I'm sitting here and thinking, and realized something that a lot of us may miss when we embark upon our projects, especially the projects for Christ. (Such as "Christian Comic Books"). This realization came after accepting and dealing with the spiritual warfare attached with Brian Bradley's project which is to summarize books of the Bible. I don't know about you, but I've had TREMENDOUS difficulty with this project, which led to scripture and prayer on the subject. This is what I've found, and I want to share it with you. (This will be cross-posted on my blog)
First of all, any time that we undertake a mission from God (if I may borrow from the Blues Brother's blasphemy and turn it to faith) is that not only do we need to pray it up personally, we need to make sure we have prayer COVERING US and THOSE INVOLVED with the project in any way! This isn't just PERSONAL prayer, but a communal agreement to pray for each others projects, to fast if need be.
To borrow from military games that I've played, we need COVERING FIRE in order to correctly assault the strongholds of the Enemy. No General puts ground troops into a situation of a frontal assault with both air and naval support gunning ahead of them. This is sadly something that we as Christians do when we embark upon a project. We do personal prayer, but neglect to get an adequate and ongoing prayer COVERING.
What I propose is simple. For all of our projects, lets assemble PRAYER TEAMS both out of our local church and the members that we may find on Facebook and through our websites. These teams will give us covering fire when we embark upon a project, from start to finish we become the target of prayer. So many times we neglect this part of the process except when we hit difficulty, then we reach out. NO! We need to reach out BEFORE there's difficulty!
So why do our answers about our projects come so late in a season so to speak? Let's look at Daniel. Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days for an answer from the Lord. Then an angel appeared unto him, and what did the angel say? "I was dispatched from Heaven when the Lord heard your prayer, but was held up contending with the Prince of Persia." What? "It was only when Michael (archangel) came that I was able to come to you." So what does that tell us? Let's going to Ephesians 6:12: (paraphrase) "For we battle not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities and the rulers of the darkness of this age and the spiritual host of wickedness in high places."
So therefore put on the whole armor of God. Yep. Ephesians 6:12-18. The Sword of the Spirit, the Shield of Faith, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Helmet of Salvation, The belt of Truth. The feet clad in the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. We can shield each other with prayer. We can agree in prayer on a project in order to protect ourselves (and others) from spiritual warfare.
In closing I wanted to share a few experiences I've had in the past decade of salvation. Many of you know I haven't completed many projects. Many of you know that my financial situation is well........poor. I rejoice in these tribulations though, because through Christ when things improve HE MAY BE GLORIFIED! But how to get through it? How to finish a project finally? PRAYER and PRAYER COVERING. It's not just a concept that Frank Peretti came up with, it's there in the BIBLE!
I'm sorry that this post is so long, I just hope that many of you will read it in its entirety, because it is truly from the heart and from prayer. God Bless!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
What's wrong with Christian Comic Books?
The very statement "I write and draw Christian Comic Books" garners me some strange looks. The fact that I'm a Christian who works in the comic book field isn't strange in and of itself, but when I say that I work on religious fiction people begin to back away.........slowly.......as though I was about to preach at them ad naseum.
I think that this particular mindset about "Christian" comic books is a problem that we all face. (We all being those who work on books that are Christians, and that have a bit of a Christian message to them.) People are afraid that our work will preach at them. Or that it'll be sub-par (as so many are). What I'm trying to say is that what's wrong with Christian Comic Books is that they ARE Christian Comic Books.
Before you start making the hangman's noose, let's talk about this a bit.
To be a Christian Comic Book too many believe that it has to be blatant from start to finish. You have to give your message over and over and over again, no matter how irrelevant it may be to the story itself. Let's look at the opposite end of the spectrum, a comic book called SPAWN. Written and created by Todd McFarlane, this particular book is about a resurrected assassin. Or at least it used to be until he blew his own head off. He was a soldier of hell. Yet it was entertaining because even though he was a soldier of hell, he kept on trying to break out of that mold. At the end he committed suicide. RIP Al Simmons. Now Toddy boy is an admitted atheist. But he doesn't preach that in his book. He has angels, demons, lords of hell and angels of heaven. And even God him (her?) self at times.
