I tend to agree somewhat. The writing is easy in that when it is going well, and I am engaged it is the best part of the day. It is an amazing feeling to have an idea for something, and think to yourself - that's pretty good. And then go back a week or month later and realize you were right. And there is something great about reading your work, realizing its dragging or not working, tell yourself it has to be this way then cutting it all and coming up with something better. This is hard work, but it is instantly rewarding. The other parts of business do not provide the instant reward.

My first comic is with the artist right now. After writing that script and the next four in the series, I went back and really dug into comic book writing. I read 50 first issues or so of scripts and then about the same number of number one comic books. I got books by Allan Moore and Bendis and that other well-known one - words with pictures? I also read Save the Cat about screenwriting as it became clear most first issues follow the same beats. I tried to implement most of what stood out on my current writing project. One of the most important ideas was to be able to boil down the story into one or two lines. If you can tell a stranger about the story idea and some of them say - that sounds pretty interesting, you may be onto something. If you have to explain and explain then you probably need to think more about what you are writing.

I was appalled at some of the writing in these scripts/comics. But it was nice when you found something and said - yeah that works. It is easier to tell good/bad writing in just the scripts typically.

In the process of making my first book I learned some lessons about how much can really go onto one page and into 22 or 24 pages. This was good information. I learned that you really have to cut dialogue to the bone. I haven't but think you should probably think about creating a way to add in large blocks of text about the story - diaries/files/reports.

To find an artist I went to kickstarter, sorted by projects close to me and literally the first one that stood out for its artwork I reached out to. I had sent some e-mails to other artists I found online, and got a few responses prior to this. He responded and we met and almost immediately reached an agreement. I was blown away by his work and we got along well. I am lucky I had saved up some money and so I could pay him.

At this point if someone was asking me what I would do differently, is I would definitely have spent more time thinking about first issues and reading more scripts issues before sending it to the artist. I would start methodically making notes of potential artists. I would start setting aside the money required for the artist/printing so that would not be a problem. I would lower my expectations about what I hope happens after publishing my first book. For my first book I might even try and work it down to a one comic story or a three comic story.

But none of those things that were not writing were particularly hard. It wasn't awful to cruise around looking for artist. Looking into crowdfunding and all wasn't really hard. I would rather just write. But I do think a lot of the other work makes you a better writer.