As an artist, I have many ideas; notebooks full of them. In fact, the reason I carry a notebook and write an idea down is because at that moment, there’s something about the idea; something more than needs exploring. Some ideas are huge (an idea for a 3 book graphic novel), and others are less so (a 3-panel comic). So how do I know when the 3-book graphic novel is something to pursue?
I know that a 3-panel comic will take me about 3 hours to draw. A 3-book graphic novel is years in the making. It would be easy to prioritise the ‘quick’ ideas over and over again, because the time investment isn’t as great. If it’s truly a bad idea, I’ll find out in 3 hours. With a 3-book graphic novel, it could be years before I get to a point where I know whether it’s worth pursuing or finishing.
There are also lots of different reasons to pursue an idea:
- Money: maybe it’s an idea to sell as a print or to sell to a publisher.
- Skill-building: maybe it’s an idea that will require me to learn something new or get better at something I’m already good at.
- Fun: maybe it’s just because I think I will have fun making it.
- Not fun: Or, it’s an idea that it will be really difficult to make and push me out of my comfort-zone.
These are all fine reasons, but there’s one more important one I find myself using more and more – will it help me make sense of the world?
In 2023, I sat down and completed an 80-page graphic novel. I spent my whole summer break on it and then worked mornings and evenings to finish it. During this time, all other ideas were paused, I chose this one. At the time, I didn’t know why, I just had to do it.
By the end of it, I experienced a greater sene of calm than I had in a long time. As it turns out, it was a way for me to process my feelings about climate anxiety, hope for the future, and biodiversity restoration. I chose that project over all the other ones from my notebook because I needed healing and I needed to understand more about what I really felt about the world through the act of making.
Of all the reasons to make something, I can’t think of a better one.