So what can we learn from this?
#1) Our first job, unless we are working on religious tracts such as the infamous Chick Tracts, is to ENTERTAIN. So many of us forget this. I've read Christian comics even as far back as my pagan days, when I was trying to move in two different circles. Most Christian Comic books suffer from taking themselves too seriously. If you want a comic to sell, be a CHRISTIAN CREATOR, one who has morals and their beliefs, but can still be relevant and entertain. Which moves me on to #2.
#2) If we're tackling a subject, we must be RELEVANT. We can preach salvation until the cows come home and our readership uses our books as toilet paper while out hunting, or we can be relevant as we entertain. Show Christians struggling. Show the change in the life. But do it in an entertaining fashion. If you stop the story to do this huge preachy thing, people will be like: "If I wanted to be preached at, I'd have gone to Church last Sunday." Let's use our abilities to entertain, and if we need to make a statement, be relevant and............
#3) Don't overdo it. Work it into the storyline. Make it an integral part of the plot. If it takes you out of the story, the escapism that is our entertainment medium, then you're not doing your job. Entertaining, Relevant, and knowing that people are reading these for a form of escapism. Green Arrow dealt with Heroin. Spider-Man had three drug relevant issues. But they didn't take you OUT of the story. They kept you in it, making it integral and moving. It was part of the story, and in some issues THE story, but it still entertained, was relevant to that timeframe, and didn't remove you from that "escape from reality" that people plunk down their hard earned money for.
And finally........
#4) Make sure it's as professional a package as you can make it. If it won't stand up next to the titles that are out there from the secular companies, put it online as a web comic. A hobby that people can surf to. If you can compete, go for it. But keep all this in mind. Most distributors won't touch Christian comics because: THEY DO NOT SELL. Not as they are. The artwork and writing is sub-par in probably 90% of the books I see advertised. The storylines are fanboy dreams that these people have had since they were kids. In fact some of the character designs are from when they were kids. It won't work man! You gotta see what's going on our there, and COMPETE. Just because God said do it doesn't mean to do it crappily. If God said for you to do it, and you've tested the spirits to make sure it is God. (Something the Bible tells us to do.) Then make the best danged book you can. Hire an awesome artist, don't expect us Christian artists to work for free just because it's for God's Kingdom. The Bible itself states "A workman is worth his wages." If you can't afford to pay the artist, save up then do your project when you can. Or work out a satisfactory payment arrangement. If you think you have a concept, but can't write it. See above. Save up, pay the writer, then save up, pay the artist. Then save up and print. Or do it online.
Look, I'm not trying to bring you all down who are doing comic books from a Christian perspective. God knows even I'm gearing up for another go at it. These are thoughts and feelings that I have prayed on for quite a while now. These are things that I've seen wrong since I was 16 buying Archangels: The Saga. I want Christian perspective comics to sell, and for us to bring this to the world at large. But we gotta be realistic in our views as well.
I think that this particular mindset about "Christian" comic books is a problem that we all face. (We all being those who work on books that are Christians, and that have a bit of a Christian message to them.) People are afraid that our work will preach at them. Or that it'll be sub-par (as so many are). What I'm trying to say is that what's wrong with Christian Comic Books is that they ARE Christian Comic Books.
Before you start making the hangman's noose, let's talk about this a bit.
To be a Christian Comic Book too many believe that it has to be blatant from start to finish. You have to give your message over and over and over again, no matter how irrelevant it may be to the story itself. Let's look at the opposite end of the spectrum, a comic book called SPAWN. Written and created by Todd McFarlane, this particular book is about a resurrected assassin. Or at least it used to be until he blew his own head off. He was a soldier of hell. Yet it was entertaining because even though he was a soldier of hell, he kept on trying to break out of that mold. At the end he committed suicide. RIP Al Simmons. Now Toddy boy is an admitted atheist. But he doesn't preach that in his book. He has angels, demons, lords of hell and angels of heaven. And even God him (her?) self at times.
