Episode 3 - On Early Drafts

We had THREE topics that were somewhat braided together:

1. A thought Jess had: Become more interested in DOING what you're doing than KNOWING what you're doing.

2. A quote I wrote down: "I often find myself writing long meandering first drafts, that drift around a bit before settling down into a state of baffling indecision." - George Saunders

The Terrible Anvil: Episode 2 - Lean into the worst. In the Comics FLOW + PUBLISH group we asked around: how do you lean in when the going gets weird? What parts are EXTRA UNFUN, and how do you navigate it?

We spoke on all these topics, as well as the role of ritual and community in answering these three questions. We cooked up ideas on how to make a home there in the ruins, being okay with badly-drawn hands, what to embrace when we're working.

Jess Ruliffson and I are starting our live discussion series, The Terrible Anvil, tomorrow , Jan 11, 2024 in the Sequential Artists Workshop Flow Community and this post is an invite (you can sign up for a free 2 week trial here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group )

Conversation is a part of life. Let's bring readers into the life of our comics. It comes up a lot where people think maybe they have too much dialogue, too many “talking heads". It can happen, but it doesn’t always happen.

The famous way out of this is Wally Wood’s “22 panels that always work when some dumb writer has a bunch of lame characters sitting around and talking for page after page…”

SAW's favorite novelist on drafts, failure, and limitation as gift.

As a maker-writer, you may have a story in mind, the beginning of a story, the end of a story in mind—but rather than emphasizing the narrative arc, she places importance on the process of a “continual thickening until right shape emerges…”

Sowing, reaping, and resting in our art. A post by Jess Ruliffson.

One thing I seem to be thinking about a lot lately is how to make an "art budget" for a long form comic. Or even a short comic! In the SAW weekly meetings, sometimes we do short exercises.

Reading the Magic Treehouse graphic novel with my daughter I noticed some really nice pages, and thought I would point them out. Good visual communication and storytelling here!

Our next Pro-Call is with Jamila Rowser! Come join us in our most affordable, online ongoing-community SAW FLOW + PUBLISH MEMBERSHIP GROUP (comes with a two-week free trial) to join in on MONTHLY PRO-CALLS!

We bring in comic professionals from all walks of life to guest speak (virtually) at SAW. These guest speakers give SAW students/members some insight from their personal experiences throughout their comics career and welcome questions at the end of each session. Come join us!

I’ve been thinking about the ideas of Getting Seen and also Getting Good, and why we tend to worry about doing it in the “right” order. That is, we are so certain we have to be GOOD, BEFORE we are SEEN.

For anyone working on what feels like (or is) a "big idea" and not knowing how to start. OFTEN, a creator will make a small piece, not realizing it is about to become a bigger thing. This is great, and it's encouraged! Here are some examples:

The first mistake everyone makes when writing for comics...

Are you interested in finding out more about our 2023-2024 Comics Certificate Course? Join us on Zoom, Monday August 28 @ 2 PM EDT, for our SAW Certificate Course Live Q+A!

Come join us in our most affordable, online ongoing-community SAW FLOW + PUBLISH MEMBERSHIP GROUP (comes with a two-week free trial) to join in on MONTHLY PRO-CALLS! Our next Pro-Call is with Joan Reilly!

Come join us in our most affordable, online ongoing-community SAW FLOW + PUBLISH MEMBERSHIP GROUP (comes with a two-week free trial) to join in on MONTHLY PRO-CALLS!

We bring in comic professionals from all walks of life to guest speak (virtually) at SAW. These guest speakers give SAW students/members some insight from their personal experiences throughout their comics career and welcome questions at the end of each session. Come join us!

Join us July 28th for a Field Guide to Graphic Literature Book Launch in Gainesville, FL with Tom Hart!

The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Graphic Literature gives readers unprecedented insight into the techniques of 28 of today’s most innovative creators of poetry comics, graphic narratives, and image-text hybrids. With original craft essays, corresponding exercises, and full-color examples of their work, each contributor offers reflection and instruction informed by their own methods and processes. Edited by Tom Hart @hutchowen and Kelcey Ervick @kelcey.parker.ervick@thirdhousebooks

How do you get by using color when you don't feel you know anything about color? Feel confident in choosing colors for your comics with our Bootleggers Guide to Color with cartoonist and Eisner Nominee, Jess Ruliffson!

Starts June 21, 2023, Sign up link in bio or go to --> learn.sawcomics.org

Enhance the meaning and drama of your storytelling. Only a couple spots left!

An article by SAW Instructor, Jess Ruliffson, going over a recent PRO-CALL we had with REIMENA YEE on how to make a webcomic; tools to make webcomics; webcomics vs. print; and more!

Catch the replay of our most recent Friday Night Comics Workshop with Sarah Mirk! We first explored a 10 minute drawing challenge—in the top quarter of the page, draw a full body portrait of yourself as a teen wearing one of those significant clothing items. You can draw simple (you can be a blob)! Then, we tried to incorporate some details that help visually tell the story of who we were—Maybe label the important clothing item, tell us what it is and when and where you got it. What would you carry around as a teen?

Come join us in our most affordable, online ongoing-community SAW FLOW + PUBLISH MEMBERSHIP GROUP (comes with a two-week free trial) to join in on MONTHLY PRO-CALLS! 

SAW Pro-Call with Georgia Webber on Career and Health.

Georgia Webber is a comics artist, editor, and facilitator living in Newfoundland. She is entirely occupied by the intersection of health and art, making music, comics, and facilitating courses from this point of fascination.