Gutter Thoughts 017
The essential daily actions new comic creators should take to stay consistent (before overwhelm derails their first project).
Welcome to Gutter Thoughts, where I share insights into my creative process and philosophy each week. From exploring big ideas to finding inspiration in comics, books, shows, and movies, this space is all about staying creative and grounded.
Weekly Creative Focus
Whether diving into creative work or spending time learning and reflecting, here’s what’s been on the mind and plate this week.
8 Daily Actions to Launch Your Comic Without Burning Out
Starting a comic is exciting—until it’s not.
There’s that initial creative rush, followed by self-doubt, perfectionism, burnout, and maybe a few late-night Google searches like: “Why is making comics so hard?”
Here’s the truth: the best comic creators don’t just have good ideas. They have consistent habits that keep them moving. Even when the ideas feel flat, the drawing feels stiff, or the writing feels off.
If you’re a new comic creator, the single best thing you can do isn’t buying a fancy iPad or reading another craft book.
It’s setting up a routine that protects your creative energy from the things that usually kill it: overwhelm, inconsistency, and unrealistic expectations.
So today, I’m going to walk you through 8 essential daily actions to help you make comics without burning out.
Let’s dive in.
1. Start your morning with a journal, not your phone.
Before the world starts pulling at your attention, spend at least 10 minutes writing in the morning.
Your morning pages don’t need to be profound. Just dump your thoughts. Let them be messy. Clear your mind before you dive into the work.
This helps you:
Catch self-doubt before it spirals
Notice resistance or recurring fears
Reconnect with your purpose
Think of it as a warm-up set for your creative muscles.
2. Remind yourself: the best comics take time.
There’s a dangerous pressure to move fast.
We see finished panels on social media and think, “I’m falling behind.” But what you didn’t see were the 12 drafts, 4 discarded pages, and 3 months of rewriting that came before that post.
Say it with me: slow comics are still progress.
Your job isn’t to finish fast. Your job is to finish well—and to still be standing at the end.
3. Create a swipe file of inspiration.
You need fuel for your fire.
Every day, save something that made you feel something: a panel, a color palette, a moment in a movie, a quote, a TikTok edit. Use Notes, Notion, or a dedicated sketchbook.
Over time, this becomes your idea bank. A library of “what good feels like.”
Bonus: on the days you feel stuck, it becomes a spark.
4. Listen to the right people. Mute the rest.
Not every opinion matters.
Here’s a short list of voices worth keeping around:
People who make comics (not just talk about them)
People who’ve finished what you want to start
People who make you want to open your sketchbook
Anyone else—especially those who love critiquing but never create—should be kept at arm’s length.
Criticism is useful. But only when it’s earned.
5. Keep your comic scope smaller than you think.
Most creators fail because they aim too big, too fast.
If this is your first comic, aim for 4 pages. Not 40. Aim for a short scene, not an grand saga. You can always build up towards a larger narrative later.
Smaller scope means:
Faster wins
Less overwhelm
More chances to iterate
Remember: less is more—especially when you’re building confidence.
6. Build from what you know.
Start from the personal. Your fears, your relationships, your dreams, your disappointments.
It’s tempting to invent sprawling worlds with complex lore. But readers connect to emotion first, not exposition.
Write what hurts. Draw what lingers. Base your story on something real, then layer in the fantasy or sci-fi.
Your truth will carry your fiction.
7. Touch your project every day (even for 10 minutes.)
Consistency doesn’t mean grinding for 6 hours a day.
It means opening the file. Making a tiny change. Writing one line of dialogue. Sketching a rough panel.
This does two things:
Keeps your project warm in your mind
Builds the identity of “someone who makes comics”
Momentum isn’t about speed. It’s about frequency.
8. Forgive yesterday. Show up today.
Some days you’ll do nothing. You’ll scroll. You’ll avoid. You’ll beat yourself up.
That’s okay.
The real danger isn’t skipping a day—it’s turning that skipped day into shame that derails the whole week.
Every morning is a new page.
You get to decide what happens next.
Final Thoughts
Making comics isn’t just about panels and pacing. It’s about have the right mindset and momentum.
If you take anything away from this, let it be this:
Stay consistent, not perfect
Stay small, not scattered
Stay curious, not critical
You already have what you need to make something great.
It’s just a matter of showing up.
This Week’s Creative Sparks
Here are the shows, books, movies, comics, and more that have sparked my creativity this week:
Live Show Spark: Subversia
I was recently invited to a live show by a friend from back home who now lives in LA. I always knew he was into filmmaking, but this time, he took it to a new level. He told me the show was a way to bring his film ideas to life—through a psychological live performance.
The best way to describe it? A mix between SNL and Black Mirror, as he would explain it. It was amazing. It was funny, sharp, and, most importantly, relatable.
What stood out most was seeing the art come to life in real time. It felt raw, honest, and the audience wasn’t just watching. They were part of the experience.
If I didn’t have a Knicks game to catch later that night, I would’ve stayed for the second showing.
Game Spark: MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls | Announce Trailer
This week, PlayStation announced a fresh lineup of games (not that I even own a PlayStation). But one trailer instantly grabbed my attention—MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls.
Why? Two reasons:
It’s Marvel.
It’s Arc System Works.
Arc Systems is legendary in the fighting game world. Their art direction, animation style, and gameplay mechanics are consistently top-tier. Tōkon looks stunning and plays like it’ll be a blast. I can’t wait to get my hands on it (once it eventually lands on Xbox, of course).
If you want to understand why Arc is so respected, here’s a breakdown of their studio process. It's a masterclass in visual storytelling and design.
Newsletter Spark: Joe Quesada’s Birth of An Unseesn World—Part 2
When it comes to Marvel Comics, you can define entire eras by the names behind them—and one of those names is Joe Quesada.
Joe was Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief when I was just getting into comics. He was behind so many of the books that pulled in new readers like me. On top of that, he’s an incredible artist.
So when I found out he was teaming up with the legendary Christopher Priest for a new book, I knew I had to subscribe. The book, The World To Come, looks epic—and even better, Joe is sharing behind-the-scenes commentary on Substack.
It’s inspiring, insightful, and a blast to read.
Instagram Reel Spark: Jessica Walsh’s Hot take
I stumbled upon this gem of a video this week, and it was a joy to watch. As someone who studied graphic design, it really hit home.
One of my personal beliefs has always been: sometimes creative decisions are made simply because they look good. Not every choice needs a deep, philosophical meaning behind it.
It’s easy to get lost in the manifesto, the theory, the thought process. But at the end of the day, what matters is that your project makes sense—and that you keep moving forward.
The Stoic Quote of the Week
A Stoic quote to inspire and motivate, helping to stay grounded in the creative process.
“Why then are we offended? Why do we complain? This is what we’re here for.”
—SENECA, ON PROVIDENCE, 5.7b–8
This quote stood out to me this week as we started a new month.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to build freedom and security at the same time using the skills I have. Some days I feel like I’m making progress. Other days, I’m not so sure. The uncertainty gets heavy. I catch myself slipping into frustration—thinking about how things should be instead of working with what’s right in front of me.
Reading this quote reminded me that struggle is part of the process. Complaining, worry, and anxiety don’t move me forward. They just drain the energy I need to keep going.
This is the path. Accept it. Deal with it. Keep showing up. Because I know what I’m here for—to be a great storyteller.
So now I’ll ask you:
What’s your mission?
What are you here for?
That’s a wrap for this week’s Gutter Thoughts. Thanks for joining me on this creative journey—hopefully, something here sparked an idea or inspired your own work. Until next time, stay grounded, stay creative, and keep pushing forward.
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Amazing read. Keep it up