So what can we learn from this?
#1) Our first job, unless we are working on religious tracts such as the infamous Chick Tracts, is to ENTERTAIN. So many of us forget this. I've read Christian comics even as far back as my pagan days, when I was trying to move in two different circles. Most Christian Comic books suffer from taking themselves too seriously. If you want a comic to sell, be a CHRISTIAN CREATOR, one who has morals and their beliefs, but can still be relevant and entertain. Which moves me on to #2.
#2) If we're tackling a subject, we must be RELEVANT. We can preach salvation until the cows come home and our readership uses our books as toilet paper while out hunting, or we can be relevant as we entertain. Show Christians struggling. Show the change in the life. But do it in an entertaining fashion. If you stop the story to do this huge preachy thing, people will be like: "If I wanted to be preached at, I'd have gone to Church last Sunday." Let's use our abilities to entertain, and if we need to make a statement, be relevant and............
#3) Don't overdo it. Work it into the storyline. Make it an integral part of the plot. If it takes you out of the story, the escapism that is our entertainment medium, then you're not doing your job. Entertaining, Relevant, and knowing that people are reading these for a form of escapism. Green Arrow dealt with Heroin. Spider-Man had three drug relevant issues. But they didn't take you OUT of the story. They kept you in it, making it integral and moving. It was part of the story, and in some issues THE story, but it still entertained, was relevant to that timeframe, and didn't remove you from that "escape from reality" that people plunk down their hard earned money for.
And finally........
#4) Make sure it's as professional a package as you can make it. If it won't stand up next to the titles that are out there from the secular companies, put it online as a web comic. A hobby that people can surf to. If you can compete, go for it. But keep all this in mind. Most distributors won't touch Christian comics because: THEY DO NOT SELL. Not as they are. The artwork and writing is sub-par in probably 90% of the books I see advertised. The storylines are fanboy dreams that these people have had since they were kids. In fact some of the character designs are from when they were kids. It won't work man! You gotta see what's going on our there, and COMPETE. Just because God said do it doesn't mean to do it crappily. If God said for you to do it, and you've tested the spirits to make sure it is God. (Something the Bible tells us to do.) Then make the best danged book you can. Hire an awesome artist, don't expect us Christian artists to work for free just because it's for God's Kingdom. The Bible itself states "A workman is worth his wages." If you can't afford to pay the artist, save up then do your project when you can. Or work out a satisfactory payment arrangement. If you think you have a concept, but can't write it. See above. Save up, pay the writer, then save up, pay the artist. Then save up and print. Or do it online.
Look, I'm not trying to bring you all down who are doing comic books from a Christian perspective. God knows even I'm gearing up for another go at it. These are thoughts and feelings that I have prayed on for quite a while now. These are things that I've seen wrong since I was 16 buying Archangels: The Saga. I want Christian perspective comics to sell, and for us to bring this to the world at large. But we gotta be realistic in our views as well.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
On how I work (Part 2)
Last time I covered some about the concept. Today it's:
WRITING THE DARNED THING!
I write in full script method. It closely resembles a movie script, but instead of fades it has "Page One: Panel One, Panel Two....." etc. There's another method of working, which I personally hate but some pro's prefer it, and that's the Marvel Method or plot method. Where you break down the book into a plot (I've heard of a book where it was like two sentences long) and then give that plot to the artist to break down into the story you read. Stan Lee back in the day wrote most of his stuff this way, which is why it's widely called Marvel Method now. But I digress.
Do I skip the plot part entirely? No I don't. In fact I do write out a loose plot. No one sees this but me. It resembles a loose list of plot points that I want to cover in the series. Nothing more, nothing less. "This guy does this which leads to this and this then this happens" to put it in a run on sentence. It's a shorthand map for me to refer to when I'm working on the script, and often times things change as the script takes form.
