creative interest lies.

But, as it is, I am pretty content with my career now. Full time District Manager, and moonlight as a comic book artist. Yeah--pretty happy with that.

I also want a life outside of work. I do not want to work 100 hours a week. I am trying very hard to keep my work/life balance in check, especially since I am a soon-to-be-father. As I write this, my wife is about 18 weeks pregnant. So, it is important to be able to spend time with my family and be a great husband and daddy, but I also need to keep my full time job a priority, AND I want to keep going with the comic book artist gig. I hope I am not in over my head.

Like I stated earlier, I want to keep my comic book time around 25 hours per week. My full time job, on average, as most people, is a steady 40 hours per week. Sometime I work overtime, but serious overtime is few and far between. So, I think 65 hours per week making money is reasonable. And, up to this point, if I stay up late working on the comic, it is my own doing, opposed to my publisher cracking the perverbial whip. Maybe that will change later on, but for now, I think he is more about "slow and steady wins the race."

But, it is inevitable that deadlines will become a regular part of the gig. That is why now, I am hoping to get a few issues drawn and ready for publication before January, so I'll have lead time and not be up all hours of the night trying to hit deadlines, because those said "deadlines" are months in advance.

Maybe I'm being naive. I am sure someone, somewhere will tell me I am. I just won't know until it happens.

I'll update again on Monday. If all goes well, I'll be telling you I finished the script and sent it in for approval.