For Legacy, since I've been working on this story in one way or another for over a decade, I already have the loose plot in my head. It was very simple for me to sit down and start the scripting process. A few notes at the top for my editor, so he doesn't get lost and then it was straight into the script. (My editor on this project is close friend and professional writer Don Smith Jr.) So, here's the first page of script, re-edited to make it work in this post.
(START SCRIPT)
As you can see, it's a quick description of what's happening in the panel, and you could take this and film it like in a normal movie script. But I need to make a couple notes here:
#1) I write more sparsely for myself than I would for another artist.
#2) I adjust things in the script as I draw them. What may be written down may not be what the final panel looks like, depending on how things go.
As I progress on my story, the characters begin to take on a life of their own (so to speak). If you've ever written anything, then as you're writing you begin to feel the story come alive in your sub-conscious, you know what I'm talking about. There's nothing supernatural or evil about it (That's for the few ultra legalistic Christians that read my blog). It's just that your mind has internalized both the plot and the way the characters act. Totally normal for a creative to experience.
For me, Legacy started that about midway through Issue #2. I really started to feel that I knew and understood the characters, and was very happy with where the plotline was going. Then when I began on Issue #3, I began to slog down a bit having to work things together consciously instead of just letting things flow. Introducing a new character (or two) throughout the first few issues will do that to you, yet I know when I finally get moving on Issue #4 that it'll start moving quickly again.
Scripting is a process I enjoy. This is a part of the process I can do very quickly if it's for myself. If it's for someone else (like another project I'm working on) It takes a bit longer. Especially if you have space constraints. (Say a six pager you need to write and enough content in your mind for a full issue.)
As I'm able to, I'll revisit this particular part of the discussion. As for now, I'm getting a late start on some digital inks I should get done.
WRITING THE DARNED THING!
I write in full script method. It closely resembles a movie script, but instead of fades it has "Page One: Panel One, Panel Two....." etc. There's another method of working, which I personally hate but some pro's prefer it, and that's the Marvel Method or plot method. Where you break down the book into a plot (I've heard of a book where it was like two sentences long) and then give that plot to the artist to break down into the story you read. Stan Lee back in the day wrote most of his stuff this way, which is why it's widely called Marvel Method now. But I digress.
Do I skip the plot part entirely? No I don't. In fact I do write out a loose plot. No one sees this but me. It resembles a loose list of plot points that I want to cover in the series. Nothing more, nothing less. "This guy does this which leads to this and this then this happens" to put it in a run on sentence. It's a shorthand map for me to refer to when I'm working on the script, and often times things change as the script takes form.
For Legacy, since I've been working on this story in one way or another for over a decade, I already have the loose plot in my head. It was very simple for me to sit down and start the scripting process. A few notes at the top for my editor, so he doesn't get lost and then it was straight into the script. (My editor on this project is close friend and professional writer Don Smith Jr.) So, here's the first page of script, re-edited to make it work in this post.
(START SCRIPT)
Page One:
Panel One: A young Jason Talbot, eyes wide with fear. Sitting in a chair in what seems to be an office. Next to him in a car seat is his baby brother, asleep and sucking on a nook.
Caption #1: “The Past.”
Social Worker: (OP) “You can be assured, Mr Talbot, that we will attempt to place your children in the best homes possible.”
Social Worker: (OP) “It’s a very brave thing that you’ve done, giving them up for adoption. I wish that more parents would do so if they felt unable to raise them well.”
Panel Two: Jason Talbot stands over his children, looking down. He’s mostly in silhouette here. It’s not time to see what he looks like, just time to establish the fear that Jason feels and how he views this memory.
Jason: “We going home now Daddy?”
Father: “No Jason. We’re not.”
Panel Three: Jason walking away down the hallway.
Father: “Someday you’ll understand why I done this.”
Panel Four: Jason standing up, reaching towards the reader. An adult has him in a gentle hold, holding him from following the man that was his father.
Jason: (LOUD) “DADDY! NO!!!”
(END SCRIPT)
As you can see, it's a quick description of what's happening in the panel, and you could take this and film it like in a normal movie script. But I need to make a couple notes here:
#1) I write more sparsely for myself than I would for another artist.
#2) I adjust things in the script as I draw them. What may be written down may not be what the final panel looks like, depending on how things go.
As I progress on my story, the characters begin to take on a life of their own (so to speak). If you've ever written anything, then as you're writing you begin to feel the story come alive in your sub-conscious, you know what I'm talking about. There's nothing supernatural or evil about it (That's for the few ultra legalistic Christians that read my blog). It's just that your mind has internalized both the plot and the way the characters act. Totally normal for a creative to experience.
For me, Legacy started that about midway through Issue #2. I really started to feel that I knew and understood the characters, and was very happy with where the plotline was going. Then when I began on Issue #3, I began to slog down a bit having to work things together consciously instead of just letting things flow. Introducing a new character (or two) throughout the first few issues will do that to you, yet I know when I finally get moving on Issue #4 that it'll start moving quickly again.
Scripting is a process I enjoy. This is a part of the process I can do very quickly if it's for myself. If it's for someone else (like another project I'm working on) It takes a bit longer. Especially if you have space constraints. (Say a six pager you need to write and enough content in your mind for a full issue.)
As I'm able to, I'll revisit this particular part of the discussion. As for now, I'm getting a late start on some digital inks I should get done.
On how I work (Part 1)
I've gotten a few questions about how I work lately. So I thought instead of writing a huge tome about how I work in e-mail and copying and pasting it numerous times, I'd just throw it on my blog and direct people to it.
A couple notes right off the bat:
#1) Any time I refer to a project, I am talking about LEGACY as that is the current project I am working on and is freshest in my mind.
#2) I may use shorthand in some ways. Such as BWS for STARS ON BLACK BACKGROUND or ECU for EXTREME CLOSE UP. If you're confused, leave me a comment and I'll explain my shorthand. Most of what I use is common in the movie and comic book industries.
#3) When I talk about writing a script, it is a full script with panel by panel descriptions. This is the only way that I write for comic books. I never do "Marvel Method" or "Plot method".
THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE PROJECT
This is the first, and in my opinion the most important part of the project. You come up with a concept. As Legacy has been in my mind since I was a teenager, I've had years to refine this concept down to a single sentence. "The Journey of Light and Darkness." Or "The Battle of Light and Darkness." Both of these are equally important to the story of my project. One is the journey that light and darkness take in the story, the other is the battle. Light and Darkness are eternally at odds. No matter if you are Christian or Non-Christian, this is played out in any mythology. Light and Darkness are also synonymous with Life and Death in many cultures and belief. An allegory so to speak. (I made a funny!)
Now that I have the concept, what form does it take? Generally about now I start scribbling in a sketchbook. (Well, not really for Legacy as it's been drawn, redrawn, and I'm as familiar with these characters as I am familiar with my son.) But let's examine a hypothetical project, how would I decide what form this would take?
At it's very base it would be black and white. Okay, not very entertaining. So what forms does the darkness and light take? In this hypothetical let's say Light is Humanity and Darkness is an invading Alien Race. So who would be the figureheads for these two forces?
See how my thinking progresses? See how I continually boil down the concept to what it needs to be for the particular project? By moving in this manner while creating a comic book series (Or novel series that doesn't sell worth beans), you become intimately familiar with all thoughts and assumptions that people will have. In essence you are continually boiling away the garbage (dross) to be left with the pure metal.
In the case of a group book, it'd be "This group is Light."
In case of a Zombie Apocalypse things are much simpler.
Now I'm trying to keep this somewhat short, and since I'm writing this one just before 1:00am it's probably a lot shorter than what I will write in the future, but I feel that you're getting an idea on how the conceptualization of the project takes place in my mind. Idea------Basics-----How/Who-----Basics------Plotting.
Next I'll talk about writing the plot (no, I never draw from one) and the scripting of a project.
A couple notes right off the bat:
#1) Any time I refer to a project, I am talking about LEGACY as that is the current project I am working on and is freshest in my mind.
#2) I may use shorthand in some ways. Such as BWS for STARS ON BLACK BACKGROUND or ECU for EXTREME CLOSE UP. If you're confused, leave me a comment and I'll explain my shorthand. Most of what I use is common in the movie and comic book industries.
#3) When I talk about writing a script, it is a full script with panel by panel descriptions. This is the only way that I write for comic books. I never do "Marvel Method" or "Plot method".
THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE PROJECT
This is the first, and in my opinion the most important part of the project. You come up with a concept. As Legacy has been in my mind since I was a teenager, I've had years to refine this concept down to a single sentence. "The Journey of Light and Darkness." Or "The Battle of Light and Darkness." Both of these are equally important to the story of my project. One is the journey that light and darkness take in the story, the other is the battle. Light and Darkness are eternally at odds. No matter if you are Christian or Non-Christian, this is played out in any mythology. Light and Darkness are also synonymous with Life and Death in many cultures and belief. An allegory so to speak. (I made a funny!)
Now that I have the concept, what form does it take? Generally about now I start scribbling in a sketchbook. (Well, not really for Legacy as it's been drawn, redrawn, and I'm as familiar with these characters as I am familiar with my son.) But let's examine a hypothetical project, how would I decide what form this would take?
At it's very base it would be black and white. Okay, not very entertaining. So what forms does the darkness and light take? In this hypothetical let's say Light is Humanity and Darkness is an invading Alien Race. So who would be the figureheads for these two forces?
See how my thinking progresses? See how I continually boil down the concept to what it needs to be for the particular project? By moving in this manner while creating a comic book series (Or novel series that doesn't sell worth beans), you become intimately familiar with all thoughts and assumptions that people will have. In essence you are continually boiling away the garbage (dross) to be left with the pure metal.
In the case of a group book, it'd be "This group is Light."
In case of a Zombie Apocalypse things are much simpler.
Now I'm trying to keep this somewhat short, and since I'm writing this one just before 1:00am it's probably a lot shorter than what I will write in the future, but I feel that you're getting an idea on how the conceptualization of the project takes place in my mind. Idea------Basics-----How/Who-----Basics------Plotting.
Next I'll talk about writing the plot (no, I never draw from one) and the scripting of a project.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
All in the Serve
What a lot of people can forget as they read my meandering writing is that first and foremost I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, have been baptized in His name, and have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Does this make me perfect? No way. Does this have an impact on my life both creative and personal? In all ways.
There's a song I found while watching a movie several years ago. All in the Serve by Michael W. Smith. This song personafied then there I wanted to be, and still personafies where I want to be. As Christians we are to live our lives for Christ. We are to take every thought captive to Him who Saved us. It is only through Jesus that we may be saved.
Once we are Saved by the Grace afforded to us by His death on the cross, then.....Well........It's all in the serve.
Lyrics:
Michael W. Smith
All in the Serve
From the Movie, "The Second Chance"
(Chorus, with "Oh")
Never gave you nothin' people couldn't explain away
Never gave you nothin' without something to gain
Never could slow down enough to study your face, but now -
I wanna know your name
Chorus:
Hold my feet to the fire
'till I'm breakin' a sweat
'till I never forget
your callin' Keep me
on the line give me the nerve
Here it's all in the serve
Locked in the diamond lane
I kept driving past it
Better to be safe
Than learn what your a-bout
Give me another chance to go where Youre goin', now
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out
(Key Change)
Chorus:
Hold my feet to the fire
'till I'm breakin' a sweat
'till I never forget
your callin' Keep me
on the line give me the nerve
Here it's all in the serve
(Key Change)
Chorus:
Hold my feet to the fire
'till I'm breakin' a sweat
'till I never forget
your callin' Keep me
on the line give me the nerve
For it's all in the serve
(Key Change)
(Chorus, with "OH") ('till I never forget)
It’s all in the serve
Yeah, it’s all in the serve
Here it’s all in the serve
There's a song I found while watching a movie several years ago. All in the Serve by Michael W. Smith. This song personafied then there I wanted to be, and still personafies where I want to be. As Christians we are to live our lives for Christ. We are to take every thought captive to Him who Saved us. It is only through Jesus that we may be saved.
Once we are Saved by the Grace afforded to us by His death on the cross, then.....Well........It's all in the serve.
Lyrics:
Michael W. Smith
All in the Serve
From the Movie, "The Second Chance"
(Chorus, with "Oh")
Never gave you nothin' people couldn't explain away
Never gave you nothin' without something to gain
Never could slow down enough to study your face, but now -
I wanna know your name
Chorus:
Hold my feet to the fire
'till I'm breakin' a sweat
'till I never forget
your callin' Keep me
on the line give me the nerve
Here it's all in the serve
Locked in the diamond lane
I kept driving past it
Better to be safe
Than learn what your a-bout
Give me another chance to go where Youre goin', now
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out
(Key Change)
Chorus:
Hold my feet to the fire
'till I'm breakin' a sweat
'till I never forget
your callin' Keep me
on the line give me the nerve
Here it's all in the serve
(Key Change)
Chorus:
Hold my feet to the fire
'till I'm breakin' a sweat
'till I never forget
your callin' Keep me
on the line give me the nerve
For it's all in the serve
(Key Change)
(Chorus, with "OH") ('till I never forget)
It’s all in the serve
Yeah, it’s all in the serve
Here it’s all in the serve
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Faith, Creativity, and Life
It's been a long time since I posted anything in this blog, but that's actually a good thing. Within the past couple months I've published my first novel, rededicated my life and talents to God, and have made many changes in my life. I won't go into all of them here, you'll see them as time progresses. What I will write about is based on something my friend Don Smith told me to blog about. He suggested I write a simple blog about the three things I enjoy about writing. I can't write just about writing, the entire creative process and how my faith interacts with it and how that then interfaces with my life is more what I feel I should say.
Creativity comes from the talents that God gives us. In my case it's definitely not administration of a publishing company. It's writing and drawing, the entire creative process. I've made the mistake several times in my life of trying to be a publisher. I can publish my own work well enough, but when it comes to others I fall saddeningly short. Howard Kent, Christina Cheek, and many others can attest to this fallacy in my life. I definitely do NOT have a talent of administration of any kind.
So that leaves the Creativity of creating, writing, and drawing. It's something I enjoy, something that helps keep me busy, and something that I now hope to have the drive to complete. I've left behind a series of projects half finished in my life. Heck, I've even left the TRUTH behind in my life, only to return to it again. The truth is Salvation through Jesus Christ, and living as a Christian should. Some people may disagree that I've made it to this place, but for the first time I am settled.
James 1:8 states that a double minded (can't make up his mind) man is unstable in all his ways. For the past 3+ years I've lived that. Yet within the past two months since my rededication to Jesus Christ and what was in Acts called "The Way" I have experienced a paradigm shift that continues to this day. Not only in my personal life; reading the bible and praying. But in my professional. I backed out of one project very recently because the man I was partnered with was double minded. I feel bad about the timing of my leaving, but I feel peace about the decision. There were many warning signs that I should have quit earlier, one of the funniest being when this gentleman stated "My cat's head of PR and wants to know if it's okay to make you one of the leaders on the ###### Comics facebook page."
I won't mention any names, or give any other clues to this persons identity. The timing of our departure from a professional relationship could have been better, but the result has been a return to the work that I enjoy.
I'm currently working on a Comic Book. Yep, you've all heard that before. I feel bolder now that I am settled. I have a peace in my heart that surpasses all understanding, and I have quit sitting on the fence between God and the World. I had to make this decision you see, because my life was unmanageable without Christ. I realized this, I saw this. But it wasn't me who revealed it. It was the Spirit of God that spoke with a still small voice inside of me. I had a choice to listen or not to, and Thank the Lord I chose to listen.
I've returned to the Church that trained me. I've reknit old ties that had long been dormant. The faith that I have is strong and steadfast in a way it hasn't been before. And I'm not afraid.
So how does that mix in with the Creative process? Very simple. It gives me the drive that I have lacked before, the boldness to complete the project that I am beginning. I don't want to brag about anything though, if anything I want to brag about it's the forgiveness through Jesus Christ. I just know that as I move on in faith and listen to His Voice in my life (Through the Bible and prayer) I will be more than a conqueror.
This particular project has roots long ago. Just as Beyond Mortality does. What this project is, well, is the comic book version of several of the similar ideas I had that didn't quite work out with Beyond Mortality. In fact I have considered removing Beyond Mortality from sale as of this point due to the fact that it was rushed. But the fact remains that I did complete a novel, and that fact helps me move forward in a way I haven't quite experienced before.
My wife has always tried to tell me that I could do anything that I set my mind to. Me being of low self-esteem and a double mind never believed her until now. I look forward to the chances that are in front of me, and I love the fact that I have returned to what I love best: my hearts desire to write and draw comic books.
I will write more soon, I promise.
Creativity comes from the talents that God gives us. In my case it's definitely not administration of a publishing company. It's writing and drawing, the entire creative process. I've made the mistake several times in my life of trying to be a publisher. I can publish my own work well enough, but when it comes to others I fall saddeningly short. Howard Kent, Christina Cheek, and many others can attest to this fallacy in my life. I definitely do NOT have a talent of administration of any kind.
So that leaves the Creativity of creating, writing, and drawing. It's something I enjoy, something that helps keep me busy, and something that I now hope to have the drive to complete. I've left behind a series of projects half finished in my life. Heck, I've even left the TRUTH behind in my life, only to return to it again. The truth is Salvation through Jesus Christ, and living as a Christian should. Some people may disagree that I've made it to this place, but for the first time I am settled.
James 1:8 states that a double minded (can't make up his mind) man is unstable in all his ways. For the past 3+ years I've lived that. Yet within the past two months since my rededication to Jesus Christ and what was in Acts called "The Way" I have experienced a paradigm shift that continues to this day. Not only in my personal life; reading the bible and praying. But in my professional. I backed out of one project very recently because the man I was partnered with was double minded. I feel bad about the timing of my leaving, but I feel peace about the decision. There were many warning signs that I should have quit earlier, one of the funniest being when this gentleman stated "My cat's head of PR and wants to know if it's okay to make you one of the leaders on the ###### Comics facebook page."
I won't mention any names, or give any other clues to this persons identity. The timing of our departure from a professional relationship could have been better, but the result has been a return to the work that I enjoy.
I'm currently working on a Comic Book. Yep, you've all heard that before. I feel bolder now that I am settled. I have a peace in my heart that surpasses all understanding, and I have quit sitting on the fence between God and the World. I had to make this decision you see, because my life was unmanageable without Christ. I realized this, I saw this. But it wasn't me who revealed it. It was the Spirit of God that spoke with a still small voice inside of me. I had a choice to listen or not to, and Thank the Lord I chose to listen.
I've returned to the Church that trained me. I've reknit old ties that had long been dormant. The faith that I have is strong and steadfast in a way it hasn't been before. And I'm not afraid.
So how does that mix in with the Creative process? Very simple. It gives me the drive that I have lacked before, the boldness to complete the project that I am beginning. I don't want to brag about anything though, if anything I want to brag about it's the forgiveness through Jesus Christ. I just know that as I move on in faith and listen to His Voice in my life (Through the Bible and prayer) I will be more than a conqueror.
This particular project has roots long ago. Just as Beyond Mortality does. What this project is, well, is the comic book version of several of the similar ideas I had that didn't quite work out with Beyond Mortality. In fact I have considered removing Beyond Mortality from sale as of this point due to the fact that it was rushed. But the fact remains that I did complete a novel, and that fact helps me move forward in a way I haven't quite experienced before.
My wife has always tried to tell me that I could do anything that I set my mind to. Me being of low self-esteem and a double mind never believed her until now. I look forward to the chances that are in front of me, and I love the fact that I have returned to what I love best: my hearts desire to write and draw comic books.
I will write more soon, I promise.
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